February 14, 2024

Hi everybody. Welcome to my blog where I talk about my present.

Hey! Happy Valentines Day to everyone! Did you know that Valentines Day was invented to liven up the economy? Retail-wise, it’s kind of dead between Christmas and Easter. So, I guess we’re all victims, but it’s good to recognize the people we love. For example, I love my daughter. I wasn’t able to see her for Valentines Day, but I sent her some flowers. My friend here, I love, because she gave me some cool socks. I’ve become known for having crazy socks. Maybe I should change my name to Socks. Brian Nice Socks. Sounds good. Anyway, I just wanted to remind you guys there’s all sorts of love. I love you guys, and I love my dog, even though he smells, and you can imagine.

So, when I was a competitive runner, I ran track for my college. They had a crazy race called The Steeplechase. It consisted of hurdles, and a fixed beam barrier that you jumped over, and a water pit, then back up onto the track. It was crazy. I mean, they might as well have had a fire pit, and a place where people in Black Tie throw soft dinner rolls at your face. It was a crazy race, and a good way to destroy your knee or your ankle, or your back. I only ran it once. Once was enough. Anyway, the reason why I bring it up is my life feels like one big Steeplechase-like race. I face one barrier after another. The most recent one was the covid face mask I have to wear for therapy. It road up and cut my eyelid. And the inside of my eyelid as well. And on top of that, the cut’s gotten infected. The whole thing was “a bit much.” I looked like Rocky in Rocky I when he went at it with Apollo Creed. I even had a load of puss coming out of one of the cuts. Would you like me to send you a photo? Anyway, I’ll spare you, but it wasn’t nice. My doctor gave me a round of antibiotics and that knocked it out. So I’m kind of back to normal, (whatever that is for me), ready to face my next barrier.

That’s it for this week. Once again, Happy Valentines Day. Love, B. Nice

January 9, 2024

Hi you guys! Welcome to my blog where I talk about my present.

Oh man! I’m in full on recovery mode. Now I know why I sit in my garden all day. You see, my daughter was here and I did things like go to the museum, cook with friends. You know, normal stuff. But when you have a traumatic brain injury like I do, everyday things become a challenge. My daughter is great! The kid is finally all grown up. It’s amazing to see. She was very helpful. At one point she was feeding me cereal, and I thought, wait a minute, this is supposed to be the other way around. It was a great ten days.

On another note, I’ve noticed that getting one day a therapy a week is really not enough. I’ve talked about this before but you need three to four days of therapy a week. I’m trying to walk again. Walking for 15 minutes a week will not advance you. If anything, it will set you back and frustrate you. Running track was the same thing. You had to train every day to advance. I guess you could apply that to anything you want to do in life. If you want to advance, you gotta practice every day.

I have been taking photographs as best I can. I figured out that if I tape a camera to a monopod it stabilizes me. It keeps my hands from shaking so much and it gives me something to hold onto.

I’m gonna keep it short this week cause I’m pretty wiped out. Talk to you next week. Love, B. Nice

November 15, 2023

Hi you guys. Welcome to my blog where I talk about my present. I’m gonna dedicate this blog to my friend here because we’ve been doing this for about 14 years. Crazy, right?! None of my marriages even lasted that long!

The other night, I had a real dark and heavy dream. It was a conversation with a mystery person.

Mystery Person: What’s your goal right now?

Me: My goal is to get out of bed, walk over to the kitchen sink and get a glass of water.

Mystery Person: How long have you been trying to get better and reach this goal?

Me: Oh, it’s been about 14 years now.

Mystery Person: So, basically, it could take you another 14 years to achieve your goal.

Me: Yeah, actually, I never thought about that. I’ll probably turn 73, get to the sink, have a heart attack and die. Ha Ha.

Anyway, that was my dream. Kind of crazy. But, maybe true. Actually though, maybe getting better is logarithmic - meaning your goals double each time. It becomes easier and easier to get better. Sure, I have good days and bad days, but for sure, I’m getting better. Check out my other blog where I talk about my past.

Miss and love you guys. Love, B. Nice

October 31, 2023

Boo! Happy Halloween everybody!

When you’re like I am, all f—-upped… You have to learn how to turn frustration into determination. That’s what I did in Track & Field when I was a competitive runner I would take the energy you have in frustration and turn it into determination. You kind of pretty much have to do the same thing when you have traumatic brain injury. Frustration can really bring you down. But determination can bring you up. That’s all I’m gonna say this week.

Check out my blog about the past.

Love and miss you guys. Love, B. Nice

October 10, 2023

Hi everybody, welcome to the blog where I talk about my present.

My friend here just told me to sit up. I’m sinking to the right. It is true. I have to watch out for my posture. My right side is very weak and I slump to the right. It’s funny because on my first brain surgery I used to slump to the left. I always told everyone I was a Nascar driver. That I wasn’t very good. That I crashed again.

So, the other week, I went to the premier of my film, 45 Degrees. It was shown at the Woodstock Film Festival. Julia Barrett-Mitchell, a young filmmaker, made a film about me and photography. It basically showed that even if you’re in a bad way, you can take your disability and put it to your advantage. It was cool, and it was cool to hear the reaction from the crowd. Mind you, I couldn’t stay long because it was like stimulus overload. I had seen the film before, but it was cool to see it on the big screen. There was a question and answer session after the film, but I didn’t stay for that. I couldn’t. You know, I’m still sensitive to loud noise and crowds. Although, it could just be an excuse not to go out.

I’ll tell you though, it’s tough being like this. Sometimes it really gets to you. But you gotta keep plugging away. Basically, work out from sunrise to sunset. But it’s been worth it, all this working out. Mind you, I couldn’t even move before, so it’s all paying off. I just get tired. That’s all.

I’m gonna cut it short. I do want to shout out to my friend here who had two of my chairs reupholstered. It’s little things like that that make a big difference when you’re like this. Any it was very cool.

I’m gonna keep it short and go sit in the sun. We’ve been having a great Fall. It feels like Summer outside.

Love and miss you guys.

Love, B. Nice