Observations

Every day for over two and a half years I’ve written in this blog about my life with Tourettes Syndrome. When I started I worried that I’d run out of things to say, but I soon realised this wasn’t going to happen because my experiences are so varied –tough, surreal, and often very funny.

Shortly after I started blogging I was on a bus and I noticed a teenage boy filming me on his phone. Before the blog I’d have felt powerless and isolated as he goaded me, but now I found myself thinking about how I’d describe what he was doing for the day’s post.

Writing every day has helped me appreciate how unusual the Tourettes’ view of the world is – and how varied other people’s perspectives of the condition are, with some even suggesting I’m in urgent need of exorcism.

Two weeks ago Welcome to Biscuit Land, the book based on my blog, was published. It shares the ups and downs of a year in my life, and today there are extracts from it in the Observer Magazine. I hope this will introduce more people to the creativity and humour of Tourettes and help break down some of the myths that can get in the way of understanding it.

If you’ve just come across this website please take the time to explore it. You can browse the thousands of things I’ve said as vocal tics, vote for your favourites and, if they inspire you, let your own creativity run riot and create an image for our gallery of tic-inspired art.

If you’re interested in finding out more about Tourettes and Touretteshero, the FAQs are a good place to start. Check out the About section if you’re interested in learning more about my amazing friends and family who help make my life in Biscuit Land a happy one. And please share your own viewpoint or observations by commenting on posts in the blog.

I’m one of the 10% of people with Tourettes who have swearing tics, many of which appear on the site. If that’s likely to be offensive, or if you want to show the site to a child, you can make all the explicit content disappear simply by clicking on SafeMode.

If you like what we’re doing and want to help me in my mission please tell your friends on Twitter and Facebook. Or you could consider making a donation or buying something from our shop. And do have a look at Welcome to Biscuit Land in your local bookshop, or you can get it on Amazon.

Touretteshero’s changed the way I view my tics and experiences. I really hope it offers you a chance to share this unusual perspective too. While not much can be done to prevent the physical effects of the condition, we can all do something to reduce its social impact. We can all help change the world “One tic at a time.”

One response to Observations

  1. liono says:

    Hi Jess, I heard you on radio 4 and at weekend went out and bought your book. I’ve just finished it. I have to say it is a long time since i found a book that made me laugh out loud at one page and brought a lump to my throat the next. I have been harping on about it for days to friends and family as I alternated between my fury at other peoples reaction to you and my delight at your sense of humour. Keep up the good work your an inspiration to everyone disabled or able bodied.

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