ITR - Osteomyology Interview - Stratford u Avon Sunday 20.4.2008 Michael Dixon

Windsor, Berkshire UK.
08.00am GMT +1Hr

Osteomyology Interview - Stratford u Avon Sunday 20.4.2008

With
Michael Dixon ~ InTouchRadio.net

Reason:

Call to interview and meet the Osteomyology Group for their Conference at the immensely huge and very friendly Holiday Inn in Stratford upon Avon, Warwickshire (Home of Willie Shakespeare - one time writer and poet "Ah, but 'tis a Wanton trick"!)

We departed overcast Somerset with a huge yellow sun fighting the upper atmosphere thin layer of cloud at 06.30am to drive the journey up to Stratford upon Avon. The M5 motorway was Sunday-morning quiet with few cars travelling north and the occasional flashing blue light coming in the opposite direction racing to the aid of someone in distress.

We left the motorway at Tewkesbury, many will remember the dreadful floods around that part of the UK last year, and headed towards the Vale of Evesham, famous as a fruit and veggie-growing region, ah, Strawberries and Cream I hear you thinking.

Soon the roads narrowed as we ventured further into the Cotswold escarpment. Oh, how I hate the new road systems we have here in the UK, neither one thing or another, hidden speed cameras, road calming signs flashing 30 miles per hour – you are going too fast or slow down signs (I actually much prefer these and I feel are much more affective), many different flow systems and now these huge front facing cameras that seem to say “I’m going to get you anyway” – then out of nowhere the road widens into two-way three lanes.

A car proceeds just below the normal, everyone congregates as if waiting for a never-arriving sermon – then just as one thinks it’s clear to overtake the slow-moving vicar speeds up while you’re alongside.

Alert, Alert sings out the discordant voice on my Road Angel anti-speed camera thingy – Mobile Speed Camera – what does one do – two side-by-side cars, an approaching car, the rear space now filled with multiple cars all waiting to do what I had started to do and the Road Angel chanting and flashing as if the world’s about to end?

I did get by, didn’t see the Mobile Camera so have no idea whether I have been ~ had ~ as they say, don’t think I was going over the speed limit anyway but I’d like to say a few things to that vicar – you know what really got me – the (sorry) bugger proceeded to overtake me on the next section, I think he was an undercover copper setting me and/or some other unsuspecting early Sunday-morning traveller up and that’s how the police here in the UK make their money – Easy Meat – I bet the late Frank Zapper would have sung, come back Frank we need you.

The road signs are clear but the knowledge of this part clouded by now ever-increasing traffic, the clock is ticking and the time now nearing 08.30am and the fuel gauge lowering like a sun waiting to set.

We look for fuelling points, they come, the signs outside show unreadable prices, figures not meant for those from rural locations. Petrol 1129 Diesel 1279 – are these the numbers for next weeks lottery my mind tries to work out as it numbs out the possibility that these are figures never heard of before in the history of motoring. Do they really mean that a Litre – Not – a Gallon is £1.12 point 9 which means £1.13p per Litre! Or that my economic Citroen Picasso which just made the amazing age of 3 years this week and passed by its £50 + Ministry of Defence sorry Ministry of Transport Certification with flying colours, apart from a tiny split, I think they called it, back wiper blade – cost £20, you know why, because it’s specially made for you. Sorry I digress. This is a Blog remember…

Diesel was at its best or worst, £1.29p per Litre that saying we’re closing the £6.00p per Gallon gap anytime in a place near you (in the UK) – the lady in the garage, I got mine at £1.21p per Litre, said there were going to be 2 – yes you heard it – two price hikes next week – dear God what are accepting. No other country in the world is suffering these prices. They blame it on world fuel supplies – well there’s a word we use meaning testicles over here and that’s precisely what they’re saying. In fact it is TAX – TAX – TAX – check out other European prices and you in the States, how would you feel if you had to pay these prices that we’re suffering over here in the UK?

Rant over, £20 lighter and only half a tank full we carried on to our destination – Stratford upon Avon.


Stratford upon Avon is home to the great Bard in the sky William Shakespeare although there is much questioned about his writings and another, a certain Mr. Bacon but that’s for another blog and out of my or this remit.

The lady in the fuel station had kindly hand-written me a map to guide us round the one-way system of Stratford u Avon. Stratford is a beautiful place set on the banks of the River Avon, which too suffered major flooding last year. It is also the place where my daughter, Sophie used to work in that famous global hairdressing group Toni & Guy (she now works in their Bondi Beach, Sydney salon, so anyone out there in down-under-land please pop in and say hello from Dad).

We navigate the one-way system and end up on the road to Worcester or Warwick – after 3 miles realization and turn around pretty dam quick, meeting 09.00 am – time 08.50 am – find place, park, reception find the Osteomyology group chairman and registrar – minutes to go.

Another wrong road, this time a cul-de-sac, oh, how I love cul-de-sacs (read my book Mind()Cluck when it comes (know of any good publishers out there? out it will explain more).

A friendly Stratford lady jogging her way round the cul-de-sac gave us a breathless route – no time to personalize just time to turn, meet the one-ways system yet again and hey presto there it was big and bouncy and full of very expensive out-of-town cars and luggage and people, people who know the higher levels of life, a place I once knew, now receding into the annuls of my own personal history of not-that-many-years-ago but now I am here in a different time and space.

Car-park boom lifts after I push the button and take the ticket – did it really say minimum charge £3? I didn’t wait to check. Round and round we went like a Magic Roundabout scene off a fading TV show – confused and dazed like a Zeppelin groupie I almost imagined Brian, Dougal, Dylan, Ermintrude, Florence or Zebedee would suddenly appear to meet me and show me around the set.

I opened the door, foot touches ground, crunch, oh, God I haven’t stood on Brian have I? (Brian is the a snail – mollusc in the children’s series Magic Roundabout, check it out, brilliant)

The remains of a half opened Bronte Golden Crunch Holiday Inn biscuit remain under my foot. No time to wait, dash for the doors which are dual layered and automatic opening to reveal an almost classical Greek Pythagoras interior stretching away to the future that would guide me to my meeting with the Chairman Dr. Alan Clemens.

The next stage wasn’t without diversion. Reception, huge walk-through restaurant full to the brim with breakfasting guests, and the follow-the-arrow signs directing to that part of Holiday Inn where the Osteomyologist’s were encamped.

The almost silent mental alarm-clock and internal voice hit mid-brain at the same time; bells started to chime nine o’clock and all is well- we’ve arrived, we’re in – almost done, my impulse to check my watch whilst carrying the Audio Technica AT825 stereo microphone in Rycote wind shield on stand, Tascam HDP2 recorder in flight case, shoulder bag and Nikon camera in camera bag overwhelming an already tired and traffic-stressed Michael slid through the final door into the Osteomyologist reception area.

As I stood there, smiles exchanged, greetings acknowledged, no time to wait as people arrived from all parts of the country including an Italian Osteomyologist called Gabrio who’d arrived via Switzerland from Florence in Italy, very Italian, a very pleasant and enthusiastic man. I, like many of you are probably asking what is an Osteomyologist? Well to describe it better in the Osteomyologist’s Founder and Chairman Dr. Alan Clemen’s words you really need to listen to the interview, which will be on-line in the next few days. Briefly from what I understand of Osteomyology, principally involves structural realignment and soft tissue work to bring about the body back into harmony and balance. However, each Osteomyologist is often qualified in a wide range of therapies, which they integrate under the umbrella of Osteomyology.

The Osteomyologist’s unique blend of skills offers a much wider perspective and depth of understanding with respect to treatment. It is this Holistic approach that defines their uniqueness in addressing imbalances within the physical, emotional, mental and spiritual bodies, all which contribute to a person’s well being.

Osteomyologist’s are specialists with a very broad base that encompass the principals of Holism unlike the average Chiropractor or Osteopath who are conventionally trained.

I was very impressed by the welcome I received, their enthusiasm and determination to call into question attitudes and practices that do not serve practitioners or the public, with respect to health-care either in a conventional or complementary sense.

Alan’s dream-turned reality is at the cutting edge of redefining old and established practices with more open and integrative approach, which challenges the ‘so-called’ powers that be to get his message across and full recognition for the very real contribution his Association and Osteomyologist’s are now making.

The meeting I’d rushed up from the depths of a slumbering Sunday morning Somerset was repaid many times over, if not for the immediate smile, welcome and Alan’s “grab yourself a drink, herbal, caffeinated? What’s your choice?” Coffee came to mind to wake the over-taxed, over-stressed, on-time brain. The machine buzzed behind the Osteomyologist’s display board as Registrar Karen manoeuvred around the working drink-making machine.

Alan Clemens, to be precise, Dr. Alan Clemens is a direct; to-the-point man with a rich timbre to his voice that commands one to listen. His passion for everything Osteomyology is evident, he is a Londoner through and through with an, what I would call, Cockney accent. His years defy his looks; his eyes are fresh as any young Cockney Rebel that has seen more than he would ever admit to. We exchange ages, I don’t believe him, he says I’ve got looks I say he’s got character, we are soul mates from the first second we talk and ‘I touched his shoulder’ he later tells me.

I’m there to find out about Osteomyology and I do, reams of it, it comes in passages from Alan’s mental database. His knowledge of all things Osteo are amazing and I try to keep up, thank God I’m recording this.

The name Osteomyology is Alans’ simply means: Osteo = bone – Myo = Muscle – ology = well we all know about ‘ologies don’t we… Alan’s concept now turned reality can be heard here on InTouchRadio.net please don’t miss this. We all will have suffered physical impairment in one form or another, from an aching back, to a pulled muscle, a misalignment due to lifting at work: if you need help don’t hesitate to contact the Osteomyology Association www.osteomyology.co.uk or contact Alan direct chairman@osteomyology.co.uk and don’t forget to say you heard about them on InTouchRadio.net your Internet radio station.

Finally before Alan and I moved on to another pet subject that the two of us shared, music we are left with Karen, the Osteomyology Association’s Registrar and her work within the Association.

Some thoughts:

Osteomyologists are:
• Educators
• Aiming to be ‘The Ultimate Therapists’
• Pass on Their knowledge to each other – in the words of Hector in the film The History Boys “Pass it on boys, that’s all I ask, Pass it On”.

I, for one, will be passing on what I learned with my short time with Alan, Karen and the other Osteomyologists that I met on an overcast Sunday at the Holiday Inn, Stratford upon Avon, Warwickshire – they speak my language, that of co-operative collectiveness. For a list of practicing Osteomyologists contact: www.osteomyology.co.uk

© 2008
Michael Dixon
InTouchRadio.net in Association with UseYourEars.com

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