A Place in the Sun

  A Tribute to the Prince of Darkness Today, we say goodbye to a man who never truly fit the mold — because Ozzy Osbourne was too busy melting it down, screaming over it, and walking straight through it in leather and eyeliner. Born in Birmingham in 1948, John Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne became the voice — and later the face — of heavy metal . As frontman of Black Sabbath , he helped birth a sound that would reverberate for generations: raw, doom-laden, untamed. Later, as a solo artist, he proved he wasn't just a band member — he was a force of nature . But Ozzy wasn't only myth and mayhem. Beneath the bat-biting headlines and the reality-show chaos was a man who loved deeply — his wife Sharon , his children, his fans — and who, despite battling addiction , Parkinson’s disease , and grueling surgeries , never stopped showing up . His final public act — a farewell concert in Birmingham just weeks ago — now feels like prophecy. He gave us that last howl, that final bo...

It's all about the little things that make huge differences.  I had this experience in the last few weeks, to a month. My boat stopped working, and I had serious problems with overheating. I thought the oil was heating, and that I might have been losing coolant.  I refilled both, checked the pipes.  Then I wasked someone to come and help me and he changed an impeller.  BOOM! She works like a dream. The next week, I was complaining about my mop-and-bucket system.  It's mechanical - but I wasn't cleaning properly.  Rummaging in my cupboard, I found a new replacement mop-head. I changed it - VAMOOSH! Nice, fresh floors. My bike wouldn't start.  I knew immediately - I changed a spark plug. Took a few kicks, and he roared back to life. Moral of the story: a very tiny thing can have effect on the entire ecosystem of whatever it is you're dealing with. The English saying goes, 'Take care of the pennies, and the pounds will take care of themselves'.  This...

 I have often thought about what friends I have.  I have not, for a very long time, thrown all friends into one basket.  I also think that people can only handle things that are within their sphere – so for example, it is useless discussing the opera with someone like me, because I don’t get it.  I have friends for different things, but usually it revolves around sharing. I don’t do one-way relationships – that is not friendship, that is dependency.  Neither do I do symbiosis (where we each completely feed off each other) – a real friend will share with you but let you swim alone; and as a real friend, you will share with them but then swim unaided – and that works both ways. Sharing – perhaps we connect because we are going through something similar and we can share our ideas and learn from each other; perhaps we can share because we both love a good love, or a goof around an arts exhibition. There are a few dear people – very dear – who I do n...

Easter always seems to arrive at just the right time. It comes with spring, when the earth starts to stir again—buds on trees, longer days, and that sense of possibility in the air. This Easter Sunday, the weather feels like a reflection of that shift: bright and clear, after weeks of grey skies and even the rare desert rain. It’s as if the world decided to turn a page. Mindful Morning Checklist An important tool for me to stay grounded The past year—or maybe a little more—has been heavy. There were losses, of many kinds. Work that slipped away. Business deals that didn’t land. Relationships that changed, ended, or quietly faded. Even mentors I leaned on have been lost in one way or another. It’s been a time of release, and sometimes, of having to let go before I felt ready. But within that space, new things have taken root. I’ve been surprised—and deeply grateful—for the support of new friends who showed up with kindness, without fanfare. And there’s been something beautiful about r...

 The term "Monday Blues" refers to the feeling of sadness, lethargy, or lack of motivation that some people experience at the beginning of the workweek, particularly on Mondays. While it is a commonly used expression, it is not a formally recognized medical or psychological condition. Instead, it is more of a colloquial term to describe a mood or emotional state. So, is it true? There is some scientific evidence that supports the idea that people may experience negative emotions or stress at the start of the workweek. What causes it? The Monday-Blues phenomenon can be due to a combination of factors: Weekend effect : After a relaxing or enjoyable weekend, the transition back to work on Monday may feel abrupt and cause some resistance. It may be hard for someone to switch from the easy state of the weekend to the office environment. Try to have an easy Sunday evening and make sure you are well rested on a Monday morning! Sleep disruption : Changes...