BERTIE

Anyone remember the promotion from Bassetts Licorice Allsorts when Bertie Bassett went missing? The objective was to find the Bertie shaped sweet and win prizes (and possibly cash!). I found Bertie... but misplaced him until now. Bassetts have been contacted...

BRIDGE

Today, if you think you've burned your bridges, you haven't. There is always a way back to God and the lie is to think you have gone too far

FALLOUT

 Yesterday was a little bit of a revelation, as I had to do the mature thing and cut ties with a 'celebrity' person from my childhood after they exposed their malice. Things were getting really nasty especially on their end, buttons were pushed and sinking to their level had to be avoided.

I don't get stuck into 'fandom' too much like I used to. I am happy that so many more fan groups of the things I like are continuing to flourish, mind you.

The downside however, is 'fandom' also seems to attract a lot of broken people on both the consumer and producer sides of the fence. I don't have the time or energy any longer to have my soul leached from or be too involved with troubles. I am growing up and need to accommodate other priorities in life. On top of that, I am a family man too!

We all experience problems - and finding the right avenue to deal with them isn't always an easy or comfortable task. Fandom and the indulgence from it can be therapeutic to a degree, but it never fills a gap. If fandom was 100% my Rock and Salvation I would have taken the recent fallout really, really badly!

I will always be a large adoring fan of many properties and brands. My expression of them has slim-lined, but the adoration hasn't waned. I have made so many friends, gotten married and had great times through the circuits of fandom and I am grateful for it. Not every road is full of speed bumps!

In closing: My quarrel yesterday wasn't with a troubled consumer, but a producer who I once respected. Nobody is perfect and I hope this person for their sake can find peace before it is too late.