Reflections...

Today I begin my 49th trip around the sun.

The previous 48 trips were jam-packed (variously) with unbelievable joy, unutterable tragedy, family deaths, the births of my children, the love of my life, hate (often unwarranted-both from me and to me), adventure in 70 odd countries, learning, traversing every one of the range of human emotions, atheism, spirituality, learning, being poor, being rich, then being poor again, then realising that money has no import whatsoever, disappointments by the score, triumphs by the dozen, and yet more learning.

I am not, however, feeling morose. I tend not to worry too much about the things I can't change. That way lies futility. I was born an optimist. When I slipped out of the womb on that cold, dark January morning in 1962, in the kitchen of a council house in Salford, I thought "Bit nippy, but it's sure to warm up sometime". And it did. Then it got cooler. Then it warmed up again. This happened with amazing regularity. Back in the day, we called this phenomenon "The weather". Nowadays a bunch of thieving retards call it Climate Change and use it as an excuse to further relieve us of our lawfully gotten gains. Just days ago, the wheels came all the way off this particular band-wagon and hopefully, it will now die a natural death. Until they, the scamologists, come up with something new to terrify the unquestioning with. Bring it on, I say. Bloggers will trash whatever it is they dream up. We have form now. We have successes we can point to. Hide whatever shit you want, but it will be uncovered in the fullness of time.

I spent some time today watching that slick bastard Blair, and I have to say, he is good at this. He sounds plausible, the inquiry will agree, and he will skip off back to his multi-million pound job(s). Ho-hum. What else were you expecting?

The blogging community grew by one (to my certain knowledge) last night. I immediately linked to Marcellus because he writes brilliantly. We saw an example right here on Wednesday. I wish him all the best and welcome him to the madness.

The bloggers on the left all deserve my thanks. They are a remarkable bunch of people, and they strive to shine a light on the more murky aspects of our lives, and the freaks who wish to control us to the Nth degree. So, thank you for helping me to see more clearly on many issues. Issues that I may not have previously thought about, or at least, not in the way you do. Between you, you have changed my mind on a number of things. I am better for it.

I may or may not be here to announce my 50th trip around old Sol, you never know, given the risks that I take, (deliberately so), when it will all end. I have packed quite a lot into this first 4.8 decades and if I find myself crossing the River Styx, I will be fairly pleased with what I have seen, and what I have done with my life.

Of course, I would like to die peacefully in my sleep at 96 like my great-grandad, (not screaming, like the passengers in the back of his car. Boom, boom!), but that may not happen. I'll continue to do the only thing I can do-I will take it as it comes, and try to fit in a few more laughs before my last day arrives.

I am pleased to know you all (virtually, at least), and I thank the 25,000 of you that have struggled through my ramblings since April last year. Huge thanks to my regular readers, and commenters. Wthout feedback from you, this blogging lark would be oh so dull.

I want to make 2010 memorable in a host of ways and for a host of reasons.

And I plan to tell you all about it.

CR.