It makes me feel a little bit guilty to admit this but, for the most part, I’ve enjoyed lockdown. I’m acutely aware of the suffering of others, and like everyone else I’ve been affected by the collective stress of living through a pandemic, but I’ve been fortunate enough to stay healthy and present enough to allow creativity to blossom. I’ve managed to write the first draft of a book … [Read more...] about Language in living colour
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Why we should speak the language of love, not war
About a week ago I noticed that military metaphors were becoming more and more prominent in the government’s messaging as well as in the media. Wherever I turned, I heard and read that we were fighting a war against an invisible enemy with leaders forming war cabinets, with constant references to the Blitz spirit, the Second World War and how we are all conscripts in this battle. This … [Read more...] about Why we should speak the language of love, not war
Why we need the C-19 story to give us a symbol of hope
It started with a dry cough. Patient zero was found in China. The virus was highly infectious. Experts talked about contact tracing, social distancing and the importance of hand-washing. There were asymptomatic carriers. Schools were closed. There was panic buying. Conspiracy theories. Misinformation. Fake and untested cures. Emergency hospitals in sports arenas... No, I’m not telling the story … [Read more...] about Why we need the C-19 story to give us a symbol of hope
A new language for a new reality
Since I put myself in voluntary isolation on 14th March, I have been quietly observing the unfolding paradigm shift. And yes, that’s what I believe is happening right now. I’m not here to judge other people’s behaviour. My contribution is specifically about language - something I have been delving deeper into during the past year. It has been fascinating to observe just how quickly a … [Read more...] about A new language for a new reality
Mind your language: words have consequences
Words can be weapons or bringers of beauty. We have recently seen ample evidence of the former, after two mass shootings took place in the US within 24 hours. The perpetrator of the El Paso shooting seemed to be inspired by Trump’s inflammatory rhetoric about immigrants “invading” America. Put those three words into a Google News search and you may be astonished at how many results come … [Read more...] about Mind your language: words have consequences
What the parsnip does it all mean?
I've always been fascinated by synchronicity – events that have no causal relationship but seem to be meaningfully related. Last week, a friend came over to my place to give me cooking lessons. What? Cooking lessons? At my age?!? Yep. It has long been a source of shame and guilt that I hardly ever cook anything from scratch. I moved into my new flat in March and, until my friend visited, had … [Read more...] about What the parsnip does it all mean?