Inspiration...

To some, this may seem ironic that I am inspired by Nigella Lawson, as apparently I am 'obsessed' but really, I'm not. The reason I like Nigella is that she has succeeded in being a Journalist and she has had strength throughout her life...



Nigella during her early career in Journalism.

First of all I am inspired by Nigella as she has been academically successful, she went to Oxford University earning a MA in Medieval English and Modern languages. Due to her academic ability she become a Journalist - which I want to aspire to be. She was very successful. She firstly started out by being a publisher, by the time she was 23 she commenced her career in Journalism being invited to write for 'The Spectator' writing book reviews, and becoming a restaurant critic there in 1985. She then became the Deputy Literary editor for 'The Sunday Times' by the time she was 26. Continuing as a successful journalist she wrote for 'The Daily Telegraph', 'The Evening Standard', 'The Observer' and even penned a food column for 'Vogue' and a makeup column for 'The Times Magazine'. Years down the line she eventually ended her Journalism career, her quotation for this was "I was on the wrong ladder. I didn’t want to be an executive, being paid to worry rather than think", in an interview I watched, she knew she wanted a career change, as she thought that she had gone to the height in her career and she knew she wanted to divert. This article I read inpsires me on how to become a Journalist (an interviewer asked Nigella questions): http://lornaheap.tumblr.com/post/909348639/nigella-lawson-tells-me-about-her-life-as-a-journalist

                                                       



John, Nigella, Bruno and Cosima.

 I am also inspired by Nigella as she has been through a lot in her life: losing her mother when she was only 26 years old, losing her sister and her first husband John Diamond - father to their two children Cosima and Bruno. She lost these three important family members in her life due to Cancer. I have witnessed people dying of Cancer, and I have lost a family member whom I was not very close to as she was my second Auntie, but I was really touched and upset when she passed away, I could never imagine losing my own mother, sister or husband - it would be unexplainable, unimaginable. I once read an article on John's illness, as he wrote articles on his Cancer and how it affected him.
His first thought was not about dying, he thought of the effect on Nigella, whose mother and sister had died of cancer. He also thought of his two children "fancy not seeing how that plot turns out" he said. And, looking at his daughter, he said: "There was poignancy sitting there on a plate in a nightdress". He dismissed the notion that people were stronger after a disease like cancer, feeling that he did not need cancer to remind him what he thought of Nigella and his children. He explained Nigella to be his 'living saint in his living hell'. In a recent article I read, written by John Diamond himself it explained a moment in his illness: A couple of nights ago, I was sitting with Nigella in bed. "What are you smiling at?" Nigella said. I didn't realise that I was, but what I was thinking about was Nigella and the children. I was holding a soft toy which Bruno had brought into the bed when Cosima had fetched him in that morning. "It's such a strange time, isn't it?" I said. "How so strange?" Nigella said. "Oh you know. Strange in that I've never felt more love for you than I have in the past year, that I've never appreciated you as much, nor the children. In a way I feel guilty that it should have taken this to do it, I suppose. But it is strange, isn't it?" this shows how cancer affected him and that he finally realised the reality and how he had a possibility of losing the fight against cancer, and that he loved his family dearly.

Nigella and John marrying in Venice, 1992.


She met her first husband John Diamond in 1986 whilst writing for 'The Sunday Times' - they were both journalists. They both married in Venice in the year 1992 and years later they had children: A daughter Cosima in 1993/1994 and a son Bruno in 1996. Sadly, John was diagnosed with throat cancer and under goed treatment after treatment for some source of hope but after years of suffering and seeing his children grow up not fully understanding, he died in 2001 aged only 47. His last words to her were "how proud I am of you and what you have become, the great thing about us is that we have made us who we are" this shows how they both experienced Journalism, and met in something they loved doing and by meeting each other they improved and became as one. I admire Nigella's strength to raise their children Cosima and Bruno who always talked about their father and to be strong after her losses.



Nigella.

I also admire that Nigella is not afraid of body image and that she is no victim to fashion, and says that her "laziness is greater than her vanity" and to me any normal person would love to have this trait, as let's face it we should all be natural and proud of who we are. Not endorsed by skinniness and makeup, but be comfortable in our own skin. Nigella is a self conscious person, maybe caused by comments made against her about her weight. Nigella has a passion for food as she grew up witnessing her mother's eating disorder before she died. Nigella told an interviewer that her mother could only enjoy food when she was dying - this was told to Nigella by her mother. Nigella thought that that wasn't the way to live: "I think maybe when you live with someone who is really ill for a long time, it somehow gives you a more greedy appetite for life". Nigella is well known for her curves and apparently she has a figure which most women want and aspire to be like. To me Nigella shows what a realistic woman should be: curvy and comfortable.

I am inspired by Nigella in many ways, and most of which I have explained. A memory and moment I will never forget was meeting my Idol Nigella Lawson for the first time in Piccadilly, London in Waterstone's on Thursday 9th December 2010, 7:30pm . The event was a private function with limited spaces, and roughly 50 people were there. There was an hours interview with Nigella where an interviewer asked her questions about Christmas and then her book signing commenced for her latest recipe book 'Kitchen: Recipes from the heart of the home'. She was so honest in the interview, and so friendly to speak to in the book signing; she was quite shocked that someone of my age was interested in her... She was very appreciative of the Christmas card I kindly made her and she told me I was creative. I will never forget meeting Nigella,  I am so grateful.

Nigella during the hour interview. This interview was amazing, she was quite humorous and very honest. Every interview I have watched of hers has been down-to-earth and being at a live interview proved that.



Nigella signing my book. I love the recipe book 'Kitchen: Recipes from the heart of the home' it has so many different ranges of cooking styles, from culture to timings. There are also different courses for everyone.



A photo with Nigella Lawson!



Nigella smiling at the card I made her - I love this photo, as it shows how appreciative she was of the card I made her, it shows her expression at the time I gave her it, it really made me smile how grateful she was!

 An amazing memory, an amazing experience meeting a person who I aspire to be like and be as successful as: Nigella Lawson.