Could you be better than you are right now?

You and I are in the same boat. Along with many others of our generation. I can be a good wall to bounce things off of in PM. $0.00 dollars per hour. I am sure you would also listen to me free of charge.

Have written to you on another topic.
Will write on this one too.
Thank you, my friend. :)

Oh, to be young again...without the threat of Vietnam staring me in the face with few opportunities.

Reminds me of my stallion when he was young and full of testosterone.
It gave him such blithe confidence.
He would attempt just about any challenge and usually succeed.

Would that be Ari?

Ha ha! No.
Alas, my Ari has confidence only in some areas, not most.
He has perfect pitch and is an exquisite singer.
He is kind and patient (most of the time), and full of desire to help in the community and with friends.
He is honest to the best of his ability, except when in denial of something too painful to bear.
He's an incredible networker, rarely forgets a name or a phone number.
But Ari, even back in his youngest days, was never an alpha. He had the testosterone for taking risks and being experimental, bohemian and wild, but feared failure as something too shameful to bear and tended to avoid anything difficult.
He found his niche in being a helper for others.

I've had one old stud and two young stallions. Both of the latter - black Arabians descended from Ansata Ibn Halima, one 15.1 hh, the other 14.2. Both had incredible chutzpah and charisma.
But in my answer to you, I was thinking of the little one, Hakiim, who I was with when he was born. At his peak he would try anything, often just for fun.
One time, I was out riding with the herd following along at liberty. We were walking through a forest down a steep track. To the side lay an ancient log about four feet in diameter. Hakiim saw it, burst into a canter toward it, sprung like an Olympic showjumper and landed like a cat on the other side, to canter on with his tail like a flag in the air. It's the only time I've ever seen an untrained horse take such a huge jump when there were plenty of options to avoid it, and the only time I've seen a horse jump for the sheer joy of it. He would cross a creek in flood, climb a mountain, open gates while leading other horses, take on play fights with much larger horses and win without causing harm, seduce mares that could kick his balls to pulp or shatter his teeth, and herd cattle without being taught. He found nine ways to break down or through a fence, and conceived a foal every time.
When finances forced me to stop breeding, I was forced to geld him. It was one of the saddest days of my life.
He's still with me, and still a wonderful horse to ride.

("person of very little quality" - - I've heard that in a movie? TV show? Or is it an everyday phrase everybody uses? I'm thinking Archie Bunker said that to somebody maybe? eh - - I best go to bed now)

You have lots of quality.
:)

Ditto.
I agree with Quentin's view of Jonny.
And I suspect that Jonny may be an overly harsh judge of himself.

Hah! You nailed it, Welby. It was Archie talking to Meathead. It has become somewhat of a private joke between Twinkle and me as well.
Welcome to the inner sanctum. LOL

Even better - - I'm a member in yours and Twinkle's inner sanctum more than I was even aware! Ha!
:)

(wow -- I was right about Archie! I've watched the entire series of "All in the Family" more than once, I think. so funny to me in so many ways.)

HUH?

What do think a change of country would do to make your life better?   Decide what person you want to be.  Then go be him.  Do whatever it takes.   

Be realistic.