BOOK NOOK; Stand Up Straight by Paul Nanson

 

"Be the fullest and best version of yourself - do not waste a single vertebra."

Stand Up Straight is a very useful little book, which was recommended to me by one of the lads I got talking to at the Jason Fox tour the other night.  (Andy, if you're reading this; Hi! And thanks - it's a cool book!)  I downloaded it that same night and I have enjoyed the snippets of wisdom it has to offer. 

The book is written in the same vein as Admiral McRaven's Make Your Bed, which I enjoyed immensely some time ago. However, Stand Up Straight is written from an entirely British Military perspective and details the training given to potential Officer candidates at Sandhurst. 

Broken up into ten chapters, each with its own life lesson, the book wings along at a good pace, covering topics such as organisation, habits, failure, beliefs and so on.  I enjoyed the section on the leadership qualities of wolves, which is something that I have written about on my blog in the past. Wolves are fabulous creatures and we can learn a lot from them, through observation of how they work together in order for the pack to thrive, but I wasn't expecting to find them in a military book, so that was a lovely surprise.

I also enjoyed the section on the power of failure and how it is a lesson which can teach us how to thrive.  It's impossible to succeed first time, every time. Sometimes you will have set backs but how you handle those set backs will help to determine you character.

There are lots of character building snippets in this little book, plus anecdotes of the author's time at Sandhurst and beyond in the field of war. Leadership and responsibility go hand in hand, at least they are supposed to. Sometimes in the civilian world, bosses can mistake dictatorship for leadership, so if you have a boss like that, let them read this book! It will soon set them on the right path, encouraging them to lead from the front - which is the only way to lead really. Anything else is just a pretense at leadership. 

I liked the anecdotes as they helped to put the lessons into perspective, illustrating how this training is used in warfare, and also how such wisdom can be transferred into everyday life too. They also lend a touch of adventure to the book, which is very enthralling. In addition the author asks the reader to reflect on how they navigate their own life and whether they act from a place of courage and compassion or not. I really liked this side of the book, because it can be too easy to simply walk past someone who is clearly distressed or in trouble in some way. 

I know from personal experience that stopping to help those in need is incredibly rewarding. You simply cannot help someone and not feel some benefit yourself, because it puts a spring in your step and makes you feel like your day was not wasted - you made someone else's day/life a little bit easier, by stepping up and intervening. Yes it takes a certain amount of courage to offer assistance in a tricky situation, but I would always rather help than not. When was the last time your helped a stranger in need, even if it was only seeing a child or an elderly person across a busy street? These small acts of service help to make the world a better place. 

I am the kind of woman who stops traffic so I can see a cat safely across the road, because I've seen too many mashed up cats, while working at the vet hospital, to let a feline take the risk alone! 

Stand Up Straight is only a small book, but it is jammed packed with information that can help you to become a stronger, better version of yourself. It will teach you to have courage, to keep going when things get tough and to step up and intervene when necessary. You can read it in one sitting over a cup of tea and a biscuit, or digest a chapter each morning to set you up for the day and ensure you start off with the right attitude - this is important for those of us who are not morning people! Personally, I was very glad I don't have to be ready for inspection at 5.55am - I'll leave that to the wannabe Ruperts! 

I like my beauty sleep. And after staying up half the night reading, a lie-in is required! 

Enjoy!

BB Marie x

ONCE UPON A DREAM; A Night With Jason Fox!

"The real world is far more brutal than going to war."

Jason Fox

It's after midnight and I have just got home from a night out on the town. I went to see Jason Fox on his UK tour. I've had the ticket for ages and it is something that I have really been looking forward to.  I've seen Ant Middleton on tour a couple of times, but this is the first time I've ever seen Foxy - I think it might even be his first tour. I was excited because I'd managed to snag front row seats, which is great because being petite, I usually can't see very much if someone taller sits in front of me! This time I had a fabulous view of the stage and I could see him and the screen behind him, quite clearly. 

The show was so interesting! Foxy came across as being very humble and a bit shy actually. He explained that this was only his second show, which was why he was feeling a bit nervous. But he soon got into the swing of it once he began to talk about his life in the Special Forces and beyond.  He is a very funny man, and he told some stories that I simply can't repeat here, as they are a bit shocking. It was such a good laugh and he came across as being very personable - a likable character. 

Of course he wasn't allowed to discuss his time in the SBS, but he did talk of his selection process and the kind of training which went on to be depicted in the TV show SAS: Who Dares Wins.  He mentioned lots of funny behind the scenes stories and things that had gone hilariously wrong. It made me wish that Channel 4 would put out a DVD of all the Bloopers, as the mistakes sounded even more entertaining than the show itself.

I learnt quite a lot tonight and the lessons were given in such a clear and matter of fact way, that you don't even realize how much you are absorbing until you sit and think about it later in the taxi home.  He spoke of his TV program exploring the drugs trade and that was quite scary. Note to self - never go to Mexico or Columbia - they sound like shit-tips full of crazy drug dealers who butcher people in the streets! I think I'll stick to the Scottish Highlands for my holidays! 

It's always fascinating listening to someone who has led such an interesting life. I could have sat there for hours, just letting him talk about his experiences in the Military, his struggle with PTSD and his personal healing journey.  He's just so honest.  There was no boasting. He isn't a braggart, and at times he even seemed a little bit uncomfortable to find himself on a stage in front of an audience of hundreds of people, but that just added to his humanity. He wasn't afraid to be vulnerable, or admit that there have been times when he was scared and just wanted his mum.  He's exactly how he comes across on TV - what you see is what you get.

I do already have both of his books and I have enjoyed reading his work, so I just bought myself a signed program from the Tour. I'm going to read it in bed tonight.  The audience was predominantly male, as you might imagine for such a show, but everyone was very friendly and I got chatting to a nice lad about military books etc. So it was lovely evening, finished off with a round of cocktails in a cosy pub, before I got into a taxi and came home.  It's been a freezing cold night though, so I was glad I'd worn my black sparkly thigh-high boots to keep my legs warm! By the time I got home I was still perished, as it's bitter out tonight.

I had a great time seeing the Jason Fox Tour and I would certainly go to see him again. It was both interesting and entertaining. Now I'm going to snuggle up into bed to read my program and download the military book that I was recommended. Sounds like the perfect end to a perfect night.

Sweet Dreams

Marie x

 

MUSICAL DOLL; You'll Never Get Over Me

 "You'll never get over me, I'll never get under you

Whenever our voices speak, it's never our minds that meet..."

You have to have a meeting of minds before anything else can follow.

xxx

ONCE UPON A DREAM: Opening the Box of Delights

"In my Box are such delights..."

I have loved John Masefield's The Box of Delights since childhood. I can remember being gripped by the TV adaptation in the 1980s and my brother bought me the book as a surprise, which I still have.  It's the TV tie-in paperback, so the pages are yellowed and it is quite fragile, being almost 40 years old!  So while I will always keep the edition my brother bought for me when I was 10, I was ready for a new reading copy of the book.

I got the new hardcover version from Harper Collins. It is a lovely navy blue and gold book and it would be a nice replacement for my old, fragile copy, but it is unfortunately illustrated by Quentin Blake.  I don't like his artwork. I think his line drawings are a chaotic mess and I wish they had chosen a different artist. This could have been a stunning book, had they chosen the right illustrator and made the illustrations colour, rather than black and white. So I'm not sure if I will keep this copy or send it back, because I don't love it, but maybe it will do as a space holder until I discover an edition that I truly like. I'm still gutted that I missed out on the dulology from the Folio Society a few years ago, as that version was just beautiful, with a slip case, gorgeous cover and full colour plate illustrations. Sadly, they don't produce them anymore, so my quest for the perfect edition continues.

I did find a matching hardcover set of The Box of Delights and The Midnight Folk which I have never read, on Amazon.  They are vintage books, so I'll need to see what condition they are in when they arrive, but hopefully they will be lovely. Then I'll decide which to keep and which to send back, as obviously I don't need three copies of the same book!

During my quest for the novel however, I also discovered a couple of other gems, both based on The Box of Delights.  The first is this stunning book called Opening The Box of Delights. This is in part, a biography of the author John Masefield, and also a commemorative volume celebrating his most famous children's book, and all the adaptations that have been produced over the years.  It has details of Masefield's life during the war, his early work and his time as Poet Laureate. I like that the book features many photographs of Masefield's early drafts and hand written manuscripts and maps etc. It really gives an insight into him as an author and you get a feel for his writing process. 

The book also runs through all the different artists who have illustrated The Box of Delights over the years, including Masefield's own daughter Judith, plus it goes on to discuss all the different mediums in which the story has been told, from dance, theatre, radio and the TV series which got me hooked on the book in the first place. It goes into quite a bit of background detail about this series, even exploring how the beautiful soundtrack was made and what the musical influences were behind it. I have learnt so much from this book and I'm so happy that I discovered it. 

I have both the DVD series and the soundtrack CD, so it is fascinating to learn more about what went into this classic adaptation that many of us know from childhood. I highly recommend the CD as it is very magical - the perfect music to play in the background when you are writing, baking, pottering or crafting.  I also have the collectors edition soundtrack on vinyl as well, which is very, very special, so there is that option too, if you prefer records to CDs.  

The final item I bought was the BBC Radio 4 dramatization, which is three hours long and plays out across three CDs. This isn't just an audio book version on CD - rather it is a full cast of actors, staging the book as a radio play.  I've never heard it before so I plan to listen to one CD a night, while I'm snuggled into bed, allowing the radio play to whisk me away to a snowy winter when the wolves are running! 

I have been enchanted by the magic of The Box of Delights for almost 40 years.  I enjoy revisiting it every winter in one form or another. I love that it has lots of pagan undertones, featuring characters such as Herne the Hunter - I think Kay's adventures with Herne are my favourite aspects of the novel. I love that it is set at Christmas time, on snowy winter's nights, that it has the cosyness of enchanted log fires and hot possets in bed, of danger and courage and magic. I love that it is set in the past, when boys wore short trousers and school caps, and women wore stoles, hats and evening gloves. It's all so charming and it has fired my imagination for many, many years!

Whether you are an avid Box of Delights fan, or the story is new to you, winter is the ideal time to indulge in this atmospheric, snowy fantasy. There are so many ways that you can enjoy it too - read the book, watch the TV series, listen to the soundtrack or the radio play, or pick up Opening the Box of Delights to learn more about this fascinating author and his magical world. 

Grab a cup of cocoa or a hot posset, a festive winter treat, curl up under a blanket with The Box of Delights and before you know it, you will be spending this Sunday evening living a boy's adventure tale! That's what I will be doing tonight. And remember...If you see Someone, say Someone's safe! 

BB Marie x 

ONCE UPON A DREAM; Winter Blooming

 

Happy 2023! Now that all the festivities are over and the decorations are packed away for another year, it is time to venture back out into the world again.  Many people will have returned to work today and they will have felt understandably glum at the prospect. I used to feel the same! For me, however, this is the first January in four years where I have not dreaded going back to the vet hospital after the New Year bank holiday. I didn't get very much time off during the festivities and for the past two years I spent New Year's Eve working 12 hour shifts, with only New Year's Day off because we didn't open on bank holidays, so I'm very happy to be free of all that! I feel for my former colleagues though.

Now I am working entirely from home again, so I can stay snug as a bug in my house, while others trudge off to the office and clear the ice off their cars.  I feel very grateful to 2022 for this positive change in my circumstances.  My current working life is far less stressful than it was at the vets! Now I work in a relaxed manner, in lovely surroundings, scented candles burning and a cup of hot chocolate beside me.

January is a month that a lot of people dislike. It's dark from 4pm, it's cold and damp, or snowy.  Overnight frosts mean that they have to get up even earlier to de-ice the car before they can drive to work, then it's dark when they drive home again in the evening. With Christmas over, January and February can seem like a very dark time indeed, but it doesn't have to be, because although we are in the very depths of winter right now, there are still things that you can do to brighten your life and make the New Year a time of gentle growth.

I love winter. I love this darkest time of the year and it is when I feel most in alignment with the natural world around me. I like the early dusk and the longer nights, the chill in the air and the excuse to bunker down and hibernate for a while. If I were a flower I would be one that blooms in winter!  This is when I feel most at home with the season, and while I do miss all the brightness of Yuletide, I find ways to hang onto the festive atmosphere as long as possible. For me winter is when I start to blossom!

I tend to go into January in a very gentle way.  I light candles on New Year's Eve, in gratitude for all that the old year brought my way, then I make my list of goals on New Year's Day.  Then I do nothing.  I don't join a gym on January 1st. I don't rush out to the January sales. I don't start a diet. I don't even consider Dry January, because there is still mulled wine to be enjoyed! In short, I don't set myself up to fail. I simply accept that while Yuletide might be over, winter is really just beginning and it's a marathon, not a sprint. 

Winter blooming is about being kind to yourself during the darkest, coldest months of the year.  The reason behind gift giving at Yuletide is so that people have what they need to help them endure the winter, so be sure to make the most of your Christmas presents. Light those winter scented candles, use the fancy bath-bombs and lotions that were in your stocking, bake a few goodies.  When you save things for best you are keeping joy at bay. 

To bloom in winter means that you take extra care of yourself, living in accordance with the season. It makes no sense to start a diet in deep winter when your body needs hearty foods to keep warm. Start the diet in spring instead.  Use this time of year to make plans for the bright season ahead. De-clutter and organize so that your home feels fresh and pleasant to be in. Create little rituals that nourish your soul after a long day at work. When I used to come home from a 12 hour day at the vet hospital I would hop in the shower, then drop into bed exhausted - but I always made sure that I had put a CD of beautiful music on to play in the bedroom as I fell asleep, usually something by Hauser or the Two Cellos, or sometimes it was Disney Classical. 

Winter can be hard to endure, so simple rituals like this can be something you look forward to during the working day. It can help to make winter more pleasurable, more cosy. Curling up into bed with a mug of fancy hot chocolate and a new book or a film to enjoy can become a welcome retreat.  Nourishing your skin with face masks and lotions helps to make you feel pampered and prepared for life.  Your skin needs the extra help in the harsh winter weather. Winter blooming is a way to make the dark season more enjoyable, so here are a few tips on how you can blossom this winter.

• Take down the tree but leave up a few fairy-lights to brighten your home during the darker days
• Light candles each evening to add a warm glow to the room
• Nourish yourself with hot food and warm drinks
• Go for a winter walk to put roses in your cheeks
• Go ice-skating or horse-riding in the frosty woods
• Nourish your skin with lotions and potions
• Bake something yummy, while listening to classical music
• Have festive bath times - use bath-bombs and bubbles and frolic in the water
• De-clutter - one drawer or cupboard a day, until its all done. No rush, no pressure.
• De-clutter your Christmas decorations before you put them away. You'll thank yourself next December!
• Buy a winter flowering house plant, or plant them in your garden
• Organize your library of books
• Rest, read, relax, nap
• Have a massage
• Play beautiful soothing music as you fall asleep
• Use a body scrub in the shower after a bad day to get rid of all the bad vibes!
• Plan time to rest and do nothing, lazy days are good for the soul
• Whatever your job, don't work too hard! Winter is meant to be a time of rest
• It's still theatre season! Go and see the ballet or a show
• Wear thermals! 
• Remember that mulled wine was the staple drink for centuries, so drink it until spring if you want to!

Whether you love winter as I do, or you hate and and can't wait for summer to come, teaching yourself to blossom in winter will ensure that you no longer dread the dark months of the new year.  I know that many people have been dreading this winter in particular, due to the rising cost of energy and so on. I spent most of the autumn shopping, trying to prepare and buy my elderly mother everything I could think of to keep her warm this winter, from portable electric heaters to fingerless gloves! 

I know this can be a hard season, now more than ever, so I hope that this little post has helped you to see winter as a magical time of both hibernation and active snowy walks, of hearty food and restful sleep. Use this time to recharge your batteries, organize your space and set a few goals for the next 12 months. Go into this new year gently. See yourself as a winter blooming flower, treat yourself accordingly, and soon you will blossom prettily amid the snow! 

Stay warm and safe

Blessed Be

Marie x 

MUSICAL DOLL; I'll Never Not Love You

 Love this - Titantic, Princess Bride, Love Actually and the nod to Taylor Swift's All Too Well - I think I might be a Michael Buble fan after this one...

Happy New Year

xxx