The Wolfard Oil Lamp has earned an international reputation for excellence in design and function. It has been included in the prestigious Whitney Museum of American Art exhibition "High Styles: Twentieth Century American Design," a review of outstanding examples of furniture, industrial design, and decorative objects.
The Wolfard Oil Lamp is hand-blown from scientific glass (known for its strength and clarity) using an exclusive "in-flame" glassblowing technique which requires higher temperatures than other art glass methods. This, in turn, requires a higher degree of skill by the glassblower to form the lamp while the glass remains workable. Whether in your home or in a world-class museum, Wolfard Lamps bring style and elegance to any room. All are beautifully hand-crafted and designed to be treasured for generations.
- Proudly Handmade in the USA
Each Classic Wolfard Oil Lamp includes:
- 1 x Classic Wolfard Oil Lamp
- 1 x Wolfard Wick Holder Packet
- 1 x Operating Instructions
They come in four sizes:
- Small: 6"H x 3"W
- Medium: 9"H x 3 3/4"W
- Large: 12"H x 4 1/2"W
- Extra Large: 15"H x 5 1/8"W
....and I still absolutely love them. I bought my first two at New Morning Gallery in Asheville, NC. I loved them so much that bought two for my sister and two for my mother. When someone broke one of mine, I replaced it with two, just in case. That's how much I love these lamps! I'm returning to the site now to replace a worn out lamp oil spout. :-)
I just bought a lamp for my cousin in Belgium as a wedding gift. I bought the same 12" lamp 40 years ago for my then boyfriend. We've been married now 37 years and still love it. We're now retired and 4pm cocktail hour daily...light our lamp! Cheers!
Excellent product and quick delivery!
Wolfard Classic Oil Lamp
It was a birthday gift for my wife. She wanted one and she loves it.
I have owned Wolfard oil lamps for years and love giving them as gifts!


Sci-fi, smuggling and sabotage in a city on the moon! Set in the near future, the second novel by Andy Weir (The Martian) takes place in a lunar colony named Artemis. It follows a smuggler, Jazz (short for Jasmine), who… Continue Reading →
Die Hard, Lethal Weapon and Gremlins are three movies that immediately come to mind when I think of movies that take place during Christmastime, but are not Christmas movies. So, what are some Christmas-adjacent movies you could watch this December?
We may not be getting another Blade Runner movie anytime soon, but we will be returning to the world of replicants in the form of an anime series in the near future. No release date yet, but when it airs,… Continue Reading →
The band of vampire hunters is assembled, ready to take on Dracula and his hordes in Season 2 of Castlevania. With amazing anime-inspired animation and beautifully choreographed fights, this season is worth watching for its action scenes alone.
When Comedy Central advertised the 22nd season of South Park, it included the hashtag #cancelsouthpark. Was this a marketing ploy? A way to troll their fans? A cry for help from the show’s longtime creators? Or a preemptive strike against… Continue Reading →
The Jack Ryan series on Amazon is a good, modern interpretation of the character from the Tom Clancy books. It’s not perfect, but it’s pretty good. As a fan of the Tom Clancy books and having watched all the Jack… Continue Reading →
Unless you’d told me that James Cameron was really making the movie from Entourage Season 3, I never thought I would be this excited to see an Aquaman movie. The hero has often been the butt of jokes in shows… Continue Reading →


A place to see my world
Laura this is just amazing. What a fantastic capture, beauitful.
Stunning shot. A truly beautiful abstract. WOW!!
Oh OH!! I like the top of the iciness and the bottom of the iciness!!!!LOL I know that made no sense but I know what I meant!This is just wonderful, Laura! I like it, I like it, I LIKE it!!!!!
This is really beautiful; I like it a lot. The color is unbelievable
Oh wow.OH WOW!That is unspeakably beautiful.Thanks for sharing,Jennifer
Unbelievable blues! You've taken them into an entirely indefinable contest, so form and color rule. Really, really, REALLY gorgeous!
"Contest" should read "context." Didn't proofread!
This looks like a painting. It should be turned into one! Most excellent study here Laura.


On the evening of February 24th, local youth took to the stage to showcase their talents at the Youth Open Mic Night event. The event was held at our store at Certain Sparks Music and drew a crowd of 30-35 attendees who came to enjoy an evening of music.
The event featured 13 performers, including three newcomers who were excited to share their skills with the audience. The performers, ranging in age from 12 to 18, entertained the crowd with a variety of acts, including acoustic guitar performances, piano, and singing.
As the night went on, the energy in the room grew as the performers and audience members fed off each other’s excitement.
Throughout the night, Rosie, Sheena, and Debbie were named the top performers, earning them recognition and prizes for their outstanding performances. The three winners got a prize as well as a special gift from the store.
The Youth Open Mic Night was not just about recognizing talented young people. The event also served as a fundraiser to support the Certain Sparks Music Foundations. Attendees were encouraged to make donations throughout the night, and the generosity of the community was on full display.
In total, the event raised $140 in donations, which will be used to support lesson scholarships.
The Youth Open Mic Night was a resounding success, bringing together talented performers, supportive community members, and generous donors. The event demonstrated the power of the arts to unite people and enrich our communities.
The Next Event will be held March 31st 2023.


a real FO
You got a bit of a sneak peek in my last post, but here are all the details: let me present to you the re-knitted Cherry Red! Jen kindly took some photos for me, but by the time we’d eaten and shopped, it was nearly dark. Priorities, eh?
Yarn: Sundara Sport Merino in Crushed Cherries. I used less than a skein: 84g to be precise.
Finished: Second time around, finished December 27th, 2010. Unfortunately, it doesn’t quite count as a FO for 2011.
Modifications: I re-worked this in the medium size, but with smaller gauge and on smaller needles (3.25mm). That gave me the slouch factor that I was after but I was worried about it not staying on my head, and ending up somewhere around my chin. I decreased heavily at the band to give a tighter fit. This was fine, but maybe a tiny bit tight. Frogged back again, and re-knit as written. Third time lucky – perfect.
Comments: I mentioned previously how much I love this pattern, and that still holds true. It’s a perfect pattern, perfectly realised. I’m still not sure about the prospect of me actually wearing a hat, but I’ll give it a go for my art! I didn’t worry about blocking this version, but simply washed it and allowed it to dry flat. I decided I’d rather keep the texture than go all out for slouch.
I’ll have to say again how much I absolutely love this yarn. It’s got just the right combination of softness coupled with strength. The yarn held up well to the three rounds frogging, and I don’t get the sense that it will pill, which is quite a feat for a merino. Even more amazing is that it’s sturdy without being itchy. Incredible.
And the best bit about this yarn? I still have enough to make a whole cardigan.


A preview of the Vans Vault Spring ’08 Collection displays the new “Color Theory” theme which provides a wide array of colors and textures that are inspired by art and the skateboarding/surfing lifestyle.
Old Vans classics get a makeover with new designer textiles and patterns. The new line has a lot of potential and is a strong line up presented by Vans. Keeping it clean and simple really distinguishes Vans from most sneaker brands. Check out the whole coverage after the jump. Via HS.


The Fantine dress is for the boho babe in you, it features long flowing sleeves with lace inlay and hand embroidered gold beading. A centre front tassel tie and raw edge ruffle hem add to it's feminine appeal.
97% Cotton, 3% Polyester
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in De Hallen Haarlem is a group exhibition with five alumni who were granted a Fellowship from the Kees Verwey Foundation during their Rijksakademie residency. This Foundation aims to regularly show the work of the Haarlem artist Kees Verwey and support a young generation of talent in the development of their work. The exhibition Studio Verwey researches the role of the studio for contemporary artists.
On view is recent work by Ištvan Išt Huzjan (RA 08/09), Tomoko Kawachi (RA 05/06), Tala Madani (RA 07/08), Derk Thijs (RA 09/10) and Sarah Verbeek (RA 09/10).
Exhibition from September 15 until November 18.
De Hallen Haarlem, Grote Markt 16, Haarlem (NL)


Showcasing vintage male photography, mostly nude. You must be 18 years of age or older to visit this blog! If you hold a copyright on any material shown on this blog, notify me, and it will be removed immediately.
Thursday, October 17, 2019
Today's derriere photo has two twists. First there is a peekaboo extra anatomical element, and second, this picture is said to be from the Swiss branch of the nature movement.


John Skelton, (born c. 1460—died June 21, 1529, London), Tudor poet and satirist of both political and religious subjects whose reputation as an English poet of major importance was restored only in the 20th century and whose individual poetic style of short rhyming lines, based on natural speech rhythms, has been given the name of Skeltonics.
His place of birth and childhood is unknown. He was educated at the University of Cambridge and later achieved the status of “poet laureate” (a degree in rhetoric) at Oxford, Leuven (Louvain) in the Netherlands (now in Belgium), and Cambridge. This success and also his skill at translating ancient Greek and Roman authors led to his appointment in 1488 first as court poet to Henry VII and later, in addition, as “scolemaster” to the Duke of York (later Henry VIII). In 1498 Skelton took holy orders and in 1502, when Henry became heir to the throne and the royal household was reorganized, he became rector of Diss, in Norfolk, a position he held until his death, though from 1512 he lived in London. In about 1512 Henry VIII granted him the title of orator regius, and in this capacity Skelton became a forthright adviser to the King, in court poems, on public issues, and on church affairs.
Little of Skelton’s early work is known, but his reputation was such that Desiderius Erasmus, greatest figure in the northern Renaissance, visiting England in 1499, referred to him as “the incomparable light and glory of English letters.” His most notable poem from his time at court is Bowge of courte, a satire of the disheartening experience of life at court; it was not until his years at Diss that he attempted his now characteristic Skeltonics. The two major poems from this period are Phyllyp Sparowe, ostensibly a lament for the death of a young lady’s pet but also a lampoon of the liturgical office for the dead; and Ware the Hawke, an angry attack on an irreverent hunting priest who had flown his hawk into Skelton’s church. Skelton produced a group of court poems, mostly satirical: A ballad of the Scottysshe Kynge, a savage attack on the King’s enemies, was written in 1513 after the Battle of Flodden; and in the next year he entertained the court with a series of “flyting” poems of mock abuse. In 1516 he wrote the first secularmorality play in English, Magnyfycence, a political satire, followed by The Tunnyng of Elynour Rummynge, a portrayal of a drunken woman in an alehouse, which, though popular, contributed largely to Skelton’s later reputation as a “beastly” poet. His three major political and clerical satires, Speke Parrot (written 1521), Collyn Clout (1522), and Why come ye nat to courte (1522), were all directed against the mounting power of Cardinal Thomas Wolsey, both in church and in state, and the dangers—as Skelton saw them—of the new learning of the Humanists. Wolsey proved too strong an opponent to attack further, and Skelton turned to lyrical and allegorical themes in his last poems, dedicating them all to the Cardinal himself. Skelton’s reputation declined rapidly in a 16th-century England predominantly Protestant in religion and Italianate in poetic style. A new appreciation of his qualities, however, emerged in the 20th century.
John Skelton (c.1463-1529) is in many ways a poet of contradictions. He was esteemed by his contemporaries for his eloquence and aureate style, but in the judgement of less sympathetic readers his scurrility, his use of the demotic and his irregular verse forms violated canons of literary decorum and good taste. A religious conservative and a trenchant opponent of evangelical reform, his pugnacious onslaughts against Cardinal Wolsey were interpreted by subsequent generations of poets and controversialists as a more generalised attack on the corruption of the Catholic clergy, and he came to be seen as a proto-Protestant and his work as a model of anti-Catholic satire. He was a polyglot humanist who took his place among the international community of scholars, but his polemics, particularly those directed against the French and the Scots, can be ruthless in their deployment of the most xenophobic and chauvinistic of nationalistic stereotypes.
Skelton has therefore proved a problematic figure for critics. Not only does his diverse body of work, which encompasses a vast array of genres, styles and subject matter, resist easy categorisation but his persona as a public poet, combatively assertive yet at the same time deferential – even obsequious – to the wishes of those in authority, does not fit comfortably with modern notions either of poetry, or of the place of the poet in public life.
John Scattergood’s meticulously detailed exploration of Skelton’s writing career directs its attention squarely at the poems themselves. Although he provides a great deal of contextual material, his commentary and analysis do not seek to impose a particular interpretation, but as far as possible allow the work to speak for itself. The breadth of Skelton’s writing – the sheer range of his interests and the diversity of genres in which he wrote – is well served by his literary biographer. Scattergood writes about the different stages of Skelton’s career, from his arrival at the court of Henry VII in the late 1480s all the way through to his response to the emerging Lutheran “heresy” 40 years later, with equal insight and authority.
Skelton is often seen as a forbiddingly “difficult” and opaque poet, and his writing is rooted in the public life and personal rivalries of the early Tudor court, all of which require careful exposition for a modern reader. But at times his obscurity is a conscious poetic strategy, creating a mode in which to assert dangerous political opinions while simultaneously concealing those opinions beneath a veil of allegory and metaphor. Scattergood offers a rigorous analysis of Skelton’s literary experimentation and innovation, and carefully charts the ways in which his writing develops in response to changing political circumstance.
The nature of Skelton’s poetry – the fact that it not only engages with but also sees itself as an intervention in public affairs – means that it creates relatively little space for the subjective exploration of selfhood. His poetic persona can seem rather flat as a result, and the fractious and quarrelsome quality of much of his verse suggests, in Scattergood’s words, that “tact and insight into the feelings of others were never [his] strong points”. Yet despite the insensitive figure that often emerges from the poetry, Scattergood is unfailingly judicious, understanding and sympathetic in his treatment of his subject, and his excellent analysis highlights Skelton’s importance to both the literary and political history of the period.
John Skelton: The Career of an Early Tudor Poet
By John Scattergood
Four Courts Press, 356pp, £50.00
Published 11 July 2014


Archive for John Dossett
Mamma Mia, the 13th longest running show in Broadway history, celebrated 8 years on Broadway yesterday, Oct 18!
The musical currently stars Beth Leavel, John Dossett, Judy McLane, Allison Briner, Halle Morse, Michael Mindlin, Patrick Boll, Alyse Alan Louis, David Andrew Macdonald and Eric William Morris.
Bye Bye Birdie, which opened on Oct 15, was panned by reviewers in almost every media publication:
- They Can’t Sing (Don’t Ask Them)
- A flightless “Birdie”
- Critics wish ‘Bye Bye Birdie’ was more than just a title
- ‘Bye Bye Birdie': No reason to put on a happy face
- “Bye Bye Birdie” returns to Broadway with a thud
- ‘Bird’-brained revival flops
The consensus – the bulk of the cast can’t sing, dance or act. Ouch!
The New York Post reported that the stage manager for Broadway’s South Pacific, Michael Brunner, has been arraigned for recording video of one of the actresses in her dressing room. Lincoln Center Theater has terminated his contract due to the incident.
On Tuesday, September 22, Beth Leavel (The Drowsy Chaperone, The Civil War, Young Frankenstein), John Dossett (Gypsy, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer), Alyse Alan Louis, Allison Briner, Halle Morse, Michael Mindlin (9 to 5, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang), Patrick Boll (The Adventures of Tom Sawyer), David Andrew Macdonald (Coram Boy), Eric William Morris (Coram Boy), Felicity Claire, Rachel Frankenthal and Natalie Gallo all joined the New York cast of Mamma Mia.
He’s not the only actor returning to a role he played on Broadway years ago – John Dossett (Gypsy, Ragtime) will be returning to the role of Sam Carmichael in Broadway’s Mamma Mia! on September 22. He will be joined by Tony Award winner Beth Leavel (Drowsy Chaperone, Young Frankenstein, 42nd Street), who’ll be taking over the role of Donna Sheridan.
But it’s not all cast reunions – there’s also a Broadway debut – Dee Roscioli, who starred in the Chicago production of Wicked, will join the cast of the Broadway production as Elphaba starting July 21.


Reaching the height of their popularity during the Victorian era, lockets held mementos such as locks of a loved one's hair. With a nod to these romantic notions, we've created contemporary versions that are not only sweetly sentimental, but stylish. Perfect for gifting!
Email your pictures to the store and we will print and assemble your locket while you wait!
Collection: Brighton's Love Lockets
Closure: Lobster Claw
Length: 28" - 32" Adjustable
Features: Locket w/photo
Pendant Drop: 1 1/4"
Material: Swarovski crystal
Finish: Silver plated


Welcome back to another captivating episode of "Life Is Sound," the podcast where we delve into the transformative power of creativity, vulnerability, and finding light amidst life's darkest moments. I'm your host, James Mayer, and I couldn't be more excited to introduce our guest for today's episode - the brilliant writer and performer in the world of comedy, Emm Kenny.
Emm shares her incredible journey about how and why she started her comedy production company "Comedy Stitch Productions" and how her workshops help people build confidence by exploring performance as play.
I am a huge fan of comedy and I am really excited to sit down with our first guest who works in and around the comedic arts. So sit back, relax, and join us for an enlightening and laughter-filled conversation on this episode of "Life Is Sound."
Also be sure to look out for next weeks episode as we take Life Is Sound WEEKLY!
What We Discussed In this Episode
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Hello, good people, and welcome back to life is sound. Today's guest is Emma Kenny, who is a comedian. And I'm super excited for this episode because I use comedy a lot in my own life. When I'm going through difficult times and I just need that little injection of positive energy into my life. I've got my go to comedians, I've got my go to stand ups. But I want to say a big warm welcome to Emma. Thank you very much for coming to do this today. Oh, you're welcome. Thank you for having me. Appreciate you being here. Why is comedy important to you? I want to start with that straight. You go with such a big question. Why is it important to me? I think it's just the way I've always looked at life. So I've got an ethos. It's always to remember the funny side, just to remember that humorous side, even though when things are tough. And maybe I just did that as a child, naturally, when things aren't great, so you just find the fun and you always feel better when you're laughing. So it was just always something that was natural or just it was just the avenue that I went down. I was always quite playful and silly as a child. What child isn't? But, yeah. So I ended up just that was always my happy place. Tell me a bit about what you actually do, because I know I said, you're a comedian. Yeah, that's the thing. So you say, I'm a comedian and everyone will go, Is she? Why? What was she doing? And it's like so I do loads of different things. So I work in radio film, I've done comedy. I do a bit of everything, but the stuff I do you mean like the workshop stuff? Yeah. So the workshop stuff that I do. So I set up a production company a couple of years ago called Comedy Stitch Productions, and I wanted to create really cool, fun projects, like eight week ones or three months or something like that. And they're all laced with comedy, so it might be a comedy film, a comedy radio project. I didn't want to just do improv. There's lots of amazing organisations that are doing stuff like that. And I also didn't want to just focus on young people as well. So that was something that I wanted to I've gone off here on a tangent. No, not at all. What was the first question? Why did I get into comedy? It was just, yeah, that's what I did. It was like when you're at school, you've got a favourite subject. I ended up loving drama. It was probably the only one I really turned up to. Were you the same with music? You know what music I think back to? I had a really traumatic moment in high school. I remember year seven, going to the music teacher head of music, seeing a drum kit going there on lunchtime and saying, I was wondering if I can learn to play drums. He turned around to me and said, did you play in primary school? I went, no. He went, well, you're not going to learn to play drums, then. And I left, like, well, that's that later in life, obviously became a musician, like Ha showed you. But, yeah, I really did want to do music in school, but I never got the opportunity to do that right. When you said that, it just made me realise, actually, there's, like, a whole part of my story that I've not really mentioned. So as a child, I was quite young. I was young, of course I was young. I was young, but I was really shy and quite anxious and my mum got me into she went and she got involved in community arts. So, like, local community plays, history, plays about history, a lot of stuff in Salford, and it was called Salford Open Theatre. And I got involved as a child and I started that when I was, like, eight and it was always in the paper with my mum going, they've secured some funding to do another play. So, yeah, as much as I found it terrifying, it was really good for me. I sometimes wonder if I didn't do community arts, where I'd be I think I'd be in prison. People laugh, but I'm not kidding. I do, yeah. So it's amazing that that's carried through then, from childhood, seeing the fundraising side from that age, and you brought that through to your adult life and you're doing that now as well. Yeah, because when I went to school and I was doing drama and then went to college and I did performing arts, and then I went to Uni and specialised, there was a comedy module, so Sulphur Judy do comedy and that's where I ended up going. And it's great, it's great fun, I learned a lot. But then out in the big, wide world, when you're acting and you're auditioning and it's great to get these gigs and stuff, but for me, it wasn't always very fulfilling. It wasn't enough. I felt a bit like if it wasn't helping people, if there was no heart to it, like, I love performing, but if it's just performing and it's just entertainment and there's no message, it just wasn't always enough for me. Yeah. Does that make sense? I get that with music. Suppose you can write a song for writing a song's sake or perform a song, but it's when you see it connecting with people or helping people in a certain way, that's when I think we get the most feedback as artists, because that's what we are with. We're putting things out into the world and if it can help people, I think that is the greatest thing we can get in terms of feedback from people. When people message you that your song is literally helping me through this time, or whatever it is, I think that's like, amazing. The highest reward as an artist, I think, is knowing that what you've created or what you're putting out there is helping someone in some way. See, my work doesn't help. That's the thing. I don't think my work I don't know, I'll just create something silly. But it's the workshops when I go back to the beginning and help people, create something for them. So when I started Comedy Stitch, I ended up, are you ready for this? This is me being vulnerable now, so let me get comfortable. I ended up going to the doctors. I was not in a good place. And I remember asking them, because the first thing they offered was medication. And I was like, I just feel like, is there nothing that I can get involved with? I was feeling really lonely. Really. It was just this real disconnect. And I needed something creative. But everything that was out there always felt like there was this big goal at the end. I wanted to write or create something without it being sold to someone, or without purpose creating just for fun, which ultimately makes you feel better. And I just remember thinking when I left there, there must be more people that feel this way, especially creatives. Because that's where if I'm not being creative, if I'm in a place and I've not been creative for a while, I just don't feel very good. I don't feel like myself. I don't know, like the words that are coming to my head, I don't know if they make sense, but I feel so bored and so my life just feels so ordinary. It feels a bit pointless. Yeah, I get that. You get it? Yeah. So I've said it on this podcast before, so for me I describe it as like a dark cloud. And I don't know what age it was. I was like, why do I keep feeling like this? All the times constant. And I realised that it went away. Whenever I'd sit down and make a song or just make a beat, or write some music, play guitar, just do something, and it would lift. And I realised I call it the wilting of the flower. I'm not looking after myself in the right way, which is what helps me grow, is what I get the most satisfaction from. And it took me years, I'd say probably mid twenty s, I realised what it was I have to keep creating. Whether it's creating a podcast, creating music outputting, something that didn't exist the day before, that's what creation is. Yeah. Something is not here now. Now it's here. Feel great. But when you stop doing that and. We'Re slowly yeah, I just feel like, get drained. And then luckily figured out what it was and made sense of it. But I do relate to that a lot. I get it. Yeah, I understand that. Yeah. When you have a look at what's out there as well. There's a lot of stuff for young people and there's a lot of stuff for people over 65, 70, and I just thought, something that's accessible. There's loads of amazing things that people can get involved with. But I wanted to remove all barriers, so for people, like over 29, 30 plus, there's a gap. And I ended up creating a project called the Confidence Project, and it was all based on a lot of the stuff I was feeling, and I just thought, I wonder, I'll create this for me and see who turns up. And so many people signed up. That's incredible. It was so beautiful, but also quite I felt like it was sad that there wasn't enough stuff out there. So what I like to do is I make sure that no one has to pay. I don't want anyone to pay, I want to remove that barrier and I want it to be about people building their confidence and it's about their well being. It's not about learning the improv skills, which you will you'll learn bits, but it was about playing and I'll bring those tools in to help people play. It wasn't about how to be on camera and things like that, it was just about getting on camera. And I've got another project coming up, which is a radio piece. Amazing. Yeah. Well, hopefully I will find out next week. We've got the funding, but yeah. And how do you see that in the world? Do you give yourself the recognition for creating something amazing? That's amazing, like what you've done? People are showing up with the intention of you helping people and removing the financial element as well so people can access it. Do you recognise how powerful that is? Do you know? So many people say that to me, but I'm like, all I'm doing is I'm just creating the space so I don't as much as it's really beautiful when people say, thank you for doing this, I go, well, you did it. It was all your hard work. All I did was ask someone for a bunch of money, created a set of workshops and invited people along. And there's obviously there's a workshop and there's structure and maybe it's because I've done it for such a long time that it feels quite I don't know, I don't want to say easy, it's not easy, but I didn't feel like I was giving that much. But then when I see people and how they react, like, eight weeks later and how they've changed and they say, thank you so much, and I'm like, I didn't do it, you did it. It doesn't work if people don't turn. Up. And there's never any pressure for anyone to get up and perform, I'd say, you know, whenever you're ready, whenever you're ready. I never push anyone into it. It's all them. So it's just creating the space. That's incredible. I think holding space, creating something whether it's an art form, a conversation like this, or I've been to men's circles where it's about men coming and sharing what they're going through and men helping men. There's something in when you hold space for something that creates magic and transformation in people. And that could be, as you probably experienced, people really taking part or someone just going, I'm just going to observe today, I'm just going to observe what goes on. And you'll find that in that there's even transformation. Yeah, because I think people then feel they're safe, they know they're safe and they get a lot out of watching other people perform and seeing them grow. And again, I didn't want there to be sometimes when you go for funding, they want you to obviously work with a certain demographic, and I didn't want to do that, or if I did, it was about just want to work with people who feel like a big bag of shit. You feel like shit, come on, let's hang out and let's just have a laugh, let's leave the booze at home, let's put our phones down and let's just play. And that was it. When you're a kid and you'd go around to a mate's house, you'd knock on and just ask if they were coming out to play. Best days of your life. Best days. That's what I wanted, to create a gang. How devastating was it when your friend wasn't in and you go knock at your other friend's door and they're not in, and then you'd ride to your third friend's house and they're not in, and then you find out they're all playing out. I used to go to my dad's at the weekends a lot, so I'd come back maybe on a Sunday and go knock on, but they're already out playing with each other and I'm trying to find everyone, so I had a lot of that growing up. Okay. That just really broke my heart. Never happened to me. But the feeling of walking to you had a bounce in your step, you just knew you were going to link your favourite people and try and have a good time. That was your only intention at that age, is, I'm just going to come and see you, I'm just going to go and do some fun stuff. Yeah, that was it. Yeah. Like in my workshops, I'll never tell them what we're going to be doing then, following week, because it was just that surprise, that element of excitement, and it worked really well. I wasn't quite sure if it would, but it did. What's the hardest part of what you do? So funding, going for funding, I mean, I've got a real system now, but what I find hard is sometimes the written word with funding, they don't want you to sell this big, glossy, amazing pitch, they want it in black and white and it's factual and it just taps into and there's word counts and I'm dyslexic. So this really I 100% I'm dyslexic. I've just never been diagnosed. I am definitely dyslexic. Does it just spin you out? Sometimes I look back at things I've written and go, what have I said? How did I think that was that word? And then I realise, and it's just even when I'm reading and I've realised it's been a problem throughout my whole life, that I'm only just now identifying. Got it. Okay. But, yeah, things the way certain letters before, other things, I just really struggle with words. It's a funny one. So now it's more about the feeling for me. I used to get so freaked out that if I tripped over it you know when you're a kid and you had to stand up in class and you had to start reading and if you tripped over a word, someone would laugh at you and you were mortified. So that is still with me and I'm still working through it. But the lottery and the Arts Council, they're so much more accessible now and they've been really helpful and it's getting easier. So the more funding I go for, the more evidence I've got that it works. So there's surveys and I'll get testimonials and I'll get video content and things like that. So coming from, say, a performing arts background drama oh, God, I hate it. When people say you're like a drama. Teacher and obviously having a huge what I assume a huge comedy element in there. Yeah. What's your favourite part of that whole spectrum as a musician? Some people love being in the studio, don't really favour performing songs as much. Some people really do not like the studio process and the writing process, but love performing the songs. So in your world and what you do as a creative, what's your favourite part of your process? For the workshop stuff? Just the whole spectrum. I think it might be the writing for me. Yeah. I think for the workshops, it's the designing and then seeing it all come together. But obviously, day one for them is not my day one. I've been working on towards that project for months, so I'm sometimes in a new space where I have to start planning on a different project. Writing a script. Yeah. I enjoy all the stages. Or writing a bit of stand up. I think with stand up, personally, for me, it's very much with stand up, you got to try it. You got to just do it, see what the response is, go back, reword, try it a different way. So I think my favourite bit I'm going to say is, when it goes really well and people like it, what. Are the moments as doing stand up comedy? So I'm fascinated with comedians. I think they're some of the most fascinating people on the planet, and I've observed them for years. And I think the times that we've gone through as we're entering cancel culture and language being restricted. I think comedy is the last art form that can really speak to the truth of a situation because of the art form that it's delivered in. And I think that's become more apparent as we're entering these crazy times where people are trying to cancel comedians for saying certain things. And jokes are jokes. Unless they're attacking a group of people or trying to set one group of people on another group of people, that's not good. But comedy is finding the light in the darkness, finding the opposite to the thing we shouldn't laugh at or the thing we all do laugh at and bringing it to the surface. I think it's such a beautiful art form, and I think comedians are rock stars. I just think they're incredible. And have you ever seen a show called Kill Tony? I feel like you love this, so I'll share it with you. I'll send you some links. So it's a weekly live podcast of a live comedy show. So there's a panel of comedians, three comedians, professional comedians, like, huge in what they do, and they have people sign up, put their name in a bucket, pick a name at random, they come out, and they do 60 seconds of stand up. But then they get interviewed by the panel, who are professional comedians. So you can imagine if it goes well, they love it. They champion them. They break it down. This work, this work, this work. If it goes horrible, which a lot of the time it does, oh, God, awful. They rip into these people with the genius mind of being a great comedian and comedy writer. See, I really struggle with that. I do. But there's something in it that it's. Like, you don't want to be that person. What I'm getting to about this is when you do stand up comedy and it goes well, I'm pretty sure it's like a gig that's like, oh, my God, that was the best thing in the world. The energy. You might think it's gone really well, and then the audience like, what was that? And you're like, but then I was on the circuit, so it was years ago, and I was on it full time, and it was for a short period, and then I would dip back in and out, and you got to cut your teeth. You got to keep going. You got to see if that joke lands there and you've got different audiences, and sometimes your work will land really well with this group and not so much with this group. And then the last time I did some gigs, there was one night, and I was like, oh, my God, I am never doing this again. Why would I do this to myself? And then the following day, oh, yeah, I know. I like it. For me, it's a wave, and sometimes I just have to put it down. Yeah, don't end it on a bad gig. But then if you have a good one, you'll do it again. That's true. And I think that's the same with anything creative. Sometimes you might need a bit of a break from it. It depends sometimes if it exhausts you or you're having a bit of a block, and that's when maybe you're away from it too long and then you need to get back into it. Yeah, I think it's just people that get up and do stand up in front of people. I think it's such an incredible art form. I've gotten up in front of loads of people performed as a musician, not a problem. But if someone said, Go and tell some jokes I don't tell jokes. I like the first one, or stories with comedy elements in. I just think as soon as I felt that first one not land, I'd be like, oh, it's happening. It's happening. This is it. Yeah. It's like a public hanging, but you never actually die. So you're literally living through it. Yeah, you've got to just let it go. You just got to go up, give it a go, see what happens, forgive yourself. And I know people that have been doing it years and years and years, and that's just that it's in their blood and they can handle anything and any audience. But I'm still kind of finding that because I do pull back and then I'll go and do a film project, or I might do the Comedy Stitch projects. And that's what's probably different about me. What do you think? Also, it is about comedians, because you see a lot of comedians that obviously hilarious on stage, make your belly laugh, and then they also go and do really serious roles as an actor, and they'll nail it where they need to lean into heavy, even dark emotions sometimes. What do you think it is, the link between comedy and the ability for people to lean into that stuff? Because we see it quite a lot. We see it Ricky Gervais, we see it. Jim Carrey, when he did I think 23 was the film he did, which was incredible. There's so many comedians that can do that that can go from the comedy into the serious acting world. I think my view on that is that when people say that, I go, well, they're human, of course. They have their dark days. They can draw on that. I think it's harder for people. They've shown you the hard stuff. Comedy's the hard stuff. Not everyone's got that timing. And obviously everyone's so know what you find funny, I might not find funny, but, yeah, it's funny. So when you say things like, because Jim Carrey is one of my faves, and I remember everyone going nuts when they saw him be a human, and I'm like, yeah, the camera goes off. We have normal, everyday things happening in our life. I think he's an incredible human. He's someone I have OD people that I just really love following the journey and tapping into them as a human, and he's one of them. And his stories about manifestation when he was young, before he'd made it, and sitting outside of the theatre and imagining his name on the billboard, and I think he wrote himself a cheque. Yeah. Was it like 10 million by this date? And then by that date, he got a cheque, his first big cheque for Dumb and Dumber. And it came in and it's like you hear these stories and it makes you realise that this stuff is real, that we can bring these things into our realities. I think he's an amazing when you look at his old stuff, and I like to do that. I like to go back and revisit stuff that I've probably not even found, like, how animated he is as a human is incredible. I've got what was his first. Oh, God. Once Bitten. Have you seen that? No. I think he's like 19. Yeah. Wow. And he's a virgin and there's a vampire and blah, blah. Yeah. I used to go a bit nuts for any of the slapstick stuff. I saw some stuff where he was doing a Tonight Show where he just come out and do a short comedy piece and he's been super animated. But there's a lot of comedians I've followed over the years, different forms of comedy as well. I grew up a lot with American black comedians from probably like the age of 16 onwards, and that was like my world for even to today. If I'm feeling low, my go to is like, Cat Williams, Dave Chappelle, like, people that I know that are just going to hit me. Jamie Fox. Some of Jamie Foxx's early stand up before he became the big actor, that he has another one that transitioned into acting and singing. Jamie Fox's early stand up is hilarious. Who are some of the comedians that you kind of look to, who made you realise this might be something you want to lean into? Oh, the people I loved. So Jim Carrey, Rick Mayle. And you know what? People always go what? But I loved Whoopi Goldberg and goldie Horn. Not a stand up, but I liked some of the just the really silly, outrageous stuff. I mean, Goldie Horn and Jim Carrey, completely different. But I'm just trying to kind of think back to who I loved. My room was plastered full of Carey. It wasn't a crush. I don't know, I think maybe I wanted him to be my dad or something. I had this really weird like, I wanted him to be my funny dad or something. I don't know what that is. But, yeah, if you look back to the mask as a kid, you just watch the mask for the mask and it's incredible. As you get old, you realise how much he brought to that character. He was, like, incredible. And how much animation was based around what his face can do. What did I read recently? It was something like they saved loads of money because they didn't have to use any extra animation because they had Jim on board. Yeah. How do you use comedy in your life? And obviously you help a lot of people with the work that you do. How do you use comedy for yourself? When life is shit. When life is shit, how do I do it? Might change the podcast name to that. When life is shit. When life is shit. What do I do? God. Like if when you're in a bit of a hole, okay, well, you know that negative voice that you've got in your head? I've got one, she's a right bitch. Just called Jessica. And that's what I've had to do. I've had to give her a name and a look just to kind of make it more playful and humorous for me. Yeah. So yeah, do that. Maybe if things even like things that you consume what you're reading and stuff, I think I'll always kind of twist it to be a bit more humorous. Or I'll just see a little moment in life where it might be really bleak, it might be dark, might be heavy, it might be something that will pass. But I'll see a little moment where I go, if you just cut to that, that would be really funny. And it helps me through day to day stuff. Yeah. I think for me, like I said before, is when I'm going through those dark moments, I don't really have any vices now. I used to used to smoke a lot, so if life was heavy, I'm just going to light a split, get high, forget about that. Sounds great. Yeah. Why are we not doing that now? My God. So that used to be my go to. Never been a drinker, so that's not really ever been a thing. Still, snack chocolate is probably a vice. But if things get really difficult, it is comedy that I turn to. That is a thing that I look to uplift my spirits. Even if I'm not laughing, I'm soaking it in. And I know that's going to transmute into something and do something in my internal system, which maybe the next day I feel a bit lighter. I feel like there's so much power in comedy. I think what I'll do is I'll go and help someone. So if I'm feeling a bit pants and I know someone else is feeling pants, I'm like, right, I'm here. And I'll go in and be like and I'll just try and make them feel better, which then makes me feel better, which makes me sound really codependent. Is that a natural thing or do you think have you witnessed someone else do that? No, I think that's been with me all my life. Yeah. That's just something that's like hardwired into you. Yeah. And I think that possibly comes from always. Just being really helpful and helping my mom and stuff. So growing up, yeah. So maybe I did that. I just always wanted to make things I just always wanted to make things lighter. If someone was anxious or something, I'd be like, okay, how can we solve it and fix it and turn it into something a bit lighter? When people say, yeah, because people go, Is that a coping mechanism? And I'm like, yes, of course it is. Why would it not be? Like, it's a negative. Yeah. That's how I like to cope with the world. I like to see it through this lens. I'm still looking at the same thing. I just like to view it through that lens, that colour. Yeah. I think that's the great thing about comedy isn't not everyone looks through the same lens. So, like you said, what one person finds funny, another might not. But there's something that runs as a thread of comedy that when we all do and we're all in a room or watching something with someone and it hits that chord and that note, it's just such a beautiful thing. Something I always think to be a comedian. And then there's a big part of the site. No, you don't. Don't do it. Don't cheat yourself. It's a tough scene. Like I said, I've not been working on the circuit for, like, ten years. Like, some people I know yeah. And I think it's a lifestyle. And some people I know have gone they just can't they just don't like it. They prefer to write something and just do one off shows. Some people love to gig and gig and gig. I think you've got to find your own path with it. And at that time, when I was doing the circuit, it was great, but then certain things changed for me and I wanted to put my humour somewhere else, and that was writing short films and working in radio as well. It's the chopping and changing for me. That's probably why the whole comedy stitch thing works with the different projects. Yeah. Because that's what I bring. Not just the stand up. Yeah. You take all different aspects of these worlds and bring them into one place. Yeah. What's nice about the stand up world is it's so fast. Like, you can get up, do something with a play. There's all this development, doing a film, all the pre production stuff, there's a lot. It's just so instant with stand up. When you were doing the stuff, when you were younger, with your mum, what was, like, your mum's involvement? Was she on the performing side of things? Was she writing? Was she yeah, she was performing and she was on the committee, so yeah, I was just always dragged into it. Yeah. And that's obviously how I know that community arts is a really powerful thing, because it changed my world. And what I liked about the community arts is that I wasn't just working with people my own age. It was all different ages, all different backgrounds. It was great. Yeah. And I know you mentioned when we obviously do NLP, I know that's been a part of your life. How are you finding that journey? Neuro linguistic programming. Mauryan would show up and probably shoot both. I actually got it wrong on a podcast. It was hilarious. I think I edited it out because I went to pronounce it and I went, Maureen, you're going to have to. Have I said it right? Yeah. Neuro linguistic programming. That's it. But when I say it to my friends are like, what's that? So I just say, you know, Darren Brown? They go, yeah, I'm going to be like him. He's incredible at what he does. How have you found building on the skills of language and programming, and have you worked any of it into your work? It's probably being able to understand the person in front of me more so the language they're using, so I can maybe translate what they're saying better. How have I used it? Probably use it more on myself. Yeah, I found that really useful, having a little conversation with myself and Jessica the other day. It's like, right? Jessica. And she's like I'm like, what if you are wrong? Yeah, there you just went quiet for a minute. Yeah, she did. So, yeah, I use it on myself so then I can move forward with the stuff I enjoy doing. Yeah. I've always tried to be a good listener and create space for people. Yeah, I probably used it in dating, to be fair. What do they really mean? Yeah, I've probably done that. You've done it as well, haven't you? I've used it, but not, like, not to produce them. No, because that doesn't work. It was more to find out what's really going on, what someone's intention is. Yeah, definitely. I think that's for me, the reason I wanted to learn it was a protection mechanism to understand language more, because I'd come out of a relationship which I felt like I allowed myself to be manipulated via words. I was like, hey, how do I make sure this doesn't happen? Similar. Similar. And I found NLP, which chance meeting with Maureen. And then obviously you go deeper with that personal development. Figure out yourself. As you're figuring out yourself, you get better at figuring other people out. Yeah. It's just a really beautiful thing that I would encourage anyone to look into. And obviously there's charlatans out there that might sell you a full NLP course for$7. You're like, how's that possible? I can't say what they're trying to do as a business model. They might just be trying to get it out to the masses. But I think when you bring the value of something down to that level, it makes it look like it's like pseudoscience and it's not quite real, but when you actually involve yourself in it, it definitely helps me with this. It's helped me in interviews, negotiate things that I want, get more of what I want, become more confident. I've even noticed it worming its way into lyrics, thinking more about how this lyric is shaping an individual's mindset, rather than just going, oh, this sounds great, really going in and thinking about the power of those words definitely helped me in my writing. Okay. It's probably helped me with me writing my emails. That's another big one. Yeah. But, yeah, I definitely relate to just kind of seeing when I was saying that if someone's not feeling too great, I want to create a space and it'll be me just going into silly M mode. Knobby M as we call her. And sometimes I then don't really see maybe what's happening. You were saying about just the connections that you can have relationships and if you want to help, but that's not their intention, or you're going to get sucked in to something that's not very healthy. So, yeah, I think that can be quite helpful. Well, this has got very serious of it. My God. There's another part of your life that you shared, if you're okay for us to go into it. You briefly mentioned when we were on our course, about your mum and the role you play in your mum's life to being someone who cares for your mum. So I've always been a support to my mom since I was really young. She'll hate me saying that. I will not tell my mom about this podcast. My mom's, like a big hoarder, really struggled with mental health. Again, she's going to hate that I've said that. Sorry, mom. So supporting her through that as I was quite young and staying local to her as well, instead of going away to uni or I stayed local and obviously I've constantly tried to fix it. So then she will be okay. She's all right on her own, that's okay, I can go off and do my thing. But obviously she's got older and now she's got Parkinson's, actually, so I hit a wall with it. So I actually had to bring in some friends to help me out. Yeah, my mom would hate that as well. Yeah, she's going to hate all of this. God. Yeah. She has care now and I've put care in place, so I am classed as an unpaid carer. I didn't realise that I always thought I was just a daughter and that's what you do, but there are some things that if I wasn't around my mum's life would look very different. There are other people in the family that help as well, but these are my mum's words, so I'll say that. Yeah. So I've tried to just support my mom as best I can. And when my mom became I mean, she's been she's had she's had Parkinson's for a long time, but it's only recent that she's got, like, a diagnosis, and I was trying to support her with she was in hospital. You say? And I tried to find the care and sort out the flat and just make it so she was comfortable, but also just trying to make it perfect. I think I got into a place where I was always trying to make things perfect for my mom. And this organisation got in touch with me and I thought they were calling about my mom, but they were actually calling about for me. And I was like, I don't get it. And they went, we want to know that you're okay. I'd never, ever had that before. Yeah, they're called gadam. They were brilliant. They gave me emotional support. There's this thing with caring for someone is you can feel really guilty for having those moments of resentment and you want to go off and you want to play and you want to do something funny. And I was having these and I'd feel awful for having these moments of being frustrated and angry because it's always been there and they allowed me to express that and they said it was okay and it was normal. I've not done it. Do probably the length you might have been doing it, but I had a moment where my dad was unwell, had a really huge dip in his mental health, and when he came out of hospital, I had to be there and be in his environment and be sticking to his routines. And it really weighs heavy on you, even though I'm exactly like you, it's like, I'm his son, I'm his only son, this is my duty. But it does start to weigh heavy on you. And I have a massive respect of people that dedicate themselves to looking after another individual because it's no easy task. And it does affect, especially as a creative, like you said, you're not doing the things that you love. We naturally start wilting, and caring for someone is quite time consuming. It can take a lot of your week, your month, your year. And how have you found that balance? Obviously, care coming in. I assume that's took quite a large weight off your shoulders. It has, yeah, it has. It's taken a lot of weight off my shoulders. There's a real guilt thing. Like, I haven't spoken to my mom in a few days and I suddenly be like, oh, my God. But I'm trying to balance it so she's okay, but someone else going in and doing that, I suddenly felt really useless. For me, the dynamic sometimes is that I am useful for my mum. Yeah, it's complex. It's complex. Everyone's case is, like, individual as well. Everyone's different and affects us in different. Ways and it's certainly not funny. Jeez I did actually start writing something during Lockdown, and it was nice because it was writing something. It was an autobiographical piece and in writing it without purpose, it wasn't to pitch to someone. It was just a story, and it was about my point of view, my version of events as a 14 year old, and constantly trying to make sure my mum was okay so I could live my life and be a 14 year old. But it's a comedy and it's a dark comedy. Yeah. Read some of it to my mom and she went, Emma, please wait until I'm dead. Okay, mom. Yeah, I'm very honest and open with my mum. Yeah, we are very close. Yeah. Very different. I'm the same with my mum. I tell Mom, I can tell her anything. We've got that relationship. What does your mom think of you kind of like carrying on the torch in a way? She got you into things as a kid, like performing arts, being around workshops and funding, and now in adulthood, you're doing the same. That must sit and really warm her heart to see that. Yeah, she loves it. She's very ploughed. Yeah. She always says really lovely things and the comedy. So when my dad was in his darkest moments, there was always something that happened that you could crack a joke about, and this is what I wanted to touch on with you as well. I saw my dad come back in the moment of the joke. Okay. He was back. So there's always, like, light in these difficult scenarios. Does this side of your life, does it present inspiration for the comedy? So my mom and I had a hospital appointment a couple of weeks ago. She had a hospital appointment, I took her and the doctor was he was brutal. He was brutal. And I felt like everything he was saying, I had to dive in front of it, turn it into something humorous and then translate it to my mum to just soothe her. He was saying that this is going to get worse. He was, like, really direct and he said, about memory and my mom can hear this and she's taking it in. But then I suppose me going into protective mode and knobbie M mode, it's literally like I dived in front of that, grabbed it and tried to turn it into a joke. And I went, oh, so you'll forget where you've left all of the sweets, then? Because he was like, you need to change your diet. And I was like, brilliant. So you'll forget where your sweets are. Fantastic. But obviously I know how heavy that is and how dark that is. And I suppose I'm using it as a tool to soothe my mom, but also to soothe myself as well, because it was quite heavy. Some of the things he was saying, he probably thought I was an absolute idiot. Like, does she understand what I'm saying? Because I was yeah, I just kept turning it into something funny. Do these moments inspire writing as well? For me as a musician, anything I go through, whether it's three months later, a week later, could be six months later, a year later, it weaves its way into my art somehow and I go, oh, you've arrived. I realised what I went through is here, coming out now. Do you find that a lot things that you might be going through in those scenarios do eventually weave through to your writing as well? Yeah, you've just got to wait for it to be funny. Sometimes it's just waiting for that. So I'm working on a show at the minute at real early stages, and it's called Mess. And I've played around with a lot of these ideas for a while and it's all about just, like, the not fitting in, feeling like chaos, the ups and downs, the mental health of women as well, because that were ever changing. And some of that was not funny. A lot of that was not funny back then, but now, oh, my God, yeah, the ideas are coming. And I'll go to things as well, really random events, just to see what nuggets you can find. Is it a character? Is it something maybe I'll never use, but a little story in my head? It doesn't have to be something that you have to pitch or you sell it. It's just something for me. Yeah, I do a lot of that. I do a lot of writing where people are just never going to hear it and I feel like sometimes it's exercising my writing skills or just, I just want to write this. Today goes nowhere past my hard drive. That's the battle. Also, being a creative, like, we had this conversation with a friend, it's like, you can leave too much stuff on the hard drive or too much work that you've written that never sees the light a day. I think a good message that you've said is a great reminder of just have fun with it. Just have fun with it. Remember when you just used to make music and have fun with it? Sometimes when I'm writing something, my friends or someone will say, what are you going to do with it? I don't want to do anything. Why? You should. What do you know who that would be good for? I'm just killing it, man. I just want to have fun with. It. And I don't want it to die because I've shown it to someone and they've got it's not for me. I'll do that with some things, but not everything. A question I like to ask a. Lot of guests is now, is this the big one? Oh, God. If you take away Emma the writer yeah. Emma the comedian. Right. Emma the person who's involved in performing arts and drama, take away these things that we identify as yeah. If you think about a time in your life where all the walls started crumbling around you and nothing made sense and you're, like, couldn't make sense of anything, this is really difficult. What was the thing that got you through that. What was your toolkit? This is we're getting vulnerable. I need to get comfortable. Oh, no. Right, okay. Vulnerable. Right. A moment in my life there's been so many where I had to survive what was in my toolkit. When nothing made sense, you didn't have control of anything. It was kind of out of your hands. And it's like, what was the driving force that got you through that? Well, there was a situation once I had a relationship that was really tough. I had really beautiful moments, but really tough ones on the other side. And I remember getting to a point where it was the worst thing in my life. And I remember a moment where it got so bad without going into all the personal stuff and their stuff. There was a moment where I remember this, like, I had this big button in front of me, and I just imagined it, and I just needed to either hit the button and get out of here, or I needed to pull myself out of this. And I just did it visually. Obviously, I had to talk to this person and really get out of this situation. And I remember I didn't want to push the button, but when you're in distress and you're in this awful place, you just want out. You just want the pain to stop. And I was like, no, that's not an option. Come on. So I ended up seeing a wall, and I had to climb over this wall. And for weeks after this event, this is an imaginary wall, my arms were in pain. Wow. Yeah. Really? So weird. I'll never forget it. That's how powerful the vision was of what you'd created and how significant it. Was in your life. I felt like I'd done, like, lifting myself up on one of those door weights. Wow. Yeah. That's incredible. Yeah, I'll never forget it. I had to visually pull myself out to make a change. Are you a visual person? Is that how you process information? Yes. And we talked about that, didn't we, on the course? Visual? Yeah. So for people that don't know that I'm auditory, so I process things via sound and hearing things, and that's kind of like someone like me will speak in a slower rhythm, pretty much at the same tone. Someone that's more visual might speak a lot with the hands, fast paced, more expressive. Is that what I'm doing? No, I'm just saying that that's kind of obviously in terms of NLP, like Maureen, that's obviously a friend of the show and a friend of ours is a visual, so she's going to give you a million things really quickly. And I'm a bit more slow then obviously the Kinesthetic people. There you are. You're really calm, aren't you? Cool. Kinesthetic are more like they take in information via touch and movement. So someone that's probably a hugger, or they might chat to you and put the hand on the shoulder. So, yeah, we all use things in different ways. And I think that visualisation the fact that you felt it in your arms, that means there must have been so much attached to that. I just remember feeling knowing that it could be better. Things could be better. Yeah. That was really personal, that one. There you go. What was the other side of that wall like? The other side of that wall? Calm. It was calm. Calm and safe. Yeah. But then you end up on another shit show, another journey. There's something else, like you hate your job or there's some family issues and you're like, oh, God, why can't it just be like an 80s comedy with a lovely little montage of you getting everything together and doing really well and then you win a trophy at the end. Why do we have these ups and downs? How do you view that wall? Now, when you look back at that part of your life, if you were to visualise that wall in the distance and you are obviously taking the step of climbing over it, when you think about that moment in your life, what is it that comes up? That wall is gone now. I think there's just a lot of peace there and a lot of forgiveness. Amazing. Yeah. I think that's a really powerful visualisation. And I believe I'd created that wall. Yeah. I'd ended up in this corner. I'd ended up making this not making it happen, but allowing abandoning myself, almost. That was deep, wasn't it? I think a lot of people will relate to this because a lot of us find ourselves there in a relationship or something in life. I've definitely been in there. When you know it's like, come on, it's time to get out of this, and you just stay. Maybe I'm trying to be too much of a nice person, or you can see what's going on with that person, so you stay. And it's kind of like a punishment. And I think taking that step, lifting yourself up, is such a strong visual, so empowering to do that and see yourself going over the wall and landing in a safe space, I think you. Can forget that things can be different. And I think some people who have never felt the difference will find it harder to get out of because they're so used to it. It's all you know, it's all you know. Yeah, but I knew I'd felt much better, and I just didn't I didn't want to just abandon myself. And I've got these hopes and dreams and goals, and I've set it up and I'm doing it for this inner child that I have. And I'm like, Right, come on, we've got stuff to do. That's incredible. I think one thing that's coming up a lot for me is that in a child, what did you enjoy when you were younger? What did you enjoy doing? Are you still doing that? Thing for me. I've just been getting visuals recently. I realised why I made music. My mum bought me a little Casio keyboard and I remember you could play drums on it. I remember just being fascinated with it. I don't even know if I was good or what, but I just remember that's probably the thing that made me do what I do now, which is press a drum machine with drum sounds on it. And I enjoy that. So when I'm feeling that wilt, like we said, not being creative, I go back to that and I think a lot of us can easily forget about that in a child. Yeah. So I think there's loads of people that have complete they just don't have any creativity in their life at all. And I don't feel like I've really changed from being a child. Like, I'm still the same, I'm wiser, but what did I used to do? Hello, wise child? Yes, a wise child. Yeah. I had a radio show with my friend. We were the EC Hippies. We were pretending to be these really cool hippies and we would change all the songs that are on the keyboard and we'd change like, Little Brown Jug to the Happy Hippie or something. I don't know what we would I don't know. Anyway, we loved it. So, yeah, radio shows. And then I was definitely that person that would someone's birthday would come up and I said, I'll do a show for you and your friends. I don't know their friends and they probably thought I was the OD one. An OD? Yeah. I would do a show like hide behind the Sofa and change. Do a costume change. Yeah. Not changed. I probably got more into the writing as I got older. I think it's so important just to remember those elements of ourselves that we do when life gets busy, we just forget about there is a version of you in there saying, hey, I still exist and I want to do the things we used to do. And I think that integration of acknowledging that part yourself is such a powerful process, and a lot of us just miss it as we go to adulthood and we don't realise maybe why we're feeling down or unhappy and it's, what did you used to love? What did you used to do? Just going into the kitchen and just having a little dance off with your housemate or your partner and just being silly. But then there is the other side where some people are so silly that they can't look at, they can't look inward. You can never have like, a really deep conversation. So I think it's balance if someone's. Listening to this and they want to get into a bit more of a world that you find yourself in, what would be your advice for them to take the first steps to do that? Give me a call. Yeah, but I think it depends on which area. If it was about doing stand up, then I'd say just go to an open mic night and just go go for it. And there's lots of comedians that do stand up workshops. There's loads of comedy improv stuff in Manchester as well. If you wanted to get into the short films and filming, there's loads of short film nights, so you could mix with directors and producers, writers, actors. There's a lot out there. It's just showing up is probably the first. That's what I'd say. Show up. Yeah. I just want to say a big thank you for coming to do this today, because I'd just mention it to you and you were like, let's do it. And I just love when people are so in the moment and show up and are able to open up and be vulnerable. So big thank you for coming to do this today. And without a doubt, your story will ripple out and help people in some way. That's what this podcast is about, having these conversations and reaching into those moments that have shaped who we are, that ripples out to other people and it can help them on their path as well. So thank you for sharing everything that you're about. I appreciate you being here. And to the listeners, thank you guys for returning. Every time we put an episode out, either watching or listening, I really appreciate you guys tapping back in. If you are watching, please hit that like button and subscribe. It helps us grow this podcast. If you're listening on whichever app you are listening, leave a review. It helps us grow in that area as well. And the next episode, we're going to be building we're going to be building this podcast. We're going to be going weekly, so look out for that soon. I want to say a big thank you, Emma, for being here today. You're welcome. And I think your story is exactly why I wanted to get you on the podcast. It's remembering that no matter what we go through, we can get life back to a good place. And for me, comedy is a perfect thing to do that. So I really admire what you do in the world, especially, like with your workshops. I think it's a really powerful tool. So thank you for being here and sharing your story. Thank you. And to the listeners, exactly that. Remember, no matter what you go through, life is good, life is sound. Thanks for listening. We'll see you on the next one. Bye.


Celandine consists of Carys, Rosemary, and a guitar (unnamed). Both classically-trained vocalists, Carys discovered folk and folk-rock after being dragged to a Fairport Convention gig back in 1996, whereas Rosemary advertised for someone to sing folk songs with in late 2010, and didn’t realise what she was letting herself in for until it was much too late. They perform their own arrangements of traditional folk songs, originals (mostly written by Carys) and a few covers.
Celandine are regulars on the Suffolk folk music scene and frequently guest on local radio, building a loyal local fanbase. When not singing, both are keen writers; early in 2014 Rosemary had an article published in the Telegraph, though despite finishing her first novel Carys hasn’t yet been published anywhere outside of her own blog.
Carys is also known on the electronic music scene due to her appearances with Code Indigo and with ‘David Wright and Friends’ with whom she provides extraordinary ambient vocals.
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Proudly proclaiming the fact that it is "Europe's largest", the Stratford-upon-Avon Butterfly Farm affords a peaceful retreat away from all things Shakespearean. Hundreds of butterflies can be viewed at close quarters, many of the species sporting spectacular colors. For those interested in less attractive, more frightening creatures, other insect displays are available, including stick insects, leaf-eating ants and the world's largest spider.
This landmark church is located in a picturesque setting on the edge of town, beside the river and approached through an avenue of lime trees. The burial site of famous playwright Shakespeare, Holy Trinity Church is considered to be one of the finest parish churches in the Midlands, and one of the most beautiful in England. A bust of Shakespeare on the north wall brings about and the much debated question: is it lifelike or not? Admission to the church is free, however they ask for a small donation.
Questo è un parco ideale per l'intera famiglia, con molte attività a disposizione, tra cui un laghetto con le barche, parchi giochi, campi da tennis, serre tropicali e aree protette. Inoltre ospita anche il Midland Arts Centre. C'è una pista ciclabile che attraversa il parco ed è stata recentemente allungata. Il parco ospita anche concerti, eventi e lo spettacolo annuale Fireworks Fantasia. L'ingresso al parco è gratuito.
Situated across Church Hill Road, the St Alphege Parish Church is a historic church that dates back to the 12th Century. Over a period of time, it was refurbished several times; the bells and the church's shire were renovated too. It is a beautifully restored religious space and its ancient organ pipe organ, stained glass windows that belong to different time periods and the overall architecture is worth exploring. Apart from that, this church is home to community functions, choir concerts, youth groups, sermons, lectures and similar events.
Warwick è considerato tra i più bei castelli medievali d'Inghilterra. Situato a 30 minuti di macchina da Birmingham, questo castello racchiude più di 1.000 anni di storia inglese. Ci sono bastioni, merli, prigioni sotterranee e anche una camera di tortura. Tutto è autentico dell'epoca e in eccellenti condizioni. Tra i reperti esposti armi medioevali, e una mostra di cere raffiguranti una festa del 1898. I giardini sono molto popolari ed includono un roseto e dei pavoni. Vari eventi vengono tenuti qui ogni anno, come il festival Medievale, Flight of the Eagle (volo dell'aquila) e Meet the Castle Craftsmen (venite e conoscere gli artigiani del castello).
Questo meraviglioso giardino botanico, aperto nel 1832, fu progettato da John Claudius Loudon, un rinomato progettista di giardini e giornalista di orticultura. Il giardino da la possibilità di ammirare alcune delle più belle piante del mondo, oltre alle splendide serre in vetro. Le altre attrazioni, oltre alle piante sono un'uccelliera, un ristorante con una bella vista del giardino, un parco giochi d'avventura per bambini, un negozio di souvenir ed una galleria con opere di artisti locali.
In striking contrast to the typical 15th-Century style of this area sits Stratford Town Hall. It owes its classic stone design to the fact that it was completely re-built in the 1800s. The original building, which housed the Market Hall, dated back to 1634. However, it suffered extensive damage from a gunpowder explosion during the Civil War when parliamentarian forces were in occupation. Look out for the statue of Shakespeare, presented to the town by David Garrick, set in a niche on one of the exterior walls. Beneath this is a plaque commemorating the silver jubilee of HM Queen Elizabeth II in 1977.
It is well worth spending time studying the frontage of Harvard House, for it is Stratford's most ornate structure and a splendid example of an Elizabethan town house. Look in particular for the initials of the owners who had it re-built following the severe damage sustained in the Great Fire of 1594. It was their grandson John who, having emigrated to the United States, founded the university which bears his name. In 1909, the house was purchased by a Chicago millionaire who paid for it to be restored before presenting it to Harvard University. Today the house is managed on behalf of Harvard by the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. Inside the house, in addition to fine pieces of 17th century furniture, is part of the Neish pewter collection. This collection of great national importance boasts items spanning over two thousand years.
This award-winning museum in a Tudor period mansion has interactive exhibits, Shakespeare tours, night-time ghost tours, and organized school visits that bring 16th-century Elizabethan England to life. Visitors can take a seat at a period dining table, rest on a monarch’s bed and throne, and listen for spirits by candlelight.
The Chapel, established by the Guild of the Holy Cross in the 13th Century and subsequently re-built in the 15th, looks more like a church than a chapel from the outside. This, together with The Guild Chapel's proximity to the town center, sometimes makes visitors think that they are approaching the Holy Trinity Church. The Guild Chapel, however, deserves a visit in its own right as it houses some stunning frescoes. The frescoes were painted over during the reformation in the 16th century but fortunately were revealed during restoration work some 300 years later. Of these, the fresco representing the day of judgment, above the chancel arch, is one of the largest of its type anywhere in the country. Services are held at The Guild Chapel every Wednesday morning and on the first Saturday of each month. There are no Sunday services. The Guild Chapel also serves as the school chapel to the adjacent King Edward VI Grammar School.
For those who like their leisure activities passive, this is an ideal spot to relax. Feeding the ducks at the water's edge is about as energetic as it gets! However, there are lots of things to see including the colorful narrow-boats moored in the canal-basin and the impromptu street-entertainers. And that is not all. On one side of the gardens is the splendid Royal Shakespeare Theatre, and on another is the truly inspirational Gower Memorial. The Gardens are also just a short walk from the town center, making them particularly popular with visitors recovering from whistle-stop tours of Stratford's heritage sites.
In the heart of the city, is the house where Shakespeare was born in 1564. The entrance to the house is via the visitors' center. Here you will find the highly acclaimed Shakespeare Exhibition. This comprehensive display superbly illustrates the Bard's life and career in the city. Having walked through the exhibition, you emerge into a garden laid out with flowers, trees and shrubs that were familiar to Shakespeare and that were mentioned in his work. The house itself has been faithfully reconstructed and now offers a fascinating insight into Shakespeare's life as a child. Rooms have been furnished as accurately as possible with replicas of 16th Century everyday objects, furniture and textiles having been commissioned. Take yourself back in time and reflect upon the tales that began here.


As everywhere now, tattoos are not just for poor boys and bikers any longer. Every mother’s daughter and every single daughter’s son has one particular. Reports states that 12 to 20 million Americans have tattoos and the quantity is increasing each hour.
More than the previous years, there have been tattoo shops that has dominated the tattoo art market place. They have been instruction and nurturing tattoo artist. But what are seriously good points when picking out your tatto artist and tattoo shops?
A tattoo shop ought to be a clean and inviting environment. You should really know as you stroll via the door that the shop cares about both your physical and psychological nicely getting. If either is in query, then it may well not be the spot for you to get your artwork. The shop should really only use new needles in each the tattoo and piercing processes. The needles should really be sterilized in an Autoclave which is regularly tested by a health qualified.
Autoclaving is the same process applied to sterilize medical instruments in hospitals and is vital in avoiding doable Hepa B and C infections as nicely as HIV virus. If you have any doubts about the shop’s sterilization, you should really ask to see the shop’s set-up method. If you are refused, then stay away from the shops like that. A fantastic tattoo shops need to be strict in their safety policies and is also a fantastic point that the shop is inspected as soon as a month to insure the integrity of their sterilization practices.
Having a tattoo is not just like purchasing a leather jacket, cost should really not be an situation. More affordable is not a superior thought in deciding on your tattoo artist. You get what you pay for. Recall that it is a custom, 1-of-a-kind piece of art which final forever in your skin. Some excellent tattoo shops keeps their costs reasonable but not as dirt inexpensive like a prison top quality tattoo.
In accessing an artist it is essential to study their portfolio. Make confident the photographs of their perform are original, not reduce out of magazines. Look at the brightness of the colors and the facts of the styles. Also yoursite.com are the ideal references and a genuine life demonstration. An artist who only deals with common styles is much less experienced, is is a superior test for an artist if it will do custom perform or design. It is also vital that a shop and tattoo artist have an comprehensive selection of patterns to pick out from.
From tribal to religious to Japanese, from full back patterns, or by means of the requirements suns, moons, and hearts, some excellent shops have thousands of designs to pick out from. Appear out for blunders, do not let it come about to you. Tattoo error nightmares is an example of an unqualified artist, sloppy perform, and clients that had been unwilling to ask the vital questions and as well rush for the style procedure. Bear in mind, stay awake for the duration of your tattoo design and style. select a qualified artist and enjoy this extreme self-expression.


Folding business card - This is a card and logo design for a performance artist and body painter. Her work focuses on women’s issues and female power. The “swirl” logo was inspired by an image she saw in a dream. The die-cut “hourglass” shape alludes to yin and yang when closed and a woman’s waist and hips when open.
Siwen Ag Identity system - Siwen Ag is a Swiss consulting firm focused on healthcare projects & scientific data visualization. Their eclectic abilities needed a cohesive image to quickly communicate their areas of core competence.
Siwen Ag specializes in connecting people to resources to ensure success. The concept of connection served as the basis for the identity design. The final design solution transforms the Swiss cross into a system of fiducials (commonly used in both the medical and scientific fields) which are used as a grid for the page layout. A playful orange cross dots the “I” and reappears to emphasize the contact info.
Eight year anniversary card - This card was designed for my anniversary. My wife and I have a great relationship that defies description, so I was at a loss for words after eight wonderful years together.
My solution was to play with the number 8, turning it into a question mark and then tilting it on its side to become an infinity symbol.
Needless to say , it was quite well received.
Siwen AG website design - For the Siwen AG website, the theme of “connections everywhere” was expanded using background images that formed visual crosses relating to the info on the page
Stealth Auto Package Design - Packaging system for a specialty aftermarket automotive company. The package uses orthographic "x-ray" views of the bulbs in lieu of clear "windows" to minimize cost.


In the event that you saw Blade Runner 2049 on the weekend, you probably left the movie theater with some concerns. Exactly just What took place to Jared Leto’s eyes? Can replicants and people actually reproduce together? And it is Harrison Ford a replicant that is goddamn maybe perhaps not?
There are several fascinating debates that can be had after the credits roll, and I also hope Blade Runner fans are prepared to begin having them. (It didn’t help, needless to say, that experts had been expressly forbidden from saying essentially such a thing about Blade Runner 2049 before it was released. )
However the gloves are finally off, and there’s one scene I’ve been dying to share with you since I have saw Blade Runner 2049: The strangest & most interesting intercourse scene I’ve noticed in any movie this current year. It’s some sort of technologically enhanced menage a trois involving the figures played by Ryan Gosling, Ana de Armas, and Mackenzie Davis, plus it’s complicated enough so it merits an analysis that is particularly in-depth. So let’s take a good look at it from each character’s perspective.
The intercourse scene begins whenever K (Ryan Gosling) comes back to his Los Angeles that is small apartment. Their life—as a replicant created, particularly, to hunt and destroy other replicants—is not deeply satisfying. At the beginning of the film, we watch K stoically come back to their apartment as other tenants hurl anti-replicant slurs at him. The interactions that are only has within anyone are transactional. There’s his employer (Robin Wright), whom alternates between browbeating him and passes that are making him. You can find most of their adversaries, through the villainous niander that is human (Jared Leto) to Wallace’s brutal replicant enforcer Luv (Sylvia Hoeks). Whenever K does fulfill somebody new—say, the replicant played by Dave Bautista—it’s generally therefore they can destroy them.


This blog is not even a week old, and I've already changed the title.
I've done it because my friend Tim (whose film-making misadventures you can follow here) pointed out to me that "Failing Novelist" sounded both self-pitying and as if I were fishing for reassurance that it's not so.
After some thought I decided he was right. I wanted "Not (Yet) a Novelist", but that was taken, so "Not a Novelist (Yet)" it shall be.
It's staying that way this time. Promise!


South Korean girl group TWICE has touched down in Manila, arriving at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport on Friday, June 28.
TWICE’s fans (collectively known as PH ONCE), welcomed its members, Nayeon, Jeongyeon, Momo, Sana, Jihyo, Mina, Dahyun, Chaeyoung, and Tzuyu with warm Filipino greetings. And yes, fans also sang some of the girls' greatest hits!
See some of the videos from #TeamAirport fans below:
Currently in Manila for the 2019 "Twicelights" tour, TWICE is set to hold their first-ever show in the Philippines tomorrow, June 29, at the Mall of Asia Arena.
TWICE, which debuted in a reality show produced by JYP Entertainment, is the K-Pop group behind the songs "Like Ooh-Ahh,” “Cheer Up,” and “TT.”


How are you/have you been involved with Casson & Friends?
I am involved with Casson and Friends for Night at Theatre through Stopgap as one of the dancer's access worker (Nadenh). I also help out with other things too, such as constructing the set, welcoming the audience, handing out programes and feedback forms and most importantly the 'I Made a Dance' stickers. I also dance along with the kiddies and make sure they don't run on stage. I sometimes lead vocal warm ups too.
What do you love about dance?
I can never really put into words what I love about dance. I just love moving, letting go, feeling free, not caring, getting lost in the music and movement... Lots of things :)
What song always makes you dance?
A song that I quite like at the moment is DJ Snake-Middle ft. Bipolar Sunshine
Listen to the #FriendsFriday playlist on Spotify
What else are you working on at the moment?
I haven't long got back from a holiday in Croatia which was lovely. I am currently sitting in on the Creation of Stopgap's new work The Enormous Room and making a creation diary which has lots of different things in it, as well as supporting Lucy or the dancers where needed.
Stopgap's youth companies have started back and I am heavily involved with those groups, we will be working towards a small summer sharing. Night at the Theatre continues to tour and we are in Colchester and RichMix next. I have also just organized a graduation meal for 2 of the dancers that are now progressing into Stopgap's main company. Lots of different things... I'm an all rounder!
Meet more of the Casson & Friends team every Friday with #FriendsFriday!


Had a lovely tour on the south-west part of Flores last night. One of those magical nights when the sea is almost still, no wind, nice temperature and well, the setting – nothing more to ask of that.
How the Atlantic looked like a polished dance floor with the sun shining among the clouds is a sight I’ll remember for ever. It was all so beautiful it’s impossible to take pictures that actually give a hint of the real thing. And yet everything on the pictures look so perfect I had to put a person in some of them to make it a bit more real…
It’s still rather calm and quiet here on the island, though the tourist season begun a few weeks ago – we’ve seen more and more rental cars and typical tourists (they’re easy to spot among the locals…).
We’ve been lucky to be here so early in the year, with quite warm and good weather (it’s gotten so much better in the past weeks) and almost everyplace we’ve gone for hiking and sightseeing we’ve been totally alone. That’s really something!
Now this is what I call a good Friday night.