Stodge.org

I cannot sit idly, and watch three friends waste their potential. They say that you must follow your dreams but those who say it are the lucky few (or dreamed of becoming a tax consultants). I must name and shame - I hope by making this issue public they will recant their frivolous ways.

The three I am talking about are Mark, Dan and Nick - formerly known as ‘The Pox’ - a disgusting name which correctly implies their collective lack of morals and backbone. And now, I shall take each of you to task for your frilly-shirted dandyish ways:

For starters, let me consider Mark: Five years ago you were destined for the top of your profession. As an apprentice to one of the most brilliant minds in planning, People traveled from around the world to learn your advanced marketing techniques. In a few years time you might have been a head of planning in a regional office. You might even have started your own ad-agency. Think of the good to industry, and therefore society that you will never achive, and all because you wanted to ‘write’.

And now Nick: You were allways the most tallented of the group. Your glittering career in retail was cut short. 5 years ago, you were mingling with the cream of Westminster. Every day you would rise, bright and early and tackle the challenges of growing retail / catering business, of which you had recently been appointed manager. Had you stuck with it, you might be a regional co-ordinator for a chain like Starbucks or Borders. Unfortunately, like the others, you fell for this most compelling dream. Do you truly feel more accomplished now than the days when you mingled with Anne Widdecombe and Neil Hamilton?

The third, but by no means least of the tragic is Dan. Recogning your visual skills, your services had been retained by SilverTech - one of the Brighton Area’s best CAD firms. I know you got a thrill from knowing that the safety systems you drew would be saving the lives of oil-rig workers and trawler operators, but one day you quit and took up animation. Who would perform the daily ‘config-update’, and what is to become of our nation’s merchant navy as you doodle?

To all of you I say “Buck your ideas up”, you may have achieved fleeting sucsess with your 70 part animated series, film commission and a string of awards and nominations, but big deal. Now that two of you are married men, perhaps you should reflect for a moment and consider where you all want to be?