Your unusually revealing Heyday Friday newsletter

There's insight and humour, an invaluable home tip, a heart-warming recommendation, and a surprising celebration in this week's newsletter

Hello!

The mixture of my natural and journalistic curiosity/interest/nosiness means I’ve always loved finding out what makes people tick. I relish discovering what someone’s interests and passions are, the beliefs and views that shape their lives, what brings them joy, and what challenges or frustrates them. (Sometimes too much, it’s true. More than once my late-husband had to whisper to me when I’d dived into a get-to-know-you conversation a little too enthusiastically “you do know you’re interviewing them, don’t you?”)

The older I get, the more I see and understand how, although each of us is, of course, different and unique in our life experiences and characteristics, we’re often more alike in more ways than we realise.

Prompted by a couple of similar posts I recently read and hugely enjoyed, in which the writers compiled a this-is-me list of all the things they recognise make them tick, I thought I’d have a go at doing the same. THIS WEEK’S BLOG is the result.

I’m hoping you find it as enjoyable and revealing to read as I did to write. By way of a taster, and as a thank you for being a reader - and hopefully subscriber - of this newsletter, below are a couple of the things that appear in the blog, plus two or three that are extras just for you:

• If I’m wearing any light colour I will immediately spill on it. Actually that applies to everything I wear.

• I understand now how life gradually wraps itself around grief, slowly making it easier to bear.

• The most heavenly thing imaginable on a cold night, is getting into a bed that’s been warmed with my electric blanket.

• I’m more competitive than I admit. And less of a good loser than I would like to be.

• Nothing beats a good laugh. More and more I want to surround myself with people who make me laugh.

Obviously you’ll have to READ THE BLOG to find out which are the ones that appear just here and not on the website.

What would you write about yourself? Do let me know in the comments.

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How very wise indeed are these

WORDS OF WISDOM

from American actress and playwright, Tina Lifford

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Whilst we’re on the subject of knowledge, here’s another

GOOD TO KNOW

tip I’ve found absolutely invaluable when it comes to putting anything up that requires you to drill holes at exact distances apart. I can’t tell you what a difference it makes!

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THIS WEEK I’VE BEEN……(RE)WATCHING

Reminded by a friend what a great film Green Book is (as recognised by its well-deserved 2019 Best Picture Oscar), and discovering that my lovely fella had never seen it, we settled down together to watch/re-watch this by turns funny, moving and sobering, movie inspired by the real life story of 1960s nightclub bouncer, Tony Vallelonga, who gets a job as a personal driver and minder to African-American jazz musician, Don Shirley, as he undertakes a tour of the deep south of the United States.

Armed with the Green Book of the title - a guide to hotels and restaurants hospitable to black people - a publication the need for which becomes uncomfortably, and at times unpleasantly, clear the further through the segregated south they go, the mis-matched pair, Tony is a blue-collar Italian American, Don a cultured concert pianist, set off on a literal and emotional journey during which they confront class and race prejudice, their own and that of others, sexual identity and social hypocrisy.

The approach to race and the culture clash of the two main protagonists in Green Book is clumsy and jarring at times, but it is more than saved by the performances of Viggo Mortensen as the unapologetically plain spoken, fiercely loyal, family-loving Tony, and an outstanding turn by Mahershala Ali, who won Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of the dignified but conflicted and occasionally self-destructive musician, who is forced to compromise his true artistry for professional acceptance.

Like The Six Triple Eight which I reviewed last week and which was also based on a true story, the film ends with images and update stories of the two real men, and the heart-warming information that they remained friends throughout the rest of their lives.

You can watch GREEN BOOK on Amazon Prime

And see the trailer HERE

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WHAT’S MADE ME HAPPY THIS WEEK

Talking about surrounding myself with people who make me laugh, whilst I’ve never met comedian Jake Lambert, on the basis of his hilariously spot-on sketches on his Instagram account, like this one about the design of hotel rooms, I would very much like to.

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FRIDAY FUN FACT

My love of hugging knows no bounds (check out number 17 on THE BLOG list), so imagine my delight when I discovered that January 21st is National Hug Day. Who knew.

Dedicated to ‘celebrating the power of hugs and their ability to bring joy and comfort to both the giver and the receiver,’ this marvellous awareness day was first created in 1986 as a reminder that ‘even a brief hug can create a meaningful and positive connection between people.’ Amen to that!

So should you be in need of any encouragement to spread more than a little happiness through hugging anyone appropriate (probably not the postman, though if he or she, is as lovely as mine, go for it) then Jan 21st is the day to do it.

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That’s it for now. Hope the week ahead is chock full of hugs and laughter for you.

Consider yourself hugged from me if you’ve clicked on the like heart, and/or are a subscriber, and dial that up to a mega hug if you’re one of my wonderful paid subscribers.

See you next time.