In his Booker Prize-winning novel The Sense of an Ending, Julian Barnes’ grey-haired anti-hero takes the train to London for a spot of shopping. On his list? Cord for restringing blind, kettle descaler and those patches you iron on to trousers when the fabric wears thin. ”It’s hard to find this stuff locally any more,” … Read More
Recently, I interviewed for a role with an all-female, fully remote consulting firm. It was less an interview and more of a conversation. The intro to the firm came via a colleague and although the firm wasn’t hiring, we wanted to explore possibilities. It was unlike any other job interview. The senior partner spoke about … Read More
Late last year, I was offered my dream job – serving on the executive team of an influential NGO reporting directly to the impressive female CEO. But when the offer was made, I became paralysed with fear. How would I manage a demanding full-time role plus my responsibilities as a sole parent – to myself … Read More
Late in her life, my beloved grandmother was diagnosed with coeliac disease. It was the early 1980s and “gluten free” was not the woke gastronomical term it is today. There was no gluten-free bread in the supermarket and no GF alternatives on the cafe menu. If we went to a restaurant, we phoned ahead. “Can … Read More
A few years ago, I was involved in the design of a social housing project. The project had all the best possible intentions. It aimed to address homelessness among older single women by building high-quality, affordable eco-townhouses in a gentrifying suburb close to the city. Like many architect-designed projects, it came in over budget. I … Read More