Top 30 Signs You Are Time Poor

Now I'm a girl with Cornish ancestors and it transpires that they would probably have been a whole heap calmer than me, had they followed the Art of Attes - a Cornish word which means relaxed, unhurried and easy going.

Image credit: Pixabay

I have to say there are no visible signs of anybody following the Attes way in Poldark since Ross and Demelza seem to spend most of their time speeding off on horseback.

That said, there is no doubt we could all do with taking a breather and reducing our stress levels by adopting a calmer, more chilled approach to some of life's more minor challenges.

Research by Kelly's of Cornwall Ice Cream discovered that half the population reckon they are time poor, with eating dinner late at night and buying ready-peeled vegetables among the signs you are too busy.  

A poll of 2,000 adults found ordering takeaways because you don’t have time to cook the biggest indicator you need more hours in the day.

Eating breakfast on the commute, multitasking while watching TV by sending emails or shopping online and still doing laundry late into the night are also among the top five signs you are short of time.

Other ‘time poor’ indicators to feature in the top 30 include checking emails as you walk, using dry shampoo instead of washing your hair and buying ready-grated cheese.

It also found time poverty is a real problem in the UK, with three-quarters of Brits saying they are too stressed to have fun and 40 per cent stating they spend most of their time working and juggling household chores.

The poll, of 2,000 adults found almost three-quarters of Brits wish they had more time to relax.

And 54 per cent wish there was more time in the day, with the average adult saying they need an extra three hours a day to get everything done.

After work, four in ten say their spare time is mostly taken up with the household chores, while 16 per cent reckon running around after the family accounts for most of their time.

But almost one in ten admit they can’t remember the last time they had an evening night to spare, while 16 per cent can’t remember the last time they had a lie-in.

This is having a real impact on the nation’s well-being though, with 89 per cent admitting they feel that life is too serious for them.

And three-quarters wish they had more time to relax and be more laid-back.

Charlotte Hambling, of Kelly’s of Cornwall Ice Cream, said: “It’s often expressed that the pace of life in Cornwall is slower and more laid-back than elsewhere, and we have a word here – Attes.

“We are launching our Art of Attes lifestyle campaign to encourage Brits to adopt this easygoing and lighter approach to life, wherever you are and whatever you’re doing.

“Sometimes it’s OK to not take life quite so seriously. We say, grab an ice cream, kick back and geddon!"

The Kelly’s School of Cornish will be educating the masses on all things Cornwall, from Cornish language translations to showcasing the Cornish lifestyle.

You can keep Hygge and Lagon.  It's all about Attes from now on.

To achieve an Attes state of mind for yourself, download The Art of Attes guide at http://bit.ly/TheArtofAttesGuide

TOP 30 SIGNS YOU ARE TIME POOR

1. Ordering a takeaway as you don't have time to cook
2. Eating dinner at 10 pm
3. Eating breakfast on commute into work
4. Multi-tasking while 'watching' TV – i.e. emails/messaging/working late
5. Washing and drying clothes at 11 pm
6. Only wearing clothes that don't need ironing
7. Falling asleep after reading one page of your book/watching 2 mins of a film
8. Multitasking while cleaning your teeth in the morning
9. Checking emails while walking
10. Having to plan months ahead to meet a group of friends because everyone is busy
11. Putting on your make up on public transport
12. Buying ready peeled or sliced vegetables
13. Using dry shampoo instead of washing your hair
14. Re-wearing something from the laundry basket
15. Doing all your shopping online
16. Having a cleaner
17. Buying ready grated cheese
18. Recording everything/watching it on catch-up because you haven't got time for adverts
19. Being late for school/late-play pick-up
20. Hardly ever wearing handwash only garments, as you never have time to wash them
21. Growing a beard to save time shaving
22. Doing last-minute times tables/ revision/ spellings in the car on the way to school
23. Having a dog walker
24. Growing your hair long as you don't have time to go to the hairdresser
25. Using hands-free in the car to catch up with distant relatives
26. Watching catch-up TV on your commute
27. Never making packed lunches for kids, always school dinners
28. Buying frozen ready chopped fruit for your smoothies
29. Buying audio books for the car because you don't have time to read
30. Running with the dog because there's no time to walk him/her and go out for a run

Ten top tips from psychologist Honey Langcaster-James on how you can inject some Attes in your life:

1. Use your animal instinct. Animals are far less complicated than humans so spend time around them, stroke a cat, play with a dog, or just ‘monkey’ around.

2. Attes is all about being friendly. Say ‘Hello’ or as the Cornish say “Alright? Yeah you?” and strike up a conversation with strangers when you’re catching a bus, standing in a queue, or in a lift. Any place where they can’t just walk away from you is ideal.

3. Make a splash! The Cornish have long had an affinity with water. Introduce water therapy into your daily routine by taking a brisk cold shower in a morning. It’s a bit brrrr…but it is brrrrrrilliant for your mood.

4. Make art, make music, heck…make love! Just be creative and let yourself go.

5. “Ground control to Major Tom!” Imagine you’re a spaceman looking down on yourself from above. It helps to put things into perspective.

6. Live a little. It’s important to be healthy but don’t put yourself under too much pressure. Every so often treat yourself to something delicious, maybe even a little naughty. You deserve it!

7. Be a Peter Pan (or a Wendy). Release your inner child by running around, playing silly games or even dressing up occasionally. Go on, you know you want to!

8. Have a good clear out. The Art of Attes is about letting go, both figuratively and literally, so reduce the junk in your life and say goodbye to clutter.

9. Adopt an easy-going attitude towards others. If other people are irritating you, try to remember that most people are doing the best they can, with the resources they have available to them at the time. “Hakuna Matata” and all that!

10. Let go of perfection. The Cornish art of Attes is all about having a rugged, natural, easy going nature. So, feel free to mess up your hair, go out ‘au naturel’ without makeup, you don’t even have to shave your legs if you don’t want to. It’s liberating!

11. Squeezing in an extra one for good measure… ultimately all you need to do is kick-back, grab an ice cream and geddon!

And ps.  there is absolutely nothing wrong in buying grated cheese.

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How To Order A Beer & Pizza In 15 Different Languages

The Husband travels a lot but like many Brits, his knowledge of other languages is rather spartan. He does know lots of languages but these are entirely code-based and don't make for a riveting evening out.  They are also not the remotest help in restaurants abroad unless the owners need a router reconfigured.

So I figure this handy infographic might help.

Here's how you order a beer, a pizza, a coffee and a taxi in 15 different languages.

I imagine there are one or two other phrases it might be worth knowing if you're a parent, for example "where is the nearest toilet?" and "get me to A&E, Ieuan's headbutted the pavement again".

Or, possibly, "no, I am really not in the mood to discuss BREXIT".


How To Order A Beer / Pizza / Taxi / Coffee In 15 Different Languages Around The World – An infographic by the team at SilverDoor Apartments

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5 Films I Absolutely Adore

Now that the nights are drawing in (which begins, according to my dad, on the day after Midsummer's eve), and since the chances of getting a babysitter on the night they're actually needed is remote, the Husband and I will be snuggled up watching our favourite films on DVD.

It makes a nice change, I have to say, to watch something that does not involve a superhero, a Disney princess or ghoulish school pupils.  This is, of course, the lull before the storm since Frozen 2 is rumored to be in production and Ieuan has been promised "Marvel Avengers: Age of Ultron" for Christmas.

No.  It's TV on, wine decanted and a bowl of crisps. We're saving our pennies for a decent TV, such as the Panasonic Viera  which has the new 4K definition.  These TVs have four times the resolution of a standard HD TV with 8 million pixels on screen as opposed to the usual 2 million.

Most of our 2 million pixels are generally secreted between a variety of sticky hand-prints and dust so I imagine that much could be done to improve our viewing experience!

Don't you find, though, that you end up watching the same films over and over again?  These are my all time top 5 and I heartily recommend you check them out.

Woody Allen: Love & Death (1975)
(Woody Allen, Diane Keaton)

Woody Allen's Love & Death

Boris: "Isn't all mankind ultimately executed for a crime it never committed? The difference is that all men go eventually, but I go six o'clock tomorrow morning. I was supposed to go at five o'clock, but I have a smart lawyer. Got leniency."

In the film, which is set in 19th-century Russia, Boris (Woody Allen) is a simple Russian villager who is in love with his beautiful cousin Sonja (Diane Keaton). Forced against his will into joining the Russian army during the Napoleonic Wars, the cowardly Boris accidentally becomes a military hero. But when his beloved Sonja comes to him with a dangerous patriotic scheme, the resulting action leads Boris to question his desires and beliefs.

This is my all time favourite Allen movie.  It's considered to be a spoof of the Russian Novel, particularly those by Tolstoy and Dostoevsky.  As usual Allen's wit never lets up and you watch with either a wry smile or laughing out loud.

Mel Brooks: Young Frankenstein (1974)
(Mel Brooks, Gene Wilder)

Mel Brooks' Young Frankenstein

Dr. Frederick Frankenstein (Gene Wilder): "You know, I'm a rather brilliant surgeon. Perhaps I can help you with that hump."

Igor (Marty Feldman): "What hump?"

When respected medical lecturer Dr. Frederick Frankenstein (Gene Wilder) discovers he has inherited his infamous grandfather's estate in Transylvania, he goes to take possession of the castle. There, he begins to recreate his grandfather's experiments with the help of servants Igor (Marty Feldman), Inga (Teri Garr) and the terrifying Frau Blücher (Cloris Leachman). Dr. Frankenstein creates his own monster and things get complicated when the monster falls in love with the doctor's fiancée, Elizabeth (Madeline Kahn).

Much as I love Blazing Saddles, I love Young Frankenstein for its complete lunacy and sense of the ridiculous.  It's a wonderful mickey-take of the old Hammer Horror films with a Dr Frankenstein who loves himself far too much, an Igor who isn't the full shilling and a monster whose dance routines leave a lot to be desired.

Agatha Christie's Death On The Nile (1978)
(Peter Ustinov, David Niven)

Agatha Christie's Death On The Nile

Jacqueline De Bellefort (Mia Farrow): "...sometimes, I just want to put this gun right against her head, and ever so gently, pull the trigger. When I hear that sound more and more... "

Hercule Poirot (Peter Ustinov): "I know how you feel. We all feel like that at times. However, I must warn you, mademoiselle: Do not allow evil into your heart, it will make a home there."

This is the story of a wealthy heiress, Linnet Ridgeway (Lois Chiles) who steals her best friend's fiance (Mia Farrow and Simon MacCorkindale) and marries him after a whirlwind romance.  On a luxurious honeymoon cruise on the Nile River, Linnet is murdered and it is up to Poirot (David Niven) to solve the mystery, along with his trusted companion, Colonel Race (David Niven). But just as Poirot identifies several would-be murderers, the suspects also start to meet their demise.

This is an adaptation of one of the best known Agatha Christie novels and I actually saw this film in the cinema when it first came out. I remember the stellar cast which includes Bette Davis, Maggie Smith, Angela Lansbury and Jane Birkin, among others, and I love the sweeping musical score which adds to the beauty of the Egyptian scenery.

I am a huge fan of David Suchet as Poirot but, for me, this version of "Death On The Nile" is still the best.

Monty Python & The Holy Grail (1975)

Monty Python & The Holy Grail

French Soldier: "I don't want to talk to you no more, you empty-headed animal food trough wiper! I fart in your general direction! Your mother was a hamster and your father smelt of elderberries!"

This film is a hilarious send-up of the grim Middle Ages told through the story of King Arthur and framed by a modern-day murder investigation. When Arthur goes on a quest to find the Holy Grail, he and his knights face a number of horrors, including the persistent Black Knight, a three-headed giant, some shrubbery-challenged knights, the dangerous Castle Anthrax, a killer rabbit, a house of virgins, and a handful of rude Frenchmen.

This is another film I saw in the cinema on its release - at Chapter Arts Centre in Cardiff in the days when it was a newly renovated school and not the great art space it is today!  I guess you either 'get' Monty Python or you don't and I laughed like a drain from start to finish.  Anybody who can substitute a horse for somebody banging two coconut shells together to make a clip clop sound and get away with it is pretty smart I think.

Again, although "Life of Brian" is equally loved, "Holy Grail" has the extra touch of madcap Python lunacy and feels more raw and experimental than the team's later films.

Babette's Feast (1987)

Babette's Feast

Adapted from the novel by Karen Blixen (whose memoirs formed the basis of the film "Out of Africa", Babette's Feast is the story of two sisters who live in a remote 19th Danish century village. Their life centres around their father, the local minister, and their church. When their father dies, they take in a French refugee, Babette, who works for them as their servant.  When Babette wins the lottery she decides to pay the sisters back for their kindness and cooks a French meal for them and their friends to mark the 100th anniversary of their father's death.  After Babette's feast, everything and everyone changes in ways they would never have expected.

This film won the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film in 1988 and was another one I saw in the Chapter Arts Centre when it came out.  It is a really touching tale, despite being subtitled and you are left feeling uplifted and reminded how powerful kindness can be.

So those are my favourite 5.  Are any of them on your list?


Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. I will only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers.

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Tit-ter Ye Not Page 3 Haters - No Nudes Ain't Necessarily Good News

Much has been written today about whether The Sun newspaper has finally put the vest back on its dubious tribute to the female form and scrapped its page 3 glamour photography.  Feminists have been celebrating.  Glamour girls have been decrying this slur on their profession.  

Source:  beforethedot.co.uk

On the face of it, the removal of the embarrassment of having to explain to junior why Titania has been photographed in just her pants, and the risk of shocking the more puritanical amongst us on the train in the morning by forgetting to turn straight from the front page to page 5, can only be a good thing.  I make no comment here about the quality of the paper's journalism, nor its prurient enjoyment of all things knobs, knockers and salaciousness because, sadly, most of the British Press is happily cantering that well worn path these days.  The Daily Mail is rapidly becoming the Daily Kardashian and its website's side column is a paeon to a bunch of American celebrities that I have neither heard, nor care about.

Isn't the truth here simply that Page 3 has lost its ability to shock?  That the amount of exposure breasts get is so great that interest in them has faded to a certain extent.  Are we more, thanks to the Kardashian clan, more interested in bottoms now?  Is The Sun about to launch "Arse of the Day" instead? Here's the lovely Stephanie aged 23 from Staines showing us how to park a bike?  Mind you, I can think of a much better use for a column named thus - particularly in the run up to the General Election.

In a more disturbing vein,  the increased availability and consumption of pornography thanks to the internet is a more probably cause of Page 3's possible demise.  There are thousands of sites offering far more disturbing and exploitative pictures of women, all easily accessible via mobile technology.  I am not suggesting that those who enjoy glamour photography are teetering on the edge of subterranean perversion.  I am suggesting that there seems to have been a sea-change in our views about sex and nudity which seems to be removing us farther and farther from the bedrock of culture and morality we used to have.

In comparison to some of the material which passes as daily newspaper fodder, the page 3 photograph has almost an innocence about it.  And that, as a mother to a 7 year old daughter, does concern me.    

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Big Brother IS a Popularity Contest Toya!

Big Brother is a guilty pleasure of mine, along with Candy Crush Saga, Sprite (the Chinese have declared it to be the definitive hang-over cure - the drink that is, not the mythical pixie like creatures), Kendal Mint Cake (although the teeth can't take it any more) and peanut butter. That's the good thing about being an old bird. You can be as irrational with your foibles as you like and not even worry about defending them. Were such a thing required, in my defence I will say that keeping up with the kids is very important when your kids are nearly 7 and nearly 5. Sort of.

Big Brother's "raging" Toya Washington.  Source:  Channel5.com

In deference to the husband's loathing of all reality based TV I am dutifully sitting through the World Cup and actually quite enjoying it. It may be because I don't understand the game but it seems really slooooooow compared to rugby. All that hair gel and hamming. Those coloured trainers - my eyes! Anyway, I digress as usual.

Last night I sat somewhat stunned as Toya, 50% of this week's "Big Brother Power Couple" and missing some 75% of her mental faculties turned into a screaming banshee of the highest premenstrual order when called a very rude word by Ash - a man who would probably check his appearance in a mirror for five minutes before leaving a burning building. Actually the 'boy band' gang of Ash, Marlon and Winston (bull dog by name and brain size) are rather unpleasant. The first two have bemoaned the fact that there are no 'sluts' in this year's house and express viewpoints about women better suited to the 1970s. But boy did Toya go on. And on. And on.

It is undoubtedly unfair but in my experience a woman who 'loses it' will always be judged more harshly than a man - irrespective of whether or not she has right on her side. And the speed with which a personal (and professional) reputation can be shattered is scary. I can't understand why Toya did not think "hang on, these people may be muppets but they all have the power to evict me at some point". Or, "I could possibly have a short lived media career out of this if I play my cards right" but no, she screamed, she pouted, she stropped. And then, most bizarrely, whilst crying in the Diary Room, she opined that Big Brother wasn't a 'popularity contest'.

Now I struggle to see how anyone couldn't understand that this is EXACTLY what the show is - although it shares a lot with gladiatorial fights in Roman amphi-theatres and the British tradition of pantomime where we all love a villain or villainess. (I suspect Harriet Harman would frown on feminising the word villain but I'll live with it).

In fact, success in many areas in life revolves around maintaining a high level of popularity. I remember reading a study about the causes of failure of bright, high achieving workers in the corporate arena and the number one reason was having an abrasive personality. To paraphrase the late Helen Gurley Brown (who created Cosmopolitan magazine), you can't be a selfish, snippy little turtle-bitch and succeed. Losing it in any arena is a luxury - today more than ever.

I fear Toya has signed her own exit visa after last night's melt-down but she does not seem to have much self awareness. Seriously where do the Big Brother contestants get their almighty egos. Tamara has been sounding off about 'showergate' claiming ownership after one kiss which sounded like a sink plunger being prized off a bunged sink. She clearly has her eye on becoming the next Luisa - she of Apprentice fame who has moved from the bakery arena to constantly displaying her wares in a bikini.  

I think I remember reading once about something called feminism. Still, even Gloria Steinem was once a playboy bunny.  And it's probably not worth losing my temper over......

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TV's On The Blink; Too Much Time To Think

The TV is on the blink.  Yes.  In this multi-channel, digital age where we expect our TVs to do everything bar uncork the vino, ours has stuck two digital fingers up at us and declared it has a weak signal.  On every channel.  Having been scared witless about aerial villains by BBC's Rogue Traders and not having a cupboard tidy enough to secrete Matt Allwright in, the husband is muttering darkly about "buying a book".

Source:  www.businesssearchltd.co.uk

The children are watching "Tommy Zoom" on constant repeat or a solitary episode of "Spongebob Squarepants" on Amazon Prime which seizes the TV every time. It's either that or the first Addams Family film (curiously reminiscent of the Hobbis household). Worse, tonight is the launch of Big Brother. Yes I know. Call me shallow but I've watched it since Series 2 and it's become a signal that summer is here. It's not quite the same without Davina's endless procession of black outfits and her jaunty blokish manner. Nor can I get away with telling the hubby that it's a "telling psychological experiment" without him snorting and proclaiming my mental faculties to be on the brink of melting away. (A two word rejoinder is all that is needed to put him straight - Top Gear).

Source:  www.bbc.co.uk

I should read a book.  I should broaden my mind and brush up on my very rusty French and German. I could finally learn to play Handel's "The Arrival of the Queen of Sheba" on the piano or bake a cake. I could repair the holes in Ieuan's trousers. My father once tried to encourage my sister and I to take up darning. I think he envisaged a Jane Austen type future for us both involving much stitching of samplers and a bit of French country dancing. whilst marrying a curate and mastering the art of damson jam production. He was a little wide of the mark.

One of the main reasons we had a civil wedding ceremony is that the hubby fears spontaneous combustion should he stand in front of an altar as a rank unbeliever. He has managed numerous carol concerts since without singeing so either he's right about the absurd nature of the universe (how very Sartre) or God is more forgiving than I previously suspected.

Anyhoo..... I am left trying to get the blessed TV's "Smart Hub" programmed to play BBC iPlayer and Channel 4OD.  No.  It won't do ITV or Channel 5 so it really isn't as smart as it thinks it is.  And while the hubby is reading "aerial adjustment for dummies" I think I'd better have a look on Yell.Com - and make sure we've got Rogue Traders' number.

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We'll All Be Poorer If We Ban Teaching Shakespeare's Works In Schools

Watching Dame Helen Mirren's acceptance speech for her BAFTA Fellowship in 2014 was memorable not only for the class and elegance Mirren always exudes but for her recognition of the importance of teachers in our lives and also, tacitly, the importance of our great works of literature. Mirren ended by quoting Prospero in William Shakespeare's The Tempest.

Image credit:  Pexels - William Shakespeare

"We are such stuff as dreams are made on; and our little life is rounded with a sleep" (The Tempest, Act 4, Scene 1)

There has been much rumbling over the years about whether Shakespeare should still be taught to our children. Worse still, there have been cartoon and other dumbed down versions in a misguided (in my view) attempt to interest children in the Bard's works.

Before I had my children, I used to work as a part time English tutor and one year the 'O' level text was probably my favourite Shakespeare play - "Macbeth". My pupil was a 15 year old boy whose predicted grade was 'D'. 

Upon querying what teaching methods were being used, my eyes were swiftly opened to the rather ramshackle and disinterested way I suspect literature may be being taught.

"Have you actually read the play" I asked. "No". "Does your teacher read the play out loud in class?" "No". "Does your teacher get you to read out loud in class?" "No".

When I was learning Shakespeare in school, everyone had a copy of the text and we read the entire play, line by line through the class. 

It's only when you read Shakespeare's (or indeed any other poet's) works out loud that you get a sense of the true meaning of the language and the implications behind the rhythms. 

It gives the teacher a chance to explain idioms and how the meanings of words and even the interpretation of the whole play can change over the centuries. 

Call me old fashioned, but I'm not sure the subtle nuances and beauty of our language are ever all that apparent either by re-writing Shakespeare in text speak, Cockney rhyming slang or "gangsta" rap. You get me?

I also hate modern reworkings of the play where the director has had a "vision" and decided to portray Henry II as Robocop and dress everyone up like extras from The Matrix. 

Yes the themes and meanings of Shakespeare's works are universal - that's why they stand the test of time, but when you are learning them, you have an opportunity to better understand the history and social mores of that period. 

For example, I always remember being taken aback by my lecturer's assertion that the central theme of "Romeo & Juliet" was not, for an Elizabethan audience that of "star crossed lovers" but instead of parental disobedience.

I really hope that, when Caitlin and Ieuan start to study English literature, the works of our greatest authors are requisite reading. We need to preserve these works, not least to help maintain the ever denuded English language as it seems to sink beneath text speak, business jargon and lazy spelling. 

I cringe at the number of tweets from businesses where the writer doesn't know the difference between "there are" and "they are", "you're" and "your". This is basic stuff, surely?

So I applaud Dame Helen for reminding us that the great actors and actresses of our time still owe a debt to one of our greatest writers, William Shakespeare.

And by the way, after re-enacting "Macbeth" (which is mighty tricky when there are only 2 of you - we spent lots of time laughing), and trying to explain how the play's themes are still relevant today, my pupil got an A.

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Review: Corina Pavlova at The Sherman Theatre, Cardiff

What better way of spending a cold and blustery Saturday afternoon than cocooned in The Sherman Theatre's Arena whilst the kids are held spellbound by the puppetry and song of "Corina Pavlova And The Lion's Roar" at Cardiff's Sherman Theatre. All the more satisfying for The Husband is the fact that kick off for Wales -v- South Africa is not till 5 pm. We managed to find a car parking space in the nearby Dumfries Car Park and skate in with ten minutes to spare before the production starts.

"Corina Pavlova And The Lion's Roar" (written by Elen Caldecott, translated by Branwen Davies and produced with both English and Welsh performances) is the delightful story of a young girl who feels displaced by the birth of her brother and seeks a pet to play with rather than accept her new playmate. The help of strange pet shop owner Mr McAlistair is enlisted to find Corina a pet. Unusually, in this pet shop, the pets are allowed to select their preferred owner.

The stage was simply set and the cast comprised three actors who sang, danced and played a variety of musical instruments - the clarinet, the flute, the recorder, the xylophone and the accordion. The pets were conjured up by means of costume and puppetry.

Aimed at 3-6 year olds,Caitlin and Ieuan really enjoyed this show which had enough mature references to keep the grown ups happy and just the right amount of audience participation from the kids. I liked that, as with the previous production reviewed, Boing, there was a distinct and universal message in the piece. Here it was the upset that a new sibling can cause in a tight knit family group and the process of adjustment.

I won't spoil the ending but suffice it to say that the lion's roar is an excellent metaphor for this upset and the audience help Corina to finally accept that her family unit now comprises four, and not three people. As we drove home two little voices came from the back seat - "what show are we going to see next mum?".

Corina Pavlova runs from Monday 9 December 2013 until Saturday 4th January 2014, with performances in both English and Welsh. Tickets are £7 and there are no booking fees.

We are looking forward to a forthcoming production, "The Sleeping Beauties" The Sherman's Christmas show which is an adaptation of the much loved fairy tale with a twist. Aimed at the over 7s, the tale deals with the themes of friendship and, very topically, what it means to "be beautiful".

"The Sleeping Beauties" runs from Tuesday 10th December 2013 until Saturday 4th January 2014. Tickets are £15-£25 for grown ups and half price for the Under 25s. Again, there are no booking fees.

Further information is available at:- www.shermancymru.co.uk. The box office telephone number is 02920546900.

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Review: Psychologies Magazine - December Issue 2013

I have long been an avid reader of women's magazines. I have been hopelessly seduced by the promise of a quick-fix, easy route to a glamorous lifestyle.  I have been teased by the idea of dressing up like a Hollywood Siren on a ragamuffin's budget and tortured by endless advertisements for bags and shoes that, short of selling my soul to the Devil himself, I am unlikely to attain by legal methods.

But over the last few years, I have fallen distinctly albeit gradually out of love with them, save stalwarts such as Women & Home and Good Housekeeping which seem to have stayed true to their original ethos and maintained their quality and standard of writing.

I had been aware of "Psychologies" but had lumped it in my mind together with magazines by Oprah and other American journals featuring happy clappy advice about loving yourself and saving the universe through positive thinking.  

I have to say that, having reviewed, the December 2013 issue (the 99th in fact) of Psychologies, I have been pleasantly surprised to find a glossy magazine with a writing style suited to readers who relish intelligent, informed material which makes them think and actually offers useful advice. 

Psychologies is a mix of thought provoking articles such as "Speaking Up" (the danger of being too quietly spoken may hinder your career development as a woman) and "The (Un)fairytale ending" in which a Catholic divorcee talks about her feelings of guilt and isolation as a result of opting to leave her marriage after just a year.

The magazine contains sections such as "The Life Lab" (a mix of self-help, wise words, special reports and experiments).

The Boost contains information about beauty, wellbeing, home, living, food and travel.

The section entitled The Fix contains news, reviews, books, film art and ideas. Every topic which you would expect to find in the glossy heavyweights is here - which surprised me. There is a fabulous article called "Cold Comforts" which talks about how to protect your immune system in the coming winter months and recipes for coconut madeleines (coconut is surely becoming the new superfood), cherry and cinnamon bundt cakes and oatcakes with pink peppercorns, with the idea of making these as Christmas gifts.

I have never been particularly persuaded to buy a magazine on the strength of its cover star.  I prefer to be tempted by the article straplines but the lead article with Julia Roberts, and a following one with Amanda De Cadenet (who I remember as some sort of wild child) do not disappoint.

I really enjoyed Psychologies and would certainly buy it. If you would like to try it for yourself, the magazine is currently offering a 3 issues for £3 trial when you subscribe with direct debit.  

For further information just go to www.kelseyshop.co.uk/psy/c101.

*A PR sample was sent for the purposes of this post.

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Review: Boing! Family Fun At Cardiff's Sherman Theatre

It's been quite a while since I got to see what I'd term 'proper theatre'. We've taken the kids to see CBeebies shows with all the lights, dazzle (and merchandising!) in the Motorpoint Arena. So it was a new experience for our two to sit quietly in a darkened auditorium at Cardiff's Sherman Theatre to watch a piece of dance theatre lasting around 50 minutes in a fun show entitled "Boing".

Boing - an enchanting mix of comedy, acrobatics and dazzling breakdance 

The new front of the Sherman Theatre

The Sherman Theatre has had a massive overhaul without the original charm of the building being spoiled. The ticket office and cafe bar sit in a bright, welcoming entrance area and the staff were obviously prepared for an onslaught of excited children as they had thoughtfully provided colouring sheets, crayons and dressing up boxes. There was an easel with chalks to practise signing your autograph, a separate play area and a dressing up box with fun props.

Playing before the show starts

We arrived a good half hour early for the show so I was wondering how the kids would behave but they really enjoyed the items laid out, especially the dressing up box, and The Husband and I were able to enjoy a very reasonably priced coffee.

We were duly ushered into Arena 2 which is the smaller of the Sherman's two theatre spaces. The stage was simply set and lit with an enormous bed in the middle of the stage. The stage is at 'ground level' with the audience seated on rising tiers surrounding it. This gives the effect of actually being part of the perfomance.

Waiting for the show to start

Part of the Travelling Light Theatre Company, the inspiration behind "Boing" comes from director Sally Cookson (an associate artist of the Bristol Old Vic) who wanted to produce an early years piece about going to bed. 

The piece tells the story of two young brothers, Wilkie and Joel, who are going to bed to await the arrival of Santa Claus. The theme of sibling rivalry is also woven into the tale as the two brothers fight sleep in their excitement and end up fighting each other.

The two performers, Wilkie Branson and Joel Daniel, who both choreographed the show, skillfully kept the audience entertained throughout the duration of the performance - no mean feat when the audience is primarily comprised of little ones. Boing is a mixture of comedy, acrobatics and breakdance as the boys' bed becomes a giant trampoline and even a boat. Caitlin and Ieuan particularly enjoyed the pillow fight sequence and the bit about "Sheet Man". 

The piece captures well the excitement of Christmas Eve and grown ups and children were all equally able to relate to the feelings of anticipation and the frustration at the length of the night. All the more impressive when you consider that there just two cast members and the only props were the bed, two teddies and two Christmas stockings!

We all had a thoroughly good time and I left with the renewed determination to make more of the Sherman Theatre, which is practically on our doorstep. There is nothing quite like the exhiliration of a live theatre performance.

Boing is on until Saturday 2nd November. Tickets are £7. Performances are at 11 am and 2:30 pm daily.

I'd heartily recommend both Boing and the Sherman Theatre for young families - and there are still a couple more days of half term here to fill. This is a great way to spend an hour.





*2 free tickets were given for the purposes of this review.

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I've Been A Bit Distracted By ...Emmerdale - 18/10/13

I love Emmerdale and it really bugs me that it never seems to get the recognition the soap should have in the various award ceremonies.  I think this week's siege episodes should redress that balance or there's no justice.

Emmerdale's Killer, Cameron

Source: www.itv.com/emmerdale

That moment when Cameron appeared behind Debbie in the flooded cellar? Chilling. And we're all routing for Alicia to pull through and run off into the sunset with David.

With all the excitement, who knows?  Edna may actually take her hat off.  

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Don't Let Your Children Watch TV?

In October 2012, Dr Aric Sigman, a Chartered Biologist, recipient of the Chartered Scientist award from the Science Council and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Medicine published a report which suggested that excessive use of technology and gadgets could cause long-term physical harm in children. I think it's fair to say that this report pressed quite a few 'guilt buttons' in parents around the country.

The report suggested that ANY TV viewing for children under 3 is dangerous to their well being and development. To prevent this Dr Sigman suggests banning television until a child is three years old and then setting a limit on screen-time, with three to seven year olds limited to just half an hour of viewing per day.

Mr Tumble, clearly a danger

The report also highlighted how modern children will have spent more time watching TV than they do in school over the course of their childhood and criticises parents for using gadgets as ‘electronic babysitters’.

Well, guilty as charged, m'lud. However, in my defence....

The only channel my children watch is CBeebies. We have a few DVDs, generally second hand Disney or the current favourite, Wallace & Gromit but that's about it. Frankly, given the cost of brand new Disney DVDs, I'd be tempted to replace Tinkerbell with Dick Turpin because the phrase 'daylight robbery' springs to mind.

The TV is not left on as background but at the end of the day if I am alone and trying to cook tea, then yes, it is a babysitter.

Hubby and I don't let our kids watch adult TV. I do remember breast-feeding through an entire episode of Midsomer Murders once but I don't think Caitlin has any homicidal tendencies (although having seen some of the sibling rows around tea-time, I do wonder).

Where possible, we all eat together in a separate room without the TV.  And talk.  But, how many homes today have the room? Look at the composition of the nine millionth housing 'development' appearing near you and chances are there will be just one or two 'family' sized houses, the rest being 2-3 bed boxes or worse, yet more flats.

I was born in 1964 and during my childhood remember "Watch With Mother" and in many ways that's the point. I think TV can be an educator if it is used in a supervised and sensible fashion. Sitting down with your kids to watch something like Justin's House or Numtums is a nice 'family' experience. I remember Trumpton and Chigley, Candlewick Green, the Pogles, the Clangers and Hectors House. Of course there was Playschool and Playaway too.  It was all so innocent.

Today, on the other hand, Postman Pat has a mobile and a helicopter and to me this is symptomatic of our urge to update everything, to modernise, to 'make relevant'. That, may well be where the problem lies. I'm surprised More Than isn't sponsoring the programme to promote pet insurance for Jess.

Adult culture is constantly being repackaged, dumbed down and targeted at the most vulnerable - our children, for example the ubiquitous Hello Kitty. And don't get me started on the teen mags. I remember the raciest letter you ever got in Jackie's Cathy & Claire column usually read "I kissed a boy, am I pregnant". The same level of sex education, ironically, displayed every morning on Jeremy Kyle. Then there's the gender diversity crew who think there's something wrong with little girls liking pink and that boys should be playing with Barbie.

Having a girl and a boy close together, I have been able to observe closely the differences in gender development. Here's a newsflash from our house - little girls like pink, they like princesses, they like make-up. This is not because some evil pink stasi has them in their sights. It seems to be some sort of simultaneous evolution among little girls of a certain age. Newsflash two - boys like to break things, hit things and take them apart. The sexes are wired differently. Ieuan occasionally wears his sister's ladybug costume but even he (at 3) is now finding it a tad 'girly'. Caitlin is endlessly fascinated by my jewellery (very small!) and make-up (slightly crusty).

TV is, for better or worse, part of how we live now but the responsibility and to a large extent control of our children's well-being and development is in the parents' hands. We'd be better off worrying about the quality of the nation's parenting, the exorbitant costs of childcare and the lack of support for working mothers than about the amount of TV children watch. 

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Stop! In the Name of Happiness - It's The Buddhist Way

I once attended an "Art of Wellbeing" Show in Cardiff where I was lucky enough to hear Lama Rabsang, a Tibetan monk, talk about the art of happiness.  

Lama Rabsang

Born in Kathmandu, Lama Rabsang, spiritual teacher at The Dharma Centre in Brynmawr, first studied to be a monk age 11 under the direction of his uncle. He then went to India to Palpung Sherabling, where he completed his studies. After entering a three year retreat he was appointed discipline master of Palpung Sherabling Monastery, where he stayed for four years. From there he travelled via Birmingham all the way to Brynmawr!

Today, Lama Rabsang works on a voluntary basis, organising meditation classes and ‘drop in’ sessions, for people who may want to learn more about the ancient teachings of Buddhism.  He regularly travels to three sites in Finland where he gives empowerments, teaching and instructions, and leads the regular prayers, teaching and meditation sessions at the Brynmawr centre, as well as offering public teachings and advice for individuals.

Buddhism dates back to the historical founder, Siddhartha Gautama, who is more commonly known as the Buddha. He was born as a prince in Nepal in 623 BC but the religion came relatively late to Tibet, in the seventh century. It teaches about four noble truths linked to the existence of suffering and Buddhists believe in karma, meaning people are reborn in different situations, possibly thousands of times.

So what did the Lama advise?  Briefly, he told us nothing is permanent and that we will never be truly happy unless we learn to live mindfully, experiencing the joy of each moment.  He told us that negative thoughts cannot and should not be resisted.  He said that negative emotions like anger, desire, jealousy, envy and greed cannot be pinpointed to one particular point in the body and we should just let them wash over us like a wave and if we do this, they will soon be gone.

This has a particular resonance for me during the 'arsenic hours' of 4 - 7 each evening when the kids are wound  up, tired and likely to kick off at the smallest thing, I frequently find myself shouting and then wishing I hadn't!

Lama Rabsang advises that when we reach the end of our rope we should absent ourselves and sit somewhere quiet for a few moments to, as he put it, "simply be".

If there are situations in our lives that we do not want, we must either seek to change the situation or practise forgiveness.  For example, a cheating partner should either be left or forgiven.  Staying put in unhappiness will not help us. We must accept, change or move on.

He also advised us to practise the art of gratitude.  He told us that here in Wales we are vastly better off than his fellow countrymen in Tibet and yet we are always chasing more, more, more.

Mindful meditation may be the answer to help us to focus on living in the moment. He gave an excellent example of how we are too future focused.  We spend ages cooking Christmas dinner, he related and yet after many hours shopping, preparing vegetables, planning the menu and setting a beautiful table, we will sit down to eat and promptly start discussing our plans for Boxing Day.  

I could have listened to him for much longer because he radiated an enviable calm and happiness which filled the room.

Truly, a thought-provoking, and out of the ordinary experience for a Sunday afternoon.

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I Feel The Need... The Need To Read

These days I have the attention span of a gnat. Time was when I thought nothing of reading Tolkein's "The Lord of The Rings" from cover to cover, or one of the great Bronte novels. I'd be lost in the wilds of the Yorkshire moors in "Wuthering Heights" as my train drew into the station on wet Monday mornings or imagining being shouted at by Anthony Robbins after another energetic chapter of the self help classic "Awaken The Giant Within" (nothing to do with sweetcorn).




Reading was an escape, almost a guilty pleasure. Ah, the sheer weight of paperbacks, the pristine paper and the unbent covers, just the smell of the paper. Nowadays I wonder whether the sales from the coffee concessions outweigh sales of actual books in the few remaining bookshops left.

In Oxford recently, we visited Blackwells. It was VAST. Wall upon wall of tomes with (obviously) an academic bias and it hit me suddenly that a good bookshop is truly a repository of knowledge. Now it might have been the cheeky glass of rioja at lunchtime, but I found myself whispering to hubby, "just look at all this knowledge, look at how much there is to teach Caitlin and Ieuan". Not just the basics of reading and writing, but the World's languages, science, philosophy, astronomy, psychology, the various areas of mathematics, religious studies and on and on and on.....

It made me wonder how much of our days today are spent in front of screens. Even in school at aged 4 and 3, my children are playing with computers and watching whiteboards. At home, they borrow the iPad and in restaurants we bribe them with "Talking Tom" on hubby's phone. At some level, I know this is not actually a good thing.

The logical consequence of everything being read on a screen or now via an 'app' is surely that it's changing the language and the volume of information we can absorb in one sitting. I've written before about, to me, the sad dumbing down of much of the copy in magazines and newspapers. Each year there are lists of new words which make the official dictionaries but these words always seem to be 'slang' to me, increasingly unimaginative and increasingly inelegant.

Our inability to absorb large chunks of information is affecting, I suspect, both how our children are taught, and how examinations are structured and marked. This inability affects our TV programmes - notice how in a typical Channel 4 or 5 programme, each new section of the programme post ad-break starts with a 5 minute recap of stuff you viewed literally minutes before. Lazy programming for lazy viewers?

I still remember how Horizon used to be, and QED and programmes about astronomy with Michael Burke and Carl Sagan. They made you think so hard it gave you a headache. Now today's science programmes seem to be the same level as John Craven's Newsround used to be!

There have been rumblings in the papers that the A level and particularly the A* will be replaced by some sort of baccalaureat examination - a tacit admission (at last!) that exams have been dumbed down but witness the furore this year and the demands for remarking of English papers where more stringent marking criteria had been applied. Our children need to learn that failure is the spur to even greater learning and greater knowledge - and that knowledge needs to be administered and stored in chunks, not soundbites.

Sometimes I find the 'noise' from the TV, PC, iPad and Phone, promotional advert screens and billboards just too much. I have a Kindle and I think it's a fantastic piece of kit but there will never be anything quite like a brand new book to me.

And you know what, if our kids are looking to dreadful icons like Tulisa or Chantelle as role models, we could do worse than stand them in Blackwells and tell them "you want to see true wealth? well you're looking at it."

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Friday Night in Cardiff - Helloooo? Anyone there?

I infrequently dine out with a good friend of mine, A, when Hubby has presented himself as babysitter with his collection of 'blokey' skills. (These include remaining annoyingly calm at all times and ensuring the kids have much more fun than they would with me). Our trips out usually take us to one of Cardiff's restaurants, either in the city centre or 'down the Bay'.  

Image Credit: Cardiff Bay

Last night we visited our local La Tasca, (a well known chain of tapas bars in case you've been living on Mars), for some vino and a much needed carbohydrate and counselling intake. 

We chose La Tasca because it offers a consistently reliable quality of food and is very reasonably priced. The chain have recently launched a loyalty card scheme offering 20% off food on any day of the week. 

Numerous dishes from the new menu were consumed, very passable house wine drunk and a particularly gooey chocolate fondant shared and enjoyed. The service was excellent, the state of the toilets (my barometer as you know), less so, however, the evening was very pleasant.  

What was shocking, though, was how empty the city centre was.  Friday night in Cardiff used to be an event. At 5 pm office workers would pour out of the surrounding businesses and it would be knee deep at the bar by about 5:15 pm. 

Notorious clubs like Kiwis and The Rioja Bar had queues.  Le Brasserie, Champers and Le Monde were solidly booked. Even the hotel bars of the Marriott and Hilton would be thronging with those in search of Chardonnay. 'Chippy Alley' was equally busy.

Last night around 11 pm, St Mary Street looked like a deserted town in the Wild West with, depressingly, two ambulances parked up waiting for the inevitable casualties of booze. 

Leaving aside this sad waste of vital NHS resources, where on earth has everyone gone? Have increased train, bus and taxi fares put paid to weekend revellers?  Does everyone save themselves for Saturday night?

It is pretty obvious that, for all the bluff and bluster, for all the warm feelings generated by the Jubilee, the Olympics and the Paralympics, the recession is still cutting deep. Now must be a particularly risky time to launch a business, particularly one in the restaurant trade. 

Practically everyone offers discount vouchers, loyalty cards or offers via Wowcher or Groupon. I'm not sure anyone knows the true price of anything, let alone the cost. 

It is mid month and I am sure many people wait till payday before they go out. But I think for lots of businesses in this sector this festive season will be absolutely critical to their survival.

The traditional touting for office party business began in August but I'm sure lots of the smaller businesses will be offering a drink and a mince pie in reception rather than an all expenses paid shindig. A shame - because in many businesses the office party is one of the few tangible office perks staff get - even if they have to sit through the dreaded and unhilarious 'staff award' ceremonies.

Usually when you look at a company's marketing output, as soon as revenue dips, marketing spend is cut - and often in completely the wrong places. Advertising spend is slashed, PR contracts cut, promotional discounts removed when these things should be protected, reviewed and improved as necessary. Such cuts are often completely the wrong this to do. 

The other tendency of lots of businesses is to hunker down and look after the existing client base because of the cost of generating new business. You're damned if you spend and damned if you don't. But any entrepreneur worth their salt will be looking for that time critical gap in the market and galloping in to take advantage of it so you have to react to any dip in revenue as soon as possible.

I would recommend that businesses of all sizes but especially the Small to Medium Enterprises which comprise the bulk of Welsh business develop a Social Media strategy to take advantage of the sales and marketing potential of Twitter and Facebook to bolster their existing marketing communications.  It's cheap and, if used correctly, very effective. 

As far as our economy goes, it seems we are not out of the recessional woods yet.

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