A few years ago, I did a blog post titled "Room Lovely", where I took an idea that I had seen on television to spend some time focusing on some of the things we really love because all too often we focus on what annoys us. I do recommend you view that previous blog post if you want to know what I included then and how it came about.
It's not so much the obvious things of family, oxygen, women with sexy legs etc, but many other things.
Some of the things in this "v2" were included last time. Now, that's not to say the things that I included originally would no longer be in my list - they probably would be. It's just that those still included must have some kind of ultra importance to it.
Anyway, I shall witter on no more and let's begin with (in no specific order) Room Lovely - Version Two:
Samba
Samba music, specifically the drumming component of it has become incredibly special to me over the past few years. I've always loved making music and wanted to do some drumming. In August 2010, I joined a local samba band in London, the London School of Samba. The lovely people I have met there that I am honoured to call my friends, combined energetic vibes. It's social ear porn basically! I think when Gloria Estefan came up with the notion of the rhythm is gonna get ya, she had probably been listening to Samba music. I actually wrote a blog post about a performance that I did with the London School of Samba for the 2011 London Marathon, which describes some of the joy I experienced.
Maps
I included atlases in my original post, but I'm bringing this forward because basically, if it's geographical, I love it. So much has a sense of place, our memories and personalities are created in these locations. Although somewhat biased, I have a huge huge fondness for the likes of Google Maps that are helping to make this geospatial information available to everyone! To me, maps = minature orgasm!
The Time To Change campaign
I have become a big fan of the Time to Change campaign, which seeks to promote a healthy awareness of mental health issues and bring about an end to the stigma associated with it. If four people read this post, then statistically, at least one of them will have or will suffer with a mental illness in their time. I make no secret of the fact that I have had battles with anxiety at times in my life. I know for a fact that this campaign specifically has helped me (and others that I know who have themselves experienced the pitfalls) to feel that little bit more OK about being a "practicing fruitcake". If you feel comfortable enough to do so, please give them some support, in whatever way you can.
Diagnosis Murder
I absolutely love this show! It never fails to make me smile. I love the character created for Dick van Dyke as "Dr Sloan". They seem to have completely captured what a truly kind, warm personality is, and whatever mood you're in, that's so comforting to watch. I hope this show continues to be repeated for many years to come! Although as the title suggests, it's about solving a murder, the show is peppered with humour and centered around the kind Dr Sloan who exudes compassion. I think for me, because I've had many dealings with the medical profession, some good, some, sadly bad, that I find some sense of comfort in seeing the creation of the compassionate doctor. Jump to 2.10 in this video and see Dick van Dyke in all his glory as Dr Sloan.
Mark Knopfler
As far as I'm concerned, Mark Knopfler is the greatest musician and song writer ever to have graced this planet. In the event we discover life on other planets, I strongly suspect that he would out-do those too. His guitar skills are second to none. His lyric creating is just a sublime act of human creativity and I have sought much inspiration in these for my own work. I strongly encourage you to give up one hour of your life to watch this documentary about this magician. Thanks Mark.
Cameras
I love photography. I can't claim to be a master of it but I've taken a few shots that I'm happy with in my time. Some pictures may be aesthetically poor in terms of pure photographic quality (I'm thinking mobile phones here!), but nonetheless, they create a story and a memory which the photograph helps to maintain. Then there are those professional who combine their knowledge with a great camera's technical features to give us something that produces a moment of wow inside us and reminds us of our world's beauty.
Meerkats
I think when I put this one down, I'm actually thinking of the comparethemeerkat adverts. It's hard to explain to those who haven't spent a reasonable amount of time in the UK over the past few years. I love what's been created there!
But meerkats in general are also extremely cute. Here are some for your viewing pleasure.
Snooker
Snooker is my favourite sport. Aside from the skill required to play it well (it's a little bit like golf in the sense that it doesn't look particularly difficult, but it really is, and this is realised by anyone who plays it), it's also the wonderful sportsmanship (take note footballers!) exhibited by the players, the close-knit family feel given to it, and also the BBC's coverage of it. Ah, when it's time for Hazel and the boys (you know what I mean if you like it too), you know you're going to enjoy your day!
David Attenborough
Sir David Attenborough is a true British great. I have had the completely pleasure of meeting him once and it's a moment I'll never forget. His enthusiasm, caring, knowledge, professionalism, dedication, everythingness are something that I treasure. Here he is in a clip from a TV show, shown just last week, in what I think is one of the most beautiful moments on television I will ever see.
London Underground
Also known as the Tube, this isn't really something that I use that much at the moment, but I have a huge admiration for it. It really is a feat of engineering! When you're in one of the tube stations, especially one that serves a deep level line, you begin to realise just what an amazingly complex labyrinthic wonderment it is. The tube map is itself an icon of London, and of course this ties into my love of maps too! Next time you're at a tube station/on the tube, just take a moment to think about what you're in. It's really amazing!
John Williams
John Williams is a composer and has created some of the most famous film scores ever. From Jurassic Park, to Star Wars, from E.T. to Home Alone, these iconic moments of auditory joy exist because of John Williams
Spotify
A running theme throughout this post is my love of music. Spotify for me is a brilliant invention that allows me to enjoy hours and hours of splendid music for a very low price. It's something I really get my money's worth of, and it brings me lots of enjoyable moments.
Social media
I'm thinking particularly Facebook and Twitter here, but the content being posted in Google+ is developing a really interesting narrative of its own. Both twitter and facebook have brought me new friends that I really value, twitter has given me many laughs, especially from the @Queen_UK, it's allowed me to chat to @StephenFry. It's given me news before the news told me it was news, and in one case, for this guy, it's proven to be faster than seismic waves!
Love Actually
A few years ago, my Mum introduced me to this film. Since then, it has emerged to be my favourite film. It's just a lovely lovely film to watch. It's basically one film comprising of a series of mini stories, many interconnected. Some happy, some even sad, all true to the nature of love. This is my favourite scene from the film.
Roald Dahl
As a child, Roald Dahl was my favourite author - to be honest, he still is. His stories captured my imagination. My favourite was Matilda. Any person who comes up with this as a quote is going to touch people's hearts and imaginations.
"If you have good thoughts they will shine out of your face like sunbeams and you will always look lovely."
- Roald Dahl
BBC
Some might say that the BBC has had a rough year, what with a couple of apparent scandals. Indeed, those should be investigated to see what went wrong. However, I am proud of the BBC as an institution. I am more than happy to pay my license fee and feel it is well worth the money. From it, I have got things such as Spooks, its wonderful nature documentaries, scientific documentaries, radio 4, round the clock (unbiased for this day) news and weather, up to date news websites, great comedy shows. I am a happy customer and look forward to many more years of their productions.
Word Play (the Uxbridge English Dictionary)
I love word play. Going back to the days of The Two Ronnies, I think it's so important to play around with these little 26 letters that we have and create laughter. In the present day, word play is represented in the form the BBC Radio 4 comedy quiz show, I'm sorry I haven't a clue and their round titled "Uxbridge English Dictionary". Brilliant!
Mindfulness
Mindfulness is hard to explain, but to me, it is a form of westernised meditation which seeks to bring about relaxation and focus by paying a great detail of attention to the present moment and experiencing it non-judgmentally, so as to allow it to be. Added into that is developing the compassionate side of your mind which makes you a kinder person, and less frustrated by people's, foibles. I consider myself new to this, but I have definitely experienced some positive results to this and can see a huge potential in it.
YouTube
I kinda gotta to include this given I've used content from there to illustrate my choices. But really though, it's a huge repository of information. Yes, a lot of it is in a way pointless, but it means something to those people. There is still an enormous amount of great content. It's given so many people a voice and is an extremely popular source for people to use an outlet for their humour, skills....dare I say, dance moves!
You
The poets, the scientists, the comedians, the doctors, the musicians, the inventors, the scholars. You're all amazing in some way or another. Don't forget that. Keep striving for happiness and spread it to as many as you can when you find it.
It's not so much the obvious things of family, oxygen, women with sexy legs etc, but many other things.
Some of the things in this "v2" were included last time. Now, that's not to say the things that I included originally would no longer be in my list - they probably would be. It's just that those still included must have some kind of ultra importance to it.
Anyway, I shall witter on no more and let's begin with (in no specific order) Room Lovely - Version Two:
Samba
Samba music, specifically the drumming component of it has become incredibly special to me over the past few years. I've always loved making music and wanted to do some drumming. In August 2010, I joined a local samba band in London, the London School of Samba. The lovely people I have met there that I am honoured to call my friends, combined energetic vibes. It's social ear porn basically! I think when Gloria Estefan came up with the notion of the rhythm is gonna get ya, she had probably been listening to Samba music. I actually wrote a blog post about a performance that I did with the London School of Samba for the 2011 London Marathon, which describes some of the joy I experienced.
Maps
I included atlases in my original post, but I'm bringing this forward because basically, if it's geographical, I love it. So much has a sense of place, our memories and personalities are created in these locations. Although somewhat biased, I have a huge huge fondness for the likes of Google Maps that are helping to make this geospatial information available to everyone! To me, maps = minature orgasm!
The Time To Change campaign
I have become a big fan of the Time to Change campaign, which seeks to promote a healthy awareness of mental health issues and bring about an end to the stigma associated with it. If four people read this post, then statistically, at least one of them will have or will suffer with a mental illness in their time. I make no secret of the fact that I have had battles with anxiety at times in my life. I know for a fact that this campaign specifically has helped me (and others that I know who have themselves experienced the pitfalls) to feel that little bit more OK about being a "practicing fruitcake". If you feel comfortable enough to do so, please give them some support, in whatever way you can.
Diagnosis Murder
I absolutely love this show! It never fails to make me smile. I love the character created for Dick van Dyke as "Dr Sloan". They seem to have completely captured what a truly kind, warm personality is, and whatever mood you're in, that's so comforting to watch. I hope this show continues to be repeated for many years to come! Although as the title suggests, it's about solving a murder, the show is peppered with humour and centered around the kind Dr Sloan who exudes compassion. I think for me, because I've had many dealings with the medical profession, some good, some, sadly bad, that I find some sense of comfort in seeing the creation of the compassionate doctor. Jump to 2.10 in this video and see Dick van Dyke in all his glory as Dr Sloan.
Mark Knopfler
As far as I'm concerned, Mark Knopfler is the greatest musician and song writer ever to have graced this planet. In the event we discover life on other planets, I strongly suspect that he would out-do those too. His guitar skills are second to none. His lyric creating is just a sublime act of human creativity and I have sought much inspiration in these for my own work. I strongly encourage you to give up one hour of your life to watch this documentary about this magician. Thanks Mark.
Cameras
I love photography. I can't claim to be a master of it but I've taken a few shots that I'm happy with in my time. Some pictures may be aesthetically poor in terms of pure photographic quality (I'm thinking mobile phones here!), but nonetheless, they create a story and a memory which the photograph helps to maintain. Then there are those professional who combine their knowledge with a great camera's technical features to give us something that produces a moment of wow inside us and reminds us of our world's beauty.
Meerkats
I think when I put this one down, I'm actually thinking of the comparethemeerkat adverts. It's hard to explain to those who haven't spent a reasonable amount of time in the UK over the past few years. I love what's been created there!
But meerkats in general are also extremely cute. Here are some for your viewing pleasure.
Snooker
Snooker is my favourite sport. Aside from the skill required to play it well (it's a little bit like golf in the sense that it doesn't look particularly difficult, but it really is, and this is realised by anyone who plays it), it's also the wonderful sportsmanship (take note footballers!) exhibited by the players, the close-knit family feel given to it, and also the BBC's coverage of it. Ah, when it's time for Hazel and the boys (you know what I mean if you like it too), you know you're going to enjoy your day!
David Attenborough
Sir David Attenborough is a true British great. I have had the completely pleasure of meeting him once and it's a moment I'll never forget. His enthusiasm, caring, knowledge, professionalism, dedication, everythingness are something that I treasure. Here he is in a clip from a TV show, shown just last week, in what I think is one of the most beautiful moments on television I will ever see.
London Underground
Also known as the Tube, this isn't really something that I use that much at the moment, but I have a huge admiration for it. It really is a feat of engineering! When you're in one of the tube stations, especially one that serves a deep level line, you begin to realise just what an amazingly complex labyrinthic wonderment it is. The tube map is itself an icon of London, and of course this ties into my love of maps too! Next time you're at a tube station/on the tube, just take a moment to think about what you're in. It's really amazing!
John Williams
John Williams is a composer and has created some of the most famous film scores ever. From Jurassic Park, to Star Wars, from E.T. to Home Alone, these iconic moments of auditory joy exist because of John Williams
Spotify
A running theme throughout this post is my love of music. Spotify for me is a brilliant invention that allows me to enjoy hours and hours of splendid music for a very low price. It's something I really get my money's worth of, and it brings me lots of enjoyable moments.
Social media
I'm thinking particularly Facebook and Twitter here, but the content being posted in Google+ is developing a really interesting narrative of its own. Both twitter and facebook have brought me new friends that I really value, twitter has given me many laughs, especially from the @Queen_UK, it's allowed me to chat to @StephenFry. It's given me news before the news told me it was news, and in one case, for this guy, it's proven to be faster than seismic waves!
Love Actually
A few years ago, my Mum introduced me to this film. Since then, it has emerged to be my favourite film. It's just a lovely lovely film to watch. It's basically one film comprising of a series of mini stories, many interconnected. Some happy, some even sad, all true to the nature of love. This is my favourite scene from the film.
Roald Dahl
As a child, Roald Dahl was my favourite author - to be honest, he still is. His stories captured my imagination. My favourite was Matilda. Any person who comes up with this as a quote is going to touch people's hearts and imaginations.
"If you have good thoughts they will shine out of your face like sunbeams and you will always look lovely."
- Roald Dahl
BBC
Some might say that the BBC has had a rough year, what with a couple of apparent scandals. Indeed, those should be investigated to see what went wrong. However, I am proud of the BBC as an institution. I am more than happy to pay my license fee and feel it is well worth the money. From it, I have got things such as Spooks, its wonderful nature documentaries, scientific documentaries, radio 4, round the clock (unbiased for this day) news and weather, up to date news websites, great comedy shows. I am a happy customer and look forward to many more years of their productions.
Word Play (the Uxbridge English Dictionary)
I love word play. Going back to the days of The Two Ronnies, I think it's so important to play around with these little 26 letters that we have and create laughter. In the present day, word play is represented in the form the BBC Radio 4 comedy quiz show, I'm sorry I haven't a clue and their round titled "Uxbridge English Dictionary". Brilliant!
Mindfulness is hard to explain, but to me, it is a form of westernised meditation which seeks to bring about relaxation and focus by paying a great detail of attention to the present moment and experiencing it non-judgmentally, so as to allow it to be. Added into that is developing the compassionate side of your mind which makes you a kinder person, and less frustrated by people's, foibles. I consider myself new to this, but I have definitely experienced some positive results to this and can see a huge potential in it.
YouTube
I kinda gotta to include this given I've used content from there to illustrate my choices. But really though, it's a huge repository of information. Yes, a lot of it is in a way pointless, but it means something to those people. There is still an enormous amount of great content. It's given so many people a voice and is an extremely popular source for people to use an outlet for their humour, skills....dare I say, dance moves!
You
The poets, the scientists, the comedians, the doctors, the musicians, the inventors, the scholars. You're all amazing in some way or another. Don't forget that. Keep striving for happiness and spread it to as many as you can when you find it.
