Every now and then, just occasionally, you have one of those days where the universe conspires against you, you'd consider selling vital organs in exchange for a real life Ctl Z function and it's pretty clear by 9 a.m. that you should have stayed in bed. Last week was one of those days. My email was hacked, big time, and a fair few attempts in a variety of creative ways were made to extort money from friends, family as well as current and former colleagues. This was indeed a very convincing scam and according to many, one of the reasons so many people fell for it was the excessive use of exclamation marks in the subject line!!!!*
The snowballing fallout went on unabated throughout the day, and tipped into a potential local authority data breech - isn't that everyone's dream scenario?!!!! Trying to deal with this in the middle of a teaching day and attempting to do my actual job of moulding young minds and inspiring the next generation was something of a 'challenge' to say the least! However, within that day what resonated with me most was the sheer volume of messages, calls, and yes, even dreaded emails, from people offering to help.
Some very close friends and family of course, but also people I hardly know or haven't heard from in years got in touch to say "are you ok?", "what do you need?" and "how can I help?". I felt sort of James Stewart-esqe in the final moments of It's a Wonderful Life and was reminded of the kindness that exists everywhere all the time and how lucky I am to be surrounded by so much of it!
Time continues to be mercurial for many, myself included and yet here we are marking a year since all things Covid arrived in our lives. Appearing without invitation and then stubbornly refusing to leave like the most unwelcome over staying visitor in the history of the world ever! Still, we have come a long way and it does feel like there might possibly be the glimmer of an end in sight maybe (though I'm not actually brave enough to say it out loud). Mass testing, the vaccination roll-out and the end of home schooling recently have helped on the optimism front for many of us. In this house we have thrown caution to the wind and booked tickets to an actual concert in November - yes really - Tim Minchin here we come (hopefully, please God, EVERYTHING crossed!) It feels most cavalier and terribly exciting!
RECOMMENDATIONS
Read
The book I'm recommending this month is The Heart's Invisible Furies by John Boyne. Perhaps best known for his seminal work: The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, this book is an extraordinary account of a complex life, played out across decades and continents. Set initially in Ireland in the 1940s, the book spans different decades and countries to tell the story of someone struggling to find their place, purpose and ultimately acceptance. It is touching and poignant but also has some laugh out loud and life affirming moments. It drew me into a world I knew little about and has left me wishing I were still a member of a book club so I could discuss it with people! If you feel so inclined to, your very own copy can be ordered from Little Apple Bookshop by using their contact form.
A snippet of the review from Goodreads.com below:
Cyril Avery is not a real Avery or at least that’s what his adoptive parents tell him. And he never will be. But if he isn’t a real Avery, then who is he?
Born out of wedlock to a teenage girl cast out from her rural Irish community and adopted by a well-to-do if eccentric Dublin couple via the intervention of a hunchbacked Redemptorist nun, Cyril is adrift in the world, anchored only tenuously by his heartfelt friendship with the infinitely more glamourous and dangerous Julian Woodbead.
At the mercy of fortune and coincidence, he will spend a lifetime coming to know himself and where he came from – and over his three score years and ten, will struggle to discover an identity, a home, a country and much more.
In this, Boyne's most transcendent work to date, we are shown the story of Ireland from the 1940s to today through the eyes of one ordinary man. The Heart's Invisible Furies is a novel to make you laugh and cry while reminding us all of the redemptive power of the human spirit
Living Etc. On The House
This is a fabulous new feature column from journalist and author Sophie Heawood. Having long had a property obsession - I have lost countless hours to Zoopla and RightMove - I adore this weekly check-in with a plethora of properties; delicious comfort reading, providing a perfect escapist few moments in these tumultuous times. If in days gone by, you used to lust over the houses featured in the back of Yorkshire Living whilst passing the time in a waiting room or two** then this column will meet all your property fantasy needs. Prepare yourself for some sharp and witty writing, along with some serious house envy. So crack open the chocolate hobnobs and revel in every moment...
Do
Search for Spring! In their role as Key Workers, The Easter Bunny and a few of his helpers have managed to pop up to York this Spring. The York BID are launching the ‘York Quest’ AR (augmented reality) mobile app just in time for the Easter holidays. They have devised a trail to encourage families into the city to find various Easter themed characters hidden around York’s historic streets and buildings.
Whenever you find one, there is an interactive element accessible via the app. The social media savvy amongst you can also take a photo and share on your platform of choice using the hashtag #yorkquest. The app is free to use and is available on Google Play Store or the App Store.
The trail will allow family bubbles to safely experience the city while maintaining the ever important social distancing, in a new and interactive way. This is a great way to get out and about locally as lockdown restrictions begin to ease over the coming month.
The ‘Search for Spring’ will be available from 26th March - 26th April. Users can choose to receive notifications of future trails as they are launched, including a permanent trail featuring iconic characters from York’s history which is currently being developed. Fun family times ahead - whoop whoop!
Do get in touch if you've had any successful (or not) experiences or adventures you'd like me to mention, share or review.
Watch
Extreme Chocolate Makers
Having read another of The Good Green Doctor's superb blogs (this time all about Eco-Easter Eggs,) ,I felt a nod to that upcoming festival in my first viewing recommendation might be in order.
This extraordinary programme is an obvious choice. It features Chocolatiers from all over the country who design and make mind-blowing chocolate creations. What's not to love? The show is seriously addictive to watch, the pieces are incredible and are all made from chocolate. Is that not the absolute dream?
What is abundantly clear to me, having watched a few episodes now, is that my current employers need not fear - this is not a profession I could ever aspire be successful in. Apart from a distinct lack of the significant levels of patience required, I'm fairly sure I'd have issues spending my days working alongside a chocolate fountain...
Line of Duty
So once again the nation unites in its adoration for this show. Now in it's 6th season, it is the only programme that pretty much everyone I know watches live, religiously, without interruption. It's then much discussed, endlessly and in startling detail. I count myself amongst the watchers (of course!) and if like me you can barely remember what happened last week never mind last year, or in fact if you've never watched it before*** - you (like me) might appreciate this little catch up video:
I can't decide what it is that draws me in, but I'm not alone. It’s EVERYWHERE. Twitter is awash with fan accounts and there's even a podcast called "Obsessed with Line of Duty".
Maybe it's because our lives are so socially limited, we're all hanging on Ted's epic one liners, storing them up to recount at future events. Or maybe we have all forgotten how the world works and now we really believe in Kate and Steve's ability to unlock the secrets of the whole universe (never mind AC12) simply by intensely staring for into the middle distance for several seconds at a time. Who knows? Anyway, love it or hate it, we're all watching it, Sundays 9pm BBC 1 in case you really need to be told, which you don't. All previous seasons on BBC iPlayer of course.
Visit (Virtually)
This site was recommended to me recently and I may have become a teeny tiny bit addicted to it. I am particularly loving Happify Daily, a section of the site where you can find inspirational articles, videos, quotes, and infographics. On it I discovered Unity’s beautiful award-winning animated short, WiNDUP, which highlights the power of hope and connection. It's stunning. Heartstrings alert - you'll need tissues...
Back on the main page, there are evidence-based activities, games, and meditations, to help develop the skills and habits needed to overcome negative thinking, reduce stress and anxiety, and become more resilient in order to better manage life’s challenges.
Happify, has approximately 3.5 million users and is designed to fit easily into everyday life. Even a few minutes a day, a couple of days a week can make a big difference over time. Their platform is available via both web and app (iOS and Android), and the content is offered in eight different languages. It was created for individuals of all ages to empower themselves to take care of their emotional wellbeing.
Listen
If like me you occasionally have the odd restless night, you might be as delighted as I was to be directed to a list of podcast recommendations for those who have trouble sleeping. My favourite of these has to be Nothing Much Happens hosted by Yoga and meditation teacher Kathryn Nicolai, who reads bedtime stories for grown ups where it is exactly as it says on the tin and nothing much happens:
Bedtime stories are like a soft nest for the mind. They are a place for it to rest so that it doesn't wander away and get into trouble, and in the world we're living in now it is so easy for it to find trouble. Try something different. Let me tell you a bedtime story. It's a simple story, in which nothing much happens, you feel good and then you fall asleep.
Kathryn's voice is hypnotic and soothing and she blends the story-telling with brain training techniques to help develop better sleep habits. The stories are like a calm comforting duvet that simply envelops you and she tells them twice, slower the second time - which if you're anything like me you won't be awake for. There's also an actual book of these if you're more a reader than a listener...
Eat
This month's suggestion is Tofoo. Made in Malton (all hail the Yorkshire roots) and claiming to be unlike any other type of tofu in existence, it is the UK's number 1 tofu brand! They only use 3 ingredients in their best selling naked tofu - water, soya beans and nigari (an all-natural extract made from seawater apparently). They also have a keen eye on sustainability and only use soya beans that are:
From a sustainable source
100% Organic
Non GM
It's a great alternative to meat and an all round feel good food item which tastes great too. Everyone's a winner! Available in Tesco, Morrisons, Co-op, Waitrose and Sainsbury’s.
AND FINALLY...
As life continues to move forward and we're all still doing #whateverittakes to get through, when things do get a bit tricky and you need something to make you smile - take 10 minutes, get a cup of tea and learn all about the joy that is Jed. This video is a game changer and his words have stayed with me since I first watched it a few weeks ago. He says: "I bring a smile to you, and you give it back to me - it's like a circle"
Jed Lifeson is one of the happiest people in Hamilton and his main goal in life is to share that happiness, and he does so by dancing his way around the city for several hours everyday to put smiles on people's faces.
As always feel free to contact me via Instagram or Twitter with any contributions, thoughts, comments, or feedback. Till next time, why not be a bit more Jed, start your own circle and just keep doing Whatever It Takes...
Quote of the month
Charles Mackesy
*I mean - really!!!! I love an exclamation mark - it really livens up a sentence.
**Remember those days? Magazines in waiting rooms??
*** Who even are you and where have you been???