_appreciate and respect_

I wish you all the best, final festivities to this season. If you are celebrating it as a ‘new year’, then may i wish you congratulations for finishing one calendar? Not everyone reaches this point of full solar revolution, as it takes 365 days! However, people break their different challenges, into different durations. No challenge is identical therefore it does seem strange to me that everyone must be celebrating at this exact moment in time! 

Sorry, I get a bit deep and weird there!

HAPPY NEW YEAR

Appreciate & Respect 
Show appreciation and always maintain respect for everything, both desires and necessities. 

I really hope that you enjoy what you experience in 2018! 

In order for this to be possible, you need to be able to recognise that  ‘sh*t happens’. By recognising 'negative absurdities’, you will start enjoying a lot more. Be grateful, appreciate and protect what we have. Maintain respect.

EcoEgg

https://www.ecoegg.com

‘Ecoegg was born out of the lack of alternatives to chemical laden laundry products that were kind to skin as well as being natural and effective.  By harnessing the power of nature we hatched our first product, the Ecoegg Laundry Egg and haven’t looked back.’

We take our responsibility to the planet very seriously, it’s central to everything we do and every decision we make. We do our very best to reduce the impact on the environment at every step of our journey.

We commit to:

• Always source raw materials which have the least impact on the environment
• To never, ever test our products on animals
• Wherever possible, work with suppliers who take their environmental responsibilities seriously and we will work with them to minimise our joint impact
• Wherever possible, source our raw materials from the UK. Occasionally it isn’t possible to do this. In these instances we do our best to ensure goods are transported in a way that minimises our carbon footprint as much as possible.
• Only use FSC (Forestry Stewardship Council) certified paper and board for our packaging
• Only use vegetable based inks for our packaging and printing
• Mark our packaging with clear and concise recycling instructions
• Recycle as much of our industrial and office waste as possible

I have recently been introduced to this product, use it, and have fallen in love with the EcoEgg. It seemed a tragic disaster, that almost everybody, without hesitation, forced our world to consume such harmful chemicals, for a ‘cleaning process’. 

2006 Alps TDF

Over 11 years ago! EEEEK! 3 months before my accident, I lived my dream… 

I had cycled in the Alps to watch the Tour de France, climbed L’Alpe D’Huez, and on the following stage to La Toussuire, I was able to get a photo of my hero, David Millar! I had spotted him, had my camera ready (yes camera, not mobile phone, it was 2006), and crouched down in the road to get the best shot!… In disbelief of my luck, another showing race number 146! Thank you David! @millarmind

“When one has once had the good luck to love intensely, life is spent in trying to recapture that ardour and that illumination.” 

― Albert Camus, The Myth of Sisyphus and Other Essays

“What we do for ourselves dies with us, what we do for others remains in the world today” ― Albert Camus

`

I signed up. Christmas had just passed us. I always feel incredibly lucky to be here. I have been a member of FOE before. I knew exactly what i was doing. As you can probably work out, I hold the causes incredibly close to me. They not only affect me, but EVERYONE.

One does not have to begin a subscription of any particular value. The charity let you state how much that you may be willing to offer, how often, and whenever.

I did, and so I encourage you to do the same.

I have since recognised that it is a new year, aproaching. 

So, why not do something good?

https://friendsoftheearth.uk

Winter wonderland

First note, made earlier in the week, explains my personal desire to act in a way that i see fit for all. I carry around with me, an espresso cup, used every time I visit a coffee-shop. I want to alert people of how much of a waste their ‘on-the-go coffee habit’ creates. I admit that the benefit I actually create, is near negligible because I always drink from a cup inside the shop, anyway!

One cup battling against this ‘throw-away culture’

• problem. I sometimes have a ‘double espresso’...
• Maybe I shouldn’t do the above?
• Which cup should i use? Such a stresssssssss!
• This trial is an experiment

Winter always makes me think of the Iceman. Christmas always makes me think of a Winter Wonderland...

There’s only one Dennis Bergkamp

one Dennis Bergkamp

walking along,

singing a song,

walking in a Bergkamp wonderland!

Dennis Bergkamp ● Technique and Elegance [By HeilRJ]

Merry Christmas!

Yesterday was Winter Solstice. Plan ahead.

Days get longer now... Summer's coming!

https://www.reprieve.org.uk

A charity whose cause should affect everyone indirectly.

Reprieve is an organisation of courageous and committed human rights defenders. Founded in 1999 by British human rights lawyer Clive Stafford Smith, we provide free legal and investigative support to some of the world’s most vulnerable people: those facing execution, and those victimised by states’ abusive counter-terror policies – rendition, torture, extrajudicial imprisonment and extrajudicial killing. 

...

7th Birthday

Total - 132,139

The 20th December 2017 marked the seventh year completed by this blog. I do not wish to create financial gain from this, but audience has grown near continuously, meaning that i must be doing something right!

Cumulative totals...

2011 - 3195

2012 - 9020 (5,825 views)

2013 - 16, 483 (7,463 views)

2014 - 23,454 (6,971 views)

2015 - 30897 (7,443 views)

2016 - 42,089 (11,192 views)

2017 - 132,139 (90,050 views)

My 'Bialetti Induction Moka' is allowing me to produce good work, keeping my level-head!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uvAHWdVTk-k

Music. A personal favourite of mine, Diane Birch, released a wonderful song. I was emailed news of her release, and given the following weblink...

https://dianebirch.bandcamp.com/track/the-end

Album of the year:

I am announcing my ‘album of the year’ a week early. If, in the off-chance, something suitable is released in the coming week, it will compete next year. I talk so prestigiously of this status, because erm...

... EVERYONE should have an ‘album of the year’.

I narrowed my choice down to two nominations, to which i listened a few times more!...

Julie Byrne - Not Even Happiness

Or 

Noel Gallagher - Who built the moon?

• Fort Knox
• The Man who Built the Moon
• Dead In the Water 

Noel wins. Julie Byrne released her album earlier in the year, and I have listened to it sooooo regularly. Her magical, enchanting voice, is beautiful, yet powerful and deep enough to hold such meaning. Key songs ‘Sleepwalker’ and ‘Natural Blue’ I heard, out of context on the radio, and they are mesmerising. She brings a big smile to my face every time.

Noel Gallagher wins. It wins because I believe he has created a truly masterful album, that in coming years, will be regarded as iconic. The three stated songs (above) are key. The album opens with ‘Fort Knox’. Wow. One is immediately struck with such a powerful tune that must show examples of Chemical Brothers’ influence. Incredible. ‘Holy Mountain’ follows. Track 10, ‘The Man Who Built The Moon’ is such a strong masterpiece. I feel that this tune will become anthemic soon (next year).  

The penultimate tune is a wonderful, slow, acoustic treasure (recorded live for Irish radio). A super route to finishing a super album.

wise man

Merry Christmas season

Life is difficult for us all. However, the human race has lived on forever, because we all experience joys and wonders. Remember that all of our lives consist of moments, both ‘positive’ and ‘negative’. If facing a difficulty, remember to zoom out. Reduce focus. Another moment awaits. Find a ‘positive’ (which may be obscurely distant, or surprisingly similar), and focus on this. Remember the alternative. There has to be a ‘positive’ somewhere. Always remember the ‘negative’, recognising that it is a real problem, but if you are suffering from it too much, focus yourself on the ‘positive’.

I now take life as nothing more than a series of moments. We must live each moment as best we can, responsibly and ethically. Everyone’s ‘moments’ are unique, therefore we must not compete against others too aggressively.

‘Moments’ are very special, and will only ever occur once. Therefore we must learn to live our current moments in the best way we can. Respect our past moments. Protect our future moments.

“I’m going to tell you something: thoughts are never honest. Emotions are. Do not go around asking for honesty in what people think; much of what they perceive as thinking is empty anyway because it’s thought out again and again and comes out refined and muddy. The ones who know how to feel might have to say to you a couple of interesting things or not and when they do that, you ought to know how to listen. So learn how to listen. You can’t make someone open up about their feelings in case they don’t want to. But you can remain open yourself through listening deeply and completely; they might want to talk about the weather and keep it simple — allow them to feel the simplicity…Emotion pours out directly or indirectly each time people engage themselves in the process of genuine interaction.” 

― Albert Camus

“Everything I know of morality, I learned on the soccer field.” 

― Albert Camus

... a very wise man.

My next comment/note, is essentially an obvious necessity when we all live in a world, relying on finite resources.

Only use a light in the room that you are in!

It should offend us, finding that people who act so lazily, are full of disgusting greed, and do not abide by such basic moral principles.

I will not delve deep, but it offended me greatly, to find that one of my favourite, local, coffee shops, commits ‘this crime'. A toilet room is never in constant use, therefore being lit constantly, is totally unnecessary. Such waste of electricity is offensive.

I was a welcomed guest to the House of Lords, the other week. We had a special, guided tour by Baroness Jenny Jones (to whom, Kingston Green Party are extremely grateful). An amazing place. I found that everything seemed utterly fabulous, and then... I had a coffee! It was ok, but just ok! No complaints, whatsoever! ;)

I need time, to recognise my benefits. Oh man! I feel so lucky to be able to do this. No-one else that I know has this luxury of being able to think so freely. People claim that they are too busy with work-life. People may seem to focus their entire lives on their work, so essentially, this can be viewed as narrow-minded. Many people work so intensely, are not free, and apply too much pressure on themselves, that what they actually gain is negligible. Set your mind free. Take a new look at things, from a broader view. You will be able to witness more ‘essences’, and so, a more accurate picture is viewed. By ‘essences’, I just mean aspects of definition, and maybe character.

A classic view...

A Twitpic sent to me, depicts a contrast between a historical skyline view, and the same view including very recent developments competing to be the most obtrusive. 

Bounce back

Some might say that I am getting too excited, too early. Every fourth December is the same. End of the month brings a World-Cup year! This, forthcoming World-Cup however, could become a bit of an anti-climax. Amongst many others, no USA, no South Africa, no Turkey, no Ghana, no Ivory Coast, no Austria, no Greece, no Romania, no Wales, no Chile, no Norway, no Scotland, no Ireland, no Holland, and no Italy!

The graphic below signifies countries that have qualified (Blue), and those that did not qualify (Yellow).

You all know the significance of 2006 for me (my accident). It was an amazing year of ‘my sports’, being a keen cyclist and a lifelong football fanatic. I recently discovered the following online video. 

An eye-opening, interview of England’s core, Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard, and Rio Ferdinand

’golden generation 3’ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kRdbUfcBPZw

This blog is entirely about me! Therefore I am totally comfortable talking about my lifelong heroes. Good friends will already know that I have always loved the music of Jeff Buckley, even though i became a devoted fan, after he left us in 1997.

I never saw him, I was too young when he released his one studio album ‘Grace’, in 1995. The man provided such an outpouring of emotion through magical, amazing songs. The energy given to everything was unsurpassable.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2pkGd4AVkDw

I cannot believe that i have only just discovered this cover version of the LedZep classic…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P2BMXH8BSUg When the Levee Breaks (Led Zeppelin cover)

In times of difficulty, think progressively.

Progressive = Positive

Bounce back.

https://kingston.greenparty.org.uk

Design for Dis-assembly

A ‘design for dis-assembly’ was a supremely important issue that was taught, through my ‘Industrial Design and Technology’ degree. Part of any product’s life-cycle, is it’s end-of-life. Unfortunately, perhaps importance of the issue was not prominent enough. It is only really since that I can recognise the utter waste of material. Many products/packaging that have been created are produced in a mass-scale, therefore mass-waste after use. Whenever I throw things away, I try to break them down. One’s general-rubbish bin can remain surprisingly empty, if one discards correctly, different parts in different bins! Reducing waste must be the direction forward, for the entire globe.

Marissa Nadler's new release of 'old' songs. Incredible.

https://marissanadler.bandcamp.com

‘Covers’

Covers include songs by Fleetwood Mac, Bruce Springsteen, The Lemonheads, Radiohead, 2 Bob Dylan, Cat Stevens, David Bowie, Loudon Wainwright, Duran Duran

“Become so very free that your whole existence is an act of rebellion.” 

― Albert Camus, The Rebel: An Essay on Man in Revolt

Although I personally discovered this band last night, this video clip is dated last year (I’m late again)! April 2016. 

https://escondido.bandcamp.com/album/escondido-audiotree-live

Escondido

beneficial

I was never, ever in doubt of this…

‘Drinking more than three cups a day was not linked to harm, but the beneficial effects were less pronounced.’

https://amp.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2017/nov/23/three-coffees-a-day-linked-to-a-range-of-health-benefits

I apologise if any of my blog is nonsensical for you! You will probably know that i type each post, from a collection of notes, made throughout the week. I then collate them on Friday, and publish the post. A graduate in both 3D and 2D design, the true quality of my ‘English Language’ has always been suspect, even before my accident (so do not want to use it as an excuse)! I admit, that I am perhaps lazy when i create a note for discussion. I type, and type as i consider the meaning of the note itself. I do not cut-down the rambling language when i publish. Sorry.

I am currently enjoying the read of ‘The Fastidious Assassins’ by Albert Camus. The author explains the psychologically complex issues regarding Communism of the Post-War years.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4258984-the-fastidious-assassins?ac=1&from_search=true

‘History is only governed by two principles, the State and social revolution, revolution and counter-revolution, which can never be reconciled, and which are engaged in a death-struggle. The State is the incarnation of crime. ‘The smallest and most inoffensive State is still criminal in its dreams.’ Therefore revolution is the incarnation of good.’

Page 45 ‘The Fastidious Assassins’, Albert Camus

“Every revolutionary ends up either by becoming an oppressor or a heretic.” 

― Albert Camus

“You will never be happy if you continue to search for what happiness consists of. You will never live if you are looking for the meaning of life.” 

― Albert Camus

Tuesday...

I am at Waterloo whilst I type this note, as i am planning an important trip on next Monday.  I am very grateful to  the rail staff who are everywhere around, allowing me to feel totally relaxed. I restrain from sniggering to myself when I witness other fully able-bodied people, foolishly, stumbling around, demanding help from staff. Some people can be so arrogant, and yet simply stupid! Please maintain a respectful attitude towards any staff, anywhere, that are there to help you. Do not act above them, you are not!

I know that I am fairly memorable. I smile because I am terrified by the thought of someone recognising me as a miserable, disabled man. 

The new Noel Gallagher album ‘Who Built The Moon’, is superb.

A BIG sound, from a man who knows what he is doing! Here he has successfully demonstrated to everyone, that he knows how to write music, not just rock’n’roll.

A third of the way through the album, an amazing song showing us that Noel is truly breaking free. Midway through ‘It’s A Beautiful World’ we are given an alert announcement in French! Mr Gallagher correctly feels confident enough to engage listeners, in such a new style! 

‘Attention, attention! Mesdames et Messieurs...’ 

One of the best songwriters around.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1uZumsTMRH4

Track 10, ’The Man who Built the Moon’ is such a strong, anthemic tune. This will be big.

The album also includes one of my favourite ‘Gallagher songs’, of all time. Quite a bold statement, yes, but it is true. Recorded live, acoustic, in Dublin, ’Dead in the Water’ an amazing completion of an amazing album.  

101 years later, we still fail to understand. We choose the most patriotic decision of all (‘we love ourselves too much, so we’re gonna quit Europe’). Tragic.

This beautiful memorial, just on the edge of Trafalgar Square, is on to St Martin’s lane. It stands out, supreme, for me, because it does not attempt to glorify those who have fallen, it explains how we have gone wrong. It’s quote, dated from the middle of the Great War, explains the true Human tragedy, and how we must avoid it. 

Edith Cavell

‘Patriotism is not enough. I must have no hatred or bitterness for anyone.’

Undivided attention 

I speak on my mobile phone sometimes, although largely communicate through text messages. I am fortunate. I cannot talk on my phone, whilst driving my wheelchair. I do either/or. One at a time, allows my full attention to be given to both. It disgusts me when I witness those able-bodies who try and talk on their phone whilst failing to walk without colliding into others. Some idiots love providing such arrogant body language (‘oh,  i am just SOOOO busy, because I am SOOOO popular. I’m in a RUSH because I lead such a MANIC life’). Grow up.

Released yesterday, this poster for next year’s World Cup, is brilliant.

It should become iconic.

BBC.co.uk provides relevant background information... 

Dedicated to Soviet-era goalkeeping icon Lev Yashin, widely considered one of the game's greatest stoppers and the last keeper to win the Ballon d'Or, the poster is designed by Igor Gurovich. It features old school design techniques and aims to shed light on Russia's footballing heritage.

“It’s a true reflection of Russia’s artistic and football heritage,” said FIFA’s secretary general, Fatma Samoura.