Let’s start with the gross bit. A little while ago I developed an unpleasant ear infection, my ears gummed up and for the next three weeks I was unable to hear very much at all. Now, to be honest, there are times when not being able to hear is a relief. When a meeting is …
Bank holiday is like therapy. In the middle of busy and ordinary, there’s suddenly a moment for special, for the seaside, for friends, for beer in the garden, for a deep breath and a sigh of contentment. A bank holiday is good for the national psyche. Now, I have a group of psychiatrists who I …
When I was a little boy, every time I went to a birthday party, my parents would say the same two things to me: “Remember what your name is and remember who you belong to.” I found this very confusing. How could I forget my name? And who did I belong to? I thought it …
One Christmas, many years ago, I was given a pair of slippers. They were black leather with suede soles and they were butter-soft, the most comfortable things I have ever worn. So I wore them a lot, every day, until they were full of holes and beyond repair. But I couldn’t bear to part with …
A man came to my house last weekend, canvassing for the local elections. Big mistake. By and large I do not want to talk on the doorstep. But when it’s politics, a visit from my local councillor is a red rag to a bull and I’ll talk. I mean I’ll really talk. To his vast …
I was cutting my hair last week. It helps that I have almost no hair to cut because having nothing to cut alleviates the problem of having zero expertise. However, I’ve been doing it for many years, with electric clippers, much as I imagine I might shear a sheep, and I’ve become fairly adept at …
It’s my dad’s birthday today. He was on holiday with Mum recently and had a bit of a funny turn, which involved a night in hospital before they came home. He’s been better since they got back, after a little rest and relaxation. Holidays are exhausting. Actually, it sometimes feels like everything is exhausting and …
On Monday, I went to be treated at the hospital. And not just any hospital. On Monday, I went to the Hospital of Dread and Doom. On Monday, I went to the Dental Hospital. I'm sure not everyone feels as I do about teeth, but I am not a brave man in the dentist’s chair. …
My bike is important to me, despite the fact that I occasionally hobble in here in various states of dishevelment after falling off it. It’s never been to Selsey Bill but I have been up to Muswell Hill. For more than a decade, the best bit of my bike has been my saddle. My parents …
Morning, Chris. Let me start by saying that I’m very happy to be here. Happy to be out of the house, glad it’s Monday. Part of this, obviously, is that I love my work, my colleagues, my students. But it’s also something else. You see, it has emerged, over the past couple of days, that …