And So It Starts....

Hi, and welcome to my new blog!

Some of you may know of me through reading the wonderful scribblings of my wife, Dori, at From A Yellow House in England. I have invaded her blog on a couple of occasions but have now decided to branch out on my own. :-) I would like to thank Dori for all the help that she has given to get me this far - and for all the help that I will no doubt require in the coming weeks as I build up "Getting Busy Living" .

So, where to start? Well, there's no better place than explaining the title of the blog. I am sure that many of you will know the origins of Getting Busy Living, but for those that don't, let me explain. It comes from a line in my favourite film – The Shawshank Redemption. Towards the end of the film the two main characters are having a conversation about their situation and the concept of hope in such a terrible place – a corruptly-run Maine prison. Andy, played by Tim Robbins, tells his friend Red (Morgan Freeman) that you have to “get busy living, or get busy dying”. To me, this sums up the whole message of the film (and previously the book), ie that you may suffer extreme hardships or injustices but you have to maintain your hope and look forward and work towards a better day. The alternative would result in those who are against you winning the day and life would become a downhill slope. These are words to live by, and by which Dori and I strive to improve our lot. We all only get one shot at life, and we must surely make the absolute most of it.

I should explain that my name is Brit Boy. To be fair and honest, that wasn't the name given to me at birth but was conferred on me by Dori, who hails from Georgia in the US. We love to explore and have fun with our differences, although we are much more alike than we are different. I am a sports fan, and a West Wing nut and Dori and I are avid concert-goers. We have seen Stevie Wonder, Madonna, Simply Red and Tina Turner in the last few months and are always on the lookout for the next good show.

This blog is likely to be very varied in content as I will blog on anything and everything that may cross my mind. Expect the unexpected, and follow our travels and travails. I hope that you will enjoy the ride!