Sunday 14 December 2008

Under my Umbrella!!!

Finding a good and reliable umbrella, these days, is as rare as finding a mole cricket in your back garden. Gone are the days when you could own an umbrella and feel the need to have your initials engraved into its fine wooden crook handle or on its steel tube, becuase you knew that it will be a loyal servant come rain or shine.
The reliable brollies have become a rare sight in many households and the truth is it is the fault of the so-called 'credit-cruncher', 'penny-saver' stores who sell cheap umbrellas, so cheap you just needed to buy three. I'd prefer to buy one umbrella for £30 or more, knowing that I could rely on it for several years than have to keep on buying £1 umbrellas after every rainfall.
I know I probably sound overly emotional on this topic but it stems from being very observant about people on the embarassing situations they have faced with their umbrellas. I mean who wants a brolly that turns against you when the going gets tough or a brolly that prefers to be airborne every time it is opened and I'm very sure that a good majority of you will agree with me that you have had days when you wish you had a reliable umbrella. Imagine you leave for work or school and the clouds mysteriously turn grey, you quickly dash into a shop looking for an umbrella, you meandre through several aisles only to walk out because they are out of stock! You decide to suck it in and press on to your destination. The day gets from bad to worse, you forgot some piece of work at home, just as you're about to head home, you hear the thunder and you know you desperately need an umbrella. Luckily there's a corner shop and you can safely bet they've got everything from painkillers to job application forms. You see this £1 umbrella and in no time you're at the cashier with two in your possession. Smiling to yourself you open your umbrella and it looks good... It feels good too and suddenly there's a gust of wind and your new umbrella prefers to do an inside-out dance and just like that whole thing gives in. But it's just a pound so you roll out the back up!

My advice? Take time when selecting your brollies, there's a high chance of buying a long-term companion in an expensive one than a fair-weather friend in a penny-saver! Besides, an umbrella can be a fashion accessory! Now... where is me brolly!!!

Adieu!


Wednesday 3 December 2008

If I had AIDS...



It was World AIDS Day a few days ago, December 1st. Personally I am very emotional when it comes to real life horrors of the lives living in pain or the families that seem to mourn too often. I did my bit this December, I donated £5 to charity. I don't want to stop there or just rest on my oars and say 'hey I donated', I want to be part of a global movement of young minds who have taken it as their duty to enlighten people about HIV and AIDS and go further by setting up charities or liasing with established charities to provide the much needed support to the victims of AIDS.

In doing my quota, I wrote a short poem. It is a very short story titled 'If I had AIDS'

If I had AIDS
I’d like to know that I can get medical assistance.

If I had AIDS
I’d like to be treated with respect; I still, am human.

If I had AIDS
I’d wish everyone not laugh or joke about it, or commercialize it.

If I had AIDS
I’d do my best to make you understand that it is REAL.

If I had AIDS
I’d wish that charity help gets to those who need it.

If I had AIDS
I wish I wasn’t scared to go to bed.

If I had AIDS
And I died, I wish you are wiser after I am gone.

You can call me Liam...

Time and time, I've been asked to start my own blog, 'since you're so full of yourself, it shouldn't be too hard to write about yourself ay?'
Somehow, I've given in to blogging, but it generally isn't going to be about me. No, I think I'll be writing 'bout my passions, my dreams and the little things that make me me.
Oh! by the way, you can call me Liam. It's my pen name, and, well, it's just my name.