Deadline = a narrow field of time by which an objective must be accomplished. Deadlines. The very definition of the word is enough to bring you out in a sweat, with its ‘musts’ and ‘objectives’ and stifling constrictions. Yet the modern world is rife with them. At work and at home, the pressure is on …
Late afternoon sun streams through my teenage daughter’s window, spotlighting her as she curls cat-like on the bed, around scraps of paper, glue, a scattering of pencils and a tatty journal. In this tableau, her expression is serene and contemplative. The book is fat with scribbled notes, fragments of lyrics, a shopping list, a gig …
Picture the scene: you’re halfway through the work day when a friend sends a long, gloomy text message about a recurring relationship problem. Heart pounding at the thought of their discomfort, you hurry out of the office to call them. You launch into a 20-minute advice session – something that’s become a regular occurrence over …
Stories about certain foods are common currency today, as they have been throughout the ages. Lots of children are brought up on tales of carrots helping them see in the dark or spinach building bulging biceps. Maybe you eat bread crusts to make your hair grow curly or avoid cheese at bedtime for fear of …
Syncopated rhythms, extended harmonies and sprawling solos. Jazz is a special breed of music that breaks the rules, goes off script and challenges you to expect the unexpected. It also has the power to reduce stress, pain and anxiety, and spark creativity. Jazz emerged from the southern US city of New Orleans in the early …
The lights dim. The music hushes. The room hums with expectation. Drinks are sipped, pens are clicked and pieces of paper are shuffled in anticipation. It’s time to start the quiz. In the UK, the pub quiz is at once both light-hearted and deadly serious. It’s an activity that dates back at least 50 years …
All over the world, community composting is thriving – from collection of food scraps among neighbours to larger, more organised schemes in allotments, community gardens and schools. For growers, it can provide a rich source of fertiliser that may be better quality than shop-bought. But even if you’re not a gardener, you can still participate …
Language is a strange beast. It’s essential to articulate needs, facilitate transactions and transmit vital information. But humans also use it in another crucial way: to deepen personal connections. From social chitchat at work to a heart-to-heart with a friend, when you’re in a room with someone, it’s language that you turn to, intersected with …
As you push on the bookshop’s heavy glass door, the little bell tinkles its welcome and invites you to step over the threshold. With a deep intake of breath, you absorb the scent of fresh paper and new print. A glance reveals shelf after shelf of colourful paperbacks and dust-jacketed hardbacks, some placed spine-on, others …
As sunshine warms her cheeks, Kirsty listens to the hum of bees pollinating the nearby lavender plants. Her little garden, once unkempt, is now full of flowers, an abundance of roses in soft pinks and vibrant apricots. But the garden isn’t just for show: it’s planted in memory of her grandmother, who passed away a …
