Three weeks ago I lost the use of a word. Ask me how I felt about my recent holiday in Rajasthan [see Magic Carpet, greyhares blog, 22nd Jan, 2011] and out would come ‘fascinating’, ‘spellbinding’, ‘enriching’, ‘educative’; but ‘enjoyable’ – no! The problem was that any feelings I had of enjoyment had been drowned by those…
Life after teeth
They say "once a dentist, always a dentist" but then what? Phil Gould wonders what it takes to be a writer. What’s in a word? Well, some course their way through our conversations with hardly a ripple, worthy if anonymous, like “patina” and “winglet”. Others might invite a subliminal snigger, like “wriggle” or “heave”. Others still…
Magic carpet
Every other year we take a special holiday and this time it was to India. The star attraction was a 1,000 mile journey through Rajasthan travelling by rail at night in the "Palace on Wheels" and sightseeing by coach during the day. The sleeper carriages and restaurant cars had been renovated to recreate a velvety…
Keep young and beautiful
How to stay "in" in the media. Vivien Perkins offers an insider view. Most people will be delighted that Miriam O’Reilly has won her case for discrimination on grounds of age against the BBC. Nearly 40 years in the world of film and television leaves me in no doubt that ‘fitting in’ with the plans…
Seasonal cheer
At 7.40am on Tuesday 21 December the TV cameras turned once again to look at the moon. And, in keeping with predictions, it had disappeared - eclipsed by earth's shadow. Journalists and astro-pundits dwelt on it being the first full lunar eclipse on a winter solstice for almost 400 years. Although interesting, for me it was…
Older is in the eye of the beholder
Visiting contributor, Mike Paul, wonders exactly how old is "old" these days? Recently I went to see Alan Bennett’s play ”The Habit of Art“, the centrepiece of which is an imagined meeting between WH Auden and Benjamin Britten. At the time of the meeting Auden was in his early sixties and, if Bennett’s script is an…
You will miss me when I am gone
It is Saturday morning and I am enjoying a cappuccino with a friend. It may be the general gloominess of the season but he is concerned about his obituary. Don't worry, I say consolingly, I will write an obituary for you. I am already warming to the idea of finding something nice to say about him.…
The power of an empty chair
The week before Christmas was always going to be a challenge. The conflict was clear. On the one hand, I am, or was, an unsociable man and in the past have found house guests difficult [see ‘A bit of bah humbug does you good’, 23 Dec 2009]. On the other, on the 18th of December a…