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The Moth

@mothstories

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Writer/actor/coach.Bad patient. Good-ish human. Memoir out Feb '28 @penguinrandomhouse, @doubledayukbooks rep: @unitedagents Co-founder @womenaremad

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"I used to think of success as tick, tick, tick. Ambition, ambition, ambition. Now I think of it as finding the people, finding the places that make you feel safe and bring you home."

Salima Saxton (@salimajsaxton) and her husband try to build the "perfect life."

This week on the Moth Radio Hour, expect the unexpected! False assumptions and surprising revelations at home, online, and in the fridge.

Benji Waterhouse makes a house call during his first week as a psychiatrist.

Comedian Jamie McDonald finds himself in the center of a Twitter storm.

This episode is hosted by Moth Director Meg Bowles.

Tap the link in bio to listen to the full hour! 🎧✨

#valentinesday taken in London, United Kingdom by @mothstories

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2 years ago

This week’s episode of my podcast - A very powerful conversation with Salima.

Being the child of an alcoholic has repercussions that extend far beyond one’s youth.
In this chat she talks what it takes to deal with the profound and longterm emotional stress of having a parent who drinks to excess, she shares her moving story with me in the most articulate of terms.

Now in her 40s and a mum of three, she still wrestles with the impact her father’s addiction had on every aspect of her life - which will resonate with anyone concerned about their own drinking or that of those they love.

It really hit me, even more than usual… I don’t want my children to be a guest on a podcast talking about me and my drinking. Alcohol affects not only the person drinking but the family around them too.

I hope you enjoy this episode. Thank you Salima, so much.

#soberpodcast #sober #childofanalcoholic #sobercurious wonderfullysober by @mothstories

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2 days ago

New episode of The Wonderfully Sober Podcast out now.

This week, Salima talks about being the child of an alcoholic and the repercussions that extend far beyond one’s youth.

Salima knows only too well what it takes to deal with the profound and longterm emotional stress of having a parent who drinks to excess, and shares her moving story with me in the most articulate of terms.

Now in her 40s and a mum of three, she still wrestles with the impact her late father’s addiction had on every aspect of her life - which will resonate with anyone concerned about their own drinking or that of those they love.

As we chatted I thought about my own upbringing as I had a parent who was an alcoholic but also that I don’t want my own daughter to be talking about me in 25 years time and how my drinking impacted her life.

#soberpodcast #sober #childofanalcoholic #sobercurious #wonderfullysober by @mothstories

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2 days ago

My friend snapped this pic of me today, despite me saying I didn't need proof of life. But I’m glad she did. Maybe you just see a little bug-eyed lady, but it's the first photo in a long while where I can actually see myself. It’s been a mad old time. I’d convinced myself that the stoma reversal op last month would be a sort of hospital jolly farewell tour, but 5 days of a nasal-gastric tube, then sepsis, and I felt a little less triumphant. Onwards. I've had my first bath in 15 months (don't worry, I had showers) and it was as glorious as you can imagine, I watched my friend @jesposito's extraordinary film FRESH KILLS and forgot about anything else for two hours, and I’m back on the matcha lattes and no offense, but I hope to never see mashed potatoes again. Today is a good day as my lovely editor @susannawadeson is into the new draft. Despite telling everyone i was running the London marathon next year, as that's what you do after something like this, I have come to my senses and remembered that I hate running and I don't own a pair of trainers. I can do other things like writing and talking. Did a marathon already by getting through this. It’s got to all get good, like reealllly good now, hasn’t it? ❤️❤️❤️❤️PS Thank you to lovely @monsoon for the convalescing gifts xxxx PPS Had to use this music😃 PPPS Over on Substack with more x by @mothstories

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5 days ago

Have been busy applying face oils, reading trashy magazines and googling 'how quickly can one recover from sepsis'? Chat GPT is being overly optimistic according to my doctors. Got any jokes about sepsis? Bad ones, even? Appreciate it’s a niche market. Just looking for a few LOLS from this hospital bed. I know this is a moment when I am meant to be feeling terribly grateful, but I am very fed up and BORED. Over and out, Sx PS Read my new Substack essay if you fancy it, sorry just remembered that was the point of this post. Link in Stories and bio. X by @mothstories

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a month ago

Don't wish me luck, that always gives me the heebie jeebies, but think of me this morning? I'm TRYING VERY HARD to be stoical, as I wait for the final op of this whole fifteen month cancer can-can. Haven’t asked the surgeon about how many patients bleed out on the table this time around. Nor tried to befriend/blackmail the anaesthetist. So that’s progress. This one's celebratory plumbing. I'm getting rid of the stoma. Don't misunderstand me though. A stoma is totally do-able. If you know anyone who needs one, tell them they'll be fine. More than fine, actually. They can still wear high-waisted jeans and one-shouldered mini dresses. They can still dance about in the fields, swim in the sea, leapfrog through flowerbeds. But for me, this op isn't really about the little bag that helped save my life. It's about marking the end of twelve rounds of chemo, two major surgeries, and the end of wondering if everything would be okay. Yes, before you snort with disbelief that I’ve become a yogi, I am actually lying about the last one. I'm still an A+ worrier, still definitely NOT a warrior, and ALWAYS, ALWAYS a bad patient. See you on the other side xxxx by @mothstories

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a month ago

Don't have long enough arms to take brilliant book selfies, but please know this pic is taken with much enthusiasm and love. I've known David, @majorwroth, since he was 16. I can vouch for his cleverness and funniness, and will always be grateful that he's the one dear friend who supported me even when I was playing a cowardly lion or doing pretentious pub theatre.

So it means something to say this-his new novel The Dice Was Loaded From The Start has all of it. The warmth. The wit. Perfect human observations. Was so proud of him when i was reading it as its super awks if your friend writes a terrible book. So thrilled for you, David. Go and get this book, out now. ❤️ by @mothstories

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a month ago

Yes, I AM casually shopping and reading a proper grown-up tome at the same time as that's how I'm avoiding thinking about my big surgery next week. That, and Palomas. Anyway, the BOOK! Tackling Gender Bias in the Healthcare System. Phew. But bear with. If you're a woman who's ever been fobbed off or made to feel delulu about her own health, this is for YOU. I have, shall we say, EXPERIENCE. It's written by the sublime @womenkindcollective. If you don't have the pleasure of knowing Jinty and Lou, you won't yet know they're the funniest, warmest cleverclogs going. They've done a stellar job with this book and you can trust me as i would never normally read something like this-as any of my friends will tell you. So I am the best possible person bar @davinamccall to recommend that you pre-order it NOW. I think you'll see it everywhere very soon. And then you'll be terribly fashionable and smug. taken in Lady Parts by @mothstories

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a month ago

My favourite blonde has a new paperback out and I am not even staging this pic as i am three hours in to the teen's hair appointment to give it a Gen A Dolly P zhuzh up. Go and buy Bitter Sweet immediately please. It's the kind of book that makes you feel everything you tried to forget about your twenties, and grateful you survived them. Also, i would read anything the magical whirling dervish @hattiewilliamswrites writes, so there. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ taken in Bleach by @mothstories

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a month ago

I've taken off the giant noise cancelling headphones as even i thought i looked too geeky, but picture one is me at a music festival, and picture two is my daughter's view of her favourite @deftones from the same day. I am either the coolest mum in the world or the most embarrassing, although i did get chatted up by a boy-man with a handlebar moustache and very high waisted trousers, so y'know. by @mothstories

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2 months ago

books don't bite taken in Agafay Desert, Morocco by @mothstories

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2 months ago

My eldest daughter lent me her hoops and slicked back my hair. My dearest @janegreenauthor said, come stay. My son now walks with his arm around my shoulders when we're out in the souk. My heart is full for today. x PS I couldn't actually see my daughter when she took my pic as i didn't have my contacts in so i look a bit cross eyed but i still love this pic 'cos she does too. taken in Marrakech, Morocco by @mothstories

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2 months ago