Holding on to life’s roller coaster, keeping my face to the sunshine — Hello, and welcome to my About Me page! My name is Gill McCulloch, and I appreciate you taking the time to get to know me. My life in a nutshell — at least I’ll try I was born at a very early age and lived with my mum, dad and two sisters in a lively seaside town called Brighton on…

Never insult a gifted wordsmith — it will come back to bite you — If only we could always remember to think before we speak. We’ve all uttered words we regret. Fortunately, for most of us non-celebrities, our words haven’t been recorded in the history books. But, in the age of social media, we have to be more careful. When speaking to a famous…

A leap from your comfort zone may bring unexpected rewards, so give it a go — November 26, 2016, was a milestone day, marking my first public singing performance as an adult. Oh, alright — I forgive you for being unaware of my musical career. …

Don’t let the fear and disapproval of others stop you from following your dreams — “When you no longer need approval from others like the air you breathe, the possibilities in life are endless. What an interesting little prison we build from the invisible bricks of other people’s opinions.” — Jacob Nordby When I was 18, I came down with chickenpox before my final university…

Transparency, education and support pave the way to a healthier workforce and industry — The construction industry in North America employs millions of workers. However, amidst the hustle and bustle of construction sites, there is a silent and often overlooked challenge — substance use. This article examines substance use on construction sites and the importance of employers recognizing and addressing this issue. It highlights…

It’s a matter of life and death — Dear person who sells drugs, Remember when you were a kid and the dreams you had about the kind of life you wanted to live? I’m pretty sure being a drug dealer wasn’t one of them. I imagine there’s a painful story that brought you to where you are today…

Homeless but not hopeless — she’s a star in more ways than one — On Christmas Eve 2015, my son Steven and I met a woman called Star outside our local homeless shelter. Chicken Soup for the Soul published the story of our encounter in their 2022 book, The Magic of Christmas. Over the years, I’d often thought about Star, wondering what had become…

If you are alone and think you’re having a heart attack, you must act fast to save your life. Heart attack signs and symptoms Chest discomfort that lasts more than a few minutes or comes and goes. Discomfort in the upper body (arms, back, neck, jaw, or stomach). Shortness of breath. Unusual sensations like cold…

During this worldwide toxic drug crisis, we must educate ourselves and take action to prevent deaths from drug poisoning and overdose — Naloxone is a drug that can temporarily reverse the life-threatening slowed breathing from an opioid overdose. It does this by bumping opioids off receptor sites in the brain. Naloxone does not work for overdoses from non-opioids like cocaine, alcohol or ecstasy.