Some great feedback !!

I received a note from a friend I had fallen out of touch with from my past wheelchair basketball days...

"Just wanted to let you know how much I enjoyed reading your book, "Travels in a Blue Chair". My daughter saw it at university and bought it for me without knowing that I played ball with you. At first I read the title, then the author, and thought to myself your name sounded familiar. It didn't take long before I knew it was you especially when I saw your photo on the back cover!"

I have also heard again from the Doctor in France (who spends lots of time in the Middle East). He has motivated some other doctors to read Travels in a Blue Chair too!!

"As you asked me in your last mail, 3 of my friends M.D have read your book(also specialist in rehab),I can tell you they really appreciate the spontaneity of the "hero",a kind of style they are not used with their "regular" patients. 2 of them asked me why you are sitting with your braces, because they had the impression that you are living on a wheelchair only?....Medical staff that think that your book is great not only because of the content, but because of a fabulous impact it can do on other disabled."

Thanks to all for the wonderful feedback and encouragement!!

Some pics of my trip to Lincoln Centennial School !!

Mr. Lemon has forwarded on some pics of my visit a few weeks ago. Thanks again to the students for making me feel so welcome! Also, thanks for letting us all act goofy in the first picture...lol.

A year in the life of the bloggiary !!

I can't believe it has now been a year since I began this blog. So much water has passed under my blue chair!

The book has been read worldwide. The feedback has been incredible. I have met so many supportive and enthusiastic people. I really hope that this blog has been useful to those that follow my adventures, both inside the book and of trying to spread the word that the book exists.

There is no point writing a book if no one knows it exists.

I have had some down points over the last year, but not many. For the most part, I have been touched by the letters and comments from people who have read Travels in a Blue Chair, and enjoyed the stories. Many people have told me they laughed out loud! Others have said that they wondered how I was able to get out of some of the tricky situations I was in, even when I couldn't speak the language?

The main thing from my point of view is that I hopefully showed that no matter what your personal circumstance, we are all on this planet together and that means helping each other along!

So hats off to all those who have read the adventures over the last year!! It is YOU who make it all worthwhile. Cheers and Thanks!

Haldimand Abilities Centre

I have been contacted by Katherine of the Haldimand Abilities Centre. Katharine saw me on the recent telecast of the Niagara Express TV program, which I was on last week.

Katharine is hoping to have me out to speak to her group and possibly some Rotary Club members as well!

Hey, I guess this TV thingy really does reach through space to spread the word!! Every little bit helps.

I am really looking forward to speaking to the her group.

My first royalty donation to Rotary International - The Rotarian

On Tuesday, I had the pleasure of making a presentation to the Rotary Club of Welland. I was introduced by a great friend of mine, Mr. Brown, who is an honourary member and former President of the Club. His daughter Alison, is a third generation Rotarian.

I was treated to a delicious meal, and then I spoke about my book and about the wonderful work that Rotary is doing to eradicate polio in the last 4 countries that have it.

I then presented the club with some money to be forwarded on to Rotary International's polio program. The money was earned through sales of Travels in a Blue Chair.

I then had the opportunity to sign a number of books to some interested members, who had great comments and questions.

Thanks to all and hopefully after a year, we get the word out to all Rotarians in Rotarian Magazine!

The latest TV interview - Niagara Express, CHCH, E!

Many thanks to Rachel and Dan at CHCH in Hamilton who hosted me on the weekend for a taping of the program, Niagara Express.

Rachel was very hospitable and professional in booking me on the show and Dan was quite interested and put me at ease by engaging me in conversation about my book "Travels in a Blue Chair", prior to the actual interview.

Here is the interview....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h7RlTo1bQjA

Hopefully, it will help spread the word and the positive energy will continue to flow!!

Lincoln Centennial School - Mr. Lemon's Gr 5/6 class!!

This morning I had the pleasure of speaking in front of Mr. Lemon's Gr. 5/6 class at Lincoln Centennial Public School in St. Catharines. I also brought some trinkets from some of my trips, including a boomerang from Australia.

They had read the story from my book about my trip to New York City, and had lots of questions about me, the book and some of the reasons why I wrote the book!!

Here are some of the questions....

Can you move your legs? Yes, but only the right one.
Why did you want to write the book? All my friends enjoyed my stories over the years.
How many countries did you visit? 28
Do you like being famous? ha ha ha
Are you rich? Um, nope, still working!
Where was your favourite part of the world? Oh, Africa because of all the animals!!
Why did you start a sentence with "because"? Ooops, they also found a mistake in my sentence structure! Those sharp eyed students!
Where do I live and do I live alone? Boy, they really tried to catch me off guard!

Anyway, I hope they enjoyed my visit as much as I did. The students all made me feel famous and like a celebrity when they lined up to get my autograph!

Thanks to the whole class and Mr. Lemon. Don't forget to email me the picture of us all.

Ch 11 this Saturday 7 am., and Sunday 6.30 pm.

Just a reminder that I will be appearing on this weekend's episode of Niagara Express, which first airs on Saturday morning at 7 am., and then again, the next evening, Sunday, after the news, starting at 6.30 pm.

I am hoping this interview will be a bit longer than some of the others and we can really get into a discussion about my adventures and some of the reactions from people all over the world.

Read this blog again next week for a complete update!! Thanks to Rachel at CHCH 11 !!

October issue of "Total Access", CPA !!

I have learned that the abridged story from my book will be appearing in the CPA's magazine, "Total Access".

I am really hoping that this piece of publicity will serve to reach out to fellow paraplegics. I am not certain whether it will be included in the online edition, but I will follow up on that.

Many thanks to Dave and all the folks at CPA for all their efforts and great work!

The dusty old Blue Chair is put out to pasture ;-(

My old blue chair has been around the world 4 times, been to every habitable continent on earth, had more flat tires than I care to remember, carried so many kids on my lap for rides around the block, and tipped over so many times that I have been black and blue with broken bones included!

But, through it all was the sense of comfort and a good feeling that you probably get when you are home at sitting in your favourite chair.

My chair is the chair I wear.

Sadly, the front left wheel is falling off and the frame has been damaged beyond repair...so I have finally transitioned into another chair....blue, of course!!

It has been very traumatic for me and a pain in the neck (literally, as well as the bum), but the deed is done. I haven't decided what to do with it. It is folded up in a corner of my flat just now, but I hope I can find a use for it.

Cheers to my old friend ....the Blue Chair! You were a great companion, and a toast to the new Blue Chair...to the travels and adventures yet to come!!

Stay tuned!