When I was at primary school, we didn’t have World Book Day. On the contrary, we had a postage stamp library and we penned our own novels in our final year, aged ten or eleven. Mine was a sci-fi romp entitled ‘They Came From…’. I drew a barcode on the back and everything. I would have loved World Book Day though, with its focus on telling stories, book characters and reading. I’ve always been a sucker for a good yarn… Continue reading » “Three Cheers For World Book Day!”
As the UK wilts in the summer sunshine, I got to thinking about the best things about summer. Obviously, if you don’t love summer you are a massive curmudgeon and should never be allowed to eat a Cornetto ever again. That’ll learn you. For summer is the season of love, of joy, of getting burnt to a crisp when you fall asleep in your garden. Here are my most favourite bits… Continue reading » “Top Ten Things About Summer”
I don’t know if I mentioned it, but I recently got married. Yes, after months of preparation, a few belated weeks of stress and last-minute panic-buying from Poundland (no expense spared), it finally happened. Family and friends flew in from all corners of the globe and the country, I slept the night before, reminding myself to say I do and squeezed my eyes tight shut, hoping for no rain. Sure enough, when I woke up the sun shone bright with temperatures topping 80 degrees. Clearly, god loves the gays… Continue reading » “The One Where I Got Married…”
On Saturday March 29th, equal marriage will finally be made legal in the UK which is all sorts of awesomeness. On Saturday March 29th, it’s also precisely seven weeks until we get married which is all sorts of OMGness. I read an article in a magazine the other day and it listed all the things I should have done by now. I haven’t done half of them. Plus everyone keeps asking me how the plans are going, so I guess I should prepare a better answer than a manic smile and nod, right? Continue reading » “The Wedding Day Countdown”
Forget drilling down or reaching out, if you want to leverage your best attributes in today’s corporate world you’ve got to think widescreen. Here’s my list of the ten corporate terms you simply have to slip into a meeting this week. Blue sky thinking is so last century… Continue reading » “How To Speak Corporate”
It’s Valentine’s Day! Hurray! I know it’s Valentine’s Day because first, I looked at my calendar; and second, M&S has doubled the price of its meal deal so it must be true. For this special blog of lurve I’m going to take you on a journey of Valentine’s Day through the ages: from childhood to should-know-better. Because let’s face it, its acronym is VD for a reason… Continue reading » “Valentine’s Day: A Yearly Guide”
Look up happiness in the dictionary and it says: bliss, contentment, pleasure and joy. The very opposite of the natural human state then. Pharrell knows how to be happy (wear a hat, walk with plenty of jaunt, sing a song). Captain Sensible knew that it took talking and wearing silly hats (I see a hat theme). But what is it that makes you happy? I mean apart from boring old friends/family/partner/smartphone. What are the things that make your entire being fizz with satisfaction? Here are my top ten… Continue reading » “Top Ten Things That Make Me Happy”
The dementia avalanche is coming. Or is it already here? I forget. Whatever, one in every three OAPs dies with dementia and there isn’t any cure, just the slow but sure whittling away of who they once were in live slow-motion. As someone with a history of dementia in my family it strikes me that with such odds against us, now is the time to lay down some enduring, fantastic memories while we can still enjoy them… Continue reading » “Make Memories While You Can”
Having a blue Monday? Of course you’re not, that was last week silly when it was The Most Depressing Day Of The Year tm. What a difference a week makes, right? Nod your head. But the prospect of blue Mondays got me thinking – why are they blue? Blue’s my favourite colour so it holds no fear for me. Why aren’t they brown, magnolia or mint green? Continue reading » “Why I Love Mondays”
I’m getting married this year. Yes married, not civilly partnered. Now we all know that society has galloped on an amazing distance in the past 20 years but that still doesn’t mean it’s plain sailing when it comes to non-traditional wedding planning – far from it. Don’t believe me? Read on… Continue reading » “Wedding Planning Pain”