I’m not often excited by the announcement of a television programme, but this one is different. This one is the latest instalment of a brilliant documentary series that started way back in 1964 and has been broadcast only once every seven years. It is now known as The Up Series, starting with Seven Up!, which introduced the 14 British children who would be filmed every seven years of their … [Read more...] about There’s no such thing as an ordinary life
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How the story of my love was told, over and over again
I mentioned in last Saturday’s post that if you Google me, the first listing is a link to an article I wrote for the Sunday Express in 2009, which tells the story of how I met my future husband - when I was 50 and he was 29. To celebrate our second wedding anniversary, I’m going to tell you the story behind the story. I was in the office at the Sunday Express, doing that girly thing … [Read more...] about How the story of my love was told, over and over again
The dangers of believing you’re a consumer
This morning I walked past a shop selling the kind of clothes that I like. A sign in the window was advertising a 50 per cent off sale. I was tempted. In fact, if the window display had featured something that caught my eye, I may have gone straight in. But the fact that it didn’t meant I paused, and thought better of it. I don’t need any new clothes. In fact, my husband has … [Read more...] about The dangers of believing you’re a consumer
A masterclass in trusting your gut feeling
I don’t watch much TV these days but I decided to watch The Voice because it is based on talented singers performing for experienced coaches rather than judges, so there is none of the ritual humiliation of certain other series. I got the impression that the coaches - Will.i.am, Tom Jones, Jessie J and Danny O’Donoghue - were genuinely looking for and responding to authenticity. If … [Read more...] about A masterclass in trusting your gut feeling
What story is Google telling about you?
Have you Googled yourself recently? If not I advise you to do so. Because whether you like it or not, the ubiquitous search engine is telling a story about you - and it might not be the one you want to tell about yourself. If you’ve got a common name you’ll be able to hide in plain sight but I don’t have that luxury. Not only do I have an unusual name (I’ve yet to find … [Read more...] about What story is Google telling about you?
Life is good. But I didn’t always tell that story
The sun is shining, I’ve been on a few errands, I’ve not been glued to Twitter/Facebook/a computer screen all morning and I’ve had a lovely lunch with my husband at our favourite local restaurant. And in an hour I’m going for a massage at my local spa. Life is good. That’s the story I’m telling myself today, and indeed the story I tell myself on most days. It … [Read more...] about Life is good. But I didn’t always tell that story