HEROES - Part Two

When a catastrophe happens it's easy to feel so sorry for yourself that you can't even see anybody around you. But the way out is through your relationships. The way out of that misery or obsession is to focus more on what your little boy needs or what your teenagers need or what other people around you need. It's very hard to do, and often you have to force yourself. But that is the answer to the dilemma of being frozen -- at least it's the answer I found. - Christopher Reeve, 2001



He had a MAJOR acting career in film and was an accomplished stage actor; he did all kinds of charitable work; he had a wife and children. He was doing a lot of good and he was making a lot of money.
Then he fell off a horse and broke his neck. In that split second, he lost everything. He had to relearn life as a quadriplegic. But Chris Reeve did not let that be the end of his story. He fought back. He forced people to give him work. His wife, his children and his friends supported his efforts. Everyone commented on how he would not quit.



Physically, he had to depend on others to do most of the work, but he was the motivating force. He's the one who did all the travelling, and made all the appearances. He constantly pushed the doctors to find solutions. He spent his money to do all this, even though he was earning next to nothing.



For a while, he couldn't even get Hollywood to give him work. But he never gave up. He worked harder. He made them give him roles; he made people take notice. Between 1996 and 2004, he narrated, directed or acted in a dozen projects, for both television and film, which garnered several award nominations, including five Emmys and a Golden Globe, and a Screen Actors Guild Award win for his role in the remake of Hitchcock's Rear Window. He also wrote and published two autobiographical books, both of which spent several months on the New York Times Bestsellers List.



It has been said that he did more to promote research of spinal cord injury and other neurological disorders than anyone in history.

• He used his name to bring these issues into the public eye.
• He gave an impassioned speech at the 1996 Academy Awards about Hollywood's duty to make movies that face the world's most important issues head-on.
• He hosted the Paralympics in Atlanta.
• He was elected as Chairman of the American Paralysis Association and Vice Chairman of the National Organization on Disability.
• He became a lobbyist for people with spinal cord injuries and for stem cell research.
• He founded the Christopher Reeve Foundation, which, to date, has given more than $65 million for research and more than $8.5 million in quality-of-life grants.
• He co-founded the Reeve-Irvine Research Center, one of the leading spinal cord research centers in the world.
• He founded the Christopher and Dana Reeve Paralysis Resource Center. Its mission is to teach paralyzed people to live more independently.

Despite the odds, Christopher Reeve lived a fulfilling, meaningful life. On October 10 , 2004 , he died of heart failure at the age of 52. His doctor believed that it was an adverse reaction to an antibiotic that caused his death.

Since the creation of Superman in 1932, thirteen actors have taken on the role in television and film but, for me, because of all he was, and all he accomplished in his life, Christopher Reeve will always be the one and only Superman.

MY EXPRESSION NUMBER

I had intended to present the next installment in my HERO series today, but it will have to wait, as my head feels like it is about to explode, and I can't focus for more than a few minutes at a time. In it's place, here's a bit of fluff I borrowed from someone else's blog ... can't remember whose. My apologies to whomever that is. Apparently this is who I am. Don't know if that is correct or not. You decide, ok?

***Your Expression Number is 6***
You have an outstanding sense of responsibility, love, and balance.You are helpful and inclined to comfort those in need.You have many artistic and creative talents, but you only use them to better others.
You are loving, friendly, and appreciative of others.You have a depth of understanding that produces much kindness and generosity.Openness and honesty are apparent in your approach to all relationships.
Sometimes, you can be too demanding of yourself.At times, you tend to sacrifice yourself for the welfare of others.At other times, you have trouble distinguishing between helping and interfering.
What's Your Expression Number?http://www.blogthings.com/whatsyourexpressionnumberquiz/

I don't want anybody to worry if they don't see me for a little while this weekend. First of all, Brennan wasn't with me, and second of all, I'm ok. Just had a little car accident on the way home when a neuralgia attack took me by surprise. I thought the meds were doing the trick in controlling it, but I guess not. I was lucky. It was rush hour, but I managed to steer the car into a tree instead of into oncoming traffic. Crumpled the bumper and wrecked a headlight. Not too bad. Bumped my head pretty hard - think it knocked me out for a minute - and had the wind knocked out of me by the airbag - think I'll be bruised tomorrow - but nobody else got hurt, so I'm really happy about that. I'm a bit dizzy, but that will pass soon, I'm sure. Maybe that's just my normal state, anyway. Lol.

THURSDAY THIRTEEN ... why not?

Always looking for new ideas to put on my blog. Thanks for introducing me to this idea, Bond. Hope it's ok, but I kind of modelled my first Thursday Thirteen after his, because I'm not sure what I'm doing here yet. Most of my regulars know almost everything of note there is to know about me, but for anybody who doesn't, here's thirteen things about ... ME.

THIRTEEN THURSDAY #1

1. My astrological sign is Cancer, on the cusp of Gemini. I display characteristics of both signs pretty equally, so that I guess that means I have a moody split personality.

2. I became a music teacher because of my soul-deep love for just about any type of music, but I remain in this thankless, crazy-making gig because I discovered that I love kids even more than the music.

3. I taught piano and composition at l'Universite Laval in Quebec for two years, before returning to my heartland to become a high school music teacher.




4. Van Morrison ... need I say more? Every song he's ever written or performed has touched my soul in ways that defy coherent explanation.
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5. I am afraid of spiders. I don't care how big or how small they look to YOU, they are all enormous in my eyes. I am also convinced that they know I'm afraid of them, and they chase me ...

6. The last tv show I watched all the way through was the American Idol Season Five Finale in May.

7. Cooking is a double-edged sword for me. I love it, but I get distracted easily and often forget that there's something on the stove or in the oven ...

8. I was a runway model for a brief time while in high school. It was the first and last time I've ever been bored by something I've voluntarily signed up for.


9. At one point in my life, I seriously considered becoming a professional photographer. I especially love b&w, as there's something so starkly evocative about it.

10. My three best friends from elementary school are still three of my best friends. We've been together for 32 years now.

11. I love to eat, especially exotic foods. My absolute favorites are just about anything Thai or Greek. As a result, I only just recently lost that nasty 30 lbs. that's been plaguing my life for years.

12. I am pretty much equally fluent in both English and French.

13. No matter what, I consider myself a very lucky person in life. I have a great kid, a job that I love, and wonderful friends. Maybe life isn't always perfect, but most of the time, it's pretty damned good.

Ok, I'll admit it - I choked. I was going to tell some nasty little secrets, but when it came time, I couldn't bear to see them in print. Maybe the next time. Thanks for reading about me.

HEROES - Part One

So many people are doing so many good things, but still only a fraction of the world's population are willing to get their hands, and their reputations, dirty. For the next few days, it's my plan to recognize some of these heroes who have impressed me with their willingness to go the distance.

BONO -

"We cannot fix every problem, but the ones we can, we must."

1984/85 - Band Aid and Live Aid participant
1986 - Conspiracy of Hope tour for Amnesty Int'l.
1999 - Drop the Debt campaign begins, to free third-world countries from their unpayable debts
2001 - participant in Amnesty benefit concert
2002 - meets with President Bush about human rights
2002 - tour of 4 African countries
- sets up DATA (Debt, AIDS, Trade in Africa)

"I'm looking forward to the moment they tell me, 'Bono, you're Irish. Go home. We've got it handled.'"

2003 - nominated for "Nobel Peace Prize"
- donated a series of original paintings to raise funds for the "Irish Hospice Foundation"
2005 - meets with Prime Minister Paul Martin about foreign aid
- launches EDUN line, to encourage fair trade in Africa
- Live 8 organizer
- TIME magazine's "Person of the Year"
- nominate for "Nobel Peace Prize"
2006 - encourages the care of socio-economically depressed people at Nat'l Prayer Breakfast
- nominated for "Nobel Peace Prize"
- launches "RED" charity to help fight AIDS, TB and malaria in Africa
- receives "German Media Prize" for his work against poverty in Africa


"We may have fancy shoes, or in my case flip-flops, and we may be the worst examples of the excesses of the West but in these meetings we represent the poor and I take that job very seriously. I try to use my celebrity as a loudhailer for those who have lost their voice."