It’s been a horrible few days in my home country. I’m not sure which is worse – hearing about the fall out following the shock result of the EU Referendum from afar or being in the thick of it, so to speak. In a few years’ time perhaps one of our great comedy writers will devise a series showing us the laughable, you-couldn’t-make-it-up chaos surrounding the shock Brexit result but right now there doesn’t seem to be too much to smile about. (more…)
Back in Dubai, after a two-week, high octane visit to the UK and France it’s no wonder I’m feeling discombobulated. You what? Until this week, ‘discombobulated’, meaning ‘disconcerted or confused’, is a term I have only ever heard used in a comic context.
Listening to a heart-rending exchange on BBC’s Radio 4, the presenter chose this word to describe an interviewee’s state of mind following a particularly harrowing experience as a child. It jarred with me, as being merely ‘discombobulated’ did not come close to covering the situation being recounted, so I am now appropriating the word (thanks Woman’s Hour) for my own use.
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These days, being a Bruce Springsteen fan is a tough call. If you have a friend that is a Bruce Springsteen fan, then please be kind. Take it from me they are experiencing a roller-coaster ride of emotions right now and they will need your support for a little while longer. (more…)