There's something about watching people at work, concentrating, creating, tackling problems and solving them. It's the comfort of being able to mentally tune in or out whenever it tickles you, without any consequences on the result. As you watch how something is created, you have the choice of sharing the focus or just let your mind wander off - no obligation. If this work happens to be part of a highly artistic process, I discovered my disability to switch off, even if I had wanted to. The fascination of how complex things develop - music, visual art, stories - energises me and leaves me charged and alert.

I had the great opportunity to spend a lengthy amount of time with a classical/jazz ensemble these last couple of weeks, rehearsing and performing new, original music, in the most intense and deeply involved way yet. The artists were - needless to say - of a calibre, reputation and quality that echoes widely on a world-wide level. nine of the top musicians of their instruments and genres from the US and the UK had been gathered for this experimental trip... and it turned out to not just become a warm musical collaboration, but a friendship-building, personally rewarding journey, too. A group-huddle that lasted for 10 days, in which I was welcomed, joining in, watching, listening, learning, talking and growing.

The air was constantly filled with the sniff of an old man shoving down a seemingly endless corridor, Larry David's face of disgust when realising that his 10-year anniversary present is a Republican, and the controlled giggles at 90mph on the M6 which never threatened the passengers' safety but sure scared the heck out of some.

A most inspiring experience for a great believer in 'trying and creating things that are born out of passion and love'.