To the person that asked 'Can my teddy bear travel Germany without me?' I can tell you s/he can certainly travel Berlin without you. It might be worth contacting these people, if you have not already, to ask about teddies travelling without their owner around Germany at large. http://www.teddy-tour-berlin.de/3.html?&L=1
Sorry if you already know this but think it will also be of interest to other people anyway. Though I'd never entrust the care of Bearsac onto anyone else.

20th December

There is now a page on our trip to South East Asia in the travel centre or click here. More word will be added when we have time.

We have also updated the Bearsac Meets Public page with 29 photos of lots of people we met in South East Asia. Have a look. If you are one of the people with missing or incorrect names then let us know.

18th December

Thank you Tony for bringing to my attention that I am on the Internet Movie Database IMDb. I think this is so funny! http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1542390/ People can see the 15 min video of me and Debra.

Beware! - If you want to go to great effort to trudge the length of a busy Shenley Road market (having been going in the opposite direction) just to have a go at someone that is different to your idea of 'normal' because you think you might get on TV - You might end up on the public arena looking a fool or nasty even if you are neither!

No hard feelings to the woman this refers to though and sorry for Debra laughingly saying to her friends 'That's that woman from the filming' when she saw you for the first time since the filming - she just reacted spontaneously before she thought (typically Aspie). When she realised it might have upset or embarrass you she then made sure she had her head tilted back with her drink in her face when you had no choice but to go past her again so you didn't have to feel uncomfortable with thinking you were being looked at the second time.

16th December

We have still not yet recovered from jetlag as we are very busy at the moment. We are therefore not able to update the travel or Bearsac Meets Public sections yet. Nor have we yet had time to send out things we said we would send to some people we met. We will get around to stuff hopefully over this weekend or the next.

11th December

The last 3 weeks have seen us in South East Asia - Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore and Thailand. We will update the travel section over the next few days. Meanwhile see my Bearsac Meets Celebrities page for photo of a Thai pop group I almost met - Lao Lome who performed live in celebration of the 82nd birthday of the King of Thailand.

His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej, came to the throne in 1946. He is, so far, the longest reigning monarch in the world. He looks very young for his age, we assume him to be only in his 50s from the photographs of him.

Hello to all the lovely people we met on our trip. Big Thank you to Dwi and family in Bandar Lampung and to the Indonesian backpackers we spent the day with in Bogor.

19th November 2009

I got an email yesterday and asked the sender if I could put the message in this diary as I hope that it will have some positive impact on people feeling misrable due to the awful train service which continues. Let's not let it beat us, let's instead try to cheer each other up and/or be considerate. Also hope it brings some light to those of you who view the Bearsac thing with ignorance.

Dear Bearsac and Debra

We shared a very crowded First Capital Connect train from London to St Albans together this evening, although you both got off at Elstree & Borehamwood. I boarded at Blackfriars and so got a seat - although I soon gave it up to someone more needy at City Thameslink. And, from then on, it got more and more unpleasant!

So I was pleased when you boarded; with your friendly and open approach. Unfortunately, I wasn't close enough to chat to you but hope you weren't put off by the grumpy people on the train! Commuting doesn't bring out the best in people and the current train problems are a challenge for the jolliest of commuters. But, as I said, please don't let that dampen your approach.

I, for one, checked out your website, given the information you provided as you left, and found it very interesting. I'm sure that you are an inspiration to others and I hope to have time to read your book one day.

I hope to meet you both again on a less crowded train in the near future!

Kind regards David

Further to David's message I got an email from anothr person with a link to a clip of Mr Bean and his teddy bear at a pet show. Thought I'd share it with you. Sorry about teh Smirnoff Vodka d at the beginning though. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYK2ooQ_eS4

10th November

The teddy bear problem page has a 25th problem. This is for those humans and teddies affected by 'Parents Say Too Old for Teddy Bears Syndrome'.

2nd November

For those of you that enjoy, or have not yet seen the teddy bear problem page there is a 24th problem; this one though, is from a cuddly toy wolf!

There is a new customer review at the bottom of the page about Debra's book. Check it out.

20th October

Debra's job took us to Parliament today, as it sometimes does. She had a knife taken off her on being searched. It was just a Swizz Army style knife but the shame. After the meeting we were there for we met Tom Clarke MP. He was intrigued to know who I was so I introduced myself and sold him Debra's book! He was the first person to buy it in Parliament. We just missed Lord Rix leaving the meeting but I'm sure we will get him next time as we attend meetings attended by them both quite often. Thanks Tom and make sure Brian that you have tenner on you next All Party Parliamentary on Learning Disability meeting! Hello to the lovely lady we sat next to.

17th October

Debra had to attend a training course in Yeovil yesterday. We stayed overnight the night before in a beautiful farmhouse B&B called Home Farm in the quaint village of Chilthorne Domer which was 3 miles outside Yeovil. We can highly reccommend staying here if ever in the area. Celia and Henry were welcoming and the the house charming, warm and peaceful. It was so much nicer than staying in a boring modern chain hotel. Breakfast was taken in the comfy dining room where I spoke to a teddy bear but forgot to ask him his name. I think he was maybe a little jealous as I was so much cuter than him but we got along fine anyway. Thank you Henry for buying Debra's book.

The training course was Finance Demytified and I'm sure will proove useful for Debra. Thank you to David the trainer who bought Debra's book.

A stroll around Yeovil after the course met us a man who had seen us before on the London Underground. The train journey back to London met us Sheena who bought Debra's book - Thank you Sheena. We then had a visit to our table by a woman who asked to nick some of Debra's sushi and Sheena's crisps. Unfortuantly we did not get to know her name and she didn't hang around too long - think Debra scared her off when she asked if she wanted to buy the book! A couple of stops later a group of very jolly people got on with some bottles of wine and wanted to sit with us bears. Choc-Ice and me (I forgot to mention Choc was with us too, didn't I)! Anyway, Debra obtained some wine and us two bears, of course, got to have some too. Debra had two books left on her and sold them to Mike and Dan who are now in my Bearsac Meets Public page along with their colleauge Carolyn, and some people we met in the Halway House Pub the night before. If only the Thameslink could be as fun as The Great Western. Come on Thameslinkers, step it up!

Anyone else on the train that wants to buy it, go to Debra's Book page where you can read the blurb and link to Amazon to buy it or get the ISBN to order in book shops.

8th October

Debra has been featured in an article for System Concepts titled Accessibility Testing Making a Positive Difference.
Accessibility testing is a brilliant way to make of bit of extra cash and make sure that the access requirements of different people are taken into account in the design of websites. See the artlicle and see if your experience of accessibily needs can make a difference. If you do get to do any testing then spend some of the money buying our book as a way of thanking us for bringing this opportunity to your attention!

6th October

This evening we attended Jason Cook's talk on his latest book The Gansters Runner. Jason was calm and spoke well of his mispent youth and the turn-around in his life and how things are good for him now he has been off drugs for 7 years. He is happy with his life and if doing work to bring awareness of the bad effects of drugs to the youth of today.
See Jason holding me and Debra's book in a photograph on the Bearsac Meets Celebrities page.
Hello to everyone we met this evening and good luck to the other three authours there we spoke to.

Borehamwooders look out for a new magazine which will soon be available (if not already) in the the town. Tried & Trusted. http://s1.webstarts.com/ampsuk/

3rd October

Debra spotted this chair in the second-hand furniture shop in Aycliffe Road and went to get me and bought it. My wife now has my old chair and we took her old to the shop. Don't you think the elephant is a bit scary looking? Though she is friendly I 'wood' not want ot get of the wrong side of her! the giraffes are a bit cross, I hope they arn't going to be too much of a pain in the neck!

Here is the latest review of Debra's book Travels With My Teddy Bear. You can read other reviews and abou the book on the book page.

This book was written a year ago, and the travel~, ND (Neuro Diversity)~ and SpLD (Specific Learning Differences) information provided is certainly still as fresh and valuable today as it was then. Fortunately, more awareness about ND/SpLD has lately been circulating via the media, whether it's based on scientific/academic or on 'circumstantial' evidence. The latter is the case in this travel log book.

The author, Debra Schiman, diagnosed at the age of 38 with Asperger's Syndrome (a high functioning form of Autism), has produced an unusual and informative volume both for typical/normal as well as a-typical or ND/SpLD readers. It's unusual in the way that her inseparable travel companion, teddy bear 'Bearsac', contributes to describing her experiences. Together, they demonstrate the Asperger's way of processing information, socialising and communicating while travelling to various European and exotic destinations. Thus, they point out as well as unravel some of the mysteries surrounding the challenges for people who travel alone in general and for those with Asperger's Syndrome in particular.

This travel log, set out in chronological order, covers the span of seven years from 2000, in which Debra and Bearsac visited seventeen destinations, described in thirteen chapters. On the one hand, this volume is practical as a guide book, regarding the places that were visited. Many interesting sight seeing highlights and/or tips are usually sprinkled randomly in each chapter. On the other hand, Debra provides an insight into the world of 'Aspies', as she calls them. In the first part of the book she lets us discover the ways in which the Aspies, or a-typical, neuro-diverse people are wired differently from the so called 'norm'. She achieves this through her descriptions of the way she and Bearsac communicate and interact with 'natives' they encounter in near and remote parts of the world. She also presents the way they both react to or get involved in indigenous customs and cultures. In the latter part of the volume she adds more detailed explanations of Asperger's Syndrome symptoms, when they arise; the strengths and weaknesses Aspies may demonstrate and how 'typical' people might react in turn when meeting Aspies. This interplay is fascinating and colourfully depicted in easily readable style and often rich vocabulary. Finally, Debra also reveals how her journeys with Bearsac have helped to set her free in her travel through life by learning to do her own thing, not to necessarily conform to the norm and to be happy that way!
(Book review by: Eleanor May-Brenneker MA, Independent Neuro Diversity/SpLD Consultant)

27th September

A business trip took to Worcester and Malvern in Worcsetershire but Debra had booked the next 2 days off work and we camped at the Marlbank Inn and went walking over the Malvern Hills. We were blessed with warm Autumn weather, at least during the day; the nights were chilly under canvas. We met lots of hens and cows from the farm next door and humans, dogs, sheep, rabbits and a very tame snow bunting who let us get just 2 feet away filming him without even flying away. We also visted the grave of composer Edward Elgar.

There are new people on the Bearsac Meets Public Page and Bearsac Meets Celebrities page all of whom we met on the hills.

21st September

A big thank you to Gina Bold for this wonderful painting of me. We met Gina on the Northern Line and she fell in love with me! See her art on her website.

20th September

Happy New Year 5770 to anyone celebating it. Yesterday was Rosh hashanna which is 'head of the year or first of the year'. People eat apple and honey for a sweet new year. This is the time were bearded men blow rams horns (shofar). It is the time wake up and prepare to be judged on Yom Kippur which follows soon after.

17th September

Debra and I have been very busy the last week or so, so sorry for delays in replying to any emails.

Monday and Tuesday were spent in Taunton in the beautiful West Country county of Somerset; Debra attened a course on the Tuesday. We met lots a friendly people including staff and regulars in The Plough public house and a lovely Lollipop lady who knew the names of all the children crossing the road. They are all on my Bearsac Meets Public page.

There was one person we met that was not nice and that was, of all the places, in a teddy bear shop! Some people are too ignorant and immature to accept people that are 'different'.

14th September

Today we attended Hugglets Teddy Bear Festival at Kensington Town Hall where thousands of teddy bears and humans gathered under one roof. We met lots of characters and had fun despite Debra's nose itching from the mohair of so many teddies.
Big hello to Catherine who we previously met in February when she bought Debra's book, Peter and his little bear Toast who bought the book from Amazon; they are both now on my Bearsac Meets Public page along with Matthew we met in Notting Hill and had previously met on the Jubilee Line. Hello too to the other people we met and big thank you to those who bought the book today. Hope you all got home safely and were not too tired.

There is a new page on the site now, currently you can only link from the gallery or here. It is Gossips about me and/or Debra that we have come across on the net or been told about. Please email me links if you know of any.

7th September

We had a nice cycle to the Arsenal training ground, getting there a few minutes before the England Football Team coach left. Debra videoed the coach going by as bemused players looked out the the window. None of them waved at me - Don't they know who I am!
We will put the clip on YouTube in a couple of days. Due to international games there were not many 1st team players in. However, we did get to meet reserves team player Mark Randall. Thanks Mark and his brother, whoes name we forget, for your patience with silly cow Debra still having the camera on movie setting.
See Mark on the Bearsac Meets Celebrities page.

5th September

Just a quickie to let people know that there are 3 new problems (problem 21, 22 and 23) on the teddy bear
problem page.

29th August

At last we got our certificate come through.
Wow, we are record breakers!

On 23rd May Debra and I took part in setting a new World Record. The record was for the most people running in a 12-hour realy race. I was probably the only teddy bear that took part. The certicate only had Debra's name on it so she Paint-shopped mine onto a copy of it!

We raised £100 for the Children of Gaza, some of the money coming from passengers of the train Debra uses as well as from her colleauges. There were other members of
Jews For Justice For Palestinians who also took part.
The event was not just about raising money but about bringing awareness of support for people that are injusticed against.

It was inportant for the Jewish people that took part to offer their support in order to show that there are Jews that are against the Israeli occupation and injustice it brings onto the people of Palestine and also show there are Jews who do not hate Muslims.

To see photos of an earlier event we attended as part of Jews For Justice For Palestinians see the Politics pages. On the page you can also read about the Social Model of Disability.

26th August

Today was my 12th birthday. Thank you for messages, emails and many greetings in person I got on the train and tube. I shared sweets with passengers on our way to work, sorry to the person whoes foot Debra trod on in passing down the tube train.

8th August

For any Borehamwooders wanting to read Debra's book Travels With My Teddy Bear that are feeling a little stapped for cash; we are pleased to tell you there is a copy in the library in Elstree Way. You will need to be a member to take it out but it is free to join and loan books. Phone them for ID you will need to join. 01438 737333.

If you would rather buy then you order in bookshops or buy online - see Debra's Book page for details.

Also see two of the people I met down the village on the Bearsac Meets Public page.

Well folk, I see it is a sunny day and I am now gonna make hay while the sun shines before it reverts back to the doom and gloom we seem to have had this summer. Kissy poos peeps x x x .

1st August

I went for a second time in July as Debra has itchy feet. This time wild camping in Dieppe in France. See our trip to France in the Travel centre or you can click the link just above.

Also see two of the people I met in the Bearsac Meets Public page.

18th July

I've was away in Bulgaria and Italy for about 10 days and have made a new page from the
travel centre. This is the first trip we have done since our book 'Travels With My Teddy Bear' came out.

I have also updated the Bearsac Meets Public with some of the people I met whilst on holiday. You can email me to pass on your names if you want.

2nd July

Met my old mate Kelly in the street. She was trying to seduce me with her ice-cream; trust Debra to spoil things by clinging onto me.

30th June

I went to see Zinnie Harris's version of Ibsen's A Doll's House tonight at the Donmar Wharehouse Theatre in Covent Garden and it was wonderful with snippets of humour and antics on the floor - wink, wink. The cast included Chiristopher Eccleston, Tara Fitzgerald, Anton Lesser, Gillian Anderson, Toby Stephens, Maggie Wells and a couple of cute kids. After the perfomance I met and was photographed with Gillian.

I later met Gerry Springer who had performed in Chicago. He got completely mobbed by young ladies in their teens and 20s chanting 'Jerry, Jerry, Jerry'. It reminded me of when that has happened to me in Borehamwood on a few occassions - of course they wern't chanting 'Jerry, Jerry, Jerry' but 'Bearsac, Bearsac, Bearsac'!

Hello to everyone I met tonight .

22nd June

I just realised I have not updated my diary for nearly a month - what a bad teddy bear I am. All I have to offer by way of news is that I have a new zip. Debra lovlingly sew it in place of the old broken one at the side of my body; it is metal so should last a good few years; let's hope my weary body holds out!

If you are looking for a book to read over the summer then you can still buy Debra's book. Travels with my Teddy Bear.

24th May

Yesterday afternoon Debra and I helped to set a new world record which will hopefully soon be in the Guinness Book of Records.

At Mile End Stadium we ran together as participant 687 of 1,675 in a 12-hour relay race called Gaza 100: The record was “the most people running 100 meters in a 12-hour relay.” The event was run by IF charity, funds were to provide humanitarian aid for children in Gaza.

Debra was interviewed by three different TV stations as she is a member of Jews For Justice For Palestinians. It is important to show Israel and the world that there are Jews who are against the Israeli occpupation and the evil that it imposes onto innocent people.

Hello to all the people we met there yesterday and whoever made the yummy yum yum carrot cake we had - make more next time!

Thank you to everyone that sponsored Debra in person but nobody has donated via Debra's Just Giving page though. You can still do so though. I know many people hate making internet transactions so if you see Debra and me you can also still donate by giving us the money by 10th of June and we will pass over the amount raised by the deadline for return on 12th June.

9th May

Had a good ay today. Debra did a presentation at a conference and we met Edgar The Butler and Fletcher The Butler. 'The Butlers' will carry out usual butler duties but take it further than the ordinary. You want them to walk like a penguin they do it. I had to think of Debra and her need for a break from being my medium of communication. We asked Edgar The Butler to be my medium and he dutifully complied, taking me around the room to say hello to delegates! Also at the conference I met a lovely lady called Shirley. You can see these people in my Bearsac Meets Public page

On the way home we met lots of people too; including a few people sitting in the road outside a pub in London. Weren't they worried of getting dirty bums? Anyway, very friendly they were. When I mentioned my website and the photos with celebrities they gave us a tip-off that Pixie Geldof was around the corner. So around the corner we went. she is the lastest on my Bearsac Meets Celebrities page and rather a nice young lady she is too.

7th May

Sorry people if you have tried to visit the site over the last couple of days and it was down. No worries, I'm back in cyber space. The man in the green hat reading Bill Bryson that wanted to buy Debra's book yesterday when we had non on us - you can link to Amazon from Debra's Book page to order it or you can take the ISBN number to order in a book shop. You were on the Thameslink going past Borehamwood so if you live in St Alban's you might still get a signed copy in Waterstone's from when we did a book siging there. Same for anyone else interested.

1st May

Hello to all the lovely people I met today in Camden, especially to John Matthews who played for The Arenal in the 1970s - see him with me on the Bearsac Meets Celebrities page. :)

I again remind people to please donate money to Save The Children's Gaza appeal via our
Just Giving website it is not doing very well so far :(

Also buy Debra's book :)

27th April

There is a new teddy on the teddy dating page - go check out Jemima. She is a trasnsgender teddy and she is proud to bring awareness that there are teddy bears who are transgender.

I have been playing card all morning with Choc-Ice and now have to go and play with my kids, so I will say goodbye and bee good human and teddies.

19th April

Choc-Ice and I had a great weekend. We went to Birmingham as Debra was running a conference for her company and they also held their AM. On the Saturday we boogied on down in celebration of Debra's 42nd birthday - she tabled danced and was her usual mad self.

I got to meet a beautiful lady teddy bear called Cassie, who belongs to one of the delegets called Christine.

Hello to the People of Birmingham we met on our walk about; especially the restuarant owner that bought Debra's book whilst he was having as smoke outside the resturant. Sorry to anyone that Debra annoyed with her singing on the train whist listening to her MP3 player.

9th April

Hello people, hope you are all well. I want to wish anyone celebrating them a happy Passover and a happy coming Easter. I have to give up eating jelly baby sandwiches for Passover. I can eat the jelly babbies but not the bread, so it's not so bad. I am very much looking forward to the eggs though - chocolate, yummy!

I would like to say hello to Alistaire who I was photographed with yesterday; sorry that the photo was not put up last night, Debra was too tired and was in bed within 2 hours of getting home from work - lazy so-and-so. Also a hello and big thank you to both Rachel and Marc who bought Debra's book yesterday; hope ou enjoy it.

I remind people to please donate money to Save The Children's Gaza appeal via our Just Giving website it is not doing very well so far :(

3rd April

On 23rd May this year Debra and I will take part in Gaza 100 World Record Run in aid of the children of Gaza. It is no big effort to be honest as she only has to run 100 meters in 20 seconds and I get to ride on her back! However, we will be part of a 4000 participant strong race in a bid to set a new world record for the most people running a race in 24 hour relay. I ask you to please donate money to Save The Children's Gaza appeal via our Just Giving website.

30th March

Read about the shocking treatment of cute furry bears in the making of Chinese Medicines.
The feature might upset some readers.
The Unbearable Trade in Bear Parts and Bile

There are still a few signed copies of Debra's book 'Travels With My Teddy Bear' 'Travelogues of a woman with Asperger's syndrome with her teddy bear' at Waterstone's in St Alban's, Herfordshire.

You can read about it on her book page .

17th March

Happy St Patrick's Day to anyone celebrating it today. It is a public holiday in Ireland and Monserrat. This holiday is in honour of St Parick, who is the Patron Staint of Ireland and thought to have died 17th March, 493. No, I didn't miss a digit at the beginning, this geezer lived a long, long time ago.

Originally St Patrick was blue not green - by that I don't mean St Patrick himself! In the old days he was shown wearing blue; it is only in realtion to the green association of Ireland and maybe the shamrocks worn that green is now the colour associated with St Patricks Day.

There is now a new guest-book in my sitting room waiting for your messages.

14th March

Hope you all are doing your spring-cleaning and dusting off any teddy bears that sit around your homes. Debra has been sneezing away from the dust on the bears that sit around on the book-shelves doing nothing but look cute. I'm too busy to sit around though. I have been busy with the kids and their hobbies; I am starting to feel a little old these days, so maybe sitting around wouldn't bee so bad.

Thank you to people that have bought
Debra's book, and to the people that have sent in their reviews.

I have been photographed with a very lovely young lady today - see Alexandra and her teddy bear Mr Ted with me on the
Bearsac Meets Public page.

Me and Debra at the signing table

28th February

Yesterday we were interviewed on Three Counties Radio and today we did a book signing Waterstone's in St Albans. Hello to everyone we met today. Thank you for the chats and a big thank you to people that bought the book.

Waterstone's in St Albans still have a few copies and they are signed - pop in and ask.

The friendly staff will be happy to order a book for you if the stock runs out or you can order in your local book shop if you live elsewhere.

ISBN number for ordering is 978 190 620 6925

You can by online too. You can link to Amazon from Debra's Book page where you can read the book blurb. and hopefully will also be available to America via amazon.com

21st February

See the amended video advert for Debra's book 'Travels With My Teddy Bear'
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b8fhflMwLW8

Travels With My Teddy Bear can You can link to amazon UK from the Book page where you can read the book blurb. and hopefully will also be available to America via amazon.com ISBN number is 978 190 620 6925

You can also order in shops but might need to take the ISBN with you.

Radio interview
We are going to be interviewed on Three Counties Radio on Lorna Milton's afternoon show Friday 27th February. http://www.bbc.co.uk/threecounties/local_radio/ You can listen online.

Book Signing
For people that live nearby we have re-schedulled the book signing. It will take place at Waterstone's in St Peter's Street - St Albans (Hertfordshire) Saturday 28th February. We will be there between 2pm and 4pm.

17th February

Hi folks there is now a video of me and Debra talking about her book. For some reason she begrudged me speaking. I can't think why.

Big, big thank you to Simon for doing all the hard work on the video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b8fhflMwLW8

14th February

Hope you all had a good Valentine's Day.

Just a quick update to let people know that I have added links from the Bookworms page to buy on Amazon the books recommended. So if you want to, it is easy to buy the book - including Debra's.

2nd February

Good news - Debra's book is out today. Weather permitting, we will be doing a book signing in Waterstones in St Albans on Saturday 7th February between 12pm and 2pm.

Bad news - People can't get out to buy due to the snow

Good news - Debra and I made the most of ther snow and made a snow teddy bear.

22nd January

2nd of February will be a big Day for me and Debra as her first book is released. The title is 'Travels With My Teddy Bear' and it has a subtitle 'Travelogues of a woman with Asperger's syndrome with her teddy bear'.

You can read about it on her book page where you can link to Amazon to order it. (until relase it is only for preordering and will be sent out by Amazon when they ahve it after release).

We should be doing a book signing for people buying it in the St Albans branch of Waterstones on the 7th February between 12pm and 2pm.

7th January

Just as I thought we got this Christmas lark out of the way I realise that today is The Rastafarian Christmas Day. So I would like to wish a big Merry Christmas to Rastafarians and of cause Rastabearians.

There is a Bearsac Meets Public 2009 page and Debra's colleauge Olivia is the first on it.

Starting on a Louis Bernard Chateauneuf du Pape

1st January

Happy New Year folks; hope it is a great success.