Category: Writing
-
I had to walk away from my marriage and job to be a better dad
Married with a young family and a great job, JC Clapham thought he had ticked all the boxes for a good life. Then he nearly lost it all, and himself. On paper, I had the perfect life. Married with three kids, a seemingly great job that paid very well, a mortgage in the suburbs, and…
-
Red Dog, I’m Truly Blue | The Westsider
One of the many shitful things about having a parent who died while I was young is that my kids never knew him. In my case, my dad would never be the ‘Pop’ his father was to me. He’d only ever be a blank, a gap, for them. My father’s suicide when I was 16…
-
#YOUCANTALKABOUT suicide | The Westsider
A new suicide prevention education campaign has been launched through a collaboration of leading mental health organisations in Australia. The campaign aims to empower people and increase their confidence when it comes to talking about suicide. It is a collaboration between beyondblue, Black Dog Institute, Everymind, headspace, Lifeline, ReachOut and R U OK?, and in…
-
“Life by a thousand cuts’ | The Westsider
As a creative writing student quite some years ago, one of the mantras instilled in me was to “kill your darlings”. Alarming to hear out of context, to be sure. What it means for writers is to focus on the overall purpose or value of your piece of writing, and to be fearless in cutting…
-
Remembering Eurydice
I knew Eurydice Dixon only a little, but she genuinely made a big and bold impression on me. She was intelligent, uniquely funny, and so thoroughly decent. Eurydice was raped and murdered earlier this week on her way home from a comedy gig. She had spent the evening making people laugh and think, and then…
-
‘Doona Daze’ | The Westsider
O soothest Sleep! if so it please thee, close In midst of this thine hymn my willing eyes, Or wait the “Amen,” ere thy poppy throws Around my bed its lulling charities. Then save me, or the passed day will shine Upon my pillow, breeding many woes, Save me from curious Conscience, that still lords…
-
‘Once I was a Caterpillar’ | The Westsider
My local community newspaper, The Westsider, invited me to write a monthly column on mental health. I’m so rapt! The first piece has been published and is now online. I hope you get something out of it xx How amazing and under-appreciated are caterpillars… These ground/plant-dwelling crawling things change almost completely into a flying insect…
-
Falling down means the opportunity to get back up again
Pretty chuffed to be this month’s featured profile in my local community newspaper. I mention having a breakdown mid-2016. Because I did. And I feel no shame about that. A lot has changed since then. I’m no longer an award-winning senior executive (at present). I’m no longer married. And I’m less certain of what my…
-
Sometimes silver linings are actually gold
I love being a dad and having my three kids. I’m a very involved and good father, and the upside of quitting my senior corporate job last year after my marriage ended, is that I’m now far more present and active in my kids’ lives. With three major and parallel challenges in the preceding few…
-
Dropping the pretence: I feel quite alone, but I’m ok
I’ve been putting a brave face on the past month or so. Part of pushing myself to try and ‘be happier’. In some ways, it’s worked quite well, and it’s become a bit of a conscious check on myself: “What can I focus on that might make me feel happier?”. But I think I might…