How do you decide what to pay attention to in this crazy world? Imagine prioritising everything that bombards your senses—it would blow a fuse. A common therapeutic tool applied to someone in a moment of anxiety is to walk through the senses, identifying 5 things you can see, 4 things you can physically feel, 3 […]
Crickets didn’t chirp, but crisp packets crackled. Going off-script to captivate a crowd
(This was first published as part of the Weekly(ish) Note. Want to make sure you don’t miss one? Sign up on the form on the right…) “This song spent 15 weeks at number one, but we’re going to do our version based on the original…” The sparse crowd of parents and restless children at the […]
Did YOU spot the seventh viscount of Worcestershire’s butler? How to stand out
Sometimes, a hint of the right information brings seemingly mundane details into razor sharp focus. Like in a mystery novel when it’s revealed that the just-attentive-enough-to-be-barely-noticed butler is actually the love child of Harold, the seventh viscount of Worcestershire. Suddenly you realise that not only does he have a motive for the viscount’s murder, but it brings […]
Soft-boiled eggs and schwiegermutters. A lesson in asking for what you want
This was originally published as a Weekly(ish) Note. Want to make sure you don’t miss one? Subscribe using the form on the right… Would the world would be a better place if we all just asked for what we wanted? The first time I stayed with my boyfriend’s parents at their home in Heidelberg, Germany […]
Square Watermelons, Wooden Spoons, and Selling Yourself Short
This was originally published as a Weekly(ish) Note. Want to make sure you don’t miss one? Subscribe using the form on the right… In Japan, watermelons are grown into cubes which makes them easier to stack, ship, and store inside a fridge. The process is pretty simple—when the watermelon is young, place it in a […]