So this is one of those unexpected days… You wake up, grab a coffee, get on with your day, open your email… and suddenly this appears: "read.cash is back @Ruffa, @bmjc98, @Eybyoung, @PVMihalache, @Crackers and 17 others Writers you kept coming back to on the old read.cash all writing again this week. The site was rebuilt from scratch and switched back on a few days ago." I honestly had to read it twice. Seeing those familiar names again felt like opening a time capsule from…
When I was seven, I was convinced I was going to be a chef. I loved being in the kitchen, watching food come together, experimenting with recipes, and making meals for family and friends. Although life took me in a different direction, that passion for creating and helping others never really disappeared. Instead of working in a restaurant, I found myself in further education, where I now teach and support learners as they develop their own skills and confidence. Looking…
Today I noticed something unsettling. People apologise when they bump into a stranger, yet many speak to themselves with a level of harshness they'd never use with anyone else. We guard other people's feelings but often leave our own unprotected. It made me wonder how different life would feel if we offered ourselves the same patience, forgiveness, and understanding we give so freely to those around us. Perhaps the longest conversation we'll ever have is the one inside our…
I checked... and the winner is a jar of beetroot pickles. It's been sitting quietly in the back of the fridge for so long that I think it's become part of the furniture. Every time I open the fridge, we make eye contact, silently agreeing that today isn't the day. I can't even remember what meal I originally bought them for, but somehow they've survived countless clear-outs. At this point, I'm not sure whether I'm preserving the pickles or the pickles are preserving…
I’m a huge coffee lover, and honestly, the first thing I do every morning is brew my coffee. Before I check messages or start work, I head straight to the kitchen and put the coffee on. As it brews, that fresh sweet coffee smell starts filling the kitchen and slowly spreads through the whole house. It’s the best way to wake up. I usually take a few quiet minutes with my first cup and let my brain catch up with the day ahead. No fancy routine, just good coffee and a peaceful…
Having a bottle of Naked Ladies by Twickenham Fine Ales, and it’s a total winner! Named after the famous sea nymph statues in York House Gardens, this 4.4% Golden Ale is a true local legend. It’s incredibly refreshing with a beautiful pale gold color. The aroma hits you with floral, pine, and lemon notes, followed by a hint of apricot and caramel. When you sip it, you get punchy hops from the UK, USA, and Slovenia, but it stays perfectly smooth with a crisp, biscuit malt…
The sky was one of those rare, perfect shades of summer blue, with barely a cloud willing to interrupt it. It didn't do anything extraordinary. It didn't solve a problem or answer a question. It just quietly reminded me that not every beautiful moment asks for our attention it simply waits for us to notice. It's strange how something we see every day can still feel new when we actually stop and look. Maybe that's the real difference between existing and living. One rushes…
I didn't change my life overnight. I just stopped rushing through the good moments. For years, I was always onto the next thing. Finish work. Make dinner. Watch a film while scrolling my phone. Even on good days, I was already thinking about tomorrow. Then, without really planning it, I started pausing for a few seconds whenever something felt nice. A hot cup of coffee. A clear blue sky. A laugh with someone. Nothing fancy. Just enough time to actually notice it. It sounds…
It was about 30 years ago and it was so unexpected. I was at work and one of my colleagues noted that my hair is a bit long. I said I know I am planning to go to the barber on the weekend. He said do not wait I'll cut it for you. Some of my colleagues warned me it would look awful some of them encouraged me to go under the scissors. I did and before I know it it was terrible. I had my neckname for that week. "parson or parish-priest". I fels so embarrased honestly. They all…
My response to todays' question. We've all had that one haircut. The one where you sit in the chair feeling excited, watch chunks of hair fall to the floor, and slowly realise something has gone terribly wrong. You smile politely when the barber or hairdresser spins the chair around, but inside you're already planning which hat to wear for the next month. Some people end up with a fringe that's way too short. Others leave looking like a different member of the family. And…
This afternoon I treated myself to a lovely cream tea at Shepperton Lock, and it was one of those simple moments that makes a day feel special. Sitting by the water with a cup of tea, fresh scones, clotted cream and strawberry jam was the perfect way to slow down and enjoy the afternoon. Of course, no cream tea is complete without the big debate — jam first or cream first? I know people have very strong opinions about this, but I’m firmly on Team Cream First. I spread a…
I came across this quote today and it made me stop for a moment. “I love writing. I love the swirl and swing of words as they tangle with human emotions.” I think that’s what I love about writing too. Words are never really just words. The right sentence can bring back a memory you’d almost forgotten, make you smile, or suddenly put into words something you’ve been feeling for ages but couldn’t quite explain. Sometimes I sit down with an idea in my head and, by the time I’ve…
I drink my coffee with milk no sugar. It has to be brewed coffee not instant. I drink my tea with milk no sugar. I used to have my coffee with sugar and tea with lemon and sugar. I quit sugar now much better for me.
My first job was in a fast food restaurant. It taught me that never work there again.
Depeche Mode posters all around my bedroom wall.
@Peter-Molnar