Merry Christmas 2017

Hello, Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas! Have some quality time with family and friends. Christmas is always a happy time for me. I am so relaxed and content. I quickly just wanted to comment on the BBC Christmas idents. I think they are absolutely wonderful. I hate to admit it, but I was very close […]

Paris. November 2016

I have been meaning to create a video of my trip to Paris which happened all the way back in November 2016. I kept putting it off.  I am not quite sure why.  I do enjoy editing a video.  It is timely but I find it quite artistic.  Perhaps I didn’t get around to doing […]

Stop the chicken mega factory in Higham Ferrers

I received an email a couple of weeks ago from Compassion in World Farming saying about the building of a chicken mega-farm close by. The email was targeted to me. It said “Hello Samuel” and something along the lines of it being proposed to be built “just up the road”. I skimmed over it and […]

10th anniversary of my brain haemorrhage

On this day, around this time, one decade ago, I had a brain haemorrhage. Every year, it is important to me to take the opportunity to thank all those who helped saved my life and who have helped and supported me. To my sister, Tiffany, who was with me and raised the alarm, to my […]

Mobikes in Manchester

Dear Diary, Back in July, I had a couple of days free so decided I was going to make the most of it. Usually, I catch up on emails, watch some films, some programmes and do some “paperwork”. My definition of “paperwork” is wide reaching but amongst other things, it includes reading articles, writing them […]

Gay Pride Manchester 2017

A week ago today, around this very time, I was preparing for my second night out in Manchester.  Seb and I attended Manchester Pride 2017. I cycled from my house to the station and then locked up my bicycle.  With 12 minutes to spare before my train, I had a rhubarb cider from The Little […]

Cycled 80 miles from Wellingborough to London

Dear Diary, I fancied a very long bicycle ride. I wanted to repeat the ride I did a couple of years ago. I loved the feeling of setting off cycling from my house and during the same trip, cycling along Whitehall. On Tuesday 15th August 2017, I awoke a little late – it was around […]

KitKat

It’s August already.  I am not quite sure how this has happened.  A friend just said to me about meeting in December and despite thinking “ahhh, all the way at the end of the year, grrrr”, I suddenly thought to myself, “ohh, that’s not actually that far away”. I meant to share my KitKit, well, […]

London Gay Pride 2017

This was my third time at London Pride, where I watched the parade and absorbed the atmosphere. It is a wonderful event. I think it is the ambience and the sprawling crowds. One is free to be how they want to be, to wear what want to wear and celebrate who they are. Wider society […]

Torremolinos – take me back

A month ago today I landed back home after a week spent in Torremolinos in Spain.  During this past month, I have spent too many minutes looking through the photo album and re-living this wonderful holiday.  I wanted to briefly document the trip.  Here are some photos: It was a much needed rest.  I finished […]

A different pair of shoes

I think I dislike change. Whenever a proposal to change something comes along, I have a tendency to cast a negative eye in the direction of said change and I do certainly try to resist the idea. In the vast majority of cases, I do actually end up liking the change. In the most part, […]

End the public sector pay cap or wear a tie

 In a bid to lessen the austerity measures which the Conservative government are due to continue, Labour proposed an amendment of regret to the Queen’s Speech asking for a fair pay rise for public sector workers.  The Queen’s Speech, actually written fully by the Conservatives sets out the plan for their next tenure of government. […]

I received my poll card

Just a quick post. Today I received my poll card.  I will be voting in the General Election on Thursday 8th June 2017. You have the power to make your voice heard. Please do not aimlessly complain if you haven’t voted or voted for the party which has negatively impacted on what you are complaining […]

There and back

On Wednesday 19th April 2017 I cycled to Peterborough and back. I touch type.  As I talked about my journey, I typed what I said.  I of course went back and re-read it a few times.  I made a few edits.  I decided to then voice record it.  When I listen back to it in […]

How to be good in a big metal box

This video is entitled “How to be good in a big metal box”. These past few days have been glorious.  The sun has been shining and the wind has been low which means it has been perfect cycling weather. Despite feeling very happy I had a few moments of sadness.  In this video, I show […]

Child Of Our Time

Tonight and tomorrow sees the return of Child Of Our Time.  I am so looking forward to this. Nearly a year ago I wrote a blog post asking the BBC, “Where is Child Of Our Time?“.  I like to think that the series has appeared back on our screens because of my post.  Of course […]

Protest, crawl and ppaaarrttayy

I had a bloody good time. On Saturday 11th February I was scheduled to work and did everything I could to get the day off. I managed it. The week before I had met up with Tom who had said about the idea of doing a Spoons bar crawl. That Saturday was also the day […]

Two cities

I meant to write this last year. Opps. I never got round to it. I went to Paris on my own back on November 21st. The accompanying photo album was waiting on my desktop to be uploaded here along with an article. Then it went to the front of the queue. It was joined by […]

The power of misreporting – 7-Legged has been cancelled

I am a University of Nottingham alumni and I am disappointment at a decision the Students’ Union has made. I have written to the SU and awaiting their reply. Here’s why I am angry: The University of Nottingham’s Student Union in a statement on the 6th February announced that the 7 Legged event would cease. […]

Anti-Trump protest

On Monday 30th January 2017, I took part in the anti-Trump protest in London. It was a demonstration organised within just two days. Thousands of people lined the streets of Whitehall to voice their opinions. This was in response to Trumps executive ordering banning the entry into the US from 7 Muslim majority countries. It […]