One of the things I love about living in south London is that I am living in a multi-ethnic, multicultural community. The other day, for example, I decided I needed a haircut – my hair was getting quite long and matted. Remarkably for a place as small as Charlton, I had a choice of two places: Trims, where me and Lyn usually go, is a unisex salon run my a nice old lady. The other place, just up the road, is more of a barbers. First I went to trims, but the woman was busy and told me to come back later. I was about to go home, but then I decided to give the other place a try.

This turned out to be run by Turkish gentlemen. Now, at this point I should point out that I no longer have any grievances with the Turks, despite their continued occupation of northern Cyprus. As a kid, I used to listen to my Greek grandfather far too keenly. Anyway, putting politics aside, I rolled in. it was a cross between a conventional British barbershop and a Turkish or Arabic barbers: I was fascinated to see a man being shaved, not with a normal razor but with an old cut-throat razor. I thought those things had been made illegal, and I’d never seen it before. It was like going back in time, or to another place. it felt like something you see on Michael Palin programmes After the shave was over, the gentleman was given a hot towel to put on his face.

Soon it was my turn. Of course, I only needed a haircut – there was no way anyone was coming anywhere near my face with that razor. The haircut I got was efficient, but a bit too short for my liking: I don’t think they get many guys with CP in there, and, as usual, my head kept shaking. Nevertheless, I was still fascinated, as I’d never seen anyone get a shave like that before. but that could just be me being a bit of a yokel. I never saw such things in Cheshire, and it all still feels exotic.

I just saw quite an interesting report on BBC news. the outgoing president of the Royal College of Physicians, Air Ian Gilmore, has called for the legalisation of drugs, he thinks that, if drugs like heroin, cocaine and cannabis are legalised, their use can be regulated and made safe. I, like any other intelligent person, agree with him. It isn’t that drugs are bad; the problem is that their prohibition leads people to get involved in crime. If drugs were regulated, they can be made safe and given out in controlled quantities.

Now, I know from experience that drugs other than alcohol aren’t for me. I have, however, many friends who smoke weed regularly. In the disabled community, many people go through chronic pain which can only be controlled through such drugs. Moreover, as I wrote here, ” No doubt there can be some harmful consequences from such activities, but I have only observed the positive consequences – people having fun, feeling mellow and being happy. I’m informed that the harm comes from ‘bad batches’, which would suggest to me a need for legalisation and regulation of such substances. Bring it away from the underground; this way, at least, the problem of drug crime can be irradiated.” The case, for me, therefore seems obvious: legalise drugs, tolerate them, and – forgive the pun – open your mind to the bigger picture.

Of course, I can’t see this happening with the current government in power. Despite their pretences, the Tory mind seems closed to ways of thinking other than their own. It is, however, good to see someone in authority is still capable of thinking outside the narrow constraints of conservatism.

CaMoron is away on holiday, leaving his lackey clegg to speak to the press. He was towing his master’s line, claiming to be clearing up a mess while pushing through a conservative, individualist ideology. I whish someone would ask him, when, exactly, did he decide to sell his liberal ideals, and how much did the Tories pay? Nick Clegg is a traitor; he has betrayed the working class for his own self gain, for which he and his party should never be forgiven.

Yesterday was an interesting day – very busy, tiring, but very interesting. Lyn and I need a new PA: Dan, for reasons I need not go into here, isn’t working out. So Lyn recently put an ad on Gumtree, and the result, I must say, was very surprising. I always had trouble recruiting new staff up north, but here, in a vast city where virtually everyone is looking for a job, it seems much easier. All thus week, Lyn kept me informed of the number of people coming to be interviewed: it kept going up and up. In the end, eight people were scheduled to come, but one dropped out at the last moment.

Yesterday, then, was rather hectic. At first, I was rather nervous, but Lyn and our Saturday PA Kasia kept everything in order. Kasia really impressed me yesterday, especially given we rather dropped her in it. We conducted four interviews – two were couples – each lasting about an hour. By the end, we were all knackered. I can’t give many details, but I must say we were very impressed by two of the candidates, one of whom recognised my books by Barthes. However, we haven’t made our final decision yet.

Interviewing, then, is an exhausting process. After it was over, we went to the local for a much needed drink. I reckon we earned it yesterday.

I feel rather stupid now. I have a maltron extended keyboard, the keys of which sometimes stick when I dribble. When this happens, my pc emits a large beeping sound, so I unplug it and leave it to dry off. I did this a week ago, but when I plugged the keyboard back in, it didn’t work.

I waited and waited, but my keyboard didn’t seem to be drying. On the other hand, the sound had stopped, so I left it plugged in. the lights were on. On Tuesday, on the advice of my parents, I went out to buy some contact cleaner. I went all the way to North Greenwich, hut when I got there I was told I couldn’t buy any contact cleaner without proving I was over 21. so, on Wednesday, back I went, with my passport, this time buying the stuff I needed.

Yesterday, I kind of prevaricated, but this morning I decided that the problem needed solving. Besides, I had a hunch: I looked behind the keyboard, and, as I suspected, it had been plugged into the wrong hole! It was simply a case of asking Dan to plug it into the correct port and I had my keyboard back. I can blog properly again! If only I had realised sooner.

In my hectic life down here I forgot to wish my older brother mark a happy birthday yesterday. He’s 29 I rarely see Kat and him these days. but I am thinking of him and I hope he had a very good day.

my keyboard is currently on the blink, and writing anything remotely intellent usng the on-screen keyboard would take more patience than I curently have, so I think I’ll directt you here.

Normal revolutionarry ranting will resume shortly.

I still think we need a revolution. Well, maybe not a full blown, fire and pitchfork revolution a la France or Russia, which, lets face it, were rather messy, uncomfortable affairs. But we do need some kind of uprising. CaMoron has already proven himself to be an idiot in the international diplomacy department; and osbourn’s cuts will send us back into a recession which, thanks to brown, we had just got over. It is clear we are being lead by intellectual lightweights, guided by greed, selfishness and the ideology that they, the rich, have a right to rule. We deserve better; we need better. We cant have five years of this.

I am not too sure how much detail I should record about this, as it could be sensitive, but I think it should be blogged about. My partner Lyn keeps getting invoices from the local council for her care. No cover letter comes with them, just an invoice. Obviously they worry Lyn a great deal: her personal care is usually paid for through direct payments and so on, so we don’t understand why they are asking her for this money, which is a hefty sum. She got another such invoice recently, so we rang up to ask why she was getting asked for this money. Predictably, it seems that there has been an administrative cock-up and quite a few people have received such invoices incorrectly. Lyn was told not to worry, but to be honest I think it was a rather unpleasant mistake to make. Lyn is the type of person who can handle almost everything, but wouldn’t you be petrified if you got invoiced for money you didn’t have for a service which is ordinarily paid for but which you couldn’t do without?

Yesterday was quite a cool day. Darryl came to visit. I’ve been speaking to Darryl, online, for about four or five years, but we had never actually met as he lives in Adelaide. He’s a very cool guy, and I must say I really like his PA, Ferg. They were in Europe for a conference in Barcelona, and fit in a visit to London.

I was really pleased to meet him, as it was because of Darryl that I met Lyn. Darryl told Lyn about me, so she looked me up on the web, and the rest, as they say, is history. Thus finally meeting him, here, with Lyn, was very satisfying indeed; hopefully it will be just the first of many times I see him. Who knows: maybe we can go visit him in Australia one day.

CaMoron is currently on the radio in the midlands trying to sell his spending cuts to the people. in other words, he’s trying to appear a man of the people, trying to tell us these cuts are the wisest course of action. It makes me sick: why doesn’t he just admit that these cuts are ideologically motivated? Why doesn’t he just say ”I’m going to cut your services, benefits and standard of living so I can give my rich friends a tax cut”. That’s the truth of it. Instead he’s giving us all a fatuous little show, trying to pretend his politics is not the greed-motivated, narrow-minded set of edicts it is. CaMoron is already fucking up international relations too. The stupid little man must go.

We were over on the south bank yesterday afternoon, enjoying the city. It was a lovely day, and it was quite busy. We’d taken the tube to Westminster, then crossed the river. There, near the London eye, we found a load of street performers – people pretending to be statues and the like – and it gave me an idea. I began to wonder if I could be such a performer: after all, these fools were making money just by standing still. Obviously the idiots on the south bank would give money for anything.

So, the question is, what could I do? I can’t stay still for toffee, so obviously pretending to be a statue is out of the question; I can’t draw or play an instrument either. I might be able to recite poetry from my lightwriter. I decided that doing a live version of Spastic Ballet might be cool, until they arrested me, I needed the loo, or I fell over. I’m still trying to think of something.

After looking at these street artists for a bit, we went to the British film institute for a coffee and to see if there was a book store. I found something awesome in there: the bar in the BFI sells Vespers, made to bond’s original recipe, and, of course, shaken, not stirred. I didn’t have any, as it was very expensive and too early, but I think I’ll definitely have to go back there, with or without my tutu.

It turns out that Dan is a pretty adept gardener – a very surprising revelation indeed. Our garden has needed a face-lift for a while; it was getting rather overgrown around the edges. So, earlier this week, we went to the garden centre to get some nice flowers. We also bought a pretty little water feature to sit in the corner, and yesterday and the day before our p.a Dan was busily weeding, pruning, raking and planting. The result, I must say, is really rather impressive: I was in the garden earlier, reading. I could hear the trickling of the solar-power water feature, and I could look up and see the brightly coloured flowers, and it was blissful. My dad is a keen gardener, and, as a child and adolescent, I used to play or read in our garden. I was reminded of those days earlier, filled with Tonka trucks and Tolkien, and I was struck by how pleasantly domestic my life now is with Lyn.

Today I think I will just send you all to this video by Alan Holdsworth. It’s about people who have – or are described as having – learning difficulties, and questions many of the preconceptions people commonly hold. The film is not without it’s problems: the opening demand of ‘full inclusion now’, for example, should be treated with caution. Inclusion should be treated carefully, and I am now of the opinion that to rush head long into full inclusion, blinded by dogma to the consequences, is folly. Anyway, the film is still very interesting; go watch.

Lyn and I are currently training up a new PA – Godfrey – to work alongside Dan. They are currently working together; they seem to enjoy it, as they’re good friends. Both are rather noisy people, and seem to love computer games, so it’s almost ,like there’s a family in our house. Lyn and I are the parents, and godfrey and Dan are our rather hyperactive boys.

Seriously though I’m rather pleased with how things are coming along, godfrey is very punctual and attentive; he does, however, use a very curious form of English. For instance, last week he claimed to have ‘Bigged’ something to mean he had mastered it. The local dialect really is strange. I really must teach my sons better use of language.

I think I am starting to get to know London quite well, and I’m starting to get used to it’s ways. At first, it was a strange, intimidating, laberynthine place; coming down here as a kid to visit my grandparents, I always felt a little scared. Yet now the fear has been replaced with fascination.

I felt pleased with myself this week: I mastered the docklands light railway! Lyn and I wanted to go to Greenwich market, but first I needed money. We worked out that the easiest way to achieve our goals was for me to go to Woolwich and then rendezvous with Lyn and godfrey in Greenwich. This meant me taking the DLR alone, which made me feel apprehensive. However, as it turned out, the DLR turned out easy to use – I just told the guard where I was going, and he arranged the ramps – and I even got there before Lyn!

I know it’s only getting on a train, but it made me feel proud of myself. It’s just another little step towards a complete mastery of my world, and away from the timid little boy I was ten years ago.

Tomorrow, youtube intends to make a film called ‘Life in a day’; it apparently wants as many users as possible to film things that are pertinent to them, and send the footage in. the overall film is going to be directed/edited by Ridley Scott, and is intended to create a snapshot of life on earth. It won’t, of course, as only certain types of people – western, petit-bourgeois nerdy types – will send their footage in. everyone else will be too busy to piss about with Youtubes projects. Thus while I think iit really is a great idea, and will probably form a fascinating film, the project will ultimately fall short of it’s goal.

Link

This place seems to have gone Ipad crazy. Both Lyn and our pa Dan have one, and they both seem to be constantly using them. More often than not, they’re playing games on there – the Ipad has various little puzzle games which are apparently highly addictive. Every now and again, I hear little yelps of joy as someone goes up a level. I wouldn’t mind – I tried playing one on Sunday and it really was engrossing – but it has reached the point of silliness. I popped down to Woolwich yesterday afternoon, and when I came back, it was like I had entered some weird dimension where I didn’t exist; everyone was so fixated on their Ipads it was like I’d become invisible. I’m now considering buying one, just so I don’t feel so left out.

It has certainly been quite a day. Yesterday I got a text from dad telling me that my uncle aki and aunt Dinah were coming to visit. Thu would have been an exciting prospect in itself, but in he event at about half four they arrived with my uncle David, my cousin Christina and her fianc tom. I knew immediately it would be a good evening.

It was great to see them. It feels like an age since I saw any of them, and I was glad they made the effort to come. I think I last saw them all at my cousin Alexander’s wedding in brazil, and, before then, I had a meal with uncle Aki and aunt Dinah, as well as Mark and Kat, when I visited Paris with Charlotte. It felt good to be the host this time. I don’t exactly live locally though – Charlton is, in a way, off their beaten track. I showed them a nearby park, and a bit of the village, and we had drinks and crisps in our garden. I felt very grown up, as if me and Lyn were any other couple playing host to visiting family. It made me feel very proud indeed, being able to show my family our home.. I think they were impressed, and they said they would return before too long. All told, it’s been a terrific day.

We just got back from the O2 arena. All this week there is a sixties exhibition there, and radio caroline is broadcasting from it. Lyn couldn’t resist going to see her favourite radio station in action.

It really was fascinating stuff; as well as caroline, the exhibition explores the music of the decade, which, as we all know, was rich and vibrant. It really got me thinking, and I decided that it was not about music but about history, politics and power. I realised that, while all art forms are powerful, music is perhaps especially so. In that decade, combined with drugs and the hippie movement, music became a force to be reckoned with; it taps directly into the soul.

I think today we need to revive that spirit. Forty years ago, people seemed more politicised, and the music reflects this. we seem these days to have lost something; perhaps it is still there but has been drowned out by mass produced pap. Either way, I think the time is come, with an unelected narrow-minded toff in number ten, to reignite the spirit of that era.

I was just watching the news, and was appalled to find out that CaMoron is now on about cutting the BBC license fee. They claim the beeb is wasteful, and needs to be cut as part of the so-called ‘austerity drive’, but we all know that’s bull, and that they’re acting out of ideology. Everyone knows the Tories hate the bbc. I, on the other hand, support it strongly; it is fair, unbiased, and balanced; in this country we are fortunate to have possibly the finest broadcasting organisations on earth. The Tories hate it because it tells the truth rather than reflecting their narrow-minded views.

In a way, then, they are trying to dismantle the free press. Seen in this light, this is a move towards fascism and totalitarianism. The bbc is only as excellent as it is, as fair as it is, because of the way it is funded. To cut the license fee means it has less money, and less money means it cannot be as effective in news gathering. In short, the government is trying to silence one of it’s main potential detractors. They must be stopped,

The case of Raoul Moat still chills me. Yesterday CaMoron stood up in parliament and condemned those who showed sympathy for the gunman: apparently he has become a heroic figure to some. I do not, of course, is view, but nor do I simply dismiss Moat simply as an evil, vicious killer. The man needed psychiatric help; he was a disturbed, mixed up individual. It is folly to ignore the background of this case, and simply see it in terms of good and bad, as CaMoron apparently does.

This is what I find so unsettling. What provoked this attack? What lead Moat o act as he did? What failed in the system so catastrophically o allow this to happen? More to the point, I keep wondering what was going through his head? Why did he shoot himself. Simply to dismiss this as a case of an evil man run amok is far, far too simple, as it’s much more complex than that. What it says about how we treat the mentally inn in the UK I find particularly troubling.

I heard yesterday that the French government had voted to ban the wearing of the Hijab in public, or, more precisely, they banned the wearing of any items of clothing which cover the face. This strikes me as problematic, especially in a western liberal democracy; it is indeed a backwards step. Surely we should be at liberty to wear what we want: indeed, rather facetiously ii noted that now nobody can wear zentai suits in France.

The French government justifies its move by arguing that the veil is a sign of women’s repression. While it would be nave to deny that women are sometimes forced into wearing them, I strongly suspect many do it out of choice. It is, after all, part of their identity, and I presume they are proud of their Islamic heritage. I think they should be allowed to show such pride, just as I should be allowed to wear whatever I want to wear. I am rather interested in identity, dress and so on, and anything that prevents one from expressing oneself in whatever way is surely a bad thing. Should we ban Rastas from wearing hats, Christians from wearing crucifixes, or Charlton athletic supporters their red and white tops?

The answer, of course, is no, which leads me to suspect that the French government is singling out Muslims. This law represses their rights, both to act as they wish and to show their faith. Of course, I am no expert in French politics – I can just about point out their president from a line-up, but that’s only because he has big ears and a stupid-looking wife – but this strikes me as a lurch to the right, which, in our closest neighbour and fellow permanent member of the UN, troubles me very deeply indeed,

I am quite sure that everyone will be as horrified as I am over the recent events in the north-east. This time last week, I was petrified to hear there was a gunman on the loose; on Saturday morning, we woke up to the news that Raul Moat was dead. I must say, I have a very uneasy feeling about the whole affair – a strange feeling that I need to get off my chest. The whole thing reminded me, in a strange way I cannot explain, of a Stephen King novella – such things, like the massacre at dunblane, do not happen here. There’s a sort of eerie, uncanny feeling to it. Yet, most of all, it just strikes me as sad how inevitable it’s denouement was. And there was nothing I or anyone else could do but watch the news, horrified.

Troubling. Very troubling indeed.

If anyone reads this within the next two hours, please tune in to radio Caroline, because Lyn’s track Crash Head is due to be played between now and eleven. I’d just like to say how very proud I am of my fiance, and how much I love her. Anyway, tune in, listen, and enjoy!

Go here

I hope they don’t mind me blogging about this, but today my friend Marcie is getting married. I know Marcie from university, where she was known to everyone as Rocky. She is one of the greatest people I know; kind and brave, with a wisdom far beyond her age. I whish her and Mike all the happiness in the world, and many wonderful years together.

Today I think I will just direct you all to here, to a very strongly worded letter to George Osbourne. I’m not going to comment much on it, and I think you’ll see why when you read it, save to say that it shows how much hatred people have for the Tories already.

This time yesterday I was just approaching Paris, believe it or not.. The school I work with organise an annual day trip there, and this time they had a spare wheelchair space. I couldn’t believe my luck when they invited me, as Paris is the city I love the most.

Of course, one day is barely enough time tto explore such a wonderful place, yet, at the same time, it was amazing what we managed to fit in. I was up at six, at school by seven, nick, one of the staff, having picked me up; then it was down the road to ebbsfleet and on to France. this gave us a good seven or eight hours in Paris – it’s pretty incredible when you think about it.

We spent most of the day walking about the city, taking busses here and there. The students were pretty independent physically, and we took lots of staff, meaning I was okay at mealtimes etc. we had lunch in a quiet cafe near the river, and were treated to a flypast – they must have been practicing for bastille day, as lots of aircraft kept zooming overhead in tight formation.

We then caught a bus to the Eiffel tower. Thee view from there was just as amazing as I remember it; it really is an awesome sight. As I was in my electric wheelchair, I could move myself around, looking at the view from all angles. I also got a new key chain with a small model of the tower on it: I had one from the last time I went, with Charlotte, but one day it got caught in my wheelchair wheels and was lost. Now, the new one can serve to remind me of both yesterday’s trip and the trip with charlotte. I don’t know why, but there’s a pleasing unity to that.

Anyway, the time came to return to guarre du nord all too quickly, and, after a short wait at the station, we were on the train home. Of course, we didn’t do as much as my last visit there, which lasted five days, and I didn’t have any ‘cow in a pot’, but it was nevertheless a remarkable trip to my favourite place. Tthe students we took are remarkable kids, and they learned so much on this trip. I was very proud of them. Travelling is probably the thing I love the most, apart from Lyn; it was amazing to experience such a trip. I got home, late last night, with an enormous sense of satisfaction, wondering where my luck might take me next.

I’ve just come back from a roll, and I’ve realised that my last entry was bullshit. James bond is a franchise unlike any else – its almost a genre unto itself. there are good and bad bond films, yet 007 seems to transpire fashion and era. The article I cited forgot that the bond franchise can exceed ordinary limitations, as it is not pinned down to one actor, producer or director.

Times may change, but you can always count on one man: James bond 007.

I just came across this guardian article asking whether the bond franchise is dead, or should be allowed to die. I’m a big bond fan, as I’ve written here before, and I love the franchise. Yet, with MGM being in so much financial trouble, it may be time to let 007 become film history. As the writer notes, there have been hiatuses in the franchise before, after which everyone screams ‘Bond is Back’, but after that the films always slip into clich and buffoonery. Indeed, there are so many other heroes out there now, that bond is no longer that distinct. Putting all emotion aside, I can’t help but agree that bond should have just one last outing, and then be allowed to slip into history.

God, you have no idea how heavy my heart feels after writing that.

I have some good news to report today – rather excellent news, in fact. Crash head, Lyn’s latest track, will be played on radio Caroline sometime next Sunday. I’ll post more precise details if and when I get them, but it’s great to hear that Lyn’s work is getting some air time. Mind you, it’s not surprising: everybody says how good crash head is; even my dad. Let’s hope this is just the first time this happens! Caroline can be listened to at http://www.radiocaroline.co.uk/#home.html

I got an email from Simon this morning in reply to my last blog entry but one. I need to think over what he said, and the implications of it. I’m not sure if I agree with all that he says, but he does make some good points, so I think, for the sake of fairness, I’ll post hiss reply in full:

”I do not agree with you and I do think you are being far too obsessive. We have people with minor impairments, like depression, claiming benefits without taking responsibilities. When people have rights, they have responsibilities. For example, why are you not in paid employment assuming you are not? every government has good and bad policies but non-disabled but impaired people can no longer treat disability as free candy in a sweet shop and cry foul when they are to take responsibility everyone else has to as citizens. Stop getting personal and start thinking about the real issues there and avoid this romanic view of disability as only a small percentage of disabled people have significant needs.”’ controversial stuff indeed

It has only just turned one, and I’ve already counted three lies the Tories have made, or three reasons they are unfit to rule. Firstly, do you know that osbourne is actually exaggerating the depth of our financial problems? The deficit, according to darling, is not as bad as the Tories would have us believe, but they’re scaring us all in order to push through ideologically-motivated reforms.

The second lie was made by CaMoron himself during PMQs: he claimed that the Tories are protecting the NHS whereas labour would have cut it. In fact, precisely the opposite is true. On Monday, it emerged that some Tory backbenchers were starting to think about cutting the NHS. This would, after all, be more in line with their capitalist ideology.

Thirdly, I know its not really a lie, more of a lurch towards fascism, but in Ken Clarke’s speech on prison reform this morning, he said he planned to cut some of the rights to free legal representation. His argument was that we can no longer afford it, but given this right is so important, it should be kept even in minor cases. This is surely yet another case of the Tories putting greed before our rights.

I know I’ve been banging on about politics a lot lately, but, with the Tories doing stuff like the above, can you blame me. They are liars with no right to do what they are doing.

I truly believe that something must be done to get our new government out of power as soon ad possible. I was thinking about it this morning: we have this big massive deficit, which we can eliminate all at once by imposing cuts so severe that everyone suffers, or we could take it steady, spreading the cuts over several years so they don’t have to be so deep. This seems like a no-brainer to me, but instead the Tories want a quick recovery, forcing us all to pay for crimes we did not commit. You have to ask yourself ‘why?’ Why are the Tories acting so illogically? To cut services now will decrease net productivity and causes another recession.

That’s why I think they’re being driven by ideology rather than sense. It seems like they would rather protect the wealth of the few over the well-being of the rest of us. By targeting those on benefits, they brand as all work-shy scroungers. Remarkably, I was talking to a fellow disabled guy last night who was trying to defend this abomination, and he was saying ‘It’s ok, we’ll be okay, they’re just targeting the scroungers’. It is that sort of selfish, self-centred naivete, coming from those on the right, which really pisses me off, and it’s why I think we have to do something to return power to people with broader minds.

Yesterday we made a music video. Lyn was working on a new track for the last few days, and wanted to make a film to go with it. The result, if I may say so, is astonishingly good. Most of the footage was taken by me in my chair – I was just relieved I didn’t drop the camera; go take a look, but watch out for the cat-monster in the wood.

I was just trying to think of words which adequately describe yesterday, but I think ‘fun’ best fits the bill. Our neighbours, Paula and Dan, were throwing a party for their youngest son’s second birthday, and we were invited, along with hundreds of other people. parties are very special events to my neighbours; in fact, the first sign that something big was afoot was a bouncy castle being inflated outside at about ten yesterday morning.

Knowing Paula and Dan, I could tell it was going to be big, so I rolled next door about half twelve. Lyn decided to come later. There I sort of hovered about, observing, talking. The kids were fascinated with my lightwriter, especially one boy who had autism. I got to meet Paula and Dan’s friends, who seem rather cool people.

The party lasted into the evening. What began as a kids party, with party games and jelly, morphed into an adult party about six. A barbeque was started, and I gorged myself on spicy chicken. However, I really wanted to try the curried goat, and Dan promised me some, but as soon as Paula cooked a batch people took it. I was there till about half ten, by which time I was quite merry, but I never did get any goat.

It was a really good party – certainly the longest I’ve been to. I really wanted to get Lyn on the bouncy castle, as apparently she has never been on one, but she didn’t seem very keen on the idea. I don’t think she knows what she’s missing. Anyway, I think today will be less exuberant – we both need to recover.

I suppose I miss the stars. We were just in the garden, as we have been the last few days, and I looked up. I realised, with shock, that I couldn’t see the stars. The light pollution is too great. Back up north, I could see them – on campus, looking up of a night, you could see a beautiful blanket of stars. One night in my undergraduate year I pointed out the plough to charlotte as she pushed me home, so that whenever we saw that constellation we would remember each other and that time – she said it looked like a kite. Yet no constellations are visible down here in london; they’ve been blocked out by all the street lights. Looking up, only four of five stars can be seen,, and I can’t help feeling a loss.

Today I would just like to direct you here, to a blog entry by crippen the disabled cartoonist. In the disabled community, there seems to be widespread horror at what CaMoron is doing. He seems to be targeting DLA claimants in particular, exaggerating the problem of fraud. In other words, he’s kind of making ‘us’ one of his scapegoats while the people who made this mess in the first place – the bankers – are allowed to get away Scott free. Why should we be made to pay for this mess? Of course, CaMoron refuses to tax the bankers because that’s where most of the funding for the Tory party comes from. It’s cronyism of the most sickening kind.

Today I have something much more cheerful to blog about than yesterday’s doom-laden budget. Last night I went to see my first school play in about fifteen years. The school I volunteer at put on a performance called a ‘night at the musicals’ – essentially a montage of excerpts from about four west-end shows. I had been involved in their creation in a minor capacity, so they invited me and Lyn to go and watch it.

Truth be told, I found it quite remarkable. Although all the performers were ambulant, most had fairly severe learning difficulties and/or autism. Yet it was a sustained hour-long performance full of dancing, merriment and some very good gags. There was even a Python reference. More importantly, though, the students were the major contributors to what went into the show.

After the show, I finally got to introduce the lady I work with at school – Kathryn – to Lyn. Mind you, I think they introduced their selves before I got to. I also introduced Lyn to matt p, a boy I work with at school and the only communication aid user there. Lyn got to show off her new Ipad, and everyone was very impressed with how she uses it as a VOCA. Matt seems prone to getting distracted easily, but I think the Ipad got his attention.

In all it really was a great evening. After the show we went down to the schools boarding unit; believe it or not, Lyn pointed out the very bedroom in which she had slept as a child, which struck me as both remarkable and rather cute. I think Lyn should come to school more often, as she has a lot she can teach both the students and staff.

We got home rather happy. I was very pleased with how last night went, and was still hummint the songs from the show when I woke up this morning.

Today I want to address a comment left by Emma in reply to my entry yesterday. She suggests I should join the Labour party. This has been proposed to me before, and I have thought about it. The truth is, I’m unwilling to fully commit to any specific political party: while I agree with much of what they did, some of labour’s policies seem a little too free-market oriented to me. If I joined labour, I fear I might be pinning myself down politically. What if they were to lurch to the right? I want to be free to make my own mind up. Plus, what sort of free radical revolutionary would I be if I was actually a member of one of the three main political parties?