Recent Developments or Where are they now ?
This being the 25th Anniversary of the launch of the Shannonbridge Star in 1979:- plans are underway to contact all contributors to the old Star, with a a view of having a Christmas reunion.
We have already managed to track down Star columnist and agony aunt,-"Dear Fanny".
We were rather surprised to discover that Aunt Fanny is still in business dispensing advice a quarter of a century later.
We enquired if the Celtic Tiger has influenced the problems of recent years and how do they compare with the problems of the early ' 80 - has her counselling technique changed over the years, - and would she consider sharing a sample problem with us on the world wide web.
We also asked if counselling has become more profitable these tiger days ;
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The following is the reply we received from Aunt Fanny.
Dear Der,
Thank you for your recent e-mail - Yes, that’s a lovely idea, Ide be delighted to meet all those Star gazers again and take a stroll down memory lane, - Well Der, - a lot of water went under that bridge in Shannonbridge since 1979. - I looked up the Shannonbridge web pages since you contacted me, - wow, what a change ! - the only webs we had in 1979 were cobwebs, and plenty of them, in the Star Office. The only other webs in Shannonbridge at that time were the webbed feet of Thomas Colemans geese and how they crossed the street in single file each morning and evening on their way to and from the river.
I read the reports from your globe trotting girls Ciara, Sarah and Kate, - a cyber café in Uganda, - gosh, there was nt such a thing in the White House the time we were burning the midnight oil in the Star Office.
But you know what Der, - amidst all this tiger progress human nature hasn’t changed one iota, - not even the slightest whit , - Oh the trappings would be different OK, - but basically Im wrestling with the same old chestnuts, - I really have to dig deep for fortitude these days, especially when I come across clients and discover that I counseled their parents a generation ago, sometimes for the self same old problem. This never fails to generate a feeling that one is swimming against the tide or perhaps peeing against the wind, as you might know it better. You ask, has my counseling technique changed over the years :- Yes ; - I would say so ;- I was very motherly in the 80's - Today I am very much more aggressive, - I fight fire with fire, you could say, - I regularly shake clients when Im having one to one consultations. - But all the same Ide like to think Ive still retained a small bit of that old Abraham Lincoln quality ie steel and velvet.
About the profitability of counseling thes days ;- Well Der, - lets say, Im still able to put beans on the table, - but have not been able to mix it with those movers and shakers at the Galway Races. - that’s all Im going to tell you about that, - and tell the truth you didn’t expect much more ;
About having a sample of a modern day problem, - Yes , of course ; - But nothing is simple anymore, I'll have to get client clearance, - This could take me a few days and a brown envelope. Oh, God be with those loose old days Der !
In fact I have the text of a problem here on my desk today, - Now Der its not one that will publish well, - as we used to say back in the Star days, - Because it has only one of the three vital ingredience that we identified as necessary to enable me to give a rasping sermon like reply. But we don’t have to worry about sales anymore and therefore my ethics are no longer torn between commerce and the national interest.
I will forward you a sample when I get the green light.
Thanks again Der,- looking forward to seeing you at Christmas.
Yours.
Fan -