As I seek inspiration for today’s topic, in the lounge my missus is glued to the broadcast of ITV’s daytime show Lorraine on our gogglebox. While Dundee’s finest Lorraine Kelly is on her summer sabbatical, the presenting of showbiz gossip, fashion and practical recipes to con your kids to eat their greens is the capable hands of fragrant presenter Christine Lampard. The wife of ex-international footballer Frank Lampard, a beautiful […]
Sunday 13th May – This morning, I was part of a team of marshals supporting the Leeds Half Marathon. A cathartic experience where, in our world of seemingly constant negativity, the determination, stoicism and tenacity of it’s participants went towards restoring some faith in humanity. My marshalling station was located on Kirkstall Road, around 2 miles from the 13.1 mile course’s finish – My remit to cajole fatigued runners after […]
Tuesday 1st May – Met up with friend and ex-colleague this morning. For 20 years we stood side by side in the metaphorical trenches of IT Incident Management – For a number of reasons, March 2014 was the last time we were comrades in arms. I’ve no intention of elaborating on those reasons, other than to say the shell shock of undertaking the role, along with my wife’s illness, drove […]
“Break a leg!” – Unorthodox words of support aimed at thespians prior to them taking the stage. A superstition adopted after it was deemed to be bad luck to wish an actor “Good luck!” pre-performance. Traditional well meaning felicitations utilised to bode ‘luvvies’ a successful performance. Although ‘break a leg’ is used exclusively within the theatre world, I recently mused that the expression wouldn’t have been out of place in the tough […]
During a recent discussion about journey distances, an old acquaintance asked me how far my east Leeds residence was from my mother’s Wakefield domicile. As I’ve never been inquisitive enough to record the exact mileage, it was a question I couldn’t answer with any real accuracy. This being the case, I responded with the tongue-in-cheek quip “If you drive a steady 70mph on the M1 between junctions 46 and 41, it’s the duration of the first […]
Respected French philosopher Aidan Le Torche said of the weather “If it’s cold wear a coat….. If it’s warm don’t wear a coat….. If it’s mild wear a fleece, but not the grey one as it needs a wash.” It wasn’t the most thought provoking or, indeed, inspiring piece of philosophy ever written. However, if adhered to in other aspects of life perhaps it’s importance takes on further relevance. By that, I’m alluding […]
A splendid brunch, thought provoking works of sculpted art, along with the aesthetically pleasing amalgam of nature’s autumnal colour variations, were amongst yesterday’s compatriots. This gratifying trinity of gifts bequeathed to my wife and I during a sojourn to the Yorkshire Sculpture Park, on the outskirts of Wakefield. Fairly recently I concluded that I’ve not given modern art the appreciation it deserves. My opinions formed on the misconception that during formation these creations show far less artist skill in comparison to more traditional […]
