I’ve been away in the scorching hot sun of a European heatwave. The mercury rose to the mid ’30s and that’s where it stayed all week, with no air conditioning. The only place which could be described as refreshingly comfortable was the swimming pool until I climbed in on top of a wasp which stung me … [Read more...] about How Things Change Less Than You Think They Will
Recovery
Why “Want” Beats “Should” Almost All The Time.
I haven’t seen my daughter recently. She seems to have been camped out at her boyfriends for the past few days. I don’t know if this is a girl thing but we often used to feel a bit guilty that my son’s girlfriend had pretty much moved in with us and hardly ever saw her own family. Now I know how it … [Read more...] about Why “Want” Beats “Should” Almost All The Time.
Why I Sometimes Miss Being Sad
Out for a birthday dinner with my family, we are celebrating the end of my son’s teenage years. Talk turns to the recent documentary about Michael Jackson’s alleged child abuse and a discussion about whether the most despicable crimes render art worthless, and I wonder how much art is borne from … [Read more...] about Why I Sometimes Miss Being Sad
Why You Need To Trust The Process
I went to see Mr Pascoe every Wednesday at 12.30. I would drive the twenty minutes from my office and sit in his shabby waiting room with the pleasant receptionist who didn’t have a computer and never seemed busy. When he called me in he would leave the room while I got undressed. I remember that … [Read more...] about Why You Need To Trust The Process
How To Be Honest With Yourself
On the radio, there is an interview with Polly Harvey about her score for a new production of “All About Eve”. She speaks with freedom about her art and, at that moment, I think of all the ways I have held myself back. Like love, great art relies on openness. Like love, openness can only be … [Read more...] about How To Be Honest With Yourself