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 :)
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Tuesday, 1 July 2025

Be pleased with what you are being

 Life isn’t all about being pleased with what you’re doing. Be pleased with what you are being. Matt Haig

A wonderful author, who partly uses his very scary history of Panic Attacks, as a chance to view the extreme rarity of human existence on this rock in space, as a very very special thing, Matt Haig.


...I have just finished his brilliant ‘Notes On A Nervous Planet’.

I strongly recommend.


My computer, seems to dislike me uploading images today, so here is a link to an external review...

https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/books/notes-on-a-nervous-planet-by-matt-haig-review-a3863166.html




I am 40, I listen to different music as to what I did when I was half that age! 

I listen now for pure enjoyment of the sounds, as opposed to the composition of the song! I am a big fan of various podcasts when I can pay enough attention. At the moment it seems that I listen to Jazz or House Music (broadly speaking).


Jazzy/contemporary piano

I tend to start most days listening to the calming, soothing sounds provided by the ‘Soren Bebe Trio’. A Danish jazz pianist (landmark record ‘Echoes was originally released in 2019). My alternative is Nils Frahm, German contemporary composer who first appeared on this blog almost 10 years ago, and is still releasing brilliant music. If all else fails the Miles Davis Quintet ‘Bags Groove’ I a reliable source of a good mood!

 



House / Deep house

Daytime, the chances are that I may be on my MotoMed/gymbike if I am at home needing music. I wear headphones when I am inside the gym on Saturdays. I listen to the same playlist in either situation. I fell in love with this style whilst at university. This music of a 4x4 beat instills the human body with energy. Current playlist uses music from Homero Espinosa, Lau.ra, CircoLoco Records, DFTD, and of course I’ve squeezed some Chemical Bros and Subliminal Records. N this ‘eclectic playlist’!






Jazz/Blues

Then when I need music after, at the end of the day, my playlist entitled ‘Jazz’ suffices. Again, this is perhaps the wrong title, as it is widely eclectic. Miles Davis, John Coltrane,  Kamasi Washington, are balanced by female artists Laufey, Emma Smith, and even some Diane Birch,…. And some Rolling Stones (Blue and Lonesome is almighty)! 



 


I’m so pleased that I used to cycle. Whilst it provided me with many, many friends, physical fitness, employment, love of the sport, and much much more, there was one thing that perhaps surpasses the rest. Essentially cycling is a lonesome activity. The rider  spends hours by themself. When alone, one thinks. One thinks about anything. Be proud of your mind, only you can think exactly as you do. That is special. Just stop... 

… Reconsider.

… Think.

You are unique. In the entire history of mankind, no-one has ever lived identically to you! I would think about as much as I could. As deeply as I could. I always concluded that I was lucky to have the ability to cycle, and the time/ability to think. I knew that other sports/activities can give people so much, but few provided what I was receiving from cycling. 

I cannot really believe that I am so convinced. I do however feel that I am direct proof of the existential theory. Something that can give so much, can take so much at a balanced level.


Thursday, 10 April 2025

How does it feel?

 How does it feel?

…When you ain’t got nothin’, you ‘ got nothin’ to lose.  You're invisible now, you've got no secrets to conceeeeeeal


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IwOfCgkyEj0





Wise words from a wise man.







Bob Dylan has always been listened to, respected, and held up high in a God-like status, by myself. I admit that I didn’t really know much of his music, but I knew that a man of such widespread regard deserves my attention. My mother and uncle had been huge fans, but my fascination exists mainly due to the cover performances by so many artists (Jeff Buckley, The White Stripes, Jimi Hendrix… etc, etc). ‘Desire’ and ‘Blood On The Tracks’ are the two albums that I had listened to the most, but ‘Highway 61 Revisited’ is my most recent love.

Together with my parents, I had seen him, at the Royal Albert Hall late last year, and it was February this year when I saw ‘A Complete Unknown’… An absolutely brilliant film. I recommend it to everyone!



Just over 200km in 3 months.

I record closely my performance on my static-bike (wheelchair accessible Motomed). I had noted just before the end of March that I had just reached a fairly significant mark. I had proved to myself, yet again, that if I maintain work at a calculated/sustainable effort, unexpected results can be attained.

I make sure I am accompanied by some deep-house music...


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z2gjI3JdAYw&list=OLAK5uy_kvjFT93cNJA5UbkqzDyn4gsjbZ1CsSIW4




A couple of days ago I had planned to publish this post, having written the section below.


I have reached my destination being The Fleet Street Press Coffee Shop. I take a deep breath. I am happy now. I have coffee,  sandwich, my book, and time!

My train journey, followed by my trip from Waterloo was tough for me. I have been painting myself with many self-critical disdains recently.

My physical ability is almost my full-time job, it seems. I get great joy from my progression. I am progressing, but the journey is mighty long and can seem never-ending. I do Graphic Design work, part-time, from home. I actively participate for Kingston Green Party and they may forever be ‘part-of-me’.

Still no action on ‘the female front’. It is almost twenty years since I was kissed. I’m just here. I love my friends and my family, they love me, because they knew who I was. I have spent the last almost 19 years working. Working so hard. So hard, no-one will ever comprehend. As I am the only one experienced enough to do the job, I will continue until I finish. I will succeed, I know this, I just don’t know when and what awaits me at the end!

My best friends, and my family provide invaluable support but at times, I can feel forever alone… like an ‘escape artist’.


Thomas Voeckler was the king of suffering, grimacing, successfully as a Solo Escape-Artist!


Years ago, when i first loved the sport, cycling teams would often include these ‘solo-artist’ riders. Escapees would ride alone, ahead of the rest, to publicise their sponsors (earn a living). 99% of the time they would miss out on the win, get caught before the stage end, but their mission had been accomplished. Their mission, was to just suffer and continue with a brave face.


I have just begun my new book (Paulo Coehlo's 'The Alchemist'). I am enjoying it greatly, as I admit my struggle with 'Being and Nothingness' by John-Paul Sartre. I have kept the bookmark in there, and I will return to it, but I found it very deep! It seems that I can only manage sections of it, at a time!







Thursday, 30 January 2025

It is time



 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E30JhMKo9M4


It is time.



... Time for us to negotiate a closer relationship to the rest of Europe. Brexit can be widely regarded as the largest error in recent history. The British electorate were lied to, followed by hollow, empty promises of a conservative government, to ‘get Brexit done’!



Please Britain, lets wake up!

Follow the link to help heal this wound.

https://www.europeanmovement.co.uk




As you may already be aware, my current music listening habits, pick from two genres. I listen to Deep House music when exercising at the gym through headphones, or at home on my ‘Motomed exercise-bike’. When I want to chill-out/relax, Jazz. I try and keep this mind open, allowing for as broad a range as possible. Currently anything from the Jazzy  vocals of Laufey, through to Jazz legend ‘Miles Davis’.

A current favourite is song 3, from iconic album ‘The Epic’ by Kamasi Washington called ‘Isabelle’.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bCIAMO3Al1A






What is the difference between the people from Dubai, and the people from Abu Dhabi?

Well, the people from Dubai don’t like the 

Flintstones but…


;) !!!





https://parlatoothpastetabs.com


I finish by further promotion of ‘toothtabs’. 

We must all be aware of the harm we inflict upon our planet. All toothpaste tubes are ever-lasting, littering our home forever. The obvious solution is to end their use. Toothtabs do not need such packaging, but are just as effective as toothpaste. 


This is such a simple, basic alternative, it panics me that humanity has not embraced this solution!







Tuesday, 31 December 2024

RESTART

 Happy New Year 2025 everyone!

A perfect time to stop, consider change, and restart. There is so much negativity in the world, I plea to everyone, to take these three steps, in any process which may have a negative affect on someone, or something.

STOP

CONSIDER CHANGE

RESTART


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wBwYqWrPgf0