everything is...

Hello,

I hope you have all had a merry Christmas. The calendar means that this is the last post of 2014! You will know that this blog had it's fourth birthday on last weekend. The total page view count had reached ...

23,454

...by midnight on its Birthday.

I admit that I did consider missing today's post. However, fear not, notes have been made this week, so post must be made!

Christmas rest?

Ain't no rest for the wicked! :)

First note can be skimmed over, or reread and reconsidered by yourselves. I can get confused by this. 

Everything...

For example, we view black text on white background. What we actually is the difference between the two colours/shapes.

Contrast is everything

But the contrast is actually nothing, it is the gap in between.

Therefore I conclude that

...Everything is nothing.

Don't worry, I don't delve too deep!

Christmas. A great time of celebration, and fortunately I realise that a lot of people can often be found having too much alcohol!

I apply this as an excuse for a man that I came across in a restaurant last week. I think that he was stone-cold sober. This possibility scares me, so it is better to disregard him as 'drunk'.

I was leaving, when he crossed my path, leant over his wonky glasses, and laughed at himself, when asking me...pointing at my wheelchair...

'Where's your tinsel?'

His snigger to himself, offended me outrageously, immediately, but then I became very proud of my ability to ignore. I am not going to pay the 'man' any respect, so I talk about this, no more.

My saviours at BBC6Music, provided me with an early Christmas present, this year. Steve Lamacq interviewed all-time legend Noel Gallagher. The brilliant interview can be found in the middle hour of Lamacq's 3hr show, found using the BBC iPlayer...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04ttmx4

A superb interview, lets Gallagher voice his straight-talking opinions on the current state of the music industry. Perhaps unsurprisingly, he is questioned over his views of a hypothetical Oasis reform, and also expresses his feelings about the fact that you can be found...

‘buying music in the taxi’!
Sad but true!

Spaced
Christmas TV is always fairly interesting to see what can be found. At home, with my family, we flicked through channels, and stumbled across one of my favourite ever programmes, Spaced. I have always found Simon Pegg and Nick Frost funny, but it startled me as I found myself laughing out loud, uncontrollably, at this program which I originally viewed half of my life ago! The old ones are the best! :)

Spaced (click here)

WOAH!!

Oh life in a wheelchair...

'Woah!! Watch the road!!'

My exclamation, earlier in the week. I was waiting to cross the road, a man was standing opposite. After he had offered room for me to cross, I had declined (I could see the car approaching). He continued, fully focussed on me, he began to cross. DANGER!!

Fortunately they missed each other. But it was so close! I was left feeling extremely grateful of my own awareness, but upset by public's perception of a wheelchair. Hmmm.

If you cannot walk, you cannot walk. Don't be lazy,  it's rude!!

I am very controversial with the above note. Personally, myself in a wheelchair, I get very irritated by people using motorised buggies. These ARE NOT wheelchairs. I come across them, am forced to exchange friendly smiles. Then I pass a shop viewing that they have entered, walking around! Ok Ok, these people might be older citizens, but they CAN walk. I know that everyone goes to great trouble to help disabled people in wheelchairs. Yet, other 'cheats' are benefiting instead of those who are medically disabled. Laziness is sooooo insulting.

Hmmm, there we go. I did warn you that it was 'controversial'.

***EEK!!*** I have just re-read that. I am so wrong. I do not mean to insult anyone! I realise that buggies are needed by people, and I have misrepresented my judgement on the issue, and do not mean any harm towards ANYONE! I am sorry. I keep the paragraph in because I always do. I do not delete things.

Merry Christmas to EVERYONE!

Music of 2014

I flick through my 2014 playlist, with several highlights to promote. I realise that I have probably supplied links before, but annual highlights...

Marissa Nadler - www.marissanadler.com

Sharon Van Etten - www.sharonvanetten.com

Royal Blood - royalbloodband.com

Tiny Ruins - tinyruins.com

Angel Olsen - angelolsen.com

Jack White - jackwhiteiii.com

Courtney Barnett - favourite!!! - courtneybarnett.com.au

I love this tune. I know very little about the group, but I think it's new. I don't know.

Sbtrkt

(click on name above for video)

This blog turns 4 years old on December 20th (tomorrow). Currently total page views is counted as 23, 403. 

6,920 of which have been this latest year.

This equates to an average of 19 page views per day! Gulp. 

This is slightly amazing, and i must continue to thank you all for visiting!

Although you can navigate anywhere in this blog, using the menu on the right, I provide a link back to both my original post in 2010, and most popular month, March 2013.

December 2010

March 2013

the tourist

Ciao ciao. Erm, hmmm...erm...( I can type in this lazy style because this is not professional, it is a honest, true part of a story, told 'live', once). This blog reaches it's fourth birthday on 20th December. Don't worry, I will save the fun calculations until next week.

Parov Stelar - The Mojo Radio Gang (Clubversion)

Hehe. I was in a Surbiton cafe yesterday, so shocked and depressed that this note was promoted to 'top of the list'. A fairly big, high-street chain, yes, but a COFFEE shop. I was sitting at the end of the bar (in my wheelchair, obviously), drinking my double espresso. At this position, I closely experience following customers at the bar. It saddened me to slowly realise that 'coffee' is not winning, everyone buys concoctions of milk and sugar, guzzle it into their fat bellies, then they blame 'coffee'! How dare they!?!!!? I was drinking my coffee when a woman (who obviously thought she was Stateside), followed her drink with a comment...

'There's no caramel on the top.

It's the best part.'

I had to follow it up...

Am  I the only one who drinks coffee in here? I wish I had asked her, but saved it for the barista later on.

I don't like looking into my future. What I am currently missing out on, scares me. I enjoy living for now (doing what I can do, NOW)! I'm content with letting fate direct me. Fate controls us anyway, it's our choice to accept this, or not.

Personal space 

One benefit of living in a wheelchair. Hmmm. I was travelling on a bus, which then got very busy. If London Underground were as easy to use, I sense that a similar feeling may be had. Basically, I am content when crammed in by the public. When I need to move, I move, and it is up to them to get out of the way. If I need to get off the bus, I will. My wheelchair is very heavy if it goes over feet! 

My last note was made yesterday. I was crossing the road, fine. I just exit the central island at the crossing, when I look and view a speeding car, coming towards. I continue across the road, giving the car an evil stare. It slows, so I slow and wave my hand downwards, telling him to slow down. The car stops, so I slow down to crawling pace, so as to make the car wait even longer! I leave. Someone driving far too fast was controlled!

Hey man SLOWDOWN! Idddiot!

Sarah Jarosz

I realise that this post is primarily made up of stories of my attitude. I am sorry, if I am too controversial for you. In a wheelchair, I am increasing in confidence, but cannot have supremacy (most of the time).

Supremacy

a distraction...

Philip Selway - Around Again

Just when you thought Radiohead's front man was creating music that was too advanced for our mental capacities, Radiohead drummer, Phil Selway releases yet another solo release, but sounds remain similar.

Deep thoughts from earlier in the week forced me to concentrate on positives...

I ease myself, when I imagine what I am missing out on in life, i balance this with emotional pains and struggles that I have had, so happy that these are past. It can also be obvious that humans always desire Improvement. Hell would be knowing that you cannot improve, and the only way may be down!

Sunset hits Surbiton riverside, late November

 Kingston Market Place decides it is Christmas

Cafe Steps

I should be pleased with myself. All of the local, independent cafes, are 'accessible'. Ok not fully accessible, but I can enter inside! I look back, and realise none of these cafes were accessible before I started. I speak generally, and most 'high street chain cafes' HAVE to be accessible, they have too much to lose, if otherwise. However independent cafes need to be educated! This perhaps shows me how much custom I am giving (directly and indirectly).

I will not list these cafes, because it would seem like specific praise. There are supreme cafes that are independent and accessible anyway.

There is one cafe that I want to give a big 'shout out' for. It has been based in the Kingston town-centre for a very long time, it is a small, independent cafe, serving some of the tastiest food and drink around. As it is 'hidden', tucked away from view, it is often very quiet inside. 'Giulianno's Delicafe' is in central Kingston (just away from market place), and is definitely worth a visit.

Giulianno's FB  

Like it, you will! :)

Inside the station…

Art Deco classic, Surbiton Station is regularly only viewed from the outside. Users are often busy rushing on or off trains, to recognise the classic beauty within...