When a Stranger Walks Into Our Life

 

    We encounter strangers in our lives frequently. We meet them in the shopping-mall, coffee-shop, library, restaurants, bars and even through other friends.

    Some we may interact with, initially exchanging polite conversation that leads to this casual acquaintance into becoming a friend, who will go on to have a great impact on us.

    But, those strangers we never have the opportunity to chat with and befriend we rarely think about how their actions can change our lives too.

    However, yesterday we all woke-up to news that clearly illustrates that we don't need to know someone, for the individual to turn our world upside down.

Freedom in Dystopia

    Five years after the, June 6 1944, D-Day landings, George Orwell's book, 1984 was published. The dystopian world it took place in with, Big Brother, watching the inhabitants every move and taking note of their every thought I suppose doesn't seem so far fetched as it was back then in 1949.

    However, if brave men and women hadn't made that journey in 1944 to France, what would our world be like now?

    There is the chance that we would not have the right to have free thoughts, or individuality as it was in Orwell's world. Who knows? But, thank you.

Wolves in Sheep's Clothing

    The Internet has opened up a new world for many of us. Social media allows us to make virtual friends throughout the world and keeps us in touch with close friends and relatives wherever we are.

    However; we know that there is also a dark murky side to it. A place where unsavoury characters can plot, plan and scam. Innocent, children, adults and even companies are duped every second of the day.

    The other day a good friend of mine was taken in by a sob story; little did she know at the time that by sharing this hard luck scenario she was promoting something that she most certainly didn't want to be associated with.

    Luckily there was no real harm done, but it goes to show that what we read and interact with on the Web we can never take at face value. Because there are lots of wolves in sheep's clothing out there.

   

The Path

The path stretches out in front of us

As far as the eye can see

The route carefully follows the water's edge

No diversions, choices, obstacles to cause us to falter on our way

How different from life's path

File uploaded

 

    I've nearly finished a manuscript I've been working on for some time, but I'm a little undecided as to the ending. I have two, and while I mull over which way to go I've decided to take a step back from this piece for a few weeks.

    Now, I'm not about to sit back and relax, because I've got a manuscript I completed many years ago which I'm about to edit and dissect carefully. Although I did have a publisher who wanted to publish it, I neither liked the terms they were offering, or felt once I did some background research on them that they were someone I could happily work with.

    Yes, as they were the only interested party I was very tempted, however I had to be true to me and turning it down was never something I regretted. I was tempted to make all the sheets of paper into paper aeroplanes but I did the next best thing, bound up the file and stored it away.

    I know much more now than I did back then about writing (hopefully), and I think there is no better time than now to look at it with a fresh pair of eyes.

    File uploaded time to find a quiet corner.






 

 

It's the 21st-century, Gentlemen.

    

    Yesterday, May 22nd was the anniversary of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's birthday and his loved stories take us back into a time that was dark and sinister. A hound roaming moors, unexplained dancing men, opium dens and gentlemen's clubs all feature in his work.

    While we know that many of the above said scenarios are pure fantasy, one which is not fantasy and I want to highlight 157-years on, are gentlemen's clubs. There is one particular club that has came to the forefront in Scotland and the golfing world in the last week, Muirfield Golf Club, Edinburgh, whose membership voted against the inclusion of women in their club.

    The course has hosted, the Open Championship and great players such as Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player have both won the championship there. Their outdated attitude, has in turn lost them the right at present and in the near future to host the Open Championship, rightly so. What in the 21st-century spooks this elite bunch of male golfers into not wanting ladies in their gentlemen only club?

    Well, it has been quoted in the media that some members believe that it will endanger, speedy play and foursomes, as well as the female species inability to play as well as their male counterpart. Has none of these 'gentlemen' never heard of, Annika Sorenstam?

    Gentlemen, wake-up, come out of hibernation, it's the 21st-century.






Disclaimer:
Please note the pictures included are not Muirfield Golf Club and are my own stock photographs.

Today

    Today is no different from yesterday other than I am another year older. It is not a day to be sad, but a day to be thankful that I can celebrate the life I've had. Tomorrow though will be a little different from today, because today is my birthday.