We all get panic of the Forgetful Factor

How many of you, like me, totally sympathised with Sharon on Saturday's X Factor when she forgot her contestant Saara's name?

I've talked about the memory problems I've faced as a middle-aged woman before, and poor Sharon has also been commuting from LA every week to do the show. How many of us suddenly meet someone we know in the street and go to introduce them to who we are with and can't remember their name? It happens to me lots, but how much worse for Sharon for it to happen live on air! You could see the panic in Sharon's eyes as the name wouldn't come to her, and as she mouthed to Louis: “What's her name?” Thankfully, Louis knew it. He isn't always renowned for his memory of names, either. This week, by accident, I've found myself feeling like a tourist because I've spent a bit of time at a couple of London landmarks. A friend of mine invited us for dinner and said I may as well stay overnight because they had plenty of room and it saved me getting my train home. It was certainly a case of how the other half live, because her apartment is the nearest building to Tower Bridge, so the views were spectacular. With the added bonus of staying the night, Gordon and I were in our element. As keen runners, we got up early and ran along the Thames, stopping for a coffee and enjoying the view. I wonder, if we lived there, would we really appreciate it completely or would we just get used to it and take it for granted? We certainly loved every minute of it. The Thames views are incredible. I'm often in a rush from one job to the next and don't stop to take it in, but occasionally I remember that feeling of excitement the first few times I came to London. That's the problem if you are on the doorstep – you don't always take the time. Strangely enough, I got booked for a job two days later which involved me staying overnight in Greenwich for an early start the next day. A colleague and myself went out to get something to eat and lo and behold, there was the Cutty Sark right next to our hotel. I forgot it was even in Greenwich, which isn't a part of London I ever go to. The Cutty Sark is pretty impressive. Fully restored after two fires, it is suspended inside a glass building which houses a museum. At night, it looms out of the sky, making an already pretty part of London even more breathtaking. My two tourist experiences this week have made me realise I don't spend time appreciating London. It's always so busy, the traffic is so crazy and the crowds of people on the Tube are usually enough to drive you mad. By the end of the day you just want to get out of there. Maybe, on a day when I'm not working, we need to plan to do the tourist routes and maybe hop on one of the buses. Of course, with the state of the pound just now, London is mobbed with tourists who are getting great value for their euros or dollars. I suppose that's the plus-side for the London hotels, who must be busier than ever. I haven't just spent time looking at legendary buildings of course, I have had to work too. I've been working with a singer who is a bit of a living legend, despite the fact they are only in their 20s. I don't like to talk about my students too much sometimes because I feel a bit like a doctor and need to respect client confidentiality. But maybe it's a bit of a clue to say that the one I'm working with right now is a Grammy-winner, has lost lots of weight and is looking great. We all love the person and they have sung a Bond theme tune! One clue is, it's not Shirley Bassey . . . Have a good week.