Category: Entertainment

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Alternatives to Mealtimes in Front of the TV

When a bachelor friend recently visited us, he was saying how, even though he’s bought a dining table and chairs, he has most of his meals in front of the TV.

Until recently, Heena and I have spent most of our mealtimes glued to the TV set too. Such a convenient distraction from life, and a shameful waste of valuable time.

It got me thinking about alternatives to the television during mealtimes either alone or with a partner:

– have a conversation at the dining table
– learn about each others’ day
– picnic in the garden or local park
– eating slowly paying full attention to each mouthful
– listening to music
– listening to inspirational audio
– reading a book
– reading a magazine
– writing lyrics to a song
– writing a blog post
– looking through a photo album
– watching a slideshow of treasured memories on a digital photo frame

Which of the above do you already enjoy doing? What alternatives would you suggest?

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When It Gets Tough, Stay, Don’t Run Away

Spent the day in the city with my father today. Rounded off the day with a trip to the London Comedy Club in Leicester Square.

The first two acts were superb. The last one was a bit of a drag.

However, what inspired me about the final act was his staying power. Even though he knew that he was really bombing it, he made a choice not to run away, and see through his time slot all the way to the end.

We could all do with learning from that. You could be incredibly good at your game, but just be having a series of off days. It’s those moments that you have to stand firm, push even harder and just keep going until the blocks start to shift.

When it gets touch, stay, don’t run away.

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A Common Dream

Conscious hip hop artist Common, embraces the art form’s core principles: storytelling and presenting music with a message.

Here, Common presents “A Dream”, and gets us thinking about the dreams that we’re all working towards.

A second equally powerful tune by Common is “The Light”…

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Nomatter Where I Go, My Soul Is In The Same Place

Los Angeles based Hip Hop group Karmacy communicate a dialogue between two brothers.

With a part gujarati conversation, they tell a story about how one brother wants to escape the boredom of Indian life to explore the girls and money of America and become a millionaire. The other brother asks him what’s the need?

How often are we running outside ourselves and to other parts of the world to seek fame, fortune, excitement, love, and acceptance?

On the other hand, why hold back from travelling and exploring?

When we decide to venture out into the wider world, what’s the incentive, and what’s the intention? What are we expecting from the experience and what are our motives behind our actions?

Drawn out from they lyrics of “Blood Brothers” by Karmacy, you’ll find that “nomatter where I go, my soul is in the same place”.

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Courtney Pine and Darren Taylor at The Jazz Cafe

Last Wednesday (28th Feb 2007), I was placed on the guest list of top jazz saxophonist Courtney Pine’s gig at the Jazz Cafe, Camden, London, by my good friend bassist Darren Taylor.

What a phenomenal gig! A prime example of hours and hours of determination packed into two hours of passionate delivery.

Check out this video of a gig that Courtney, Darren and the band played at Falmouth Princess Pavillion. Darren’s on the double bass behind Courtney – you can see that he’s having a wiked time!
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For more on Courtney, visit www.courtneypine.co.uk

On the night, Courtney also played a sax tribute to Lynden David Hall – here’s the late Lynden’s very own Sexy Cinderella:

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