SNIPPETS

A snippet is a small piece of material that has been cut from a larger cloth. I am using this term to define small pieces of information that I have gleaned, usually from the radio. I have acquired the habit in lockdown of turning on the radio at random, and very often I hear something very interesting.

For instance, the other day I turned it on to hear Sir Anthony Gormley talking. (A slight digression here, the New Year’s Honours list.) He had been knighted, as has Chris Packham, now Sir, and Mary Berry has been made a dame. All bits of information which I have since learnt.To go back to Anthony Gormley, he has been making models of imaginary dogs, dogs that is to say with unusual features, say five legs or two tails, and so on, and he has been displaying them. He went on to suggest that we should all start displaying our art work or creative endeavours in our front windows, thus creating a community spirit and friendly rivalry. I thought this was an excellent idea and I have put up one of my own drawings of a cat in my window. I have already received a compliment.

This morning I turned on the radio and heard someone called Mary talking about peoples’ reactions to her on the media, some were good, some were bad, and how she had learnt to ignore them, as none of them related to who she really was, she had moved on to another level. This is interesting I thought. Who was this Mary? I learnt that she was Mary Portas on the Saturday Morning Live programme. The conversation became quite metaphysical, of course, with the Reverent Richard Coles at the helm. Mary Portas was the business entepreneur and fashion consultant. What she meant was that she had transcended her ego. What ensued was an interesting discussion about the future of the High Street and business in general.

How interesting, I thought, that lockdown is turning everyone’s perceptions upside down, and bringing people to realise what are the things that really matter for them.

That is my little snippet for today. I hope it has given you food for thought.