Articles tagged Personal:
In Praise of Tunbridge Wells Hospital at Pembury
- 14 Mar 2015
As you know, a few weeks ago my new book was published, THE NHS: THINGS THAT NEED TO BE SAID. Little did I realise that a month later I’d be making full use of the NHS, and in particular my local A&E services. It led to me having to stay in hospital overnight for the first...
Attitude Column: Cucumber Plays Into Far Too Many Gay Stereotypes & Is a Bit Bananas
- 4 Mar 2015
I wanted to enjoy Cucumber. I really did. I was a massive fan of Queer as Folk back in the late 1990s and expected great things from Cucumber. As someone in his early 50s I thought it would be a really good thing for a new drama to look at life for the slightly older gay man....
My First Park Run (And How Greg Clark MP Kicked My Sorry White Ass)
- 31 Jan 2015
I’ve never done a park run before. And to be honest I wasn’t wholly looking forward to it. I wouldn’t know anyone, no doubt I’d be wearing totally inappropriate gear and I’d be very slow. I set myself a goal of doing it in under 45 minutes, but wasn’t wholly confident I’d do t...
Attitude Column: Why Would Anyone Go on a 'Gays Only' Holiday?
- 20 Jan 2015
Nowadays, I would no more think of going on a gay-only holiday than I would think of going on a beach holiday to North Korea. But then again, perhaps those types of trips aren’t aimed at me. What put me off this type of holiday was a boat trip in Florida I took in 1993. I had ...
Attitude Column: Will We Get Married in 2015?
- 31 Dec 2014
Six years ago my partner and I got married. Well, that’s how we viewed it at the time. My partner never refers to our ‘civil partnership’. He always talks about ‘our wedding’. So when equal marriage was introduced we sort of scratched our heads and wondered what the point of i...
Did I Keep My Ten New Year's Revolutions For 2014?
- 30 Dec 2014
So, these were the resolutions I made at the beginning of 2014. I didn’t do very well… Continue to lose weight. Target 16 stone by June, 15 1/2 by end of the year. FAILED. To up my exercise. More golf, start running and a bit of rowing. FAILED. Try to resist getting ...
How Did My Predictions for 2014 Turn Out?
- 29 Dec 2014
This time last year I made ten predictions for things I thought would happen in 2014. Let’s see how I did… UKIP will win the European elections CORRECT Nigel Farage will resign as UKIP leader in the second half of the year INCORRECT Jeremy Paxman will leave Newsnight. ...
The Greatest Experiences of My Life
- 27 Dec 2014
Some time ago a friend of mine listed the 100 greatest moments of his life in a Facebook post. What a great thing to do, I thought. He listed 100 events with no commentary. I’ve decided to emulate him, but not do 100 (not sure I could think of that many!) but try to offer some...
Memories of Christmases Past & a Happy Christmas To All My Readers & Listeners
- 24 Dec 2014
As a child I used to love Christmas. Like all families we had our Christmas rituals. We woke up to find stockings at the end of our beds, filled with things that nowadays children would no doubt turn their noses up at. A Mars Bar, an orange, a pencil sharpener and the like. We...
Knackered, Unfit & Overweight - Something Needs to Change in 2015
- 19 Dec 2014
Another year’s work complete. Now for two weeks off, and I can’t pretend I don’t need them. Basically, I’m knackered. I remember last Christmas, it wasn’t until I went back on the radio in the new year that I realised how tired I had got in the runup to Christmas. I have tried...