CHOICES

Here we are, almost a month into 2017, a year that is undoubtedly going to ring in more changes than many of us desire. These are mainly due to political changes, that in turn will allow for increasing changes in the corporate power games that play out everywhere in the world. These changes could be said to have been brought about by choice, the choice of the voting public. The question now being asked is how deeply choices are made by manipulation of the emotions, above and beyond the already accepted one of the absolute power of a few media barons in the past. How much social engineering has been going on for decades, maybe centuries? Before IT even. In other words what really are free choices and what are those made by both internal and external pressures. Psychology is a strong motivational tool, as any cult leader can attest. 

Choices can be reversed as long as the damage done is not totally irreversible. (like a nuclear war) This thought is what keeps some of us optimistic and encourages us to go on working for a better world run by more thoughtful, less greedy people with a conscience, who care about their fellow humans and the world of Nature to which we are bound.  

It is this sense of caring for humanity that keeps me writing. I long to explore what other people feel as much as what they do. I cannot but hope that more people will read what I have written and discuss it, or share it, just for the fact that it's a differing perspective to their own. Maybe this is a dream of mine, that others will want to hear about what is my view on life. Yet, in the end, we all seem to wish for the same things; sufficient food, shelter, health and love, even if we all come to this via varying situations, and each journey is somewhat different. It is this knowledge 😍that gives us writers the fodder to make and produce a huge range of stories. And long may it be so.

Over the Rainbow

Is there really a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow? Nice to think so. Like all dreams it is a myth that symbolises hope. As a writer I hope that other people will be interested in and entertained by what I write and publish, or in the case of stage plays that they enjoy seeing what I have written bought to life on stage. Artistic endeavours are generally meant for sharing. They are a way of other people seeing how other people live and think and feel and this only has to be a good thing.

I have just finished reading Raymond Carver's selection of short stories called "Please be quiet,please."  It is easy to understand why he is so well respected and while I admire his skill at creating the innermost thoughts and feelings of his characters and his insatiable interest in detail I did get somewhat irritated with each and every story having an open ending. It was as if the story is left dangling in the air. But then this says more of me than Carver I guess.

A book that is not at all ambiguous is the best seller GUT. It is a text book related like a story. Fascinating. I am only half way through but have already learned so much about the gut brain and the way it affects our health. And is has humour! Wonderful.

So I gaze at a rainbow and trust that my pot of gold is a collection of people who read my works and enjoy.

The New Year Awaits

The Festive Season is almost over and with it 2016, a strange and in some ways dreadful year in many parts of the world. I am hoping for a much better year with peace and love reigning over the world rather than fer and terror, though this is hard to imagine with the current state of the world. Though I trust in human nature to do the needed changes. 
On a personal level I am trying to focus on what my New Year's Resolutions will be and how many, if any, I will keep. Promises, to self or to other people, are sometimes tough to keep and probably means they were too optimistic in the first place. In light of this I am going to choose ones where there is a better chance of them being kept! I will not be letting anyone down then.
Some thoughts so far: 
Choose carefully and read more of the writers whose writing I admire and stories I respect.
Try to get more of my own voice into my own stories/novels.
Make sure I write something absolutely every day.
Try to improve my marketing techniques via social media and other sources. (A tough nut to crack for many writers)
Do unto others as I would have them do unto me. (a great way of saying it)
Donate a little more time to practically helping those in the community who need it.(Find the time!)
And I expect there will be many more 'wishes' before January 1st. Wishing everyone happy planning and executing with your New Year Resolutions.

Great to receive a photo from a fan who lives in Germany! A nice way to end this year and indeed, this blog.