August 2021 has been another jam-packed month with most of it focusing on building up to the start line of the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics Games at Disability Horizons HQ.
Lucy Hale’s birthday
I want to start this blog summary with a special mention. Today, Friday 27th August 2021 would have been my dear friend Lucy Hale’s birthday.
If you’re not aware Lucy Hale was a friend of mine from Treloar school who sadly passed away in January this year. Almost eight months on, it still hasn’t really sunk in and I keep thinking she is still up in Manchester and we’ll finally meet again when this pandemic is over.
Sadly, I know this will not happen, but I just want to say:
“I think about you every day and you frequently appear in my dreams too. I know you never like to make a fuss of your birthday and that you’ve been 15 for the past 12 years. But I still want to say Happy 27th Birthday Lucy and that I love you and miss you always! I will be celebrating by listening to our Reading Festival playlist on a loop and maybe watch a Harry Potter film.
PS as I write this, I’m listening to the new album by The Killers called Pressure Machine. I’ll admit there’s no festival anthems but beautiful strings, piano, acoustic sounds with Brandon Flowers marvellous vocals. I even heard horses mentioned twice in the lyrics, which made me think of you too!”
Disability Horizons
As I mentioned last month, I’ve been organising and publishing interviews with athletes ahead of the rescheduled Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games.
I’m proud to say I secured 15 interviews in total, all of which you can read here:
- Ali Jawad – Powerlifting
- Amy Truesdale – Para-taekwondo
- Chris Ryan – Wheelchair rugby
- David Smith – Boccia
- Emma Wiggs – Para-canoeing
- Hannah Cockroft – Wheelchair racing
- Hollie Arnold – Javelin
- John Stubbs – Para-archery
- Kare Adenegan – Wheelchair racer
- Lauren Steadman – Triathlon
- Richard Whitehead – Sprinter
- Sophie Christiansen – Equestrian
- Stef Reid – Long jumper
- Stephen Clegg – Swimming
My interview with blind sprinter Libby Clegg will be published next week.
In addition, I compiled a list of 10 Paralympic athletes from Team GB to watch out for throughout the Games.
Throughout the Paralympic Games, the DH Team is sharing all the latest news, results, facts and gossip from Tokyo, so please be sure to follow us on Twitter @DHorizons.
As well as Paralympic content, I even managed to squeeze in three news stories too:
- Covid-19 vaccine exemption pass: what to do if you cannot be vaccinated or test for Covid
- EastEnders actor Rose Ayling-Ellis becomes first deaf contestant to join Strictly Come Dancing
- Jonnie’s Blade Camp: Discovering young amputee’s sporting potential
All my Disability Horizons content is now available to view in one place on the Emma Purcell Author’s page. This link can also be accessed on the “Disability Horizons” button on the menu page on the left of this site.
My featured content, product articles and sponsored posts for Disability Horizons can be viewed in my Journo Portfolio.
To read my latest news stories, interviews and featured articles on a regular basis, as well as browse other content from the rest of the amazing DH team, subscribe to the Disability Horizons newsletter.
Books
As I mentioned last month, I began reading a book titled A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara, which was suggested by fellow blogger Caz at Invisibly Me. With the first few chapters, I was unsure but by Part 2 I was hooked.
OMG, what a rollercoaster of emotions. I won’t give too much away but the main character Jude had a difficult childhood that left him with lifelong physical and mental trauma.
Then after 40+ years of hurt, he thought he had found happiness with his close friend turned boyfriend Will when at the end more tragedy struck. I was partly expecting the tragic ending as the happy period was too good to last forever but still a heart-breaking ending.
I’ve also just finished another book called Sorry Not Sorry by Sophie Ranald, which is a bit more light-hearted. It’s about a Geordie girl called Charlotte who works as a financial administrator in London and is listening to a podcast called Sorry Not Sorry that gives advice on finding love. There is also other dramas such as her best friend’s wedding and her new roommate being stalked.
It was a good, fun and easy to read book but wasn’t what I expected. I was expecting Charlotte to stop her sensible, normal life and do more crazy things like take drugs, have sex with strangers, commit crime, travel the world etc.
This book was also picked as the second book in the Disability Horizons Book Club, and as I initially suggested it, I’m curious to know what the others thought of it too.
If you’re an avid book reader, disabled or not, and would like to join our virtual Disability Horizons Book Club, e-mail my colleague Raya Al-Jadir at raya@disabilityhorizons.com. We usually meet on Zoom the last Sunday or each month.
TV
I managed to finish watching the bingeworthy AppleTV+ original Home Before Dark. It was a perfect happy ending but could still have the space to add more storylines. There is no confirmation of a third series but I’m happy with or without it.
I’ve also just finished watching a BBC drama called The A Word, which is about a boy called Joe with autism and his family. I wanted to watch it before but there was no audio description available until now.
It was a good programme and highlighted many elements of autism and disability in general. I just loved the fact one of Joe’s autistic traits was listening to music on headphones and his great taste in music, especially Arctic Monkeys.
Of course, from Tuesday 24th August to 5th September, my focus is on Channel 4’s coverage of the Paralympic Games and 11 nights of The Last Leg – good job I’m a night owl and can watch some live coverage in the early hours!
Audio Description petition
My campaign for audio description has continued throughout August 2021 and the petition has now reached 3382 signatures, which is great!
But I’m eager to reach thousands. The more signatures we get, the more likely changes could be made within the TV & films industries. Please, please, PLEASE continue to sign & share my petition!
Guest Bloggers Wanted
I’m still eager to collaborate with even more bloggers in 2021. So, if you’re a lifestyle, disability and/or music blogger, send me your blog stories. Plus let me know if you’d like me to feature on your blog as a guest blogger.
I’m flexible with any type of blog posts; life story, disability awareness, music event, musician promotion – basically anything to do with life, disability or music!
In addition, I have a guest blog series called “RFD Question Time with…” where I interview disabled people and/or bloggers. If you’d like to be interviewed in this series, please also contact me.
Blog post roundup
In case you missed any of my blog posts this month, here is a roundup of them:
5 favourite blog posts
Here are my 5 favourite blog posts I’ve read this month:
- Why I Don’t Class My Wheelchairs As My Legs at Brains on Wheels
- On Disability And Chronic Illness Inclusion In The Theatre Industry at Life of Pippa
- National Disability Strategy – does and will it make difference? at My Life Kerry’s Way
- 7 Things SMA Has Given Me at Wheelescapades
- An Ableism Contest at Diary of a Disabled Person
