Mine is one of those journal names which is self explanatory. It started out as just Blippin' marvelous. My dad would mutter, "Flipping marvelous." at any show of ineptitude reported in the press. I did once explain in my profile that John Edward were the names that my parents were thinking of naming me but somehow through my sister's insistence (she had only one name) I was to have one name and that name is Alan.

    What's past is past; what's done is done; don't look back. Someone else Blipped their birth certificate. I chose school reports. What's that Jesuit saying about show me the child at seven and I'll show you the man? Michael Apted and the Up series of films; 7Up  (1964) was followed by 14; 21; 28; 35; 42 and I believe there is a 49Up. At just six years old I was 'bumped' up from the upper infants to class one with Miss Sargeant, she was my class teacher for the next two years. My 1958 report says my age was 7y9m when the average age in a class of 42 (42!) was 8y3m. I was 24th. We knew exactly where we stood in those days. "Alan is rather talkative and his attention is easily distracted from his work." Nothing new there then. "He is very interested in history and geography lessons but must work harder in English and arithmetic periods." It is noted in reports that I had difficulty with spelling and my handwriting could be sloppy and careless at times. To this day I gauge my mood through my handwriting.

       A year later when my regular class mates have caught up I am an average of six months older than my classmates ( most births occur in the springtime) and third in class (Derek 1st and my sweetheart Bozena 2nd). How do I know Derek was first? He was always first.

       My academic highlight was my first year at secondary school when I achieved first in class the whole year. Just shows that you don't have to be best at everything to come out on top. I did not maintain that high standard. Along with my loosing interest my classmates pulled their socks up and surpassed me.