Bodies beautiful...

..Its been suggested by those close to me that I watch too much TV. Clearly this is something his Doctoriness is wrong about, but there you go. Had to happen sooner or later.

However, my Will and Grace - a - thons are losing their glow when every cotton pickin' minute there's a trail for either 'Extreme Makeovers' or 'The Swan'. I'm not linking to either - don't want to put you through it. Suffice to say, they are makeover shows in which the makeover includes plastic surgery.

I don't even know where to start with this. How is it right to encourage people to mutilate their bodies? I watched the beginning of 'Extreme Makeovers' once and saw this poor woman who needed a makeover - in her view - because of her teeth and skin - which as she said, were dreadful as she didn't eat properly or go to the dentist for 20 years while she was caring for her disabled husband and couldn't afford it. How is a load of plastic surgery going to solve that?

Why do we hate our bodies so much? Is it as simple as the images in the media? Or is it the pull of instant gratification which people would rather opt for rather than, you know, eating a bit of veg, and walking occasionally? In The Swan they actually compete with each other. I could cry.

I'm not entirely happy with my body - the enormous scar when my nearly cancerous thyroid was taken out I could do without, and being able to move just a bit would be fab. I could do with being a bit slimmer, and I'm not keen on all this chin hair I've acquired since turning 30, pesky hormones. I'm even doing something about that. I do wear nice clothes (I hope) and get through gallons of the Body Shop glossing shampoo to make the barnet better.

I don't know how to make people feel happier with their bodies, but I don't think plastic surgery makes them happier. I do know though that programmes like these are not right. Not sure if banning them is the answer, but how can the demand be reduced?

Scary scary people...

... and I'm not just talking about the 17 year olds who tried trick or treating round here last year. John Sulston, who is quoted in the Sunday Times saying that disabled people should not have children if they have a condition which is heritable. I can't link to the article, as that newspaper doesn't allow you to - but a quick search anytime before next Sunday will find it.

This joker, who until about five minutes ago The Doctor held in high esteem, goes on to say;

...."I would say if we can select children who are not going
to be severely disadvantaged then we should do so but I think it has to be
done by voluntary choice....."If we can alleviate suffering by any means, that is a
good thing. This is one area where we can do so. I would like to do that but
it has to be a matter of choice by the parent."...

Well thanks for giving me the choice not to hate myself so much I don't want to be recreated in my children.

Its a reasonable article - with two articulate voices against. I don't normally read that paper, but was sent it and was also frustrated that the article was inspired by the fact John Sulston is going to be interviewed on BBC4, and espouses these views there.

So depressing. Have sent out for chocolate.

Grrr....

OK, can't fix blog. Problem seems to be that IE thinks that the posts are wider than they are. Sidebar is present, but at the bottom of the page. Plus where the bugger is my footer gone?

Help - anyone?

Oh it displays fine in Mozilla firefox. Link here in case anyone wants it.

Aha!

Sorry about not being able to see the right hand side of the window - the problem is that its all slid down probably because my post with the top ten was a bit too wide. Will fix it - give me 15 mins and all should be OK again.....

Thanks for letting me know!

Look what more I found...

While pottering through Zinnia's links one lunchtime I discovered 360 Degrees of Sky - Life in Rural Zambia which is fantastic! lots of different posts each day and really fascinating anecdotes about her life.

BigBarn....

I found this site via the Guardian newsblog and its great! Really handy - loads of ethical shops around Birdyville - so I'll be shopping happily and healthily soon. Fantastic!

Its got a link showing what's seasonal which for a town girl like me is rather handy. And then recipes for each - fantastic! Although I suspect turnip dauphinoise will never get made....

What happened to you then...

... is my least favourite question to have to deal with. I used to think that it was my 'duty' to tell anyone who asked all the details of my disability - that that was a way of building bridges between disabled and non disabled people. And by anyone who asked, I'm including people who stopped me in the street, people helping me in shops, and people using it as a conversational starter at parties. So I'd tell them, and as people don't tend to acquire serious physical disabilities by being sprinkled with magic sparkles the person would then get upset. I'd love to know what they expected me to say. Hang on - I've just realised - they expected me to say I was just this minute about to get better...

Its quite a difficult stance to maintain - quite wearing and it was soon apparent to me that it wasn't working- that in fact talking about my disability - which most people don't seem to realise is the same as asking about your medical history. Which in most people's cases involves one or two things best saved for closer friends.

So these days I tend to avoid the issue. I do try not to deliberately put people down or insult them in doing so, and if the above question is asked I simply go for 'nothing, I'm fine' - which actually isn't that far from the truth! To help with that, I'm pleased that Ouch has come up with a definitive list of alternatives

1."I angered a magician."
2."I could be able-bodied, but I'm just way too lazy."
3."My father is also my brother."
4."I was born and raised in a laboratory by an evil genetic scientist."
5."This is what happens if you spend too much time on your Playstation."
6."I was trying to get a kitten down from a tree."
7."Sir, you insult me - but thank you for paying attention to me, it means so much."
8."Actually there is nothing wrong with me, I'm one of a new emerging species."
9."I was a contestant on Cheggers Plays Pop and bounced too high on the inflatable."
10."I was Glenn Hoddle in a former life." (Yes, it is still funny - Ed)


I can't wait to use the first one. I love the Ouch! website. It absolutely makes me howl with mirth.

Nooooo...........

MediaGuardian.co.uk | Media | John Peel dies aged 65

That's really really sad. He always seemed like such a lovely man - and really quite young.

His poor family.

Games again...

The Doctor claims I have misrepresented him in my previous post and that he does in fact play car games with me. I told him I only make corrections via comments..... if he comes on - make him welcome!

Comedic days...

Undoubtedly, some days are funnier than others. I like it that way - it puts a big smile on my face.

We knew it was going to be one of 'those' days when The Doctor went over to Waitrose at 9.30am to buy some food and so on for our friend T who was coming home from holiday today. This would have been a more successful strategy I'd imagine if it wasn't the fact that Waitrose in Birdyville doesn't open til 10 on a Sunday.... So The Doctor went back at 10 (meaning we were late leaving to go and see our friends The Doctors) and rushed the bits and bobs over to T's house. Meeting T on the way. The element of surprise wasn't quite there, although T was really pleased.....

We set off about 45 minutes late - but made good time and for the first time ever actually arrived early. One area in which The Doc and I differ is in the playing of car games. I love a good car game - and particular specialities being Unholy Alliances (e.g. what would happen if you crossed Missy Elliott with REM) and Inappropriate Cover Versions (e.g.what would a cover of 'My Heart Will Go On' sound like if undertaken by ZZ Top) so I was quite surprised he agreed to a discussion on Desert Island Discs.Which petered out rather when he asked if he could have Emilia Fox as his luxury....

So we arrived early, and in order to prepare our friends for the shock The Doctor went round to tell them we were here and to find out where to park, leaving me in the car. The posh new car with remote locking and an alarm. And a red flashing light inside demonstrating when the alarm is set. Which when I leant towards it, meant the alarm went off, which meant I had to sit there like a wally with the alarm going off til he got back....

MP expenses.....

Call me naive - you won't be the first, but I was gobsmacked over this story - not just because of the amounts involved - which are quite frightening, but then its an important job - but because they are being given such huge amounts of money for those MP's who have to maintain a home in their constituency. Well surely, if its their constituency, its their home? Is it so that people are MP's for an area in which they are not emotionally invested? Or don't have any strong links with? I guess it is true and I've been in denial all this time.

Oh well. I've always fancied a trip to Egypt.

(Denial. Geddit? Say it out loud. No? Well I never said I was funny...)

Pass it on...

Our Man in Hanoi needs our help.

Inside I'm still furious...

...Lisy Babe has been brave enough to see the film - and writes about it here (please scroll down...)Lisy Babe's Blog

Grrr...

... so I was meant to be going to London to a half day course on e learning in two weeks time. I've known about the course for three weeks, which is how long its taken me to find out whether or not the venue had access. As soon as I knew about the course, I let the organisers know I needed access and was interested, and yet today, when I finally enrolled, they told me there were no places left. Also, that the fact I needed to bring my PA apparently caused them problems with the room.

Seething? I think so. After all, surely the course organisers should have known about the access when I first got in touch, and I couldn't have booked before knowing about it. Plus on occasion, people need to bring PA's. Now I don't even want to go on the course - but I'm going to write a stern letter none the less.

When I started this blog I wasn't absolutely sure I wanted to talk about my disability - after all its an inescapable fact off line and I did think about not mentioning it - but I decided I wouldn't be true to myself, or able to think of enough to write about. This course was not a disability course and of course, wasn't organised to include disabled people. Periodically I review whether or not working in disability is the right thing to do - and I remember that when you have a significant disability you always end up working in disability - whether you want to or not.
It took a lot of Waitrose caramelised onion and feta pizza to get me in a good mood tonight....

Rolex...

... is the new viagra, apparently. I have got SO much rolex spam today - its taken over from pills. I use 'block sender' but I'm not convinced it makes any difference....

I've been wanting to blog about the desecration of Mrs Hammonds grave for a few days and not really managed to find the words - and the lovely Rhea has beaten me to it in an excellent post.

I never buy animal tested toiletries, house cleaners or OTC medication, even though I'm less of a vegetarian than I used to be, and try to lead a compassionate life. But this is outrageous.

The Breast Cancer Site : Fund Mammograms for Free

Not a lot of time to post today - but thought I'd pass this

The Breast Cancer Site : Fund Mammograms for Free

along. Not entirely sure whether these work, but sometimes its worth going for it on the off chance.

Love is...

..Love is a verb. One demonstrating one's love through one's actions. And a person can only feel loved when someone else shows their love with kisses, hugs, caresses and gifts. A lover will always promote the physical and emotional well-being of the person he loves.

quote from 'Swift as Desire' by Laura Esquivel - took a bit of getting into, but I like it now.

Thoughts for the day..

...I started listening to Radio 2 when I got engaged and realised I no longer needed to even try to be a trendy young thing. I do think its a great way to start the day, and really enjoy the 'Thought for the Day'.This is two minutes at about 9.15am where a celebrant/cleric of a range of traditions/faiths speaks briefly about a relevant issue based in their own tradition. I'm always really moved by it, even though I have frustrations with a lot of organised religion.

Today was a RC priest talking about the upcoming US elections. He was talking about the problem the Republicans have separating church and state, and how some Republicans are suggesting that voting Democrat is a sin because of their position on abortion and gay marriage. The priest made an excellent point which was that while those things may be against Christian teaching (yes pop pickers he actually said 'may') going to war, and sanctioning capital punishment undoubtedly are.

The other great thing about these little 'thoughts' is that all the clerics/celebrants involved are all tolerant of each other and each others views. Its a top way to start the day!

Feminism...

isn't often linked with enjoyment - but the do a nice job of it here. (via bookslut) I really like Beatrix Campbell and want to read more of her stuff. I saw her speak once about young men who are in situations of poverty (in the UK) and how feminism helps all involved. It was amazing.

The idea of a shorter working week being good for all is a great one. I wish it would catch on. I work half time - and from time to time I wish I did a few more hours, and we'll never be rich (but we do fine) and I love being able to be at home to make holiday cards, interesting veggie pate with tahini and so on! Balance is the key.

Fathers rights...

... I watched a documentary last night about fathers rights, and its certainly stayed with me since. I was really hoping that someone else would start the ball rolling, but so far I've not seen anything about it on any blogs.

I think that on balance Bob Geldof is a good bloke, and that this documentary, as with most, is biased. I'm an unashamed feminist and believe that many laws favour men over women (not all) and really know little about family law. The programme did make me believe though that there was something wrong with this system though. But what struck me most is that some of the adults involved - of both genders - feel having their own way is more important than being a parent. Parents shouldn't be doormats - but surely there's a shift in focus when the child is young? I'm not a parent - nor particularly likely to be one so I may be speaking out of turn. I'm mostly just musing - and interested in others views.

You lovely people you...

...over 2000 visits! I'm so chuffed! I remember getting 25 visitors and thinking it was like Christmas.

This is my 148th post, and I'd assumed my 200th visit and my 150th posts would coincide and I'd post something especially insightful.

Sorry.

So I checked my recommendations...

... and they are fine. Phew. Amazon must be used to editing out the 'books bought for fathers in law' choices. However, I'd rather not have known about this four pack of Janet Evanovich books which is slightly cheaper than buying them individually. Still, I got the fourth in the series in the local Oxfam bookshop today - so pleased about that.

It was £4 - so a bit cheaper than having bought it in Waterstones down the road, but barely cheaper than getting it from Amazon. Which suits me fine - I get to give money to charity, and I get to take a book home. Result. I get really fed up with people complaining that stuff which isn't tat, and is reusable isn't jumble sale prices in charity shops. Why should it be? Isn't a charity shop a better place to break the £2.75 stranglehold than another shop? Won't you get just as much use out of the item? And I'm talking about prices which are considerably less than in the main shops.

I'm logical about my dislike of complaints about prices, and of course I'm right *big wink* The other irritation I have is with people who buy cheaply from charity shops and then sell things on for lots of money. I don't quite know why this bugs me so much but I'm sure its Not Quite Right.

Wimbledon..

...the film that is.... I went to see it this afternoon with Lovely Local PA - I'm a big fan of the girlie rom-com genre. My synapses weren't over busy, but I was very entertained.

At the end of the film - and I'm sure I'm not giving too much away - the hero wins Wimbledon. Now I'm renowned for not seeing the point of sport - in particular organised sport. I don't have any strong feelings for banning it or anything, it just doesn't interest me. It interests others - fine - just not me. I was amazed around the time of the World Cup that even others who never watch football were scolding me for not having watched it.

However - at the end of the film when the hero was winning Wimbledon I was on the edge of my seat with anticipation - even though I knew exactly how the film would end - before I even went to the film. I think it was because the hero was a Nice Young Man and soI was rooting for him. I began to almost understand the way that people feel about football.

Belief-O-Matic -- A personality quiz about your religious beliefs and spiritual beliefs - a quiz answering What Religion Am I -- Beliefnet.com

I've seen this before and think its pretty interesting - and a good use of 5 minutes Belief-O-Matic -- A personality quiz about your religious beliefs and spiritual beliefs - a quiz answering What Religion Am I -- Beliefnet.com

Apparently I'm either;

1. Unitarian Universalism (100%)
2. Liberal Quakers (99%)
3. Mainline to Liberal Christian Protestants (97%)

Maybe I'll blog about spirituality - it would be a significant step towards exposing my darkest thoughts and I'm not sure even the Internet is ready for that...

Random Acts of Kindness... 2

So Friday wasn't a particularly thoughtful day - but since then I have wrapped a pressie for The Doctor which he forgot about, and taken a load of old (read, rather than old) magazines to the doctors surgery for the waiting room.

Does that count?

Repair and conquer...

So I ran over the sucky end of the vacuum cleaner - and it hasn't been the same since. Who knew a large powered wheelchair with two 80 watt batteries and a fully grown adult could do so much damage?

I finally managed to track down a new sucky end (its the correct definition) and some new bags in an actual repair shop. Something pretty hard to find here in Birdyville.

New sucky thing - £25
New bags - £5

However -

Vacuum cleaner - new - £25

I guess I wouldn't have been able to get such a cheap one again, and repairing it is the right thing to do - but its easy to see why people discard rather than repair.

Can I introduce you to...

... Anan from '....and then there was the time...' ? She just e mailed me with a list of excellent things you could do when in the pursuit of The Right Thing.

This is one of my favourites -

'`Eliminate the words, “i told you so”, “nonsense”, and “some people....” from your vocabulary. Replace them with silence. Foolishness is obvious; it doesn’t need to be advertised.'

and one I try to practice.

Not really a winner...

So its The Doctors father's birthday on Monday - and I eagerly volunteered to get the book required as it meant I could justifiedly pick up two more of the Janet Evanovich Stephanie Plum novels - so I can have the whole set by Christmas.

Despite this, I have to say though I am really worried about what this book is going to do to my Amazon recommendations.....

The whole worlds upside down...

... Lovely Local PA is back in circulation after her most recent jaunt - and we celebrated in traditional style - shopping and lunch. I live in an ancient University town - the sort of place where you tell other wheelchair users and they immediately start to take the piss. I really like living here, and accept that some access 'challenges' come with the uneven and oft cobbled territory.

So a new branch of NoaNoa has opened, complete with enormous step. I am in love with this cardigan, which I am utterly convinced is the answer to, quite frankly, everything. So Lovely Local PA goes in to ask about catalogues and websites, and to point out that enormous steps are incompatible with wheelchair access. Lovely Local PA is good at this - she's been my PA for some time now, and is a feisty sort of bird.

I can't tell you how funny it is then, that the shop manager was positively insulted that we'd asked, as OF COURSE there was a ramp which they would put out for us. Didn't we know that there was a law mandating access?

I'm going to buy a whole outfit, and laugh a lot. For a while.

Look what else I found...

... there's a yahoogroup for bloggers! And they seem to be having a party!

I might be too scared to go though....

Look what I found...

...while having lunch in ASK with Feisty Neighbour (fusilli con gorgonzola - yum yum yum) I heard there is a website/movement/book - 'We are what we do'. Its a great little site with loads of cheap and cheerful ideas for making a difference. I particularly like this - the count of actions for a quality life - a good way of checking in to see how we're doing.

Today - or currently - I've done 19. Could do better Ms Chirp.

The only joke I ever remember...

.... The Dalai Lama goes to buy a hotdog. He approaches the vendor, and the vendor asks him what he would like. 'Ah my child', says the Dalai Lama, 'Make me one with everything'.

So the hot dog vendor piles on the onions, pickles and sauce and hands it to the Dalai Lama who gives him a $20 bill. The Dalai Lama looks optimistically at the vendor as he is expecting some money in return.

'Ah' says the hot dog vendor, 'Change must come from within'

(Actually that's not the only joke I know, there's another, but it's an aural joke. Plus, as it starts 'Three men of irrelevant ethnic origin are being held captive by Saddam Hussain' - it may also be out of date)

Random Acts of Kindness...

... well its now two months since I read Join Me and Soliloquist has reminded me about Random Acts of Kindness. The thrust of the books (and websites) philosophy is that you a) Join Danny Wallace and b) carry out a Random Act of Kindness each Friday.

I quite like joining things, and certainly Join Me seems to be mostly motivated by the fact that Acts of Kindness are a Good Thing, and that sometimes in this world its easy to forget to be nice to another person for no reason. I haven't joined yet, partly because Danny Wallace is a bit dishy, and passport photos of me are dreadful, and partly because I wasn't quite sure I was up to the regular acts of selflessness.

After reading the book I did OK for the first two Fridays - paying the excess postage on someones parcel, and buying cakes for the whole office. But now I keep forgetting - I do occassionally do a nice thing on another day, on a purely recreational basis.

So do I join - would that help me remember? I like the idea of being part of a big movement for good in the world - even if its origins were an experiment in its leaders mind. Seems sad it has to come to this though.

I beseech thee...

if you have a butternut squash about your home, grab it, chop it into relatively small pieces, drizzle it with olive oil, and whack it in the oven at about 200 degrees for about 30 minutes. Feel free to dance about outside the oven with anticipation while it cooks - it certainly improved my enjoyment of the dish. Then while its still hot, toss it with some balsamic vinegar and sprinkle it with feta, give it a mix, and eat standing over the dish.

Just the yummiest thing.

Anyone else ever feel....

that the comments section is more entertaining than the blog itself?

I'm not even sure I mind.

The DDA...

... Disability Discrimination Act is now fully implemented in terms of accessing goods and services.

From today, all buildings from which services to the public are delivered should be accessible to disabled people, a thought that would make me jump for joy if I believed that for one moment it had actually happened.

I live in an old cobbly city which is never going to be 100% accessible, and that I'm happy with. There does need to be a balance between maintaining history and accommodating use. But in general, it isn't the historical buildings that present the problems - but those where no thought has gone into their design. Only a fairly small amount of consideration is required to make a building accessible, but if it isn't given, then the consequences are bad news.

I went shopping this afternoon to test out the access, and still couldn't get into the usual places. And the parking is being gradually eroded - before the implementation of accessible buses, of course.

Its a great day for disabled people - for all people, in fact. I just wish that it was seen as a benefit rather than a burden to all people - just like when the legislation first came on stream - the media is not entirely on board.

Bloggers are though - I think that means we have our priorities right.

Stephen Fry...

... walked past me earlier on today.

I was in the van, so didn't have a chance to do my usual routine of lurking around trying to think of something witty and insightful to say, then not thinking of anything and skulking off. The poor man looked flustered anyway - and probably didn't need to meet me today. Perhaps I should try to have a witticism in hand for all such similar situations. He was gratifyingly large in stature; I'm still surprised at the size of Clive Anderson...