Hilary Robertson - writer and sax player

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A quiet day

April 07, 2013

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Mostly spent sleeping and hoping my shoulder will miraculously repair itself.

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If you can't take a great photo, take a candid one

Hitchin's Jazz up! has always been delivered with a touch of humour and trombonist Dave Keech swigging a mug of tea between solos somehow sums it up.

Jazz if about people being themselves both as performers and audience and if that means swigging tea, then great.

Last night's gig also featured keyboard whizz Nikolaj Torp Larsen (The Specials, Adele, Sister Sledge etc etc), Aswad's Kenrick Rowe (who's just finished touring with PJ Harvey) on drums, bassist Neville Malcolm (Steve Williamson and Icognito among many others) and young sax supremo Tom Ridout.

This was a scratch band of people who know what they're doing. And do it well.

Standards sounded fresh and proved that if you put five talented musicians on stage with just a little rehearsal, they'll interpret tunes in their own way. There were backing stabs created by Keech/Ridout and Keech/Larsen to great effect and a genuine strong rhythm section feel between the experienced Rowe and Malcolm.

Club 85 and Da…

Stationery porn

Am I the only person who needs three notebooks at a time?

One is for a specific client, one is for my daily notes for everything else and the the third is one I carry around even in the tiniest handbag.

Of course, there is also a bookshelf of archived notebooks. And yes, I do refer back to them.

Only this week, I referred to past notes of an interview for a current job. Part of the skill is in knowing where those notes might be. And immediately recognising them when flicking through an old notebook.

When I'm the one paying, it'll always be a Moleskine. With one of my collection of Mont Blanc pens. Using better tools might just help me be a better writer.

Are you a giver or a taker?

Having read Originals by Adam Grant a few weeks ago, I decided to try the prequel - Give and Take.

It's another interesting read, which encourages us all to examine whether we help or hinder others. And whether that has an impact on our business.

Grant's contention is, of course, that being a giver brings positive change to a business and he presents a range of examples that would back it up.

There's an old saying that those who give regularly and generously to others and especially to charity never become poor doing so. Ask Bill Gates. Perhaps there is something in that.

I've always considered myself a giver but I know I can be a taker, too. Which isn't always a bad thing. Read Grant's book and decide where you stand.

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A quiet day

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