Who are ya? No, really, who are ya? See me, I'm described by the pervert vet - who takes more interest in my butt than I do - as a "Domestic Short Hair". A common or garden DSH. I fink not! Have a look at the picture, that picture has Cougar written all over it (well, actually it doesn't because he can't do words on top of pictures yet). His Aunty Rose says that when you look in a mirror, you don't usually see what's actually there, you usually see what you feel at the time. When I look in a mirror, I always see Daniel 'Ard Wendes, because I know who I am. I don't need no reflection fool! He doesn't though. He usually sees Gollum, Yoda or Grandad Simpson. To be fair to the jerk, he obviously knows who he is too, cos that's what I see when I look at him for real. He's doing a lot of working out at the moment, but if he's aiming at Van Damme, I still just see Yoda in a frenzy. Steve Rowe of martial arts fame on www.shikon.com said that most people with low self-esteem are "living their lives through the eyes of other people". They feel the need to try and live up to various images they believe they should present in order to be accepted. Dogs do that. Who the hell wants to act like a dog? Do the cat thing dudes. You don't tame us, and we only let you think we are trained when it suits us and we are just winding you in, while really we are manipulating you. Don't think so? Nor did Siegfried and Roy. Whoops.
See, the thing is, you have to decide who you really are. In the picture on the right, you see a gull. Softboy spoke to him when he took the pic. You're looking at a bird who thinks he is Jonathon Livingstone. Who's to say who's right and who's wrong? He can be whoever he wants to be. An old Hindu guru lady Softo used to sit and learn with told him that most people are really five people. The one people choose to see, the one they choose to present or portray, the best they can be, and the worst. Then there's the secret one. The one that is like both the narrator and the observer of their life. The scorekeeper, the one that acts as their conscience and catalogues all the Karma, the eternal balance sheet of their thoughts and behaviours. The truthful one that cannot be fooled by wordly play-acting. If they let the secret one influence them to act honestly and with integrity, despite the consequences if that makes them appear less than others expectations require, or present themselves in an unfavourable light, then the balance will tip towards the best they can be, and lessen the worse. The secret one is the key. We all really know who we are, we don't just don't like to admit it - especially if to be real would make others look upon us in an unfavourable light.
The duck here prefers to be known by his ancestral name of Sir Francis the Drake. Why shouldn't he? We can be who we want can't we? Yep. But we have to be sure that we ARE who we claim to be, and not acting the part of who we want people to perceive us to be. It's in all the books, it's what was really meant in the christian bible in the bit that says "be true to thine ownself", the bit that many people today misconceive as meaning "do what you want and sod the rest". So, does this create a dichotomy? (I yanked the big dictionary off the shelf for this one. If he's going to do words he needs to get some new ones in his head or he just gets boring) Is it that you are either going to be a multi-faceted actor or actress and pretend to be what you ain't throughout your life in order to either con or coerce people into falling for whatever persona you are portraying at any given time, or instead to be an arrogant "take me or leave me as I am" type? Same as always, there is a middle line. If you spend more time getting in touch with the secret inner person - and this isn't some old ethereal crap, it's just about being truly honest - you will usually know what is the right way to be. Sometimes you have to be more polite and reserved in certain company as the occasion may dictate. That isn't being dishonest, that's being sensible. Using your sense and sensibilities.
In the end, perception is purely in the mind of the beholder anyway. Do you spend too much time being influenced by appearances like many of your lot do? Women talk about being drawn in by the good-looking bastards. There are lots of ugly bastards too. And some nice good-looking people, and nice ugs. It's just that the disappointment is felt more when the desirable turns out to be unpleasant. It's a 
greater loss that's all. How do you know the difference between a lion and a tiger? Stripes or location? In this picture I'm being every cat that ever lived. I've seen my target, and I'm 'avin' it. Who gives a shit what size or colour I am? Get me photo shopped up, and I'll let you make my appearance whatever you want it to be for you, but it won't matter, it won't change anything. I know who I am.
One of the other things the Hindu lady told him is that we are here to learn lessons. Not mortal beings on a spiritual journey, but spirit beings on a mortal journey. Part of the learning is to experience different ways of being.
In the John Denver song "Wings that fly us home" the first words are "There are many ways of being in this circle we call life. The wise man seeks the answer, burns the candle through the night. Is a jewel just a pebble, that found a way to shine. Is a hero's blood more righteous than a hobo's sip of wine?" He's asking us to look within and to put to one side our judgements. That applies to ourselves too. Be honest with yourself, but don't judge. If you find yourself not living up to the ideals you know you should, don't beat yourself up - life will do that for you. Just be straight, be honest, and don't kid yourself - because you can't. You might keep up a pretence for a while but the make-up will run, the costume will rip, and you might find yourself in the altogether, as naked as the day that you were born.
Live up to the best that you know you can be. Trust that if you choose to endure a little suffering as a result of being truthful with yourself and others, the only people who will punish you or take advantage of your honesty aren't worth the scaggies on my arse. Take the middle path but don't compromise on the truth. If you are to ever achieve true self-belief, absolute honesty is the key because deep down you will always know what the truth is, and how can you believe in an image of yourself that isn't the truth. That's what self-belief is about.
It's the only way, that's why in the East they call it Tao - the way. And jesus, he was "the way, the truth and the light". All the books are saying the same things. Funny that innit? You'd almost think that you people were connected by some common aspect, and not a load of variant species.
Bit like me really. Lion, Cougar, DSH. Who gives a shit? I know who I am. Daniel H Wendes. Gurucat. Cooler than Thomas O'Malley!
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