When I grow up, I'm going to be . . .

I have not heard anybody say that in a good many years, not even my grandchildren.  What I might have said when I was of an age to say it, I have no idea.  I do recall that at different times I had dreams of opening the batting for England (not a hope!) or being the captain of a destroyer (not much chance of that either!) but I don't recall ever wanting to be an engine driver, which was supposed to be the ambition of every boy.

With the benefit of hindsight, that never failing source of 20:20 vision, I can say what I think I might have liked to be, work that I might well have found more pleasurable that what I did do.  Whether I would have been any good at either of the two careers is another matter entirely.

I was employed as the general manager of a small newspaper company at about the time that the internet and the world wide web were becoming a reality.  Or perhaps they were already in existence, although the idea of web sites for the common business was still in its infancy.  It was at that time that I saw an advertisement and signed up for a one-day course in writing hypertext mark up language - HTML.  Given that the course lasted for only one day, you will appreciate that it covered merely the basics - and only just about covered those!  All the same, I found it fascinating.  I bought books about it and very soon started designing web sites just for fun.  Since then, despite still only having a very basic knowledge, I have designed several web sites, principally for my Lions Club.  It is something that still gives me pleasure and provides an outlet for that spark of creativity hidden deep inside me.  It is also something I would have liked to take up as full-time employment.  At least, I think I would have done.

The other occupation I have long had a hankering to do is writing.  I'm not suggesting that I would be at all good at it; in fact, I rather think I would be very mediocre if not downright awful.  I did, many years ago, come up with a series of children's stories about Henry Horse, in which Henry, a young horse, was involved in all sorts of mischief or heroic activities.

But I just don't have a vivid enough imagination to think up the plots that "real" authors come up with.  No, that dream is just that - a dream on a par with opening the batting for England!