the real world

I type this week quite late at night, and accompanying coffee is not keeping me awake, so i apologise for I am slowly falling as................................................................leep.
My ipod has chosen to play a very mellow, chilled, some would call 'depressing', album by Cat Power. Quality but fueling the late night sleepy mood.
First note on my phone, was actually made for last week's post, but hey. It poses a question of which everyone's answer will be different, depending on situation. I am not new to facing it, but now, can view it from a slightly different angle as disabled. When out shopping for whatever product (say shampoo), I face a fair decision, between the economic price, and health satisfaction. Often, i choose the product on it's environmental benefit, but ignoring this (for example, all options are 100% environmentally sustainable - impossible, but lets say the differences are negligible), we are often posed the choice between economics and personal health. Is this right? Is it the same as opting for private health? Oh, I don't know, I am giving myself more questions as i type. Everyone chooses differently, thankfully.

Without naming names, I visited a cafe which I don't usually, mainly because it is positioned very near a favourite. On having lunch there, I was shocked by myself. I actually disliked the coffee that was served. On realising this, I now know I can taste the difference between blends. Whereas i did fear that it depended on my mood, whether or not i liked the coffee. To note, for all of those people out there wanting to buy me a coffee, i now prefer a 'skinny latte'. The semi-skimmed, or skimmed milk used, allows for a nicer drink, more taste of coffee, not of full-fat milk. Anyway, sorry, that may just be me.

As followers of this blog may be able to tell, or already know, I am enjoying life in the 'real' world.  Living independently, in the 'real' world makes me realise how lucky I am to no longer be stuck amongst fellow rehabbers in a 'home'.  Now, please do not misunderstand me, as I know how lucky i am to have received the rehabilitation and accommodation services that I have. Essentially I am now always on a road, and it is only through reflection of realising from where i have come, that I can give myself plenty of energy to move forward along this road. Recovery is not a destination. Recovery is a journey.

Sorry, I must finish this post, by briefly talking about my beliefs on recycling. Now, it is a big, global, huge, infinitely big issue. So, as i worked around sustainability issues, I quickly learnt that most issues are too big to tackle and cannot be solved by any one individual. Knowing this, personally (so should everyone) I only do what I can. If everyone does what they can, a change will occur. No problem/issue is too big, if everyone tackles it in the same way. Please make sure you do your bit.

'Colours Of The Peloton' (c.2006)

follow this link:

http://patrickgoodacre.files.wordpress.com/2011/09/shrunk-colours1.pdf

Please allow a few minutes for the sample of the 88 page document to load. Download speed will vary depending on your internet connection and computer.

I admit that the book is a bit dated (5 years), but  i think, or hope that you can gather my excuse by reading other areas of this blog. A '2011 add-on' is being researched, collated and designed, currently.

Legends

Radiohead - Glastonbury 2011

Whar iz dat?

I forgive the thousands of avid fans of this website, for slowing down my post speed. The posts are becoming less regular as i am making fewer and fewer notes, and dedicated time for post-typing is reducing. Whilst I apologise for these contributing factors, they could be seen as positive (fewer occurances of everyday life are considered as issues causing me to write, and as i am still returning to everyday life, time spent on this blog is severely reduced).

One thing does remain, my requirement of a good black coffee whilst post-typing. So, although i type this earlier than usual (about 6pm), i have suitably used my cafetiere. My oldest unused relevant note on my phone, is a reminder to shave part of my leg in order that my physiotherapist sends electric pulses to a leg muscle in order to exercise it. I forgot (honestly), and so part of my leg was shaved in the physio session. Male, but accepting of the situation, thoughts were rushing through my mind. As you should know, I had been a cyclist for many years until involved in a road accident when 22. I did however refuse to shave my legs, as i had little need to. However, it now seemed that my bike can be traced back as a cause for me to shave my leg. Anyway, the electrodes are to be in continued use, so, two patches upon my left leg remain hairless. For now. I include a picture of my left leg (the shaved), as proof, so you can all have a laugh, wind me up if you want.

 

My second note made by myself this week is promoting my belief of Fate and Destiny. I believe that everyone (including me) has some sort of destiny, the route to which everyone has different predetermined journeys or fates. You may fear this (think that i am talking absolute rubbish), or embrace it. Whatever. I just should say that whenever faced with a trouble or difficulty, I feel that I have managed to 'keep my head' by calling on this non-religious belief.

The wonderful world of wikipedia explains
Destiny refers to a predetermined course of events.^[1] It may be conceived as a predetermined future, whether in general or of an individual. It is a concept based on the belief that there is a fixed natural order to the cosmos.

Third note, entitles this post. I moved (i haven't decided on the best verb for self-mobilising  my wheelchair yet, any ideas?) along the high street the other day, when I passed a young girl on her scooter, accompanied by her mum behind, on a bike (on the pavement? tutut). Both paused to let me pass,  and the girl gave me the most amazed, quizzical face. She looked at me, and after I passed, asked her mum 'What is dat?'

I guess she was referring to my wheelchair, puzzled by the fact i seemed to be sitting there, putting no effort in, yet whizzing along. I realise that although most people understand a reason for the need of a powered wheelchair, some may not. It makes me stop and truly consider just how lucky i am, to not only be here, surviving, but to have received and to continue to, the help, care and support of so many different people. To be here, have my electric wheelchair, allowing me so much independence. I am so grateful for what i have received, and know that essentially, I am very lucky to be British and a recipient of all these services.

My final note, provides an argument for me. Coffee is addictive, so is it fair when bought/given coffees by owners of coffee shops?

OF COURSE IT IS!!! free coffee is always welcome (if it's good), especially when served with a smile!  

Drinking a coffee, is an experience. Do not damage it.

Hehehe.... er, right. I apologise if this blog post causes an offence in some way, I do realise that I may sound very 'up myself', but hey, sorry. As regular blog readers, and friends, will realise when it comes to listening to music, I do have my beliefs and am not afraid to 'voice' them.

I cannot see the attraction, to drinking coffee 'on the go'. Drinking a coffee, is an experience. Do not damage it. Admittedly, this may be because right now, I can't walk down a street (let alone doing such with a coffee). To have a coffee is such a special experience, it cannot be slurped out of a throw-away cardboard/polymer piece of instantaneous rubbish, half-way down a street, whilst you concentrate on something else. My use of a wheelchair, has fortunately taught me to use a cafe properly, as they were designed to be used. I will take my time to drink the latte or cappucino, or black coffee (minimising milk intake). These 'long' drinks, i would usually allow 20/25 minutes for. If I am in a rush, but a coffee is still needed, I will go into the cafe, taking an espresso (often still at the bar), spend 5 mins at the most. This way I am using re-usable kitchen-ware, experiencing the drink as it was 'designed' to be drunk. The taste, flavour, and smell senses provided by the special drink cannot be ruined by a polymer straw, plastic lid, or a cardboard cup (that may end up getting soaked, limped and ruined). These cups that i see users clutchng on a bus or a train journey, live to die. They are for disposal. A mug, regularly supplied within a cafe, or at home, allows the user not to taste the cardboard, but instead to experience the full beauty of the coffee, and possibly the artistic design of the mug. Fair enough the cardboard may be recyclable, but who actually disposes of the cup responsibly, if used? The chances are that the lid and straw are LDPE or some other cheap or low quality plastic (therefore recycling needs to be checked). The chances are that  both cup and lid/straw are disposed of together, go to landfill as rubbish. This is not what we want. Even if the cup was disposed of responsibly, the energy used in creating more recycled material, is lost. A lose/lose situation.
Instead, please use a cafe (support your local independent). Right, my coffee has worn off, i've typed enough and run out of energy. Night.       

'Colours' - update 2011

I would feel guilty about having not provided my loving fans with a typed post, last week, but my time was focussed on completing a '2011 update' for my 'Colours of the Peloton' website/book. Please visit the website, at which you can easily view the update (5 years following on from the original).

http://coloursofthepeloton-pg.blogspot.com/