At number 5… Driving theory passed 1st time.
Still got to pass the practical though!

At number 4… Getting a domain for my website.
Sounds silly but I really love it that I was able to get my own domain and start publishing things up online. I got my domain in July after some research. I’m very proud of it.

At number 3… Becoming mates with loads of people online.
There are a few friends I couldn’t simply thank enough for the friendship they have given me this year. It has to be a highlight in my year. Thanks to all those who care about me!

At number 2… Meeting Linvoy Primus at college
I kinda planned this days before as I saw a poster at college and decided I’d go see him. He’s a nice christian guy.

At number 1… Meeting Beverley Knight in Southampton
Yes this is the number 1 point of course because it just has to be the best thing I have done all year.

So… It all started before the summer when I found Beverley Knight on Twitter…(http://www.twitter.com/beverleyknight). I asked her if she’d follow me which she did very soon after: This is where the online friendship started. However, you may remember my blog post, from August, about talking to her on Radio 1xtra. Now, I have some even better news to share!

It soon became October 2009 and I booked 2 tickets to see the Beautiful Knight on Friday 13th November 2009 (in Southampton Guildhall) because it was my birthday on the 9th November. It was to be my birthday treat. I made it apparent to Beverley (via Direct Message) that I was coming to see her. She sent me back a message saying ‘We’ll meet dont you worry!’ and I was really over the moon. When I read the Direct Messages that she had sent me on the day of the show, it became clear I was really going to meet her!

The day of the concert came quick and I couldn’t wait. I got my autograph book and my camera packed in my bag along with a small present to give Beverley. I was so excited and told my closest friends I was gonna meet Bev. I got to the venue and it felt amazing to be going to see someone on stage that I’d been talking to on Twitter. I’d never been to a concert without a responsible adult before…
The support acts were Bev’s own friend and backing vocalist Billie Godfrey (The Eden Tree album is on iTunes now) and after was Mama’s Gun who really were great. Beverley came on stage at 9pm and I waved to her and she waved back to me. She clearly knew it was me! Beverley was absolutely AMAZING and I adored her 100%. (This blog post is my chance to big her up at how great she sounds!)
She dedicated Shoulda Woulda Coulda to me which was so nice as she didn’t do my favourite song (Square Peg). There is simply no end to what her voice can do and she totally blew me away, and there was still the best part to go!

After the show was led into the bar area of the venue where my friend and I waited patiently for Bev. She took a little time to come as she had some other people to meet before seeing us. I was chatting to Bryan (Bev’s male backing singer), he was really polite.

When I finally saw Beverley with my own eyes a few metres away, I felt warm inside and knew it was going to be a Knight I wouldn’t forget (EVER)! I stood in front of her so she’d see me and she said ‘hello’ to me. She had a photo taken with someone and then came to me. I gave her a huge hug which she so deserved because seeing her for the First Time was so wonderful. I got a photo with her and got her autograph. Bev was so kind and really down to earth with us. I am glad I was able to talk and didn’t fall to pieces on her. I gave Bev the present I had bought and hugged her more. I felt loved and she knew I loved her.

Picture of my mate Hollie, Bev and me: The gorgeous Beverley Knight with us!!

My mum phoned up just as I was talking to Bev and she shouted ”ello luv!’ down the phone! Bev had rememered when I spoke to her on Radio 1xtra in August, where Ronnie Herel asked if I would be able to sing to Beverley, as I had said I am in a choir! I still forgot to sing to her, although my mate decided to sing a bit of Shoulda Woulda Coulda, whilst Beverley signed autographs for us. It all ended too soon though. I really wanted to stay longer just to talk to her more. I hope I get another chance one day to meet the soul sensation and now fantastic friend, and actually sing to her next time!

Bev has a Special Kinda Cool that cant be missed and I just want her to know that she was ace that night. Hope she will Remember Me because I will always remember her and the awesome time I had the whole night!

Here are the links to the 3 tweets that Beverley sent to a friend of mine on Twitter commenting about meeting me.
http://twitter.com/Beverleyknight/status/5696698247
http://twitter.com/Beverleyknight/status/5696969151
http://twitter.com/Beverleyknight/status/5697143778

I will definitely go and see Miss Bev Knight again after she totally smashed it at the show! You should too!

You may be wondering why I have decided to put this post up, and how I can relate it to web design… I thought about writing a post about Aspergers and Social Networking after 2 of my friends wanted posts about how an Aspergers sufferer deals with Twitter and what not to do. This is a follow up post I wanted to add.

Anyone can use a social network and I have developed myself online by making new friends and finding old ones. Being able to keep those friends is a massive step for me. I never before thought that social networking was going to be that easy for me. Infact I took to it like a duck to water.

I use Twitter and Facebook lots, but Twitter has the upper hand as I have been able to express what I like and talk to almost anyone I wanted to (including celebs!).

Twitter is a lovely way to share web design knowledge (see I told you I could link it to web design in some way!) and the freedom to reply to things I think are worthy of a comment. I enjoy reading blog links and the like but if it wasnt for Twitter I would never had known about it all.

Facebook is for closer friends and only select people can read your status when you approve them (just like Twitter I add) but it is a totally different ball game. I dont use Facebook as much but I like the fact that it provides an extra help source when requiring knowledge about something. You can reach out to an entirely different range.

When on Twitter I post about all sorts of things that interest me. I get replies based on them and now I have a seperate Twitter for a few of the interests in my life. Like one for web design related stuff, one for gaming and one for Aspergers. I like to use Twitter on those accounts in completely different ways. My main account that I established myself on the internet was through GoldChoiceUK Twitter. I liked how Twitter worked from the start and through that I was able to talk to people with the same feelings as me with the different subjects I like.

However all this social interaction on the internet made me mute in the real world and not able to talk to my parents in the right way. Not that I swore or anything – no – but I was rude to ignore things went downhill rather fast and rapidly. and I started to stay up till all hours of the night Tweeting and just messing about on my PC. I started to get really fed up of not being able to find a job too. I still cant find one and it is become really hard. There is simply nothing out there! That is when I set up a Twitter for my Aspergers friends/followers. I wanted to give back to them my experiences and how I felt and they could relate to it all.

As I have been on Twitter for over a year I have seen myself grow in a number of ways, which is great. I have been able to make funny comments and have a bit of a joke and make friends who actually care. I care for a great deal of them all too. I have special friendships with some of them and some of those I could not have ever done without. They have all made me feel really welcome and I have enjoyed having such a lovely relationship with them all. I wouldnt have done half of the things I have done this year without the aid of Twitter as it has helped me to communicate at a level that is acceptable by all. I have learnt how to Tweet and talk to others. I wouldn’t have spoken to Beverley Knight on the radio if I wasnt on Twitter. That made my confidence really high and I feel able to make conversation to a wider audience.

It is easy to forget I have Aspergers sometimes and my Tweets just make sense the way they are. I may Tweet some random things but that is what it is for. I enjoy exploiting myself with my disability and to prove what I can do and say and to show the whole world that Aspergers is really not the worst thing known to humankind if worked on well and having Twitter’s experience has made me realise how important it is to be real and alive.

Aspergers is not the end of the world and I know I can push myself to learn whatever I want and I will learn more as I continue to use the social online networks. It has increased my self confidence and I never thought I’d ever come in contact with such a lovely bunch of friends as I have now. Twitter has made me belong to society instead of feeling too odd. Aspergers is my way of living and I have made it work for me which is great.

If you have Aspergers or know someone who has please get them to read this and then get them onto Twitter (If they are old enough).

My post on Andy’s site… Contacting The Millions
My post on Clair’s site… Twitter with Aspergers

Beverley Knight has captured my heart in music and I really enjoy tweeting with her of an evening. But at the moment as her tour is on she is very busy. She has made me so much more confident about myself. I cant wait till the show. I will put a blog post up after the concert telling you all about it.

I hope this will be a birthday I will never ever forget!

I really didnt know what I was going to ask so I thought for a while and I knew I wanted to ask about music. Then I got rung back by THE Ronnie Herel (presenter on 1Xtra) and he asked me what I wanted to ask Beverley. I hadnt decided on the exact words then but I just made something up and that was ok.

I got called back 15 minutes later and I was able to ask the question “How did you get into music?” – Which was virtually the question I wanted to ask in the first place when I spoke to the presenter.

Listen to what I said and Bev’s answer here!

They all looked after me really well and I have got to thank @BeverleyKnight and @ronnieherel for the experience they both gave me!

Follow me too! @GoldChoiceUK