Lifestyle

February 2020

Retro Top Ten: This week in 1992

The fourth biggest-selling single of 1992, 'Stay' gave Shakespears Sister their first and only number one in the UK. A global hit, the song topped the UK charts for eight consecutive weeks and reached number 4 in the US, making it far and away their biggest hit Stateside.

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Dusting yourself off after failure

In a glossy world where everything is so often redone and made to look perfect, failure can be even more difficult to cope with in modern times.

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Master your mind to prepare for exams

The mocks are over, done and dusted. How do you feel you did, are you happy? Do you think that you could have worked harder? Here are some tips that might help you achieve your goals.

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Dreams a triumph in content and breadth of vision

If Dreams were any amount less of a masterpiece, the fact that what is possibly the greatest and most ambitious work of interactive entertainment of the past decade has flown in neatly below the general public's radar would be a damning indictment of Sony's marketing department.

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Latest Austen incarnation spirited and sporadically hilarious

In Jane Austen's 1815 novel of mismatched lovers, meddlesome yet well-meaning Emma Woodhouse informs one dashing suitor, 'I always deserve the best treatment, because I never put up with any other'.

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Species can't change but they evolve over time

Through the process of evolution, how can new species arise? How can one species turn into another? The simple answer is, of course, it can't.

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Dogs can have friends just like we humans do

Joni the Chihuahua was two years old, living as a singleton dog, when the news came that her personal space was going to be invaded. A large five year old female Staffordshire Bull Terrier called Sky was coming to stay.

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Some remedies you can try for loss of taste

Have you lost your sense of taste? When this happens nothing tastes the same, it can be distressing, your mood can even be affected because you have no enjoyment from food anymore.

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A worthy addition to the classic Zombie horde genre

Though Valve have seemingly made it explicitly clear that there will sadly not be a Left 4 Dead 3 in the near future, fans of somewhat tawdry cooperative zombie massacre simulators should rejoice, as Zombie Army 4: Dead War will fill that gap in much the same way that League of Ireland satisfies your football cravings when the Premier League isn't on.

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Regular exercise is important for all dogs

Regular exercise is one of a dog's key needs. Whenever someone is considering getting a pet, one of the first questions is "do you have enough time to exercise them?" If you don't, then you shouldn't get a dog.

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Jaw-dropping second act in wickedly entertaining Korean satire

Writer-director Bong Joon-ho mines a mother lode of deliciously cruel intentions in his wickedly entertaining, genre-bending satire, which is certain to convert some of its six Oscar nominations into golden statuettes.

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Frogs congregate to breed at this time of year

Unlike many other countries, we have only one species of frog in Ireland so since it cannot be confused with other species, it is known to us simply as 'the frog' without any need to give it its full, global-context title of the European Common Frog.

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Retro top ten: This week in 1967

Fewer than 40 songs in history have sold more than 10 million physical copies. This week's number one, released more than five decades ago, is among that elite group, with sales matching those of such classic hits as Elvis Presley's 'Hound Dog', Abba's 'Fernando' and Britney Spears' '...Baby One More Time'.

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What does wellbeing mean to you?

Wellbeing is defined as being 'happy, healthy and comfortable'. These are three simple words that on reflection can give powerful inspiration and direction to anyone wanting to improve their wellbeing.

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A remedy to kick start the new year

So you can't get going for 2020? Sometimes the beginning of a New Year can be a bit slow to kick off. You might be lacking in motivation. There are some natural remedies that might give you the kick start you need.

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Monarch butterflies a rare sight but their fate is doomed come winter

The Monarch is a large butterfly sporting bold orange and black colours. While it is native to North America and southern Canada, the species turns up in Ireland on rare occasions raising the question: How does it get here?

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Retro Top Ten: This week in 1981

Almost two months after John Lennon was shot dead by Mark David Chapman in New York, Lennon's songs were still dominating the charts.

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Research shows owning a dog is good for you

Science has transformed our society and culture. One of the remarkable aspects of science is the effect over years: as more is discovered, so our pool of knowledge gets bigger and bigger. In theory, at least, this should lead to the human race gradually becoming more informed, and closer to the "real" truth of the world around us.

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Exciting debut from studio with a big future

Sometimes it can be all too easy for a game critic to fall into the peculiar trap of assuming that the developer's haven't hit some theoretical goal with their latest effort, failing to capitalise on the supposed potential of a game and ultimately falling short of the mark.

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Volunteering gives a boost to wellbeing

'You make a living by what you get. You make a life by what you give.' - Winston Churchill

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Hanks to the fore in heartfelt tale of self-acceptance

It's a beautiful day for everyone thanks to director Marielle Heller and her heartfelt love letter to self-acceptance, inspired by Tom Junod's magazine article Can You Say. Hero?

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Life down under - Wexford expats discuss their experiences abroad

Rumour has it that the Irish economy is in a good place right now. The recovery has not only begun, it has kept going, and going, consigning that last, dastardly recession to the memory banks, a mere speck on the horizon.

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Make sure you never surrender your dog

I was speaking to a dog rescue group recently, and we ended up discussing how dogs ended up in dog pounds or rescue centres. There are two sources.

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World Wetlands Day focuses on biodiversity

World Wetlands Day is celebrated globally every year on 2 February, so this year it falls on Sunday of this week. The event is an initiative of the Standing Committee of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands.

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How to achieve a state of being ‘in flow’

How much of your free time do you spend focused or doing things you love to do every day? How much time do you spend relaxing?

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Don't be embarrassed by a health concern

Are you embarrassed by your health condition? I know I am. Look at the photo on this page. That's my nail. Talk about being embarrassed, I am hiding my nails from you when I am talking to you at the store.

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Colourful characters litter this madcap take on Dickens' literary hero

Writer-director Armando Iannucci OBE realises great expectations with his madcap spin take on one of Charles Dickens's indomitable literary heroes.

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An almost great game that falls at simple hurdles

Dragon Ball Z has forever seemed deserving of a ball-outta-the-park AAA video-game adaption more than most other TV series.

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Retro Top Ten: This week in 1970

Tony Burrows is not one of the most recognisable names from the seventies pop era, but he probably should be. A vocal-for-hire session singer, he was lead singer on a string of hits, mostly one-hit wonder tunes, for a variety of different groups.

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January 2020

A. Vogel Immune Support - a natural choice

A. Vogel Echinacea is a herbal product that most of you will be familiar with, it's one of A. Vogel's best known remedies. It's commonly used to protect against colds, flu, and viral infection. Many customers swear by it, telling me that they feel it protects them each year from infection.