Welcome to my blog. It varies how regular I write posts here. I sustained a 'Traumatic Acquired Brain Injury', and a six month coma from a 'road traffic accident' whilst cycling, in October 2006. I spent the following 4 years (22-26yrs old), in a combination of hospitals and rehabilitation homes. Now, I have been living independently in Surbiton, England since October 2010. This blog begun life in December 2010, as i realised that there are many people worldwide that i want to share experiences with. I know that, as a wheelchair user, I am obviously not as mobile as i wish, so, use the internet to connect to you. I enjoy letting my thoughts represent through type. I type honestly. As numerous readers, as well as email recipients, will understand, I find typing to be very therapeutic. Thank you :)
Please note that this website cannot be viewed 100% successfully everywhere. It is designed for optimum viewing on a screen of 1920 x 1080 pixels.




Friday, 27 February 2015

No! No! No!

Salty garlic oil 
Three key elements that I use almost every time I begin to cook. I love to stir fry a sauce based in such. I realise that all three ingredients are very unhealthy if used too much, so, 'everything in moderation' is the key!

Anyway, I am out, eating lunch as I type this, so change of subject...

I am a graphic designer, who has a strong passion for cycling. I was startled on Tuesday, troubled by two sights...

Celeste Kona
Belkin Felt

My eyes were immediately taken by this 'Celeste' bike. Intrigued by a 'hybrid, town-bike' which was using the Bianchi colour. Further inspection allowed me to discover that it was actually a Kona (so I let it off)! 
My attitude was then shook further, as I crossed the path of a cyclist riding a Felt road bike, but he was wearing this contrasting 'Team Belkin-Giant' jersey.
No! No! No! Get it right. If you are going to the trouble of buying and wearing team-wear, get it right (should have been a Garmin Jersey)...
So, a brief explanation of a topic that has troubled me forever!
My blue, white and black, Briko helmet, was owned to compliment the Fassa Bortolo kit (Ivan Basso, Michele Bartoli), it then saved my life!

I HAVE to wear a smile!
I left my flat earlier in the week, troubled by thoughts that I had been having. I was down. I turned the first corner, switching my expression into a smile, automatically. I realised that as soon as I entered 'the real world', I had to smile, masking feelings which I soon managed to ignore. I am so used to wearing this positive expression, it happens automatically.


The Bentalls Centre, Kingston - 'where style reigns'. You will never see a wheelchair on an escalator, but then, i suppose... 

I left the black cat
I felt amazingly confident, earlier in the week. I came across a delightful, young, black cat who fell to lie on the floor, in front of me, being stroked, lovingly. I knew that the cafe would shut in half an hour, so I had to leave this black cat. He chased after me in the street, but coffee was calling. I left. It was so rare of me to leave (usually other way round). A black cat, hmmmm... I ended up flirting with a Spanish girl, also in the cafe! ;)

I may seem determined, but i am confident and rational as well. Combined, these three things, allow us to do anything. Believe in yourself, only you truly know yourself.

Leap years
... Once every four years, a leap year. It confused me as a child, but I learnt to accept it. We do not skip past or 'leap forward', through a day, but instead gain an extra day. Every 'World Cup year'. This is God's way of punishing (or blessing) us. The wait from the New Year to the World Cup start, is longer than usual!

Bus experience
As ever, I type this post on Friday afternoon. I have just had a monumental experience, awaiting a bus in Kingston. A bus came, and I successfully hailed it. Hmmm, I could see that there was no room aboard. The boarding ramp ejected, I investigated, but then turned my back, accepting the need to wait for another. I looked around, amazed to see a mother with buggy getting off the bus, for me! 
"No, no, no!" I exclaimed.
"I am in no rush. You were in the space first! Stay!!" I tried pleading the truth.
We both got called forward by the driver, and I was told to board in her place. I refused, allowed the mother and child to keep aboard, and I waited. Times have changed! :)

Friday, 20 February 2015

Waking up

I laugh off such a comical, small mistake. However, I do realise that I used to feel a need to react.
On exiting a local restaurant via the ramp access, not the steps, a surprised, oncoming woman greeted me...
'Oh, you're coming this way! Eeek  I didn't realise I am on the ramp!’
I felt the need to discuss this in my blog, because such a comment surprised me. Five or Ten years ago, this would have been such a regular comment, everywhere! My own level of surprise helped me realise how far forward things have come. Obviously, sensed largely at the centre of the issue, it seems that the general public perceptions of 'wheelchair issues' has improved greatly in the last decade.

Hmmmm. More than half of the population...

I really do not know how to feel about these superstars who have been living a lie. A lie, I have always known the truth and so remain fairly unaffected. The truth may hurt, but the truth will out.
How do i feel about ’Lance’?
You cannot hide the truth forever. The good will out.



Explosions in the sky (click here)

waking up...



Giuliano's ramp





My comment starting this week's post, can also mixed with this note.
'It's not what you know, but WHO you know'!
I want to praise Giuliano Mallardo for not only supplying gorgeous food and supplying top-notch coffee, but also he tackled the accessibility problem i faced, of a stepped-entrance, with rapid, basic ingenuity - a folded cardboard box! I have designed a three-piece window-menu, now placed in his cafe front door.



The newest cafe in my hometown of Surbiton, gets a warm mention, full of applause. Thank you 'Amici'

Friday, 13 February 2015

Truth wins

Believe in yourself. Only you know the truth.



Welcome the truth. It might not be as pretty as a lie, but reality is so much more helpful. We must learn to find the positives in truths, they always exist somewhere and they are invaluable.



The Staves (Live, Gateshead) (click here)

incredible voices...


Friday 13th
Saturday 14th February
hmmm....


Friday, 6 February 2015

calculations =

Hello,
It is quite random for me to run this calculation in February. It seems that my 'blog popularity'  has steadied over the past few months. I am sorry to bore you all, but...
averaging 600 (actually 599) per month for last two years
Equates to
= 150 per week, just over 21per day :)

Music (food of love?). I play on...
One of my latest purchases is the album of J Mascis. On hearing his first single, 'Wide awake', I could hear the magnificent voice of Chan Marshall (Cat Power). I investigated further and was sold his brilliant album.
J Mascis

Shuffled albums 
Lazaretto 
Listening to music at home, through my iPod (part of my stereo now). It was as I listened to 'High Ball Stepper' by Jack White, did I stop, listen, and register that I was part way through an unbelievable album of immense, classy, buzzing, guitar rock. Hero. Thank you.
high ball stepper (click here)


Insecure mobile-phone fakers
I make this note following a friend's Facebook post, relating to the issue. I am secure and comfortable with myself. I have needed a wheelchair for a long enough period of my life, to face millions of issues etc. I am confident because I know who I am and what I have done. It both amuses and saddens me to witness many people who may seem to have so much, but deep down they must be missing something key. Self-confidence. They walk down the street, mouthing to nobody in a mobile phone, or sat on a train, taking selfies. The only people that are communicating to, are the general public! They desperately want everyone to think that they are important, busy, celebrity pornstars. I guess, the truth hurts them!

Everyone may already know my next note, but it is even more important if you are in a wheelchair. 
Trust no-one when crossing the road 
I was in Kingston waiting at traffic lights. Then all of a sudden everyone crosses the road, then a lorry has to stop, and people head back to the nearest pavement! The general public had just blindly copied each other. Madness!

ups and downs…
there is art communicating  messages,  and there are obscene disgraces...

 Banksy on Instagram :)


Kingston..(WTF?)


Landscape or Portrait ?
A sheet of A4, or A3. I immediately consider the landscape format...
:s