Afternoon, I was watching Shooting Stars last night as usual, and amidst all the buffoonery I thought, yet again, how lucky Vic and Bob were to get paid for it! I mean really lucky, because that show is pure genius, it can’t be left too much to chance because the show wouldn’t work or hold together otherwise, would it? I wonder every time I watch the show just how much they ad lib stuff as they go, if its more than 5 minutes I’d be surprised but even more impressed than I am already..
Very few comedians or actors can get away with that for any period of time, only the real talent can, and Vic and Bob are real talent for sure. I should have asked him when he was standing next to me last week in M&S but I am obviously way too cool for that..Seriously though, I really do wish I had been able to ask him. Can you imagine? wander back to the office, share lunch with Vic Bob and myself and just shoot the breeze, discussing comedy in general and what they do and how they do it in particular...that would be truly a dream come true. And you know what? I’m planning a little project that I have had bubbling away for a while now on the back burner, might be time to crank up the heat on that a little and see what happens, maybe, just maybe that afternoon with Vic and Bob might happen after all...
I always do this. Start writing or thinking or talking about something and then go off on a tangent on a sub topic and remember that I’ve had an idea on that sub topic running around in my crazy scattered brain for ages. But I’m beginning to realise after all these years thats just the way I am, the difference being is that now, and I mean the last 2 months or so, I am just getting brave enough to start writing it or expressing these ideas and projects. Either brave enough or reckless enough I’m not sure but I’m loving every minute of it! I’ve already decided to make a living from writing and it’s getting there, slowly, but to earn a crust from writing comedy would be complete nirvana baby, better than sex, possibly...maybe...not. I’ve always thought sex is only as good as the person you’re doing it with, I mean, I’m good, but if she’s crap whats the point? Ho ho ho..You will notice I avoided the dreaded LOL there, you did notice didn’t you? I mean you are awake? All 10 of my loyal followers...
I for one believe LOL (laugh out loud) is just getting used out of all context and used even when whatever was said wasn’t even remotely funny, but then I suppose words and phrases have been abused since God was a boy. But I did go out with a girl a while back who used lol in nearly every text. I was going to wind her up one day and text her something really serious, see if lol would turn up in the reply, but decided against on the grounds that she was as thick as shit and she was soon to be an ex anyway. Shame, nice curves.
Enough of this indulgent sexist rubbish, I’m off to do some ‘work’ - more later...x
Thursday 24 September 2009
Tuesday 22 September 2009
Where Has All The Integrity Gone?
Where Has All Our Integrity Gone?
Is it me, or has the world gone mad? I know I’m not the first and I certainly won’t be the last person to utter those words... But I am seriously beginning to wonder if anyone in Politics or Sport or even those of us in ‘Civvy St’ have any idea what Integrity means anymore. So, before we go any further, I enlisted the help of the not so Concise Collins English Dictionary, and it defines Integrity as ...” adherence to moral principles; honesty...”
So, (thats 2 ‘so’s now, no more for a while-ed) adherence to moral principles, namely, honesty.
Let me start with Sport, and football in particular. Over the recent few weeks, since the beginning of the new season, we have witnessed Eduardo diving like an Olympic swimmer, and Adebayor stamping on another players head who used to be his fellow colleague at his previous club, and on Sunday, we saw Craig Bellamy sprint across the pitch and launch an attack on a fan who had invaded the pitch to ‘celebrate’ Man Utd’s goal.
These events are not isolated either, there are more, and plenty more in the season prior as well, but lets keep it fresh shall we? Well actually no, lets not, since I do not want to see it at all, ever and I am sure the tens of thousands who watch football every week do not want to see it either.
But the issue that angers me is this: the players receive no rebuke at all from the club or their managers; in fact their actions are defended! in the name of passion, a desire to win, etc etc... This has to stop, because if it doesn’t the ‘beautiful game’ will turn very ugly, if it isn’t already doing so. And that will be a shame, because played in the right spirit, with the talent we have at the top clubs, it is a joy to watch, the Manchester derby being a case in point.
It isn’t just football is it? We have also been shocked, or at least I was, by the revelations of cheating in Rugby Union and the infamous ‘Bloodgate’ saga, we have the Renault Formula One team admitting that it ‘fixed’ a race in the previous campaign, and getting a reprieve from the FIA, its governing body.
I’m sure there any many other instances and examples I could cite, and that is before I mention our ruling classes, I normally write around 600 words for these posts, I could easily surpass that just by listing the nefarious activities of some of our not so Honourable Members Of Parliament.
If you are anything like me, you read these accounts of cheating and lying and think to yourself, now if that was anyone of us we’d be out on our ears by now, we would not be vehemently defended by our immediate boss nor excused because we did ‘it’ in the name of competitiveness or some such.
When we see this going on in Sport and other arenas of public life, and the miscreants not only ‘getting away’ with it but seemingly endorsed for doing so, what sort of example does that lead? We all have our own minds and moral ‘compass’ but it does give a rather general impression of ‘laissez faire’ so those in civvy street who lack or possess a rather loose moral code, are wont to think its ok, because ‘everyone’s at it int they’ ?
I have experienced this myself recently, even to the point of asking people a direct question, only to receive a reply that that doesn’t answer that question and/or completely ignores it altogether. I rang someone yesterday about them buying my car, I think it’s had it basically, and
I was asking him if he would buy it given its situation, and told him the details. He said he would ring me back in the morning, has he? Quelle Surprise! He hasn’t no. Why couldn’t he just say he wasn’t interested? What was I going to do? Insist he buy it? Force him to? Instead I have been listening out for the phone just in case while I write this and get very annoyed...
I’m not actually, because sadly I am now getting used to people saying one thing and doing quite another, I have no compunction telling people that I am not interested or that I don’t think a particular project is for me, whatever, but at least then I am not wasting their time or mine. I do not do this bluntly, well not most of the time, but the message is clear and I really would rather people be honest upfront rather than say nothing then not return your calls etc..
In conclusion, I am not sure what will happen to professional sport, I hope it doesn’t degenerate into a farce riddled with overpaid people who have lost the idea of sportsmanship, maybe they need to look it up? Hold on, let me grab that not so Concise copy of Collins again, here we go, Sportsmanship “ ... a person who exhibits fairness, generosity, observance of the rules and good humour when losing..” Take note, Adebayor, Eduardo et al, we are watching...
Is it me, or has the world gone mad? I know I’m not the first and I certainly won’t be the last person to utter those words... But I am seriously beginning to wonder if anyone in Politics or Sport or even those of us in ‘Civvy St’ have any idea what Integrity means anymore. So, before we go any further, I enlisted the help of the not so Concise Collins English Dictionary, and it defines Integrity as ...” adherence to moral principles; honesty...”
So, (thats 2 ‘so’s now, no more for a while-ed) adherence to moral principles, namely, honesty.
Let me start with Sport, and football in particular. Over the recent few weeks, since the beginning of the new season, we have witnessed Eduardo diving like an Olympic swimmer, and Adebayor stamping on another players head who used to be his fellow colleague at his previous club, and on Sunday, we saw Craig Bellamy sprint across the pitch and launch an attack on a fan who had invaded the pitch to ‘celebrate’ Man Utd’s goal.
These events are not isolated either, there are more, and plenty more in the season prior as well, but lets keep it fresh shall we? Well actually no, lets not, since I do not want to see it at all, ever and I am sure the tens of thousands who watch football every week do not want to see it either.
But the issue that angers me is this: the players receive no rebuke at all from the club or their managers; in fact their actions are defended! in the name of passion, a desire to win, etc etc... This has to stop, because if it doesn’t the ‘beautiful game’ will turn very ugly, if it isn’t already doing so. And that will be a shame, because played in the right spirit, with the talent we have at the top clubs, it is a joy to watch, the Manchester derby being a case in point.
It isn’t just football is it? We have also been shocked, or at least I was, by the revelations of cheating in Rugby Union and the infamous ‘Bloodgate’ saga, we have the Renault Formula One team admitting that it ‘fixed’ a race in the previous campaign, and getting a reprieve from the FIA, its governing body.
I’m sure there any many other instances and examples I could cite, and that is before I mention our ruling classes, I normally write around 600 words for these posts, I could easily surpass that just by listing the nefarious activities of some of our not so Honourable Members Of Parliament.
If you are anything like me, you read these accounts of cheating and lying and think to yourself, now if that was anyone of us we’d be out on our ears by now, we would not be vehemently defended by our immediate boss nor excused because we did ‘it’ in the name of competitiveness or some such.
When we see this going on in Sport and other arenas of public life, and the miscreants not only ‘getting away’ with it but seemingly endorsed for doing so, what sort of example does that lead? We all have our own minds and moral ‘compass’ but it does give a rather general impression of ‘laissez faire’ so those in civvy street who lack or possess a rather loose moral code, are wont to think its ok, because ‘everyone’s at it int they’ ?
I have experienced this myself recently, even to the point of asking people a direct question, only to receive a reply that that doesn’t answer that question and/or completely ignores it altogether. I rang someone yesterday about them buying my car, I think it’s had it basically, and
I was asking him if he would buy it given its situation, and told him the details. He said he would ring me back in the morning, has he? Quelle Surprise! He hasn’t no. Why couldn’t he just say he wasn’t interested? What was I going to do? Insist he buy it? Force him to? Instead I have been listening out for the phone just in case while I write this and get very annoyed...
I’m not actually, because sadly I am now getting used to people saying one thing and doing quite another, I have no compunction telling people that I am not interested or that I don’t think a particular project is for me, whatever, but at least then I am not wasting their time or mine. I do not do this bluntly, well not most of the time, but the message is clear and I really would rather people be honest upfront rather than say nothing then not return your calls etc..
In conclusion, I am not sure what will happen to professional sport, I hope it doesn’t degenerate into a farce riddled with overpaid people who have lost the idea of sportsmanship, maybe they need to look it up? Hold on, let me grab that not so Concise copy of Collins again, here we go, Sportsmanship “ ... a person who exhibits fairness, generosity, observance of the rules and good humour when losing..” Take note, Adebayor, Eduardo et al, we are watching...
Wednesday 16 September 2009
Are We Sinking Into Total Apathy Or Have We Finally Had Enough?
I write this from the 2nd Camp. That is, the ‘finally had enough’ camp...And I have reason to believe I am not alone. Despite a lot of apathy toward our ruling classes and a perception that all 3 Political parties are pretty much the same, you cannot escape the resentment and sense of betrayal that is directed towards our politicians. Newspapers are full of letters from readers who are exasperated at the way our current Government continues its hapless and hazardous attempt to sort out the mess it has largely been responsible for. Radio phone in’s are inundated with calls from people who just cannot understand why our politicians continue to lie to us, make disastrous and ruinous policy decisions and generally treat us with the utmost contempt and then expect us to vote for them!
Previously I was of the opinion that a lot of us had given up on the electoral process, we have even seen evidence of the postal vote system being ‘compromised’, why should we bother to vote for you? You don’t do what you say you are going to do for us? And then you abuse your privilege by claiming taxpayer’s money for your own outrageous personal benefit and are completely contemptuous of your office and arrogant in it. You show no humility when eventually exposed for your corruption and months later you demonstrate your ‘understanding’ of the whole situation by allowing the new Speaker of the Commons to appoint a ‘spin doctor’ on a salary of £100k ! Breathtaking arrogance which should, by rights, be punished in the General Election next year when you lose your seats and hopefully, banished to the political wilderness for at least 2 decades. A bloody nose is exactly what you deserve Labour...
As I mentioned at the beginning of this article, I think you are going to get your just reward aswell. I think, and hope, that the discontent, anger and sheer resentment shown in those letters in the media and radio show phone-ins will translate into an electoral bloodbath next year. The British public have had enough. We don’t want you abusing Anti-Terror laws to find out what we are putting in our bins (that we pay for) we don’t want you putting cameras on every street corner and road in the name of road safety only to find out its the only way you can afford to fund our Police Force. We don’t want you inventing yet another stealth tax to punish us with because your gormless charmless leader isn’t as financially adroit as he was acclaimed to be. We don’t want your heavy handed officiousness and politically correct obsessiveness to ruin our public spirit and turn otherwise law abiding people into wary, resentful non public spirited people.
We do want you to lock up people for life when you mean life, we do want you to pull our poor lads out of Afghanistan before the death toll gets even higher for a war which we should never have been involved in (Thanks Tony) and we do want you stop blaming the global economic downturn for your many mistakes. We want to vote for our next Prime Minister, not have him foisted upon us because he’s going to get grumpy if he doesn’t get the job, he’s bloody miserable anyway! God knows I could go on for ages, we have had 12 years of this, and what have we got to show for it? A ravaged economy, a Tax system that is so ridiculously complicated (by design I might add, resulting in even more Fines Revenue) and sheer overwhelming incompetence and arrogance in Local and Central Government.
But I think there is one thing that grates amongst us more than anything, and that is the attitude of anyone in Government or local councils across the land. Labour have nurtured and developed the Client state so adeptly and stealthily over the past 12 years that those employed within it consider themselves virtually immune. And if Labour cabinet ministers and even the PM refuse to fall on their sword anymore, why should anyone lower down the food chain do the honourable thing? Even if you are in charge of the Social Services unit that oversaw the awful Baby P saga? This culture is prevalent in all areas of Govt and local Councils, the latter jumping on the PC bandwagon with spectacular pompousness.
Please people, remember all this, and use your valuable vote to get these awful arrogant people out of power next year, before they render this lovely country of ours irredeemable and insufferable.
Right, where’s my medication? ...
Previously I was of the opinion that a lot of us had given up on the electoral process, we have even seen evidence of the postal vote system being ‘compromised’, why should we bother to vote for you? You don’t do what you say you are going to do for us? And then you abuse your privilege by claiming taxpayer’s money for your own outrageous personal benefit and are completely contemptuous of your office and arrogant in it. You show no humility when eventually exposed for your corruption and months later you demonstrate your ‘understanding’ of the whole situation by allowing the new Speaker of the Commons to appoint a ‘spin doctor’ on a salary of £100k ! Breathtaking arrogance which should, by rights, be punished in the General Election next year when you lose your seats and hopefully, banished to the political wilderness for at least 2 decades. A bloody nose is exactly what you deserve Labour...
As I mentioned at the beginning of this article, I think you are going to get your just reward aswell. I think, and hope, that the discontent, anger and sheer resentment shown in those letters in the media and radio show phone-ins will translate into an electoral bloodbath next year. The British public have had enough. We don’t want you abusing Anti-Terror laws to find out what we are putting in our bins (that we pay for) we don’t want you putting cameras on every street corner and road in the name of road safety only to find out its the only way you can afford to fund our Police Force. We don’t want you inventing yet another stealth tax to punish us with because your gormless charmless leader isn’t as financially adroit as he was acclaimed to be. We don’t want your heavy handed officiousness and politically correct obsessiveness to ruin our public spirit and turn otherwise law abiding people into wary, resentful non public spirited people.
We do want you to lock up people for life when you mean life, we do want you to pull our poor lads out of Afghanistan before the death toll gets even higher for a war which we should never have been involved in (Thanks Tony) and we do want you stop blaming the global economic downturn for your many mistakes. We want to vote for our next Prime Minister, not have him foisted upon us because he’s going to get grumpy if he doesn’t get the job, he’s bloody miserable anyway! God knows I could go on for ages, we have had 12 years of this, and what have we got to show for it? A ravaged economy, a Tax system that is so ridiculously complicated (by design I might add, resulting in even more Fines Revenue) and sheer overwhelming incompetence and arrogance in Local and Central Government.
But I think there is one thing that grates amongst us more than anything, and that is the attitude of anyone in Government or local councils across the land. Labour have nurtured and developed the Client state so adeptly and stealthily over the past 12 years that those employed within it consider themselves virtually immune. And if Labour cabinet ministers and even the PM refuse to fall on their sword anymore, why should anyone lower down the food chain do the honourable thing? Even if you are in charge of the Social Services unit that oversaw the awful Baby P saga? This culture is prevalent in all areas of Govt and local Councils, the latter jumping on the PC bandwagon with spectacular pompousness.
Please people, remember all this, and use your valuable vote to get these awful arrogant people out of power next year, before they render this lovely country of ours irredeemable and insufferable.
Right, where’s my medication? ...
The Doubt Is Beginning To Go...
To cut a long story short, in the fast few months I have finally decided to embark seriously on a Freelance Writing Career, supporting myself initially whilst I wait for enough paid work, by doing sales and consultancy work.
The biggest hurdle, for me at any rate, has been the fear that I am not good enough, I have written countless articles and sat there at some point thinking ‘does anyone actually want to read this?’ and then the doubt creeps in...You begin thinking, this is fine, but it’s just my opinion or my account, why the hell would anyone want to read it? But then writer’s vanity takes over and you remember how good you feel when you write a piece and people read it or comment on it. Even if it’s just a thread on an internet forum where I have either contributed or started in the first place. In fact the latter is better because you wait for the response; whether people agree with you or not is largely irrelevant...what counts is that they reply! That your comment has prompted people to write in response, and of course the amount of response that you get! I started a thread some time ago on a forum and it ran to 10 pages I think in the end! Excellent! It is also really good practice, and, as the old adage goes, ‘Write Write Write’ Any practice is good practice since you are perfecting your craft and we all want to get better at our game don’t we? I do obviously since the more I write and the better I write, the more I get paid!
Another factor behind my decision to write for money is this. All it takes is my time, some research, talent and a lot of patience with my laptop, and I have created something that will be read by many and I will get paid for perhaps more than once...And I can do this as much as I like or want or need more money/income. And that’s what I want. A raw skill that I can polish into something that will earn me income whenever I need it and on a repeat basis. If I can manage that then I will be happy because it will mean I no longer have to go looking for a ‘job’ and will no longer be totally dependent on others i.e. Employers ...I will be as Self-sufficient as it is possible to be!
So, the doubt is indeed going and the conviction is replacing it, just need to get more work in now and I will be as happy as good 'ol ‘Larry’...
The biggest hurdle, for me at any rate, has been the fear that I am not good enough, I have written countless articles and sat there at some point thinking ‘does anyone actually want to read this?’ and then the doubt creeps in...You begin thinking, this is fine, but it’s just my opinion or my account, why the hell would anyone want to read it? But then writer’s vanity takes over and you remember how good you feel when you write a piece and people read it or comment on it. Even if it’s just a thread on an internet forum where I have either contributed or started in the first place. In fact the latter is better because you wait for the response; whether people agree with you or not is largely irrelevant...what counts is that they reply! That your comment has prompted people to write in response, and of course the amount of response that you get! I started a thread some time ago on a forum and it ran to 10 pages I think in the end! Excellent! It is also really good practice, and, as the old adage goes, ‘Write Write Write’ Any practice is good practice since you are perfecting your craft and we all want to get better at our game don’t we? I do obviously since the more I write and the better I write, the more I get paid!
Another factor behind my decision to write for money is this. All it takes is my time, some research, talent and a lot of patience with my laptop, and I have created something that will be read by many and I will get paid for perhaps more than once...And I can do this as much as I like or want or need more money/income. And that’s what I want. A raw skill that I can polish into something that will earn me income whenever I need it and on a repeat basis. If I can manage that then I will be happy because it will mean I no longer have to go looking for a ‘job’ and will no longer be totally dependent on others i.e. Employers ...I will be as Self-sufficient as it is possible to be!
So, the doubt is indeed going and the conviction is replacing it, just need to get more work in now and I will be as happy as good 'ol ‘Larry’...
Wednesday 9 September 2009
Blog 1 – 9/9/09
Well, this is my first blog, so if you’re reading this, and I hope you are since that is the whole point, then please be gentle with me, I might even make you laugh although no promises at this early stage, under promise and over deliver as they say...
I suppose I should start by explaining why I want to write for a living. The answer is that all through my career, especially when I was selling Insurance – both B2B and B2C - I really enjoyed writing the sales letters to potential Clients and other letters and sales copy. I found that not only was I ‘good with words’ as others used to say, but I really enjoyed it.
When I read books and newspapers now I tend to analyse the writing style and the author’s ‘voice’ and sometimes, I kid myself I could probably have written the article or chapter/paragraph a lot better. Also, my Dad was a technical copywriter and I’m sure that I have inherited something from him, I believe I have inherent writing ability, maybe if you are still reading this you might agree because presumably if I couldn’t write for toffee then you wouldn’t still be reading this would you? Hello? .....
I want the ability to settle somewhere in the UK I really like and build my home there and work from there. I like the idea of having a study or studio where I can shut the door and get on with it. I have this vision of a house by a Scottish Loch, with a separate studio overlooking the loch, floor to ceiling windows, a very large ‘partners’ desk, a big old Chesterfield sofa and the remaining walls lined with my books and other paraphernalia...oh, and my boat gently bobbing next my jetty, and my dog moseying around somewhere..
Ahem, another perhaps more sound reason is this. I am now 42, I have a very definite idea of how I want my life to be, and I know that I have the talent, ability and means to achieve it. The well worn and oft repeated cliché, you only get one go at life is so true, quite obviously yet why do so many of us fail to get what we want? The usual argument is that we obviously don’t want it enough and I guess that’s valid isn’t it? Really? All of us have ideas and dreams but they don’t count for anything unless we put them into action, that’s a lesson that took me, for one, a long time to learn, but from this day on, that’s going to change...
There is another reason, which is purely personal, I’d like to enjoy my life on my terms and get paid to do something I really enjoy, I am also drawn –excuse the pun – to the creative side and there is a big list of stuff I want to get involved in that I haven’t so far for numerous reasons that I won’t trouble you with. I’m sorry if this has been all about me, maybe I have gone into too much detail or maybe I haven’t gone far enough. I would rather err on the side of caution, if you want to know more then I guess you will ask, you can always ask..
So, I’m going to sign off now, I promise the next post will be a bit more disciplined and maybe even interesting...ttfn x
Well, this is my first blog, so if you’re reading this, and I hope you are since that is the whole point, then please be gentle with me, I might even make you laugh although no promises at this early stage, under promise and over deliver as they say...
I suppose I should start by explaining why I want to write for a living. The answer is that all through my career, especially when I was selling Insurance – both B2B and B2C - I really enjoyed writing the sales letters to potential Clients and other letters and sales copy. I found that not only was I ‘good with words’ as others used to say, but I really enjoyed it.
When I read books and newspapers now I tend to analyse the writing style and the author’s ‘voice’ and sometimes, I kid myself I could probably have written the article or chapter/paragraph a lot better. Also, my Dad was a technical copywriter and I’m sure that I have inherited something from him, I believe I have inherent writing ability, maybe if you are still reading this you might agree because presumably if I couldn’t write for toffee then you wouldn’t still be reading this would you? Hello? .....
I want the ability to settle somewhere in the UK I really like and build my home there and work from there. I like the idea of having a study or studio where I can shut the door and get on with it. I have this vision of a house by a Scottish Loch, with a separate studio overlooking the loch, floor to ceiling windows, a very large ‘partners’ desk, a big old Chesterfield sofa and the remaining walls lined with my books and other paraphernalia...oh, and my boat gently bobbing next my jetty, and my dog moseying around somewhere..
Ahem, another perhaps more sound reason is this. I am now 42, I have a very definite idea of how I want my life to be, and I know that I have the talent, ability and means to achieve it. The well worn and oft repeated cliché, you only get one go at life is so true, quite obviously yet why do so many of us fail to get what we want? The usual argument is that we obviously don’t want it enough and I guess that’s valid isn’t it? Really? All of us have ideas and dreams but they don’t count for anything unless we put them into action, that’s a lesson that took me, for one, a long time to learn, but from this day on, that’s going to change...
There is another reason, which is purely personal, I’d like to enjoy my life on my terms and get paid to do something I really enjoy, I am also drawn –excuse the pun – to the creative side and there is a big list of stuff I want to get involved in that I haven’t so far for numerous reasons that I won’t trouble you with. I’m sorry if this has been all about me, maybe I have gone into too much detail or maybe I haven’t gone far enough. I would rather err on the side of caution, if you want to know more then I guess you will ask, you can always ask..
So, I’m going to sign off now, I promise the next post will be a bit more disciplined and maybe even interesting...ttfn x
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