I almost feel guilty for enjoying this so much and looking forward to each new track every week because this is your life - it all really happened - and as someone who's formative years were severely impacted by the less than ideal actions and decisions of her parents, I am certain it must be difficult to relive. Your storytelling is nothing short of brilliant and I'd buy this in book form! I am loving this serialised version though - reminds me of the old days when I had to wait a whole week to watch the next episodes of my favourite TV shows 😉
Stephanie thank you so much - what an incredible comment!! I'm so glad you're enjoying it and please don't feel guilty! Although you're right that it's on the one hand, hard to relive, it's also so satisfying and helpful. Especially when I see it through other people's eyes and get these thoughtful insights. The serial aspect helps break it down too. Thank you so very much. 🤗
I'm sorry I missed this one first time around. I was in the middle of a move.
I was never a huge fan of her music, but Annie Lennox was stunning, both aesthetically and in her talent. Madonna I always thought was awful, but then I was a big Cyndi fan. That was my Blur Oasis and I'm quite happy about that.
I spent much of my childhood in pubs as my mum and step dad worked for breweries and many of our friends ran pubs. I loved it. But you really do get a crash course in human behaviour in these places, especially when you're a kid. I'm sure you have dozens of stories there.
I fell in love with Suzi Quattro when I was ten. I loved all the women of Motown and the women of Disco but I lost interest in female singers after that. Weird.
I'm sorry for your parent troubles. My parents’ break up was not unlike yours’. Still makes me sad.
Thank you Ragged, this is lovely. Suzi Quattro was a force - I can see the appeal. I wonder if we have a strict ‘window’ when all these influences affect us all at once and then it’s kind of over 🤔
I’m still hooked on music. Bob Dylan had me transfixed for about twenty years. I still discover “new” music — I only found Nick Drake a couple of years ago but I listen to him all the time now — but only “new” old music. I rarely listen to anything from this century.
Oh my God, yes!! I got tickets to see it at a preview in my local arty-cinema before it even came out. They had a party afterwards with a whole bunch of Dylan cover bands. Best movie I have seen for years. Even Mrs Clown loved it and she is a Dylan fan now too.
Before I got married, I lived in a house with three other blokes and we all pledged to name our firstborn ‘Dylan’ but I was the only one who kept the pledge.
Skip the first album but the next 4 or 5 take you into a different world of hippies and poetry and liberal politics. This is the period that the movie covers. He made some great albums after that but this is the period that won him the Nobel Prize for Literature.
If you hear vague traces of skipping reels of Rhyme
To your tambourine in time
I wouldn’t pay it any mind.
It's just a Ragged Clown behind.
It’s just a shadow that you’re seeing that he’s chasing.
There are so many different places in your storytelling, Faith, where I am longing for an entire chapter (or more) where you can build out and dive in - like the pub for example. I want to know some of the constant characters who took up residence at the bar. There are so many stories still to be told. Thank you for taking us on this journey with you!
Thank you so much Tim, that’s lovely! Glad you’re enjoying it. Yes it’s a bit of a whistle stop tour but I could revisit some areas at a later date. So glad you’re enjoying it!
Your writing is amazing and your life story is gripping. You set the scene of the time and I can picture it all so well in my mind. Look forward to next week’s one.
Faith, I really enjoyed this. Some time ago, my husband and I were approached about taking over a beloved local pub. With our experience behind the bar, we politely declined, fully aware of the immense stress it would bring - especially in the present day. I don’t think people truly understand the toll managing a pub can take on a marriage, particularly back then. The constant demand for cheerfulness, no matter your mood, from punters, and in your case, the impact it has on a young family is often underestimated.
Thank you Sharon - such thoughtful comments. You're totally right, it's unbelievable pressure, and you're basically always on show. I'm so glad you politely declined!
This is beautifully written, deeply evocative. Your writing is so inspiring because with this piece, along with others you manage this amazing balance between warmth and melancholy, humour and sadness, memory and meaning. You have this quiet wit that makes even heavy moments digestible. Pulling together feminism, pop culture, personal history, and family breakdown in a relatively short piece that keeps the reader gripped and hungry for more, displays a pretty rare talent. Again, you write about it all in such a way that, as a reader, I’m invested in the future of all the people in the story. Love this, Faith.
Mike this is so lovely to read, I must have read it about 10 times. Thank you for every word, I really appreciate it and am so glad you love it so much 😊
Your writing brings the confusion of your childhood to life, even while your adult self is observing and describing and sympathising and analysing. I'm a sucker for a serialised story with a tempting hook. I'm simultaneously sorry for your childhood self, and thankful to your adult self for sharing your story.
Thank you so much Gillian, I really love that. I guess that's what I'm doing - and yes confusion sums it up well. It's so fulfilling to be able to define that confusion through writing, and to have it understood by others too.
I echo Stephanie's comments and I love what someone said when reposting your last piece (I guess I'm piggybacking off that comment) - you manage to tell heartbreaking tales with such a light, humorous touch that makes you want to keep reading (they put it far more eloquently than I can).
My mother sounds a lot like yours - she used to record programmes off TV (and illegally cop video rentals) and meticulously catalog them all, even listing the actors, genre, run-time and would you believe it, but Woman of Substance was in there. My sister and I often wondered what it was but never bothered to watch.
No way!! Perhaps it was on at an inconvenient time and lots of women recorded it for quiet viewing later. I never bothered to watch it either - it sounded so dull.
Thank you so much - that's such a lovely compliment. I'm glad it's compelling to read ☺️.
I almost feel guilty for enjoying this so much and looking forward to each new track every week because this is your life - it all really happened - and as someone who's formative years were severely impacted by the less than ideal actions and decisions of her parents, I am certain it must be difficult to relive. Your storytelling is nothing short of brilliant and I'd buy this in book form! I am loving this serialised version though - reminds me of the old days when I had to wait a whole week to watch the next episodes of my favourite TV shows 😉
Stephanie thank you so much - what an incredible comment!! I'm so glad you're enjoying it and please don't feel guilty! Although you're right that it's on the one hand, hard to relive, it's also so satisfying and helpful. Especially when I see it through other people's eyes and get these thoughtful insights. The serial aspect helps break it down too. Thank you so very much. 🤗
The cultural references of the times provide such a vivid backdrop to your changing home life, Faith. Beautifully told.
Thank you so much Wendy for that lovely feedback. Glad you enjoyed it.
Lovely post. I can feel your sadness in there as you realise what’s happening. The backdrop of Carla Lane’s female characters is perfect.
Thank you so much Margaret, that's lovely feedback.
I'm sorry I missed this one first time around. I was in the middle of a move.
I was never a huge fan of her music, but Annie Lennox was stunning, both aesthetically and in her talent. Madonna I always thought was awful, but then I was a big Cyndi fan. That was my Blur Oasis and I'm quite happy about that.
I spent much of my childhood in pubs as my mum and step dad worked for breweries and many of our friends ran pubs. I loved it. But you really do get a crash course in human behaviour in these places, especially when you're a kid. I'm sure you have dozens of stories there.
Thanks so much Dean - please don't apologise! How was the move? I hope it's all over by now.
Yes 'crash course' sums it up - it's quite an assault on the senses.
It was, as the kids say, epic. Actually, those kids are probably in their 30s now. It was exhausting. All set more though.
I fell in love with Suzi Quattro when I was ten. I loved all the women of Motown and the women of Disco but I lost interest in female singers after that. Weird.
I'm sorry for your parent troubles. My parents’ break up was not unlike yours’. Still makes me sad.
I love your stories. Even the sad ones.
Thank you Ragged, this is lovely. Suzi Quattro was a force - I can see the appeal. I wonder if we have a strict ‘window’ when all these influences affect us all at once and then it’s kind of over 🤔
I’m still hooked on music. Bob Dylan had me transfixed for about twenty years. I still discover “new” music — I only found Nick Drake a couple of years ago but I listen to him all the time now — but only “new” old music. I rarely listen to anything from this century.
Got it. Have you been to see the Dylan film?
Have you seen it?
Oh my God, yes!! I got tickets to see it at a preview in my local arty-cinema before it even came out. They had a party afterwards with a whole bunch of Dylan cover bands. Best movie I have seen for years. Even Mrs Clown loved it and she is a Dylan fan now too.
Before I got married, I lived in a house with three other blokes and we all pledged to name our firstborn ‘Dylan’ but I was the only one who kept the pledge.
Wow this is amazing - I haven't seen it yet. I'm not a Dylan fan but perhaps this will convert me.
That pledge is amazing! And is your son a fan? I really need to get to the bottom of his appeal 😃 My dad is a huge fan which has always put me off!
My son is not a fan 😢
Skip the first album but the next 4 or 5 take you into a different world of hippies and poetry and liberal politics. This is the period that the movie covers. He made some great albums after that but this is the period that won him the Nobel Prize for Literature.
If you hear vague traces of skipping reels of Rhyme
To your tambourine in time
I wouldn’t pay it any mind.
It's just a Ragged Clown behind.
It’s just a shadow that you’re seeing that he’s chasing.
Another great excerpt, Faith. Sad, funny, brilliantly written! Look forward to track 6.
Thank you so much Andy! Track 6 is already more upbeat thank goodness - thanks for sticking with me!
There are so many different places in your storytelling, Faith, where I am longing for an entire chapter (or more) where you can build out and dive in - like the pub for example. I want to know some of the constant characters who took up residence at the bar. There are so many stories still to be told. Thank you for taking us on this journey with you!
Thank you so much Tim, that’s lovely! Glad you’re enjoying it. Yes it’s a bit of a whistle stop tour but I could revisit some areas at a later date. So glad you’re enjoying it!
This is so good Faith, but heartbreaking.
Your writing is amazing and your life story is gripping. You set the scene of the time and I can picture it all so well in my mind. Look forward to next week’s one.
Thank you so much Francis, I love that!
Faith, I really enjoyed this. Some time ago, my husband and I were approached about taking over a beloved local pub. With our experience behind the bar, we politely declined, fully aware of the immense stress it would bring - especially in the present day. I don’t think people truly understand the toll managing a pub can take on a marriage, particularly back then. The constant demand for cheerfulness, no matter your mood, from punters, and in your case, the impact it has on a young family is often underestimated.
Thank you Sharon - such thoughtful comments. You're totally right, it's unbelievable pressure, and you're basically always on show. I'm so glad you politely declined!
Jesus Faith, this just keeps getting worse/better as it goes on. You tell it so, so well. I'm honestly in awe.
Oh thank you so so much Lewis, that's such great feedback. I'm so glad!
This is beautifully written, deeply evocative. Your writing is so inspiring because with this piece, along with others you manage this amazing balance between warmth and melancholy, humour and sadness, memory and meaning. You have this quiet wit that makes even heavy moments digestible. Pulling together feminism, pop culture, personal history, and family breakdown in a relatively short piece that keeps the reader gripped and hungry for more, displays a pretty rare talent. Again, you write about it all in such a way that, as a reader, I’m invested in the future of all the people in the story. Love this, Faith.
Mike this is so lovely to read, I must have read it about 10 times. Thank you for every word, I really appreciate it and am so glad you love it so much 😊
'Absolute tumbleweed.'
Brilliant metaphor, addictive story.
Your writing brings the confusion of your childhood to life, even while your adult self is observing and describing and sympathising and analysing. I'm a sucker for a serialised story with a tempting hook. I'm simultaneously sorry for your childhood self, and thankful to your adult self for sharing your story.
Thank you so much Gillian, I really love that. I guess that's what I'm doing - and yes confusion sums it up well. It's so fulfilling to be able to define that confusion through writing, and to have it understood by others too.
I echo Stephanie's comments and I love what someone said when reposting your last piece (I guess I'm piggybacking off that comment) - you manage to tell heartbreaking tales with such a light, humorous touch that makes you want to keep reading (they put it far more eloquently than I can).
My mother sounds a lot like yours - she used to record programmes off TV (and illegally cop video rentals) and meticulously catalog them all, even listing the actors, genre, run-time and would you believe it, but Woman of Substance was in there. My sister and I often wondered what it was but never bothered to watch.
No way!! Perhaps it was on at an inconvenient time and lots of women recorded it for quiet viewing later. I never bothered to watch it either - it sounded so dull.
Thank you so much - that's such a lovely compliment. I'm glad it's compelling to read ☺️.
This is brilliant and do I dare say I still have a Woman of Substance on my bookshelf. 😀
🤣Thanks so much Michele. Is it any good?
I very much enjoyed it when I re-read it last year. I recommend it.