Episode 43: The Time I Was Susanna Hoffs – Sometimes It’s Hard to Be a Good Neighbour

This week on Life on the B Side, I’m taking a short break from moaning about my impending 50th birthday (yes, it’s still happening) to share a story I first wrote six years ago — one that marked the first time I ever spoke publicly about growing up in a home with domestic abuse. It’s not the chirpiest of topics, but it is an important one — especially as October is Domestic Abuse Awareness Month. The story begins in 1989, with a 13-year-old me belting out The Bangles’ “Eternal Flame” and believing I was Susanna Hoffs… until my neighbour’s applause revealed something much darker: that the walls we thought kept our family secrets actually didn’t. If this episode brings up anything for you, please know you’re not alone. Support links are shared at the end of the show.