Posted May 1, 200818 yr This week: singer/songwriter sensation Jamelia submits a little light therapy. Kate Weinberg reports. PATIENT'S NOTES Jamelia:'Fantasy job? Teacher. I love the eyes of children when they learn something new' Name:Jamelia Age:27 Job:singer/songwriter Last book read: The Secret by Rhonda Byrne - it's life-changing Last film seen: High School Musical 2 on DVD for the 17th time. My children love it. Yay! Last music heard: Estelle's album, Shine. It's fantastic Last dose of live culture: Mary Poppins on Broadway PATIENT EXAMINATION What is your fantasy other job? Teacher. I love the eyes of children when they've learnt something new and the satisfaction of knowing that you encouraged that light to switch on. What has been your greatest discovery online? I'm a bit of a web addict, so I'd have to say it's finding out that I could make my own website, which I've done. I'm still getting used to all the technicalities, which I'm loving! advertisementIf you had to be stranded in any one place in the world, where would that be? Jamaica. My mum's there, it's always hot, there's the sea, the food, the people, the fun… If you could represent your country in international competition, what would it be for? Juggling. Not with balls, but with life in general! Darren [byfield, her partner] calls me Wonder Woman, but I think all mothers are. Name something or someone you truly believe in. Love. What, in human history, do you wish had never been invented? The mobile phone. I hate the fact that people can contact me at any time. You feel as if you're obliged to pick up at all times of the night or day. I only charge mine about once a week, so I'm the hardest person in the world to contact. If you could have been born in any century, which would it be? I'd love to have been born in the 19th century and been an extremely influential black person who changed the course of British history. I remember feeling insignificant doing history at school, as the only time we learned about black people in history was in a one-week project on the civil rights movement. What cliché is most relevant to you? "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger." The ending of which film/book has most disappointed you? It would have to be the film Lucky Number Slevin. I love conspiracy movies, but anti-climactic is how I'd describe this. Who, in the whole of history, would you most like to sit next to on a long-haul flight? Mary J Blige [the American singer/songwriter]. I absolutely idolise her. Which public figure do you think is most overrated? I don't know many (if any) public figures personally, so I don't think I'm in a position to answer that. What question are you never asked and most want to answer? "How are you?" The answer would be: "Well today, I'm just fine!" OUR DIAGNOSIS You're enthusiastic, big-hearted and generally prone to exclamation marks, so it's no surprise that everyone wants a piece of you. But even Wonder Woman gets bored juggling everyone else's needs and could do with being asked how she is feeling. Here's helping hand from some experts at living life on their own terms. OUR PRESCRIPTION Recommended film: Flirting (1991) Stuttering misfit Danny Embling (played by Noah Taylor) is teased by his schoolmates and misunderstood by his cane-wielding teachers. But life in boarding school in rural Australia picks up when a gorgeous Afro-English girl (Thandie Newton) is attracted to his humour and rebellious spirit. The outsiders find a common bond, defying the mores of school and society. Co-starring Nicole Kidman as a snob, this coming-of-age drama makes a powerful case for breaking some rules Recommended book: The Lost Art of Keeping Secrets by Eva Rice (2005) Penelope Wallace is used to leading life the way her beautiful, diva-ish mother likes, which means seclusion in their crumbling country mansion, where phone calls and central heating are firmly rationed and family issues are diagnosed over duck suppers. So when a chance encounter at a London bus stop with a sophisticated girl-about-town, Charlotte Ferris, opens up new horizons, Penelope must defy her roots in order to nurture new friendships and crushes in just-starting-to-swing 1950s London. An exquisitely-written novel about breaking free from old influences and strengthening identities. Recommended music: Ingénue by KD Lang (1992) Quirky KD Lang has always made a point of doing her own thing, whether creating a distinctive sound, accepting awards in a wedding dress, or staging a seven-hour re-enactment of a heart transplant. This album, her first to completely cross over into the mainstream, is bursting with a sense of self, both musically and lyrically. Switch your phone on, learn how to say no and remember that pleasing others doesn't have to come at a cost to yourself.
Create an account or sign in to comment