FIRST POST... Possibly last depending on how bored Blair's bobby's are today.

In the style of the Oscar-laden, celebrity-ridden culture we now live in, can I dedicate this - my first ever blog - to the highly-respected, dog-loving playwright Mr David Albert Eldridge. I would like to thank him for drawing my attention to the potential offered in blogging via his own recently opened space, www.onewriterandhisdog.blogspot.com. Blogging has existed in cyber-space for many an aeon, Natalie, I hear you say. This is true.

I could try to excuse my tardiness in it's uptake by devising a funny story as to why I never fully appreciated blogs before 19th October 2006. I could, but I won't. This blog, like most I would hope, is to be an open vessel for the liquids of truth and honesty.

No entry or entrants should ever lie (knowingly), mislead or misrepresent. If the peoples of the word are to unite in harmony and understanding, the walls of that understanding must lie upon the foundations of truth. For how else can it be... (please refer to Kahlil Gibran's the Prophet, p 28 for the remainder of this touching speech)

I'm sure you understand and agree wholeheartedly.

And to return to my In Honoriam Speech - David, I hope you don't mind me jumping so quickly onto your blogging band-wagon. With characteristic impulsivity, the thought had no sooner crossed my mind that public opining might be the thing for me.... than I was picking out the colour scheme for my blog background.

(It should be black by the way)

Why black?

Well. Of course I intend to deal with serious, dark and often-times disturbing themes. I feel that only black offers the level of gravity of tone to adequately reflect and respect this content.

Perhaps throughout this blogging experience, the background colour may change. Take note of these changes for they will, no doubt, provide an unenunciated expression of my mood and attitudes, perhaps in general, perhaps in relation to specific topics.

In fact, as I wrote these words, a kernel of an idea crossed my mind. And this idea shall be my first expression of thoughts on a specific topic. So here goes.

To those who base their objections to the wearing of the jilbab on the pseudo-sociological theory that communication is impeded by a listeners inability to see the facial expressions of the speaker - I say this. Will colour swatches help?

If you are unfortunate enough to have an undeveloped ear for spoken words and intonation, and a vision so embryonic that movements of the body and head at large cannot compute within you - perhaps a colour chart, perhaps in the mould of Dulux paint swabs will help your deficiencies?Why not suggest to the jilbabed women you undoubtedly pass much of your social life with that they display an appropriate colour swatch alongside each sentence they utter as a visual aid for your better understanding. Perhaps then you will allow them the courtesy to wear whatever article of clothing their heart desires for I'm sure that your objection is truly based in this particular theory of the fundamentalism of an open-face to human interaction as opposed to a prejudice against a group of people due to their cultural or religious beliefs and expressions.

Often referred to in dictionary short-hand as 'racism'.