Love it or hate it, there is no getting rid of it. Pandora is out the box now.
I do use it, but only as a tool. Or for fun. Or because it is there and I want to play.
There is so much to say about AI, its uses, and dangers. And also how you can learn how to use (on one of my workshops, but more about that in another post).
As the Winter in the Arctic Circle draws to a close this serene Norwegian archipelago, with its characteristic waterside confetti of red houses, or hyttes, is the perfect romantic getaway. Visiting in February and March, when the Sun is visible for about six hours a day, yet still before the tourist maelstrom of Spring and Summer, can be immensely rewarding. There are of course challenges travelling to the far north of the planet at this time of year, but for the intrepid visitor the lure of dramatic vistas, the Aurora Borealis, and deep powdery snow can be irresistible. Top it off with white-washed interiors of cosy wooden cabins warmed with wood-burning stoves, and hot tubs and saunas overlooking fjords, and you may never want to leave.
Read MoreMinimalism is not the same as simple frugal clutter free living. It is a philosophy and a movement.
Read MoreIf we peek under the mantle of our cultural and political references I am sure there are many that have historic sources that are contentious. While history and tradition are interesting, especially from a reflective context, we now live in a world of plain speaking, and in a society that moves quickly. 21st Century modern politics should reflect this and be communicated appropriately, which means modern, simple, clear and concise discussion.
Read MoreI grew up with Dr Martens, and they represented everything that my Generation X upbringing stood for: independence, individuality, and more than a little of not pandering to the status quo. And they did it all with exemplary quality and high design standards. But they sold out in 2013.
This volte face is a two fingered response by a company whose principles underlined a significant part of helping my generation walk a path of original thinking, activism, and the courage to call out those who had tried to control and manipulate us.
It was extremely tempting to head this piece as ‘Covid Conquering Curry’ but good sense got the better of me. I will however direct you to a paper by Dr Philip C Calder from the Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton which was published in the British Medical Journal in April. One takeaway I did get (no pun intended) from the article was that certain vitamins and trace elements have been found to be beneficial in supporting the immune system, not just through Covid-19, but in other coronaviruses and respiratory infections. Even if the risk of coronavirus is lower where you live, flu and the common cold haven’t gone away. Which leads me to a curry I created one night after attending a conference on cosmic communication…
Read MoreThere are a lot of great companies out there and I love discovering them. They may not always get it right and their own suppliers may themselves be dubious, but the business and the management seem to have integrity and a willingness to push forward through discrimination and identity labelling. However, to those who allocate large budgets to share a message similar to: ‘black / gay / trans / disabled people we want to show our support to you, let us tell the world how great we are for doing this’ I doubt I will be using you any time soon. It is not just your product that is critical to whether or not I make a purchase; it is how you act that makes a difference.
Read MoreToday my emails are full of pictures from many different sources of the orange skies in California. Trump is trying to withhold disaster relief money because voters in the State opposed him politically, while today he and his posse zips from Washington to Michigan and back to Washington to deliver an address to ‘pre-credentialed’ journalists.
Read MoreOne morning in late February 2001 I half listened to Farming Today as I started to wake. Normally the programme was full of chatter, soundbites from auctions and talk of politics and money. That morning it was silent apart from the sound of a man crying, broken occasionally by his voice talking about the need to dismiss staff, the loss of his investments, fears for the future, and above all, the welfare of his animals. It was the first outbreak of Foot and Mouth since 1967, and was an event that was as devasting to farmers, animals and businesses as COVID-19 is today.
Read MoreHaving spent all my life gathering leaves, cones, and seeds wherever I went, I was painfully aware that I had been garnering a reputation as a crazy plant lady. My miraculous objets trouvé would be retrieved discreetly, then stuffed into the corners of anywhere I could hide them. This usually meant carefully wrapping them in handkerchiefs or inside a delicate lambswool glove, not only so I could surreptitiously sneak yet another specimen past my bemused family (who do not share my curiosity of all things verdant), but also to protect the silky linings of various handbags and pockets, and the surfaces of journals and sketchbooks therein.
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