To be a bright-eyed child again

Twenty-three years ago, I joined a tough race on a circular track in space. I shared the vehicle (a giant ball of mass, covered mainly in water, with an engine of pure molten magma in the core) with, what was at the time, roughly 7 billion other people, and we raced around the sun. Since then, another billion people joined the human race and, for those who were still racing, the circuit proved to be dull and repetitive causing minds to wander to other ideas and novel things to do while hurtling around space at billions of miles an hour. Many, at a young age, stared into the sky at the raceway, and thought of what they would become.

I was one of them. I wanted to be so many things all at once. I wanted to be a fireman, an author, a musician, and a games designer all at once. But, as the years went by and as the race continued, my thoughts drifted from writing stories of heroism and composing theme songs for game characters. Instead, I concentrated on the race, and how I was to survive it.

I was losing positions quickly. Others sped past me one by one, and people who I thought would never overtake me in the race to be a successful human being became a blur for a split second and then a dot in the distance. I had been concentrating on running this track so hard that I had forgotten why I was running in the first place.

But recently, I remebered something.

Like most in my country and age group, I first heard of Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie when they appeared in the classic comedy Blackadder. And, by god was it brilliant. Not only was Rowan Atkinson a genius as Blackadder himself, the series itself would never have had such a successful third and fourth series if it wasn't for Fry and Laurie. And I fell in love with their comedy, and since I have always tried to keep a close eye on their work. Having said that though, much like Fry, it was hard to do what you loved due to depression. Of course, I don't think I had it as bad as Fry, who suffered from manic depression. So, I haven't really had a chance to learn a lot about my heroes.

But watching this documentary has helped me realise some of my dreams, and even opened up new opportunities that I could tap into.

I'd love to be able to have the knowledge and wit of Stephen Fry, and I would kill for the musical abilities and calm confidence of Hugh Laurie. I want, at some point, to emulate the greatness that is Fry and Laurie. But, I like to think I have one up on the duo... I can kind of draw.

I think I realise I have a dream again. I want to combine everything I know, everything that I love about Fry and Laurie, with my art and comics. So, maybe when I get back into the human race, I might finish at a better position I left off.



PS: Oh yeah, I might be homeless again at some point in the future.