Unbroken by Alex McKinnon

Fifteen months ago, a young Rugby League player was injured in a tackle that has left him an incomplete quadriplegic. He's written a book to tell his story, but also to raise money for his life ahead. The book's called Unbroken and you can find it here (it's not at regular bookshops).

There's been a lot of support in the Rugby League community for Alex and his book. I intended to buy it and support it because he was injured playing the game I love watching. Last night, a 60 Minutes program interviewed him and it made me waver in my support.

On one hand, last night's program showed me a woman, Teigan Powell, who I admired. At 21, she knew she wanted to be with Alex forever. She'd met him when she was 16, he's 3 years older (I think), and after knowing him for a year, was pushing for everything. When the accident happened, she was studying at uni and they'd just moved in together. Her strength to support him, her genuine love and affection for him, and her determined character were inspirational to see. What a remarkable girl, and an amazing love story.

And then there was the downside. This story is awful enough, it doesn't need extra sensationalisation - yet that's where they went. Shame on 60 Minutes if it was their decision to add to an already emotional and heart breaking story.

They didn't attack the players who made the tackle, but their captain. In a most scathing way, which left me feeling cold.

One thing about rugby league that has always puzzled me, is how you keep playing when someone's been carted off badly injured. I've asked a lot of footy players this over the years (not NRL grade, but other guys) and most people have said that you don't focus on the bloke on the ground. You focus on something else. And that makes sense to me. When I see someone get hurt, usually a few blokes are there and do something until the trainer gets there - some blokes squat down for some reassuring words, some grab the guys hand, pat him on the head or shoulder, there's always something. Once that trainer's there...blokes are gone. You see it over and over again. That's football. Compartmentalise and move on.

When Alex McKinnon was hurt, this is was happened. Then the opposition captain questioned the referee about the tackle, which he is allowed to do. On the 60 Minutes episode, it implied that this questioning went on, unabated, for 10 minutes until Alex left the field. I'm sure no referee would allow that. Referees have about a 1 minute tolerance for a ranting captain in normal games. I can't imagine it was different for this game - but you know, I don't know. And that annoys me. Did 60 Minutes edit the footage so it looked like incessant ranting for 10 minutes? Or did the ref allow it because he too was shocked by the accident?

But no matter what happened, to go after the opposition captain when he's doing his job - sticking up for his blokes, protecting his team, and giving his support to his blokes - is just plain nasty.

And the timing of the attack is just rude.

But it's created discussion for the book. I still don't think you needed to over-dramatise and already dramatic story, but these days it seems to be what's done. Any publicity is good publicity, seems to be the motto.

I'd prefer it if a story was allowed to stand for itself.

If you'd like to support Alex McKinnon and his recovery, as well as adding to your book collection, you can do so by visiting the web page: http://www.alexbook.com.au/

Good luck to Alex for his recovery.

Sunday Story - Neaderthal & Rosie

This is a bit of a milestone post in that it's my 500th post! Thanks for reading me, especially if you're a regular :)

Today I want to talk about two books with unusual characters and my thoughts on them. The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion (Jan 2013) hit best seller fame. Neanderthal Seeks Human by Penny Reid (March 2013) and is spoken of a 'smart romance'.

The Rosie Project was hilarious with Don Tillman's awkwardness there on display for all. He was goofy, awkward, and desperate for a wife. Until about halfway, I was sold on the story...and then Don decided he needed to change who he was, largely because of prompting by others and his need for a wife.

This shattered me and left me disliking the book. I don't mind growth and change in a character per se. What got me about this was that Don Tillman's best friend ridiculed him for his idiosyncrasies - even though he was undeserving of this. Don was "aspergery" (my invented word for the fact that I thought he sat somewhere along the Asperger's scale) and I objected to the fact that he couldn't be loved even with his peculiarities.

It's probably a pet thing of mine, related to me and to also my upbringing. Probably no one in the world agrees - because it was a very popular book! When I was in 5th class, we went to see Grease, as a school end of year excursion - it was newly released. I was 11 and sheltered, so a lot of the film passed over my head. Seeing the film caused so much kerfuffle. I went to a Catholic school and after we saw the film, the Catholic Church came out condemning it. Of course I had no understanding of what they were condemning but I wanted to know. Mum told me it was because the girl changed who she was to be liked - which I thought was insane because Danny liked Sandy more at the start when she was sweet and innocent, than at the end when they were both just part of big groups together. Yep, see, no idea about the sexual themes in that movie :) But that message stuck with me all my life. It's like it grew roots in my head and took over me. If someone liked you for who you were - why the hell would you change to fit in with a group? It made no sense to me. Hence my problem with Don Tillman.

So then this week I've read Neanderthal Seeks Human because I saw someone recommend it, and it was free when I got it. It has such a dumb title and silly cover (in my opinion), I would never have looked at it otherwise. BUT... it's wonderful. It's everything Rosie wasn't for me.

Janie is aspergery too...and Penny Reid gets right into her head with all the rubbishy trivia Janie thinks of to divert her mind from emotion and those pesky humans who drive her nuts. Janie sees herself as a Neanderthal (hence the title). She has the hots for a security guard in her office building who she pervs on every lunchtime, and some afternoons, for a few weeks. Then she meets him and he's not only hot but he seems to 'get' her and all her awkwardness.

"...surprisingly, I didn't actually feel any outrage at being called terrified, oblivious, and irrational. His assessment was, more or less, on target. The fact that he knew these things about me, and he seemed to accept them regardless, made me feel better and worse."

"But, in spite of how totally nuts you are, I wouldn't change anything about you." (Hero, Quinn, says this to Janie)

There's some fabulous writing, like:
"...caused my stomach to become like hair trapped in bubblegum - a massive tangle of heinous, untenable knots."

"I was in the Matrix, and I'd just unwittingly taken the red pill; my thoughts became as agitated and circular as a washing machine on the spin cycle."

It was refreshing to read a goofy heroine who found a man who loved her just as she was, who accepted her quirkiness, and even enjoyed those quirks. Her friends are the same - a bunch of women who love her and her eccentricities. It was my kind of story - she grew as a character, but she didn't change who she was.

So, if you weren't a fan of Rosie, or even if you were, you might like Neanderthal. Hope you do!

Happy Reading!

Phallic Friday - voyeurism

Today's fetish is voyeurism. It always makes me think of that old advertisement, was it for Guinness, when the guy says, "I like to watch." I looked on youtube for it and found this one here - it's not the one I remember, but anyway! Here's the one I remember.

Voyeurism is described on dictionary.com as "the practice of obtaining sexual gratification by looking at sexual objects or acts, especially secretively." 

Voyeurs can do this in person, often using peepholes, or by using technology such as cameras, video recorders, etc. There are clubs where voyeurs can pay to watch sexual activities. And the internet is a voyeur's paradise - easily available porn videos both professionally shot and amateur videos, plus with live streaming and every computer/phone having a camera, there's a huge number of people with sites where they perform.

If you're having sex in public now, you don't just have to be careful of someone walking by and watching...but someone walking by, filming, and allowing the world to watch. Some months ago there was a NZ pair caught at night in the office with the lights on having wild sex. Not only was this watched by people from across the road it was filmed and broadcast everywhere - even the news in Australia. Here it is in the UK Daily Mail. When something is broadcast like this, we all become voyeurs as we watch it (even if we don't enjoy it per se), and the couple are non-consensual exhibitionists (more on exhibitionism next week).

In the 'old days' Peeping Toms were the only voyeurs I knew...they were the 'scary men who'd watch you if you didn't draw the curtains at night'. Did your Mum every scare you with those stories? Mine tried to, maybe because I was showing exhibitionist tendencies at a young age which caused her to panic! I wasn't known for enjoying clothes when I was a kid.

Anyway, voyeurs in a fetish/sex club is definitely something I'll be including in my story. I think it's a fascinating topic, and a fascinating fetish.

Do you, "...like to watch"?

Wildlife Wednesday - Kookaburra

Washing day

Last Monday on my walk, I had a bird day. For some reason the birds were feeling photogenic and so sat around posing or doing quirky things for me. I had pelicans in the river splashing like they were in a washing machine, body and wings going like crazy. And then they'd groom themselves with their beak. Must have been washing day!

Kookaburra

Then I had this kookaburra sitting on a sign. I had to walk right by it, so I took a photo a long way before the sign, then another, and another, then I was chatting to him while he stared at me, or above me really he wasn't really being friendly, and I stood right next to him and he let me get this photo. I was amazed. After my walk, he met me where the path comes out and perched high up in the tree - probably to make sure I left!

Then in the car park were Superb Blue Wrens, a male and two females (or juveniles). And they also let me get a picture.

So today's post is about the KOOKABURRA even though I had to share the extra birds :)

The kookaburra has one of the most famous bird calls - the laugh. If you haven't heard a kookaburra laugh, you should. It's incredible. Here's one on youtube if you need to hear (and smile).
The most distinguishing feature for me to identify a kookaburra (aside from the call) is the squat, robust body and that big thick point beak. No bird has that build and beak combination. They often sit on high and survey the world around them because that's how they spot their food. They eat all sorts of things - insects, crustaceans, worms, as well as small snakes, mammals, birds and frogs. (One swooped into my backyard pond and plucked out a frog then proceeded to sit near my office window with frog legs dangling from either side of the beak. My frog pond now has a cover...and I know I should let nature do it's thing, but I couldn't stomach it happening outside my window!)

Blue Wrens

You can find out more about Kookaburras at the Australian Museum site here.

It says that kookas mate for life, and the male and female share incubation and rearing duties. The group of kookaburras all share the duty of guarding and feeding the young. So they really are a little family.

I have a few around me, and I love waking to their call every morning, and hearing them most evenings too. They're a magical Aussie bird.