Maya Angelou, the great American poet and author, famously wrote: ‘Nothing can dim the light that shines within.’ However, when the sky is grey and the night draws in at about 4pm, it’s easy to start feeling lethargic and perhaps a little low in mood, too, especially if you’re nursing yet another winter sniffle. The …
Holkham National Nature Reserve, Norfolk, England Cool, crystalline sand slips under my bare feet as I weave between tufts of marram grass, swaying in the breeze. Reaching the top of the dune, I turn to gaze across a vast golden beach and the darker tidal flats beyond, the North Sea a shimmering sliver on the …
The spotlight picks out a podium on the stage. A hush descends over the audience. There’s the rattle of an envelope opening, a clearing of the throat. ‘And the winner is…’ A long pause. And then a name is spoken. Yours. If you’ve ever been in this position, it might have felt unreal. Or perhaps …
‘Have you no wit, manners, nor honesty, but to gabble like tinkers at this time of night?’ exclaims the stern Malvolio to some high-spirited merrymakers in Act II of Shakespeare’s comedy Twelfth Night. Known for his dislike of loud, drunken fun, Malvolio might be at the extreme end of party-pooper territory, but his preference for …
Maybe the scent of cranberries, oranges and cinnamon filling the room makes coming home feel like a warm hug. Or it could be the aroma of apple slices and vanilla extract, reminding you of baking a cake with the help of a favourite relative, that brightens up your day. Whatever the associations, there’s something about …
There’s only one thing about being creative that’s difficult – creativity. It’s all very well thinking up great ideas, or having the urge to get out your pen or paints, but the gap between thought and action can seem like a chasm. There’s always something more important – or easier – to do instead. It …
Two weeks into my first magazine job, 24 years ago, my editor sent me on a press trip to Paris. Setting off before dawn on the Eurostar, the remit was to interview world-renowned language teacher, the late Michel Thomas, en route. Thomas coaxed long-forgotten French out of me in the most astonishing way. And the …
Picture this: you’ve picked a restaurant that you’ve always wanted to go to, ordered the most exciting dish on the menu and a glass of nice wine to go with it. As you lift your fork to tuck in, you raise a silent toast to yourself for such an excellent choice, then proceed to savour …
In this issue: Lessons from the sky – Rockin’ robin – ‘But it’s tradition!’ – Something smells good… – Top flight – Partied out? – Swimming wild and free – One day in Paris – Use your wings – Seize the moment The decision might have seemed insignificant, innocuous – why reserve the same table …
You’ve probably seen the word ‘sheeple’ used about people who unquestioningly follow the herd. It’s used as an insult, in its presumption that there’s nothing worse than a sheep for blindly going along with the crowd. What about you? Have you ever unquestioningly played follow the leader? Most people have. Even if you rebel against …
