'big topic'

'Morning! I am in my favourite, local cafe, this week, as I am time restricted, today. First note, explains my rediscovered passion. I have been so weak, listening to my music catalogue, in shuffle mode. It is far too easy, not to make the effort of 'choice'. But, without choice, the music that you hear (you aren't listening), is so shallow.

Choose an album, and listen...

Angel Olsen

'Morning Patrick!' said a random somebody.

I go about town, and everyone seems to know me.

WHAT?!?!

Ok, I must remain positive and amicable in response, so I do. Almost immediately after, I am left pondering how they know me. The stranger who greeted me earlier in the week, actually knew my first name, not just 'random disabled one'. How? I then feel inferior and stupid as I don't know the man. I sincerely hope that I haven't forgotten. Hmmmm.

Everything can be viewed in opposing ways. We must learn to present our view, in the most appealing way possible. If presented with a colour, the contrasting possibility should always be recognised.

Johnny Nice Painter (click for alternative scene)

I need a double before gym!

It was only Monday, but I was so tired following my morning gym, that I snoozed for an hour in the afternoon! This loss of time, surprised and unnerved me. I then recognised that I had only one espresso, I usually have a double espresso before the gym! I feel that I am falsely making up an excuse for more coffee! Ah well.

'Given away by Ozil'!?!?
An Arsenal, and Fiorentina football fan, I have been left slightly depressed following European club competitions, this week. When I heard the commentator explain that Mesut Ozil had misplaced a pass, I knew that something was wrong! We then continued to lose to Barcelona at home. I refuse to discuss Fiorentina's failure.

Nuclear power. Hehehe, I am not afraid to voice my personal opinion on a 'huge topic'! I am a keen Green Party member, and so I do realise that I may be controversial, if I say that I welcome nuclear power. I do not, however I am a human being and so I realise our need to find some alternative key source of energy that is highly efficient, not finite, and will not run-out (unlike most of our current sources). Nuclear power is considered by many as 'clean', compared with non-renewable sources. I am not unusual when I argue that this incredible source should be utilised, but it cannot be developed for military uses ('defence', or 'attack'). I do not believe that any country wants to utilise that nuclear military power. It is only owned by nations, as a 'reserve'. Do people realise the extreme waste of wealth by governments, purely because countries cannot trust each other. We should lead by example, scrap this unusable weapon, save so much money in doing so, perhaps develop the energy extraction, and not instigate fear in other countries. Nuclear power should be developed as a constructive energy source, not as a means of destruction.

The page view-count history of this blog...

to destroy it is a crime

Hello, I hope that you are well, and first rays of 2016 sun have shone well on you today!

I open positively, opposing my initial, angry, negative note...

Grrrr

Surbiton Station

7 months!! :(

Very little pisses me off, but...!

I am told by station staff that "the lift will not be ready, in March, but April!." It has been out of action since September, last year. The station is inaccessible without it. Six months is an extremely long time, but now they have chosen an even longer time.

But that's ok because people will just have to climb the staircase, instead. No?... Oh forget about wheelchairs and buggies, we'll lay on a special bus service instead. Oh, there will be people to help buggies up stairs!

The above paragraph explains how I feel that SouthWest Trains must think.

I check again the following day, to get the correct company's name...

It is 'South West Trains' who are to blame! I am told that it is South West Trains who own the station. Therefore most of my disappointment can be attributed to South West Trains. The worst thing is, mixed messages. It clearly embarrasses them, to tell me the truth, so they don't!

Vok

I have to change the subject, as such a simple thing stresses me far too much. Music. I realise that it has been a while since I introduced a new discovery. Vok are 'new' for me, however the music was released last year. An Icelandic rock band... A spooky cross between Bjork and Sigur Ros, could be a fair description of the celestial sweeps backing an husky female vocal flow. I like.

I was feeling troubled earlier in the week, so typed...

Double espresso helps me speak the deep, scary truth...

My very relaxed, 'laissez-faire' attitude, is the way I have been forced to think, for the past decade. It has given me something to fall-back on, when reality upsets me, but... '****ing *ell! PLEASE!?!'

I have hundreds of 'acquaintances', but no-one, no-one, NO-ONE. I have coped for ten years. Online dating is an impossibility. 1 date in 5 years! No one. I have friends whom it always hurts, when asked for the truth. I have incredibly high standards, as my past knows what real love is. Fate played it's horror. I just sincerely hope that Liz is well.

Maybe I should go and look at the Marble Arch.

Hallelujah
(this is a new edit version, not as wonderful as album version on 'Grace')

I was amused by the radio this morning (wednesday) told by 6music news that two of the richest 'coffee shop chains’, have been slammed for serving up coffee drinks with too much sugar in! 

No surprises. Costa, Starbucks, McDonalds etc, mustn’t be considered as ‘cafes’. A ‘cafe’ is a venue which serves coffee! English people are dangerously close to be being as lazy as Americans. Most cannot be bothered to search for a good coffee. As long as it is cheap and available ‘on-the-go’, their drink will suffice. If it has a chocolate flake (or rainbow-coloured hundreds-and-thousands) stuck in the lard on top, they’ll probably pay more for it. 

Is it really news that these places are not coffee vendors, but money-grabbing corporate multi-nationals?

Wake up people. Have a black coffee, on it’s own. Simple and effective. Coffee is beautiful, to destroy it is a crime.

Design can induce competition.

I admit, that by some of those closest to me, I may be seen as competitive, occasionally. Positively, this competitiveness hurt me so much during my early rehab. It drove me forward, and I am able to recognise that my self-confidence/self-belief is a necessary skill of a designer. Developed largely, throughout my university life, fellow design graduates will agree. When your whole degree relies on your creations, you have self-belief, and self-confidence develops alongside. Your entire qualification revolves around your ability to create something unique. Design (both 2d and 3d), relies on both the creative, and rational abilities. You must be confident of what you produce. Competitiveness exists alongside this.

Celebration of Federico Bernadeschi's equalising goal against Spurs, for Fiorentina, last night ;)

a bit further out!

I am forced to do it a lot, but thinking about my situation, future life, aims and desires, scares and saddens me, so I prefer to live life as is. 

Jeff Buckley - Grace

After hearing 'So real' played on 6Music, early in the week, I chose to listen to the whole album. Although it was for the first time in ages, I sung loudly, freely, along with every word of the album 'Grace'. In doing so, I realised my love for this album. Although I have forever rated 'OK Computer' by Radiohead the best, and still do, but I hold 'Grace', closer. The Jeff Buckley album is my favourite. Times change.

Best team Tika taka goal 😎...

https://instagram.com/p/BBe-wh2HLIB/

It reminds me of one that I scored, but I was a bit further out!

Ok, I'm in a wheelchair and yet to venture onto an aeroplane, in one. It does not bother me personally, as I have felt no need to travel with such. ***EDIT*** . There is humungous ecological effect each flight causes.

http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2010/apr/06/aviation-q-and-a

(I edited my original note, which would've caused trouble)

Vday

'Oh yeh, I forgot, I do love my partner!'

.... Oh please WTF!&@!?

I stutter in amusement and despair. This coming Sunday is Valentines Day. I find nothing less-romantic, than most of the **** that is rammed down our throats by shopping centres and supermarkets. People who are in a romantic relationship should not need reminding, if they do then maybe they are not in a romance. I don't want to exclude myself. This is the first for many years that I do not participate. Gifts/cards have been bought/given in the past, but I have been advised not to waste my time this year. More coffee for ME!!!

A wonderful set of words!

Good man!

Not 'wheelchair friendly' but 'accessible'

A super-colleague/good friend wanted to check with me the terminology that she should use, when promoting an event she was organising. We both know that I provide nothing official, merely personal opinion. 

My argument was that having a 'wheelchair friendly' venue is good but, the term can be considered quite divisive, and belittling. 

A better, more inclusive term was my choice. 'Accessible'. This term is less specific, more generic, and applicable to everybody.

 

Don’t Believe The Truth

Second music reference of the week. Oasis from 2005. Brilliant, brilliant. My favourite Oasis album? hmmm

break-away artist

I have always had this inner desire to break-away, ride alone, and win alone.  This mindset was learnt as a cyclist. Cycling can be considered as a team sport, however a team is made up of individuals, riding independently. Now, I have no choice but to use it, I have no teammates. Whether people choose to accept this fact or not, I am alone. Everybody's alone. Alone with everybody.

One of my favourite artists, first spotted by myself on 'Later... with Jools', 2010.

In my opinion, Diane's latest album is her level best (latest 'Nous' is equal with first 'Bible Belt'). As a fan on social media, I was directed to this link...

You can stream a sample, or download the whole album...

http://dianebirch.bandcamp.com

Released on February 1st.

Live for the moment. Smile. Do not plan too far ahead. You will have minimal fear. There is nothing worse than fear. You will have little expectancy, therefore little disappointment. You will realise that you are lucky and good things are amazing. The world is amazing.

... We must be careful not to take our world for granted.

Hehehe :)

I received an unexpected  compliment. Welcome. Very welcome. I am very unsure, of my beard, myself, but now it has been affirmed, it stays! ;)

New phone

Scary 

So, I upgraded my iPhone on Wednesday. Although scary losing my old one, part of the reason I am in contracts with O2, is that, along with Apple, they offer a 'buy back' scheme. This helps create a sustainable loop. It brings me great joy that I am not generating an ever-growing stream of waste. I do not know if these schemes are widely available or not. They should be!

6+ = my5c + money!!

:)