Mr Mark Zacharias, Head of English at Stamford High School, has started our latest lockdown project - 'My Cultural Life'. Inspired by the Times newspaper, amongst others: the Schools present interviews from individuals across our Stamford community, considering their cultural interests, loves and shortcomings.We hope that these interviews help you to find inspiration during the unusual circumstances we find ourselves in, and that you enjoy learning a little more about us here at Stamford!
View all of our entries here. The next entry into our series is presented by Old Stamfordian, Kim Garande.
The box set I’m hooked on...
Currently hooked on Desperate Housewives which I wrote off for years. The title doesn’t do it justice but it’s so good and I think anyone can enjoy it.
The book I’m reading...
After finishing the show I just had to read A Game of Thrones which is making me want to watch the show again, but for now I’ll make my way through the books.
The book I wish I had written...
Salvage the Bones by Jesmyn Ward, because it’s so beautifully written, concise and emotive all while detailing a family’s experience of the days leading up to arguably the worst hurricane in history: Hurricane Katrina.
The book that saved me...
Everything I know About Love- Dolly Alderton. I read this as I started university and I found that reading about Dolly’s mishaps and experiences during difficult periods in her life was hugely comforting.
The book I couldn’t finish...
May We Be Forgiven by A.M. Homes- I was so hooked at the start because the events unfolded so quickly but by page 400 it just kind of lost its way. I’m not ashamed to say that I ducked out with 30 pages left...
The book I’m ashamed I haven’t read...
Pride and Prejudice- it’s not shame, per se, but I’ve enjoyed the adaptations so I know I would probably like the book and yet I just can’t bring myself to read it.
My favourite film...
I don’t think Howl’s Moving Castle will ever stop enchanting me – I have so much love for this film and its music and the animation and just everything about it!
My favourite TV series...
Without a doubt: Fleabag.
My favourite piece of music...
Mad by Solange is so calming and her voice is beautiful.
The last TV programme that made me cry...
This is Us manages to pull at all my heartstrings, then makes me laugh before making me cry again. And I don’t cry at shows.
My guiltiest cultural pleasure...
Watching America’s Next Top Model ... again.
The instrument I wish I’d learnt...
Guitar!
The music that cheers me up...
No matter how down I might be feeling Tom Odell’s entire discography will always put me in a better mood.
The place I feel happiest...
Outside and anywhere that’s green, be it walking along the canals in Brum or just sitting in a massive empty field.
The film/play I walked out of...
There was one particular play I watched at university, I won’t give the title but it was a student play, an adaptation of a famous story, and it was just
bad. What was worse was I knew the people who were in it and who had produced it but that didn’t change the fact that it was just not good.
I’m having a fantasy dinner party. I’ll invite these artists and authors...
Phoebe Waller-Bridge , Donald Glover, Beyoncé, Lin Manuel-Miranda
And I’ll put on this music...
The Hamilton Soundtrack.
I wasted an evening...
Trying to figure out what Tik Tok was, getting hooked on Tik Toks of pets and babies misbehaving and subsequently falling into the trap of learning Tik Tok dances.
Underrated...
Watching concerts/ plays from home because you get to see the action from so many different angles, you can eat your snacks as loudly as you want, and pause, rewind and play the action as and when you please! Special mention to Beyoncé Homecoming which is currently on Netflix! Read all of our 'My Cultural Life' entries
here. 
