Friday, January 28, 2011

Genie In The Bottle

What's the perfect life? Genie in a bottle scenario, a great oaf of a man appears, let's call him Brian, and gives you three wishes and they shall all be granted. No strings attached, unlike another fella I know. Let's call him Enda.

It's a question that has been asked a million times I'm sure in idle and passing conversation, maybe over a pint or twenty of the black stuff. In popular culture across various streams, the cry firstly is nearly always, 'world peace.' A worthy first too.
So Brian waves his wand and peace comes about in an instant, every weapon of destruction with the exception of Dirk Diggler disappears off the face of the planet. Soldier's uniform replaced with more free attire. Weapons companies gone in a puff. Their directors along with them. Killers and criminals gone also. I wonder how many people would be left then in this new nirvana?

That leaves two left, but Brian's a terrible fella, he's decide to tax you a wish. Your future prosperity lies in a carefully thought out last one, one that sets you freer than you have ever been. You have one-minute to make up your mind, before Brian disappears back into the lamp, never to be seen again. Tick-tock.

One wish ? I wonder how many would say 'money?' But the genie God is a sneaky bugger. Let's call him Eamon. He's already decided that anyone wishing for money must also go the way of the war-mongers. Gone in an instant. I wonder how many would be left then?
You know your loved ones are safe now, you can't wish for money, so what's left? Brian with his eye on the clock, Eamon watching for anyone who wishes for the wrong thing. Enda still being strung along.

Everyone makes their call. No-one else disappears. The information is gathered up, and the dawn of a new beginning starts based on what that final wish is for. Mine would be simple enough. Write for 8-10 hours a day with a cliff-top ocean view and a sun to look at. Maybe a little surfing too. Just a tiny corner of the world, free to enjoy life without the everyday distractions that we find around us. The ones that make us question just what is it all about at the end of the day.

I take a look at the world today and the rebelling in North Africa against corrupt leaders who suppress even the most basic of human rights, the right of expression.
2011, it's hard to believe. It is good to live in a country where those freedoms are mostly uphold, a people who try not to take themselves to seriously, but can be very serious when needs be. I think it will be one of Ireland's strengths over the coming years. If the freedom of a solid debate was allowed to take place and not buried beneath political waffle, Ireland may again rise and fight another day.

I got great news today in that the files are finally ready for the proof copy of Booker's World to go to print. Seems a long time ago since I started it, an outlet to the trapped feeling I had as things started to go into free fall around me when it came to work.
It still feels like one is trapped, because it's no use of I can't promote the book and build on my future plans, and at the moment that's where I'm at. I'm hoping that may change tomorrow and that freedom to do something with it will be given to me. A chance to start again in something I long wanted to do, but never did because the paycheck from 'the man' was what everyone sought on a weekly basis. If things hadn't got so bad, I may never have got the opportunity, or indeed the time to write a book. It may have meant a drop in living standards and a fair bit of stress sometimes, but it's nice to reach a point where it can actually be built on.
I've spoken with a lot of bodies in the past 6-8 months, just looking for a little advice on where to go. For the most part the buck was passed, I was sent from pillar to post and back again, and it made me realise how bad we run things at times in this country. With each negative response it made me wonder if indeed the country is set up in any proper way toward people succeeding and being free to pursue what it is they wish for from life.

2011. Isn't it time? I guess we'll find out soon enough...

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