No Hugs

I am a little disappointed that no body commented on my heroes, so a short explanation of who they are and why they are heroes.

• Fran Cotton was the England and British Lions prop (he played both sides but best as a lose head) when I first started playing Rugby.   He was a towering presence on and off the rugby field, both as a player and as a captain he exemplified the hard, physical but fair way the game was played at the time.   He was very strong, very big and worked very hard at his game and his technique I don't think we have seen his like on the rugby pitch since.   After retiring from playing he became a voluntary administrator and amongst other things he managed the successful 1997 Lions tour of South Africa.   He is still busy trying to drag the RFU into the 21st Century.   As well as all of this he founded and is CEO of Cotton Traders - not bad for a poor lad from "oop north"
• Sir Joseph Paxton was a gardener, who refused to be limited by his position, he designed the Crystal Palace, laid out the grounds and more or less invented the modern public park.   Although his attention was often on the effect he was still by all accounts an excellent plants man, bringing new species cultivation in the UK.   Having lived all my life in the shadow of the Crystal Palace Sir Joe has always been a figure of inspiration in my life.
• To say John Fletcher played the Tuba is a bit like saying Leonardo painted a bit, he was the principle with the LSO and Philip Jones but it was as a soloist that he reached a level of fame listen to this and this and you will see why.   Fletch was the first real virtuoso on the tuba there have been a few since but he paved the way.   He was also a really nice bloke who was never slow to acknowledge others abilities, I think I learnt more from Fletch in 10 minutes than from other teachers over months.   The only trouble is that after hearing Fletch they expect us all to be able to do it.
• Stana taught me that cross dressing did not have to be about sex and degradation.   Here was a proud lady happy in herself and making the most of the lots life had cast  for her.   It is only through reading Femulate that Paula came to life and Paula's Place exists.