It’s Leftwing Idiot’s birthday today, we’re all celebrating, and I’m feeling a great relief as well.

I’ve written loads of times before about how difficult it is to retain the element of surprise when my neurology’s determined to reveal my secrets.…

Disabled people are always coming up against barriers. Often they’re physical like a step that’s too high, a broken lift, a cluttered toilet or a poorly thought out display But other barriers are to do with attitude, and a quick look at the Twitter hashtag #Heardwhilstdisabled will give you a flavour of the sort of comments and judgements disabled people are regularly faced with.…

I’m really looking forward to speaking at the Royal Albert Hall this coming Monday as part of the exciting TEDx Albertopolis event. I’ve been furiously learning my lines over the past few days – if you want to hear what they sound like, you might still be able to get a ticket here.

I’ve written about my obsessive tendencies a few times before. I’ve explained how destructive they can be when I’m worrying about my behaviour, but I’ve also described how they’ve allowed me undertake big creative projects.

Over the last few days I’ve been harnessing the power of my obsessive tendencies once again – I’ve been using them to help me memorise the talk I’ll be giving at TEDx Albertopolis next week.…

Zoë does my overnight care twice a week. In the morning she takes great pride in making my bed, which she does very well indeed. I’m full of admiration for how neat it always looks.

Olive stays to do my care once a week.…

Last night Zoë and I popped to the Gowlett where Leftwing Idiot was DJing. He’s been playing there for years and it’s always a nice way to spend a Sunday evening. The bar staff always make me feel very welcome so I feel comfortable there, even when I’m having a ‘ticcing fit’.…

After work yesterday Poppy and I went for a quick drink at a trendy bar that’s just opened near the castle. We sat in a nice spot by the window, but the table was very low.

This lack of height was a problem because my arm tics make it hard for me to hold a glass safely.…

It’s late and I’m in bed. In the next room I can hear murmuring, gentle singing, occasional bickering and the unmistakable sound of wriggling. I can also hear Ruth’s tics. Ruth’s staying over tonight to do my support and she’s brought her nephew Adoni (aged 8 ) and her niece Shania (aged 11) with her.…

As the season turns and autumn starts shuffling in I’ve been in a reflective mood. I don’t know what I’m going to write in this post – I don’t know if I can coherently express the frustration, anger and sadness that I’m feeling at the moment – and I’m not sure if I can un-muddle the mix of things I’m experiencing.…

In addition to repeatedly sticking my finger up at Will’s left knee the other day, my tics came up with a brand new way to swear.

Let me introduce you to the ‘Swear layer.’

All of a sudden I stuck my middle fingers up, one on top of the other, and with a voice only rivalled by He-Man himself, shouted “By the power of swear layer!”…