Publish & be damned!

My, my, passions were running high this week! In every way possible. Another eventful, slightly frustrating yet life affirming few days. Some of it I must keep to myself - to protect the guilty if you will. Some (too much?) I share here.

Pouring a quite decent Montepulciano as I now do, barely after noon, I'm feeling at once decadent & disdainful. I awoke to an exciting fact: I rounded the 100 followers on twitter mark. Very modest in these times of #newfangledfaxmachine but I was chuffed. My 'follower of the week' has to be NYC comedian, Steve Hofstetter, famed for his biting heckler smackdowns. At 26,000+ followers and following only 7100+,  rather strange, then that he should be interested in me. Was it my #occupywallst has kicked right off! guess support for NYPD might wain...? tweet? Or my good looks & charm...? ... Probably the #nypdbrutality thing!  (there I said it)




I was in NYC exactly 10 years ago to this day & the vibe then was still one of a city in shock. I felt completely safe touring around the city all night in the car of  man I had met after a Carmen Lundy gig. Barely knowing him doesn't even cut it, I'd have been pushed to remember his name by the time I touched down back home in the UK! He took me to Hogs & Heifers, smooth talking his way past a massive queue, #turnon. Needless to say we had a total blast! I resisted the ritual, maybe next time! #meatpackingdistrict didn't seem scary at all. It was like the city had been brought so close to the edge that the edge was gone from the city.
In my mind atleast!

Dear reader you will be pleased to note I survived, (unscathed) my quite insanely misjudged night out with said 'gent'! (I was but a young thing, set free in the metropolis whilst the neutered city did appear to slumber, for once).

Enjoyed DJing and hanging out with Glasgow Lindy Hoppers 

Fast forward 10 years & it is I who is now coping with clipped wings (ooh the irony). I won't repeat the reasons why (they are catalogued below), suffice to say, I reckon I've broken the back of it. A quick jaunt up to Scotland was a welcome tonic too.
Whilst many dancing friends congregate without me in London, my housemates (with a little help from a well known chain) continue to efficiently & politely hunter/gather for me. I, with my wpm increasing steadily, seek to entertain, to connect, to matter.

Looking forward to my next singing engagement back in my hometown of Manchester is just one of the things that will be lighting my dark nights this week - just as Lumiere lights the streets of my current city of Durham.

Safety in Rumbas

Reflection & gratitude have been strong themes for me these last 2 weeks**

To honour those lost in conflict, a moment's silent reflection was due from me this morning & on Friday, as it is every year.
Having now had a glimpse into living in this world with a physical impairment I can tell you that in the words of Little Britain's Andy, I "Don't like it!". Of course, I'm not faking though!

No more popping back upstairs to grab that pen I left on the side. And never mind leaving my mobile behind!!... Life has to be SO much more prepared in advance, and everything - yes everything! is a logistical challenge...

All in all, I'm telling myself for the most part I wouldn't change anything. This chapter has forced me to be (even more) OK with accepting & requesting help, & knowing it's temporary, however frustrating, means soon it will have passed. There will be a time when I look back & laugh how I almost cried at how much I'm missing out on.

I also extend my gratitude to my team of dancers and co-ordinators here. They are successfully assisting me to run a fantastic Friday night's Swing dancing for beginners and beyond at Washington. I'll be back cracking the whip soon enough, so enjoy the relaxed pace whilst you can!

As well as honouring those who made the ultimate sacrifice this week, I am raising a toast to my mum today. She lost her brother on Friday, & will face a tricky few weeks ahead.  Once I arrive in Edinburgh tonight to meet up with my lovely dancing friends at bluesFusion, I'll certainly raise the finest single malt I can find. Or, I might see if there are any quality rums on offer - The Rum Diary is next on the list for date-night movie!


**Not so much gratitude to this software which lost my last 2 posts!