What happens when we get an invoice for the damage we do to ourselves? — Aged five I had my first real encounter with the much-praised health system in Cuba. My parents rushed me to A&E one night after I complained of having a sharp pain in my stomach. I was discharged the same night. The physician who saw me said I had “nothing more…

Practical, no-nonsense, and achievable tips — Inspiration for a writer is key to developing new ideas. Also key is keeping our perspiration to a minimum. Joking aside, when I write I seek spiritual and mental stimulation from a variety of sources such as: fiction and nonfiction, the natural world, and interactions with other people. One of…

What we can learn from ancient wisdom — In our fast-paced, adrenaline-driven, modern life, we sometimes forget that many of the tenets, institutions and ways of thinking we hold dear nowadays have their roots in centuries-, or even millennia-old philosophies. Myth, past, and reality don’t just symbolize a fag-hanging-from-mouth, retirement-overdue, Keith Richards, but also stories that have become…

An urban juxtaposition in London’s East End — As an amateur street photographer I follow the Texas Rangers motto, “Shoot first, ask questions later”. If I come across an urban scene that’s telling me a story but I can’t quite figure out what that story is at first sight, I’ll still press ‘click’. …

Venus Cafe, Florentia Clothing Village, Tottenham —

A heron does a De Niro in Finsbury Park You talkin’ to me? The long-beaked bird seemed to be impersonating Travis Bickle’s famous line. I couldn’t blame it. There we were: two cycling instructors and a bunch of giggling primary school children on bikes and yellow tabards. We’d just come…

Is it time to stop looking upwards? —

Gail’s Bakery, Highgate —

A silent film that gives a voice to the voiceless — The camera zooms in from the suburbs to the centre. To the sound of birdsong we’re treated to an aerial view of London’s pastoral outskirts. The one of manicured fields and golf courses. …