A Ponder Upon Exam Season...

Currently the Uk is experiencing what many call "Exam Season." The only difference this year is that I, and many of my friends, are involved in them! After preparing for them for the past two or three years they are finally here and I feel somwhat unprepared for them! And the current stream of exam papers with the wrong questions appearing on them etc is not doing anything to allay my fears!
What with me being with my parents for this time it is sometimes strained in the house, but after a long period of calm, I am able to rise above most of my mother's taunts and looks which make you feel lower than low and get out to take some photos. Enjoy!

The first two images where taken on a stroll my camera and I took one clear evening, and the daisy was an image taken on a picnic with a group of close friends. As ever I sign off from my blog with a word ir so expressing my upmost support to those struggling for freedom in Libya and to the people of Egypt whom are struggling to get a new government in place.
TTFN internet comrades!
To a better tomorrow!

A rant, then a picture to make up for it!

As I sit in my room typing this, all I can think about is that this time last year I was at an excellent school turning out A grade pupils left, right and centre. Now I am at a school which lacks not only respect, but also basic discipline. In the time I have been there pupils have appaled me with their behaviour, one told a teacher to shut up and accused her of lying and stealing work he hadn't done, others seem to think it is alright to essentially hurl abuse at the teachers! Never in my long line of schools have I seen such a lack of respect. The discipline is non-existant, the school uniform clearly states that pupils must wear the school jumper, polo shirt, tucked in, black trousers and black school shoes. I have seen almost no black shoes, let aone school shoes and I have also seen a number of shell suits and other non regulatory uniform. And to cap it off the maths teacher told me that the school was the third worst in the county - I was not impressed!

Sorry about that! I know I should be posting about the situation in Libya but the situation is currently at a standstill, with eurofighters proving their worth and the Tornados doing what they do best, the rebels should feel safe enough to overcome Gaddafi. We support them fully. And now a picture to make up for the rant! Enjoy...

Taken at the Waddington airshow in 2010 this beautiful P-51 mustang dates back to WW2 and is still airworthy. The beautiful origins of the modern swing role aircraft.

Part 4/52

I do believe that last week was the fourth in my challenge to post a photo each week. So here it is!

This one was taken in the beautiful snow which covered our country last year. The lighting was great and so I set out with my Brothers on a tobogganing trip. The shot is of Harlaxton Manor, an american university located in Harlaxton for some odd reason!
I would post about Libya, but I am soo tired for a monday! I shall endeavour to post tomorrow about it though!
Stay strong my comrades! We shall beat Goddafi, and make a good job of it!

Libya, Japan and other issues in the world

The night before last saw the introduction of what was essentially an act of war, in the form of a UN-Mandated no-fly zone. Today we saw footage of an aircraft plummet to earth after being hit by what seemed to be either a ground to air missile, or heavy ground fire. As a bit of a geek with WAY too much time on my hands I watched and rewatched the footage until I was confident which aircraft it was. The press have not reported on it much, but I believe it to be a MiG-23 (Mikoyan-Gurevich) which is a Russian built aircraft, and seeing as it is designed to be a ground attack aircraft with Libya operating 109 overall. However, as the rebels have captured a number and have used one to sink 2 Government ships and attack tank positions, we do not know wether it was a Government aircraft attacking the cities defences or a rebel aircraft defending the city.
Also Japan are, as my great-granddad said, "In a spot of bother." The nuclear reactors at a plant called Fukushima Daiichi are overheating by a massive amount, and have been trying their absolute hardest to try and cool it down, and it appears that amidst the turmoil created by the tsunami, they have managed to connect a power line to try and get the cooling system back up to it's full capacity. We can only hope so that the resources that are being consumed to solve this problem can be used elsewhere once the situation has been resolved!

And to add to the fun being had; Syria, Yemen and Bahrain are also suffering revolts. We can only hope that the good forces win and what is right for the country wins and is put into action. Also Gaza has fired mortars (small artillery pieces) into Israel. About 50 mortars where fired, meaning that is was the heaviest barrage in two years. The world is going mad, and I would not blame anyone for thinking that the "end-times" where coming!

The world is in a bad state and it is up to us, the able people bodied people of the world need to support what is right and good. And we need to stand up for those in danger and those in Poverty, suffering from starvation, deadly (Curable) diseases and also at the hands of their oppressors. This is why we must support all that can be done, such as Comic Relief, who raised £74 Million last night to help those people out. Stay strong comrades, together we can over come these problems and become stronger!
Wow that was a bit political!

The bike ride!

Today was the day of my bike ride along the Tarka Trail, the path which follows the route of the old train line called the Tarka Trail. It was featured in a James May's Toy Stories (Wikipedia, This Is North Devon) when he used a Hornby toy train to get from Barnstaple to Bideford, the route which I took. The ride out was very fun, not bad weather, not too cold and not boiling hot, just right for cycling! The ride back presented a couple of problems though... I rode the trail for about two miles, before stopping for lunch and talked to my brother for a while. Then it started raining. Not badly, but enough to be annoying! The cycle back into Bideford was not the worst, despite the rain. The cycle back into Westward Ho! was the problem! I used the path which I had used to go the other way, but I got a little lost in the maze that was a beautiful village that I had never seen before. I didn't mind, the sun was starting to shine a little and the houses where exquisite! I eventually found a way out that would, eventually take me home. It was the coastal path. After about five miles in, along an excellent track for mountain biking (Down hill rutted with rocks and exposed tree roots - I loved it!) I found a road. I thought that I might as well just see where it would take me for the fun of it! It took me to the bottom of the hill in Appledore from where it was an amazing ride back home! This is where I got my top speed of the day, 30mph on a slippy road, maybe not the best idea, but the adrenaline rush was amazing!
That is all comrades. Stay strong the newly formed NLC, and also Japan, who are struggling also!

Some photos...

Here are my photos from this weeks and last weeks"52" challenge. I know that they are rather old images, and they may appear in my "Rolling portfolio" on the right hand side of this blog, but photos are there to be shared and enjoyed! I will probably take a few on my ride out to Barnstaple (And maybe beyond) on Saturday (Weather Permitting, of course!) Here they are comrades:

1. The sun setting over Lundy island, seen from the pebble ridge at Westward Ho!

2. The renault F1 car at a "Display Day" set up by renault.

Live long the revolution in Libya (Well, until Goddafi goes, then you can stop and sort the chaos out!)

Hello again!

Hello, it's been a long while since I blogged last, but not much has happened really! I have been spending some time with my aunt, uncle and cousins. I spent saturday evening with them watching The Hurt Locker on their new surroiund sound set up, then I spent Sunday with them bowling, last night with them for not much of a reason and I am fresh back from the cinema after watching Paul with them. They are a nice bunch and we are close (as are we all in our family!)
With all of the time spent with them I am runningo out of time to do my fitness stuff (With the amount I am fed I need the 7.5 miles a day I do on my bike!) And so I am needing to push myself againtst the odds to stay fit and healthy! It seems to be working though!
I am really missing the great friends I had back up north, but I am hoping to make new ones as I settle here. Currently I am looking at doing a couple of local clubs and stuff. So far I have seen the Rugby club who look good, and possibly a camera club, but sometimes they can turn into a competition of who has the most expensive kit and nothing given to actual photography! That reminds me, IU forgot to do my photo last week so I need to do one for last and this week!
Libya still stays under the rule of a mentally ill ruler and we see no signs of change! Egypt seems to have fallen quiet, but that was an exemplary overthrow of an oppressor! Vie la revolution! As the french would say!
That's all for now but I will try and blog tomorrow, maybe with my images!

http://www.jackaltham.cabanova.co.uk/

http://www.jackaltham.cabanova.co.uk/
That is my website. I try and get out and upload pictures when I can, but in my current situation I am finding it hard to do anything sponateous.
I haven't blogged for a while, so here is one to keep you going!
This week was my first one at a new school. As any autistic will tell you. Starting a new school is hard, very hard. Especially when you only know two people out of the 1500 (Three times the size of my last, I think!) I was assigned two peers to look after me. After about a day of one of them asking me every lesson if I knew where to go, I politely told her that I prefered to be alone. My first day was not improved by my second. As my "options" are different to theirs I have 6 free periods. 4 on a tuesday morning, and 2 last thing on a friday. I spend them in the library. I spent much of the week on auto-pilot if I'm honest! But on thursday I was able to prove that I wazs more than just a geek who didn't like other people.
Thursday's lessons included PE. As the school had a fairly well stocked gym I was able to show my colours. We where challenged with finding out how much our bodies could do. Ther wher a couple of chavs who where in front of us in the rotation around the gym. The challenged each other to do different weights and failed on some. I waded in one time and did a heavier weight than either of them could and told them to hurry up! In my head a small victory!
Even with the disruption this week I have managed to sort a routine. I get up, wash and watch the news. Then I go to school. As the school finishes early I am able to be home by 1530 every night. I have therefore been able to do a 10 mile bike ride before dinner. A hard task for me to complete but I need to get a little fresh air!
That is all my comrades.
I may blog tomorrow, but I may also not!
Stay strong Libya!

My First Day (Again)

Yesterday was my first day at Bideford College. It was not the most enjoyable day by any means. When I first turned up I had not a clue as to where I was going, as I had not been issued with a timetable. So I went to the office, where I got issued with a timetable and told to sit and wait until there was someone to take me to my first lesson. As I sat I saw the types of people who attend the school. There where about three types: The "Goths", The "Chavs" and The "Surfers." (These opinions where backed up throughout the day) I find myself not to be a part of any of these groups.
I spent most of my day alone, whilst in lessons I sat alone, during lunch and break I sat in the library. Where else was I to go? I found that I was not spoken to by any pupils other than when instructed to do so by a teacher. Today I have four free periods in the morning. As ther are six periods overall in the day, I hardly feel like turning up.
As an unexpected "surprise" my father turned up after school yesterday. As I got off the bus, I had called him and told him that if he wanted to come and visit he needed to give me notice so as I could organise for me to stay at my aunts, as I belive that he has caused the stress which I am under.
With this I leave you. I would like to talk about the situation in Libya, but I really can't type any more...
Goodbye for now comrades

A New Chapter Bekons...

On Monday I start at Bideford College... Something I have not been looking forward to. As it gets ever closer I have begun to realise how unprepared I am. I cannot remember how to get to my form room in the maze of a school split into blocks A-H and on three levels. Nor do I know how to get into the school, so far I have only got into the school through the usually locked visitors entrance.
Lunch also shall provide a problem for me. As I do not know anyone I shall probably spend my lunch and break times in the library, reading and revising.
I am also worried as to how I am going to be accepted, it took almost a year at Belvoir before I was fully integrated, but I only have a term with these people before we go off to study leave then sixth form...If I do not get integrated before study leave I do not think that I have any chance in sixth form...
A word must also be spoken for those in Libya, for both the British citizens stuck out there, but for the poor people whom have had to struggle under Gaddafi. How any ruler can expect to stay in control of his country after bombing his citizens and using mercenaries against unarmed people, I do not know. I urge the UN and NATO to do all they can to ensure the fall of Gadaffi and the return to peace in the country. I also praise the brave pilots who crashed their own aircraft so they did not have to kill their fellow Libyans.
With this I leave you my fellow comrades... Good luck in your endeavours until we speak next!

A New Horizon Approaches...

I am not usually scared of anything. I will do almost anything which involves a risk, just to see the outcome to enable me to store the data I collect can be used again. For example if I jump out of a tree so high, will I injure myself, and if I do, I can use this data the next time I am forced to jump from such a height. There are, as there always is, a few exceptions to this rule. They revolve around the damned "Wiring" in my head being tangled and not in th right places (A textbook description of any ASD) The wiring in my particular head gets particularly tangled when it  comes to social interactions. For 3 secondary schools (Years 7-10) I was unable to fit into a school environment. I was violent and aggressive towards other pupils, my family and very nearly a teacher. Bearing in mind that at the time I was one of the most scrawny lads you could have imagined, I was bullied to very close to my limit.
Then I stumbled across a gem of a school, a school where, after a short duration, I was accepted. To this very day I do not know how. This gem was my school for nearly 3 years (The longest I had ever been to a single secondary school) The school offered everything I could ever need, great staff who went out of their way to help students and also great pupils, of whom seemed to be my first ever friends since year 4. I even started playing Rugby whilst there, and played for the school.
But then a ripple started to spread. I do not know of the origins and neither do I know when the repercussions will end, but I was forced to leave my home. I was forced to leave the only place I felt safe and welcomed, for an unknown reason. To make it worse I was being moved so far away from the area that attending the school full-time was/is not possible. So I am being forced to attend a local school. The day after my last post (When I was accepted as a "guest" pupil) I went in for a "taster" (A tour and tutor time with the pupils.)
This was a nightmare, as it would be for anyother ASD child. I was thrust way out of my comfort zone, to meet new people, with whom I had no connnection with whatsoever, for I did not know any of the pupils previously, or through mutual friends. This time is stressful enough for neurotypicals, but for me it made me want to run away. To get the quickest bus back to my Grandparents, from where I could grab my already set aside "grab - bag" containing everything I could ever need to sustain myself indefinately. I managed to last until the end of the form time which I had been told to attend, and then I returned to my Grandparents.
Oh dear reader, it seems that I am unable to express my feelings in any other way than of through this blog... I apologise and I would not blame you if you did not return! I will write soon, probably, so until then comrades...

A new dawn...

Today marked the next stage in the movement to Devon. I went into the local school today, Bideford College, for a meeting with the head of key stage 4. The meeting went well, and after a short tour of the school I was sat down with my Grandfather and we filled in the necessary forms so as I am now a student at the school. It does mean, however, that I will have to return to Leicestershire to do a majority of my exams. This means both happy and sad news for my comrades in the county as I will be returning for a short period of time, but I will then spend the rest of my education in Devon.
I hope this is well recieved...

Another good day!

Today was good. I was kept fully occupied by a day at my cousins. To start with I beat them both at monopoly whilst sat on a silly balance ball thing... Is there anything I can't do?!? (Maybe sarcasm...!) and went on to lose them on a game called COD?  But hey, we enjoyed it and that is what is needed! After this I was introduced to a silly program called; "Take Me Out" which was an awful mix of men making a pratt of themselves andwomen forgetting to wear much more than a slip of clothing!
I feel that as things go in the world, the current situation in Egypt is extremely uplifting as after just 18 days they have changed the course of their history, with very little violence or damage to property. An amazing feat in a country of 79,089,650 to have as little as 200 deaths in what was a revolution! An amazing feat! I also wish to congratulate the England team after another successful game today... 59-13 to England! Score indeed!
I shall leave you with that my online comrades...
And three cheers to those lucky revolutionaries and Rugby player!

A Better Day

Today was one of the better days in the past few weeks. I took a few photos today, which made me feel a little happier than I was feeling after my run!

After I went into town with G'dad and had a look in Jessops and in the other camera shops which made me feel even better!

In all, my online fellows, a good day. However I cannot avoid the fact that I am not to live at "Home" any more. But the days are getting better, and the down days are spreading themselves out... As they say "Things can only get better!"

Another normal day...

As the title subtly suggests, today was a little average, to say the least! I did about nothing, but I did recieve a nice email from my teacher detailing all of the nice work I am to complete... Fun! I also recived news of the terrible illnesses which are plaguing my Mother and Brothers. It appears that as a legacy I left my Mother and smallest brother a cold. And my other brother, has a face which has mysteriously swollen with no apparent reason... (Apparently it looked like a black eye) And all the doctor could do was prescribe antibiotics... Lucky I left when I did! I went for another run this morning witht the same load and route but in nicer weather conditions!

Well tarar for now followers... I shall update you soon!

Put title here

Another same old day, I went for my run without incident. Well, bar the VERY strong headwind threatening to blow me over everytime I was in the open - Which was for the most part, as I was running on the burrows! And the blinding rain did nothing to aid my progress along the dark path. But there is no darkness that my trusty Maglite will not burn through! I think I managed around 1.5 miles out and then the same back home. Home was a welcome relief with a warm shower on demand. Other than that it was an uneventful day!

Today was another same-old day... I woke at the crack of lunch and after a light spot of lunch I set up my stereo in my roomso I can listen to my "Tunes" in high quality rather than through my earphones which limit the area I can be from my laptop! Not much else happened apart from the planning for my run tomorrow (I am going to fill my backpack full of rocks and run as far as I can before I cannot go on!) I have decided to take my backpack with the wide supports so as the load is spread more evenly and there is less of a risk of the straps fallling apart!

First Post

Hello world here I am, a teenage autistic, ready to face the big bad world which faces us! I haven't used blogs much before, so I may do some odd things, just to see how it works! On the right you will see my portfolio which is uploaded from flickr where you can see some of my work. You can also see it here: http://jackaltham.co.uk/ I see photography as my way of coping when it gets too much, what is better than filling my backpack with all the stuff you need to last a few days and grabbing your camera and exploring? Try it, you will love it!