Many years ago I used to look in the mirror and see a fresh faced Errol Flynn type character with a twinkle in the eye and an optimistic smile, These days I'm more likely to see a grizzled Humphrey Bogart type image...sure the smile is still there but much more cynical and wry!
Getting older I'm luckier than most though, I haven't put on too many extra pounds and I can still tie my shoe laces from a standing position! plus I've still got most of my own hair...don't know if that's much of an advantage though, a haircut now costs more than a week's worth of groceries these days.
I've never owned a car, I've got a good pair of working legs and I much prefer public transport...I guess I just love the human and social interaction I get from that.
I love music of all kinds and I can get quite passionate about it, I remember being at a party when my favourite groove started playing so I quickly grabbed this long haired blond for a dance only to find out he had more growth on his face than I had.......in my own defence though the guy did have the best and sweetest ass in the entire room!
I can't remember a time that I wasn't interested in art, especially fantasy illustration and fine art.
My passion for mythology and history has provided me with a never-ending supply of subject matter and inspiration, I also like to use real people in my artwork as much as possible.
My aim.....hopefully, taking the ordinary and making it a bit...extraordinary!
My philosophies are simple, almost childlike.
I try not to talk about politics or religious stuff because the injustices that are tied to both enrage me to almost fever pitch!
I respect the right of everyone to choose their own faith or beliefs.....as for me, well I've only ever had a problem with my belief in people, history shows the human race has never been a safe bet to do the right thing....droping nuclear bombs on civilian cities to resolve a war just doesn't do it for me.
I hate prejudice of any kind whether it's class, race or religion, I'd like to see the word tolerance and it's meaning carved in stone and erected in all the city centres of the world.
I want to see governments pulling together for the common good for a change! heh heh I really am that much of a sap to want to see this!
Technology is rapidly changing this world, human achievements have reached miraculous heights and yet we still can't find solutions or alternatives to war!
I mean it beggars the imagination knowing that there are good charitable organisations out there walking the streets with their little tin cups trying to gather enough pennies to save the lives of sick children! and then there are our governments throwing cash billions into weapons research trying to develop the next super duper smart bomb to kill people with.
I am and have been many things in my life, a father and a lover, a drunk and an artist, an amateur good guy and a world class asshole...I haven't as yet murdered anyone but if you know of any pedophiles or war criminals out there willing to grant me that one small ambition then I promise to make it quick........well perhaps not that quick!
And so I guess you could say I've been a man of many contradictions, I like to view that as a positive thing though, like a willingness to change and adopt new ideas, I don't consider single mindedness to be a virtue, that's something more suited to politicians and earth worms
So now here I am today at nearly 53 years old and I'm still a frustrated man, sure there are things in my life that I'm content with, my wonderful family and many friends, my artwork, relatively good health....not reduced to wearing a diaper just yet!
I look back on all those years and wonder what was it all for, what happened to that idealistic young man who was going to make such a massive impact on the world?
Mmmm and what will be the end result for me?......
.......perhaps a small mention in the obituary column of a newspaper that will soon be trashed and recycled as a roll of ass-wipe...and there you have it, my whole life story ends with a fleeting relationship with someone's ass.
Heh heh but why close on such a cynical note?
After Pandora opened that box a million lifetimes ago and unleashed all the terrible evils, toils and sickness on the world, you would have thought that life would be doomed to an unending pointless struggle if it wasn't for the one other great spirit that she also freed, something far stronger than all the rest.......the spirit of hope.
James McPartlin