You've Got A Friend

When you're down and troubled and you need a helping hand

And nothing, whoa nothing is going right.
Close your eyes and think of me and soon I will be there
To brighten up even your darkest nights.
You just call out my name, and you know whereever I am
I'll come running, oh yeah baby to see you again.
Winter, spring , summer, or fall, all you have to do is call
And I'll be there, yeah, yeah, yeah. You've got a friend.
If the sky above you should turn dark and full of clouds
And that old north wind should begin to blow
Keep your head together and call my name out loud
And soon I will be knocking upon your door.
You just call out my name and you know where ever I am
I'll come running to see you again.
Winter, Spring, summer or fall - all you got to do is call
And I'll be there, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Hey, ain't it good to know that you've got a friend?
People can be so cold. They'll hurt you and desert you.
Well they'll take your soul if you let them.
Oh yeah, but don't you let them.
You just call out my name and you know wherever I am
I'll come running to see you again.
Oh babe, don't you know that,
Winter Spring summer or fall, Hey now, all you've got to do is call.
Lord, I'll be there, yes I will.
You've got a friend.

as sung by

James Taylor & Carole King

Mark’s 40th Birthday Party, end of April, 2010.

My pressie for the Birthday boy:

cakes (created with Web Mistress) and an album of all pix taken over the entire duration of the training, the shows, and afterwards with Boris Johnson and kids at Kingsdown School. Think he was pleased! I am so pleased to have met him – and everything I thought about him in those first impressions is true. We think alike on some of the important stuff – from everything to ‘muscle memory’ – when you have to make the body practise over and over so that it retains the memory of sometimes difficult moves – in dance, swimming, tennis – right through to try to be kind and thoughtful in action and word.

The Little Mermaid

I wanna be where the people are,

I wanna see

Wanna see 'em dancin', w

alkin' around on those

(Whad'ya call 'em?) oh - feet

Flippin' your fins you don't get too far

Legs are required for jumpin', dancin'

Strollin' along down a

(what's that word again?) street

Up where they walk, u

p where they run

Up where they stay all day in the sun

Wanderin' free, w

ish I could be

Part of that world

Part of your World
The Little Mermaid, Disney

18 May 2009

OMG! OMG! Neil R from Fever Media phoned this morning – I was grunting my way through another tortuous stretch on power plate – when he started phoning and kept phoning until I answered…The powers that be at Fever M and BBC3 have changed their minds – still only six contestants (was originally due to be 7) but they want me in the final six! Cannot believe it – I had cried on phone with N when he called to say hadn’t made it through on Friday but soon got over it – esp as got trip to Los Angeles and Las Vegas to look forward to with P – but now…well I’m going to be learning to wheelie dance – with the fabulous Brian…

Loving the dancing bits already – not sure about having cameras around all the time though – and worried about partner to be – am petrified that if it is strictly professionals I will get Brendan bad boy of ballroom Cole, instead of the lovely Ian Waite who seems, well to be a nice person, and patient…and patience is def a prerequsitie – had underestimated how difficult it is to learn to dance – the counts (maths never my strong point!) and trying to understand exactly what Brian (and Pippa) want…

21 May 2009
Just when you thought life couldn’t get any better – it Does!

Surely, today one of the best days of my life. The weather was glorious – full bodied Spring day, air heavy with delightful perfumes of nature and I was training with Pippa in a tiny church hall – and she took me for a waltz to lovely music, and it was so lovely, brought tears to my eyes. And then was picked up by Fever Media to go to meet my new dance partner. OMG!

As we (Howard, the cameraman, and I) pulled into the grounds of the Harrow School, my heart began beating really, really fast, past the sporting fields, past the cricket score-board and my brain started to pull up all these images from previous Strictly Come Dancing, images not of the pro-dancers (which is all I had been concentrating on) but of the ‘celebrity partners’. Especially the cricket pavilion and scoreboard. . .

Mark Ramprakash. . .

Darren Gough…

. . .my personal history…my love for cricket! (Ed: cricket-er?) Began to feel so nervous started to perspire, felt a tad nauseous. Staggered from car, got wheelie out, all in a bit of a daze. Went to loo to try to compose myself, forgot I was miked up. Cursed a fair bit. Only when came out did I smell the chlorine and said to David the director – ‘swimming pool - is that a bit of hint then?’

It dawned on me only then how very clever the Fever Media team have been in keeping this such a surprise, but the pure fact of the situation only occurred to me at that instant – us competitors had been told what the ‘prize’ is for the winners – to compete in the Wheelie Dancing European Championships – an IPC regulated sport, which meant that it is for amateurs only, and our dancing partners couldn’t possibly be Professionals.

As I wheeled through to the pool area, I thought of the very gorgeous Mark Foster, celebrity contestant on SCD last year – he of the much discussed black mesh/see-through top.

And there he was! My Mr Neptune! In the swimming pool armed with nothing more than a pair of speedos and a winning smile! Gorgeous! And it was, LIKE AT FIRST SIGHT!

I remember wanting to hug him, but he was so wet from the pool, inside I was sooooo relieved. If it had been a cricketer, well, I very possibly would have fainted out of my wheelie at the co-incidence. First impressions? As beautiful inside as without. Warm, friendly, personable, just a natural, gentle-giant type of person. My cup runneth over, truly, I am blessed.

So we are literally two fishes out of water (he Mr Neptune, Me, the Mermaid) on the dance-floor, can we join together in dance and create a little bit of magic? The odds seem to be stacked against us but right now don’t really care. Think I have struck lucky with Mr Neptune, have a feeling that we are going to be friends and that is just wonderful.

PS Have discovered already that Mr Foster ‘gives good hugs’ – in fact he is one the best!

Di’s Diary: The 2nd/Final Audition

Wednesday 13 May 2009

What a day! Am exhausted with adrenalin burn-out but exhilarated as well. Dearest Jax borrowed her ex’s convertible Mercedes and drove us to Brunel Uni in style… overwhelming feeling again was age – rest of final auditionees just seem so young. And even mentioned this to Kaaj – who said BBC duty bound to spread age-range as part of their diversity remit. Yeah, well, we will see won’t we...

Overwhelmingly the best section of the day (and there was a great deal to be overwhelmed with – everything from half hour session with a psychotherapist who specialises in reality tv – he asked if I were chosen to be one of the contestants, how would I deal with the possible media coverage – I could reply with confidence that having dealt with the world media as CEO of Limbless Association when I brought Ali Abbas to the UK for ongoing treatment

click this link to read
an early newspaper report about Ali

– think I could handle any press flung my way should I be picked as one of the contestants) to being ‘classifed’, to more interviews, endless paper work, and of course the dancing… but the dancing with Brian Fortuna was just, well, fantastic. It was brief, and like most of the day, filmed – my first thoughts on seeing and then meeting Brian were that he was much better looking in real life. And this is unusual, as most ‘celebrities’/people who are in film/tv, are from my experience, can be rather, well underwhelming…

Actually met Brian ‘by accident’ went in main sports hall door as indicated – and Brian was there, as arranged to meet me – pleasant warm handshake and winning smile (but not cheesy – as I had called him last winter during the watching of Strictly Come Dancing – my daughter Lara thought he was rather lovely – I just responded – nah, too American and way too cheesy!).

pass us the cheddar Mr BF, please!

We then had to do this whole meet and greet palava again for the cameras – which made both of us giggle and put on airs of ironic acting….another plus for Brian F – he gets irony. And comes over as very bright, focused and very polite in a rather sweetly old fashioned way. Someone said he was 26 and just couldn’t believe this having met him – he has the head of someone considerably more mature..anyhoo, he took me by the hand and guided me through some basic steps for the foxtrot – and I just loved it. It’s official: have fallen in love with wheelchair ballroom dancing. Er, and everything that could come with it?

I have to get into the final 6 now, keep getting one of my ‘destiny’ feelings about it, which happen so rarely and tend to happen.

But it would be too much, wouldn’t it, now that I am back with fiancée, to get this would just be too much, wouldn’t it?

*

Friday 15 May 2009

Yes, it is all too much – just spoke with Neil Rubes Rubenstein: I am not in the final 6.

A "first reserve" as Neil puts it. But that’s just not good enough.

Am sobbing as I write this. I honestly thought it was my destiny. I was so very wrong.

So bye-bye to Brian and ballroom dancing.

FORTUNA FANTASTICS LOOK AWAY NOW!

the things WOW has to do in the name of dance -
it’s a tough job, someone’s got to do it!
(Ed: someone seems to be enjoying this training
a little too much...)

TRAINING
Dance: The Waltz (and repeat of The Tango)
Music: Fascination, Nat King Cole, Pa’ Bailar (Tango)
Debrief: Sunday
Training Days: Monday - Thursday
Training Hours: split between Brian and Pippa, with some help from Kristina.

the things Harry has to do in the name of dance…
it’s a tough life eh?

Tricky Moves:
(1) Getting down from the ramp on the floor to Mark in time with the music.
(2) Being ordered by The Boss not to let Mark kiss me until the live show. . .
(3) Not throttling James, when he - having broken his wheelchair - dismantled the whole thing in one of our training sessions, knowing full well Brian would stop training us in order to fix it (Brian is not only highly accomplished at most everything he turns his hands to, he is also a bit of geek). He fixed it – two hours later (with Mark’s help). Then Mark had a go at my chair:
Number of jellybeans consumed this week:

the trouble with jellybeans is that WOW has quite big hands
and once you have developed the ‘scooping’ action required,
before WOW realises, the whole lot has gone
(Ed – she also has a big mouth)

Back to training:

Pippa shows us how not to hold our arms in separation.

We have a go.

is it back to the effing Albatross again?

Most over-used word of the week/Star of the Show: Ralph (who's Ralph? click here!)

WOW sense of achievement: High (again) mainly due to getting to practise kissing with two hunks of burning love….

Filming with these crazy people is making us go a bit bananas:

Neil Rubi Rubenstein (Producer/Director) and
Lucy Lu Bauckman (Production Assistant)
can't stop monkeying around

THE SEMI-FINAL LINE-UP:

(with Kristina Rhianoff)

(with Lucy Bauckman, Production Assistant,
and Kristina Rhianoff)

The Eye of the Tiger

WOW WARNING! DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME

TRAINING: Week 3
The Dance: The Paso Doble.
Music: Eye of the Tiger, Survivor.
Debrief: Saturday 4 July (someone stank of drink, someone didn’t show up).
Training Days: Sunday 5 July through to Thursday 10 July.

Training Hours: Enough to get through dance ok, including a snatched couple of hours on Sunday with Mark, missing a lunch drinks party and the Wimbledon Final.

New nicknames this week: Three, Brian on Diana - Little Bo Peep; Brian on himself - Tony (as in Tony Soprano – due to Brian’s vocal delivery in heavy duty Bronx accent, and him seeming to be tougher than ever on all of us, especially with regards to the difficulty level of ‘tricks’); Diana on Mark - Daddy Longlegs.

No of Liquorice allsorts consumed this week: One full box (half price from TK Maxx – Woo Hoo!). Even ate the nasty little nubs of pure liquorice. Always start with pink and yellow coconut ones. TMI, sorry.

Heated Debate of the Week: Brian and Simone.
Most over-used word of the Week: Cambridge.

WOW Sense of Achievement Rating (scale of low through to high): High.

Three tricky tricks: Brian pushed Mark and I to the limit for daring, with twists on the standard dance and character themes for the pase doble. . . the bull, the cape, the matador and the flamenco dancer.

Brian to Di:
"you'll have a couple of centimetres clearance"
(note Brian's right hand!)

and we did!
thank goodness for Daddy Longlegs

The ‘Ouch’ Factor: Quite a few.

clearly Mark can feel the strain
of my incredible Liquorice Allsorts diet

Top ‘Ouch’ prize this week however goes to Harry Maule. . .

. . .for dancing beyond his pain boundaries to create the most beautiful, loving Viennese Waltz with Michelle. Their dancing even made James ‘Dread Judge’ Jordan emotional: Result!

This week we all had usual number of sessions with Brian and Pippa Roberts.

Pippa and Mark demonstrate
the highs and lows of separation

the long and short of the sixteens
and the little and large of the side steps
of the pase doble

The fragrant Marilyn Monroe Lookee Likee, Kristina Rhianoff joined us. She is lovely – superb dancer, obviously, but also pleasantly empathetic, and also has emotional depth. Good teacher as well.

as you will note from this photo,
my eyes should be envious green, not Tiger hazel in colour

The Show
Number of Bouquets received: Nil
Number of Cards received: 3 – including another lovely Thank you one from Mark. He wrote: "Di, Thank you for being so patient and training so hard. Week 3, let’s see if we can make Week 4 !! Love Mark, Your Matador x" (loving the Matador look Marky)
.
Wardrobe: Wonderful Wardrobe Mistress Louise Egan, and her support team including the v funny Jane ‘Popper’ Spice have done it again.They produced a stunning costume, the colour ways in muted golds, greens, almost simulating tiger fur/and eyes.
Only trouble is it’s a two piece, v short bolero top and below waist skirt, and all that belly flop space in between. Lou texted me a picture of the outfit, then on Tuesday Jane brought it over. I was holding myself in so much almost turned blue, but hey, with the flesh coloured body stocking, you can't see the odd ripple of flesh or the two tiny holes in my tum where there once was a sapphire belly button piercing. I’d had it done nearly 10 years ago, it looked great, until I put on weight (overdosing on stress and cortisol hormones as CEO of a charity 2003-2005). The belly ring disappeared between two comfy spare tyres of fat. Had to remove it. Could go back in again no trouble now…eurghhhh, WOW wonders if this is just TMI. Sorry.

Make-up: The fabulous Edith is my make-up artist.

Edith spray paints me
(Ed: what are you? a car?
I've seen Skodas with better colour than that.)
number of liquorice allsorts WOW wishes she'd eaten: zero

amount of make-up required: none

Cutting Floor Comment: My comment about the BBC Licence Fee payers.

the devil's in the detail, eh David?

WOW’s quote of the Week: (as I am about to go onto the dance floor) “Just going to make final check on the seat-belt, otherwise – Di, SPLAT.”

Finally, we're on: Hours and hours of effort for a minute and a half of spine tingling joy. (Now, what does that remind WOW of?)

and. . .
we're through to the semi-finals!

For all you FFs out there! The Eyes of the Tiger. . .