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!)