Paralympics, family, stuff
Sep. 4th, 2012 10:35 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
st_aurafinaReally enjoyed the opening ceremony - Prospero and Newton and Stephen Hawking, and nobody used the word inspiring once. (I think Channel 4 might have issued a blanket ban on the word, which is good thinking. I wish I could say the same for the Australian commentary.) I loved the inclusion of the phrase "For those who are able" in the request for people to stand for the National anthem. That's something that I hope becomes a standard thing.
Sir Ian McKellan was brilliant in his button coat. Miranda with her punky blue hair was just fantastic. (Get her on TV now, someone! I would pay good money to see her as the next companion in Doctor Who.) The two of them were awesome together, and Sir Ian's incredibly dorky dancing made me grin. I loved the umbrella theme, the physics ballet, the book seagulls and how much fun everyone was having. On a more serious note, Channel 4 had a Canadian paralympian athlete commentating on the show. He had a lot to say about the inequality of access to equipment and training between nations, and how that's the next thing the Paralympics should be working on, which. Yeah.
The Lexi system they're using to explain the classification system for the categories is really straight forward. They explain what the physical abilities of the athletes are, and what that means for that particular sport. It's enhanced the way we understand the strategies the athletes are using in their events. I think I love the Paralympics for the chance to see all the adaptive technology in use - the pool has adjustable starting blocks, for example, that's something new. But the most awesome thing is that there are more and more athletes that have competed in the able-bodied Olympics first. I hope that one day the two events can be fully integrated. They had a go at Sydney, with a couple of demonstration events but it doesn't seem to have caught on.
But the sports are fantastic - there's an easy-going, friendly atmosphere about each event, all the athletes seem to be good friends, and I love all the hugging at the end of each race or game. It's great to see new world records popping up again and again - part of this being a relatively young event, and one in which adaptive technology and training are making big and rapid changes in the way the events play out.
If you're an Aussie or if you use a proxy, you can see the Aussie coverage on the ABC iView. It's pretty good - occasional maudlin moments, but on the whole it's a thousand times better than Channel Nine's commentary for the able-bodied Olympics.
My Nonna is doing well! She had surgery the day after she fell, to put a plate in her hip where she fractured it. On Saturday she moved to a rehab centre, she's started sitting up in a chair for most of the day, and today she took a few steps in physio. The family has settled somewhat, I think? My Auntie flew out from Canada last week, and she's been co-ordinating care and hospital transfers and so on. But nobody is talking about the big issue, which is making the house safe for Nonna and Poppy or investigating alternative safe housing. I am staying out of it now - just keeping in touch with Nonna. I sent her a postcard from Mount Gambier, and I'm hoping to make it down to Melbourne again before my Auntie goes back to Canada.
I learned a new word from my therapist, about a thing I do: when I get all doom-laden, I'm catastrophising. That is EXACTLY what I do. I guess knowing is a good start on the way to heading that tendency off. (But the last couple of weeks, with Nonna, and family stuff, has meant a lot of catastrophising.)
Things that exist that seem too awesome to exist:
Sue Perkins is writing a TV show where she plays a forty year old gay vet who hasn't come out to her parents yet.
THIS:
Gillian Anderson and Archie Panjabi! Together they solve crime!
Sir Ian McKellan was brilliant in his button coat. Miranda with her punky blue hair was just fantastic. (Get her on TV now, someone! I would pay good money to see her as the next companion in Doctor Who.) The two of them were awesome together, and Sir Ian's incredibly dorky dancing made me grin. I loved the umbrella theme, the physics ballet, the book seagulls and how much fun everyone was having. On a more serious note, Channel 4 had a Canadian paralympian athlete commentating on the show. He had a lot to say about the inequality of access to equipment and training between nations, and how that's the next thing the Paralympics should be working on, which. Yeah.
The Lexi system they're using to explain the classification system for the categories is really straight forward. They explain what the physical abilities of the athletes are, and what that means for that particular sport. It's enhanced the way we understand the strategies the athletes are using in their events. I think I love the Paralympics for the chance to see all the adaptive technology in use - the pool has adjustable starting blocks, for example, that's something new. But the most awesome thing is that there are more and more athletes that have competed in the able-bodied Olympics first. I hope that one day the two events can be fully integrated. They had a go at Sydney, with a couple of demonstration events but it doesn't seem to have caught on.
But the sports are fantastic - there's an easy-going, friendly atmosphere about each event, all the athletes seem to be good friends, and I love all the hugging at the end of each race or game. It's great to see new world records popping up again and again - part of this being a relatively young event, and one in which adaptive technology and training are making big and rapid changes in the way the events play out.
If you're an Aussie or if you use a proxy, you can see the Aussie coverage on the ABC iView. It's pretty good - occasional maudlin moments, but on the whole it's a thousand times better than Channel Nine's commentary for the able-bodied Olympics.
My Nonna is doing well! She had surgery the day after she fell, to put a plate in her hip where she fractured it. On Saturday she moved to a rehab centre, she's started sitting up in a chair for most of the day, and today she took a few steps in physio. The family has settled somewhat, I think? My Auntie flew out from Canada last week, and she's been co-ordinating care and hospital transfers and so on. But nobody is talking about the big issue, which is making the house safe for Nonna and Poppy or investigating alternative safe housing. I am staying out of it now - just keeping in touch with Nonna. I sent her a postcard from Mount Gambier, and I'm hoping to make it down to Melbourne again before my Auntie goes back to Canada.
I learned a new word from my therapist, about a thing I do: when I get all doom-laden, I'm catastrophising. That is EXACTLY what I do. I guess knowing is a good start on the way to heading that tendency off. (But the last couple of weeks, with Nonna, and family stuff, has meant a lot of catastrophising.)
Things that exist that seem too awesome to exist:
Sue Perkins is writing a TV show where she plays a forty year old gay vet who hasn't come out to her parents yet.
THIS:
Gillian Anderson and Archie Panjabi! Together they solve crime!
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Date: 2012-09-04 12:56 pm (UTC)2. Gillian Anderson and Archie Panjabi fight crime? I AM SO THERE.
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Date: 2012-09-04 01:10 pm (UTC)She was also in All Roads Lead Home, a series about navigating on foot using cues in nature. (Because, you know, the BBC is too awesome.) Basically, she and a couple of other people went to places in the UK, and hiked to other places based on where the moss was growing on stones.
If you like baking, the Great British Bake-Off is a not very bitchy cooking competition that Sue hosts with her friend Mel Giedroyc.
2. Gillian Anderson and Archie Panjabi fight crime? I AM SO THERE.
IKR? There is so much awesome just in that one photo, I can hardly bear it.
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Date: 2012-09-06 01:13 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-09-04 01:58 pm (UTC)Seriously, I have not seen thing one about the Paralympics on my TV, probably because I haven't set it to bring them to me, and this is a bad thing. Hmph.
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Date: 2012-09-05 12:01 pm (UTC)The Paralympics are good to watch - I always look forward to them more than the able-bodied version, actually.
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Date: 2012-09-04 02:29 pm (UTC)Damn you internet! Stop telling me about things that I know I want to watch but my non-TV-watching-brain won't let me! Or don't :) Because having the internet tempt me with shiny TV things may fix that problem?
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Date: 2012-09-05 12:22 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-09-04 04:39 pm (UTC)I WANT THIS SHOW RIGHT NOW PLEASE.
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Date: 2012-09-05 12:22 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-09-04 05:25 pm (UTC)I know the catastrophising well. We should have a club handshake! A really catastrophic one!
That Sue Perkins show needs to be a reality now, if not sooner.
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Date: 2012-09-05 12:24 pm (UTC)I am a bit worried about Sue Perkins in a sitcom, actually. I've only ever seen her in reality TV, so I don't know if she can act. It could be weird.
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Date: 2012-09-05 04:18 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-09-04 05:50 pm (UTC)(I know rationally that it is not connected to the gay vet, but I CAN PRETEND)
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Date: 2012-09-05 12:26 pm (UTC)(I know rationally that it is not connected to the gay vet, but I CAN PRETEND)
I can dream. That would be brilliant.
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Date: 2012-09-05 10:27 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-09-06 01:14 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-09-04 06:47 pm (UTC)Oh, holy shit, THAT IMAGE.
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Date: 2012-09-05 12:27 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-09-04 06:48 pm (UTC)WHY HAD I NOT HEARD ABOUT THIS BEFORE!
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Date: 2012-09-05 12:28 pm (UTC)I've been in awe at the Paralympics
Date: 2012-09-04 07:49 pm (UTC)One of the better programmes around the Paralympics has been The Last Leg with Adam Hills, I think? He's an Australian comedian who has a prosthetic leg, and because he has a disability, he takes no prisoners. People are encouraged to write in and ask questions, and they get answers! Like, "Are we allowed to say that the Paralthetics are well fit?" (Yes, because as shallow as it sounds, it's nice to think that people are looking past the disabilities - I am uncomfortable with that word) and appreciating everything else.
Heh, you're making me want to do a post on the Paralympics. I really think it's hitting a tipping point over here. They actually have headlines about British paralympic success on the front of newspapers. Considering that four years ago, no one gave it much of a look in, the interest has been really keen this year.
Re: I've been in awe at the Paralympics
Date: 2012-09-05 12:30 pm (UTC)Nobody knew Adam Hill had a prosthetic leg, actually. It was a bit of a surprise.
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Date: 2012-09-04 08:24 pm (UTC)OMG! What show/episode is this from!
This, I need to see! :D
<3 Archie Panjabi as Kalinda Sharma. :D
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Date: 2012-09-05 12:32 pm (UTC)I love Kalinda too! She is the best thing about The Good Wife.
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Date: 2012-09-06 01:54 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-09-04 08:31 pm (UTC)It's almost enough to make me uncurious about Gillian and Archie.
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Date: 2012-09-05 12:33 pm (UTC)Don't be uncurious about Gillian and Archie!
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Date: 2012-09-05 04:57 am (UTC)Oh I am so excited about The Fall. It's airing on BBC in February 2013. No news yet on when anyone else will get to see it.
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Date: 2012-09-05 12:34 pm (UTC)