There comes a time in one’s life when we ask ourselves, what the fuck - the weather’s too hot, the subway’s crowded, or our pint of beer is too frothy. Due to my being at home today, and my gift for channel surfing, I happened upon an HBO documentary called “39 pounds of love”. If you haven’t heard of the flick, afford me the elbow room to enlighten you. The movie documents a journey, a journey encountered by a man called Ami Ankilewitz, who suffers from a very late-staged version of Muscular Distrophy, called SMA/2, which is normally fatal - he has lived with the condition for most of his life and today weighs in at 39 pounds and struggles to communicate from his wheelchair, creating his own animated movies by way of his one finger that works, to engage the mouse click.

The journey takes him on a path to find the doctor that predicted his demise at a young age, and crosses many avenues to reconnect with loved ones in his life (that he hasn’t seen in years - including his brother) and a passion to ride on a Harley Davidson.

This movie rocked me to the core. [fyi, that doesn't happen often, not to mention makes my blog (which I try so hard to update)]

If you haven’t seen it, watch it. If you have Tivo or PVR, record it, and watch it at a later date… the true level of inspiration that Ami exudes is unabound, and without warrant, touching.

Official website - 39poundsoflove.com

I jumped for fucking joy this morning as I turned the corner at the bottom of the Clinton/Washington subway station steps to see that they’d finally installed the 2nd turnstile - and it’s fully working!

Thank you MTA, thank you station supervisor, and thank you 311 - amazing what you can achieve when you complain to the right people.

If you’re new to my blog, you’ll get a better idea of what a bloody nightmare this has been by reading here and here.

Happy July 4th to my American brethren - 230 years old today! I’d continue with my celebratory retort, although I’d rather not - that’s enough from this Brit who’s forefathers were bitch slapped in 1776 and sent packing…

…well, we were fighting 2 wars, weren’t we?

[cough... the French in India ;)]

Joking aside, have a great day, enjoy the holiday!

In one of the most exciting games to date since the World Cup started, Germany succumb to the superlative soccer prowess belonging to the Italians, losing 2-0 - and the goal scoring action happened in the final 120 seconds of the 2nd half of extra time… what a finish by the people of peppperoni perfection.

Sad to see the Germans go out, I was kinda rooting for them since watching England’s demise last week over a penalty shootout against Portugal. So now it’s down to France and Portugal to battle their semi final game out - I hate to say it, but I hope the Portuguese come out on top - yeah, it’s an English/French thing… [shrugs]

Whilst everyone else was sound asleep this morning at 8am (it’s the day before July 4th - July 3rd to the Brits, the day before Independence Day for the Yanks, and most take today off) I headed to the C train stop at Fulton/Washington. Down the 2 flights of stairs, and what do I see when I get to the bottom of the 2nd flight? They’re only fitting the entrance with another turnstile! Yes, a 2nd turnstile!! Gadzooks, a fucking miracle!!!

The thing wasn’t operational yet, but they’re half way done putting in another turnstile at the Fulton/Washington entrance to the Clinton/Washington C train stop.

[I'll take a pic later this week and add it to this post]