Come on!

Glasgow 2017 So, after professionally procrastinating (something I seem particularly good at on occasion!) for a good few years about going to see the wonderful city of Glasgow and some family again, I finally got around to it! What, about 5 years late?! I did study Aeronautical Engineering at the University of Glasgow between 1996 and 2000 ( 21 years ago; yikes). Yes, UCAS as it was known then and my choice of what to do had me around the country visiting a few different universities, none of which stood out, until… I got to Glasgow. Everything about the place did it for me. The city’s people, the vibe, the architecture, and the university itself. Everything. It felt like somewhere I wanted to be. The university – what it (the course) offered, how it looked, where it was/it. I knew where to hedge my bets (A-Level grade hopes!); and that was March ’96. Even travelling there and back, I randomly met another potential student - Pete - on the train, and shared a bit of...

Music -  Glasgow When I got to Glasgow directly after A-Level success, I was still listening, then (ahem!) to happy hardcore among others. Small progress from hardcore hardcore? History! I was 18 at that time. Moving swiftly on! I met a friend - Dom - who has a wide musical  taste  stemming from heavy bloody metal that was and isn't really my thing (I tried Iron Maiden live in concert and lasted 3 songs before bar beckoned!), apart from a couple but not as a genre. But here's the but. He introduced me to an electronic sounding group named  Autechre . This was a new type of music that  I call ‘ diverse electronica ’. Fell in musical love straight away with Autechre and also a group (now  sadly disbanded) called  Orbital  (see below!) , who I have to date now seen 5 times! (and I own their CD catalogue) With that taste clearly set and having a passing look in FOPP one day, I had to ask about what was being played, and as a ...

Music Into My Teenage Years So; growing up quickly heading into my teenage years I was listening mainly to the aforementioned ‘Hardcore’. (Yes, alongside learning and playing the bagpipes too!) Neither proud nor ashamed of my rave time. Definitely not! Stay with me… To this day I look forward to listening to, live if possible, #RCFF on Friday with Uncle Dugs on Rinsefm.com. Junglist supreme from early Rave days and nights – Jungle and old skool! Takes me back! Judgement Day . The flyer is of an event I think I went to! Complete with white gloves, whistle, pro-plus and Lucozade! Redbull then? Err, nope! Never heard of – too early! Definitely a Hardcore event. Think boom boom boom at 150-180bpm+ with a hoover sound in the background! A favourite? They were all mostly taboo heavy, so if you’re offended by such, don’t click HERE ! It wasn’t only Hardcore. Then ‘ jungle ’ was about as well. This is another dance music genre that evolved from other breakbeats, ...

MS Expert Patient Cranial Nerve Examination I have recently met some 3 rd year medical students at my GPs’ surgery on their request; an activity I usually do if I can when asked to do it, being someone living with MS  – not solely stuck in MY head! What this does is not only the giving me the chance to give something back to the medical body, that they (students) learn from, but the chance for me to share some of my  story . I have assisted with a/the Cranial Nerve Examination several times now being the patient, as my eyes are affected by my condition. These (examinations) have taken part in a learning centre area of the RVI * and separately my GPs’ surgery. *This has been different across the years! I go along with about 15 other ‘patients’ across 2 wards, each in our own respective ward area, to sit or lie and await a small team (5-6) of students with a qualified doctor per team. These teams each have their task/s to perform depending on what these are...

  Lady Smith’s Seghill Stumble   Having been effectively avoiding the sun for some time (as of the end of June 2021), and with that walking too, I happily broke that seal, and lived a bit of history in the process! A public footpath, that friends and I used to use, for dogs and other reasons back in the day, was my chosen route. Apart from some nettle stings, I enjoyed it more than I’d been hoping to! And I will do again. Walk there, that is. “Ooooh, a walk. Whoopie-do.” You may think. We know of my challenges with regards to said basic activity of controlled falling – walking – in that it is not always one’s friend. If you do not know of the challenges, try out living with multiple sclerosis (MS) for size! This a happy feeling blog, so I’ll leave MS to the side for now ( much more about that elsewhere here anyway , and that isn’t sad by the way). Seghill . The village I grew up in from the age of umm, err, 8(ish), in the south east of Northumberland for 10 ...

MS Art Blog! I said in previous medical blog that the next one will be completely different, so I am confident it is. Hope so anyway! Here’s the thing. I used to be an engineer – hate to use the past tense – but hey, life’s route doesn’t always go to plan. I know why and how mine has changed ( MS , if you didn’t/don’t know), but that is that. Life without challenge is boring, right? Sometimes! Anyway! What am I on about? I have quoted engineering and with that there are certain design fundamentals to learn and to know about without doubt. There are no required ART elements, or there wasn’t in my 4 years at Uni! Fantastic if you are a naturally gifted with artistic skills within you; I am not. I  have recently started to attend an ART class at Benmar House, Multiple Sclerosis Research and Relief ! Foreign language (art) to me? A Bit! However! Can but try. So, I began on Thursday 02/02/17. First ever Art Group! I found it very different, but actually reall...

Positive Affirmations Come On! Week 2; in a Big Brother style (only ever wasted my time with 1 series of that crap). Quite clearly the bar was set at a high level in week 1 . Not here to compare achievements; what will be will be. What was: 1. Exercise and massage. Happily starting again with the same first being exercise, this time with the direct follow-up of a therapy in the form of a massage. Confused? I attend an amazing charity - Multiple SclerosisResearch and Relief Fund ( @MSRRFCharity ) and have done for years. The service provision obviously for those with of affected by MS is undoubtably of the highest order and I’m thankful to be a part of it – volunteer there too (giving something back) – very rewarding. Professional physical trainers qualified to help with MS works wonders, especially now that exercise has been accepted as arguably the best treatment for us MSers. I believe that; Tysabri aside! A massage aft...