Pipe Smoking

During a break in today's workshop I discovered that one of the attendees was a pipe smoker and that his favourite brand was Condor. Its been years since I've come across anyone who smokes a pipe and I have to admit that I found the smell of the pipe tobacco quite pleasant.

Years ago of course pipe smoking was much more common and one of the most famous pipe smokers was the late, great Eric Morcambe.

Does anyone remember that on their show, Eric and Ernie used to sleep together? No-one batted an eyelid at the time.

Watch this. It'll make you smile

Recommended

In yesterday's Times there was an article suggesting that Newbury could replace Ludlow as the next foodie destination on the strength of the Vineyard in Stockcross. Well, I'm not sure that Newbury is quite there yet. I always associate it with the Vodaphone head office.

However, the food at the Vineyard was stunning and there is a huge winelist. So if you fancy a real gasto treat then its worth visiting. Also worth considering staying there. The rooms are really comfy and there's a spa. In terms of decor, its still not sure whether its contemporary or traditional. Tries to do a bit of both and doesn't quite succeed in either.

However, this place is all about the food and drink, so don't let that put you off.

Posh Hotel

Am staying at a very, very nice 5 star hotel which has a restaurant with 2 Michelin stars. Its called the Vineyard at Stockcross near Newbury.

We're about to go on a tour of the wine cellars, a wine tasting followed by a 10 course dinner. Fortunately, I'm working so I'm not paying. Thank goodness.

Volver

Saw Volver last night. What a great film. Can't think of a Pedro Almodovar film that I've not enjoyed. Penelope Cruz was really good. I've never particularly liked her but now I'm a big fan.

Derby's New Adidas Kit

Its now on sale and will no doubt become the coolest in the Premiership.

I'm going to order mine now.

Speed Stacking

Last week at a workshop, someone told me about this craze in the USA called Speed Stacking. Now I'd never heard of it and have no idea how big it is, but there some amazing videos of it posted on Youtube.

Will it ever become a big craze in the UK? Maybe it is already...

Tony Buzan Lecture

I decided to go a lecture yesterday at the Louise T Blouin Institute in west London by Tony Buzan. I spend so much of my time teaching it was really nice to be able to sit in the audience and take it all in.

Tony Buzan is a renowned business guru and expert in creativity who invented that well known creativity tool Mind Mapping and has written dozens of books on how the brain works.

Although he acted a bit too much like a guru for my liking I do agree with all the things he says, namely that:

- everybody is creative although many people don't realise it

- we only ever use a tiny proportion of our phenomenal brainpower

- there's so much more we could achieve if we put our mind to it.

- there are so many things we could do to improve our creative output.

If you've never done Mind Mapping its easy and I suggest you give it a go.

Oh no. Today's Friday the 13th. Just realised!

What else have I learnt about Holland?

This is what some of the Dutch people were telling me over dinner last night. (They may have made up some of it)

1. Mark Overmars the ex-Arsenal footballer lives very near by in a village called Epe. He's a local celeb.

2. Holland and Jamaica are the only 2 countries in the world where soft drugs are legal.

3. You buy can drugs at coffee shops - but you can't buy coffee.

4. There are no Starbucks in Holland except in the airport.

5. The Dutch really are tight with their money - hence the expression 'going Dutch'. They never tip.

6. Allo allo is still shown on Dutch telly and is really popular. They know all the characters (Herr Flick, Renee, etc) and can quote all the lines.

7. They're not very fond of the Germans. Maybe that's why they like Allo Allo.

Still in Holland

My third day in Holland and I'm getting quite used to Dutch food. In particular:

- tons of cheese, which is served at every mealtime

- these little sugary hundreds and thousands which they call 'sprinkles' and pour on their bread. I've never seen anybody apart from the Dutch eat these

- milk which is served at lunchtime. I guess that's why most of them are so tall. It looks really odd when you see adults drinking milk.

Am staying at a hotel in the middle of a huge forest called the Golden Tulip. Still not seen any windmills and not one person is wearing clogs. How disappointing. Plenty of bicycles though.

Sunday at the Cornbury Festival

For once the sun shone and it felt like Summer had arrived in Oxfordshire.

We met up with the residents of Landcroft House and had a good look around all the stalls and around the site which was small and friendly. Not quite Glastonbury but a great day out.

A highlight was the Innocent Village Fete which had lots of games and gave out loads of free samples.















We even managed to see some live music which included Suzanne Vega who was on fine form.















Unfortunately we had to leave early and missed The Feeling and Blondie which was a real shame. I had to get up at 4 am to get an early morning flight to Holland. Will be here all week and have got 5 days of workshops / training sessions in a row with 2 different clients.

Looking forward to my holiday in Italy.

Dove Advertising

I played this Dove viral ad called 'evolution' at my workshop yesterday. It caused quite a stir and sparked a lot of discussion. It takes something special for a team of jaded, know it all marketers to go 'wow'.

No wonder it won the Grand Prix for viral marketing at the recent Cannes Advertising Festival.

Golf

End of day 2 of my workshop. Just been looking out from my bedroom window over the golfcourse through the gloomy clouds and come to the conclusion that I don't think I'll ever play golf. Apart from the fact that I don't think I'll ever find the time, I find all the 'stuff' that surrounds the sport a bit depressing. Things I hate about golf are:

1. The middle class clubbiness of it all. You have to belong, fit in and be a certain type to be part of the golf scene.

2. The maleness: it all feels very businessy and blokey. Lots of people with blackberries strutting around, doing deals, feeling indestructible

3. The terrible clothing: those Pringle jumpers, slacks and shoes with tassles.

On the other hand, tennis is a fantastic sport - and not just because its Wimbledon at the moment. Its inclusive, a mental and physical challenge, sociable without any of the baggage that surrounds golf. I must play more often so if anyone fancies a game - get in touch!

Happy Birthday Bev

Just back from a fabulous weekend in Devon where we celebrated Bev's 50th birthday party. Bev? 50? No, I can't believe it either.

It was so nice get out of London and spend a bit of time with some old friends. The party had a great local live band and everyone indulged in some mad drunken dancing.

On Sunday the rain held off so we all managed a barbecue on the beach followed by a game of rounders with the kids. Not played for ages. Such good fun.

Am now staying in a big hotel in the middle of a golf club, just by junction 11 of the M4 after being dropped off on the way back from Devon. I'll be staying here until Wednesday running workshops. Despite suffering from a combination of fatigue and excessive alcohol consumption I've just about managed to survive day 1.

Must get an early night.

Henmania

Summer's here. The weather's crap. Glastonbury was a mud bath. Rain's stopped play at Wimbledon and from where I'm sitting in Tooting you can almost hear the cries from SW11 of 'COME ON TIM'.

Yes, we thought he was dead and buried but 'The People's Champion' is back and pulling at our heartstrings. I was working in an office yesterday and the girl sitting opposite me kept getting texts from her boyfriend. 'He's winning 12-11!'. 'Guess what, he's just saved a break point!' And finally 'Yes - he's won!!!'

Admittedly, our expectations are a bit more realistic nowadays. Can he get through the first round, rather than can he beat Federer? Still, so far so good. He's on court as we speak playing another Spanish nobody and no doubt Henman Hill is rocking. I've not seen him on telly yet but I'm sure Tiger Tim will be pumping his fist at every point he wins, his wife will be clapping politely and his dad will be scowling.

Could this be his year at last? We live in hope.........'COME ON TIM'

Gordon Brown or James Brown?

In a recent speech Gordon Brown said that Labour needed to find its 'soul'. Does this mean that Gordon Brown is seeking a new party theme tune? Is he looking to Soul music as a means of distancing himself from Tony Blair's Britpop associations? I guess he remembers how 'Things Can Only Get Better' kicked off the new Blair era so successfully.

If so what Soul classic would be appropriate for Gordon Brown?

Well, he definitely can't use Aretha Franklin's 'Respect' as this has been appropriated by George Galloway. I guess that being an ex-Chancellor the most obvious choice would be the Contours 'First I Look at The Purse'. Although if he wanted to appeal to the old-Labour supporters he may choose The Jackson 5's 'I Want You Back'. To support the Olympic Games he may decide to choose the Temptations 'Ain't Too Proud to Beg'.

Can't think of any more. Any other suggestions for the Gordon Brown Soul Classics?

Jarvis Loves Karen

Last night Karen went to see Jarvis Cocker perform at the Royal Festival Hall. Being such a big fan, Karen got front row seats. (I stayed in to look after the kids having been away all week)

As the show progressed, it became clear that Jarvis took quite a liking to her. Firstly, he shook her by the hand. "I was the only one he did this to"

Throughout the show he then kept popping down to see her. He gave her his half empty beer bottle and a little plastic thing that he found on stage - see photo. Do you think they'd be worth anything on Ebay?

All the Jarvis fans kept saying to her "you're the Chosen One"

Its been quite a week for Karen. She's now a fully qualified Business and Economics teacher and on Wednesday got offered a job at Burntwood School, which is just down the road in Earlsfield. Fantastic news.

Day 4 Germany

Have just landed in Hamburg, the 2nd and final stop stay in Germany. One more session and I fly hope tomorrow night. Hamburg is much more happening than Dusseldorf. An staying in one of those trendy minimalist hotels with 'Buddha Bar' style music in reception and very low lights. My room is so minimal I've only just worked out where the door to the bathroom is. Still can't find the wardrobe.

The key things I've learnt about Germans so far are;

1. The trendiest band amongst young people is Tokio Hotel . I've never heard of them, but apparently their fans scream Beatles-style when they're in concert. I guess they'll arrive in the UK at some point.

2. Facial hair is still cool. At least one guy in each workshop had a beardy look and there were also a couple of moustaches.

3. Loads of people smoke. The airport cafes and restaurants were full of smokers and lots of people kept nipping outside on the terrace next to our meeting room for a quick fag during breaks.

4. Sandwiches are always cut diagonally and have a cocktail stick in them. A bit like a single decker Club Sandwich.

Shall I nip down to the minimal bar for a minimal beer? Probably not. Still need to find my wardrobe.

Day 2 Germany

Beautiful day in Germany and the session went well. 3 more sessions to go. Bit of a Groundhog day thing going on. People, as ever, very friendly and relaxed. Managed to go for a run but spoilt it by a beer and some pasta from room service. Germans don't do nice pasta. I think they use tarragon and dill a bit too liberally. However their pizza's pretty good and you can't fault their beer.

Just dropped my phone and the screen won't light up. I can still use it to make and receive but can't read any texts or use my diary. What a pain. Have only just got my laptop repaired and now this! Will need to get a new one.

Germany Day 1

Have just landed in Germany which will be my home for the rest of the week. Am staying in Dusseldorf until Thursday and then off to Hamburg. My first ever visit to Dusseldorf and I haven't got a clue where it is exactly and what its like. Must find out more to aid my lunchtime chitchat.

Am running the same workshop for 4 days. My challenge is to encourage my German attendees to think more creatively, which should be fun. Same material, different faces. A bit like being in a Rock band I guess but without the cheering and groupies. I definitely won't be doing any encores. 5pm and I'm off. Will try and go for a run every night if I can. Hopefully I won't get asked for dinner.

Staying in a pleasant nH hotel. They've left 2 pieces of chocolate on my pillow and I've eaten them both. Flew economy class in Lufthansa and the food was a bit stingy. I find those grey leather seats so depressing. I don't know why.

I'm just about to read Sarah Waters The Night Watch before I go to bed, on Karen's recommendation. Have just read the backcover blurb and it sounds like its set in wartime. Hardly appropriate is it?

Getting Old

There are lots of signs that age is catching up on me.

1. I go to more 50th birthday parties than 40ths. Went to one last week and have got another one at the end of June. Am more interested in the food than the booze.

2. I stole the 'Daily Telegraph' from the BA lounge last week and read it on a flight. I found that there were lots of really interesting articles in it.

3. I learnt to play Bridge this weekend.

4. After a couple of days of dry weather I start worrying about my allotment.

Derby Games in London

The Premiership fixtures have been announced and this is when Derby will be playing in London.

18th August Tottenham
22nd September Arsenal
20th October Fulham
8th March Chelsea
19th April West Ham

Anyone want to go?

Derby have also got this new badge for their shirts. Now this is a good logo.

Yellow Mangoes

In my local greengrocer you can now buy yellow mangoes from Pakistan. They come in boxes of 5 and each one has a sticker on with a little piece of tinsel attached. They're not available for that long and taste absolutely delicious. £5.49 per box. Buy some now.

Royal Festival Hall Re-launch

This weekend there were a series of events to celebrate the re-opening of the Royal Festival Hall. The weather was great, there was loads of free stuff and everyone was in a good mood.

The Royal Festival Hall is pretty much the same as the old place only better. Same 50s style look and feel, but with nicer bars, more places to eat and hang out in and the smell of new carpet.


The concert hall looks pretty much the same but the acoustics have been improved. Saw an event which featured the South London Choir amongst others - which includes Karen, who has managed to appear at both the Albert Hall and the Royal Festival Hall within 12 months.

Our Dreadful Logo

I've lived with it for a few days. I've done by best to try and like it but I can't. It lacks charm, wit, stature, style, beauty and most of all a sense of pride. I'm a big fan of the Olympics and am so looking forward to the London event. Wolff Olins how could you have done this?

What I'm Reading

I'm about halfway through Engleby by Sebastian Faulks and am really enjoying it. Its a real departure from his previous books such as Charlotte Gray and Birdsong, so if you're a fan of his, you might be disappointed. If you're not that keen on him, you might be pleasantly surprised. Its set in the 1970s and 1980s with some great period detail and is written from the point of view of a really intriguing central character - Mike Engleby.

I was reading it on the Tube today and Engleby decided to go for a couple of pints of lager in the basement bar of Bar Oporto on the corner of Shaftesbury Avenue- which caused me to sit up. This is the Bar that my brother used to own a few years ago and the basement bar was where we spent the Millenium evening and where I had my 40th birthday party. What was equally surprising was that it was the late 1970s. I didn't realise that Bar Oporto had such a long history. I wonder if Sebastian Faulkes was a regular?

Will Bar Oporto will feature later in the book? I'll let you know.

Bye Bye Seth

Finally back in the UK after a 13 hour flight from KL. Saw the 'Queen'. Good for a video night in. Not really a cinematic experience.

Was really disappointed to learn that Seth Johnson's contract with Derby won't be renewed next year. He's such a committed player and adds real strength to the team. No wonder the fans love him. His presence was a key factor in Derby winning the Play Offs and we've got no obvious replacement.

I guess we have to trust that the management have got it right and that maybe his injusry issues are more critical than we think. However am still disappointed and hope that somehow he'll still end up playing for Derby at some point in the future.

KL Day 3

Have not stepped out of the hotel today. Full-on client workshop followed by a Chinese banquet. Fantastic food, but seemed to go on forever. Had a quick drink in the bar where a band was playing Santana songs, before I returned to my room.

One more day full day before I get the flight back home.

KL Day 2

Spent a relatively quiet day in KL preparing for our workshops tomorrow.Its incredibly hot and steamy here. Went for a walk but soon had to dive into a Mall to benefit from the air conditioning. Shopping is obviously a key pastime here and it was packed. All the ususal brands you would expect are on sale, including a lot of luxury brands. There's a big Louis Vuiton shop right next door.

For dinner we went to the famous KL tower where you can see the whole of the city. However, just like yesterday there was a torrential downpour so we couldn't really see very much until later in the evening.

The favourite topic of conversation is food. As Malaysia is largely comprised of Malay, Chinese and Indian people, there is lots of choice. So far its been really good and its very easy to overindulge.

Big day tomorrow so must get an early night. Really looking forward to my 'Heavenly Bed'.

KL Day 1

Just arrived in Kuala Lumpur for a 2 day workshop with my colleague Mark. My first ever visit to Malaysia. It involves a Sunday evening dinner so we arrived in good time to try to avoid the jetlag. Drove through a very dramatic thunderstorm and arrived at the very swish Westin Hotel, famous for their 'Heavenly Beds'.

To help shake off the 12 hour Malaysian Airways flight we decided to go the gym which was great. Feel a lot better. We'll probably explore the hotel now and figure out the best place to eat.

Should try and get some sleep relatively soon, even though I'm feeling wide awake. Let's hope the Heavenly Bed lives up to its name.

Derby 1 West Brom 0

Today I had the priviledge of witnessing one of the most important matches in Derby's history, when against the odds they beat West Brom to return to the Premiership. Last year we narrowly avoided relegation so today's result was nothing short of a miracle.

It was a fantastic experience. Wembley is a great stadium and we had a brilliant view, very close to the action. Silvana came with me and took loads of great pics.


















The game went as many people expected. In the first half West Brom were very fluid. We were under a lot of pressure but managed to hold out. However in the second half we managed to carve out few chances and came close a few times
















Eventually Steve Pearson got the goal from a Giles Barnes cross and the Derby fans went nuts. The defence stayed strong and despite some late scares, we held on.
















After the game the celebrations were amazing. Lots of singing. Lots of crying. Having seen Derby so down in the dumps for past few years its great to see them back with they belong - in the top flight. So for the time being, lets savour our moment of glory.

I'm sure Steve Bloomer was watching over us.

Ramsanthem Steve Bloomer's Watching

This song is played at every Derby game, sung by Robert Lindsay, famous West End star and Derby fan as a tribute to Steve Bloomer, Derby's greatest ever player. I hope he's watching over us at Wembley today.

( download .wma file located here )

Verse One
Our history's full of legends,
And football played on high,
The names Carter and Doherty,
Made all opponents cry.
Now we all just love football,
But will we lift the crown,
The noise goes up,
the Rams come out,
Onto the hallowed ground.

Chorus(home)Steve Bloomer's watching,
Helping them fight,Guiding our heroes,
In the black and the white.
For all teams who come here,
There's nowhere to hide,
Everyone is frightened,
Of that Derby pride.
Verse Two
The Rams just play football,
That make our heart so proud,MacFarland and Hector,
Names to thrill the croud.And if you love or hate us,
Depending on the score,
When the boys come out, at kick off time,
How the mighty roar. (croud noise)
Chorus(home) - repeated twice
Chorus(away)
The Rams are a coming,we're out there to win,
Playing like heroes,
They won't let 'em in,Home sides be wary,
Of our heart and our soul,
We're searching for glory,
And victory is our goal.
Chorus(home) for the finale

by Mark "Tank" Tewson (1997)Copyright (1997)

Back From Devon

Just back from a flying visit to my friend Bev who lives in the lovely town of Modbury in Devon. Needed to come back in time for Wembley tomorrow, plus have quite a lot of work on. Luckily the weather held out long enough for us to have a couple of coastal walks. I would have posted a couple of pictures, but managed to leave my camera behind. Karen and the girls will be staying there for the rest of the week. Hope the weather picks up for them.

Bev is another talented girl from Derby who runs her own business called Brume, specialising in decorative window film. Its fabulous. Check out the website

We're Going to Wembley

Thanks to the efforts of my brother in law Clarence I've managed to get a ticket for Derby's plan off final on Monday. Hurrah! Tickets are like gold dust so am VERY lucky. SO nervous. Can't wait to go..

Come On You Rams!!

Day 1 Italy

We arrived on Sunday afternoon at Borzonasca in our blue Fiat Puntos. Its a very pretty village about 20 minutes from the coast an hour or so from Genoa

We unpacked the bikes and decided to go for a quick ride just to get a feel for what lay ahead. From the village the only way is up but fortunately it was not as steep as I imagined and I actually quite enjoyed it. The countryside was beautiful with some fantastic smells of jasmine and wild herbs.

The local restaurant is known as 'Jesus' - can't quite remember why, where the food was amazing and incredibly cheap. If we'd caught the flight back to London the next day, the trip would trip have been worth it.

Day 2 Italy


We had a big day ahead so prepared for it with a lovely breakfast from the local cafe. 2 pastries and 2 cappuccino each. We set off up the 17km climb and after an hour and a half had reached the top. We were 900 metres up and the views were amazing. Before this, I thought Crystal PalaceHill was tough.

Kept going through the countryside for most of the day. By mid afternoon feeling knackered and wasn't sure I was going to make it back, until an ice cream and can of coke revived me for the return journey.

Eventually we got to the top of the big hill above the village and was able to freewheel down for 25 minutes which was great fun. In total covered 92 km.

There was only thing for it. More wine and food at Jesus' restaurant. And Praise the Lord he didn't let us down.

Day 3 Italy

This was the day that we were supposed to see the Giro d'Italia and see some of the world's finest cyclists in action. However, it didn't quite work out that way.

It was a really hot day and we were a bit knackered. After about 30km - largely uphill - we figured that it would take a big effort to get there, so we had a vote and decided to take the short cut back to the bar and watch it on the telly.


We cycled down a very steep and pretty road back into the town and soon had a beer in our hand, watching proper cyclists whizz up the mountains. Much more civilised.

In the evening we decided to a give Jesus a miss and go to the local pizza restaurant. The local speciality is farinata - a pizza base which is made with chickpea flour. We talked lots of nonsense, drank lots of wine and grappa and called it a night.

A fantastic few days. Thanks for organising it Simon and letting us stay in your appartment and thanks Neil and Tony for the great company.

Italy - best country in the world.

Off to Italy

Tomorrow morning I'm flying to Genoa with 3 friends for a few days cycling in the Ligurian countryside. I've packed my racer, my padded shorts and am all set. Am a bit worried about the trip as:

- these guys are serious cyclists and regularly undertake long arduous bike rides.

- we're staying in the mountains. The main road out of the village has a 17 km climb.

Still, it'll be great to be in Italy. I know I've going to feel completely knackered, but no doubt we'll have a few laughs along the way, probably at my expense as well as loads of great food and drink.

On Tuesday, we'll be able to see a stage of the Giro d'Italia which will be passing near where we're staying. Apparently its a hugely popular Tour de France style race. Shows how much I know.

Won't be taking my laptop with me. Hope I have the strength to tap my keyboard on my return.

Singing Stuff

1. Joseph Choir Search

The BBC are running a competition amongst primary schools to appear in the musical Joseph. Thousands of schools have entered, but there's no doubt that Ravenstone are the best. Please vote for them! Voting will take place from 21st - 25th May via the BBC Wesbite

2. Brighton Fringe Festival

The South London Choir - featuring both Karen and Mae Franco will be appearing at the Brighton Fringe Festival on 19th May. Click here for details. Hope to see you there!

Que Sera Sera...

Well, we've done it. In one of the most exciting matches of the season The Rams beat Southampton last night on penalties and will now be in the Play - Off Final at the new Wembley on May 28th. This game will be bigger than the FA Cup Final between Man U and Chelsea. There's much more at stake - a place in the Premiership worth £60 million - plus its such a big occasion for the clubs involved.

I'm so happy and relieved we've made it, but feel a bit sorry for the Southampton fans the ex-Derby manager and players who were fantastic. However, we finished 3rd in the Championship, held our nerve in the shoot-out and deserve to be there.

Football - what a game!

Rezina's 40th Birthday Party

Went to our friend Rezina's birthday party last Saturday in the heart of Streatham and it was lovely. Food was amazing and came from the Mirch Masala - apart from her mum's chutney which was delicious. if you've not been to the Tooting restaurant yet, you should! Best in South London.

Happy Birthday Rezina!

What I'm Reading

Nowadays I tend to buy books at airports and am usually in a rush. If in doubt, I often turn to Iain Banks. Am currently reading his latest book 'The Steep Approach to Garbadale' and I'm really enjoying it. I know that I'll feel disappointed rather than relieved when I've finish it.

I've read about 6 of his books and I've enjoyed all of them. I loved his first book the Wasp Factory which I read years ago. The plots and settings are all very different. However, they're always gritty, unpretentious with really believable characters.

What's even more impressive about Iain Banks is that he also writes science fiction under the name of Iain M. Banks. I've not read any of them, but people tell me they're really good. I'll try one of these next.

Advantage Derby

Decided not to go to see Derby play Southampton today and guess what - we win 2-1. Fantastic result and they played really well. I'm convinced that they'd have lost if I'd gone.

So - looking good for a trip to Wembley on 28th May, providing there isn't a disaster at Pride Park on Tuesday night. Will watch it down the pub.

Pleasure Derived From the Misfortune of Others

One of my favourite words is the German word schadenfreude which apparently does not translate directly into English. Its an emotion that I can't help feeling from time to time even though I know I shouldn't.

For example, I'm genuinely pleased that Leeds United have been relegated this year and have now gone into administration. I'm sure its quite a distressing experience for the people involved, but it still makes me happy. Maybe its because I've got this deep rooted dislike of their cynical team of the 1970s but I always hope they do badly.

Equally it makes me smile when I see John Terry crying every time Chelsea fail to win a trophy. I don't feel sorry for him at all. He's just a mardy baby.

I'm obviously not alone. There's a huge magazine /newspaper/ web industry that's dedicated to humiliating famous people and revelling in their fall from grace.

Why do we sometimes feel this way? Is it to do with insecurity, aggression, jealousy, hatred, self affirmation? I'm not sure...and how come the Germans have a word for it and we don't?

Another expression that I really like is 'revenge is a dish best served cold'. Don't understand it, but I like the sound of it.

A Day in Brighton

Today I went to Brighton - or more precisely Hove - to do some work with those very clever people at Space Doctors.

I know its not everyone's cup of tea, but I really like Brighton. Its the kind of place that nurtures freethinkers and eccentrics. I caught a taxi at the station and the driver said to me - 'I'm not really a taxi driver, I'm a novelist'. On my receipt he'd printed his website, where you can read the first chapter for free.

On Saturday 19th May I'll be coming back to Brighton to see both Mae and Karen perform at the Brighton Festival as part of the South London Choir. Watch this space for more details.

Famous Relation

Apparently James Franco is the new star of Spiderman 3. Didn't realise my cousin had a screen career.

Weekend in Derby

Just back from a Bank Holiday weekend in Derby catching up with the family.

Day 1: Chatsworth House

Have not been here for years and it was a lovely day out. Drove past all the bikers in Matlock Bath and managed to find it OK. Saw lots of friendly sheep in the fields.


Didn't bother going inside the House but there was enough to see with the gardens, adventure playground and the farmyard animals. The countryside was beautiful and it stayed fine all day. We even had a picnic.


Day 2: Markeaton Park

The kids love Markeaton Park. They get free ice creams (with flakes) from Auntie Vita and free tokens for all the attractions which included the Racing Cars (2 goes each) and the Crazy Golf. Bit rainy for the Bouncey Castle.



Lia even had a go on the donkey.

Barbra Streisand

My friend Richard has just paid £500 to see Barbara Streisand when she comes to the UK. Apparently she's sold out and he could easily sell it for twice that - which he won't. I really don't get why people love her so much and how's she's able to command such ludicrously high ticket prices.

A few years ago his flat was broken into. The burglars stole all his cds - but left behind the Barbra Streisand ones, which weirdly made him really pissed off.

I guess not everyone loves her.

Too Busy to Blog

Have not done any blogging this week, largely because I've been running workshops near Swindon. Discovered that Swindon is a surprisingly long way from London - 75 miles and it took ages to get there and back. I didn't want to stay in a hotel.

Plus of course, just had to watch the Liverpool Chelsea game...and of course the Jose Mourinho interview which is usually more compelling than the game.

HIghight of the week so far has been the film Dead Man's Shoes on Monday. Was half watching Charlotte Grey which was glossy and insipid with the usual actors you've imagine and Dead Man's Shoes came. I found it really compelling and stayed up until 1am to watch it - which I never do.

Its set in Derbyshire and I recognised the voices and the landscape immediately. Think it was filmed around Matlock. Was about a man taking out his revenge on the people who tortured his younger brother. Was so gripping and realistic with lots of people who weren't trained actors. No swirly music, no sentiment but incredibly sad.

Maybe it was because the younger brother was called Anthony.