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Friendship

In your hour of need, you really do find out who your true friends are.
And time after time, it's always the same few solid people that always pull through for me...

Faultless and without hesitation.
Money can't buy that love.

I'm truly lucky to have it.

And even though i'm in a lot of pain right now - I can still smile.

They give me the inner strength to go on.
Knowing if i ever need anything, anything at all.
They'll be there for me. Most times... I don't even have to ask.

Yesterday I nearly died

Driving from Lewisham to Brixton yesterday to referee a basketball match... Something pretty darn awful happened to me.

Something I never imagined for one second could ever happen.

The front wheel of my motor cycle came off, whilst I was travelling at about 20mph.

Now that may not sound fast to you.
And I'm glad my bike doesn't go over 30 miles per hour.

Cos sure enough, I lost control of bike, veered onto the other side of road (into on coming traffic), skidded across road and my head and body smashed into a parked car.

The bike is a wreck.
My body is a wreck.

Thankfully nothing is broken.

However, at 20mph I am badly bruised massively head to toe, I've got back pain, neck ache, shoulder pain and worst of all... Heart ache. I loved that bike.

But what happened yesterday - can only be described as sheer terrifying.
I had no control of the bike and I really did think I was going to die.
I could see cars coming towards me... And there was just nothing I could do to stop it all.

If i'm honest, I'm a bit cut up by it all... And am prone to random bursts of tears.
I think that must be the shock.

It's so scary knowing that I could so easily have rolled under a car, truck or bus yesterday and i may not have been here to write this blog, stroke me cat or see all my wonderful friends again.

It really makes you think!

I know it sounds a bit melodramatic, I am totally aware of how it sounds, But I seriously thought that was it for me.

Not a nice experience at all.

Mood: Restless

The joys of being self employed means you’re often restless.
There's so much to think about and worry about.
The biggest one is always money and whether you can pay your shizz this month....
And yes I can...

It’s gone 2am and I’m not even close to being tired yet.
My mind is racing with things to do tomorrow.
I have a list as long as my arm of tasks to do.
Prioritse. Shuffle and move.
But my mind likes to reshuffle stuff about like a pack of cards. Constantly. Shuffle, shuffle, shuffle.
Man I’ve written down so much this week. I’m literally lunging for paper to jot everything down.

I ref’d a game tonight with a bunch of overly aggressive twats. AKA Bromley Scrubs.
It’s all still running through my mind and I’m wishing I had thrown more players out of the game than I did. Too nice for my own good. Grr…

That really pisses me off when I’m not as mean as I should be sometimes.
I’m constantly working on changing that.

Being nice gets ya.... well.... not always where you want to be.

So here’s what I’m working on right now in general.

- My company ES. Jobs coming outta my arse left right and centre.
- About to Launch a sister company Bubblegum.
- My winter basketball tournament in less than 3 weeks, loads to organise, sorted the DJ today tho, yay!!!!!:
- My tradeshow expo next year – TONS to do, but a lucrative day for me if I pull it off!!
- My summer weekender basketball tournament 2007 (Yep, planning already :-/)
- The Redesign and finalisation of Martins website (huge job, soon to be completed.. I hope)
- The Giambrone Law website.
- Physio – 3 days a week.
- Referee-ing approximately 6 – 10 basketball matches a week (an hour and a half each).

And I need to find half a day next week to do my hair… I’m starting to look scruffy.

So the next time I tell ya I’m having a lazy day and have unplugged all my phones….
It’ll be to get away from all that shit.

Lazy my arse!

Gonna treat myself to a sauna in the morning. Havent had one in over a year.
Lovely jubbly.


Roger the penguin












The name is Bond, James Bond.

That's one of the easiest titles i've ever had to write on here :-)

So Wed’s night I decided to have a break from all this work work and work shite... and went with Grace to see the new James Bond movie, Casino Royale.
It was the first film that starred Daniel Craig as the new Bond.
I have to say, he was extremely HOT!

The film was action packed, well when the action was on.. It had an okey doke storyline in some parts, but it was all made good whenever Daniel had his kit off.
He has to be the buffest, leanest and meatiest Bond ever, me thinks?
The dude is properly fit.

Everyone was hating on him, cos he was blonde… And said he’d be shit, well, he rocked it. He makes a superb Bond. He kinda has that ‘I’ll fuck you up’ look about him.

His love interest in the movie was whack, they could’ve cast her better. She looked like a librarian with a bit of lippy on. However, the concept of him actually falling in love, opening up and being hurt was done incredibly well I thought.. Made you go ‘Ahhh, he’s in love…. Bless’.
We knew she was gonna rip his heart out and stamp all over it… But I guess it sets up the next 3 or 4 movies where he can just be cold and ruthless to all women now and treat them like shit.

The opening titles of the movie were dreadful and look like some 1st year student at art college did it as an experiment… Sorry, that should be a visually impaired 1st year student at art college who did it…. And the bond theme was just poo… Can anyone remember it? Nope. Why? Cos it was shit. Sung by someone I’ve never heard of either.
Why do that? I mean would you poor beef Gravy over Caviar?

I tell you what was REALLY awesome was that they filmed a big chunk of it in Montenegro. Wow, it looked stunning.
My little Serbian Jelena in NY will be so proud, her home town, in a major Hollywood flick like that. It came across really beautifully.
Jels, take me back with you next summer when you pop home will ya?

I also love that when you break him down, Bond is a cocky so and so with a bit of an attitude problem, who strives for success and completion in all his does. Works hard, stays focused and is a sarcastic little sod that you can’t help but like.
You can’t help but admire that.

Remi rating: 3.5 out of 5.

The Royal Marines

I forgot to write about this last week.

But on Friday night I went out dancing with Louise and Suzanne up near london bridge.

We started at the George pub - a v cool old school pub dating back to 1676. You walk down a little alley way off the main road... and you feel like you've been transported back in time a hundred or so odd years. I'm not a great historian so I won't even try to blather on about it like i know anything. But I kinda dig old buildings.

In the court yard of The George we were lucky enough to see a Livery band from Switzerland performing outside the pub. Drumming and flutes - it was really spectacular. They were over in London for the Lord mayors parade happening that weekend in London. I had a good chat with an older gent about what the 'Livery' was. Found it fascinating. He said he thought there was now a Livery for 'Computer folk' like myself and that I should check it out... I will.

So that started the evening off nicely.

But to end the evening off even more sweetly, we spent the evening dancing, mingling and pretty much ensconced in a crew of 15 royal marine gentle folk... Ahhhhhh.....

They were really sweet guys.
Really nice to talk to - they were only young-un's though... 20 - 21 most of them. Nothing nicer than looking at fit, brave blokes in Uniform ;-)

* The next day I heard on the news about 4 British soldiers being killed in Iraq. 2 of which were Marines...

Now I know it's unlikely it was any of the 15 I met on that night...
But all of a sudden it makes you sit up and think, it could be anyone of them, at any given time.

Full of life and energy and then could have that taken away - so quickly.

Bam. Life over.

Scares me a little.

Inky loves Nature - Big Sis's company.

Inky is the name of my sisters company in the States.
It's going from strength to strength and i'm so excited about it..

Today I am totally stoaked to see this page - its the 1st UK store/site properly selling my sisters shizzniz and it looks totally wicked. Click on her brand name 'Miss Inky' or you can go directly there and buy yourself something nice for christmas, or your mate, or your relative.. Just buy something haha!

The products are all natural and they are PHENOMENAL to use on your skin.
I love 'em... (not just cos they are my sis's but cos they are REALLY good).

Currently the products are doing REALLY well in the states.
Get buying people - i want this to be big over here too!

Sexual health and HIV testing

I was in two minds whether to write about this or not as it’s a real personal issue, that one wouldn’t normally share. But I thought to myself, there’s actually nothing to be ashamed of at all and if my writing about it triggers just 1 person to think about it and go and get themselves checked out too, then that can only be a good thing.

Sensible Remi indeed :-)

So I went to ‘da clinic’ today to get myself checked out on the inside (like what I did there?).

And I’m pleased to report – all tests came back clear and I have no sexual diseases that can affect me, my future children or anyone else. It’s been that way for a good few years in fact, one must protect ones self.

My doctor went through my record and although I do a yearly drop in and get myself checked out, we discovered it has been just under 10 years since my last HIV test.

I was quite annoyed with myself about that.
Then I remembered some friends who’ve told me that they’ve never even been checked.
Then I didn’t feel quite so bad.

The doc told me that the average person who gets HIV in this day and age can now live until they are 80 with all the modern medicines and advancements.
Those who don’t get checked regularly enough and don’t catch it until it’s very late in the cycle - are the ones who get very sick and could possibly die.

He said there is no need for anyone to die early from HIV/Aids anymore.

I took the HIV test again.
Results back in a week.

Peace of mind is good.

Oh and the free condoms are fun too, they gave me a goodie bag with all sorts of flavours and varieties in there ;-)


Have you had yourself checked out lately?

The Funny canoe story... Well, it made me laugh.

I had a good giggle today…
I called my mate Ian F on the phone to ask a business favour.

I asked him if he was busy when he answered the phone…
He was like ‘Umm, I’m just kinda chilling’

I was like ‘Oh ok’.

He was like ‘I’m in my canoe on the water’

I was like ‘what?’

He was like ‘I’m in my canoe on the water’

I was like ‘What… by where you live?’

He was like ‘in my canoe on the Thames

I was like ‘You’re what?’

He was like ‘in my canoe on the Thames, relaxing’.
And he said it like this was a perfectly normal sentence.

I was like ‘You have a canoe?’
I don’t know why this was funny to me, but it fricking was.
The giggling started.

He was like ‘yeah’.

I was like ‘You have a fucking canoe?’
More giggling.

And I was like ‘You’re in the Thames, in a canoe, and you have your mobile phone?’
This was totally bizarre to me, but tickled me something rotten.

He was like ‘yeah’.
More giggling ensued.

‘You’re in a canoe? You’re actually IN a canoe?’
He was like ‘YEAH, I have a canoe, didn’t you know I had a canoe?’

More belly aching laughter.

He then went on to tell me about being pulled over by the police ON THE THAMES for not having any lights on his fucking canoe.

I laughed so hard today.

It was great.
Laughing is good for the soul.

I tell you what, JK Rowling had better watch out… I’m a great story teller aren’t I?
He said, she said.

LMAO

Mood: Good. Too much caffeine today

Status of the Knee: Much better

I’ve now run 2 games on it in the last 2 days… Well, jogged, lightly upon it.
Touch wood – so far so good!!!!!!!!!!!

I got all up in my shizzle today. Back on form like I should be – worked like a donkey today!
Updated my site – had a good spring clean. Got rid of dead links, shitty content etc etc..

Feeling like the mojo is back.

Time to make some mullah baby!

Goodbye London?

Had a chat with Dave today (another referee) and he was telling me about his 3 bed house in Peterborough, with garden and garage.. That he paid £80,000 for.

Oh how it made me sigh.

I think about what I’ve spent in London… £180,000 for a 2 bed flat, with no garden or garage and I begin to feel envious and wished I’d bought elsewhere.

He lives less than an hour away from London on the train and has a better life overall for it… with a smaller mortgage and lower council tax.

Hmm…

This has only added fuel to the already simmering fire in my head of me wanting to get my arse out of London…. Move onto bigger and better things.

It’s definitely on my list of things to do...

With my business being largely phone and online based.... Not sure what's keeping me here nailed to london really. hmm.... Definitely something to start exploring about more deeply me thinks.

Is it natural to hate your physio?

Well, Monday saw yet another ‘fun’ physio session.

Yep, it hurt like a bitch.

He does this deep tissue massage (that does help eventually) However the pain can only be described as having a deep bruise and then pushing into it really hard and holding it there until the pain is so intense you feel like you want to pass out.

A little tear did trickle out of 1 eye this week as I lay writhing on his S&M table (as I like to call it).

All in the name of healing… Apparently.

I do think my physio is a sadist.
Big rugby looking Welsh fella – I often wonder about how he spends his weekends.

I’m sure he finds my whining highly amusing… He’s even started taking the piss out of me a bit… Particularly when I’m unable to communicate properly (due to pain distress) and can only manage to mutter over and over again (In an 8 yr olds whining voice) ‘it Really Really hurts, like really, I mean REALLY REALLY hurts’.

He’s like, ‘what? Really really?’

Bastard.
But it does make me giggle, for all of a millisecond.

Anywhoo, my knee is feeling a bit better overall.
This ‘REST’ shit kinda works
:-).

Now, when I say better… it still kinda hurts inside but I can handle the pain a bit better now…
So much so I asked if I could cycle on it now as he said YES! Yay!

So Tuesday I couldn’t wait to get in to the gym.
Got in there first thing and did a 12k cycle on the knee. Gotta admit it felt ok.

Got off the bike and stretched, did some sit ups and then that feeling of adrenalin hits you. Well it does me.

When all of a sudden the blood is pumping and you’re feeling good and you’re like ‘yeah, I can take on the world’.

So I stood there looking at the treadmill, longing for it… wanting to run…. And in the back of my head I can hear my physio saying ‘whatever you do… DON’T run on that knee’.

Well, I’ve never really been one to do what I’m told lol.

So I got on the treadmill.
But I did compromise.
A tiny incline and a really slow(ish) walk for 10 mins.
It was alright like.

I wanted to run but my knee was like *Nah uh sister*.

So Wednesday I woke up NO PAIN from my lil gym session…. FAB!

So I ref’d a basketball game today at Brixton rec…. Yes some running was involved.
The price of this foolish action will be known tomorrow when I wake up.

Current status:
ICING KNEE like a bitch for fear of imminent pain in the morning.

Pray for me.

Pull on those dancing shoes

Not so cranky today ;-)

I'm going dancing tonight.
Gonna tear the town up with my moves!

I need to release some energy... Haven't boogie'd in ages...
I'm gonna dance like no ones watching..

:-)

Cranky as f@ck

The title of this post was going to be: Shit, fuck, bollocks, wank...
Changed my mind after some thought. Tee hee.

I'm in a lull today. A quagmire.
A shitty shitty can't be arsed and unmotivated mood.
Be warned, I might swear a lot in this post.

The only thing that's made me smile today is Ross.
More on him some other time.

I have a lot of work on - and I couldn't even be arsed to turn on the work phone or reply to my 6 billion emails...

I feel like i'm on the verge of having a cold, I have the symtoms;
Being phlegmy and have a sore throat, some bloody eye infection too..
But it's like the bastard cold is teasing me and won't show its face and actually come through, just hanging around and gently prodding me.

To make it worse, I've eaten shit food all day.
Chocolate. Donuts and chicken and chips. Tut tut tut. Really doesn't help.

I've run out of my chlorella tablets and can't be arsed to walk to the chemist to get replacements.Poo.plop.doodoo.
I'm convinced they are about all that's keeping me alive sometimes.

The knee still hurts like a bitch. Physio makes me want to cry. Excruciating pain.
I've already cancelled 4 matches this week that I was supposed to referee and my basketball club played the 1st match of the season tonight... And I couldn't play :'-(. God damn knee.. Grrr.

Oh.... And i have a stye in my right eye.
Super.

Tomorrow had better be better than today or i'm gonna be royally pissed.

Kelly came around for all of 5 mins tonight... Thankfully without the ball and chain.
Brought his sexy beast of a monster truck around. 390 horse power. A Red Ford F150 lightning sumthing or the other. This is one bad bwoy vehicle. I took some pics which i'll load later.

That shit was the quickest thing i've ever sat in, like ever.
I thought a porsche was quick... little did i know!
When it took off.. It felt like a paper airplane with a fucking 747 engine attached to the back of it. This thing even growled. That shit was sick.

I confess... As we FLEW up my little road... 0-80 in about 4 seconds *gulp*
I was actually momentarily scared and thought i might possibly die.
That's how i knew i wasn't well... Shit like that never phases me.

Going to bed now.Just to clarify: Eye hurts, knee hurts, throat hurts, chest hurts.

Mood today: Cranky as fuck.

Happiness


"It isn't what you have, or who you are, or where you are,
or what you are doing that makes you happy or unhappy.
It is what you think about.”


Dale Carnegie


“Happiness doesn't depend on any external conditions, it is governed by our mental attitude”

Dale Carnegie