Category: Non-Music

I love the Spring. When it finally breaks it is never a disappointment and I feel just as good as a kid on the last day of term. Still it took its f&*^ng time.

Been really busy, since the last post: Bridge and I recorded a classical guitar piece at the Academy Studios, I’ve written a new ‘cello piece and had it performed by Nick Allen at the London College of Music, put in 4 funding applications for my work, rehearsed and performed 45 minutes of music for Bridget’s band at the South Bank (check out the pictures ) Rehearsed and performed with a 60-piece orchestra for the MAAM concert at the academy, been interviewed by the BBC for their website, worked on the Academy’s studios and been training for the 10K. Not enough time!

Bridge has been chosen to appear in a 7-series BBC programme in the capacity of the ‘Guitar Expert’. Her job is to be filmed teaching a tv ‘personality’ over 20 weeks in preparation for a big performance. Filming starts Friday… More as it unfolds. FYB, milt x

Sophie & Floyd showed up in a women’s mag called ‘Pick Me Up’ So I took the mag’s advice and did, here’s the article. Good on them- they are wonderful people! When she read it, Bridget cried into her cappuccino in StarBucks:) More later…. milt

Except for having to deal with a recent infection I have kept up the training, runing 3 short distances 4-5k and 1 long distance (7-10k) a week. I’d like to say its getting easier, but it is still a bit of an uphill battle. Am not complaining though, it is an enormous privilege to be able to move at all anytime after November 2004. And with a current sponsorship of

The MiltChat forum & guestbook is hotting up with more than 40 wonderful people now sharing their experiences. Survivors, battlers, family and friends, you are all very welcome.

FYB, Milt

Sad to report the passing of my maternal grandmother, Ismene. She was an amazing woman and will be very fondly remembered. Farewell, Nana.

If anyone would like to come and hear me play a couple of nice (but free) gigs. 26th April Universiy of Surrey- Electric guitar and electronics improvised concert and May 1 Southbank Centre, Purcell Room Foyer 4pm, Bridget’s band (plus me + bass and drums) -lovely pop, country bluesy vocal tunes with words that mean something and no endless jazz solos. lol. Love to see you there!

The Evening Standard (First edition) ran a full page article about me on page 47- It is really well written I think. I have an electronic version here in case you missed it. Milt 🙂

“A slight, emotional figure” – Evening Standard. lol!

The Leukaemia Conference in York was fantastic, full report coming up. In the meantime i just want to express my gratitude for surviving one year after my Bone Marrow Transplant. To honour those many who have gone before and pave a way for those that follow, I will do all I can to live my life to the full and make it one year more. milt x

Bridge has a new site! Please check it out and warm up her guestbook with a friendly hello:)

I am told that there will be an article on me in the Evening Standard tomorrow (Monday 10th April) on page 45 or 47. Haven’t seen it yet, so don’t know what to expect! Will scan a copy in case anyone interested misses it…It’s all lies I tell you lies!(Unless I come out good)

cheerio, milt 🙂

Off to the Leukaemia Research Annual Conference 2006 in the beautiful city of York tomorrow. Serendipitously, It will concide with my “re-birthday” on Saturday April 8th- Please nobody bother with a bone marrow cake, “Don Peridone” or chemo cocktails. Very grateful to have made it this far relatively intact-hope I am living up to the privilege of being alive- I will endeavour to do my best always. FYB, milt

The Fundraising Target of

NEW PODCAST EPISODE! LISTEN TO MILTONAIR HERE

Very sad to report that Allan Miskell (Ontario, Canada) passed away on March 22nd at the age of 22 following a relapse of Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia. Allan was a talented & busy percussionist and drummer and much loved (& sorely missed) by his family (Suzanne. Michael & Sara), best friend Caitlin and a huge community. I encourage you to pay tribute HERE(write a condolence and/or donate to Leukeamia Research Fund, Canada) Allan’s mother Suzanne has offered great support to me over the past months and I want to express my deep sympathy. Please join me. Milt x

Allan Miskell

Visited CancerBACUP HQ near Old Street, London. Shown around the offices by the hospitable Danielle Larner and Jane Murphy. Lovely people working hard to keep a good thing going (Advocacy/Informational/Support to those affected by cancer).

Presented a cheque for

Over the last few months I have had an overwhelming amount of SPAM (Can I just announce to the whole world that I do NOT, I repeat do NOT need VIAGRA, CIALIS or other prescription medications. I earned myself TWO university degrees and am not in the market for buying anothe- Don’t give me the third degree man. I am also extremely happy with my ‘size’ and I am, as it happens, not interested in transferring $23,000,000 from a Nigerian bank – not even for a 2% cut for my trouble.

For this reason I have just uploaded a lovely new guestbook and forum(oooh) http://miltnet.com/miltchat Why don’t you be the first to post? Please help me make it a groovy happening, positive, helpful forum – wouldn’t that be great?

You guys humble me. What amazing support for my run. Thanks. I have upped the target dramatically to 10k for the 10k. One British pound to one British meter. Just want to thank you all again. To be honest, when these generous amounts came rolling in I was rather embarrassed and felt like hiding. But Bridget said the immortal line: “Oh, Just take the money and run.” Genius.

Been toying with the idea of doing miltlatest via PodCast, so those hard-of-reading folks who would rather hear my updates/music may do so and the lucky Ipod-ly ones could get automatic updates and carry them around their persons. Sounds interesting, maybe? So I (and my guitar, and monkey) did a short little technical test of it here.(Click on ‘listen’ under Podcast test, then hit play under the x-ray pic of my lungs)

Please let me know whether it worked or not (could you ‘subscribe’ to it? Did it appear in Itunes?) So do you think MiltOnAir is an idea with ‘wings’? Or is it the Icarus of podcasts??? Cheers, milt

Okay, a little overwhelmed by the response to my sponsorship request. I was hoping for over

Okay, as you may know I am doing a 10k charity run on 28th May 2006 in Regent’s Park for the marvellous CancerBACUP If you feel like sponsoring, may you live to be a thousand with the body of a 20 year old, a host of lovers and the latest Apple Mac- click here If you are unsure then please remember a couple of things.

1) It is less than a year since starting my Bone Marrow Transplant
2) I received the most intense amount of treatment a patient is expected to have in their lifetime

3) Ignoring points 1) & 2), when it comes to running, I am, well…shit.

so SPONSOR ME!!!

8-year old Daniel Kerkhoff received his stem cell transplant yesterday. So far, so good. Wishing him the best. Wanna help?

23-year old Jessica Mason (ALL(phase 2 end) Unrelated bone marrow match recently found has started her own blog of her great writing. Be a chum!

Hello everybody, been back at work this work. A little fatigued, am still learning to balance my enthusiam for life with my current physical limitation. I am so clear about how I want to live, what creative projects I aspire to and what is good and worthwile in my life. But although its almost a year on from Bone Marrow Transplant, my body can’t easily forget that complete bollocking abuse it has received. Still I have many, many things for which to be grateful and I am not interested in moaning. Let’s just get on with it!:)

I was interviewed by the Evening Standard today, as they are interested in writing a story on me, looks like it may go ahead. The journalist, Rory Clements is very intelligent and sharp so am looking forward to see what he comes up with. I’ll keep you posted if and when it goes to print.

8^P MiltSpotting : Day +340

Check out the pictures page for some milton spottings around the globe.

First of all from 8-year old Daniel Kerkhoff (who is now in hospital readying for his BMT) Notice how he unearthed an ancient effigy of me on a can. Astonishing. There is also a picture of Allan Miskell spotting a dramatic mention of my name. Do the signs never stop? If you have any further evidece of further milt/milton symbols appearing worldwide, please let me know! I’ll start a cult or something.

Please let us spare a thought for these two brave young men. Daniel has been battling Leukaemia for 4 years (really not fair on a child-nice one loving & just god) and is receiving his Bone Marrow Transplant on March 19th. Let us also think of Allan who is having a really rough time in hospital since his recent leukamic relapse. Keep fighting, lads.

Wow, what a week:

Monday: Working hard, fine-tuning my excellent recording studio at the Royal Academy of Music. Visited Jess Mason in the Royal Free Hospital

Tuesday: Held meetings at the Academy, made great progress with the studio.
Wednesday: Prepared a lecture at home, found out I was to perform with Chris Garrick on Friday, probably the best, definitely my favourite jazz violinist in the world. Got a call from the Evening Standard interested in running a story on me.
Thursday: Gave an open lecture to a bunch of academics, PhD students, doctors & professors from various colleges on the role of new technology on contemporary music. Had a great time followed by lunch with the composer Steve Goss and Bridge.

Friday: Played an immensely enjoyable lunchtime concert with Chris Garrick & his band, all great players. Followed by assisting Chris with a 2 hour improvisaton seminar for the Royal College String students – A string ensemble, Chris Garrick and my guitar, bliss! Had a very entertaining afternoon with classical guitarist(s) Gary Ryan & Bridge.
Saturday: Bridget & I finished the last Modes article for Guitar Techniques Magazine. Got a really nice phone message from John Williams. Then went to the Apple Store, Regent Street for tech fix.(Big shout to Mike) Decided yet again that Apple design (inside & out) is so far ahead of the game that felt I had been thawed some time in the future. Then started writing a miltcentral update…

Quite fun compared to the same time last year. N’est ce pas?

Other news, please wish my sister (& Bone marrow donor) Alex, best of luck for her Tae Kwon Do BLACK BELT exams on March 25th. Living proof that one can recover from a bone marrow donation in style, and then kick someone’s arse while wearing a dressing gown. She is also just writing up her PhD. What next? A Blue Peter Badge?!(erm USA people, Blue Peter was a children’s show where they would give out Blue Peter badges to deserving kids, like if they rescued a hedgehog from inside a dishwasher or could stick marbles up their noses etc)

Thinking of a few people today:
Jess Mason (23, London, UK) just got the news that a fully-matched donor has been found for her, should she opt for BMT- which is great news.

Daniel Kerkhoff (8, Sheffield, UK) has his BMT planned for March 19th- my best wishes and strength to him and family.
Michael Brecker (World famous Jazz saxophonist) was unable to find a full-match donor, despite an international search. He underwent a half-match SCT from his daughter and is currently fighting through its challenges.
Lucia Pasqualino (16,Blackpool, UK) & Gareth Mace (20, London, UK) who are both receiving treatment for ALL

…and many others of whom I will speak soon.

I’ve said it before and I will say it again PLEASE join the bone marrow register NOW! You can be the most important person in a whole community of people’s hearts and in a couple of months be kicking someone’s arse in a dressing gown while they called you ‘doctor’ That’s what my sister, Alex is doing!!!

Light, Milt 🙂