The 'NINDY' of the user name refers to a near-death (OK, death) experience from a pulmonary embolism 4 years ago ("No I'm Not Dead Yet"). It would be fair to say death is a life changing experience.
Learned Latin at law school many years ago and have had appreciated it ever since; seriously under-utilised in my view given its potential for poetry. I am currently searching for fulfillment in life, a greater level of intellectual and spitiual stimulation; love the contest of ideas but wishing for a tad more evidence based and reasoned debate.
While I am the supreme rationalist, I actively wish I had a more spiritual side and I hope this blog will serve (me) as a forum for setting out my ideas, priorities, even thoughts and feelings. I have a keen sense of the absurd and a love of language and ideas; I suspect this blog will include (inter alia) some very personal thoughts. Hence there will be some entries which are password protected but will be open to anyone who requests it on a case by case basis. Unless you work for the tax department.
There will be some darker, even dangerous confessions in here, known only to me and a few very close friends.
I enjoy writing, generally non-fiction and non-creative but have been known to express the more creative arts when the desire raises itself. Fair to say, work has taken precedence for many years (outside my nephew) and recently I have been trying new things. Some who know me well know I live a very, very compartmentalised life, full of discipline and good-citizen behaviours. Place a premium on loyalty and respect and take people as I see them. Have recently been getting a rather unsubtle tattoo replacing some old (bad) picture tattoos from 15 years ago and my tattooist, James, has I think been impressed that "someone like me" treats him with respect. Despite the multiple tattoos everywhere except one arm (including face and chin), and multiple piercings which seem meant to scream "I am an outsider", James craves respect and being treated as "normal". But, at heart, he is a good Greek boy who cares what his mum thinks and has a strong sense of honour. And the best part, James gets what I want at this point in my life. I have little artistic talent and no ability to design "body art" beyond "I like that". He has succeeded in getting into my head, checks his latest phase of the very non-specific tribal design, accepts the rare occasions when I say "not that bit"...And our converstaions, ranging from relationships to drugs to family to...you name it. Wonderful bloke and I will miss picking his mind when we are done. I like that. And introducing many of my "proper" friends to the "newly" tattooed me has been interesting (not universally welcomed, it is fair to day) but most have noticed I am far easy going...with myself. I have always been very open and easy going with others. Amusing considering I has four (bad) tattoos for 10 years only to have my family discover them when I was in a coma.
Of course, whilst some would say I am old fashioned, I would say honour and manners are timeless. And, having recently decided to drop some of my most basic disciplines (OK, enough skirting around it, I have recently tried illegal drugs for the first time), many have noticed the new, less uptight me.
Anyways, enough rambling. Mid life crisis, or no...Prospectu amet mi...
