How far do you go back? Where did it begin? Where does the moment begin? Each trick on the bike leading to the next? The fact that at 12 years old you did this all the time? That you woud do just one more, or the moment you realise that the bike pedals are in the wrong position to push the font wheel up as you attempt to jump off the deck?
Or is it that the main thing I remember is the bright flash of vivid colours, inside my head, behind my eyes. Every colour in the spectrum bursting outwarwds from a central point somewhere in my brain like a spark, or even a star. And then I was still. On the ground, damp grass. I slowly o-ened my eyse knowing that what had just happened was definately not good, and there, in front of me were a pair of feet. I recognied them as mine, but I could not feel them as mine. They had my shoes, my jeans, but felt detached, as if they were someone elses.
And so, I slowly came to realise, this was what having spinal shock was, and eventually part of what being paralysed is like. But only a part.
There could be a whole lot more to go into here, but that's not the purpose of this blog. This is about creativity, support, struggle and connectivity. So we will jump forward nearly three months to get to where that can begin.
It was while still in the spinal unit, rehabiltating to adjust to my new life and cirumstance having a spinal cord injury that left me paralysed from the chest down. I was lucky enough to be given the opportunity to see if I could do the music and sound design for a play at the Silo theatre, 'Suddenly last Summer' by Tenasee Williams. This was all down to the love and support from my good friends and theatre collaborators Shane Bosher (director), and Michelle Lafferty publicist for the Silo theatre. They bassically asked me if I thought I coukd and would be able to do it, and without too much thought I said yes, sure. I got another friend to help work my computer, find archived soundfiles I had made in the past, and transcribe my incoherant rambling melodies into sibelius to make into music later, and we were away.
As the project progressed I received equipment that meant I could use my computer myself and so I began creating music and sound as best I could with my disability.
And that, I think, is how it began.
Or is it that the main thing I remember is the bright flash of vivid colours, inside my head, behind my eyes. Every colour in the spectrum bursting outwarwds from a central point somewhere in my brain like a spark, or even a star. And then I was still. On the ground, damp grass. I slowly o-ened my eyse knowing that what had just happened was definately not good, and there, in front of me were a pair of feet. I recognied them as mine, but I could not feel them as mine. They had my shoes, my jeans, but felt detached, as if they were someone elses.
And so, I slowly came to realise, this was what having spinal shock was, and eventually part of what being paralysed is like. But only a part.
There could be a whole lot more to go into here, but that's not the purpose of this blog. This is about creativity, support, struggle and connectivity. So we will jump forward nearly three months to get to where that can begin.
It was while still in the spinal unit, rehabiltating to adjust to my new life and cirumstance having a spinal cord injury that left me paralysed from the chest down. I was lucky enough to be given the opportunity to see if I could do the music and sound design for a play at the Silo theatre, 'Suddenly last Summer' by Tenasee Williams. This was all down to the love and support from my good friends and theatre collaborators Shane Bosher (director), and Michelle Lafferty publicist for the Silo theatre. They bassically asked me if I thought I coukd and would be able to do it, and without too much thought I said yes, sure. I got another friend to help work my computer, find archived soundfiles I had made in the past, and transcribe my incoherant rambling melodies into sibelius to make into music later, and we were away.
As the project progressed I received equipment that meant I could use my computer myself and so I began creating music and sound as best I could with my disability.
And that, I think, is how it began.