How are you doing today? I want to talk about psoriasis again and how the impacts of Covid-19 and lockdown has impacted my skin. If you had told me this time last year that we were just months away from a pandemic and our lives would be completely different I'd probably be in disbelief. But when I watched what happened in China, then Italy and the rest of the world including where I am in the UK it became all too realistic and the consequences are a bit worrying. Being stuck at home has had it's ups and downs for me and I'm sure many people feel the same. I also understand how bad these consequences are such as redundancy, getting ill, or losing loved ones. My psoriasis isn't exactly on a list of priorities right now but it's good to talk about it. So, here are some thoughts or more like situations and realisations I've had through these past few months.
Number 1
I kind of thought with all this time at home I would have more time to keep to a strict skincare regime. Ohhh boy was I wrong about that. There would be times where I'd have a good couple of weeks keeping up with it and then I'd go days of just not bothering. I think that was partly down to mental health where some days I just wanted my skin to be better and other days where it was the last thing on my list to care about. I also think the moisturiser that I was using from the doctor started to make my skin worse. One of the joys of psoriasis, it's trial and error and even when something works at first it can stop working further down the line. I stopped using it and just used my Body Shop coconut moisturiser and my skin has massively improved.
Number 2
With the weather getting better and that we were still allowed to go out for daily exercise and plus I have a dog so he needs walked a few times a day I thought "hey, the sun will help" yet it didn't help at all. The sun normally does help but I guess the stress and anxiety of what was going on around us outweighed the benefits. Also with the sun comes an awful lot of heat which I hate. Autumn for life. Heat means clothes stick, rub and just irritate the living days out of my skin and it also means a lack of sleep which can also trigger a flare. Seriously, I can not wait for the cooler weather to get here.
Number 3
As I wasn't going anywhere I thought it doesn't matter what shampoo or conditioner I use just now because nobody will really be seeing me or my hair. I bought some of Tesco's own cheaper shampoo and conditioner forgetting why I stopped using some brands in the past. My scalp was not thankful for the switch to cheaper brands at all. If my hair isn't being looked after then neither is my scalp. I was wondering for weeks why my scalp which hadn't been this bad in 10 years was all of a sudden flaring up so bad. I realised and quickly changed what I was using and my scalp started to heal. Still has a bit to go but it's better than what it was. I nearly cried a couple of times with how sore my hairline had become.
Number 4
With a pandemic comes new protocols and behaviour to try and keep not just ourselves safe but those around us too. Washing hands. This was more at the start before places started closing. The massive emphasis that was put on washing our hands. My hands were a mess. Red all over and just sore that I didn't want anything touching the back of my hands for a while. Thankfully my hands are no longer in that state but I am definitely worried that now everything has opened again and using some shops hand sanitisers are a bit too harsh for sensitive skin.
Here are some articles I came across discussing the subject of psoriasis during covid and the third link is just a great wee resource for the psoriasis community.
Do you have psoriasis? Has lockdown and Covid-19 made an impact on your skin? What have you found that has helped or worsened it? Just remember that on top of life itself which can be tough we are living in such an unpredictable and crazy time and if you're psoriasis is flaring then don't be too hard on yourself. I know sometimes there's days where we can get down about it but it's normal. Anyways thanks for reading. :)
Pictures used are from Unsplash
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I haven't read a book for my own enjoyment since I started university. Reading books and articles for studying purposes or essay writing purposes kind of took the enjoyment away for a while. Until coronavirus hit us and I had a lot of time on my hands. I then started watching a lot of true crime videos on Youtube and a lot of documentaries which then lead me into looking for books that I might find interesting. First one I came across was Lost Girls: An Unsolved American Mystery by Robert Kolker.
The Book: Lost Girls: An Unsolved American Mystery
The Author: Robert Kolker
Summary: Robert Kolker is an investigative journalist who dives into the investigation of the unsolved murders of five women. Taking into the consideration of the lives the women lead as escorts using craigslist to advertise their business but it also takes into account the lives they had before as children, as teenagers even going into detail about their families before they were born and then the aftermath of the girls being found and the family and friends who are left with nothing but memories and a pursuit to get the justice the girls deserved.
"There is more than one thing to know about a person. We all contain multitudes; we all are good and bad, wise and foolish, noble and self-deating".
Review: The book wasn't what I was expecting going in. It doesn't dive into the hunt for an unknown serial killer. There are no twists and turns. What Robert did in his book was give the women life. The stories of their childhood, the stories of their escort days, their struggles and their emotions and then the aftermath when their families came together to find out what happened to them. Each women was their own individual, they had their own personality and their own stories. The victims are the important ones, not the murderer.
The book flows well, each woman having her own section therefore it's easy to remember who Kolker is talking about. Things do get a little muddier once the bodies are found and family members and members of the intriguing private community that is Oak Beach (next to where the bodies were found) come into play with their theories and speculation of who the murder may be and their own little dramas between themselves, which I feel makes you feel a bit lost in the events at times but some people do come across as really shady.
If you are into true crime then this is a must read in my opinion. It's different as it doesn't focus on the killer, or too much on the police investigation but on the girls who were murdered. To give girls who are often not cared about because if their job as an escort a voice and to humanise them. Kolker done a great job on that front. I felt like I started to know them and that at often times felt sorry for them. That maybe they had no choice but to do what they were doing. It's a grim account no doubt about that but I do no regret reading it at all.
The investigation is still very much ongoing and one day I hope they find out who did this. I also hope there is a lesson to be learned that it doesn't matter whether it's an escort that's murdered or not. They still matter. "A missing girl is missing only to the people who notice".
How Do I Rate It?: ★★★½
Have you read Lost Girls? What do you think? Or do you fancy reading it? Are there any books like this you might want to recommend? Let me know and thanks for reading.
Thought I would do a little Q&A for a little return. It's been a very long time since I have been on this blog but I have spent a few days giving it a fresh new look, organising it and having it a way that I like it. So thanks for checking it out and if you want to know some random stuff then check out the questions below and if you fancy doing it yourself go on. :)
1. What’s your favourite candle scent?
I love citrus scents so much, I also have this chocolate fudge cake candle that I light on rare occasions. Sometimes you just don't want to light a candle because it smells so good and you want to keep it forever.
2. What female celebrity do you wish was your sister?
Sue Perkins, I love that lady so much. She's hilarious but also just interesting. Maybe Margot Robbie?
3. What male celebrity do you wish was your brother?
Louis Theroux. He would be interesting to have conversations with I think.
4. How old do you think you’ll be when you get married?
I'm not sure if I will get married. I'm quite happy with the way things are but that might change I guess. Maybe late 30's.
5. Do you know a hoarder?
Do I know a hoarder? Ha. Oh dear that would be me... to an extent. I genuinely have a fear that I will turn into one because I do hold onto things.
6. Can you do the splits?
No. I definitely can't. Not anymore anyway.
7. How old were you when you first learned how to ride a bike?
It took me quite a while to be able to ride a bike. I think I was about 9 or 10. Then it was difficult to get me off the thing for about 4-5 years.
8. How many oceans have you swam in?
2? 3? I don't even know.
9. How many countries have you visited?
5 Countries, 2 Islands, and passed through 3 countries.
10. Is anyone in your family in the army?
Nah, my dad had to do conscription when he was younger but that's it.
11. What would you name your daughter if you had one?
Megan or Esme Louise.
12. What would you name your son if you had one?
Logan or Ryan.
13. What’s the worst grade you ever got on a test?
Ehm. Dunno. I done really badly on a science test once. The teacher also made me feel bad about it in front of everyone, and because I was going through a rough time health wise and my parent's separation he realised that he did a really shitty thing and apologised the next day.
14. What was your favourite TV show as a kid?
Sabrina the Teenage Witch and Rugrats.
15. What did you dress up for Halloween as when you were 8?
I can't remember, probably a witch. That was always my go to.
16. Have you read any of the Harry Potter, Hunger Games or Twilight series?
I've read them all.
17. Would you rather have an American accent or a British one?
I have a British (Scottish-slightly Glaswegian) accent and I quite like it actually. Would like to know how I would sound with an American accent. Perhaps a New York or Boston one.
18. Did your mother go to university?
Nope.
19. Are your grandparents still married?
Both sets of my grandparents are gone. My mum's parents were together but my dad's were separated.
20. Have you ever taken karate lessons?
Nope.
21. Do you know who Kermit the Frog is?
Who?
22. What was the first amusement park you went to?
Ehm... Louden Castle... that's the first one I remember anyway.
23. What language besides your native language would you like to be fluent in?
Russian, Italian and Japanese. I did try learning Russian for a little while. Very difficult.
24. Do you spell the colour as grey or gray?
Grey.
25. Is your father bald?
Nah he's not. His hair is maybe a little thin and white but he is like 82.
26. Do you know any triplets?
I do actually. Well I know of triplets that went to my high school.
27. Do you prefer Titanic or The Notebook?
Ahhhh! I can't choose. The Notebook.
28. Have you ever had Indian food?
I'm Scottish, it's like a right of passage. I used to be really fussy about Indian food as I'm not great with spicy food but I have found my favourite dish. Can never go wrong with a Chicken Bhoona.
29. What’s the name of your favourite restaurant?
Paessano and Nippon Kitchen. I can't wait to go to all my favourite places when it's finally safe to go.
30. Have you ever been to Nandos?
Yes. It took me ages before I actually went and I absolutely love it now. I'm now in the mood for a Nandos.
31. Do you belong to any warehouse stores? (Costco, Bookers, etc)
Nope.
32. What would your parents have named you if you were the opposite gender?
Dunno, but my mum did say she liked the name Christopher. Funnily enough that is the name of my SO.
33. If you have a nickname, what is it?
Suzie, Suze, Marshie, Smurf.
34. Who is your favourite person in the world?
I have a few favourites.
35. Would you rather live in the countryside or the city?
The city. The countryside is too out of the way of everything whereas the city places are easy to get to and are still open fairly late at night.
36. Can you whistle?
A little.
37. Do you sleep with a night-light?
Hell no, it has to be like pitch black for me to be able to get to sleep I hate light unless I fall asleep with the tv on but even then I will wake up and switch it off.
38. Do you eat breakfast every morning?
Nope. I usually feel sick if I eat too early in the morning.
39. What medical conditions do you have?
I have a skin condition called psoriasis. IBS and god knows what else that hasn't been diagnosed.
40. How many times have you been to Hospital?
Few times as a visitor, once when I was about 18 months old when my finger got caught in the door, and then a couple of years ago when I had bad stomach pain which I then had to return for tests. Still don't know what that was but the pain still comes back every now and again.
41. Have you ever seen Finding Nemo?
Yeah I actually remember going to see it in the cinema with my high school best friend.
42. Where do you buy your jeans?
Primark or New Look.
43. What was the last compliment you got?
That my brownies were yummy.
44. Do you remember your dreams in the morning?
Sometimes.
45. What flavour tea do you enjoy?
I'm not a fan of flavoured tea to be honest, just regular tea for me.
46. How many pairs of shoes do you currently own?
I did have quite a lot, but then we got a dog and he ruined 90% of them so, about 6 pairs now.
47. What religion will you raise your children to practice?
I wouldn't raise my child under a religion. I would let them decide when they understand what religion is and if they want to or not.
48. How old were you when you found out Santa wasn’t real?
About 8 or 9.
49. Why do you have a blog?
I wanted to keep my writing up to a quality level in between college and starting uni and as I enjoyed writing I thought it would be a great idea. Plus the community most of the time is very supportive. It's good for finding people you can relate to.
50. Name five of your favourite albums ever?
Hmmm.
Rumours by Fleetwood Mac
Hmmm.
Rumours by Fleetwood Mac
Woodland by The Paper Kites
After Laughter by Paramore
Power - Twin Atlantic
Night Visions by Imagine Dragons
Thanks for taking the time to read.
After Laughter by Paramore
Power - Twin Atlantic
Night Visions by Imagine Dragons
Thanks for taking the time to read.
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