Soap-achondriacs

A survey last week reported that 9 out of 10 doctors say their patients already believe they know what is wrong with them - based on what they see in their favourite soaps on TV. At least half are wrong in their self-diagnosis.

This is scary - but in my view, it backs up beliefs of increased violence from watching TV. It indicates how susceptible we are to taking fiction on board as part of real life.

I have long wanted to stop people watching other people's lives, and to instead get more out of their own life. If you spend each evening watching (say) EastEnders, how can you not get depressed in the process? There is so little fun and laughter, too much anger... Go out and get some fun with some real people!

Cosmopolitan schooling

I read this week of an amazing school, White Hart Lane, Tottenham, which has pupils from 50 countries, speaking 58 languages, and staff from 33 countries. Since 2000, this school has seen radical improvement, including exam results improved threefold. The assistant head, June Simmons, said "It's normal to be different in this school... it feels an incredibly rich place to be."

What a wonderful story!

This contrasts so much with the Tories current rabble-rousing plans on immigration, asylum seekers, travellers etc. Since it was Michael Howard, who in 1994 removed the obligation of councils to provide legal gypsy camps, he is in a sense responsible for the growth in illegal camps - if you have nowhere legal to go, what else can you resort to? He seems to stop at nothing if he thinks it will win him votes - but thankfully, based on views I heard on Question Time last night, it seems to have backfired for him. Hooray for common sense...

Feeling good after an active weekend...

I managed two long cycle rides this weekend - 57 miles in total. The weather was bright and the world was SO green and fresh - what an absolute joy to cycle through Northants countryside, hearing the birds and feeling my strength developing. A great way to spend a weekend.

I kept reminding myself, as I cycled 29 miles, that Paula Radcliffe can run almost the same distance, in approx. the same time I take to cycle it!
Rather her than me :-)

Closer to the Dream at The Vitality Show

I am doing some work for a company called Closer to the Dream, which is launching a new, positive, inspiring monthly magazine called Inspiring Heart – that you watch on DVD! It will be an antidote to the rather negative slant of most current media and will feature positive news stories, interviews with inspirational people and plenty of other wonderful features. If you would like to register interest, please go to http://www.closertothedream.com and add your email address, or visit us on the stand (G126a) at the Vitality Show (Olympia, April 7-10 – I’ll be there Thursday and Friday, so come and say hello!).