Hi I'm Pipa Gordon,

Having been in Radio and TV for nearly 15 years now, there is one common aspect that I get letters and emails about all the time. At some stage or another, we feel alone. For some it is brief and for others it is a long term reality. For some it is a part of life, for others, it is life. It's because of this and so many conversations that I have had over the last few years, that I want to create a blog that is more than a blog. I was brought up with the attitude to NOT talk about things and to gloss over the things that hurt but actually, I have learned that that is the WORST thing to do! I love the connection through Radio and TV and that is why I do what I do. But that isn't enough as there are issues that we want to talk about and yet struggle to find the places where we can. There are a bjillion sites on beauty which we love and will encompass here too, but that is not all.

What this site is about is lifting the lid on life and discussing the lot! What makes it, how to survive it, how to look good whilst doing it but even better, how to do it fruitfully, happily and with one another. (Notice no use of the word successfully!)

There are way too may people who walk this planet alone, who face trials of one degree or another singlehandedly. This is why I wanted to create a space where we can address all kinds of issues, some light some heavy, but those issues that we don't always know how to deal with or where to go with. The ones that we're not quite sure who to turn to about.

I brainstormed for a while and came up with a list and then posed the question to the women on my Facebook page, many of whom I have never met. I was blown away by their reaction and their willingness to be open. There were many topics that were affecting them that they wanted to talk about, discuss and find others who were in the same boat!

Men often joke about how women chitter chatter all the time and actually so do we! We do that because that is how we are built to do life. However, we all too often bottle up the important things and battle on through. We put huge amounts of pressure on ourselves to be the yummy mummy, to be supergran, to be hostess with the mostess, career woman and mother all in one go, superwoman, domestic goddess - it's ridiculous how many catchphrases there are that we all know! I'm just as bad at powering through! My best friend Amanda knows that if she doesn't hear from me, it's because something is wrong, I close up I put my head down and I plough through and don't surface until the battle is won - sound familiar? I'm not the only one am I?

So, in an effort to talk about the things that we just get on with, we are going to lift the lid on cans of worms and try to support each other as we get through life and hence, The Raphael Project came about! This will be a place where we can discover each other and talk about the realities of life.

I’m so done with the culture of fake smiles and flash cars. Life can be immensely difficult and yet for some strange reason, we feel the need to pretend it’s all fine. I'd like you to post comments where and when possible and where you see someone who seems to have similar experiences, you will be able to connect. I hate fake, I always have done! This is a fake free zone, a place to be honest, a place to discover. We can drop our guard and learn from each other. We will discuss the little things and the big things and together perhaps we might give each other a helping hand along the way.

If we all join in, it might just work. I really hope so.

Oh yes, finally, where did the name come from? Well firstly "Raphael" was a painter who created beautiful works of art and that, believe it or not, is what we women are: BEAUTIFUL WORKS OF ART ...even though you might not feel it today! Secondly, Raphael is said to be the name of the Angel of Healing and I think we can all agree, that each of us have been broken or scarred in some area of our life and could benefit from that healing touch! Finally "Project" ....well, I'm definitely a work in progress so I figured this was the best way to sum it up!

Enjoy! ......Pipa x