Who am I writing too. Then again, who am I?

Dear ?,
I haven't been able to get the excitement of my new blog site out of my mind. I've currently got the flu and am feeling a bit rough. The creation of this site is keeping me from a) going a bit mad and b) daytime television.

I've been thinking thatI want to personalise who I write my blogs to. You know the type of thing, dear diary or dear whoever. There are two names in contention and that come to mind. First there is 'Dear Valerie', inspired by Derek and Clive. Second there is 'Dear Bernard', inspired by Julian and Sandy's great ode to "our darling GBS". Bernard, is also inspired by Steve Cogan's sketch which has stuck with me for years, where he cries out randomly in the middle of a scene "I love you Bernard".

both Valerie and Bernard are valid and I could write happily to either, but are they original enough? In reality, who ever I write to, the name is going to be my way of personalising you, the reader. A way of imagining who I am writing to and giving me a focus or purpose to write.

But there is another idea.

In the 18th century a guy called Rousseau wrote a book about an imaginary child called "Emile". It's a very thick book to read but the idea behind it was Rousseau's theory on education. By using Emile, he wrote about the ideal situation of how child should be brought up and educated. I have had a few ideas, based on a few discussions in my old job about using this kind of narrative to help people understand disability issues or perhaps to explore an alternative way in which disabled people could experience a more accepting, supportive society. so I could use this idea to write about an imaginary character instead of writing to an imaginary character.

The third strand to this strange entry is me, or is it Rockinpaddy? Rockinpaddy was a spur of the moment name that I created after listening to a Shane MacGowan & the Popes CD. Rockinpaddy is a way of me and a few friends still being able to play when one of the band is missing. You see my other band, "The Big Red Bambino Band", has a definite membership of four of us, and when one is missing it doesn't feel right to play as BRBB. So Rockinpaddy, is a mishmash of various musicians and today nine musicians have been Rockinpaddy.

I guess the only constant in the idea has been I have played throughout. Some people think that I am rockinpaddy and certainly my mates down at AFC Wimbledon all call me rockinpaddy. so I guess in some ways I am Rockinpaddy, but because in my head Rockinpaddy is more a concept, a bit of a mad creature, up for the craic and crazed on Guinness, Rockinpaddy gives me an opportunity to explore a different part of being me. I'm sure Freud would have something to say about this!

Perhaps the key to this blog is Rockinpaddy. He knows how to have a good time, he knows his stuff about music and he has views on the world in which he lives. Combined with my Flickr website Rockinpaddy has a pretty rounded existence.

Let's think on it for a day or two, reflect. I certainly didn't think today's entry would take us on this journey.

Be lucky,

JK