There are many new years in any one calendar year. Today is another one - Nawruz or Nooruz. I’ve seen it spelt various ways. It’s an old Zoroastrian festival celebrated across the Middle East and Central Asia on the occasion of the spring equinox. It celebrates the new year on the day that winter ends… Continue reading New year, again
“The government are going to sack 40% of airport staff,” he declared. “It’s inefficiencies like this, a waste of time.” He and I were just two of a number of people waiting on the other side of airport security for our bags to come through. Airport security is no-one’s favourite part of travel, but you… Continue reading Mr Forty Percent
I was in conversation with one of the brightest, sharpest and more driven people in my department. "Some days," I said, "I feel like I'm only just hanging on." "I feel like that some days too," she said. "I think most people feel like that." I was surprised. If I'd been asked to pick someone… Continue reading Hidden
Four weeks and counting until my secondment is over and I have to go back to my old team. Attempting to avoid this outcome, I’ve been applying for other jobs, and last week I had some positive news - an interview! But not a regular interview facing people across a desk, no. Not even an… Continue reading The Interview
I was grateful to the woman who stopped me as I was getting off the train. My glove was indeed lying in the floor of the train carriage where I’d dropped it. Who knows how many near misses I’ve had with these gloves over the years. I bought these gloves at a market in Moscow… Continue reading “Is that your glove?”
She won the award for best actress in a comedy/musical. It embarrasses me that I haven’t seen Everything Everywhere All At Once yet to admire her no doubt outstanding performance. Michelle Yeoh is gorgeous and is one of those people who, when you see her name associated with a film, you think “Ah, good. This… Continue reading Michelle Yeoh won a Golden Globe!
I have just renewed my WordPress subscription And I’m wondering why. Of all the writing I’m doing now, WordPress blogging is way down the list. I have signed up for a course called Edit Your Novel which is taking a lot of my thought and writing time. I signed up for the course despite not… Continue reading Happy New whatever
I have started several posts in the past week or so but my computer seems to no longer save WordPress drafts, and my phone was no longer synching correctly to the published content so I deleted the app and stepped away from the computer. But now I’m back, I’ve reinstalled the app, and it’s Christmas… Continue reading Midwinter: time to turn around
London doesn’t cope well with properly cold weather. You would think, being a European capital, that the city would have some degree of familiarity with how to behave in the cold. But it doesn’t. Examples: * when it snows, drivers have no idea how to drive anymore. Cars are abandoned at the side of the… Continue reading Cold
The beginning and the end. The start and the finish. I have started: Reading Michelle Obama Becoming. It’s been on my shelf for at least a year, and it was probably the ads for her new book which I pass by on my commute that put this book in my mind. I’m enjoying it so… Continue reading Alphas, omegas (48.2022)
Tales from Tobhamhor 