Remember, Remember, the 5th of November...

"Remember, remember the Fifth of November,
The Gunpowder Treason and Plot,
I see no reason
Why the Gunpowder Treason
Should ever be forgot"

Remember, remember the 5Th of November indeed. This well-known traditional English rhyme is one that permeates my life, and my thoughts. We all know the story of the 5th of November 1605 when Guy Fawkes along with his Catholic co-conspirators Robert Catesby, Sir Everard Digby, and Thomas Bates (to name but a few of the rather surprisingly long list) tried to blow up the houses of parliament using barrels of gunpowder, in an attempt to kill King James 1st
We all know how the plan was thwart and a number of the conspirators including the infamous Guy Fawkes were executed for crime of treason against the crown. Well, if you didnt know, you do now.lol

The Preface...
The 5th of November, or its more commonly phrased bonfire or fireworks night is my favourite day of the year. Unquestionably. There are a number of reasons why this is the case. Firstly, up to the age of 17 I had spent every single bonfire night, almost religiously on the Midsummer Common, Cambridge which had a huge firework display. The display used to fascinate me, and the firework display was incredible. Didn't you find, especially as a child that somehow they seemed that even more incredible. As you get older, that sense of ingeniuity, that sense of naivety, and wonderment was something that was entirely overpowering, mesmerising and fascinating, and you would look up to the fireworks, freezing, and often with a sore neck. Yet despite these adverse winter conditions and physiological setbacks, nothing, and I mean absolutely nothing would be able to distract you from watching something that just made you feel amazing. Just purely amazing. You didnt know why, or what was so amazing, and you seemingly didn't care for such answers. It just made you feel amazing. I remember fondly years were I was right by the giant bonfire that would feel like it was burning you from over 100 yards away, or standing on the ledge of a bridge, looking down at the reflection of the fireworks in the river creating a distorted firework display. One year I remember sitting on the opposite side of the river, right by the Cambridge University boathouses admiring the whole spectacle in the same way, but in my own little world, over the river. I remember the fair with all the cliche rides, the vans selling the most greasy and unecessary calorific items, and guys going around selling the latest random form of glowsticks, whether a necklace, a yo-yo or even flying disks. I used to go down with family when I was younger, and throughout my teenage adolescence my fruitless pursuit of 'coolness' and social acceptance meant I was accompanied by my closest of friends.

So as you can clearly see, its something I hold fondly as a memory in my life, and i'm sure you could reel off a number of similar examples in your life that give you a similar effect. This is why, as of last year I started a Dowling tradition, that I wish to keep and continue for many a year to come.Every 5th of November, I dedicate to two things. The first is me. I know it sounds rather self-indulgent, but we don't spend enough time thinking about what makes us happy, (despite my recent flurry of blogs over the subject matter), we dont. We sadly dont. I dont think it is too much to ask, to say that atleast one day, just one day out of 365 a year is yours. Scratch it off the calander, what difference does a day make? (I would argue conversly, and say quite a lot, but thats beyond the scope of this particular blog). The second dedication is to fun (common themes, emerging in blogging?). I have said it before, and I say it again, we should have more fun in our lives. A lot of things in my life in the past two years have taught me that, and given me an entirely new perspective on what life is really about. A good friend of mine once described my character within our teenage years as 'you were quite...intense', and it took me a long time to realise how very right he was. I hope this illustrates a step in the opposite direction.

Just as Guy Fawkes et al had an intention to make a difference to the country, I intend to take a similar approach in a mircoscopic level, that is my own life (we really are an insigificant part of a massively infinite greater world arent we?). So lets go into the tavern of curiousity and light the fuse of interest and talk about the plot itself....

The Plot...
Last year, I composed I list of 9 items. Nine being the greatest number in the world (not 1,2 or three, although 2 is better than 3 darragh...im sorry it just is!) Of those who perhaps don't know me that well, atleast on a physical level, I have a tattoo on my upper, central back depicting the numnber 9 in roman numerals, it looks like this in fact ---> -IX- <--- . I love it, its one of the best things I have ever done, and I got it done with one if the greatest guys I have ever met, my best friend Scott. *takes cap off and nods with mutual respect*. So that is indeed why there is nine items. The nine items are generic, and are considered more of guidelines that concrete definitions. They are as follows: 1. Something spontaneous 2. Something romantic 3. Something with someone else 4. Something (vaguely) intelligent 5. Something Sporty 6.Something relaxing 7.Something you wouldn't normally do 8. Something Naughty 9.Something nice for someone else Of which every year I comprise the exact list of what I will do on that day, and on the 5th of November I do them. For example, 2. Something romantic, I wrote a text to to my girlfriend (at the time) in french (of which I studied, but don't speak lol).It was a small gesture, but I suited. It was genius. The something sport last year I also managed to combine with the something with someone else. I raced a coursemate of mine, from one lecture to another by sprinting across campus. It was quite a sight to be seen, and I looked like a complete plebe, but I was so liberating (thank you Mr Branigan, a true scholar and a gentleman). The game also had stipulations. Firstly two of the 9 had to be suggested my friends or family, one of the nine had to be drawn at random from a number of possibilities, and you have to do atleast one of them with someone. Its a game. A pure game, for games sake, and last year it made me feel great. There is no doubt that I do remember the 5th of November indeed, and although many consider it a day to remind us of the terror and tyranny of man, I remember it as a day to have fun, a day to play a game. I invite you to at very minimum, pick a favourite day, and remember that on your favourite day, its your favourite day! There is a nicety in that alone. For those a little more open-minded I invite you to play your own game in a similar fashion. Go on, I dare you, live a little. Its not complicated, and it can become a fun but personal game. Why not? you set the rules, you play the game. Life is often a game, so what is the harm in playing with life. Its a small gesture, I small thing, but I guarantee it will make you question your daily routines, and your view on life. I find it a beautiful thing to do. I leave you with the lines I opened with, in an attempt to open you to an idea, a thought, that remember, remember the 5th of November, the gun powder, treason and plot. I see of no reason why it should ever be forgot" indeed, I could not agree more... x9