Category Archives: Tat

I Had A Dream …

By 4 commentsDiabetes, Tat, , ,

Sometimes I love having diabetes.

There’s a mental twilight between sleeping and waking when your blood sugar is running very low.  It’s a time when your internal alarm bells are ringing, when your body knows something’s wrong, but the primeval signals don’t work because your internal system’s messed up by the drugs you’re taking to keep your broken system ticking along.

Sometimes I love that time.  I have the trippiest dreams 🙂

Did I tell you about my dream last night? No?

Well, I was involved in a revolution.  I was blasting the Houses of Parliament with heavy artillery.  I was on a rooftop overlooking the building, probably utilising an easily-defended vantage point on Westminster Abbey if I’m honest.

It was a dark, artificially-lit night and traffic was light.  Weirdly, I don’t remember seeing Big Ben or I’m sure I’d remember what time it was.  My weapon was glowing red at the muzzle, about ten feet in front of my position at the shielded trigger.  I wasn’t using the sight, I was just strafing the building; yellow trails cutting through the cold London air as glass and brick jumped back towards the trail my bullets carved.

This scene faded… my internal feeling of satisfaction told me I’d achieved my aim.

Later,  I was inside the main Chamber of the House, justifying my actions along with my co-conspirators.  Oddly, the building seemed intact from the inside, with the familiar surroundings I’ve seen so many times on the news.  I had a position on the right side of the House as you look towards the Speaker’s chair.

I was holding my own in the face of some fairly aggressive debate, but then the half-scouse, half-manc accent that identifies a resident of St Helens rose from the seats near the Speaker on my own side of the House.

It was Johnny Vegas.  He was clearly blaming me for the whole revolution idea.  I suspect he feared reprisals and was distancing himself in the event of an eventual failure.

I hate that Johnny Vegas.

I love trippy low-blood-sugar induced dreams though.

Footnote

I ate half an aero from my bedside drawer when I woke up, then showered and got on with the day. Nothing to see here folks, I’m ok. 🙂

Bucket List

By 13 commentsRides, Tat

Have you heard about Bucket Lists?  They’re a list of the things you want to do before you kick the bucket.  See?  Going to see 127 Hours at the pictures last week sparked this off, partly because of the stunning scenery and partly because the movie rather starkly reminds you of your own fragile mortality.

Well, I’m a big fan of goal-setting for fun purposes, so I’ve been putting a bit of thought into my own Bucket List and I’d appreciate your input too.

My Bucket List

Keeping it simple, here’s my first stab at a list of things I want to do before I die.

Buy a Camper Van. Probably a VW T5 and get a spanking conversion. Kayaks on top, bikes on back.

White Water Rafting. Again. Actually, I’ve already booked this!

Pyrenees. The Tour De France coverage made me add this one. I’m sure I can’t ride the Cols, but I can take the Camper up them and coast down while my beloved drives to the bottom!

Riding in Utah. Just look at the MTB magazines. The place is gorgeous. I want to be seen rolling down those massive red rocks, I want to feel them and to see the orange sand on my tyres.  I don’t want to get trapped in a ravine though.

Another One. But I’m not telling you what this one is.  It’s kind of important and not for sharing.

What’s on your list?  If you’ve got any blogged Bucket Lists send me a link, let’s share them.

So, what should I add?

Christmas Haul

By 13 commentsCycling Challenges, Tat, , , ,

God Bless You, Santa Claus

I must have been a good boy in 2010.  Santa brought me pretty much everything I put on my list (what’s wrong with a letter to Santa if you’re 41 years old?) including some bike stuff.

Here’s the bike stuff I got, including a bunch from Secret Santa at work:

Bike stuff for Christmas

Cycling Santa Goodies

My favourite is, without doubt, the light.  It’s a 900 lumen job straight from China, as recommended by Jon.  It’s as bright as a really bright thing and seems very simple.  At £50, it’s excellent value without much weight and lot of seeing power.  I can’t wait to test it properly.

What did you get?  Call me nosy, I don’t care, I just want to know what you got…

Next Time…

…Some more news about the monthly cycling challenges for 2011.  I’ve only been out once in December thanks to the weather and a sore elbow, so I’m hoping to impress myself next year.  Watch this space.

Don’t forget to tell me about your Christmas Goodies 🙂

Thinking Back. Looking Forwards.

By 8 commentsTat,

Thinking Back

One year ago today, I was coming to terms with Mum not being with us any more.  After a few short weeks of preparation and a few short days in the wonderful, calming and caring Springhill Hospice, Mum left us.

A woman with wisdom and tolerance, driven by an unwavering moral compass, Mum taught me many things.  She gave me just enough rope to get myself into trouble, but never quite enough to hang myself.  Her ready smile hid a steely determination, making her a fearsome adversary but a powerful ally.

She looked after cats. She liked a bacardi or two (ahem).  She loved her grandchildren.  These things are all true.

My most enduring memory is of her pulling her face at a mug of tea in the hospice. “Oh, she’s not thirsty”, everyone understandably thought.  She was just bored of tea.  I made her a quick coffee which she drank, then that night I took her some cheapo milk-shake mix which she sipped quietly through a straw, smiling.

Looking Forwards

Last night, the kids and I went to see Mum’s Lights Of Love card, hung on one of the Christmas trees outside the Hospice.  We shared a moment of respect, then each of them dropped a pound into the collection box on reception before we went home and they carried on playing.

These kids are the next part of life’s great adventure, growing into the spaces left by our lost loved ones.  We shouldn’t dwell on the loss, but simply remember the people we’ve loved with the fondness they’d hope for.

So now, we’ll build the best life we can for the people who are with us.  It’s the right thing to do.

Things Achieved

By 14 commentsCycling Challenges, Tat, , , ,

I’ve not been very happy with myself this month. Focusing on the rides, I’m going to be very lucky if I hit 50 miles in the November 100 challenge, which doesn’t make me proud.

However, a quick look at the goals I set way back in January has made me feel much better.

  • With your help, I’ve raised over £500 for Springhill Hospice, a wonderful and necessary place where they looked after my Mum until she left them, and us, in December last year.
  • I completed the Manchester to Blackpool ride, the first time for me in 9 years and a major step in becoming the fitter bloke I want to be.
  • I’ve ridden over 600 miles this year, something which I absolutely know I would never have done without this blog and the support that so many people have given me.

So, now I feel better.

The community which I’ve joined whilst writing this blog has been a massive source of motivation for me.  Cajoling, mickey-taking and gentle but firm pokes in the (virtual) ribs have been extremely necessary.  I’m not self-motivated enough to get the shed door open on these cold nights and without you lot it simply wouldn’t happen.

So I just wanted to say thanks.  You’ve helped me a lot.  Give yourselves a pat on the back. 🙂

My Final 2010 Goal

I’ve not put this into the little box on the right, so I’m putting it here.  I reckon I can force myself to clock up a total of 700 miles in 2010, so I’m publishing that to force myself to try.

God, I hope I do it now.

So… who’s going our for a ride in the next few days?

Where is your business growing to?

Find out how Phill Connell Marketing Solutions can accelerate your business growth. Practical, realistic steps to improve your revenue generation.

Contact Us Today

%d bloggers like this: