Lost in translation

Getting to grips with a new language is probably one of the most difficult things I've ever had to do. I can't wait until it flows off my tongue as fluidly as English.

I'm constantly stringing sentences together in my head and storing them away for possible use! I get so nervous actually speaking though. I’m conscious that I’m thinking of every word before I say it just because I don’t want to make a mistake. Of course the best way to learn, at least with languages, is by making mistakes and just forget about embarrassing yourself. Of course it’s easier said than done, especially when instead of a reply you receive a perplexed look from your conversation partner!

Exciting times!!!

I'm super excited to be spending the summer away this year! For so many different reasons I really hope this experience will be the beginning of some positive changes to come. So here's to the summer!

Love

ELATED!!!

Is how I'm feeling right now! There are some truly wonderful people in this world...

Love

To Martinique, from London

You are a beautiful country and with your amazing heights and landscapes it easy to get lost in all your wonder. You are not typical of the Caribbean which is perhaps your blessing as well as your curse. But I truly hope you don’t lose what you have left of your soul because you reignited something in me, now I feel like the world is mine. And for this, I thank you.


Love

Nate Dogg: A Hip Hop Impresario

RIP Nate Dogg, a massive loss to the Hip Hop world! With your distinctive sound you brought another dimension to so many tracks, Regulate, Ain't No Fun and Been a Long Time, to name a few. May you continue to sing sweetly wherever you may be. You will be truly missed...

Love

PS. We had a little boogie down in your honour!

This one is for the ladies...

I come from a family with a lot of women, the majority of whom had a hand in my upbringing. Over the years I have seen them overcome life-changing accidents, the unexpected and untimely loss of family members, leave unhealthy relationships, raise their daughters and sons by themselves, hold down successful careers, look after their relatives in serious times of need and still manage to deal with the day to day rigmarole that is life. They are amazing mothers, grandmothers and aunties and I love them dearly. And also my beautiful sister, who is perhaps my truest and most honest friend. And where would a girl be without her fabulous girl friends always there to give love, laughter and support.

And now to spread the love to all the other inspirational women out there, the women that have been forgotten, downtrodden and degraded, those that have managed to fight back and those that haven't. To all the positive role models, mothers, wives, daughters and sisters, today is your day!

Happy women's day!

Love

xxxx

That time again...

Birthdays are a blessing, the more you have the luckier you are.

I hope I never take them for granted and make the most of each day between them. I hope to share many more with my beautiful family and friends. And I hope with each one I become a better person, wiser, smarter, more reliable and more loving.

Love

This government is for turning

Today I received an email from the campaign group 38 Degrees congratulating me on being part of the 'Save the Forests’ petition that saw the government change its mind about selling off forestry to private companies. Now I must confess under normal circumstances I’m not particularly a tree person, besides running through the woods playing 40-40 home in the middle of Dulwich when I was in primary school I can’t honestly say that I’ve truly had the chance to explore the forests that so many people hold dear. But that is not to say that I don’t ever hope enjoy a little picnic in some sort of Sherwood Forest equivalent at some point, (I was going to say Farthing Woods but soon remembered that was a kid’s TV show when I was younger!)

It just proves that there really is strength in numbers, as recent events in Tunisia and Egypt have so poignantly pointed out, and I am proud to say that I was part of the government’s turning! Now all we have to do is protect the NHS, reopen local libraries and block a Murdoch media takeover…be part of the movement!


Love

So much for this "Big Society"

So yesterday my sister had a little accident...she fell UP the escalator! It was already incredibly embarrassing for her but what made it worse was that nobody around her bothered to lend a helping hand. They just looked on and walked past like she was some crazy that enjoys tumbling then clawing up escalators!

The saddest thing was that I wasn't even surprised when she told me as I too have suffered a few mishaps in public and received little to no sympathy, I mean people don't even say 'bless you' when you sneeze these days!

We've all become so absorbed in ourselves that we don't know how to respond to each other, even in times of need. I don't know whether it's the increase in technology that has led us to forget how to interact person to person, if so social networks have a lot to answer for. Or perhaps we’re just naturally evolving into selfish beings, (I hope this isn't the case as I like to think that deep down we’re all good and giving people!)

Whatever it is I hope we fix it because if Call-me-Dave puts his "Big Society" into action my sister won't be the only one falling flat on her face.


Love

Spot the cock-up anyone?

OK so we all know that Fox news is pants, I tried to think of a witty comparison but found there is actually nothing quite as bad as what Fox is to news-(I must confess I do enjoy the odd “Who’s the baby daddy” on Maury). This week they managed to look even more imbecilic after they concocted some strange map of the Middle East. Please see below.

And just to add they've put Egypt where Iraq should actually be which is pretty ironic as you would have thought that of all countries in the Middle East they'd know where Iraq is!

Go figure, as they say in the States.

Choose change

I regret not voting. I regretted it two weeks before the election, when I forgot to register on time- please don’t judge me I already spent the summer trying to explain to people why I, a supposed journalist, a figure on the pulse of current affairs, forgot to meet the 5pm registration deadline two weeks beforehand.

My regret resurfaced on the day of the election when leaving my yoga session. I had to manoeuvre my way through a stream of upstanding and respectable members of society eager to do their duty at my local polling station. Completely embarrassed and feeling as though I’d let the country down I had to power-walk down my road to escape the judging eyes of queuing voters who knew I wasn’t one if them.

Luckily for me my guilt has been somewhat saved as my vote wouldn't have swayed the result. “Call-me-Dave” would still be in number 10 with Nick as his sidekick and we’d still be complaining about the public sector cuts. But that’s the beautiful thing about a democracy we can exercise our right for change. I just have to make sure that next time I use it.


Love

Live your life

The other day, my sister came home from uni buzzing after having a surreal experience in one of her performance lessons. She studies world music and loves it more as the weeks go by. She is incredibly talented and a totally dedicated student.

After our conversation I felt a slight tinge of sadness. I couldn’t help but think that my sister might be one of the last new university students that will follow the areas of study that they are most passionate about. With the potential increase of school fees to as much as £9000 at some of the UK’s top universities will students abandon their creative callings and choose instead more “sensible” and “straight-laced” subjects? If so, I'm afraid that in the next 20-30 years we may find ourselves living in a society full of black and white when we so desperately need splashes of colour.

Love