There is a good reason why this blog is appearing on this site and this is about to become clear. That said, I should probably temper my excitement, but dare-I-say-it, I might have stumbled inadvertently upon a breakthrough in my world of book non-sales. A Phoenix might have been clutched from the flames in more…
The success of this blog will depend on its tone. It is a subject I am most often asked about and one which does feature in my writing but only by implication. Pride is something we should be mindful of. It is one of the seven deadly sins and with good reason. Up there with…
Observational comedy is only successful with a high degree of accuracy and some cunning. To observe something that resonates – but crucially is something that people haven’t already realised for themselves. This is why good observations are often described as acute or even oblique. I call them nuggets because they are valuable and not easy…
The health benefits of dog ownership are well known, companionship being the front runner of a very long and therapeutic list of benefits. Dogs are fiercely loyal. They offer undiluted affection. They are dependable and consistent. Dogs can be cuddled. They are warm. Unable to use toilets, dogs need to be walked, thereby the human…
The Olympics is always welcome in my world even if just as a life marker. Every four years, it can be used as a kind of punctuation mark and life checker. But I like my sports also and I particularly enjoy watching events I only see at the Olympics. Sports like fencing, possibly one of…
Us human beings – we like to big ourselves up. We embellish our roles in life and exaggerate our achievements to curry influence and gain respect. But very few people have genuinely important jobs. I mean jobs that really matter. When Nikki had an ectopic pregnancy, she was rushed in to an emergency procedure. When…
Like a lot of little boys growing up I was fairly obsessed by cars but my interest has waned considerably now that I am a little man. Not totally, but it has certainly dwindled as my priorities have shifted. Walking to school each morning, I would pass two parked cars which completely captured my heart….
So we emerge from lockdown and I expect with mixed emotions depending on our circumstances and outlook. Good riddance for many people but for not for all. For some people, it has been a truly wonderful experience. So convenient for those of us relieved of some burdensome duties like visiting our elderly relatives. And let’s…
In the news this week is Kloe Kardashian – a ‘celebrity’ who grates on me alone for the spelling of her name and before I even learn of why she is making headlines. The Kardashians are in my mind of late because having just read and recorded Eclipsed as an audio book, there is a…
This week the planets really did align… On Monday in England, we were finally allowed by our masters to play sports again – the clocks went forward, thereby extending our evenings and daylight hours – and then the sun (which thankfully is not controlled by our masters and politicians) decided to play ball also by…
