The other day, I was speaking to a friend who is one of most nurturing people I know. We were having a catch-up and I breezily announced that I reckoned I was through the "primary stage" of grief after my mum passed away last September. I continued, explaining that I couldn't understand why I still haven't decided what I want to offer next as a signature service - even though I've thought about … [Read more...] about The sheer inevitability of wings
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What did your 2020 smell like?
I’m no stranger to the process of reflection. The personal development training I’ve done over the years has taught me to reflect every day on what went well, what didn’t go so well, and what I’d do differently next time. But Rach Allen’s questions were deeper than that. She invited me to reflect on the past year – particularly the period after we originally spoke last July for her podcast 40 … [Read more...] about What did your 2020 smell like?
It’s never too late to become a singer-songwriter…
In case I haven't mentioned it before, I sing backing and lead vocals with a band called The Subtle Genes. Before the pandemic, we rehearsed together on a regular basis and played a few gigs in and around Bucks and Berks. All of the songs we’ve played are cover versions, ranging from The Cure’s Friday I’m In Love to the Stereophonics’ Dakota. Lockdown put an end to all that, so we recently … [Read more...] about It’s never too late to become a singer-songwriter…
How will history judge us in our ‘digital afterlife’?
I’m something of a sucker for true-crime documentaries, so last week I watched Netflix’s latest, Crime Scene: The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel. The central story is about the disappearance of Elisa Lam, a 21-year-old Chinese student who stayed at the hotel in 2013. But there are other narrative threads: about the history of the hotel itself (a dark one); the area adjacent to it in downtown Los … [Read more...] about How will history judge us in our ‘digital afterlife’?
Why I’m still a believer (yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)
On my birthday bank holiday (the Monday after a Saturday anniversary), I sat watching big flakes of snow drift to earth. I was in a melancholy mood, listening to a Spotify playlist of songs from the emotional drama This Is Us - a beautifully curated soundtrack that perfectly complements the series’ superb storytelling.After blubbing my way through two more tear-jerking episodes, I sought … [Read more...] about Why I’m still a believer (yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)
Will you still read me when I’m 64?
I grew up listening to The Beatles. I was 10 when Sgt Pepper was released, so I’ve been aware of When I’m Sixty-Four for a long time. This evergreen song has informed some of my beliefs about ageing, and what age is considered to be “old”. So I accept the inevitability of someone quoting the lyrics at me when I actually reach the age of 64 in the next few days. Part of me is horrified, part of … [Read more...] about Will you still read me when I’m 64?