The journey

Ponte Vecchia in Florence

Photo can be found on Twitter @melindagallo

Recovery is not a destination. Recovery is a journey. I must not focus entirely on a goal, a target, or ‘the other side’. I must continue to live the best i can, whilst on this journey ‘across the river’.

I hesitate as i write this post in note form. I really do not think that this blog can continue at such a rate!

I am only human.

I enjoy writing, expressing my feelings. However I realise that repetition of issues can devalue them, and bore or irritate you!

'Recovery is not a destination. Recovery is a journey'. It worries me to create some kind of ‘invisible cloud’ over me, that many of you may think will disappear ‘once recovered’! It terrifies me to think that people may just consider ‘ability to walk’ as a measure of ‘recovery’!

Yes, I am training for that, but it is just a part of ’the journey’. 

My journey will never end.

Please believe me, i try and i try, but ‘gains’ are minimal (in my head). I have recognised my achievements throughout recovery, so far. I am incredibly proud of myself, and grateful to EVERYONE who has helped so far, but recovery never ends. 

I know that I will continue to ‘recover’ forever, but my life needs so much more. Everyone lives so much deeper lives than what can be represented on a computer screen!

I exist. I need more!

I am an actual human being, not just a ‘computer character’!

Now I stop typing, because I cannot continue to do such, so regularly. 

Only when i stop, and self-reflect, do i actually face my problems.

It is too scary.

The truth, not only hurts, but it terrifies.

This blog will slow…

I feel that...

I am running out of paint, covering the cracks.

150, 000 page-views within 8 years…

 You like the ‘paint-work’. It satisfies me hugely to know that these words are read and understood widely, across the globe. Therefore I do not wish to completely close this down, but slow down. Issues that i feel are deserving, will be talked about, but i will not try and ‘fill space’ (which i can do so easily)!

Thank you all!
;)

The Best in England!

Mid-Winter 21st December, which means that Summer is now on the horizon (I usually publish after midday so I’m correct, if so)!

Blog's 8th Birthday yesterday 

I begin to type this post on Wednesday, as my Physiotherapy session was cancelled. So ‘yesterday’ is actually my ‘tomorrow’! I will update this text  tomorrow, with a more accurate value of ‘total page-views’…

(update)...

…So, at 12 noon GMT on December 20th, the total page-view count was 150,211.

2018 = 18,072

So, averages over 1500 per month (in 2018). 

I am pleased with these numbers, as although less than last year’s value, 2017 did seem to be an anomaly!
Last year's popularity was in France, this year back to the UK!

This high total, really does help me. I do not earn any money from this, but it is an invaluable psychological aid.

Thank you :)

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)

2018 - 150,211 (18,072 views)

Things that happen, are supposed to happen. It is totally pointless, wasting energy, trying to fight most occurrences. We must accept them, and use them to our best ability.

The question that humans will never have a 100% factual answer to, is ‘why has it happened?’ (many physicians may disagree with me, sorry).

I believe that the search for this answer, may be obvious, or may harm us in some way. Humans can only accurately assess the past, but any assessment of the future will only ever be a prediction. Therefore we must remain confident that at some point in the future, we will be able to reflect on the situation, join the dots, and find the answer to which we were searching for originally!

Everyone will journey different paths, resulting in the wonder of human variation. Different routes, result in different stories of life. Global population is around 7.7 billion people. There are 7.7 billion different routes on different pathways. Everyone is different, but there is one essential resource from which we all must feed, forever… ‘Our Earth’.

Our Earth

needs

Our Climate 

Continued lazy, greedy, ignorance of damage to our climate, could be apocalyptic. Behaviour of our recent fashion for ‘continued growth of everything’ MUST STOP. Humanity has evolved far enough to recognise our problem, therefore it is our duty to act.

Infinite growth cannot exist.

Music...

Pre-ordered Wednesday for full release early February 2019…

https://tinyruins.bandcamp.com/album/olympic-girls

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kEtxoqGYGyM

Three tracks… https://www.tinyruins.com/home#/releases/

I am such a fan of ‘Tiny Ruins’, that I have  bought the three tracks, as part of pre-ordering the album!… The first on my ‘2019’ playlist!

One of my town’s supermarkets shows a good example of offering an ethical responsibility, right at the front of the store. I already knew of this Sainsbury’s ‘Food Donation Point’, before entering. I convinced myself to participate, so i did.

I filled my basket with my shopping. I went and added a tin of beans. My overall cost rose by about 4%. A small donation, but a donation. How can any of us ignore this call for help at Christmas? 

https://www.about.sainsburys.co.uk/making-a-difference/our-values/our-stories/2017/making-a-great-meal-out-of-surplus-food

I guess he just got tired of ‘flying through the air’!

Tuesday is the day that I often have totally free for myself. This week I journeyed up to Soho’s Bar Italia. Realising that it is the week ahead of Christmas, I chose to treat myself and order a Cappuccino (usually only an espresso suffices).

Oh MY!

There should be no doubt that I have found THE BEST CAPPUCCINO, in England!

http://baritaliasoho.co.uk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWfZB812A1g

One of the best versions of Bittersweet Symphony - Legendary

incredible statistics

Bialetti coffee machines provide me with such joy!

a)

b)

c)

d)

Fill base with water, up to just below valve (a). The funnel sits above (b). Two scoops of coffee in the funnel (c). Unit screwed together (d). Heated on a low heat, for about 15 minutes, then, my Bialetti bursts into life. So I decide to capture a video for you all, as it fills two espresso cups.

https://youtu.be/jRhRuCVvp60

On the Tuesday just gone, the total cumulative page-view count of this blog,

reached 150 thousand…

Ten days short of it’s 8th birthday...

8 x 12 = 96 months

so

...

averaging well over 1500 per month

... So, around 50 per day.

Those numbers above are not real statistics, they are averages!

Having reached this high-level of regular page-views, for it’s 8th birthday is a very welcome result for me. You may find that I post less regularly from now on, as i feel a fear of repetition of some key essences! Whilst repetition will mean an increase of importance, I do realise that repetition can also get very annoying!

This week’s musical choice actually released her solo album ‘Ex:Re’ a few weeks ago. Lead singer of ‘Daughter’ show’s mesmeric quality as a solo-artist as well.

Elena Tonra

Daughter's Elena Tonra plays ‘Youth’ at ICMP's Songwriters' Circle

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJSn-VjlaIo

Ex:Re

Angelic vocals layered on top of ‘often-progressive’ instrumental music. Quality album, that may need a few listens, but definitely deserves such attention.

http://diymag.com/2018/11/26/elena-tonra-daughter-ex-re-solo-album-interview

Every football team in the modern world requires high-quality at the central core of the team. Yaya Toure, Paul Pogba, N’golo Kante amongst others, can all be classed this highly. All play for English rival opposition clubs of ‘my team’. As an Arsenal fan, I am excited. I feel that this Uruguayan has real potential to prove himself as valuable as the great Patrick Vieira!

Lucas Toreira 

These statistics are quite incredible!…

Protect, Progress, Pass on...

- STRESS!!!!!

- 'Derby d'Italia'

- experience the present. NOW!

• Don’t ‘just put in a takeaway cup’!!!!
• STRESS!!!!! (Shops should be made to charge extra for supplying these bits of instantaneous plastic rubbish)!
• Stay, drink in. 
• Lazy greed, destroys.
• ...please!

Derby days

Always a lover of the beautiful game, i recognise that it is the time of year when key derbies have been scheduled in many countries. As an Arsenal fan, I am very content with recent results (drawing away to Man Utd, after a wonderful destruction of Spurs, last weekend). Tonight, in Italy...

'Derby d'Italia' - Juventus v Inter Milan

• My mind is constantly working, using an effort that I am quite aware, few others recognise. 
• Sometimes an effort, but occasionally it comes naturally, or it results from being able to view things from more than one aspect. 
• My education in design was forever encouraging my brain to cope with problems of numerous aspects. One must choose to view problems and solutions, whilst always considering the opposing reaction.
• My initial graduate qualification, in ‘Industrial Design and Technology’, almost constantly involved students tackling projects which asked for concentration on both artistic creativity, and logical maths/physics.
• My ability to balance these two aspects helped in my later Graduate Certificate (Design for Visual Communication).
• I have, very fortunately, been able to rely on this recognition of numerous aspects, throughout initial rehabilitation from my Traumatic ABI.
• There are opposing aspects of everything. I recognise many problems or negative issues that I face, but then importantly, I flip them and try to focus on  the positive aspect. 

Things always have a number of essences. Focus on the most positive and most appropriate, and but ALWAYS recognise the opposing result.

Monday morning tune - 'I am so tired of playing, playing with this bow and arrow'

Portishead - Glory Box

‘Wohhh!!!’

My hand says HALT! 

The man opposing me, seems to ignore my warning, and  continues to cross the road. 

The approaching car eventually foresees the eventual hazard, and slows down. Two seconds later, the man turns his head to see the car, he continued striding across the road.

Oblivious to the danger, he crossed successfully, but terrified me!

Two seconds from the end!

It seems that some people may ignore warning cries from those in a wheelchair! 

Alternatively, he was oblivious to everyone, including me! 

An image created for a good friend's birthday, last week. A fellow feline lover! 'Luca' is combination of black fur, with a white front...

Ohhhhh!

Honestly, I don’t think that anyone can ever fully rehabilitate from a Traumatic Acquired Brain Injury. I have lost, so much.

This cannot be the way anyone’s mind settles. Yes, I recognise that I have lost so much, but I am still here with just as much chance as everyone else to experience a tomorrow. 

No-one knows exactly how tomorrow will be. 

In that sense, everyone is equal. 

One predicts, but cannot simultaneously experience. Everyone can only experience living one-life. One can only ever truly experience the present. NOW!

We must do what we can to protect our experiences. A life will end, but a progressive soul can live on forever. Humans will always primarily learn from past experiences.

Protect. 

Progress.

Pass on.  

It is EVERYONE’S DUTY to protect human existence. Humans need this planet.