I’m now officially famous.
And it’s thanks to Padmini – to whose odd request I responded.*
This is big. Possibly even as big as appearing on Good Morning Ulster in days gone by.**
Even bigger.
I’m now an internationally famous megastar as featured in The Hindu newspaper in India – the country’s most prestigious publication.***
What you may find ironic, bizarre, hilarious or some other word – is the reason that I’m in The Hindu.
Best just have a look for yourself.
As you see, my wisdom is as boundless as my photogeneity.****
(I wonder can anyone guess or see where that photo was taken? Getting the right country would be very impressive, the city downright spooky.)
I think the following photo conveys my feelings about all this.
Wait for it…
* She’s not just an actor. She’s also a writer with access to (ahem) the most exclusive big names.
**Because what is fame anyway? When people who know you or your family hear your name – that means something. When it’s people who don’t know you – does it really mean anything? Unless it’s something really really big – like taking up residence in the White House, playing for Ireland (OK Top Boy, OK – or England), wearing a dress held together by safety pins, taking elephants over the Alps or… Or appearing in The Hindu! Wahey. Though best of all is being known in the streets where I live.
*** Featuring me automatically ensures the newspaper deserves that description.
**** No need to comment on this aspect.
Blackwatertown 
Congratulations Paul. Getting famous in India with its population of 1.21 billion is no mean feat!
By the way when’s the book coming out?
It would have been good planning to have had it ready by now. (Faint sounds of gnashing of teeth.)
love, Love, LOVE it!
That’s GREAT article and I really like the way you wrapped it up, “And the freedom to choose is a good and essential start.”
Now, now Paul! You are giving me a big head. It was a piece of luck beginning with your spare tickets to the British Art Summer show, us meeting up in London and you getting into a box in The Hindu!!
Will surely tap into all my and your contacts whenever I need a byte. Thanks once again.
No – that’s just false modesty.
We movers and shakers inevitably gravitate towards each other.
Like Brownian Motion. In reverse. Or something.
Nice to know that one mover and shaker met up with another all the way West in London. I hope that you will move and shake for me too when I land up.
Never heard of you.
You’re just so out of touch Tim.
Speaking as an acknowledged expert, I’d say you need to reach out more to your feminine side.
Well, I am WELL impressed at your fame AND your wisdom. And extra brownie points for working on Woman’s Hour. Just don’t forget us on the way up ya hear!
Congrats Paul!! And nice photo…. 🙂
Greetings,
xandi
Thanks Xandi – I’ve been listening to your site. It’s great.
thanks so much Paul. Just share it, it really helps us… 🙂
Good happenings for you and to you! loved the dancing sheep! Fame’s okay I suspect when you have some life tucked in under your belt, because then it fits into a vast array of identities and ain’t no big thing; but it’s good because you are wonderful and a good writer and from my perspective hae a generous heart! high regards!
Thank you very much. And the same to you.
Put me out of my misery, where was the photo taken?
Re the sheep. Two years ago I would have said that it was a LibDem sheep but now that they have become Tory….perhaps it is EwesKip!
EwessKip – like it.
Location – not telling yet.
Is that bovine laying a trail of gold bricks? I have a wheel barrow ready….
Good one. I’ll help with the wheelbarrow.
Congratulations on the now WWF (world wide fame)! I’m with Carl in this, that road is paved with gold. As to the photo….. I would say Romania.
Note to self: order red carpet with thick underlay for this guys visit back to Belfast, I’ll be doing plenty of kneeling!!
Good guess – I did go there a bit. Not Romania though. More westerly.
You’re right, if your fame is among people who don’t know you and who will never meet you, who are so many anonymous human beings, how can it mean anything at all? You might as well be a bottle of Coca-Cola.
Just got a bizarre image in my mind of Alice in Wonderland and a bottle labelled “Drink Me”.
Anyway – how dare you compare me to a bottle of Coke – I’m neither carcinogenic nor overly sugary. I am occasionally bubbly.
You wanna milk that my good man….millions of English speakers? Go you good thing. Seriously, I’m selling a development property here and guess who the big investors in Aus are at the moment, Indians and Chinese so yep, my ad is going to go into their papers…..Fame, 15 minutes or otherwise is always enough to make your heart sing for a moment.
Yes it did – make my heart sing a little – Fiesta, by The Pogues.
You’re right about China and India – CHina middle class 250-300M now increasingly buying Made-In-Britain goods. Was talking to a handbag designer and maker the other day – China is where it’s at. All those People’s Congress delegates slumming it with Mulberry and Jas MB bags.
It’s not so much name recognition, but how a person feels when they hear your name.
And hopefully that feeling is – Oh, I must get him to a pub and buy him a pint.
I’m impressed. The sheep is awesome. =)
Yes, some of my awesomeness must have rubbed off on it.
Eh… Not that I’ve been rubbing up against sheep. Not at all. That rumour was taken completely out of context. Let’s hear no more about it.
That’s awesome. You are quite wisdom-filled indeed.
Once I take over the world, I suspect I’ll be quite famous, too.