What should we talk about today?
The world according to Kirkey
iankirkebc 
I do like a tad of risk in my life, yet in matters of comfort, security, and wellbeing I am pretty one dimensional – I like what I like and in true Margaret Thatcher style, “this guy is not for turning.” In relation to holidays, the late British Premier (from 1979 to 1990) had little … Read more
Who hasn’t, at some time in their lives, contemplated immortality? Fiction is littered with such characters – Count Dracula, Dr Who, The Highlander, to name but a few – so I guess this question has fascinated many authors too. According to the peer reviewed ‘Internet Encyclopaedia of Philosophy’, “Immortality is the indefinite continuation of a … Read more
Rubbing shoulders with the British Royal family should have been more than sufficient reason to act with a degree of decorum. After all, Prince Charles and his wife Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, were only a stone’s throw away. I was at Royal Ascot, in my best suit, shirt and tie looking, if I do … Read more
May 2018: Islamabad, Pakistan – I was 267 miles away from Kabul. A 5-hour car journey. Twenty years ago the British Army, as part of an international coalition, were deployed to the war torn country. 456 British Forces personnel have since died. The alliance disintegrated after a decision was made by President Biden to withdraw … Read more
The tragedy that unfolded last Thursday evening is beyond comprehension. Whilst I still try to process this utter heartbreak, I cannot fathom how such a specimen with a history of violence was allowed to have any form of access to firearms, let alone a licence. Already I can hear the mantra, “Lessons will be learned.” … Read more
According to Albert Einstein, “In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.” And who am I to argue with such a luminary? Little did I know that this piece of guidance would begin to prove itself on a scrap of paper. Nor, come to think of it, did I ever imagine that as a direct consequence … Read more
“Did my heart love till now? Forswear it, sight! For I ne’er saw true beauty till this night.” As these magical words, uttered by Romeo, swirled around the intimate auditorium of Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, on the banks of the River Thames, my mind wandered – to broccoli. The reason this unassuming vegetable dominated my thoughts … Read more
I turned Speedway hack for the evening after hearing the news that leading sportswriter, Speedway luminary and all round good-egg, Peter Oakes was feeling a tad under the weather. So, in homage to the great man, and in an effort to bring a smile to his usually cheery face, here is my attempt to capture … Read more
The 15-month enforced leave of absence was gloriously smashed when James Blunt ignited the Royal Albert Hall with a pulsating plasma that connected everyone inside of this most intimate of arenas. Fusing the new with some of the old, the self-effacing rock legend drank herbal tea, lamented the catching of COVID-19 and passing it on … Read more
I recently linked my in-car audio system to Spotify. How rock n’ roll am I? I often create my own montage of hits whilst thumping the steering wheel and singing aloud, or just humming when I don’t know the words. I’ll even fess up to getting a few lyrics totally wrong, although to be fair … Read more