My feet are up and all is well.

My feet are up, and all is well. At least it feels that way. As has been the case over the last few years, things are OK and OK is as it is, OK. I find myself wondering why my laptop feels the need to change OK into capitals every time, but apart from that, its fine.

Thinking about blogging after another break has yet again got me thinking if I have anything worth saying. The truth is, probably not. In reality, I don't think I every had to any great degree, but that's fine, that's blogging. The facts remain the facts, my feet are up and all is well.

Road Tax on me bike

“Cyclists should not be on our roads! They don’t pay road tax! We motorists pay up for our tax discs, which entitle us to be on the roads, and which pay for general road maintenance. Do bikes have tax disks? No. They take up our space and don’t pay for the deterioration to our roads which they cause. They have no right to be there. Get the f*****g bastards off our roads!”

As a cyclist this is an argument that I often encounter. Irrationally angry, Jeremy Clarkson inspired people seem to have a huge problem that I like riding my bike. Why interrupt your day to complain about this? But if you are going to complain and moan and yell at me, please at least have a coherent argument as to why I shouldn’t be on ‘your roads.’ There’s certainly a few misconceptions regarding road

Firstly, there is the belief that cyclists should pay road tax for using their bikes on the road. I’ve got news for you. Road tax doesn’t exist. It was abolished in 1937. Even Winston Churchill campaigned against it. What motorists mean when they say ‘road tax’ is Vehicle Excise Duty (VED). VED is calculated based on vehicle emissions. Band A cars, which fall below 100g/km CO2 emissions, are exempt as their emissions are so low. Unsurprisingly, a bicycle is also exempt. Why? Well, how much CO2 does a bicycle emit?

Complaining that cyclists don’t pay VED is like complaining that somebody that has never bought anything doesn’t pay VAT. Secondly, there is the belief that cyclists don’t pay for the maintenance of the roads. Again, I’ve got news for you. There is no specific spend from VED on our roads. Road building and road maintenance is funded by council tax, which most adult cyclists pay as they often have homes, and secondly from general taxation, which most cyclists pay as they often have incomes.

The very suggestion that cyclists do not have a right to be on the road through having not paid for it is absurd. It’s like saying you cannot possibly visit any other council district in case you use something, a pavement for example, that has been funded by a council to who’s taxation pot you do not contribute.

So I will continue cycling on the roads safe in the knowledge that I am in fact allowed to be there.PS. 87% of British Cycling members also own a car. So that means most cyclists do actually pay ‘road tax’ anyway. I cycle, drive a car and ride a motor bike.

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Thanks Bill

On this date in 1971, the 53rd Anniversary of his marriage to Lois, Bill W. died. What can we say, except "Thanks, Bill."

It's an odd thing, every year around the time of Bill Wilson's death I start thinking just how much difference one man (or woman) can make.

Lots of great things have been written about Bill over the years and there can be no doubt that what Bill and DrBob started in the mid thirties has saved and changed many, many lives.

But let's remember, Bill was just a man. A great man no doubt, but a man all the same. And this is important, it's important because if just a man like Bill Wilson can make such a long lasting change in the world, so can we.

Thanks Bill.

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Mostly reading

Mostly I don't read, not much anyway. It's not that I can't you understand, I have the ability and for that matter the inclination, I just don't have the time. Or, to be a little more precise, i just don't make the time. Unless I'm in the bath that is.

I like reading in the bath reading what I like. Not much more to it then that really.

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Pins and Needles

I stick needles in ears, have done for a while now. Thousands of needles in hundreds of ears with the most amazing results. Getting trained in and have the chance to consistently practice and develop my skills in auricular  accupunture has been, and continues to be a truly mind expanding experience.

So, what is Acupuncture?

The classical Chinese explanation is that channels of energy (called Chi) run in regular patterns through the body and over its surface. These energy channels, called meridians, are like rivers flowing through the body to irrigate and nourish the tissues. An obstruction in the movement of these energy rivers is like a dam that backs up in others.

The meridians can be influenced by needling the acupuncture points; the acupuncture needles unblock the obstructions at the dams, and reestablish the regular flow through the meridians. Acupuncture treatments can therefore help the body's internal organs to correct imbalances in their digestion, absorption, and energy production activities, and in the circulation of their energy through the meridians.

Want to know more? interested in what acupuncture can offer you? Ping me an email  on accucalm@gmail.com and i'll do what I can. It'd great to hear from you. 

Halfwits at best

I ride a bike, I drive a car and I cycle. Each of these forms of transport have brought me lessons and opportunities to learn and grow in there own ways. Lately these lessons have been coming to me on my cycle rides to work. I get on my push bike at least a couple of times a week and just about every time I find myself surprised, no amazed at the way some other road users carry on. Including fellow cyclists.  

A few years ago I got myself through my bike test, the guy who did my training said that if i assume every other road user is going to do something mighty stupid, ill probably survive. Little did I know how spot on he was. Most days I make it home convinced every other bus, taxi, car, bike, boat and goat has but one primary purpose, to kill me dead.

So, what's the lesson ? you may well ask. For me the lesson is clear and simple. For the most part people are worried about themselves, nothing much else comes into it. With this in mind it gets much easier to deal with selfish self centred road users. And once I can do that, the rest of the day is simple..

The education of Jack

As parents we all have a great responsibility to educate our children, a responsibility that I for one take very seriously. Part of this responsibility calls for the correct delegation on who will educate and  in what areas. For example, my job was to show Jack the ways of the force. Of course I did this by walking him through each and every StarWars film obviously delivered in the order the were made. A truly wonderful experience I must admit. A right of passage some would say.

That being that, tonight it was time for mum to step in and deliver her film education to the boy. Tonight we sat down as a family and watched the first Harry Potter film together. Home cooked food with hot mince pies and ice cream while storms raged outside gave for a memorable experience in anyone's book. Hopefully this will be the case with Jack over the coming months as the wonder, laughter and darkness that is Harry Potter unfolds.    

A little time in the morning.

It's nice to have a couple of days away from work and dare I say away from home. I don't get the chance that often and to be honest when I do, I'm not the first to embrace it. However, it's Christmas time and at Christmas time we get the chance to put our feet up and simply chill for a while.

The last couple of days have been spent doing exactly that and this morning was for sure one of the high points.

A number of months ago I decided to have a go at Tai Chi. Since them I've plodded a happy little road training as often as I either can, or can be bothered. I made a decision not to put to much pressure on myself around training and to simply try and see what happens.Turns out that was the way forward for me.

Now I train two or three times a week and really, really enjoy it. That being the case, this morning was a real high point in my training. This morning I spent some time in a frosty garden in the middle of the county side with the birds singing while I practiced. It was a memorable experience. I enjoyed it and will surely do it again. And that is the key for me, I really enjoyed it.

It's Christmas

It's been a funny old couple of weeks. Big changes at work have put the pressure on as is usually the case. Life has plodded on its merry way and of course the wonder that is Christmas has taken all our money and left us penny-less. However, all this seems to pail into insignifacance when I look into the eyes of my son Jack. Right now as he is tucked up safely in bed waiting for santa, things are ok. Ok is ok.

Qi Gong blog six

Well, thats that, five days of Qi Gong training done and now I'm sat in Manchester airport waiting for my flight back to Bournemouth, back home. It's a funny old thing sitting in airports watching everyone run round like complete nut cases. One of the benefits after a week of fairly intense Qi Gong is I find myself fairly calm and relaxed. Until of course someone decides to piss me off, then it might change.

It's been a strange week for me up here. I'm not the kind of person who likes to be away from home. That together with the training I've been on, has left me at times a little on the sensitive side. Those who know me well know I'm a sensitive bunny at the best of times.
Still, so far so good.

Having to wait five hours for my flight hasn't been the best of things. I did ask for a seat on a earlyer flight and had a brief  moment of glee when I was told there were a few spare seats. However, as is sometimes the case, this moment of joy was short lived when the smiling customer service joy giver informed me the transfer would cost an extra £42. The original flight was only just over £50 so I decided to say thank you and sit back down. Lovely.

Qi Gong blog five

Another day in Manchester and day four of Qi Gong training done. One more day tomorrow then it's homeward bound for me. To be honest, apart from missing my family, It's been quite good up here. However, I'm done now and Bournemouth is calling.

Tonight was good. I'd made a call last Sunday to a friend of a friend who picked me up and took me to a C.A. meeting. A good old Big Book study with what is possibly the cutest  little dog in the world running round. I've grabbed a few meetings since coming up here last Sunday and I say without doubt, I've been made welcome every time. Turns out Manchester is ok, at least in the meetings. Thats good enough for me.

Qi Gong blog four

Blog four on day three of Qi Gong training and all seems to be well. We were given to news today that in order to teach what we are currently learning we need to train for a total of one onehundred days over the next three months. Once we have done this we can then be assesed  by our teacher who will either give us the go ahead to teach, of give us more training to work on. This should keep me out of trouble for a while.

In other news I really enjoyed getting to a meeting tonight and yet again seeing a couple of fellows I've not seen for a long time. It's cool in a mighty way. Also cool in a mighty way is that I'll be heading home before much longer.

Qi Gong blog three

Manchester has a train station, its quite a big train station and as a result it has a few of those flat do your walking for you kind of escalator things. You know, the ones you find in airports, and for that matter it would appear train stations. They are, I believe a great thing. After all, anything that is prepared to do your walking for you must surly be a great thing.

However, I find myself having an issue with these wonders of the modern age. Or at least some of the people who use them. Why, again I say why is it that people feel the need to walk on these things? More importantly, why do they huff and puff when someone like me simply stands still and lets them do the job they were employed to do. Nevertheless, I will continue to fight the good fight and come hell of high water I'll continue to stand still when ever possible. Sounds quite reasonable to me and I'm sure to the inventor of the travalator.

The rest of the day has seemed to plod on quite nicely. Qi Gong training day two went well and to be honest I'm looking forward to making use of what I learn. The area is a bit on the rough side though. Lots of flat blocks stood empty and cold wating to be blown to bit coupled with old derilict mills make for a bleak view on many different levels.

This really serves well to underline just how blessed I am in our little council flat tucked away by the woods in Bournemouth. I'll be glad to get home, I like being home. Chatting to my family on face time is cool, but I like being home. So, all in all it's been a good day. A good day apart for the "incident" at costa coffee. Lets never speek of it eh?  

Qi Gong blog two

Day two in Manchester and day one of the Qi Gong training I'm here to do. It's been good although the woman training us is of the Chi Kung ilk rather then Qi Gong. I'm told its six and two threes and everyone if free to use the translation they please. For me its a Qi Gong thing. 

It's been great talking to Jack on FaceTime today. The wonders of the modern age, that I can have a face to face chat with my son two hundred and fifty miles away is indeed impressive, at least for me.  Still I find myself counting the days till friday when I can get home to my family. 

So thats about as simple as it gets tonight. I was grateful that the Tai Chi I've been practicing for some time has given me a decent footing for the coming week, grateful for a free lunch and grateful to see a real life tram for the first time. Odd things that they are.

Qi Gong blog one

Over the next few days I am gona be in Manchester training. training and maybe blogging just a

little bit. Being away from home is not something that comes easy to me, in fact I hate it. Saying good-by to Jack and the wife this morning was horrible, simple as that. 

The rest of the day has been fairly ok tho. The flight up in the Buddy Holy death plane passed without incident. Although a misreading of my ticket had me sitting in the departure lounge two hours early. The travel lodge is as a travel lodge is, and I'm fine with that. And the Indian takeaway I had for supper has left me feeling sick and blotted. 

I made my way to a meeting tonight and found myself pleasantly surprised to see an old friend. Oddly enough an old friend who happened to be one of the guys who carried the C.A message to me a fair few years ago. Turns out he is here doing the same training as me. This is a good thing I believe.

Lastly to the highlight of my day split in two. Firstly I called home and Jack answered. We had a great chat about the broccoli friends and his day.  I love talking to my son. Then when he went to bed I called Michelle and we chatted. I love taking to my wife. Day one has been ok. Maybe tomorrow I'll learn some Qi Gong.