Random Confessions

[hanyuufan5]

Well, I was born in Olympics year as well! And in January, so I was around 1 month old too. Not sure if we had TV then though, need to ask... The next Winter Olympics were only two years later, so I wouldn't be able to to post on GS yet, even if it existed

Hello, fellow January baby!

My parents should be thanking their lucky stars that they had me when they did, or they'd have had to deal with a 4-year-old constantly begging them to spell-check forum posts.

 

[cathlen]

Hello, fellow January baby!

My parents should be thanking their lucky stars that they had me when they did, or they'd have had to deal with a 4-year-old constantly begging them to spell-check forum posts.

Awww, that would be cute! Also, nice you would like spell-checking... sometimes I despair of the Internet users! As I'm not English native speaker, sometimes I still have to check spelling via google though.

 

[invisiblespiral]

I'm a week younger than Tursy.

(also I feel like my commentary in the live threads has been less interesting since I started college...)

 

[Amei]

Today has been awful, especially in terms of medical news — please stop making me show up for extremely draining appointments if you’re just going to tell me “lulz you’re complicated, here are 5 specialist referrals, good luck ever finding a PCP,” doctors — and I’ve been sobbing in pain (yay, neuropathy)... thank God for playlists of favourites skates. Yuzuru was there for me when infusions were torturous (and a failure) and for all manner of other things, and as for tonight... I really need to be taken somewhere beautiful, so Otonal on repeat it is.

As someone living with an autoimmune disease I feel your pain there. Its also wonderful (sarcasm) going to a doctor and getting told all the things wrong with you and the only way to 'help' (not cure) is to give you medicine with super nasty side effects. Fortunately I'm coming out of a flare of mine, I've spent the last 2 weeks sick* but I have been fortunate that it's winter and no one questions me wearing long sleeves or jackets, while yes it's because I'm cold it's also to cover up the lumps that show up during active periods of the disease and cover up the bruising that comes with the medicine to lessen the 'active period'. *This last flare I was excited at still being able to continue to run and do yoga/pilates. Everyone at my office pokes fun that I exercise a lot, but they don't realize that it's my personal accomplishment/'high in life' to be able to push my body when I can since it loves to attack itself.

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

Wasn’t sure where to put this post. But, since it is pretty random, I thought here would do.

A few months ago, I scoffed when I heard that Kylie Jenner was trying to trademark the name “Kylie”. And I thought “Sorry, love, but there’s only one Kylie, and it ain’t you. It’s Miss Minogue”.

To me, it seemed ridiculous to think that somebody would even think of trademarking their name. But now, I really think a certain very well-known skater should go down that route with their full name.

Yes, I confess that I was just looking up a skater who I have never been a particular fan of (the hype surrounding her put me off). But, while looking her up, I discovered that there is somebody else in the public eye using the exact same name. Erm, how should I put this? This person is a “presenter” on a British TV channel where clothes are optional.

We all know the jokes about porn star names. Well, this name does actually make a very good one. So, whereas it is the real name for the skater, I reckon it is a made-up name for the “presenter”. But, at the same time, I doubt if the name was copied from the skater, because figure skating is a very niche sport here in the British Isles.

Regardless of where the “presenter” got her name from, somebody in her line of work should not be using the exact same name as a real person. Especially when the person for whom it is their real name has a very high media profile.

I know that the skater in question would be horrified if she found out that somebody in this line of work was using her name. This skater has a really wholesome image, and she needs to protect that image.

The Screen Actors Guild has rules that prevents 2 people in the acting industry using the same name. But, are there any similar rules that apply to the entertainment industry in general? Because if there are, I think this skater needs to take advantage of them. And if there are not, she should go down the trademark route.

Trademarking a name may seem totally ridiculous, but in this case I think it is needed.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[Metis]

Praying for you! You might want to try checking with universities/medical schools, especially ones known for research.

Trust me: I’m trying everything. I have a form of autonomic nervous system dysfunction (dysautonomia); basically, the control centre for my body doesn’t work, so everything you do that you don’t consciously think about — heart rate, blood pressure, digestion, fight or flight, blinking, sweating/temperature management, hunger cues, etc. — is whack, with a biopsy confirming small fiber neuropathy. (Which is where the pain came from. Wouldn’t have put pain in my top three symptoms for years, but it’s been A Thing over the last. And now non-epileptic seizures from insufficient brain oxygenation.) My PCP retired this summer, so just routine management has been a hassle. The main med for neuropathic pain, Neurotonin/gabapentin, is also out — aside from maxing my inherent, life-ruining fatigue worse, my response to it was “QUIT NOW OR DIE.” Much oy, such vey, very autoimmune.

Vanderbilt is the main hub for research but they told me even I was added to the list the day I contacted them, I wouldn’t be seen for two years. Luckily, the world expert in these disorders is within driving range (with blood pressure averaging 70/40, flying is contraindicated). I see him twice a year or so and he offers some ideas (such as the infusions, which were a bust, unfortunately), which are implemented locally, and then we all collectively bang our heads against a wall because we’re out of new ideas, IVIG is still unproven (and costs 10k per dose), and the side effect risk-reward starts getting harsh (blindness and cancer... but possibly a chance at a life again!).

Rant over. I finally fell asleep a few hours later, after seeing Hanyu fall in a practice stream. Hearing him wonder if he did something wrong... no, Yuzu, you didn’t. Life is just unfair sometimes.

As someone living with an autoimmune disease I feel your pain there. Its also wonderful (sarcasm) going to a doctor and getting told all the things wrong with you and the only way to 'help' (not cure) is to give you medicine with super nasty side effects. Fortunately I'm coming out of a flare of mine, I've spent the last 2 weeks sick* but I have been fortunate that it's winter and no one questions me wearing long sleeves or jackets, while yes it's because I'm cold it's also to cover up the lumps that show up during active periods of the disease and cover up the bruising that comes with the medicine to lessen the 'active period'. *This last flare I was excited at still being able to continue to run and do yoga/pilates. Everyone at my office pokes fun that I exercise a lot, but they don't realize that it's my personal accomplishment/'high in life' to be able to push my body when I can since it loves to attack itself.

Big hugs, or, well, maybe not hugs, if you’re like me and being touched hurts. Flares are the absolute worst — you’re moving along, kind of okay, with some kind of stability, and then your body goes “LULZNOPE.” Congrats on still being able to work out, though! That is so, so, so major. To be able to do something with your body for health and pleasure, to work up a sweat, to still be able to feel good... man, do I miss that. (I used to dance, lift weights (including barbell work), do trail running, yoga, kickboxing... I exercised every day for years and it was unquestionably the highlight of my day, my “me time” — not answering my phone, rocking out to dumb music, working up a sweat and ENDORPHINS WOO... after the last flare, just trying to take a walk around the neighborhood has been a disaster. So, yeah, I know just how special being able to feel something positive can be when your body isn’t inclined to cooperate — keeping that mind/body link in good shape and still being able to feel the body as a prism through which the world is experienced rather than a hostile actor holding you hostage is everything.)

Thanks for all the love and support, everyone. Here’s hoping there’s never another night like that, or at least not any time soon... insomnia and neuropathy are a heck of a combo.

 

[Seren]

One of my patients this afternoon no-showed so instead of doing other work I made my (likely wrong) selections for the prediction game...

 

[Ichatdelune]

First time posting here, I'm allowed a rant, right?

I was born and raised in Korea, my parents are both Koreans, and I've never been in another country long enough for me to say that I've lived there. And therefore Korean is my first language, I even have a slight accent thanks to my mom being from down south (I don't have the proper accent nor the vocabulary to say I have the dialect, it's really more like just a splash of Busan talk, but I digress). So any language other than Korean should be a second/third/etc language, right?
The thing is, since English is of big importance here, mom introduced English to my life at around 3. I read Goodnight Moon, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Where The Wild Things Are, If You Give A Mouse A Cookie, Curious George, the Mr. Men and Little Miss series, I Will Never Not Ever Eat A Tomato, and hundreds of others I'm sure I'm forgetting along with Korean children's books (although I later found out quite a few of them were translated Japanese books, I read them first in Korean), I watched Barney, Dora the Explorer, and Sesame Street along with Korean kiddie shows, you get the gist. And it happened that I had a knack with languages (not to brag, really, it's not like I'm a genius or something), I just picked it up without any help. So my excited mother sent me to an English-speaking kindergarten when I was six, and so for around two years I spent my life talking only in English at school. I don't think I even considered English to be a foreign language at that point.
I could go on about my semi-bilingual childhood and how I hated that you couldn't turn the Korean subtitles off at the movie theatre, but the point is that I belong in this grey area where I'm neither bilingual nor not bilingual. See, my cognitive system works mainly in Korean, but my brain has a switch of some sorts, and if it's flicked on (with or without my volition) then I think and speak in English. And today, long story short, I had a very awkward moment with a professor because my brain refused to convert back to Korean mode. Ever tried presenting an argument on a topic of Korean syntax while your brain thinks in English? It's awkward. Like, La La Land-no-it's-actually-Moonlight awkward. I felt like an idiot, I spoke like an idiot, and now I'm frustrated with myself for not being able to properly express my thoughts. But it's not like if the professor would've understood me if I'd spoken in English, the arguments themselves were based on my not-quite organized Korean thoughts so I'd have fumbled trying to convert the Korean thought pieces into English. And it's so frustrating because the whole mess is hard to explain, and it's even harder to be understood.
This is getting too long, I'll stop here. Just another day of me being frustrated with myself.

 

[cathlen]

It's snowing a little for a third day where I live, and I'm not happy, because I still did not manage to buy a proper winter boots

 

[hanyuufan5]

First time posting here, I'm allowed a rant, right?

I was born and raised in Korea, my parents are both Koreans, and I've never been in another country long enough for me to say that I've lived there. And therefore Korean is my first language, I even have a slight accent thanks to my mom being from down south (I don't have the proper accent nor the vocabulary to say I have the dialect, it's really more like just a splash of Busan talk, but I digress). So any language other than Korean should be a second/third/etc language, right?
The thing is, since English is of big importance here, mom introduced English to my life at around 3. I read Goodnight Moon, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Where The Wild Things Are, If You Give A Mouse A Cookie, Curious George, the Mr. Men and Little Miss series, I Will Never Not Ever Eat A Tomato, and hundreds of others I'm sure I'm forgetting along with Korean children's books (although I later found out quite a few of them were translated Japanese books, I read them first in Korean), I watched Barney, Dora the Explorer, and Sesame Street along with Korean kiddie shows, you get the gist. And it happened that I had a knack with languages (not to brag, really, it's not like I'm a genius or something), I just picked it up without any help. So my excited mother sent me to an English-speaking kindergarten when I was six, and so for around two years I spent my life talking only in English at school. I don't think I even considered English to be a foreign language at that point.
I could go on about my semi-bilingual childhood and how I hated that you couldn't turn the Korean subtitles off at the movie theatre, but the point is that I belong in this grey area where I'm neither bilingual nor not bilingual. See, my cognitive system works mainly in Korean, but my brain has a switch of some sorts, and if it's flicked on (with or without my volition) then I think and speak in English. And today, long story short, I had a very awkward moment with a professor because my brain refused to convert back to Korean mode. Ever tried presenting an argument on a topic of Korean syntax while your brain thinks in English? It's awkward. Like, La La Land-no-it's-actually-Moonlight awkward. I felt like an idiot, I spoke like an idiot, and now I'm frustrated with myself for not being able to properly express my thoughts. But it's not like if the professor would've understood me if I'd spoken in English, the arguments themselves were based on my not-quite organized Korean thoughts so I'd have fumbled trying to convert the Korean thought pieces into English. And it's so frustrating because the whole mess is hard to explain, and it's even harder to be understood.
This is getting too long, I'll stop here. Just another day of me being frustrated with myself.

There's school, and then there's real life. Many things that are disadvantages in school are advantages in real life. This might or might not change, but for the time being, the global lingua franca is English, and I can't imagine that speaking the global lingua franca as well as you do could be anything other than a huge advantage. Seriously, until this post, I had no idea if you were born and raised in Korea, were an ethnic Korean from an English-speaking country who moved back to your ancestors' homeland, or were some random person from an English-speaking country who moved because you just like Korea. Your English is better than half the native English speakers I went to school with.

 

[hanyuufan5]

It's snowing a little for a third day where I live, and I'm not happy, because I still did not manage to buy a proper winter boots

Thanks for reminding me that I need to either wash my winter boots or buy new ones.

I've heard that they have insulated, waterproof winter boots with stiletto heels in Russia and maybe elsewhere in Eastern Europe. Do you know if that's true? I don't know if it's because I've been figure skating so long or because of some Russian genetic thing or what, but if it's remotely plausible to wear my favorite stiletto ankle boots without getting too much snow in them, I will, because they just feel so much steadier than slippery regular winter boots. The heels are like ice picks.

 

[cathlen]

Thanks for reminding me that I need to either wash my winter boots or buy new ones.

I've heard that they have insulated, waterproof winter boots with stiletto heels in Russia and maybe elsewhere in Eastern Europe. Do you know if that's true? I don't know if it's because I've been figure skating so long or because of some Russian genetic thing or what, but if it's remotely plausible to wear my favorite stiletto ankle boots without getting too much snow in them, I will, because they just feel so much steadier than slippery regular winter boots. The heels are like ice picks.

I'm pretty sure that you can find boots like that in any country that have snow for most of the winter? Not going to bet my head though. I personally prefer the flat winter boots or short-heeled ones. I get what you mean about ice picks, but I just slide when the pavement is all covered with thin ice

 

[hanyuufan5]

I'm pretty sure that you can find boots like that in any country that have snow for most of the winter? Not going to bet my head though. I personally prefer the flat winter boots or short-heeled ones. I get what you mean about ice picks, but I just slide when the pavement is all covered with thin ice

I've never seen them. Some websites claim to have them in their descriptions but then don't actually stock any. If I asked a shoe store, I'd be very, very lucky not to get laughed at or insulted.

Actual snow is okay for flat or low-heeled ones, but I had to dig my mom's car out of a snow drift once, and there was so much ice in the street that I took one step in my snow boots and nearly went flying. I ended up toughing it out in my stiletto ankle boots because I figured that frostbitten feet were preferable to a broken leg. By the time the car was free, there was practically more snow in my boots than the street. But it took half the time it would have if I'd worn anything else.

 

[NanaPat]

Actual snow is okay for flat or low-heeled ones, but I had to dig my mom's car out of a snow drift once, and there was so much ice in the street that I took one step in my snow boots and nearly went flying. I ended up toughing it out in my stiletto ankle boots because I figured that frostbitten feet were preferable to a broken leg. By the time the car was free, there was practically more snow in my boots than the street. But it took half the time it would have if I'd worn anything else.

Get a pair of spiky pluses. They are great on ice, even steep ice. There are two steep hills between my house and the end of the snowplow route, and I would not shovel snow without them. I also have a pair of yaktrax somewhere, but I don't like them nearly as much.

http://carproductstested.com/trip-t...e-grips-reviewed-yaktrax-vs-petzl-spiky-plus/

 

[hanyuufan5]

Get a pair of spiky pluses. They are great on ice, even steep ice. There are two steep hills between my house and the end of the snowplow route, and I would not shovel snow without them. I also have a pair of yaktrax somewhere, but I don't like them nearly as much.

http://carproductstested.com/trip-t...e-grips-reviewed-yaktrax-vs-petzl-spiky-plus/

Thank you! Those are substantially less expensive than the only pair of waterproof stilettos I could find: $650 and not even insulated. For that price, I'd might as well take a vacation to Russia and buy some there.

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

That awkward moment when you see a skater who you have never come across before, and they don't register with you at all during the Short. But when they come out for their Warm-Up during the Free, you think "Wow! She is fit!"

And then, after she does her routine, you start thinking "Hang on. What age is she?" And you start getting worried that you were admiring a 15 or 16 year old, rather than an 18 year old. So you look up her ISU Bio. And you get the shock of your life:

She is actually well into her twenties! :shocked:

And you start wondering "If she's that age, how come I've never come across her before now?!"

That's OK. Fast forward to the next day, and you realise "Hang on, we did see her before. Earlier this season. Because I now remember going through the exact same steps then..."



Well, at least I'm consistent! :agree:

CaroLiza_fan

 

[tabsy]

I was just sat at Starbucks, and looked over to see a woman, and thought, she's very pretty. Then I looked at the man, and lo and behold, realised I was sitting next to Sinitsina/Katsalapov!! But they were having a nice chat in Russian, and so I didn't want to interrupt to ask for a signature, and anyways I needed to get to my flight.

But then, I was getting on an escalator to my flight gate, and who was in front of me? Dmitri Aliev!! :eeking: I'm quite an Aliev fan. But again, too shy to ask, so I just smiled at him. And then I saw Betina and Sergey in the queue!

Turns out the Moscow flight has a gate near to the Heathrow flight.

Anyways, a cool way to end an awesome competition.

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

I was just sat at Starbucks, and looked over to see a woman, and thought, she's very pretty. Then I looked at the man, and lo and behold, realised I was sitting next to Sinitsina/Katsalapov!! But they were having a nice chat in Russian, and so I didn't want to interrupt to ask for a signature, and anyways I needed to get to my flight.

But then, I was getting on an escalator to my flight gate, and who was in front of me? Dmitri Aliev!! :eeking: I'm quite an Aliev fan. But again, too shy to ask, so I just smiled at him. And then I saw Betina and Sergey in the queue!

Turns out the Moscow flight has a gate near to the Heathrow flight.

Anyways, a cool way to end an awesome competition.

VIKA!!!

BETINA!!!

Sorry, but I would've done anything to get a chance to see them close up!!! Like, they are absolutely gorgeous!!! :agree:

I know what you mean, though. I'm shy too, and I think it is bad manners to interrupt people when they are talking.

I was at a World Superbike meeting at Donington Park a couple of years ago, and when I was dandering through the paddock, I spotted the 1996 and 2005 World Superbike Champion Troy Corser outside the media centre chatting to Eurosport producer Charlie Hiscott. I really wanted Troy's autograph, so I stood nearby and waited for them to finish talking. And I waited. And I waited. And it must have been about 10 minutes before they finally finished, and I was able to get him to sign my programme.

A few teams were staying at the same hotel as us, but you don't really want to disturb people when they are having their breakfast. And of the riders I saw at breakfast, I only managed to come accross one of them in the paddock and get an autograph from (Randy Krummenacher). Well, I lie. I did actually see 2008 AMA Formula Xtreme Champion Jake Zemke in the paddock, but he was on his phone at the time and was still on it when he rushed off.

The irony is that one of the riders who I didn't manage to get an autograph from, New York rider PJ Jacobsen, actually lived in my hometown when he was riding for a locally-owned team a few years ago! (If I remember correctly, his Mum is originally from Northern Ireland). But, that breakfast time in England was the only time that I have seen him in real life!

I did get quite a few autographs during that trip, though. Including the now sadly departed 2006 MotoGP World Champion, Nicky Hayden.

Ride On Kentucky Kid

CaroLiza_fan

 

[NoNameFace]

I was just sat at Starbucks, and looked over to see a woman, and thought, she's very pretty. Then I looked at the man, and lo and behold, realised I was sitting next to Sinitsina/Katsalapov!! But they were having a nice chat in Russian, and so I didn't want to interrupt to ask for a signature, and anyways I needed to get to my flight.

But then, I was getting on an escalator to my flight gate, and who was in front of me? Dmitri Aliev!! :eeking: I'm quite an Aliev fan. But again, too shy to ask, so I just smiled at him. And then I saw Betina and Sergey in the queue!

Turns out the Moscow flight has a gate near to the Heathrow flight.

Anyways, a cool way to end an awesome competition.

I already told you that earlier, but for the rest - I flew yesterday, also from Lyon and saw bunch of coaches: Hagenauer, Moskvina, Durnev, Zhulin, Krylova...

 

[tabsy]

VIKA!!!

BETINA!!!

Sorry, but I would've done anything to get a chance to see them close up!!! Like, they are absolutely gorgeous!!! :agree:

I know what you mean, though. I'm shy too, and I think it is bad manners to interrupt people when they are talking.

I was at a World Superbike meeting at Donington Park a couple of years ago, and when I was dandering through the paddock, I spotted the 1996 and 2005 World Superbike Champion Troy Corser outside the media centre chatting to Eurosport producer Charlie Hiscott. I really wanted Troy's autograph, so I stood nearby and waited for them to finish talking. And I waited. And I waited. And it must have been about 10 minutes before they finally finished, and I was able to get him to sign my programme.

A few teams were staying at the same hotel as us, but you don't really want to disturb people when they are having their breakfast. And of the riders I saw at breakfast, I only managed to come accross one of them in the paddock and get an autograph from (Randy Krummenacher). Well, I lie. I did actually see 2008 AMA Formula Xtreme Champion Jake Zemke in the paddock, but he was on his phone at the time and was still on it when he rushed off.

The irony is that one of the riders who I didn't manage to get an autograph from, New York rider PJ Jacobsen, actually lived in my hometown when he was riding for a locally-owned team a few years ago! (If I remember correctly, his Mum is originally from Northern Ireland). But, that breakfast time in England was the only time that I have seen him in real life!

I did get quite a few autographs during that trip, though. Including the now sadly departed 2006 MotoGP World Champion, Nicky Hayden.

Ride On Kentucky Kid

CaroLiza_fan

Yes Vika and Betina Vika was having coffee with Nikita, they both seemed very relaxed and in a good mood which was nice to see! She is very glamorous Betina looked a little tired, but I imagine three tough days of practice/competition would do that to anyone! I love her hair :agree: and it's such a shame they didn't get to do their routine in the gala yesterday!

I don't follow Superbikes so I'm afraid I don't know any of those people - but I'm glad your persistence paid off in getting a few autographs! I am very pleased with the ones I got during this competition, but I was only happy to ask when it seemed like an appropriate moment (and because NNF was more confident than me in asking, so thanks to her I have many more )

Sorry to hear about the passing of Nicky Hayden - I just looked him up and that's an absolutely terrible tragedy.