April 1, 2024 | Awake & Dreaming

This is my current desktop wallpaper on my laptop, a wallpaper I downloaded from Smashing Website. It’s an astronaut with his dog, also an astronaut or dogstronaut, on what looks like an alien planet. This image resonates with me a whole lot. From the age 18 I have dreamed about exploring space in a spaceship and traveling the galaxy, visiting strange new worlds. And always by my side is my faithful and loving companion my Golden Retriever Shawny. I got Shawny when she was a pup that same year back in 1994 and she was with me till 2005. I used to dream of being in a Star Trek like future with a lot more advancements, and I go to space to battle bad aliens and help the good ones.

The settings may have changed – at times it was just me, Shawny and 2 robots. Then it was me, a human female, Shawny and 2 robots. Sometimes it became me and a small team of 8 to 9 people or a larger crew in a much bigger spaceship. Sometimes it me and some others traveling together to get from one part of the galaxy to another. Whichever scenario I dream up about, one thing is the same – Shawny is there with me. Always at my side, sleeps in a comfy bed next to my bed. One large robot that I have with us, has this compartment that can house Shawny inside it, so she can safely lie as the robot carries her around, while I am in my spacesuit. Ofcourse we have protective shields around the robot and the humans so we are virtually invincible.

Whichever scenario I come up with or dream about or fall asleep to thinking about, one thing is for sure Shawny is always there with me, the loyal loving dog that she is. All these dreams and the image on the wallpaper is about is a boy and his faithful dog.

Manchester City and Arsenal handed Liverpool the advantage in the Premier League title race as they played out a bitterly disappointing goalless stalemate at Etihad Stadium. Liverpool are now top of the table, two points clear of Arsenal and three ahead of City, after they came from behind to beat Brighton at Anfield, their delight increased by their two closest rivals cancelling each other out. This was a game that made a nonsense of its billing as a potential classic, as Arsenal’s containing tactics snuffed out City while the Gunners had only limited chances of their own in a desperately poor affair.

Nathan Ake had an early close-range header saved by Arsenal keeper David Raya before going off injured while former City striker Gabriel Jesus posed an occasional threat, just failing to connect with Bukayo Saka’s cross inches from goal after the break. Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta will be happier than City counterpart Pep Guardiola with this outcome – but the real winners were Jurgen Klopp and Liverpool. Arsenal arrived at Manchester City with a point to make and a chance to show their improvement at a ground where they have had a miserable record in the past. The Gunners last won here in January 2015, drawing one and losing eight of their subsequent nine visits before this game.

Here, Arteta set his side out to be fiercely drilled and well-organised to frustrate, a strategy seemingly designed to earn the point they secured rather than risk more for victory. It was a conservative approach but what it did demonstrate was that Arsenal do have more resilience and character than on previous occasions, when they have sometimes capitulated under City’s attacking assault. Arteta’s side were composed but also willing to throw bodies on the line when danger threatened, not that they were ever in serious peril of conceding – a tribute to their display in itself. They have kept clean sheets in both games against Manchester City this season, making them only the fourth team to shut out a Guardiola side twice in the same season. Whether this is one point gained or two lost remains to be seen, but Arteta seemed satisfied enough at the final whistle.