I lie. I don’t like it but I do. Frequently. I pretty much think of all lies as wrong. I try and be honest in all that I do, answer questions honestly when asked directly (or just say, “I’m not going to answer that”). I consider myself to be a man of integrity, a trustworthy [...]

Many of you will have read my recent article about me laying my hat wherever I live, and making a house a home. But much to my dismay I recently found myself back in the familiar territory of having to find a new place to live. Even more worryingly, as I’m not looking to live [...]

Lent. A four-letter word that conjures up the image of candles in dark hallways with monks chanting and the overwhelming sense of abstinence. I often hear of people giving up things for Lent; at school I remember friends giving up tea or coffee and all throughout her life my Granny has given up chocolate – although [...]

A few weeks ago I spent the weekend away being lectured on having more time off. There was a lot more to the weekend than that, but that’s the main thing I remember. It seemed ironic: to spend the weekend in a classroom being told I should have more time off. The main thrust of [...]

“What do you want to do when you are older?” A few years back when I was an undergraduate student, I would answer this question by joking that I wished to save the world from war and poverty by the time I reached the age of 28, so that I could settle down and have [...]

Sitting around this Christmas and wanting to know Time’s Person of the Year, which photos captured 2011, and whether Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg is now the richest billionaire? Helpfully saving you time trawling the internet, below is our selection of the “Best of the Best 2011″. Comment away dear friends, and let us know if you [...]

At this time of year the high streets and shopping malls of the world become painfully overcrowded with crazed shoppers attempting to complete their Christmas shopping – panic buying as if Hurricane Hugo were on it’s way, rather than a one day religious festival. Unfortunately with this sudden influx of cashed-up consumers comes a huge [...]

This week saw the commencement of the 2012 Oxbridge candidate interviews and for the second time this year I am glad I am not a prospective student. The Oxbridge interview is shroud in mystery, some revere it, others fear it, there are even those who fear it so much that it puts them off applying [...]

‘Um… without meaning to alarm anyone, I thought you should know that there’s an insane old man wandering around the cafe, randomly moving chairs.‘ ‘What? Oh no, that’s Ali; the MD’s father.’ ‘Oh right. Er, sorry.’ So began my first day of waitressing. Luckily that comment amused my manager more than anything else, and I [...]

I love food. Red meat, cakes, potatoes, chocolate, cheese, Palma ham are all in my Top Ten. I find myself getting itchy when I eat the last mouthful of my main course, and wonder what might be on the dessert menu. What’s next?! What else can my taste buds enjoy! I am fortunate that my [...]

We’ve all been there. The dark moment when our confidence is in tatters and our grand vision is no longer as exciting as it once was. This happened to me again last month. I’d been sweating for 4-6 weeks trying to get a number of ideas off the ground. I could smell success. I knew that they [...]