What should we talk about today?
The world according to Kirkey
Looking good at my age—especially since I took the radical step of shaving off all my hair—is no easy feat. The old clichés of having a face fit for radio and one only a mother could love remain painfully accurate descriptors of my public-facing façade. Being bald somewhat limits my ability to reinvent my appearance, … Read more
An agnostic walks into a church sounds like the commencement of a joke, yet the funny thing is this describes my not so guilty pleasure. I guess initially I was drawn to the architectural splendour of these symbols of faith as my rejection of the central tenet of religion remains steadfast. Yet, one day in … Read more
Death is part of the cycle of life, but do final farewells have to follow the traditional format of sorrow, sobriety, and orthodoxy? Can there ever be a place to party and celebrate the life of the dearly departed? I have never been closer to my death than I am today. That’s not an opinion … Read more
Is good fortune purely down to chance or are other forces at play? Could my lost love really be talking to me from beyond the void? According to several academic and medical metrics, I am presently negotiating 50% of the top ten most stressful situations people commonly face. The specifics – at least for this … Read more
During the last four weeks I’ve been sucked into the terrifying vortex of end-of-life care for a loved one. Initially having a cursory knowledge of the adult care system, I have had to learn at breakneck speed, and during this turbulent time I have been introduced to the most incredible human beings – care professionals … Read more
I am fortunate beyond words to have Arthur (5), Darcie (3), and Theo (11-months) in my life. Just thinking about them sends a tingle down my spine. Although they can all – to varying degrees – exhibit classic temper tantrums, usually over seemingly mundane issues such as being unable to eat a packet of sweets … Read more
I think I’m a serial worrier; I base this assumption on the simple fact that I have often found myself worrying about having nothing to worry about. Riddle me that one if you can! I think I handle this state of mind, nestled within my consciousness ever since I can remember when, fairly well. Granted … Read more
Is an escape from the Madding Crowd essential? Along with billions of unwilling and unwitting participants, I presently live in a universe where the President of the United States, arguably the leader of “the free world” – whatever that flimsy statement ever meant – openly blames a sovereign nation state for being invaded by a … Read more
My mind is usually in a state of chaos with thoughts – both abstract and defined – fighting for supremacy. At one end of the continuum, daydreaming can be therapeutic and provides the space for creativity and imagination to enthrall and entertain. At the extreme, I can indulge in over thinking. Wherever the cognitive dial … Read more
The UK weather in early January is usually equivalent to wintertime in Siberia, especially the coastal regions where the wind-chill factor can scare off the most robust of brass monkeys. So why on earth had I decided to embark upon the epic trek up to the Northeast Lincolnshire seaside resort of Cleethorpes? Membership of the … Read more