Dix ans après l’attentat. Le 14 julliet 2016. We were on the Promenade des Anglais in Nice, France just meters in front of the direct impact and a moment away during this atrocity. At the time it was a surreal experience, time slowed like in a film. People running past us. How you and others react in a crisis is a learning experience. A few hours later we realised the enormity of what had just happened.

Le 14 julliet 2016, 86 personnes sont mortes et plut de 450 autres ont été blessées.

My thoughts are with the victims, their families and all those affected directly or indirectly.

It’s not something I talk about often but having just returned from Nice and this being the 10th anniversary it seemed poignant to share this sentiment.

by Dr Julie Charlesworth 08/07/2026

.
[Post script We have a more personal experience of what happened next in those moments and the next hour or so and how we reacted. Perhaps to be told in different ways in different circumstances. For now this is enough to share.]

Treasure special moments in life. Look what I found when clearing out some old cupboards! A pair of graduation celebration glasses from 50 years ago!
Many years later in a house clearance (after both my parents had died) it was an emotional moment for me to discover that they had kept these mementos.

Cherish these moments. We often don’t appreciate how special they are until they become memories.

by Dr Julie Charlesworth 22/06/2026

Further comment:
Universities are sometimes a conduit for social mobility. A half-century later they can be this and so much more…

Looking forward to a summer of science with conferences, meetings, research collaborations, and communications. Proud to support many good people out there doing good work with good intentions.

Still finding time to ‘smell the roses’ at home as well.

I penned this little haiku and I took a snapshot of the ‘Ruby Wedding Roses’ in my garden. The roses were a romantic gift from my husband several years ago. With consistency and surprises they burst into bloom in June each year and last the whole summer.

Feeling summery and a bit sentimental this week.

by Dr Julie Charlesworth 08/06/2026

A quirky break from the serious stuff.

by Dr Julie Charlesworth 01/06/2026

Thoughts for the day. A whimsical rhyme.

Having a head in the clouds isn’t a bad idea in a heatwave 😊 ☁️

More to come…

by Dr Julie Charlesworth 27/05/2026

When you’ve been away and you return home to discover your own garden displaying a glorious gallery of new growth. For a few minutes this week in early May I couldn’t resist taking these snapshots to capture and share a sudden feeling of optimism.

(Thanks and credit to my husband for his hard work in the garden over the years. Much appreciated.)

Enjoy the sentiment and photos or look for a deeper message. Just feel it!

When looking towards the stars don’t forget the flowers at your feet.

by Dr Julie Charlesworth 07/05/2026

—

“Stretching his hand up to reach the stars, too often man forgets the flowers at his feet” a quote generally attributed to the English philosopher and social reformer Jeremy Bentham.

That feeling when you planted new trees last year and this year they get their first blossom…

Look for a deeper meaning or simply enjoy the photo and a few simple words.

by Dr Julie Charlesworth 20/04/2026

In this war torn weary world I know there are still good people out there doing good things with good intentions.

Despite the deluge of troubling news I decided to create this little photo poem to cheer myself up and share some brightness in these gloomy days.

I wrote this haiku just now to capture some feelings and I created the image using snapshots I have taken of early Spring flowers in the month of March.

To goodness and hope.

☔️🌼 🤗

by Dr Julie Charlesworth 29/03/2026

The future of work is a highly topical subject.

Here I present ‘A glimpse of the future’ from the past and a few comments in the present.

My current views are essentially consistent with an editorial extra I wrote 10 years ago*. In addition, I should also add that I think the sentiments I expressed then are applicable to individuals considering doing freelance work in various different fields, contractors, and those working as independent consultants or starting their own company.

2016 Editorial extract*
‘I see freelancing as an option that allows personal choice at different stages of life and career. You don’t have to put up with an employment situation in a company that really isn’t working for you – I’m not saying don’t try to make it work and I’m certainly not encouraging everyone to suddenly resign and throw caution to the wind, as personal responsibilities, financial commitments etc. need to be carefully considered before such a big decision is made. However, I would like to strengthen the support made available by the freelancing community. If you know freelancing is a feasible option, even if it doesn’t necessarily suit you at a particular time, it puts you in a position of strength to make informed decisions about what you actually want at different stages of life and career. Maybe this could even encourage companies to be more flexible in their treatment of employees as power shifts more towards the individual.’

[The freelance focus in this extract was because I was a freelance advocate informally for many years for the medical communications and writing professions around that time (and formally for one year in medical writing in 2016).]

In that period I was also a proponent of informal gatherings for individuals working out there on their own. I still think this is a good idea.

Beyond 2016

Several years later during the covid 19 lockdowns I wrote a communication including a poem to support and encourage individuals working on their own particularly in those challenging times. See link: To the freelancers in life and science. The poem in the link is titled FREE-THINKING, FLEXIBLE FREELANCERS IN LIFE AND SCIENCE ©.

A view from the present in 2026: Ways of working have changed in the past 10 years. Some would say for the better e.g. more flexibility and home- working. However, the future of work could of course be very different with the fast pace of change in society and dizzying developments in technology (including AI, robotics etc.).

How do you see the future of work? How would you like it to be?

More to come on the subject of different types of work and the future of work…

I will be drawing on my extensive experience including over 20 years as an employees in industry, subsequently setting up my own independent consultancy, and also reflecting on other jobs and experiences in life that may surprise you.

Meanwhile, the main point I want to make today is that I hope that when considering change ‘If and when the time is right you can take the leap, or decide not to – but the choice is ultimately yours.’*

by Dr Julie Charlesworth 11/03/2026

*Extract from Editorial Extra by Julie Charlesworth published June 2016 Medical Writing, Volume 25 Number 2.

You don’t have to go far to pause and refresh. There again from time to time travelling afar brings new experiences which are not necessarily weather-dependent. Indeed, for me the muted tones in February provide a perfect backdrop to savour the effect of crashing waves.

[A little ‘movie’ I just made from videos I have taken over the years. I visited the Galapagos once in 2004. I am often in France.]

The sea and nature can be powerful and evocative. Sounds, sights, and moments become imprinted in our memories. The senses are stimulated. Sometimes you can still feel or sense the sea spray on the face. Sometimes we need to refresh and clear a clouded head to put things in perspective, be in the present and ponder the future.

This could be a good time to pause to reflect or to go out and get some more of this:
Sea spray – aerosols produced by bubble-bursting caused by high-speed winds over seawater.
Susurration – the sound sea waves make when they reach the shore.
Spindrift – sea spray blown from cresting waves by the wind.

by Dr Julie Charlesworth 11/02/2026