What is Carly-May up to at the moment?

I spend a lot of time catching up with people who ask 'So what have you been up to recently?', and all I can say is 'work', even though there's definitely more going on in my life. So I'm making a now page. Consider this a SparkNotes for that, or for your own curiosity. Inspired by Amber!

Last updated: Tuesday 15th August 2023

Overview

I currently live in Brighton (where I hope to be for the foreseeable future!), with my lovely partner Adam. I moved here in 2018, met Adam in 2020, and moved in with him in 2021. We have a lovely flat in the city centre, and spend a lot of time scouring RightMove for the perfect fixer-upper.

Hobbies

I've gotten really into film photography in the last year. I've always loved photography, having gotten into gig and festival photography during my time as a live editor university, and I'm fascinated by the entire process of film: shooting, processing, developing, scanning, editing, sharing the highlights on Instagram. I shoot on a mix of a German Democratic Republic Praktica TL 5B and an Olympus Pen EES-2—I really love half frame. Double the pics, double the grain. This is my go-to place for cameras. My favourite film is Kodak Gold 200 (it just looks right) and Kentmere Pan 400.

Back in December, I fell into the habit of counting all the dogs I see. That's still going. Currently at 11,397 dogs for 2023.

Slowly but surely, I'm learning the concertina. I started going to traditional Irish music sessions a couple of years ago, and Adam got me a concertina for Christmas after a long time of me wanting to learn it. I've got (essentially) RA, so sometimes my hands are Quite Painful, but the concertina doesn't seem to aggravate them which was something I was initially concerned about. If you need someone to play The Rattlin' Bog quite slowly, I'm your girl!  

Work

I'm the co-founder and editor of The Brighton Seagull, an online local newspaper for Brighton & Hove, which I run alongside Adam (our political editor) and Owen Baxter-Jones (my deputy editor). It's a lot of fun, and we're looking to get more people involved who are passionate about local news, political education, and Brighton. Get in touch via cm at volks dot media if this is you!

I'm also starting a six-month stint at Community Works as Executive Assistant & Project Support. They support charities, not-for-profits and community groups to deliver positive social action across Sussex; I will be doing admin for the Sussex Alliance team and the Sussex Alliance Executive Leadership Team to support their development, and providing project support.

I'll be working from Community Base one day a week, and a beautiful office near my flat (which has two dogs!) the rest of the time. And, realistically, the square when it's raining or I'm tired or Mercury is retrograde.

Goals

I did a comedy course this year, which ended in a lovely showcase at The Ledward Centre. I packed it out with my friends and loved ones, which gave me an inflated sense of my own funniness, and now I'm hitting up every open mic that I can. I'm also in the process of setting up my own, queer, open mic night in Brighton. My comic friends are very funny, and more people need to hear their jokes! I want to do a full hour-long show at Brighton Fringe next year, and maybe take it to Edinburgh Fringe. That might be a bit ambitious, but it's a goal for a reason!

I'm also really trying to surpass my PBs after a shoulder injury last year. Current goals: 100kg squat, 120kg deadlift, and… 25kg bench. Don't look at that last one, she'll get there!