I am not one for fanfare. I don’t like being the centre of attention. A few years ago my wife threw me a surprise birthday party and all my family and pals were there. I had zero idea that was happening. Had I not been standing at the bar, I probably would’ve toppled over when I first walked in. Jack Daniels, straight please. I think there might be a video somewhere…but I don’t need to see it. The party was great though. I didn’t speak to my wife for a while after it, but my point is, I don’t like the attention.
Perhaps it is odd maybe then that my chosen profession is as a teacher. This is a job where you actually are the centre of attention for many pairs of eyes for the entire day, every single day. Even now, teaching amidst lockdown, it’s just video calls and filming yourself instead of standing in front of children. But I still don’t like the attention.
One of my hobbies is music. I spent the 2000s playing countless gigs with various bands and as a sidekick to other musicians, and I liked it like this. No responsibility for me equals less nerves, less to lose. However in 2012, or thereabouts, I accidentally found myself the frontman of my own metal band. I say accidentally as nobody else wanted to do it, I was there to play bass. Even now, I still don’t like the attention. Example conversation I might have after a gig.
“Great set man, I enjoyed it.”
“Yeah, cheers. Your band were great. I liked the mad soloing and your drumming was incredible.”
Or…
“Great set man, I really liked it.”
“Cheers dude, is that a Manilla Road patch? Great band, did you ever see them live?”
You get the idea. And yet now, here I am running my own fledgling company responsible for putting this website together, linking people throughout the country and the world to me and what my, admittedly loose vision, for Last Wolf is and may be. Do I like this kind of attention? It’s too soon to tell yet, ask me again in six months when I actually get around to promoting a Facebook page and getting some products out there.
I don’t like fanfare and this is probably the reason why I’ve tried to sneak this out and let it grow organically and naturally. It seems to suit me more. So please share our stories, like our social media, tell your friends, and realise that you are here at the very beginning.
And in the meantime enjoy our blog. I’ll be writing about my thoughts and the process of Last Wolf, the business, the progress we make or the frustrations that are connected with this. Less about the outdoors from me, everyone else will be writing for themselves. There’s always the chance that this is just me running through my own exposure therapy anyway and if that is the case, please join in and share your thoughts.
Interested psychologists should contact me here: lastwolfoutdoors@gmail.com
Live deliberately
Barry
