Costa moments

To whom I am proud to call a friend,

Thank for for our coffee catch-up at costa today. I just wanted to say that you keep me sain during my times of insanity. You accept my flaws, my imperfections even went I do not. You know the world is your oyster and go for it- and so you should. You should follow your ideas, they are brilliant. They are yours and I will be there for you every single step of the great journey that we call our life. To you who when I cry you are always there. Not by duty, but by compassion. You pick me up when I am down: and down I shall undoubtedly go...we all go at some point. I know you will always be there even if I am not around. Physical distance is nothing to compared to mental closeness. You make me smile with pure articulated genius. You are genuine and honest; a rarity amongst these parts. You follow your ideas because you know that they are important.You are passionate. I admire, love and appreciate for everything you do. I dont think I ever could tell you enough. You are your own and you know it. You live for it. You live in your own world content in the knowledge at any point you can step into mine. You call me from time to time, just to say hi, just to hear a friendly voice. You think of me when I wish to be thought of. What is important in my life is inherently important in yours. We talk of each other with interest, respect and happiness. We lean on each other, propping each other. We have 'coffee' by day, a pint by night. We share are thoughts, our feelings and our worlds. We stroll the streets without purpose, but with companionship. We sit and watch the world go by because somehow it is better to share. I dont know what I would do without you. You have been my rock. My consciousness. You say what I need to hear without a whisper. I am so glad you are in my life. You have quite simply changed it for the better.

Do you fancy coffee next week?

Upmost & Kindest Regards,

Mathew Dowling

Advocacy of Inequality (Dowling, 2009)

FAO: Mr Waters et Al (2009),

I would like to thank you kindly for your last blog. I shall make particularly reference to the use of 'fiscal' policy as a justification to leaving the education establishment, was highly amusing. A nice story of highs and lows, and certainly a sentiment for the expression 'bros before hoe's' *respect*. I would like to take this opportunity to indulge a little further into the nostalgia of your last blog to suggest to the nature of this so called 'junk food', because I don't know about you, but I have a serious urge for a 'drumstick' bar right now, swiftly followed by a pack of maltesers.

So it begins. WITHOUT any further a due, and WITH the mental imagery of drumsticks, maltesers and License to Kill/facility/remote mines (and no oddjobs or the scientist who is also fractionally smaller than the other characters, and of course the professional unwritten rule of not shooting someone unless they have a firearm(remember that one), I lead you down the yellow brick road to the main (slightly obese) body of my premier blog, and the subject matter of ...scales.

"What was once a student teacher relationship, is far more of an equal status"

Indeed, and rightly so. For it is my belief, and this blogging discourse, that we are by very definition both equal and unequal as friends. You are not required to agree, or accept my idea, but I at least hope you consider it.

The idea of equality is a theoretical utopia, not to mention what some current (more former) countries based their whole political ideology on. I do agree with the idea of equality and for all intensive (theoretical) purposes we are equal.. particularly in the contextual meaning you meant it in. But I also argue that we are unequal, and rightly so. Friends by their very nature are there for each other in times of need, they are the ones to call when you cannot control something, or you want to know how to control something (physical or mental) and it is that reciprocal understanding and respect of the other which puts you on a level playing field. However, friends are more than that. It is your friends who are the greatest, most interesting and most valued people in the world, they are, in all probability, the most influential people to you. Their are those who, with exception, change you life radically, agreed, but it is an accumulation of the incremental additions to your life that are truly the drivers for change, and what ultimately shape your rise (or fall) as an individual. Why are they so influential comes down to a simple cognitive process of you allowing them to do so. You allow them to influence you, that is why they do so.

So you see, I do not see you as an equal, because it is that very unequal nature, which has shaped my character (and vice versa). It is that very nature of disequalibrium that makes you truly an influence on my life, and why I consider you a true friend. I learn from you everyday, and friends will always surprise you, and you will always underestimate them. There are qualities in you, and I always see positives in people, because they are beautiful. Assets and qualities which I aspire to, and hope that I may one day learn, adapt and adopt in order to better myself as a person. It is quite a privellage to have friendships, whereby the biggest compliment someone can give you is to want to take a quality that you express and make it their own. It is not only flattering, but heartfelt...

let me know your thoughts