SUCCESS OR FAILURE

Les also looks back on 2007 to identify our successes and failures

No one likes to be criticized; we all would much prefer praise. But do we do people we know any favours if when we are aware of their liabilities we turn a blind eye? If I drink to excess each day, and lets face it no one likes a drink more than me, do you draw my attention to that fact and the effect it is having on my health or do you simply say to yourself "it's none of my business."

Yes I agree this is rather a somewhat drawn out way of coming round to what I'm on about. So just what am I on about? Well I would like to review 2007 and where it has taken us; what were our successes and what were our failures. To me, however, I don't see the need to dwell on our successes because we did very little wrong. If we had we wouldn't have been successful, you only achieve success if most of the time you are doing the right things, I agree this isn't quite brain surgery stuff but there we are.

So yes let's give ourselves a pat on the back and move on. And now let's have a word or two about our failures however reluctant we might be to do so. I could now write chapter and verse listing all of the failures that still stare us in the face. But the interesting thing to me is that you would have to ask yourself just what will you have achieved and the answer is so very little that you might just as well have not bothered.

If you tell the delectable Miss Jones how lovely she is looking you might get round to sitting on her lap but tell her she is talking rubbish, which she probably is, and you will get nowhere; you will lose ground so forget it.

However, if we move away from people to say villages, now that's different. Recently I posed the question, "Where was Stoke Ferry going?" My answer to that was that I hadn't the faintest idea the reason being that I can weigh up people but villages are another matter. Stoke Ferry isn't going anywhere because it hasn't anywhere to go. But when it comes to HIM well we know where he will soon be off and that's Sheringham with a dog and wife; his dog but someone else's wife. Yes you have heard that one more than once before but what's wrong with starting the New Year off with one of my favourites.

What I would like to see us do more of in 2008 is reading and it dawned on me the other day that although I frequently go in to libraries I never see anyone there that I know. Where they get to goodness knows. Talking of reading brings to mind Caitlin Moran's observations in The Times where she writes about England losing out of Euro 2008.

Surely, she writes, it's a good thing that for one summer only we are not going to sit around in darkened rooms getting drunk, and putting £200 we haven't got on Wayne Rooney to score a hat-trick. We might all go out and get some fresh air, talk to each other and listen to the sound of the nightingales, and eat early strawberries at midnight in the park. It's going to be the best summer ever and we owe it all to that lovely Steve McClaren.

To me that is brilliant writing in stark contrast to my drivel and that thought has left me feeling rather depressed but the good news is my glass is still half full so Cheers and a Happy New Year to all who read my articles, yes both of you.

Les Lawrence