20 Life Lessons; I Learned From Dogs

"Today's lesson..."

1. Not all artists walk on two feet.

2. Everyone can forgive, and be forgiven.

3. Everyone can love, and be loved.

4. Giants are often babies, and babies often giants.

5. The passenger seat of a car journey is much more fun, with your head sticking out the window.

6. The strongest relationship on Earth, is that of reciprocated loyalty.

7. If at first you don't succeed, keep doing the same thing over and over - until someone shows you the correct method.

8. Age is just a number.

9. Be weary of those, who are weary of dogs.

10.Just because all food can be eaten, doesn't mean all food should be eaten.

"Ready, class?"

11. The vital daily rest is far more pleasurable, after the vital daily walk.

12. All questions are correctly answered with instinct.

13. All bottoms smell, yet only few are worthy of smelling.

14.Some bones must be chewed, others must be buried.

15. The greatest person we can ever aspire to be, is ourselves.

16. An ounce of silly, is worth a pound of serious.

17. The purest form of love, is unconditional.

18. Never underestimate the power of the poor face.

19. Enthusiasm is an infectious quality.

20. The golden rule; If all else fails? Find a cat to solve the problem.

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20 Life Lessons; I Learned From Cats.

"My Tutor"

1. It is much easier to ask for forgiveness, than it is permission.

2. Dustbin men and vacuum cleaners, are secretly controlled by an evil organisation.

3. While perfectly acceptable to like everybody, the few worthy of your love, must be carefully considered.

4. I am never wrong, only not right by the standards of others.

5. Dogs 'break wind', cats release love burps.

6. Some love to eat fish, others just want to befriend them.  

7. If at first you don't succeed, keep being annoying till they give in.

8. When upset, turning my bottom in the accusers direction, is a very powerful statement. 

9. Always show gratitude to others, but if they fail to return the favour, cease immediately.

10. Silent displeasure is far more potent, than barking in stereo. 

"Rule Number Fourteen"

11. It is common courtesy to avoid discussing bathroom matters, in any form of public environment.

12. A moving light on the wall, is the second most interesting aspect of Earth.

13. The intricate comfort and design of cardboard boxes, is the most interesting aspect of Earth.

14. Plenty of quiet, comfortable rest, is vital to a happy life.

15. Vulnerability can only be shown in small, measured doses. The rest of the time, you must be cool as ice.

16. A life without play, is a life without colour.

17. A king doesn't need to prove to others he is king; knowing in himself is more than adequate.

18. Never underestimate the power of the poor face.

19. Wealth is not determined by money, but level of provided love and attentions.

20. The golden rule; If all else fails? Blame it on the doggy.

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The Bea Alonzo Story.

"Bea Alonzo"

It is easy to become carried away with the notion of the famous, aiding charitable and humane causes; purely to promote their own careers. Unfortunately, our 21^st century world is dominated by a false and cynical perception, believing money and power are keys to unlock the doors of happiness; allowing us to forget that in reality, kind hearted famous people, do in fact exist. But exist they do, and I believe there is no better way to prove this point, than with the story of Bea Alonzo...

In the South-East Asian islands known as the Philippines, 26-year-old Bea Alonzo is the perfect mixture of celebrity and charity. A respected singer of popular music, leading film and television actress, and consistent cover model, Bea began life in the Philippines much like every other aspirational infant; gazing up at the stars, and dreaming of eventually shining brightly, as a star of her very own.

Born Phylbert Angellie Ranollo Fagestrom - to a British father and Filipino mother, her parents separated when she was barely four-years-old; leaving Bea to face the difficulties of a fractured family unit, as well as growing up quickly between the bars of each side. Carrying an exotic mixture of Caucasian/Oriental features, Bea began entering local beauty contests - to initial moderate success. However, it was at one particular pageant as a ten-year-old, she was discovered by Filipino fashion designer Oscar Peralta; who sensed potential in both her looks, and more important, personality.

Bea was signed to the ABS-CBN corporation; the largest multi-media conglomerate in the Philippines, as a future star in waiting. Come 2002, now 15-years-old and trained as an actor and vocalist, she was offered a role in television series, K2BU. From this humble of beginnings, Bea has risen from strength to strength. Today in 2014, she remains ever-popular; her Facebook fan page is currently over 2 million members strong. And with a solid decade of career behind her, you may imagine her professional work is the secret behind her popularity. But in truth - while she is respected as an artist, this is only a fraction of why her fan-base remains so high.

"Inspiring the children"

While a down to earth attitude, hard-work, and friendliness to others help Bea's popularity, it is her strong level of charity and desire to help the suffering, which leaves her so loved, by so many. In a nation where poverty is as common as corruption, and the desperation to survive can push innocence in all kinds of awful directions, Bea uses her success not to promote personal fame, but to help those far less fortunate. This happens through her work with the PREDA foundation; where she asks for zero fanfare or publicity, in her active participation; almost embarrassed if the attention is taken away from the charity itself.

The PREDA (People's Recovery Empowerment Development Assistant) Foundation, are a non-profit organisation which exist to protect and promote the human rights of citizens in the Philippines. Doing their best to improve situations which often appear hopeless, their main aim focuses on aiding sexually-abused and exploited children; and for nearly 40 years, have created a whole host of projects which have successfully achieved this. Even taking into account the lack of time available to a woman in such demand in her career, Bea offers the cause countless hours; even spending many of her own birthdays entertaining the always graceful children. While many celebrities are forever helping themselves, she is eternally helping others; even without fame, this is highly commendable, and an inspiration to all her fans. Bea is an humanitarian with fame; not a famous person who sometimes helps humanity..

The story of Bea Alonzo carries with it a series of valuable reminders, about the lives we live. Where we begin is meaningless in comparison to where we finish, hard-work and humility are an unbeatable combination, and true beauty is eternally internal. And yet, perhaps the most powerful message, is that there will always be good souls who achieved their dreams, helping others try to achieve theirs in return. Filipinos are a strong and proud island of people; who place great emphasis on the importance of family and charity. Bea Alonzo is a poster child for all that is good about their wonderful nation...

Follow Bea through her official Facebook fan page. And if you can afford to, send a donation to PREDA; supporting the suffering women and children of the Philippines. Every second of love is the wonder it provides.

For Official Facebook fan page, Click Here. 

For all Donations to PREDA, Click Here. 

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The Art of Leigh.

"Recognise this guy?"

I have always felt a quiet modesty in their creative abilities, is a vital trait of any true artist. This doesn’t mean they lack the confidence to openly proclaim their work, as opposed to possess a strong enough sense of themselves; as both artist and human being - to simply feel little need to. Much like the silent 2nd Dan, or the incognito single-mother, there is no greater dignity than that which arrives, without fanfare.

The reason I explain this, comes from my desire to promote a long-term friend, who is one of these exact types of people; therefore unlikely to sell his skills in any literal sense. His name is Leigh Miller; a 34 year-old English male who specialises in graphite pencil art, which - if you glance at the image on the right hand side, provides just a small example of the work he regularly produces, in such a humble yet dedicated fashion...

I first met Leigh when we were teenagers; in the baggy shirted, flock of seagulls haircut era of mid-1990’s London. He had moved to the capital from the town of Aylesbury, and due to similar depth in personality, became secondary school best friends with my elder brother - making him a regular visitor to our home. Miller was one of those characters you instantly took a liking to. He was funny, positive, and always ready with an interesting story to lighten the day; my favourite being the time his wide-eyed musician father, Mick, frantically paced around his house holding his guitar like a baseball bat, during a television viewing of the WWF's Royal Rumble Pay-Per-View event. As a group of heel wrestlers handed fan favourite The Undertaker a sneaky gang beating, then placed him in a dark casket, according to Leigh, his dad kept shouting "If I was in that crowd, I'd jump right over with this guitar..." 

As happens in life, Leigh drifted from my family, and vice versa, and for many years, his whereabouts - much like post casket attack Undertaker, were unknown. However, with the magic of Facebook, in 2011 he reappeared; a little older, a little wiser, but still the same laugh-a-minute upbeat fella he ever was. Only this time, Leigh - through a personal Facebook page (link at the bottom), had exposed a side of himself very few people knew existed; he could draw... he could really draw!

"Photo of Miller"

For those unaware, graphite pencil art is the act of creating drawings which can - when executed with precision, appear close to the level of a pure photograph; with the added beauty of the deft touch of each artist’s hand - via their unique viewpoint. Much like crafting figures from matchsticks, or sculpting ice, the skill requires a tremendous level of patience, desire, determination, and a flair for razor sharp detail. Miller is a highly skilled craftsmen, and many of his displayed works, mostly based around popular culture; Tom Hardy's Bane, Angelina Jolie, and The Rock as examples, show a talent with plenty of reason to remain positive and excited. I still hope one day he decides to draw his dad; minus the guitar, that is.

He is still very young as an artist, with many years to evolve. And like anyone bold enough to chase their dreams - as well as understand the work necessary to do so, deserves credit for his current emerging position and consistently growing popularity. He is an honest and helpful, old school dude, so reward yourself by checking out his art, liking his page, sending him a message of support, or even requesting any ideas for future works; artists love ideas. 

Whoever you are, whatever you do, and whatever form of reality you are born into, we are all artists; who carry within us the potential to express our own unique selves, in our own unique manner. What makes Leigh such an interesting talent - beyond his works, is how he truly is a regular, down to earth fella. And in a form of expression which often lays victim to the perception of pretension, he represents - in my view, a very modern form of artist. I wish him all the best; he certainly deserves it...

If you are an artist and wish to be promoted on my website, please contact me at my website below.

For 'Leigh, Graphite Pencil Art' (Facebook Page) CLICK HERE.

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Collecting the Ultimate Warrior.

"In Summerslam action"

To those uninitiated to its back-story, my brother spending $900 (£549) on a pair of colourful, twenty-three year old Spandex underpants with the words 'Out Of Control' carefully stitched into the fabric; complete with matching tassels and elbow pads, would seem an act of sheer lunacy. Add to this the knowledge he - on receipt of said attire, carefully framed them with pride and place upon the wall of his home office; and likely wore them at some point, it hardly helps the case for his defense. 

Of course, when I mention how these items are in fact attire worn by World Wrestling Federation legend, the Ultimate Warrior - during his world title run of 1990; including steel cage Summerslam tussle against the vastly undervalued Ravishing Rick Rude. To those who carry any level of love for the misunderstood wonder of professional wrestling, It is obvious my brother is as grounded as ever. Nonetheless, $900 ring-wear is a unique sale, and causes me to ask the question: how does a performer become so popular, that a full-grown man would place his pants on such a high pedestal? Forgiving the knowledge the fabric has likely felt the grip of men such as Andre the Giant, and Dino Bravo...

For those too young to remember, the character of Ultimate Warrior - portrayed by body-builder, chiropractic student, and Indiana native, James Hellwig, never so much arrived onto the pro-wrestling scene, as tore right through it; redefining key elements of the sports entertainment rule book, in due process. Making his WWF début in June 1987, and barely twelve months into his career, it took less then three years to find himself going from jerking curtains of arena house shows - squashing long-term enhancement talents like Terry Gibbs and the Brooklyn Brawler, to headlining the main-event of Wrestlemania VI; taking the clean pinfall over a face Hulk Hogan - the wrestling equivalent of headlining Wembley Stadium, above the Rolling Stones. All his actions were unconventional, yet the fans took to him and his merchandise like wildfire; which, ultimately, dictates the direction of talent in the wrestling industry.

Over the ensuing two decades - as a result of politics, changing natures in public perceptions of wrestling, and simply exploring other avenues in his life, Hellwig, who in 1992 legally changed his name to Warrior, became a distant yet passionate observer to the industry which helped make him a household name; experiencing an icy relationship with the internal world of professional wrestling, and making sporadic appearances. However, he has retained popularity beyond those walls with the fans, and this is the first reason why I believe my brother paid the money he did, to attain the pants he has. While many professional wrestlers listen to the viewpoints of their bosses, the agents, other workers, investors, or any internal avenue who feel they know better, I always felt he listened to no one else but the fans who emotionally invested in his character - filtered through personal ideas of progression. An entertainer will often take their fan-base for granted; the Warrior seems grateful for every last one of them.

"$900 later"

The second reason, is a mixture of a consistency and genuine nature; which showed in his character through the energy omitted to each crowd, and as a man in fan interactions; where he takes time and effort to converse and pose for each fan photo, till they are satisfied with the outcome. Where many other entertainers carry an abject disdain for those who supported them for so long, or have sold themselves down the river for a fistful of dollars and a subway sandwich, Warrior has remained resolute in his likes, dislikes, and outlooks on both the industry he excelled in, and the world he lives in. As we grow older, it becomes harder to find those true to their principals - and even through the ridicule of doing so, the Warrior has always stood firm in the face of adversity; and attacks by Hulk Hogan.

The final reason, and perhaps the most pivotal; beside just how darn entertaining his character was, is from his progression as a human being. Seeing him now at the age of 54; through vast collections of YouTube videos, website articles, paintings, and inspirational talks, I see a wiser, smarter man - still buzzing with desire to grow, yet aware he is no longer physically 32. Instead of appearing foolish by trying to hold onto haircuts and highlights of decades past - he seems devoid of the ignorance lost in ego, and comes across as a forward thinker; who genuinely cares about providing useful life advice to the younger generations. As someone none too fond of the still prevalent 'me' ethos of the baby-boomers, this attitude is both refreshing and inspirational; and a more considerate set of values, in this world we live upon. The pants have value not only as a representation of history, but also a memory of morality; easily lost with the passing of time.

The Ultimate Warrior - both man and character, is known as intense, passionate, single-minded, brutal, charismatic, and more than anything else... genuine. He gave to the fans, and the fans gave in return. This is why my brother - much like millions of other now full grown adults, and even a new generation of youngsters ready to stamp their own mark on the world, remain such true fans of all that encompasses this fine line between gimmick and reality. In a world loaded with bullshitters and scam-artists, he is simply an old-school soul, who calls each play as he sees it; at least, that is how I see it - I would love to hear your own interpretation, on my Facebook page.

Those Summerslam 1990 Spandex underpants remain framed; serving as a wonderful memory of popular culture, childhood, and how far we can reach when we truly believe in ourselves - and stop at nothing to reach the peak of that mountain. The Ultimate Warrior is one of pro-wrestling's true enigmas; no one else could have created this character, created by a character, unlike almost anybody else...

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'Unhealthy' Competition.

" I really, really want this shirt!"

In life, competition is indeed, healthy. Whether Rafael Nadal pushing a once dominant Roger Fededer to dizzying new heights of breathtaking Tennis; also rising the levels of future grand slam winners around it. Or the technological marvels created by the late Steve Jobs - one-upping his good friend Bill Gates, genuine threats to our throne force us to remain hungry, focused, and determined; in order to remain seated firmly upon it.

The flip-side to an unchallenged chair is painfully predictable. Floyd Mayweather walking through fighter after fighter, Phil Taylor winning eight consecutive PDC World darts titles, and Facebook changing site rules - to suit themselves as and when they please, all leaving a hollow taste in the mouths of onlookers; desperate to view the marvels of an irreversible force, meeting an immovable object. Civilisation needs competition to evolve, but it also needs respect; otherwise, there is no civilisation...

As a fan of Premier League stalwarts, Arsenal, I have carried a life-long disposition against Tottenham Hotspur; the natural enemy of geographical design. If honest, even if I wasn't a supporter of the gunners, I would still dislike the club. Run by the delusional and ignorant; who carry an attitude of enough never being enough, and treating both their players and fans with blatant contempt, I find it difficult to respect such consistent inconsistency. I see Spurs as the England of club football; a side who play in white, haven’t won anything important since the 1960’s - yet continue to convince themselves they are world greats, and helped ruin Gazza – when Gazza wasn’t busy ruining himself. This of course makes Arsenal, Germany; which these days, is difficult to argue against.

My genuine disdain is aimed at the club, and the humorous side, it's often uppity yet harmless supporters. Both fan-bases are never associated with hooliganism, a respectable stance is maintained between one another, and both understandably desire to be the best inside their cosmopolitan jungle, either side of Harringay. However, with the recent troubles of either club; the bizarre decision of Spurs chairman Daniel Levy to fire yet another progressive manager, and Theo Walcott’s tragic World Cup ending injury, the bad blood has spilled over, into the murky lines of vitriolic hatred; laughing about the young man's setback, and making cowardly Holocaust references in return on social media. It is sad for me to see, as Tottenham and Arsenal are passionate clubs, not nasty ones. And while I understand the lines between banter and personal attack are threadbare at best - very few are stupid enough to remain unaware of what is and isn't offensive. It is a dangerous precedent to set, as the moment these avenues are crossed, it becomes very easy to continue along such negative waters; and even harder to return back to a more civilised footing; once the futile error of these ways have been realised.

"Peace!"

I feel genuine sympathy for Spurs supporters. Any period the club grows into a side on the verge on eclipsing Arsenal in ability and success; and two years ago under Harry Redknapp, they were a seriously formidable outfit, the owners develop an ego rush, and decide to gamble all their hard earned chips on a three-legged horse; which inevitably falls flat on its arse - leaving them returning back to the grindstone, as Europa League regulars on ITV4. 

Couple this with a decade of having to watch the red side of North London bankroll a brand new stadium, challenge for major honours, and build a stack of consistent fresh squads, and the pain of White Hart Lane lies evermore deeper. I can happily chuckle at these misfortunes as they are part of a game, and truly harmless to wider life; perhaps this is the barrier line I refer to. As for Arsenal, we are too dignified a fan-base for this, and while our club's history is hardly the stuff of a Waltons episode, our multi-cultural, social, and global support base is defined by the interest in results on the pitch, then petty name calling off it. As Jonathan Agnew would say... "It's just not cricket."

Spurs fans will always rip into Arsenal, and Arsenal fans will always rip into Spurs. A lack of good old-fashioned Tottenham bashing - and Tottenham fist shaking in return, leaves football in North London so much emptier. But a line has to be drawn somewhere. Much like sledging cricketers about mental health issues, or snide, bitter jokes about the plight of the Jews; who have suffered some truly hellish periods, paedophile references, coin-throwing, and laughing about a young-man missing out on a once in a lifetime world cup opportunity, it is simply against the human spirit of life – as much as the human spirit of healthy competition. Naturally sections of the media will attempt to inflame the issue, but I hope it ends up missing the target - much like most Spurs shots at Arsenal's goalmouth, this past weekend.

I will still hope Tottenham lose every non-Arsenal affecting match, and I am sure Spurs fans will wish the same in reverse. Even though we may deny it, the clubs need one another; as healthy rivals, not bitter enemies. Football is a game, and games are created for enjoyment. Perhaps those small few who stoke these pointless fires of hate; the media included, need to think a little, before they act. Football is about connection and enjoyment, not attrition and pain... 

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