Sometimes, with all of this going on today, I am reminded of the argument, or at least the disagreement, between Noel Coward and Ivor Novello, who otherwise were very good friends. Coward, who served as a spy during World War II, accused Novello of not doing enough and of trying to live life as normal. This was quite unfair, as he performed during the war years, taking The Dancing years around the UK, sometimes to bombed out theatres, just to bring the people a bit of joy and hope. Not everyone is meant to risk his life in the way that Coward did, be it openly as a spy or more covertly, or even by protesting, etc. In my case, however, he would be right. I do stay away from things. But I am also a follower of dandyism, particularly in its Brummellian form. It is true that Beau Brummell lived in luxury for a time, knew the highest members of society, including the Prince of Wales, and had a mass following. But the rest of his life was sheer hell, from poverty to syphilis. Yet even as he, and everything around him, was falling apart, he never lost who he was. He never willingly stopped living to the best of his ability, seeking the finer things in life, etc. As long as his mentality held, and even once after it was gone, he remained steadfast in his love of good things. I am the same way. I refuse to give up my life style, to be negative all the time (I do not suffer from depression as he did), to bring drama into my life, etc. I want to take it for all it's worth and enjoy it! If, and only if, I am forced to change, or to move, etc. I will do so. But the world, in itself, is not my concern. My concern is myself, my loved ones, and those about whom I care deeply. That's it. I may follow the physical and vocal exercises of Clara Novello Davies, but I don't follow her life's philosophy. I can say, however, that if the world did, it would be a truly beautiful and wonderful place to live. I'm just a bit more realistic than that.