I’ve been applying for funding or waiting for results while still mobilising people and meetings for the past 2 years after spending 3 or 4 years writing a play.
The whole time i did a lot of other stuff for theatre - some success.
We had professionals and community people and then - because my support team were not mental health professionals
- they left me to f**k it up when it mattered one week.
I’ve now started running with a friend 3 or 4 times a week and 2 or 3 bike rides a week - with the impetus to do a 5k in summer - fun run - we aren’t competing yet - she’s just sober and I used to run a 10 - 16 mile long run every weekend, but i’m 4 stone (46lbs / 25 kg) heavier than her.
and my sister and I want to train up for a couple of 60 mile bike rides in September October.
I’m also calorie counting a 95% plant based diet - so far i have had specific lapses like: (had a creamy sauce once) / (2 bites of cheese in the evening a few times) or (a smoked mackerel fillet (2x))
I’m aware that i can now just about talk anyone under the table on first contact
or a close freind will hear a lot about me (i’m improving with interest and showing an interest)
but it kind of sunk in today that everyone wants to talk about themselves - wierd - couple of people in one day wouldn’t shut up
Today was major though - instead of working with a £10,000.00 grant - with the project that fell through (i’m returning the funds to the National Lottery)
I’m gonna do it with unpaid people and cut a loss of no more than a couple hundred pounds i hope
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f***ing can’t believe i published this so ignorantly about the money - and about everything else
it was for a community theatre company to put on a play with professionals and mental health and people recovering from misuse of drugs and alcohol
I’ve spent a long time spending bits of it on liability insurance, on fees for artists or the director and props / costume etc.
I have to give most of it back
I am 11 years out of hospital coming september
i have no intention of coming off my meds ever
still ‘struggling’
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Endorse yourself for all that you have done, are doing! Honesty first! We have to put up with our schizophrenic failings sometimes. You seem to be overdoing everything, esp. your physical health. Endorse yourself and be proud that you have overcome your symptoms!
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Thanks Martin
It’s been an insane few years.
My first monologue which I voiced as vocals for a short film. it was exhibited in galleries in Europe and London and is use nationwide for training for psychiatric nurses
I’ve had a ten minute play shown as part of a selection in a major theatre
Had a 10 week full time experience of devising theatre.
Had a scratch night performance in London’s Rose Playhouse - The ruins of Shakespeare’s first theatre (on bankside- next to the globe)
I had another scratch night in Plymouth and first full performance in a small room in Bristol- then a 10 day stint with another disability theatre company in Edinburgh for the fringe festival where we all stayed.
We were twice given three star reviews
This short play also toured London Bath and Bristol - It has since been shown in Bristol and Plymouth all with ‘Stepping out theatre’ the foremost mental health theatre company in Britain
I have entered competitions and have not won anything but was shortlisted in Philadelphia twice
I’ve had two articles published in an autism book
And ‘stepping out’ are publishing a book of poems of mine.
In the meantime I spent five years writing a full length play With many many rehearsals with volunteers just to get the writing better and have input from other people… I can’t understand why people write an entire page of thanks to people who have helped them writing a novel it’s a shame that it didn’t get past the first few weeks of rehearsals because I was so crazy and not quite supported… The people I was working were obviously not psychiatric professionals they were theatre people - and unfortunately left me to f&&& it up one week.
In the meantime I’ve gained 28 lbs on top of my previous extra 28…
Fed me and my husband home cooked meals since 2009
my main focus now is back to my physical body prior to this theatre five years I ran for five years of running I was running half marathons every weekend by the end of it until I hit the wall!
Yes I overdo it but I don’t think to extremes
Without the illness I would be a maniac
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Can I get a sample of your writing from you or from somewhere?
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I love hearing these success stories! We can do so much despite our conditions. Thanks for sharing.
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