I’ve had many interesting and unexpected emails land in my inbox over the last seven years, including some from people and organisations I’d never have dreamed would get in touch, like Russell Howard or the Sydney Opera House.

But a few days ago I received an email that really took the biscuit.…

Yesterday I wrote about the tears I shed on my journey to work.

Tonight on my way home, things couldn’t have felt more different. I felt energized, happy and steady in a way that I can’t put into words.

And the reason for this?…

For a few minutes I lay on my back, studying a small corner of sky that the van’s floppy thermal blind had revealed. It wasn’t giving much away, just a steady non-committal grey.

The noises outside were more revealing: no patter of rain on the roof, only the comforting racket of Fat Sister making tea outside.…

Out of the blue yesterday my tics let fly with a load of unlikely gossip about daytime TV regular Lorraine Kelly.

Before I tell you any more, here’s the legal disclaimer:

‘The events described in these tics are fictitious. Any similarity to any person (or tortoise) living or dead is merely coincidental.’…

In the words of the bold, forthright, witty, Crip activist Stella Young:

“We’ve been sold a lie that disability is a bad thing… and to live with disability makes you exceptional, it’s not a bad thing and it doesn’t make you exceptional.”…

It’s not every day that I arrange to meet someone I’ve never met before in our tour bus in a deserted car park in mid-Wales. But it’s not everyday that I’m at the Machynlleth Comedy Festival in Wales having being interviewed by stand-up legend Arthur Smith.…

As soon as I woke this morning I said “Good morning, December”, quickly followed by “You’re the travelator to Christmas.”

November’s only been gone for a few hours, but there’s no doubt that things are getting festive. Across the land doors on advent calendars are opening, emotive adverts are jostling for space between TV shows, thousands of Christmas trees are loitering on street corners looking for a home – and my #dailyoutburst has became a #festiveoutburst – look out for seasonal tics right up to the big day.…

Last Saturday I had a nightmare in which I dreamt that my body was rigid and my skin was burning. I woke with a start, unable to move because of a ‘ticcing fit’, with a strange prickling sensation all over my body.…

Earlier this week I found myself sitting on an armchair made of newspapers, being shunted onto a stage to meet comedian Russell Howard.

This might sound like a weird dream, or one of my tics, but actually it’s entirely true. I was Russell’s guest on his Good News programme, and it’s going to be on BBC 2 this evening.…

For the first time in a long time I feel optimistic about a political event. A thoughtful, principled politician, who, as an MP, has worked tirelessly for social justice for over three decades, has just been announced as the new leader of the Labour Party.…