If a picture tells a thousand words...

... two thousand...

A special place. 

Happy Halloween!

Heaven, heaven is a place...

First note of the week states
'The wonders of a cappuccino'
A cappuccino is made of three layers. At the base you have coffee that has been made heavier by mixing in milk. In the middle you have dark coffee. Then atop, there is the froth covered by a sprinkle of chocolate if desired. The most popular and quickest way of drinking is to simply stir this all together and, drink. There are advantages of life in a wheelchair. As I have been forced to take care, and take time, I consume correctly. Each layer separately, tasting and enjoying the different stages. First, I spoon off, eating the milk froth, then drinking the latte, ending with the dark coffee. OK, this has probably taken more time, but definitely improves the experience.

A home-made coffee did not involve the same embarrassing results of a previous coffee at my local cafe (below). There was a problem in drinking a cappuccino, like a normal drink (learnt last year)! : )

OK, it seems that ideally we all consider music to tell us a story, or be atmospheric. I have been listening to a lot of Bob Dylan, and all of his stories. Most music that we probably hear is 'atmospheric', although listening to Dylan's 'Desire' album is joyfully so so so different to anything else you hear. I do listen to music differently now that i am an old man, and have found another brilliant story being told by Jack White...

Heaven does exist. It is different for everyone. I admit that I have been. It is not a place, but it is how you feel. For everyone, it is that realisation of perfection. Whatever this is, perfection is 100%. 

OK, 'Patrick, enough of the pretentious rubbish', you say.

I was horrified, with myself, earlier this week, when i found that i wasn't smiling! The weather was grey and overcast, but I know of how highly i rate the importance of smiling, and forced a smile. I was then angry with myself for forcing a smile. All was ok as i fell back on 'my get-out clause', and the simple acceptance that everyone has different destiny and routes of fate. We cannot search, ourselves, I now know that 'what'll be, will be'. We must accept that we cannot design everything.

  

The next photo was taken earlier this year, and I have only just adapted it. Such a beautiful modernist building, deserves recognition.

...

Surbiton Station - John Robb Scott 1937

More photos of local area

x?

 Kingston All Saints Church

Northwards facing Kingston, along Thames, from Surbiton

Somewhere

x?

Lottie Goodacre

...

A 'Vanilla' essence? From Kingston, south facing, above the river...

OK, not made coffee yet, so I apologise for the lack of comprehension, of this post. My first note that is displayed on my pad (my phone), simply states 'This years love'. It refers to a David Gray song, that I probably hold closest to my heart. It always tugs on my heart, more so, than any other, and so rightfully deserves its place here (I am quite used to opening my heart up here, expressing feelings through a keyboard, so...) 

OK, thats enough of the soppy, lovey dovey stuff. Unfortunately this is the real world, and not everyone is perfect. My next note, reminds  me of the disbelief, anger and disgust i felt towards this 'dappy, arrogant, OLD COW'. My note continues to tell of how 'she condascendingly waved at me, exclaiming a HIYA, because I am in a wheelchair'.

I shall keep this story short, because even the memory is ghastly!

I feel now, six years following accident, that I, myself have got to terms with temporary life in a wheelchair. Most of the public, treat me as you'd expect, but she proved to me that there still a few out there who treat wheelchair users with a mindset of 50/60 years ago. Looking positively, she sticks out as an exception, meaning that most people accept wheelchairs.

My third note this week, is quite scary for me to consider.As I was going down the high street yesterday, with my hood sheltering me from the rain. The edges of the hood made me aware of my peripheral vision. Now, ever since awakening from my comatose state i was asked by various people 'what's it like?'. Unable to answer, I ignored. But now I can offer a description. Obviously I do not remember all clearly, but I know that it felt like I was in a dream/nightmare state, viewing only through peripheral vision. 

Pink, Life, Colours. Beauty, Water. Search

Don't worry, I've got my coffee now, I'm not stoned, just describing my art!

x?

 Somewhere - Patrick Goodacre

As I admit to masochism. The next picture shows the 'autumn/winter' weather affecting my favoured 'summer-route', back home, along the river. It helps me to realise that this year, although fairly dull, summer was an improvement! I was correctly dressed, and prepared for the weather, my favourite cafe making the trip worthwhile!

Todays miserable weather, and this blog post call for Sigur Ros

Positive drug test for caffeine...

My week's first note is a self-reminder, aimed at myself.

On my phone, i noted to myself,

"I am too strong mentally (maybe over-trained?) to get depressed by girls/relationships/lack of. Chances pass me by, which is a depressing fact, but as ever I fall back on my 'get out clause' ('I am lucky to be experiencing anything at all, so everything is a positive'). Everyone, everyone, EVERYONE must accept that you cannot strictly direct the path of our own fate. We can help give it a rough direction, but cannot direct it accurately.

Fate works in mysterious ways. Accidents, work, tasks. Life. Let it happen. We cannot accurately design EVERYTHING.'

When one is faced with a problem/difficulty, it becomes easier to focus on positives, as everything is equal. In doing such, we find how best to tackle the problem, or even solve it.

My little chance at promoting some music, this week, follows the recent release of 'Under Mountains'. A fine debut album from Scottish singer/songwriter Rachel Sermanni.

 Rachel Sermanni - Breathe Easy

OK, two more notes. One positive, one about fairly sad, depressing affairs. I will finish on a high, so the next note....'Lance Armstrong'.

As close friends will know, I have always been highly suspicious of the extreme success of the American. After finally having my suspicions proved correct, far too late, but proved, I have been forced to readjust my whole view on all professional sport. I fell in love with the Tour de France in 1997, the following year, Arsenal win the double, France win the World Cup, I turn 14 years old, and one of my cycling heroes, Marco Pantani, wins both the Giro D'Italia, and Tour de France. The biggest race is scarred by 'the Festina affair'. I am a sport loving teenager, and yet it seems that in order for professionals to win, they have to cheat. But, therefore is it ok to cheat? I learn of cheating in other sports, athletics, swimming, tennis. My 'other sport', football? I am suspicious of the way France win the world cup, and Wenger's success at Arsenal. Nothing has been proved or even found, I remain silent. I think, if it is possible for people to cheat, why just 'cycling'? Personally, two cycling heroes, David Millar and Ivan Basso, both fail drugs controls by mid-decade. I still have a ridiculous passion for the sport. It is being won by a Texan, on a US team, constantly, but he hasn't failed any tests, therefore he is innocent. He has won the Tour SEVEN times, crazy. He must be on drugs. Innocent until proven guilty. He has never failed a test, so therefore he is clean. Hmmmm. But surely?...... No, innocent. But..

He wins finally in 2005. He has been successful for the previous 7 years. The following year is 2006, it is marred by the drugs scandal involving Flloyd Landis. Following years are won by Alberto Contador. Both riders had been team-mates of Lance Armstrong, and both have now been found as cheating drug users. Last year's victor, is former Mountain Bike legend, Cadel Evans, and the success of Bradley Wiggins in 2012, has restored my faith in 'my sport'.

Wise words. Bradley explains his reasoning behind a 'clean sport':

Words of wisdom - by Bradley Wiggins

I finish, by sharing with you, the joy of my new toy! 'But what?' I hear you all impatiently ask. 

The answer... 

Just when I thought I had enough coffee devices, I discover a Bialetti coffee processor, designed for an induction hob. I was feeling slightly sorry for myself, carrying an injured face, found this very sexy coffee machine. Yes, making coffee can be 'sexy'. Bought it was.  I have noted that if making a good cup of coffee, is sexy, then, grinding your own coffee beans is just prolonging this 'sexy' process. So if having a good cup of coffee is sex, grinding the beans is FP!

Right, sorry. Erm, off on a tangent there........... oh well.......................

Part B

Hmmmm
Yesterday, I was on the way back to work, after having my lunch, when I suffered my first ever (i think) crash/accident whilst being in my powered wheelchair. I am not alone in recognising the dangerous/problematic pavement (on a camber down, roadwords, on a corner)! Instead of picking fights, I shall continue to praise the Royal Borough of Kingston, as i have not found one in Kingston, but when i cross into a neighbouring borough, basic town planning (or landscape architecture?)has caused myself (wheelchair user), a further injury.
Grrrr.

Focus on the positives. I should praise and give thanks to medical staff, in ambulance and at the local West Middlesex hospital.

On hospital arrival (above)

Recent photo

Thank you.

Part A

This week's blog entry is split in two parts, A & B. Part A is a 'normal' piece...

A

Although, I have planned this post, on paper, my first note of Part A, was made totally on to my phone's 'notebook'.

Everything happens for a reason, but only by looking historically can we see how fate has worked, leading ourselves or anyone in particular on a certain path. No-one can accurately predict or plan the future. The world would be a completely different place, if here at all, if we could accurately tell the future.

My next note implies the use of a swear word. I refrain from actually using it, don't worry.

' Oi Oi Oi! Get your ****ing hands off my chair! ****!'

It may sound weird, but I HATE to be pushed around. OK it is fair enough/desired if I am in a manual wheelchair, i need it. But when someone attempts to push my powered-wheelchair, I find it so so so demeaning and degrading. I am often tempted to drive it anyway (so they look and feel almighty and powerful). Then I hit 'REVERSE'. Hohoho, not lauging now are ya? Now they understand.

A CD which  was only released on Monday just gone, was  'The 2nd Law' by Muse. I may be wrong (or be missing a CD), but it is the seventh album of theirs. Whilst they could be named pioneers of 'space rock', and yet again they produce some stomping, powerful tunes, I feel that any of the tunes would not feel out of place on any of their previous albums. Therefore it is full of power.

Muse - Panic Station

As you may have gathered from this blog, I try and be positive in everything that I do (realising that all actions can be viewed both positively and  negatively). As I also believe that things equal out, I do not attempt to hide from the fact that, I can be seen as living in hope or expectation. Is this mostly good, or mostly negative? Who knows.

Anticipation...

As proven regularly by this blog, I find that often my mind races ahead of me. Perhaps this sounds arrogant, but I hope not. I find that I often am forced to rely on mental strengths, compensating for physical deficiencies. Fear not, I do not attempt to claim superior mental strength to anybody, but personally, I find that my mental strength so much more superior than my physical strength, this is how i would attempt to solve a problem.

A good article in a recent magazine (issue 1 of 'Cyclist'), identified by both a London Dynamo friend (recent team-mate) and myself, was entitled 'Why ride a bike?'. When creating my own answer, I quickly created a list of reasons, falling into two groups (1. Reasons that can be given to everyone, and 2. My personal reasons):

1.

Health and Fitness

Speed

Competition

Mechanical beauty

Aesthetic beauty

2.

Physiological requirements

Design

Sport

Ecological-plus

Independance

  

Reconnaissance mission...

* very personal

'I get angry with myself when I feel down (yes, I can do)!

I am sat here in a cafe in Croydon writing these notes.

(above)


'Croydon?' you ask. Yes, I am on a reconnaissance mission. I desperately want to meet a girl again. OK, I am in a wheelchair but I do still have very strong 'human feelings'.
I feel down but then I am cheered by the fact that atleast I have these feelings.
Life in hospital and a rehabilitation home did not allow for a 'normal life'.

If I see her again, I will be the happiest man in the world.
If I don't, I won't.

I accept this,
'what will be, will be'