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Ice cubes. They bring up pleasant images of summertimes spent sipping lemonade, sitting on a porch swing. Who doesn't want a few cubes in their drinks on a warm day? (except the English - which I simply can NOT understand!)
Instead, ice now relates to frozen...and frozen relates to my shoulder. Until February, I'd never heard of a "frozen shoulder". That brings up images of someone buried in an avalanche; or stuck in a walk-in freezer at a fast food restaurant. Reality, hard as it is, is much crueler.
To understand this story, I have to backtrack to Dec. '08. I was reaching under the sofa with my right arm....and stretched out for something. I overextended it, and it hurt. So, I babied it, thinking it would feel better in a few days. Instead, my movement in the right shoulder soon became more restrictive. The pain was awful when I tried to move it - so I didn't.
One night at prayer group my good friend told me to go see the doctor, 'cause I probably had a "frozen shoulder". I went to see the doc and was sent to physical therapy. I figured I wanted to go for the "manipulation under anesthesia" aka M.U. A. approach. They refused that thought, and wanted me to spend at least two months in physical therapy. I wasn't happy with this decision.
After two months of excruciating therapy, I basically was told to get surgery. I prefer to try a different therapy called hydroplasty - my doc said she'd try to find someone to do it if I don't improve more in a few months.
Until then I'll take my HUGE ONE-AND-A-HALF-POUND weight and work that shoulder over and over. Remember kiddies - don't try this at home.
I had to do a separate post about this as I think that last week's "Mad World" was the most fabulous performance Adam has done on Idol to date. His tone was so pure and clear - he faltered a few times but the whole song was haunting. The blue lighting made him look other-worldly - almost ethereal.
Many reviewers picked on him because of his last note. Quite a few musical morons said he was sharp. DUH - newsflash everyone, he was NOT sharp. In fact, that note was so far at the top of his range I still can't believe he hit it. It sounded almost if he scooped the note, but I believe he really wanted to hit it square on. If you look at the video you can see how wide his mouth was and how he was supporting the note with his whole body. Problem was for him is that he didn't quite hit it straight on, so he FIXED IT by forcing his palate up just a bit higher...and the note became in tune.
Here's a link to it: it's been pulled from Youtube...but a fan club site has it.
Now, if you're not a singer you haven't a clue as to what I'm saying - but that's ok. Even if you know what the palate is (I'd bet most people don't - if you did a "Jay walking" episode on it!) you probably don't realize what part it plays in singing. Normally, if you're already tense, and you know you blew the note, the LAST thing you'll be able to do is correct it by posture and palate - in fact, you'll probably be so tense it will get WORSE. That made me even more impressed with him - that he could correct the flaw effortlessly.
ADAM FTMFW!
Ok, actually I'd say tonight's episode was "Meeeh". Yup, I said it. I was NOT happy with the save used (wasted?) on Matt. What if one of the chosen ones gets sent home next week? I'd probably want to reach through my screen and throttle someone. I thought it had to be unanimous? Simon sat there saying he was worse tonight than last night; and pointed out he'd been in the bottom three twice before - it was his time to GO.
My fave is still in the competition though - and I think he'll go all the way. Yup, that's Adam. Last night's performance was not my fave of his, but he got points just for being Adam. It's like this - people ask me if this chocolate or that chocolate is good - and I say, "Hey, it gets at least 4 points out of 10 for just BEING chocolate". That's how I see Adam - he gets points for just showing up and being his fabulous self. I picked him a long time ago, and I think he's going to glamify his way to the top of the heap. He's already leaps and bounds above the others in terms of vocal performance skills and sound; the other cast is just hoping for his crumbs...or second place. As long as Adam doesn't make any blatant statements about his sexuality I think he'll be fine. Most of us (like myself) could care less - but there are quite a few who would try to ruin it for him.
Of course, he doesn't need the Idol crown. I'd just like to see him have it, as he deserves it. He has the drive, the skills and the awesome TALENT to make him number one. He's a different kind of idol for sure - but that's change - change we can believe in!
