May 4th 2021: The future

What does the future hold? That is the brief for my part in the Gala Showcase event being held this Thursday 7:30pm at the ToitÅ« Otago Settlers Museum to open the 2021 Dunedin Writers & Readers Festival. Together with five others we will give you a glimpse of what we think lies ahead. I've seen the calibre of the other speakers ... this is an event you don't want to miss. You can order your tickets right here and, frankly, I'd appreciate some salty faces in the audience. There will be drinks and canapés ...

Okay, so where do I start? Well, I need your help. The way I see it, I have three options*:

a) I weave in a story about perspective and look at the future from four different people's shoes. Walking in their lives and seeing life from their perspective. Four different futures, but an overriding message for humanity.

b) I go with my heart – people and nature work together, life on earth finds balance, the plague is defused and Earth continues to provide for all of its inhabitants. Every surf break on Earth gets better. Happy ending.

c) I recognise that the future is actually a very heavy subject. Humans, greedy beyond belief, statistically are more than likely heading to a cataclysmic and fiery end. Though I have no proof of actual fire at that point, but I imagine it would look better with fire, a lot of fire. And so I'd take a less intense route and look for some silver linings in our demise. Some light-hearted realities as we slip into oblivion. Like our attachment to fossil fuels and the era of the great food shortages ... all that sort of stuff that we have coming, but presented in a positive light.

Okay, let me know your preference by return email and I will deliver for you. See you there.

May the fourth be with you ... Derek (Keo made me say that)

PS Would you believe it? Just as the water temps are plummeting we've published a few reviews on some outstanding wetsuits over on New Zealand Surf Journal. You can read about the women's Hyperfreak 4:3+ right here or if you're looking for some new tech then the C-Skins ReWired range might be more your winter toddy.

* Subject to change without notice.