The last time I spent the entire week glued to the news was after 9/11, when we all felt compelled to watch the horror of the planes crash into the towers, over and over again, trying to somehow make sense to what had happened.
In the days before Twitter – the online version of 24/7 rolling news – we still had to wait to hear the news on the TV or radio, now it’s possible to know whats going on, almost as it happens.
This week has been epic in news terms and even the most uninterested can’t fail to have been fascinated by the News International story. I even found myself sneaking off to the toilet at a party, to check my Twitter updates, and had to rush home early to watch Newsnight.
By Friday, what was a really important world changing story, seemed insignificant and trivial when the Twitter stream turned super serious, as the tragic news from Oslo started to trickle in.
Saturday was spent pretty much on the sofa watching Sky news, checking Twitter and trying to imagine the horror that those poor young people in Oslo had endured. And then just when we thought it was safe to open a bottle of wine, came the sad news that Amy Winehouse had died.
Three very different stories, each significant and tragic in their own way and important enough to make us realise how very lucky we are!
RIP Amy, today will be all about playing your music and appreciating your amazing talent.
