So Im in the shower thinking of what to blog today. I realised it has been a few days and while singing along to Jack Johnson I thought I have been rather sick/car update orientated for the past 3 decades it feels, so I wanted a different angle. For those who do not know a thing called christmas is coming so a blog around this made sense. I got to thinking about Mr.Claus and his reindeers and how Rudolph had a weird nose (it was red for any morons out there). Yet despite this he triumphed and led that god damned sleigh with all his heart making christmas happen. This seemed to fit with a blog because despite being an all round top geezer I am disabled too. So here’s the low down on Rudolph and his impairment –

Firstly Rudolph had a visible impairment yet ironically it did not effect his day to day life physically. Infrastructure was not a barrier for Rudy as he had full mobility. So social barrier 1 physical environment was ok. However he had some big problems with the attitudinal barriers faced by many wheely and more hidden impairments. After all the other reindeers would laugh and call him names, to quote. I imagine he would get rather annoyed by this insensitive reindeer humour. However social barrier number 3 (2 being attitudinal) is the organisational barriers. Now Im in 2 minds here on this one. On the one hand, Santa may have had disability awareness training, knew Rudy was the best reindeer for the job on that cold and foggy christmas eve it was right to promote the red nosed wonder. On the other hand was it just that it made sense this night to use Rudy but actually he would join in with the other reindeers generally mocking. We have no real proof on this either way but regardless I’d like to think once Rudy proved himself there was no need for organisational policy changes or awareness training as they would just see through that big red nose and embrace him as a reindeer. The big issue for me is a red nose classified disabled under the DDA, any thoughts?

So I hope you like my take on this. As you can tell I’m feeling much chirpier. I went back to work Thursday and it was a slog still full of cold. I made it and after a visit to my beloved south bank yesterday for hot chocolate with Beata (on her second shift) I think the colds shifting in time for xmas. today Im roasting my dinner and then Nicola is coming over for some tv and a catch up.

I will be doing Martyn’s review of the year vlog on Tuesday or Wednesday so keep an eye out for that and in the meantime stay safe kids!