Are you always positive about being a midlifer?

Being able to finish a book is one of my pleasures in lockdown life. Like many people, in the previous pre-pandemic existence termed ‘normal’, I would hardly have time to finish reading a book. I have bookshelves littered with half-read books. In fact, some are quarter-read books. I was time-poor, in my defence. Perhaps my …

I used to think that ‘resilience’ was a cynical term

When I was growing up, resilience was never a word used in common parlance. Maybe it materialised its’ meaning in other ways through words like ‘be strong’ or ‘pull yourself together’. I wasn’t brought up in a harsh third-world workhouse but toughness was certainly a part of the culture then. There was no such concept …

Do we just throw 2020 away and erase it from memory?

Once I went into a snazzy looking Indian restaurant in Scotland. My expectation was that the surroundings would translate into good service and exquisite dishes. How wrong I was. The curry was extremely below average after a long waiting time and the waiters were self-entitled. The snazz of the place had gone to their heads. …