“Funky ABBA” by Nils Landgren, featuring ABBA songs in the style of those 1970s funk bands like “Parliament”, and “P Funk”. Ironically, the tracks I enjoyed most are those which least resemble the originals, such as Money, Money Money, SOS and Knowing Me, Knowing You. I think that where they’ve stuck closely to the originals the tracks sound a little odd with the exception of Voulez Vous which sounds good. SOS is my favourite. And of course, I love When All Is Said & Done… gorgeous… due to its dramatic qualities, very musical theatre, it made me realise it should have been included in Mamma Mia somewhere.
She started with an encore! Yes, Elaine Paige came to the stage of the Sydney Opera House with the kind of song she’d normally be asked to come back to perform. In fact, when I think about it, most of the night’s songs were the kind of song you’d perform as an ecore.
The show started with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra performing an introduction featuring excerts from some of the many musicals in which Paige has appeared over time. It occured to me these were the musical moments she really enjoyed – such as an excerpt from Chess – but which didn’t really fit into the concept of the show, which Paige described as “the greatest hits”.
And hits there were. Everything from “Don’t Cry For Me Argentina, to “Memory” and “I Know Him So Well” which, oddly enoughed she performed as a solo number though it’s usually a duet. In my head, I sang along with Elaine, filling in those moments normally sung by Barbara Dickson on the “Chess” soundtrack but which Elaine left out. Elaine described “Chess” as a musical written for her by Tim Rice and Bjorn and Benny from ABBA, who she said she used to call “Binky & Bonky”.
Other highlights for me included a couple of numbers from “Sunset Boulevard”, especially as she emerged in the second half looking quite mad and her rendition of “Mad About The Boy”. I’d only ever heard that song as a plaintive kind of love song from the perspective of one person, but Paige explained and sang the song as three women with different perspectives on the same person. Very interesting.
There were only a couple of occasions when the songs didn’t really work for me. They were the moments when she tried to get a little too groovy, wandering around the stage trying to be little funky. That said, her performances of a couple of big pop songs, “Change The World” and “From A Distance” were truly heart-felt.
Her passion was rewarded with three encores and a couple of standing ovations which, literally, brought her to tears. It was a really great show and although there were occasions when I thought her voice was a little thin, she sang every song with 110% passion. Every song she sang, she sang as if it was an encore!
My blood sugar was up quite a bit this morning; when I checked, it registered 10.3, which is a little outside my usual comfortable range. Ideally, I like to keep it between 5 and 8, and I hardly ever see a reading as high as 10.3. Normally, I’m around the six or seven mark, which is perfectly fine for a diabetic. I suspect it’s elevated due to yesterday’s culinary adventures – there were plenty of noodles, rice, and similar carbs, especially during the food tour.
Even though I consciously tried to limit the carbs and focus more on proteins, it seems my sugar levels inevitably crept up. Then, to top it off, last night I also had those few beers on the tour and even braved a shot of baijiu – that potent white spirit. I wasn’t entirely sure what to make of the baijiu; I think it had a slightly sweet edge to it? Anyway…
The real surprise of the evening, however, came after I arrived back at the hotel last night. When I first got to my room, I noticed a torch by my bedside and thought it was a bit unusual. My first thought was, “Are they concerned about me getting up in the middle of the night and tripping over, given my leg?” About an hour after I settled in, the lights suddenly went out, and I knew something was definitely up! I ventured out for a look down the corridor, and in my wing of the hotel at least, all the lights were off. So, it was clear something significant was happening. I found out this morning that it was actually a planned power outage. I just hadn’t received the memo because I wasn’t on the main bus coming back with the rest of the group yesterday.
So, that sudden blackout was a bit of a shock! Fortunately, I had brought a power bank with me. I’d been wondering whether I would actually need it, as my phone usually lasts pretty well. Thankfully, I was able to pull it out last night, get my phone charging, and ensure I was all set for the day.
The day started with another stop on our organised tour: a visit to a traditional Chinese medicine clinic. I’d actually experienced something similar back in 2010 on my tour with Sue, so I had some idea of what to expect.
The format is usually pretty standard: it often starts with a foot massage – though I wasn’t keen on that myself, as having only one foot makes it a bit redundant, and taking my shoe and prosthesis on and off is quite an ordeal. This is followed by an explanation about the principles of Chinese medicine, and then they offer individual ‘diagnosis’ sessions.
I noticed a fair bit of skepticism among many of my fellow tour members about the whole process. Personally, I try to be a bit more philosophical about it; you have to think that in 5000 years of practice, they must have learned a thing or two. The man giving the introduction also gave an interesting talk about the balance between traditional and modern medicine, and how both can have their place.
As for the diagnoses offered, I confess I remained a little skeptical. Looking around at many of my fellow tour members – mostly men in their 70s – I felt I could have probably hazarded a guess that many of them might drink a bit too much, perhaps not always eat as healthily as they could, and likely had some circulation issues or early signs of diabetes. It didn’t seem to require ancient wisdom to spot some of those common ailments. Consequently, I wasn’t convinced of the need to spend a few hundred dollars on the prescribed Chinese medicines, though quite a few of our group did decide to make purchases.
Today’s big event was the trip to Shanghai, which meant experiencing the famous high-speed train. There’s been a lot of excitement building for this within our group. As I’ve chatted with others, the men, in particular, have been very vocal about their anticipation. Perhaps after the ladies had their fill with the jade factory and other “pretty things,” perhaps it’s the “boys’ turn” for some impressive engineering marvels! A generalisation, I know, but that’s certainly the vibe.
The journey from Beijing to Shanghai by high-speed train absolutely lived up to the hype. It was an incredibly pleasant experience from start to finish. The train glided along so smoothly, and I really enjoyed just looking out the windows at the vast and ever-changing Chinese landscape flashing by – a fascinating tapestry of agricultural land, bustling towns, and striking new developments.
Beyond the scenery, it was also a great opportunity to connect properly with some of my fellow group members. During those few hours on the train, I learned a bit more about their lives, their own travel experiences, and what brought them on this particular tour. It’s always one of the unexpected pleasures of group travel – getting to know new people and hearing their stories.
After a late arrival, a few of us took a walk down the street and enjoyed a meal together.
My Friday night has been divided into roughly three acts.
The night started off at the Christmas Party of Friends of The ABC. I was invited along as Tony Delroy was recognised for his contribution to public broadcasting. Tribute was paid to the way in which Tony connects with people all over the country and all over the world. It was a lovely evening, as I caught up both with listeners and employees, both groups of which are extremely dedicated and passionate about what we do.
I had to then quickly rush home and get changed out of my “work clothes”, in time to meet Kate to have dinner at Snakebean. It wasn’t so much the need to change out of a suit for Snakebean, it’s what came later that made me think a suit wasn’t quite the right clothing. But back to Snakebean. It’s such a great little restaurant/cafe. The food is always excellent. The service is always fast and it’s nice and cheap.
I chose it tonight because Kate’s son Tom is in a band which played tonight at nearby Spectrum. The band is called “Combat Wombat”, and they do hip-hop in a uniquely Australian idiom.
Combat Wombat play at Spectrum, Sydney
James and Kate at Snakebean Cafe/Restuarant on Oxford Street
I watched them play closely tonight, and it was fascinating to see how four quite different performers come together so easily. I also love their passion, as they sing about the environment and politics and all that kinda lefty hip-hop stuff.
Kate and I were, of course, the oldest people in the room. And while most people clearly got that we were “mum and friend”, one bloke asked us quite naively if we had come to the wrong place.
So, a work function, a great little Asian restaurant, and some hip-hop. That was my Friday in Three Acts.
I often see Paul Capsis at the local supermarket. He obviously lives in my area, given the number of times I’ve seen him at Coles. In contrast to his performance on stage, he often seems like a shy man when I’ve seen him buying milk. But on stage, he’s loud, outrageous, and fills the space. He is a great stage performer, as I’ve seen tonight at Slide Nightclub for the launch of his latest CD.
He sang half a dozen songs tonight, across a broad spectrum of musical genres that included jazz classics like “Feeling Good” and “Cry Me A River” through to a Janis Joplin number, and even, “I Would Die For You” by Garbage. “It takes a lot of talent to be able to scream in tune”, I commented to my friend who came along with me tonight. It was a reference to his performance of a number by Joplin, who Capsis described as one of his favourite performers. Seconds earlier he was singing in a very deep masculine tone. Seconds later he was in falsetto. And then before you knew it, his voice was rich and thick doing something different again,
In between songs he likes a laugh. He made a reference tonight to being how surprised to see people out on a wet night in Sydney. “It rains and we don’t know what to do”, he joked, knowing the whole audience understood completely.
Paul Capsis at Slide in Sydney
Minutes earlier, a bloke from Melbourne asked me “don’t you have cloakrooms in Sydney?” Although I’d wanted to say, “honey, we don’t need ’em”, I’d directed him upstairs. I hope he understood Paul’s reference. Maybe. Maybe not.
On stage, Capsis really comes to life. It’s such a contrast to the man I see at the local supermarket. Either way, he seems like a lovely gentle soul.
So every night, when I come home from work (or an evening out), I walk up the stairs to my front door, pull out my keys, and switch on the light. This is what happens next.
Do I learn from this? Finally, yes. The first day of the rest of my life starts tomorrow.
‘Would you mind if another patient borrowed your wheelchair for a day or so? We don’t have enough stump rests.’, one of the hospital therapists asked me yesterday. After discussing I wouldn’t really require the stump rest for the next few days, and even less so thereafter, I readily agreed.
Now, with my newly acquired “Prosthetic Limb #1” (PL#1) – I haven’t given it a personal name just yet – my focus for the upcoming week revolves around familiarizing myself with it. This means daily walking sessions with the limb in the gym (with supportive bars) and each day increasing the duration of wearing it. Yesterday, it was only fifteen minutes of walking. This morning, I extended it to twenty minutes, and tomorrow’s goal is thirty minutes. Over the next week, we’ll progress to two sessions each day.
In between these sessions, there will be moments when I wear the limb without bearing any weight on the stump. Both my brain and body need this adjustment period. PL#1 is slightly heavier than my final limb, and this morning’s weigh-in revealed an increase in my overall weight from 68kg to 73kg. While the limb felt a bit “heavy” this morning, it has become quite comfortable this afternoon.
Due to the natural fluctuations in body weight throughout the day, I may need different “socks” at various times. This morning, a “thick sock” felt excessive, so we opted for two “thin socks,” which I’m continuing to wear this afternoon.
The woman who temporarily borrowed “my wheelchair” was at the gym this morning. We also had a conversation last night since her room is across from the kitchen.
Unlike my emergency situation, she underwent a voluntary lower limb amputation after enduring several years of problems.
“It’s really comforting to connect with someone in a similar situation,” she remarked, as we discussed the charity “Limbs For Life,” which I mentioned here a few weeks ago. It’s a peer support organization that provides a platform for amputees facing similar challenges to connect.
We also discovered that her daughter works with a friend of mine here at St. Vincent’s Hospital. Small world, eh? A retired nurse, she was a delight to chat with.
While I have plans for lunch with friends tomorrow, today has been a day of relaxation. I’ve caught up on the newspapers, enjoyed some sunshine, listened to some music, and worked some more on my “paint by numbers” project.
