So here we are a few days into the New Year. Happy New Year by the way! Maybe you have had a wonderful start to the year, or maybe not. Maybe you made New Year Resolutions (and for the time being are still sticking to them), or maybe not. Maybe you love the month of January, or maybe not. Whatever your situation may be, the truth is that January 2012 is upon us. January was established as the first month of...

Have you just come back from a holiday? Are you suffering from post holiday blues? They say all good things come to an end and never has this been truer than in the case of holidays. However long you take off it never quite feels like enough. One day you are relaxing on the beach feeling the warmth of the sun on your skin and enjoying swimming in the sea. You have no care in the world other than what cocktail...

Dinner party conversations can either make or break an evening. Arguably, it is equally (or more) important than the food itself in contributing to the success of the event. So how do you know if you are a good dinner party guest? Nobody likes to sit with a nonstop talker who monopolises every conversation. Equally, it is just as bad to sit next to someone who has nothing to say and you feel like you’re pulling...

What do you want to be when you grow up? A familiar question that gets asked to children resulting in some fabulously entertaining answers (I for one wanted to be a princess and a detective part time). As we do in fact grow up, we soon learn that this is one of the most difficult questions we all have to face. There are only a few people who as adults actually end up in their childhood dream job. Others start...

I came across the Top 10 Most Ridiculous Laws from Around the World and it got me thinking about rules in general. Are rules devised to control the behaviour of each individual? What are the incentives to comply with the rules? There are legal rules that we have to follow otherwise we are breaking the law and there are concrete consequences for that. Then there are general societal laws that are far more subjective...

Once upon a time there was a beautiful princess who lived far far away. Something terrible happened. The handsome prince came to her rescue. They fell in love and got married. They lived happily ever after. The end. Throw in a beautiful princess, some evil people and a handsome prince and voila, you have the plot for an award winning fairytale. Does the princess have to be portrayed as a helpless damsel in...

Do you think it is important to keep a tidy desk? Is there any correlation between creativity, productivity and the mess on your desk? Many will say that a messy desk is a display of originality and a good imagination. This is of course an excuse. The reality is most will associate a cluttered desk with disorganisation. Did you know that a messy desk can actually make you sick? In a survey carried out years...

The beginning of a new year is filled with hope and expectations of what is yet to come. Whether you are firm believer that a new year is a new beginning or simply another page on the calendar, chances are you will be reassessing the past and planning for the future. I am a huge fan of lists and love reading things like “100 Places to Go Before you Die”. Having read many of these lists I have learnt...

As another year comes to an end, most of us will feel rather nostalgic about the past as well as excited about what the future has in store for us. Rather than trying to depart with my own words of wisdom, I have chosen one of my favourite lyrics to speak on my behalf. It is simple, inspirational and wise. Enjoy! Everybody Is Free To Wear Sunscreen – Baz Luhrmann Ladies and Gentlemen of the class of ’97,...

How many times have you uttered the words “My new year’s resolution is…”? The end of the calendar year is still very much seen as out with the old and in with the new. New Year’s resolutions are well intended so gym memberships increase as do detox products. Personally, I am not a huge fan of resolutions. I do however, believe that goals are crucial. So what is the difference between...