Something phenomenal happened this week in Britain and it wasn't anything to do with sport, politics or music - no, it was on one of my least favourite mediums of entertainment . . . reality tv!
Yes, after years of vaguely following the escapades of 'celebrities' via newspaper headlines and trending hashtags I am now a fully committed, even got reminders set, hard core fan of I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here!
And its all down to one incredible moment, when Anne Hegerty started talking openly on prime-time national tv about being autistic!!!!!
It was so powerful a moment, hidden in so mundane a scene, that it brought tears to my eyes, finally someone has broken that ceiling and is simply *being* autistic on screen, not playing a role or being the token person trotted out for an interview or camera piece but just being themselves!! To see her being so understood and supported by the other people in camp is also incredibly heartwarming, these are real people who don't have the background understanding of being autistic or family to autistics themselves and yet they are *getting it*!
And its so much more than that, oh the conversations it has started! Suddenly the country is alive to discussion about autism and being autistic as an adult and a female, things like sensory issues are being talked about by random non-autism world people online, and the world seems just a bit brighter and more hopeful.
What ever she achieves, however far she gets, Anne Hegerty is already our Jungle Queen just for being herself - thank you Governess!
#TeamAnne
Tuesday 20 November 2018
Monday 12 November 2018
Life Goal achieved!
I don't have a huge number of things on my "life goals" list (my not-dying-anytime-soon version of a bucket list) but one thing that has sat on there for years has finally be achieved!
I saw the All Blacks!!
No, not on the telly or on YouTube but live, at Twickenham!!!!
It was a simply unbelievable day, albeit one I've been paying for the past 2 days with the worst autistic backlash I've had in years.
But it was so worth it!!
Even though England lost by a single, heartbreaking, point and the rain was thundering down it was still one of the most amazing days of my whole life. I cannot thank those who made it so wonderful for me enough - O2, who's Twitter competition I won, the brilliant staff at the Blue Room on the day who were so lovely and friendly and helpful, the Twickenham staff who were full of good humour and patience, the England and New Zealand players and coaches who gave us a simply phenemonal match to watch, and yes even the referee team despite my firm belief that Lawes was onside!
But the absolute pinnacle of my gratitude has to go to my beloved brother who was there with me, he is my rock when I need him to be and my let's go crazy buddy when the time is right! We speak in fictional shorthand and bizarre metaphors half the time and spend most of our time together communicating through facial expressions and sarcasm.
My brother protects me when I need defending, looks out for me when he thinks I'm struggling but overall he believes in me, believes that I am capable of doing virtually anything I set my mind to.
I have so many amazing memories from the All Blacks game but one of my absolute favourites comes from just a few minutes after kick off, when Chris Ashton got the ball he'd been screaming for and slid over the try line to claim 5 points. I was jumping around screaming like a lunatic at this point, completely overcome with emotion and my brother just turned to me, put one arm around my shoulders and held his other hand up for a fist bump, knowing what it meant to me as a Sarries fan to see Ashy score again in white!
The perfect dream wasn't to be however and when the final whistle cruelly blew he knew all the right things to say and all the words to avoid while I was processing the crushing disappointment before I was ready to acknowledge just what was achieved that day and how proud I am of the boys who played out of their skins on that hallowed turf.
It was a day I will remember for a lifetime and something that has strengthened an already rock solid bond between siblings.
I just wish the social hangover and sensory backlash wasn't quite so painful!
I saw the All Blacks!!
No, not on the telly or on YouTube but live, at Twickenham!!!!
It was a simply unbelievable day, albeit one I've been paying for the past 2 days with the worst autistic backlash I've had in years.
But it was so worth it!!
Even though England lost by a single, heartbreaking, point and the rain was thundering down it was still one of the most amazing days of my whole life. I cannot thank those who made it so wonderful for me enough - O2, who's Twitter competition I won, the brilliant staff at the Blue Room on the day who were so lovely and friendly and helpful, the Twickenham staff who were full of good humour and patience, the England and New Zealand players and coaches who gave us a simply phenemonal match to watch, and yes even the referee team despite my firm belief that Lawes was onside!
But the absolute pinnacle of my gratitude has to go to my beloved brother who was there with me, he is my rock when I need him to be and my let's go crazy buddy when the time is right! We speak in fictional shorthand and bizarre metaphors half the time and spend most of our time together communicating through facial expressions and sarcasm.
My brother protects me when I need defending, looks out for me when he thinks I'm struggling but overall he believes in me, believes that I am capable of doing virtually anything I set my mind to.
I have so many amazing memories from the All Blacks game but one of my absolute favourites comes from just a few minutes after kick off, when Chris Ashton got the ball he'd been screaming for and slid over the try line to claim 5 points. I was jumping around screaming like a lunatic at this point, completely overcome with emotion and my brother just turned to me, put one arm around my shoulders and held his other hand up for a fist bump, knowing what it meant to me as a Sarries fan to see Ashy score again in white!
The perfect dream wasn't to be however and when the final whistle cruelly blew he knew all the right things to say and all the words to avoid while I was processing the crushing disappointment before I was ready to acknowledge just what was achieved that day and how proud I am of the boys who played out of their skins on that hallowed turf.
It was a day I will remember for a lifetime and something that has strengthened an already rock solid bond between siblings.
I just wish the social hangover and sensory backlash wasn't quite so painful!
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