July 9, 2023

City Guide

Jonathan Barrett

There aren’t that many places in the world that have experienced conflict within my life time that are now deemed relatively safe to travel to, on the scale of which Sarajevo experienced. The scars of which can still be seen today.

July 9, 2022

Life

Jonathan Barrett

Glastonbury - The Unofficial Ultimate Comfort ...

A few years ago, I wrote Glastonbury: The Unofficial Survival Guide. This was something I shared with a couple of friends who were going to be coming with me for their first ever Glastonbury who asked for some information on what it was like and some tips on how to get by. It must have done its job as they both survived

November 7, 2021

Life, Review

Jonathan Barrett

The Yoga Experiment

An ex-colleague, and member of my beach swim club alerted me to the fact that the yoga studio that she attends around the corner from me was doing a day of free trial sessions. I had done yoga before and thought it was alright but preferred Pilates. Partly because it felt like a workout while resolving my flexibility issues, partly because a friend is an instructor and therefore have to prefer it and partly because previous yoga instructors I had been in contact with fit the stereotype of hemp wearing vegans who could feel the universe flowing through a haemorrhoid if the planets were in alignment. I thought I would give it a go anyway. A free class is a free class after all.

June 29, 2021

Life

Jonathan Barrett

Experiencing the Hype-othermia

Like half of the population, I dipped a metaphorical and literal toe into the world of cold water swimming during lockdown. The reasoning for this was partly because a couple of friends and people I follow on the gram participate, partly because the health benefits are well documented, it was free and partly out of boredom and needed a new activity to involve myself in.

March 23, 2021

Life

Jonathan Barrett

The Lockdown Lessons - A year of National ...

Today marks a year since the government announced its first national Lockdown. In some ways it feels like the longest year ever experienced by anyone ever, in other ways it really does not feel like it’s been that long at all. It is funny thinking back to that time when no one will have predicted that we would still be here a year later.

Ikigai

Jonathan Barrett

May 16, 2019

Life

A Leisurely Retirement

Jonathan Barrett

May 16, 2019

Life

The 5th of December 2011 was my first day in the leisure industry. It was a Monday. I know it was a Monday because I scrolled back through the calendar on my laptop to find out, and I know it was the 5th because most new jobs make you start on a Monday and the 5th of December 2012 was my second start date with the same company after having left and returned. My university course, Sport and Recreation Management, was designed to get those foolish enough to choose it into roles within the leisure, sport or hospitality industry. While at Uni I also did my NPLQ (National Pool Lifeguard Qualification). So, this may be viewed as a success, that I would finally be using my degree and NPLQ. It quickly became abundant that this may not be the case.