This week in the UK marks Armistice Day, also known as Remembrance Sunday. It commemorates the ending of the First World War when the armistice was signed on November 11th, 1918 at 11:00 – the 11th hour, of the 11th day of the 11th month. As in many other countries it’s a time when we pause and remember those who have given their lives in the service of their country, not just in World War One, but also the Second World War and the many conflicts around the world since. It’s particularly poignant in a week when UK losses in Afghanistan have been heavy and this year more UK servicemen and women have died in action than at any time since the Falklands Conflict.

I’m not particularly going to dwell on the politics of past and present conflicts but it does sadden me to think that in this modern day and age, one of global communications where we have the ability to travel globally and to meet and get to know people around the world that as a species we still feel the need to settle arguments by killing each other. One of the great pleasures I get from dA is that I can see art produced by many people around the world. We can share ideas and concepts and in doing so touch something fundamental to the human condition – the desire to create something special and beautiful. It’d be nice if one day this fundamental drive proves stronger than that other driving force we seem to have deep inside us – the desire to destroy ourselves, usually driven (it seems to me) by the desire of one self appointed group of people to dictate how the majority live their lives. I don’t care what God you worship or how, or how you think the political system should be organised, or if you believe that certain consensual acts carried out between consenting adults give you the right to take that persons life. We are all human beings, we all deserve respect and we should all be allowed to live our lives freely.

At the going down of the sun and in the morning, we will remember them.

I continue to amble down the road to recovery and am hoping that if what a little bird told me last week turns out to be true that some good news may be on the way. Fingers crossed. I got an interesting comment on one of my pieces the other day, commenting that the viewer didn’t really like the way that I border my images. Now I enjoy getting feedback – it helps me improve. Presentation is always difficult, especially knowing what works and what doesn’t and what people like so it would be interesting to know what people think of these. Border or no border? Text below the image, or no text? Help me improve, dear watchers.

I received a nice note yesterday telling me that another image that I suggested for a daily deviation will be featured on the 17th which will I hope be a nice surprise for the deviant concerned as it will be their first. One day I hope to join them. I’m keen to use some of this downtime to practise and improve so if any of you would like to meet up and have a play with the cameras please do drop me a note.

The lyrical winner this time round was ~Deadollie who identified the David Bowie lyric and therefore gets the feature this time round. Identify the song and artist that gives this journal its title first and as always the next one is yours.