'mind the gap'... HAHAHAAAA

Hello, I begin to type this on Thursday. I do have a valid reason. This that I declare on this blog that I am going to go two weeks without coffee. That’s two weeks from today (Thursday), so 13 days come blog publication. Some may discount this as an ‘easy task’, others the opposite. I really don’t know, so I will find out. If I am ok, next week, you’ll know.  Don’t worry, I will be honest. The reason that I declare this online, on my blog, is that by declaring it worldwide, enforces it. I always live by what I state here, there is no lying, ever.

Hmmm, now, many of you will disregard the ‘heroic’ status in which I hold Mr Ashcroft.  As you should know already by the very title of this blog, I value his prose, in song lyrics or interview quotation.

It was on YouTube that I found an interview with him dating back from 1998.  I noted what Richard Ashcroft said, finding a positive quote:

 Sometimes you have to wait

and you have to realise that the world is run by chaos, and we don't have that much control really. Some things are going to happen along the way that may take a little bit longer. If it takes longer, that means that your foundations are stronger.

Ok, I continue in the real world. The rain. L

The other day, it rained non-stop. I was in Kingston, so one option was to get the bus home, however I chose the alternate route along the riverside. My photo below depicts an unusual view of no-one, space. I was the only one (perhaps stupid). I may be called crazy, foolish, stupid or whatever insult, but I was suitably dressed and spent the entire journey wearing a smile. I was content that the rain did not harm me or my wheelchair in any way. Instead, it was showing how incredibly week everyone else was being in this situation. Only water. As the picture shows, it wasn’t that heavy. Maybe, I have strengthened my resolution to such ‘problematic issues’. Maybe I am getting too arrogant.

 

Rain, rain, go away.

OK. I had got down the river, ending up in my local café for lunch. A strange experience. The café was being used by a wedding party (following a special, decorative arrival). To be fair it seemed a ‘perfect’ wedding party. The bride was stunningly beautiful, groom wasn’t actually spotted, but there somewhere. The entire family were in the entourage along with professional photographers. Hmm, nice.

It could be seen as unfortunate, that it rained all day, however everything equals. A beautiful, top notch, expensive wedding, seemed ‘perfect’. Nothing is perfect. Rain.

Hmm, before my accident, way back in 2006, my life was too perfect. Perfection does not exist.

Nor do ‘chausettes’!

Hmmm?

OK, I passed a pair of girls today. I paid one a compliment, as she had some class shoes on (so it was deserved). I soon found that they were both French, so I repeated in my best French, ‘j’adore ta chausettes’ . They looked confused.

‘Ah, chausseures?’

I then realised that I was inventing my own language.

Hey ho, nevermind. I was saying that I loved her underwear! Hehe, oops!!

Music. Released on Monday just gone was the new ‘Queens Of The Stone Age’ album ‘... Like Clockwork’

Quality throughout.

...

Ok, notes made today, Friday 31st May. As I know that this is quite a momentous challenge for me, I thought would start in style! My last coffee had for two weeks was a double macchiato, had at the Bar Italia, in the sun, today. Perfect. 1pm.

  

I will complete my challenge at 1pm on 14th June. I then aim to limit my coffees to one or two per day.

I was on the train to Waterloo, busy planning my trip in my head when I got distracted, almost hysterical. I saw the sign 'mind the gap'. Oh, how I laugh!

The photo I show annoys me, I took it from Hungerford bridge looking west. Different from everyone's classic photos of the wheel, I saw an opportunity. Unfortunately, as reviewed on the train home, I disregard its value...

... Nice, in theory, but, I AM NOT STRAIGHT!! 

gggrrrrrrrrr

Bank Holiday!

A quick post. It's a three day weekend, so I can if I want to.

A note of my issue with buses. Hmmm, okay TFL say all the right things, regarding wheelchair accessibility on buses.
However, life in the real world is very different. I was waiting  at a bus stop, having just missed a bus (no problem, i had time). Eventually a bus came, joy, however as I hailed the bus, to my astonishment  the driver, shook his head and waved me away. He knew that there would be no room, as he already had taken 3 buggies! Three! There is only supposed to be room for two anyway, and 'buggies may have to be folded at busy times' (or so the sign says). The driver knew that the bus was not playing by the rules, but could not force anyone to do anything, so didn't attempt to.
TFL, why oh why, claim the higher ground, if you can't enforce your own rules?

I waited for another, was in a bit of a rush, but it was ok in the end. I have to start planning to expect this delay. Hmpf...

Yesterday's post exclaims my confusion that the cycle race was cancelled due to bad weather.
Today, the race (still in Northern Italy) continued. I was amazed by the conditions in which Vincenzo Nibali had to win the stage. 
I captured these photos on my phone, as I viewed in a cafe, thanks to Eurosport.

Below is a link to the website of the organisation who were running the art exhibition talked about in the previous post.

thefircrofttrust.org

I compensate.

I compensate. Hmm. I remember being ‘accused’ of compensating by a therapist (I name no names), as early as just beyond one-year, post injury. Yes, I could see why I was being ‘accused’ even though it perhaps was a bit harsh to accuse someone who had previously woken up from a 6 month coma. I am educated as a designer (a problem solver). Having this knowledge has always allowed me to be self-confident of finding a solution when faced with a problem. I have held onto this fact always, throughout my rehabilitation so far. My design past has, as well my love of cycling, helped form my mentality in teenage years, and key principles have been kept, continuing to be used in the recent past and present day.

I am fairly pleased, as the image below depicts my photo/graphic design, which I exhibited as a key piece at an Art Exhibition in Surbiton. After receiving many compliments of my ability of sports photography with an i-phone, I sold the piece J

My life since my accident, has forced me to draw on my mentality as a solo, climbing, cyclist. It is tough work, I know it is, but I know that I have the independent mentality to conquer this climb, and will. I have turned an almighty corner (now living independently without a PA, or support staff). I ease to take a breather, and the view back down is amazing! It has been a long road, but it is. There is still a long way to go, but I am doing nothing wrong, and am heading in the right direction (there is only one road on this climb)!

OK, my cycling analogy is out of the way, but it remains the subject of conversation. A cyclist passed me the other day, fully kitted out on a nice bike (he gained respect, using deep rimmed Campagnolo wheels).  This expensive kit was noted after immediately noticing that yes he was speeding along, through traffic, but without a helmet.

What?!!!!

He had no helmet on. He had all the gear but without the most important, essential piece of kit. Shocking. I was annoyed, I know that many public ‘bike riders’ do not wear helmets, but most ‘cyclists’ do. All respect for him was lost. I may sound harsh, but I know that there are millions of ‘bike riders’ who don’t wear helmets, I pay no respect, but then they may cycle once a year, so there is less chance that they will offend me. All ‘proper cyclists’ will wear a helmet, or so I thought. It turns out that all but Mr Campag Bora wheels (foolish ****!!)   

I admit it, I’ve been ‘got’. I am now one of most of you, who sits in a café not reading, or eating or drinking. But I sit in a café, living on my mobile phone. Help, I even have a Kindle, so, if I was reading it would not be a book. But hey ho, the world will always turn, we’ve got  to keep up!

I am currently in a state of shock/surprise, having found out that today’s stage of ‘il Giro D’Italia’ is cancelled due to bad weather. I have followed the professional sport, closely over the last fifteen years or so, and I cannot remember a single day where a race was cancelled due to the weather (I might be wrong). I see two possible reasons, primarily, the world is suffering weird weather patterns this year. My second reason is a bit of a joke, but on previous occasions riders would be so dosed up on drugs, they could manage the ridiculous weathers!... Whereas now?...Maybe it can be indirectly turned into a good sign!!

The above paragraph was written this morning…

Today's weather was so grim, rain rain rain, I am forced to provide a nice picture from Kingston riverside (not taken today - hmpf!)

Mtb skills...!

Back on time! Crikey, I lead such a sociable life. My friday evenings are spent all alone, but typing on this blog (which actually goes trans-global, so that's alright, hehe). See, all sad facts can be twisted around into a 'positive'!

Very well, here I am. Fear not, coffee is got. This weeks first note leads well onto the second.

I don't buy individual songs

John Fullbright

I don't want to bore you all to tears, by trying to enforce my laws on purchasing music, but... hehe, I do not buy individual tunes on CD/mp3/whatever... I never really have (apart from collecting 'collectable' CDs, yes even CDs!)

MP3s can be so easy to find, one must purchase the entire album.

...

The entire album 'From The Ground Up' by John Fullbright was bought on MP3, and a very good choice it was. I supply a sample of the American singer/songwriter. I seriously recommend.

Okay, the next note is a reminder to myself to share with y'all, my new business card. OK, around a year since the last, and I wanted to play in my design software, developing my 'PG' logo, so incorporating it into a four-face, folding card,= so...

I warn you, that as this version is printed on a thick, gloss card, if you have one it may be an alternate version, printed at a cheaper cost!! I am not made of money!!!! Don't be greedy!

When the weather is grim EVERYONE is down and miserable, but I wear a forced smile, as rain is only water. It is not bad (within reason).

Unsurprisingly I made the above note, in rainfall of this past week. Rain, always forces me to gain a sense of reality, viewing unhappiness on everyone's faces because of something so trivial, rainfall. Okay I admit that torrential rainfall can be troublesome, but there is no problem with spring showers! We are in England, this is part of English life. It makes me feel alive again.

 

Wheelchair rmond XC MTB skills!

Okay, my final note, above refers to my skills, learnt from being a cross-country mountain biker, proved very useful to me yesterday.  I got off the bus atop Richmond Hill (amazingly beautiful view, this time of year). However, I needed to get down to reach the shops. I knew that my best route would just be to head down straight towards Richmond Cinema. It was definitely not a 'wheelchair friendly' route. Numerous  cobbled driveways I traversed without crashing into any BMWs! Very rich areas ignore all accessibility rules, to allow  enough space to park 5 BMWs. I stop before I say something that i shouldn't! End of story, I survived! 

Oops, sorry I'm late!

Hello, 
Sorry for this 'late' post. I'm sorry to all of my millions of fans out there!

But hey, I am here. I, as ever, have my 'weekly notes', compiled on my phone. I can copy them now into my blog post. However, I will have to explain many.

Unedited, weekly notes appear in this font, in this colour. 

Then, analysis and explanation of the note will appear in this black Helvetica font. So...

I am so so lucky as, previously as an able bodied person, I would predict my athletic peak to be at age 28. I now have a different 'arena', where the peak is somewhat delayed, meaning, although different/distorted, I still have one ahead of me!

Confused? Sorry.

This is an example of me twisting quite a real, depressing fact, around, looking at facts positively. I know that is quite enough self-loving/promotion, but it is a fact that I HAVE to follow. I must think like this, otherwise there is nothing but negative depression. Everything is either viewed negatively or positively, otherwise it doesn't exist.

UnkleHo - Kindergarten

We r in the season where after the rain comes sun

I made this note in hope. I had just left my flat in the rain, as I knew what I aimed for and remained confident that by the time I had got to the station, and then up to Waterloo, the sun would be shining...

I was right! My aim was to follow the route of the Southbank in the sun, a beautiful place (in it's own way)!

The following two photos show iconic examples of two contrasting architectural styles, both spotted along my way.

Outstanding, smooth wall of The Royal Festival Hall.  

At the Tate Modern, I look across the Thames, finding a seemingly hidden view of the spectacular        St Pauls cathedral (everyone else is attracted away by the 'millennium bridge')

For further images (currently in process of being uploaded), please visit:

http://naturallybeautifulnormality.blogspot.co.uk

The most depressed, but smiled to say thank you to a car allowing me across the road

Making these notes cheers me up

The above two notes were made later in the week. I regularly have to face the facts, and may feel quite depressed in doing such. I left the flat, feeling quite down, noticed that I was not smiling or even wearing a positive grin. This surprised me, and then my feelings seemed to spiral downwards. Then I crossed the road at a zebra crossing. I realise that this probably sounds stupid, but, it was in doing this (smiling intuitively whilst thanking the stopped car), I realised how rare it was for me to be so 'negative'. I immediately regained 'positiveness', also finding that it is making my notes for this blog, cheers me up, helps me maintain a 'positive' outlook.

L.A. Criminal

The sun has got it's hat on,
Hip hip hip Hooray,
The sun has got it's hat on,
and.........

I refuse to continue singing, as we do not know that it is here to stay....?
Anyway I enjoy the sun, as does everyone. 

The next note was made as I had time to myself last Saturday, deep thinking. EEEK!

'I am used to being alone (years of being a cyclist), now i look at people and wish I was able. Then I always am forced to play the 'wildcard' that I am lucky to be here. But existence brings desire, so I will always want a greater life. But then, doesn't everyone? '

Hmmm, right. Rather self explanatory, i feel.

I was waiting at the bus stop, when noting what I had just experienced. I had been forced to miss a bus, as the driver told me

'Sorry, Ive already got two buggies on'.

I am fine with this. Quite simply there is not enough room, fair enough. People regularly have to wait for another mode of transport, due to lack of room.

The thing that makes me mad, is that TFL claim the higher ground. On all buses, they proudly show stickers telling people that they prioritise spaces for wheelchairs. But?... I don't want to have to force buggies off a bus, if they are there first, but TFL  need to admit that there is not always enough room. GGRRRRR.
I stop, because even typing about it, stresses me!  

Right, I stopped, had dinner, and calmed down!!
I was in a very positive mood, enjoying the first proper sunshine, when I noted

'Wear a happy face but always have a smile in reserve, used regularly'

I realised that I was naturally wearing a happy face in the sunlight, but I find it important to smile at people who deserve such. So, wear a happy face but it is important to keep a smile reserve! 

L.A. Criminal
I have changed my opinion yet again on Mr Armstrong. I no longer wear the Livestrong wristband (which I only bought earlier this year). No matter how it is argued, Lance broke the rules, criminally. One should not support this. Hmmmmmmm....  

My next note is yet another deep one. It could be extended, but I fear of being to egocentric (even though this blog is about me!)

'This' is not what I had expected in life, but then...?

I've always lived 'away from the pack'

Playing sweeper of a defence in football

Back-stage staff at the school show

Even epitomised by cycling style (unable to stay with the strong on the flat, not a sprinter by any means, but give me some gradient and I'm very happy riding away)!

I shall finish this post , by  just including the notes I made, as written:

I have never ever seen myself as a suit-wearing, office worker, pakt like sardines into a crushed tin box, in London.

I think outside the box, wanting to differ...

I communicate a lot through my eyes (visual communication). I can feel hurt when people want to shield their eyes, arrogantly hiding them in sunglasses.