2006 has been a great year with so many things achieved. It has been a wonderful prequel to
2007 - an even greater and better year
Join us in the adventure.
Health Happiness and Abundance in 2007
to all our readers.
Larry and Christie
Saturday, December 30, 2006
Happy New Year
2006 has been a great year with so many things achieved. It has been a wonderful prequel to
2007 - an even greater and better year
Join us in the adventure.
Health Happiness and Abundance in 2007
to all our readers.
Larry and Christie
Friday, December 22, 2006
Christmas Party
It is rare that I visit private homes. Steps, space challenges and lack of access to toilet facilities usually prevent such socialising. Tuesday evening was one of the happy exceptions in my life. Was it ever worth the effort!
Amputees on the Move held its Christmas Party at Dayna's place. It was a very cool evening following the snow dump on the weekend, the temperatures yet to get up to freezing.
We parked on ice (run-over snow) and enjoyed a journey along a cleared walkway to our destination. A ramp and willing helpers got me up the front steps and into the festivities. People everywhere, all excited. Great meal and present exchange, lively conversation. Talking in lively voice was the order of the day (er, night). Christie and I even learned a new game of dominos involving tiles going to 12s as well as a game board with trains. Technique, intrigue and skullduggery were all present. Always something new to learn in life.
Our group recently worked through our 2007 program. It includes movies, bowling, sled hockey (on ice), massage demos, performance coaching and fishing in a huge program to keep us all motivated to adventure for the year and beyond, really on the move. I can see all sorts of bonding and achievement occurring. Amputees on the Move is an awesome organisation always looking for new members.
Amputees on the Move held its Christmas Party at Dayna's place. It was a very cool evening following the snow dump on the weekend, the temperatures yet to get up to freezing.
We parked on ice (run-over snow) and enjoyed a journey along a cleared walkway to our destination. A ramp and willing helpers got me up the front steps and into the festivities. People everywhere, all excited. Great meal and present exchange, lively conversation. Talking in lively voice was the order of the day (er, night). Christie and I even learned a new game of dominos involving tiles going to 12s as well as a game board with trains. Technique, intrigue and skullduggery were all present. Always something new to learn in life.
Our group recently worked through our 2007 program. It includes movies, bowling, sled hockey (on ice), massage demos, performance coaching and fishing in a huge program to keep us all motivated to adventure for the year and beyond, really on the move. I can see all sorts of bonding and achievement occurring. Amputees on the Move is an awesome organisation always looking for new members.
Monday, December 18, 2006
Bring on the cool!
Who would have thought that an extreme dose of cool could be so much fun? No cold feet to worry about and lots of white stuff to play in.
I find that the scooter is a versatile vehicle in the snow that I am experiencing in SLC. New snow provides the challenge of bottoming-out (suspended with no traction) and drifts that have been meddled with by snow plows containing hidden icebergs of compacted snow provide excitement and noise. What fun getting from kerb to road - and back. Charge on!
Armed with a snow shovel on the scooter I become my own snow plow. All I have to do is get my hat and gloves on and get back in the sport before dark. Christie will be surprised at my ability - an will probably give me the job of keeping the driveway and paths clear for the whole of winter as well!
Friday, October 13, 2006
TRANSITION TO ADVENTURE
It has happened! I have made the move from subtropical Brisbane in coastal Queensland, Australia to the mountains of Utah, USA - well, to the flatter bits that make up the valley of the Great Salt Lake.
With the move I have been a bit slack as a blogger, tending to be the tourist for a while. I guess that I can use this excuse as my sea cargo has yet to catch up with me.
I have experienced many weather changes since my arrival - dusty gritty heat with low humidity and fires started by lightening, rain, sleet and snow, and a return to beautiful fall days, with overnight temperatures heading towards freezing, all this after leaving Brisbane on its one day of winter for the year.
Beauty is all around. Fall colors, especially in the mountain canyons are spectacular - I am still getting used to sitting in the right hand seat of the car where the steering wheel has been moved to the left!
The Utah light rail system, Trax, is a great asset. It is a high speed train and a city tram combined, with courteous drivers who make access a pleasure. With it and my trusty three-wheel scooter I can reach large areas of Salt Lake City and surrounds. A cell phone is my safety line. When I get carried away with my surroundings, or become lost in conversation with the friendly loacals, a message is sure to remind me that I have a schedule to maintain.
Traffic is still a surprise with its volume and speed. I sometimes feel that I have to negotiate my right to cross a street with the drivers, who may or may not make eye contact.
My Jabiru hat is becoming a trademark, even at night. I could have sold 100 of it between here, Arizona and Nevada so far on my sorties of exploration. I have been able to link up with an amputee support group in Salt Lake City (Amputees on the Move). The energy of the group is high and the promise of mutual support outstanding.
Learning Spanish, involvement with business groups, motivation seminars, road trips, regular exercise. So much to do!
With the move I have been a bit slack as a blogger, tending to be the tourist for a while. I guess that I can use this excuse as my sea cargo has yet to catch up with me.
I have experienced many weather changes since my arrival - dusty gritty heat with low humidity and fires started by lightening, rain, sleet and snow, and a return to beautiful fall days, with overnight temperatures heading towards freezing, all this after leaving Brisbane on its one day of winter for the year.
Beauty is all around. Fall colors, especially in the mountain canyons are spectacular - I am still getting used to sitting in the right hand seat of the car where the steering wheel has been moved to the left!
The Utah light rail system, Trax, is a great asset. It is a high speed train and a city tram combined, with courteous drivers who make access a pleasure. With it and my trusty three-wheel scooter I can reach large areas of Salt Lake City and surrounds. A cell phone is my safety line. When I get carried away with my surroundings, or become lost in conversation with the friendly loacals, a message is sure to remind me that I have a schedule to maintain.
Traffic is still a surprise with its volume and speed. I sometimes feel that I have to negotiate my right to cross a street with the drivers, who may or may not make eye contact.
My Jabiru hat is becoming a trademark, even at night. I could have sold 100 of it between here, Arizona and Nevada so far on my sorties of exploration. I have been able to link up with an amputee support group in Salt Lake City (Amputees on the Move). The energy of the group is high and the promise of mutual support outstanding.
Learning Spanish, involvement with business groups, motivation seminars, road trips, regular exercise. So much to do!
Thursday, May 25, 2006
Boomerang Gym
Johan and Ruth Tonsbeek have a winner in their Boomerang Gym.
In fact, they have solved a challenge of mine without my having posed it to them.
I am a 61yo double above knee amputee of two and a half years (Update 12/2013 - 69 yo 10 yrs) who chooses to be active and live life to the full. My mobility is a combination of wheelchair and prosthetics. Exercise, attention to health and maintaining of motivation through mind conditioning exercises are priorities in my life. Attention to upper body exercises and a determination to replace the “lost” 25 years of my life (shambling invalidity, pain beyond belief - with increasing dependence on prescription drugs, and a resulting negative attitude) have allowed me to regain a very active lifestyle, including world travel, marriage and a return to business.
The Boomerang Gym CAN be used in a wheelchair. Range of movement may not always be as indicated in the instructions, but the results are amazing. I have found that I can certainly raise a sweat. I am delighting in finding variations that I can use personally, for example, the ability to exercise both stumps together for sideways resistance using the Boomerang Gym to provide the needed resistance.
When wearing my prostheses (and being back to my former 185cm) I find that the exercises greatly assist my side-to-side movement controlled by my hips. The Boomerang Gym is my “take any/everywhere” exercise reminder. The music is well chosen, with a beat that gets me bopping along.
In my view, I get most of the benefits of the “Lymph Pump” as described in the manual, even though my lack of legs might indicate otherwise.
I have a particular interest in the developing use of the Boomerang Gym for the disabled. Check with my blog “Life Without Legs” http://lifewithoutlegs.blogspot.com for further comments. I expect a healthy future from the continued use of the Boomerang Gym.
I recently re-read Johan’s book “Emotional Freedom”. I use EFT to enhance my life. I am pain free, drug free, my weight is under control and my energy level is high – I have a life to live. Johan’s approach to the subject is thoughtful, entertaining and downright practical. It is real – the author is real. It should be read by all from the most sedentary to those inclined to the extreme. I can see its application in all fields of human endeavour.
We can all expect to benefit from future contributions by Johan and Ruth Tonsbeek to the world of good health and wellbeing.
See www.boomeranggym.com for further details and additional testimonies of uses for the Boomerang Gym
PS I am developing charts for the Boomerang Gym to allow the exercises to be wheelchair specific. Johann has instructed me in the normal exercises, and is overseeing my project (as well as keeping me honest in my personal application of the exercises).
Watch this blog for further announcements. I can be contacted at allchristie@yahoo.com
.
Monday, April 03, 2006
Strange reaction
For an overseas flight I had ladies’ stockings on my stumps which allowed me more space and a little ventilation inside the sockets of my legs than the normal stump stockings.
For a single male, purchasing the stockings the day before had been a wierd experience. As I took my power chair through the hosiery aisle, my space became more restriced by overhanging product. I saw the type of stockings that I was after, but it was out of my reach.
I asked a lady shopper to obtain a pack for me. She asked, “What size does your wife take?” She was more than a little puzzled when I said that they were for me. I am sure that she had visions of my being an aging cross-dresser. As she handed me the packet, she did so with averted eyes, and a hurried scamper to get out of my presence. However the checkout operator knew the stockings were for me, asking whether I was sure that I had gotten the right colour.
For a single male, purchasing the stockings the day before had been a wierd experience. As I took my power chair through the hosiery aisle, my space became more restriced by overhanging product. I saw the type of stockings that I was after, but it was out of my reach.
I asked a lady shopper to obtain a pack for me. She asked, “What size does your wife take?” She was more than a little puzzled when I said that they were for me. I am sure that she had visions of my being an aging cross-dresser. As she handed me the packet, she did so with averted eyes, and a hurried scamper to get out of my presence. However the checkout operator knew the stockings were for me, asking whether I was sure that I had gotten the right colour.
Saturday, April 01, 2006
Life without legs
I had a quote given to me (source unknown, I suspect to protect the innocent) that sums up opportunities available to the limb challenged. It reads:
"You'd be surprised how many girls are turned on by a prosthetic leg".
The donor of the quote has one prosthetic leg, a big smile and a lot of determination. He has youth and opportunity on his side
I have two, and a beautiful wife who sees that I have no need to explore the vagaries of the female mind. I am truly blessed because Christie chooses in no way to categorise me as "disabled" or"helpless". I am just Larry.
Life is great, and adventures abound.
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