I’ve moved countries a few times now. From New Zealand to Zambia to New York to California and I have a terrible fear of settling down. My best friend tells me this is really just a fear of housework. It’s possible she’s right.
Professionally, I tell stories. I love to interview people, especially people doing cool things to make the world better. And I write about body image, weight stigma and the struggles we all have to exist peacefully inside the bodies we’ve been given. I’ve also told stories for brands and helped build up Karma Cola (who give back to cola farmers in Africa), and not so recently helping take 42 BELOW vodka to the world. Bacardi bought 42 BELOW for $36 million in 2006 but unfortunately I wasn’t so good with the milking it part. I don’t have $36 million. But you will find me in the book about how we did it.
I care deeply about Africa. Supporting young women. My family. And smashing stereotypes around appearance. During my 20’s I was a full noise bulimic and it stole my joy so I understand what it’s like to grow up in a society that tells women their beauty matters most, yet the standards of beauty are just out of reach. Always. It’s why we buy gym memberships and paleo recipes and those creams that promise to make us look 28 by sunrise but that’s not what makes us happy.
I haven’t been to the gym since 1999 and I am quite happy about that.
If you’re interested in following me I swear sometimes but I always tell the truth about something rummaging around inside me. Well, at least, 99% truth. Maybe 95% somedays according to my husband. Definitely 78% if it’s about him. However truth be told, between 2019 and 2021 I only posted one story so don’t expect to be flooded with emails.
For non-sweary writing check out some articles I’ve written.
On the subject of body image, I talked to Kathryn Ryan a while ago about it on Radio New Zealand, and shared my story in Sunday mag. But that’s just me. Real healing comes from listening to other people’s stories and finding out none of us are truly alone with our demons. I’ve interviewed twenty other amazing people and they all sit here on Fucking Awesome Bulimics I Know.
Since 2017, I have been doing talks in schools about the relentless beauty messages bombarding young women. It’s called Pretty Smart. But lately I’ve been pulling back on those, working on making change at a higher, systemic level. My other day job involves working with the very fine women at the YWCA. Here’s my latest project with them Y25, celebrating 25 women under the age of 25 doing kickass things.
“I knew who I was this morning, but I’ve changed a few times since then.”
― Lewis Carroll
Angela Barnett 
Oh you are not mad… except perhaps in the Einstein pre-ritalin way! love Annette
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Oh thank you my friend. A touch of madness keeps things interesting I say.
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Team messy sums us up too! We both did our OE before we met each other – kinda wish we’d done some together…but kids in school now, much trickier.
Just popped in to see how you went with the eye-contact trick.
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Hello. The eye-contact trick totally works, thank you. You haven’t been writing for a while, hope things are good in Kloppenmum life. Angela
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Hi Angela,
I’m a producer in Los Angeles working on a show about vacations gone awry. I enjoyed your blog about accidentally booking a nudist resort holiday, and would love to talk to you about it.
The best way to reach me is on my cell: (213)703-9075
Look forward to hearing from you!
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Hello Suzanne. Thanks for your interest in that story but it is definitely only something that exists in words. My nude body is not ready for your viewer’s eyes. Best.
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hi and thanks for reading and following my words. i love your blog and all of the whimsy/mayhem/full life contained within. i look forward to reading more – best, beth
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Hello Beth. Thanks for reading my words and joining the ride. Keep up your great work. Angela. :)
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Thank you so much for the follow. I hope I don’t disappoint. :0)
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Thank you Anna. Most definitely not disappointing.
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You have quite a lot going on here, it’s great. Seems it’s the detours, the squiggly parts of the journey that are most interesting, the imperfections we can all relate to — that also hide on the outskirts beneath a marketed feeling of transcendence. That’s some good shit: sign me up for the swearing list.
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Hey hey. Thanks for noticing and saying so. Life is definitely more interesting on the edges, and it is our imperfections that connect us somehow. Glad you’re a fellow cusser too. Peace. :)
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I’m in too. I can’t resist a phrase like ‘Stunt Chicken.’
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Thank you. I do hope that’s your real name Walt Walker.
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Because it is so awesome?
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I’m enjoying your articles but I wanted to let you know that to me, there is nothing ew about mothers masturbating. For a whole list of reasons I’m not going to get into in this post, it’s incredibly erotic and hot.
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Ew. Please take your hot and erotic elsewhere.
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[…] such an emotion and she is […]
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Enjoyed your piece in today’s Sunday paper on blushing. As a painfully shy child, I share your pain. While it has lessened with age, the beetroot blush still bursts forth in my most embarrassing moments. I am keen to know more about the treatment itself and where one finds a good hypnotherapist in Hawkes Bay.
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Hello Bruce, thank you for writing to me. I understand how annoying the blush can be when it bursts forth when we need it the least. I went to see a hypnotherapist in Wellington – Meredith McCarthy. You could contact her and ask about Hawkes Bay or maybe she might work over zoom? (I’m not sure if that’s possible with hypnotherapy but worth asking, mine’s much more manageable now). I’m also a Hawkes Bay person, I grew up there. All the best, Angela – https://www.meredithmccarthy.com/
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