yppahpeek

A spare corner room. One bed and en-suite bathroom. Previous owners. Disinfectant. Smells. Those of urine and hand gel. Squeaky, lino floor. A beeping next door. People coming to and fro, But not this room here. This room eats people. It swallows them whole, I've heard. And spits out fam'ly. Other rooms. More light. People go, able to fight. Happier places. Here's just an ending. A locked door hides suffering. Others, ignorant.

A greed agreed. It's what I want, who cares what I need? Stand in my place at the shop door, and I'll stomp your face on the shop floor. Braced against cold and credit since midnight, wondering who of these others I will have to fight.  No one will look down on me, with my brand new, 50 inch TV.

There are times when it flows. Carving curves into the tarmac track, mirroring the trails of planes as they streak the sky. Banking left through Battersea Park. Emptied of the day-trippers, the joggers, the dogs and filled with the breeze, the quiet, the dark. Street lamps shape the runway ahead. Inviting and free and mine for a while. I switch up gears and I fly.

The Kiss&Tell podcast ( Episode 1 , Episode 2 , Episode 3 , Episode 4 ) was a lot of fun to make! And now I want to set up another fun podcast. This time I want others to help make it. In fact, they wouldn't even be helping me  make it – they would be planning, recording and producing their very own podcast themselves. Get ready to record the world! "What is this grand scheme of yours, Andy?" I hear you asking. A themed, monthly series of podcasts! The plan is to set up a blog that allows a group to post their productions based on the theme from that month. This is a lot like the BBC's ' We set the theme, you take the pictures '. Basically, we will pick some topics for podcasts – with a different topic each month. Whoever wants to do a podcast on that subject can then do what ever they want. Literally, what ever they want . It could be a radio drama, a documentary, a comedy, some vox pops, an interview, a monologue, a poem, a pane...

See this post and more on my chondrosarcoma blog -  http://ihavechondrosarcoma.blogspot.co.uk/   I was back in that familiar hallway. Vintage posters advertising 'Imperial Airways' flights to the colonies lining the otherwise bare, beige walls. Macmillan brochures adorning seat-side tables. The toilet to be used "only by those who have taken radioisotope". I have been here many times before, I'm used to the procedure. In about 10 minutes, I'll be called in and will lie down on a table that will slide into a big, doughnut-shaped thing. I will be told to lie perfectly still while water molecules in my body are aligned with and against a magnetic field in order to image my hip and femur. It's nothing dramatic and nothing to worry about. Mainly it's really boring. I hear another patient – the one wheeled in on a chair and wearing a hospital gown – talking to their anaesthetist. I know you shouldn't listen in to what other patients say, bu...

See this post and more on my chondrosarcoma blog -  http://ihavechondrosarcoma.blogspot.co.uk/   I always assumed that a cancer diagnosis meant certain treatment – whether surgical, chemical or radiological. But it seems that I am pretty lucky and don't even need treatment. My chondrosarcoma prognosis looks pretty good! I have had a few scans (and a biospy) since my last post . Obviously these were worrying – the whole reason the doctors did these tests was to 'stage' my cancer, which essentially means 'check how serious it is'. I actually enjoyed the biopsy the second time (general anaesthetic is a lot  of fun) but I was worried when my parents and I rocked up to the hospital about a month ago. It was time for my follow up and I knew that they had spotted a third chondrosarcoma at the bottom of my shin (because I saw it on the full body scan). The news started bad – I do indeed have three chondrosarcomas (perhaps four). My hip, femur, shin and maybe ...

See this post and more on my chondrosarcoma blog -  http://ihavechondrosarcoma.blogspot.co.uk/   The only thing I could think, as the Consultant told me the news, was that I should be a little bit more sad and a lot more shocked. That's what people are supposed to feel when they're diagnosed with cancer. The stories are always about people who are 'devastated' while their worlds are 'turned upside down'. Honestly, I was sort of relieved. I think the worst thing about my experience so far is the waiting. Narratives focus on moments - the moment a lump is noticed jumps to the moment a lump is tested jumps to the diagnosis. But these narratives miss the weeks - and often months - in between. Minutes, hours and days in which you notice every single imperfection in your biological material - has that knee always been sore? why have I gone to the toilet seven times today? is this a normal acne spot? That is why I felt relieved when the doctor told me I h...

This is a rude one. And not necessarily in the way that you might expect. Many of us have been there. Sat in a room, next to someone we like, watching TV and pretending not to be worrying about whether they want to kiss you back. A first kiss with someone can be really awkward at the best of times - but sometimes biology makes it even worse! Music: The Fray - How To Save A Life MimiCof – ReckTon (via Soundcloud) Image: Toilet humour – KayVee.INC (via Flickr)

It's happened to us all. There's been someone we've liked who only likes someone else.KIssing that person would make everything better... right? Music is: Gotye – Somebody That I Used To Know Eric Jackson – Now and Then (Jenova Remix) CΛNS – Foolish CYAN MUSIC – Smooth – Nachtwerk Image credit: 'love triangle' by Un Un (Flickr) As always, I am looking for people to contribute. If you have a story about a kiss - no matter how embarrassing or boring or naughty you think it is - please get in touch . 

This story shows that not all puns are bad – some can work out really well... Music: RataxesUK – "Smile For Me (No Vocal Edit)" Image credit: "chemistry bottles with liquid inside" by zhouxuan12345678 (Flickr) If you would like to be on a future episode, please email me .

Kisses! Good kisses and bad kisses. Happy kisses and sad kisses. First kisses. Last kisses .Romantic and exciting or dull and boring kisses. I want your kissing stories, no matter how embarrassing or boring you think your story is. It will be gold! I want to produce a series of podcasts in which people talk about something that is usually not spoken about.  Each episode will feature one person's story. Your story will be anonymous - only those who recognise your voice will know it's you. I could even try distorting your voice if you really don't want people to know it's you. I've already made a start, and have produced the first episode about my first kiss. (It's surprisingly difficult to say out loud!). Please get in touch if you want to contribute. I already have one contributor..... Music: Brand New - "Failure By Design" CANS - "Foolish" . I also use some sounds from MSN Messenger for effect. Image credit: "Goo...