Part 1: Learning to Drive as a Deaf Person by Imogene

Hey, so I've started to learn to drive. Simply because we need transport as a family, we need to be more independant (rather than relying on parents/grandparents to give us lifts to places) and well it'd improve on our family life in general.
Being a mum i'm constantly worrying about money and whilst driving is an additional strain to the family finances, it'll be worth it in the end as my Grandad has offered to give us his car so that we don't have to worry about financing that - and looking at the insurance, it seems annually it's not a bad deal either, so that helps tremendously. Also, we'll have that much needed transport!

I've booked up with RED driving school and went for my first 2 hour assessment lesson and is said to probably need around 40 hours - apparently it's the average for most learners with no experience. I managed to speak to my instructor on the phone and I did explain to him that I was deaf, because I always find it's polite to explain it and also means that he understands if I don't hear him, why I didn't. He seemed really understanding of the matter and said to tell him if there's anything I didn't get and that he'll help in the best way he can. I really enjoyed it after feeling sick with nerves, but once I got in the car it seems it went away (I guess the unknown is super scary!) and my instructor seemed really nice! Chatty, has a clear voice (definitely needed!) and explains things in a way that's easy for you to take in. All of them qualities are really good for being deaf, and actually they were the things I worried about most! I got in the car and adjusted A LOT of the settings, as my instructor is a broad rugby player standing at 6ft 4.. so yeah, adjustments needed! He told me about where everything was and what I need to do to move off. I never realised as a passenger how much work is actually involved in driving, how much you need to be aware and what you need to think about - I guess most of this is due to what's happening with your feet. Your feet does most of the leg work (no pun intended!). And you don't as a passenger see what the driver is doing with their feet!
I stalled as soon as I set off and as a beginner you're constantly like "what did I do? I did what you said!" but slowly through the lesson you start to realise what you did that made such a such happen. My problem mostly was letting go of the clutch too early! (The worlds most sensitive thing going, eh?) but my REAL problem was hearing the biting point.. for the life of me I just couldn't get it. My instructor told me to listen and "feel" when it's right to go, but I felt like it was impossible to do. I still need to work on it but, I'd like to think I'll get better and at least feel what I need to, to go. I found it terribly frustrating - it was one of the moments where I genuinely hated being deaf! Why can't I just hear it like everyone else, because it'd make things a lot easier - there again, when was anything easy in life? I just thought to myself that there's no point in thinking and feeling that way, and that I should just improve what I can hear and feel and well, hope that I get better at it. I know it's only my first lesson, I have plenty of time to learn and get it before my test! I have to stick with the positives.
I found the best way to interact with my instructor was to talk through my actions. It gave me the reassurance that I knew what I was doing and if I hadn't done something right he could jump in and correct me - I found it the best way to progress through the lesson, meaning I understood what I was doing and like he told me "driving is a routine".

I shall post regularly about my lessons and hopefully i'll get a hold of that biting point! Feel free to share any of your learning to drive stories and the ways you have found that makes your driving experience easier as a deaf/hearing person. Any tips or suggestions are massively welcome :)

I wanted the world to swallow me up! by Imogene

On Saturdays I usually go food shopping with my parents, and whilst it's not the most entertaining of chores to do - it does get you out the house for a while!
Now I normally feel very confident in myself especially when it comes to my hearing; I know this does sound  odd for a Deaf person to state this. But I've always grown up in a very busy household, having 2 brothers and 2 sisters; it's quite safe to say there was never any lack of noise, squabbles and conversations. I loved my house and being in that environment! I also was always very close to my siblings growing up, so i'm sure this helped loads. I think growing up like that did help me overcome my issues with being Deaf as I learnt to laugh about any misunderstandings during any communications with any family members, also this is where I learnt my lip reading (It was a skill you needed). I was never given any special measures as a child, it was never a 'slow down and make Immy understand you' situation, and whilst many may read that and think 'Oh poor you' it never was like that, I went with it, if I missed something, I missed it, unless I chirped up and asked again, or I looked utterly confused and my parents would help me. It made me confident to be able to speak up and ask for help with anything that I needed, because simply there was too many of us to have one-to-one. Of course we did have some of them moments where mum would go through vocabulary and dad would help me get my point across through typing and explaining things in simpler terms and to be honest helped me very much when it was needed. I also gradually got this skill to be able to talk and have conversations with people through the next room (obviously voicing was quite loud) and where I can have my back to someone whilst doing something else - however to be able to do that it does have to be a voice I'm very comfortable with and is very familiar.
So as you can picture it, I'm with my shopping list going through Morrisons collecting everything on my list and any other useful items I happen to see that's on offer, loading them into my trolley. I tend to block the world out when I'm concentrating, but it's never a problem, no-one really speaks to you when you're shopping, do they?
I get to the tills and load up my shopping on the belt and rush to the front to start packing. As I go every week, there is normally the same people working on the tills. I have someone I recognize and start talking in polite conversation - I'm not the fastest packer, especially when i'm alone with a weeks worth of shopping, but I manage to pick up a fast pace. An Elderly couple start unloading their shopping onto the end of the belt whilst mine is coming down, I look up and smile at them whilst packing. I have to pay so I end up getting a little backlogged with a few items, entering my pin whilst trying to pack the final items. The couple had finished their bit and were then waiting for me to pull away until the woman mutters something completely incoherent to me and it stuns me, because normally I can pick a word up, but I didn't, so I say pardon and try again, nothing. Oops, this is getting a little embarrassing as I can't understand one word. I ask again, now attempting to purely lip-read her, but her lips are too close together so I couldn't attempt that, I then say "Sorry I'm Deaf" and she tries once more, which made the whole situation so awkward as I still didn't get her. I just didn't know what to do with myself as I tried so hard to understand her and failed like 4 times now so I just smile and look so confused (I'm guessing) because the checkout lady raised her voice and said 'Pink Drink' which made people from the surrounding tills look my way - as you would! I explained it was some version of squash my son likes and in a flash picked up the last few items and put them in the trolley.
And I have to say I never have felt so isolated in my whole life as I did in that moment. I think it was the shock that I couldn't actually pick anything up, it was almost like all the confidence I had in myself and my hearing, plummeted down to 0%. I was so embarrassed that I wanted to cry. Yes, I understand that sounds very dramatic, but I couldn't see a way of trying to laugh this one off.
I also have to confess that I haven't actually told anyone about this, so writing this is the first time I've shared this particular scary experience. Having gone through this experience it does make me appreciate how well I do cope on a day-to-day basis, and that I do sympathise massively with anyone that have this experience on a frequent basis. Normally I would pick something up and somehow would manage to make sense of it in my head or I'd get it by the 3rd time at a very push, but I never want to have that ever again. I quite literally wanted to be invisible at that moment. The only thing that made it worst was as I stepped away was hearing the checkout lady say "Oh don't worry, it wasn't you, she has them things in her ears.."

Bridesmaids: A Review by Imogene

Bridesmaids

Directed: Paul Feig

Starring: Kirsten Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Chris O’Dowd, Rose Byrne, Terry Crews, Matt Lucas, Rebel Wilson, Ellie Kemper, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Jill Clayburgh, Melissa McCarthy

Genre: Comedy, Romance

Stars: 4.8/5

I have to say that I have been looking forward to seeing this film as soon as I saw the teaser trailer! I can’t explain why I never went to the cinema and saw it, but I never quite got there.

I firstly notice that the film cast are not all very well known actors/actresses (apart from Matt Lucas and Rebel Wilson) and despite that, the film didn’t disappoint at all!

The film is about a single lady in her 30’s named Annie (Kirsten Wiig) who is feeling sorry for herself as she’s lost her own bakery business, using all of her life savings to start it up, having no boyfriend (apart from Ted whom she has no-strings-attached sex with, and is always hoping for something more with!) and is sharing a flat with two people who don’t respect her personal space (Matt Lucas and Rebel Wilson). The only thing she sees worthwhile is her friendship with her best friend Lillian (Maya Rudolph).

Annie and Lillian have a very close friendship where they share everything and meet up constantly. Lillian one day tells Annie that she is engaged to her wealthy boyfriend, and naturally Annie was to be her Maid of Honour.

(Showing Annie her Engagement Ring)

I like this start of the film as we all have friends where we can relate to this friendship. It has a very sex and the city feel to it at this stage as it’s very girly with lots of giggling, but it does lay the scene of friendship very well here.. and we all know it’ll go wrong, but how?

At the engagement party Annie meets all the other bridesmaids, Rita (Wendi McLendon-Covey), Becca (Ellie Kemper), Megan (Melissa McCarthy) and Helen Harris III (Rose Byrne). Annie takes an instant dislike to Helen at the engagement party and they both become jealous of each others relationship with Lillian and there starts the competition for her affections.

There is such a funny scene where both Annie and Helen have a stand off for displaying their thoughts and feelings towards Lillian. They take it in turns and whilst it’s pretty hilarious for us viewers it does become increasingly awkward for the engagement party guests. Also another scene is where Annie is driving home from the engagement party as is impersonating Helen. I simply couldn’t stop laughing – simply as it’s something all us girls think and probably do!

(Annie's and Helen's standoff)

Knowing that both Annie and Helen have taken a dislike, Lillian try and encourage them to spend time together, but it doesn’t go too well as they both go into competition once again and purposefully try and hit one another with their tennis balls.

A while later Annie takes the Bridesmaids out for a meal to a Brazilian Restaurant for something to eat and to have time to bond together before the wedding. Whilst Lillian has gone to the toilet, Annie suggests a Paris theme for the bridal shower expressing how much Lillian wants to go there. All the other Bridesmaids are enthusiastic over the idea, but Helen shoots it down by suggesting, obviously a much better idea. After the meal Annie tries taking the girls to a top Boutique to choose the bridesmaids outfits, only to realise that she hasn’t made a appointment, but Helen cuts across and uses her powerful name to grant them access. Annie does not take this well. Whilst they are trying dresses on, one by one all the Bridesmaids start feeling sick and get a dodgy stomach (get food poisoning), which results in a very dramatic scene where they panic and are sick over one another in the restroom. Whilst this is happening Helen orders the dresses she likes best.

At this point through the film you start to see Lillian and Annie start slowly parting away which is sad as they’re childhood best friends. It’s sad to think that a close relationship can so easily become loose, and this is where we all start feeling for Annie as we see Helen stepping into her shoes by pushing Annie out of the picture. She starts acting like the Maid of Honour and Annie is very upset by this. However the restroom scenes were very funny and exaggerated! It got plenty of groans and ‘ugh’ but it was very amusing.. It was just disappointing that Helen didn’t fall ill though!

Worried about her finances, Annie suggests having the Bachelors’ Party at Lillian’s parent’s beach house (simply to save money). Helen once again, suggests this is a stupid idea and books them all off to Las Vegas instead. Annie refused to be bought so turned down Helens advances to buy her a First Class ticket, so stuck in coach feeling ill and scared of flying alone. Helen gives her sedatives and alcohol in the hope of calming her fears, but does the exact opposite. They make Annie paranoid, worried and completely erratic. She has many outbursts whilst on the plane which made the staff stop off in Wyoming, which results on the Bachelorettes’ party being cancelled.  Lillian suggests on the way back for Helen to take over the title of Maid of Honour as she’s worried for Annie’s wellbeing and says that she doesn’t seem up to the job.

 (Annies outbursts on the plane)

We see Annie start falling apart in these scenes, purely by Helens sabotage. Annie doesn’t feel good enough anymore and sees that she’s loosing the one person she needs. It’s very emotional as we all have some kind of experience of a close relationship that starts falling apart and no matter what we do we can’t save it. I personally felt a lot for Annie in this section of the film, as she’s trying her best but Helen seems to be so perfect that whatever she does will fall into the shadow.

Unlucky in love Annie continuingly hopes for a proper relationship with Ted, however telling him she’s happy to keep it casual. She begins flirting with Nathan Rhodes who is a nice, friendly traffic cop. He lets her off a ticket for having her taillights broken and she promises that she’ll get them fixed ASAP.  Nathan is a breath of fresh air as he actively encourages everything about Annie, including her tattered dream of a bakery. He tries to get her to reopen and try again, but she refuses as it hurt her too much the first time after it closed and doesn't want to even attempt going through that pain again. Annie opens up to Nathan and there seems to be a lot of chemistry going.

They both spend the night together and the next morning, he buys coffee and ingredients for her to bake and to also cook breakfast with. Annie is immediately offended of his suggestion and snaps at him saying that the night before was a mistake and leaves slamming his front door.

(Annie and Nathan getting to know one another)

This was such a sad part as they both get on so well and you see her enjoying herself for the first time since Lillian announces she’s engaged. But as it a Romantic Comedy we’ve come back to that all expecting, break up before the make up. Sometimes this clause does get quite tiresome, but in this film it was exciting because as soon as you saw them together for that first time you started rooting for a happily ever after!

After getting back to her apartment she meets both Gil and Brynn up to their usual tricks of making her feel uncomfortable. They call a flat meeting where they all suggests ways in which they can get on better, only for them not to take her seriously, resulting that they tell her they want her to move out. At her lowest, Annie has no support around her and makes the choice to move back in with her Mother.

Annie arrives at Lillians bridal shower, feeling angry that she sees her ideas all around her in the garden and house (the Paris theme). Having no money Annie results in making a handmade memory box for Lillian, which she loves and is happy it was received well. Helen makes an elaborate lie by saying she had no time to get Lillian a present and could only get her a card. Lillian opens the envelope and sees two tickets to Paris for the pair of them to go together and choose her very expensive wedding dress which is made by one of the top designers. Enraged by Helens present Annie once and for all says exactly what she feels out in front of the bridal shower guests. Lillian doesn’t take Annie’s outburst very well and exclaims that she has ruined the shower and tells her to leave and not bother coming to the wedding either. Annie leaves feeling heartbroken.

This film had some really entertaining bits and some shock factors. Annies outburst at the shower was a massive shock factor as whilst I, myself was thinking exactly what she was saying, how many of us would actually say and do that? Most of us would stew ourselves up and vent in another way, but I’m glad Annie did get to say what she wanted, as it did bring light onto how Helen is behaving. It was just sad that Lillian hadn’t realised what was going on, but of course, they never do.

On her way home Annie’s car breakdown and whilst it’s her final straw she finds Officer Rhodes coming to her rescue (or not). Still feeling hurt by the way Annie treated him, he acts very cold and tells her he doesn’t want her to contact him again, and to fix the taillight that she promised to do. Having no-one to call she rings up Ted and asks for him to ride her home. He suggests she does oral sex on him whilst he drives her home; she is disgusted and breaks off their ‘relationship’.

Feeling lonely Annie keeps inside and slobs about being depressed. Megan comes and tell her to sort her life out and stop feeling sorry for herself, it’s only her who can change the things that are wrong in her life – Annie takes notice of Megan and there begins an unsuspecting friendship between them. She bakes Nathan a cake and delivers to his door, over the few days she drives past his house only to see it left on the doorstep and racoons eating it.

The day of Lillians wedding arrives and Annie tells her mother that she isn’t attending as Lillian doesn’t want her there. Helen arrives at the doorstep in a panic saying that she’s lost Lillian and needs her help in finding her. Helen gets tearful and starts apologising for everything she’s done towards Annie and Lillians friendship and begs her to help her make everything right again. Annie decides to help and tries to catch the attention of Nathan in his car as she needs him to trace a phone number for her. As he is still feeling hurt over her past behaviour he reluctantly helps her and find that the phone is traced back to her house.

(As Annie is helping Helen find Lillian)

I loved the scene where Annie and Helen were repeatedly driving past trying to get Nathans attention! It was very funny and showed how much she needed him despite his reluctance. However annoyed he was with her he was always willing to help her when it came down to it.

Annie asks Helen to allow her to go speak to Lillian alone. She finds her hiding in her bed and Lillian tells Annie that she’s worried about her being alone and that Helen has organised everything and how she felt trapped without her friend. After making up and putting Annie back as Maid of Honour, Annie helps Lillian get ready for the wedding.

Annie gets to witness first hand the overdoing of Helens plans as there are fireworks, neon signs and Lillians favourite girl band Wilson Phillips. After the wedding Helen once again apologises for her behaviour throughout the engagement and says she hopes they can be friends in the future. She arranged for Nathan to come pick Annie up in his cop car. They share a kiss and he takes her home saying that he’s still going to charge her for her illegal doings.

It was a great film, I really enjoyed it.  It was lovely to see that Annie and Lillian were able to resolve their problems and overcome it by a mile. I had hoped that the film wouldn’t be ruined by the hype surrounding this film on release but now I do understand when people say it was the funniest film released that year. It was nice to see that even though it wasn’t the worlds most recognised cast that it didn’t ruin the humour or how we related, in fact I think it helped the film stand tall, as sometimes this type of film with the usual well known actors/actresses it can become very samey, but it didn’t, and I was very impressed! I hope to see more of this cast in big roles again soon.

I gave this film a 4.8/5 stars due to format, but storyline was very funny and I recommend to anyone wanting to have a girly night in as it’s a film you can join in with and simply laugh your socks off!

Imagine if this was to trend! by Imogene

HAHA!

I found this on Facebook, whilst strolling through my feeds. I personally found it hilarious and thought it'd be cool to share it with all of you on here. 

Also whilst this is funny, that I couldn't help think that it would be rather cool to see this happen for real. I for one would certainly feel more comfortable to have my Hearing Aids on show! I'd feel normal... well, until it was out of fashion..

(Photo is simply intended for laughs!)

It's always the big things that makes the little things difficult. by Imogene.

Hi Everyone!
Sorry for the lack of posting - it's been a while, but I promise I personally have a couple of posts to provide you with this week.

So, I have been getting bugged to get a new phone for ages now, simply because mine is a newer version of a brick phone (it honestly might as well) but I always pride myself with saying "I don't need a new one.. It provides everything I need, to ring people and text" however, I realise I sound like a Granny rather than a 22 year old - I should have a hi-tech phone really.. and I probably do need to stay in touch with the online world more, rather than casually getting the laptop out, if and when I fancy it! So I went browsing for a new mobile. It's so much fun, looking at all the ones you can get - but at the same time not understanding a word of what it's going on about! So, being me, I pick the one I like the look of :-P
A Nokia Lumia! I have always liked the look of these on the adverts, I only want a small contract so I find one suitable - it won't cost no more than my usual pay as you go, so it's worth a try. I order my plan online and get excited to see it arrive.
The next morning I get a phonecall from the phone company and narrowly missed it! (I actually ran down the stairs!) So, I rang back to be answered by a deep voiced man with a heavy accent - I can't actually tell you what one because I found it so difficult to even hear him let alone pick that up too! So as a typical deaf person I say "erm.. sorry?" "pardon?... sorry can you say that again?" "I'm sorry but I can't understand you.." and various other statements which i'm sure we've all used or imagine you would!
Unfortunately my husband had gone to work and wouldn't be back for another 8 hours.. and somehow I doubt that I'd be on the line THAT long, regardless of whether I can understand the man or not. But I genuinely really struggled, especially when he said that he needed me to give an answer to the question! I wasn't aware that I was answering questions!? So I asked him to start again and spell out the answers that I had to pick from the list.. but I had no success because I couldn't even understand the question! He repeated it again and I heard the word catalogue and 2012.. but I simply couldn't answer it.
Therefore because I answered it "wrong" even though I couldn't actually understand it.. he cancelled my application. I was so gutted, especially after when I realised that I could've asked for another person to take the call. It was just so frustrating because I kept thinking "UGH!" simply because on the phone, I'm normally quite good and understand the person very well!
I do find it being an added stress being on the phone to unclear voices - Is it only deaf people that struggle with accents on phones?
So I reapplied for the phone in my husband's name, simply because I felt stupid if I was to reapply in my name again and get rejected again.. and that if they ring again he would have to answer it and answer the questions! Basically it was for my benefit that I didn't get embarrassed again by the same company.
Now I laugh about it because it seems funny that I was like WHAT? but I know it was horrible and I don't want to be in that position again.. I now have my phone and it's all sorted!

Has anyone else had any frustrating experience on the phone? Anyone else have troubles understanding what gets said on the phone? Any tips to share on managing phone calls? All comments welcome!

Paper Aeroplanes Review by Imogene

Paper Aeroplanes

Book Author: Dawn O’ Porter

Publisher: Hot Key Books

So, there’s something new on this blog – a book review. And I have to be perfectly honest, it’s my first, but I hope it levels with my film ones. Dawn O’ Porter is one of my favourite bloggers EVER. I adore her documentaries and work as a journalist – but most of all, her style of writing! This is one of the few things that made me fall in love with her first book “Paper Aeroplanes”.

The story is written in the eyes and language of two teenage girls, Renee and Flo. They are both fifteen and have dysfunctional lives that they both struggle to live with. They both have many things that lie very much in common with one another; however it was a friendship that wasn’t meant to happen.

Renee lives with her grandparents and sister, following the horrifying death of her mother when she was only six years old.  Flo lives with her mother, little sister and big brother.  Her mother and father are separated but she has to take on the role of “mum” to her little sister therefore putting the experiences of a “normal” teenager, far out of sight.

Due to the heartache and burdens in their lives, it was a friendship that ran deep and kept them bonded together. Their meeting changed everything they have ever known about friendship and themselves. Together and separately they experience what teenage life is really like for a fifteen year old in 1994.  

I was very interested in reading this book as soon as I saw that it was available to pre-order. Also, that it was written by Dawn O’ Porter! It looked very cheeky, so all the more reason to read it, yes?
As soon as I turned the first page I couldn’t stop reading. The words flow so easily and made it such a gripping book to keep hold of. I’m all for an emotional book and this had every emotion written in at all times. There were points where you giggled to yourself thinking “I can’t believe it!” and times where you quietly let a few tears slide out as you felt such an attachment to the characters. It’s quite an emotional rollercoaster.

It’s written almost diary-like which makes it all so intense! I liked this as it is narrated at different times by both Renee and Flo – we got to see their personal thoughts about one another and other people in their own way.

I loved reading about Renee and Flo together, the conversations they have and things that they do and it instantly makes you think of your own best friend. I’m glad it was written in this way as it gave depth to the characters and made it so the book had two personalities bouncing off one another!
It was very heartbreaking at times and due to the writing style it made me feel for the characters and sympathise with them (this is always good when you fall in deep with a book!). Also it has a realistic plotline which makes it easy and enjoyable to read, you never feel out of your depth nor struggled to understand. It’s really a story of two ordinary girls with a lot of loneliness and upset in their world, but finds someone to relate – this is what made their friendship special. This is why you pine for them to make up when they fall out and why you want them to succeed in their GCSE’s and make something of their life! Honestly, when stopping the book it was hard to think that they weren’t real people, because the wave of feeling that you had for them wouldn’t let you believe that! There isn’t a page where nothing is happening – so if you’re planning on reading this, have a couple of lazy days set aside!

It’s also important too that it covers lots of important teenage issues such as, Periods, Sex, Friendship, Bullying, Exams, Anorexia and Home-life struggles. It’s simply a book that’ll never be outdated, however so many of this next generation won’t get to experience the importance of note sharing in classes! (I loved the notes in the book – so many great memories!).

It was genuinely a pleasure to read and will forever be highly rated as one of my favourite books. I highly recommend it!

****

I’m pleased to say that it has been announced that Dawn is doing a second book to this tale (YAY!) – From where, I am clueless!

I tried to stay away from reviews on this book as much as I could as I wanted to completely submerge into the story and have my own images and thoughts. However when I was reading through my twitter feed someone mentioned that Dawn used her diary to help her write this story – so one of the characters was her, now which one did you think it was?

TED Talks - Imogene

Hi guys, sorry it's been a while since I've posted, been really busy, but I've come back with something worth your while - I hope!

So I saw my step-dad the other day and as soon as he saw me he went "ooh, I have this awesome video and channel for you to have a look at; it's very long winded, but I think you'll enjoy it!". He got his amazing Samsung Galaxy S3 and showed me a really fascinating video!
I'm one of them people that find the little things really interesting, and I was hugely curious to watch the video - It was on YouTube which was fair enough and it wasn't what I was expecting, but I liked that it was something I am personally interested in, which is Education. And this video is basically one guys perception on the state schools curriculum and why he finds Art a really important subject. It has some fantastic examples and  many humorous moments and now that I've discovered the channel I want to watch many more videos and see what else is out there! (It's definitely going to reappear on this blog from me!)

The channel is called 'TED Talks' - (I actually said to my dad 'ooh, is it the bear TED from the movie TED', safe to say I got a 'don't be so silly Immy' look!). I'm actually going to describe it how my dad did, as he has a great way of putting words together, and he has been much help in the past due to that little talent!
"It's a channel on YoutTube where lots of people post lots of video's - at complete random and can be about anything! There is many boring ones, but many fascinating ones where your mind is like 'WOW'" - Yes it probably doesn't sound so impressive like that, but it sounded better, i'll see if I could get a recording? (haha!)
So, I found the video again once my dad showed me it and you should definitely watch it, it is viewed as quite heavy.. It is nearly 20 minutes long (so I recommend you can watch it contently) but it is really interesting to hear someones view on the subject, watch the video here.

I think I found it personally interesting as I find that his opinion is very similar to mine, as I agree that it's terrible that schools are cutting down on the Arts in the curriculum - especially as it's a way of getting children to express themselves, and to be honest 'talk' thought their work. I as a deaf person, who enjoy doing creative stuff, find that it's sad they're cutting it down as I think it was one of the things that really got me grow as a child. I wasn't much of a conversation child until I caught up on the vocabulary. (I only got hearing aids at the age of 7, but i'll explain this more later) So really I think they should definitely keep it as it helps a lot of children develop, as it most definitely did for me.

So, what do you think? Enjoy the video? Agree with his opinion? Or not? Did Art help you in any way when you were at school? Have any stories on the subject? Or.. have you discovered TED talks before me and have interesting videos? I love to hear everyone's thoughts! I hope you're well and have enjoyed reading. :-)

Immy's Review: The Iron Lady

The Iron Lady

Directed: Phyillida Lloyd

Starring: Meryl Streep, Jim Broadbent, Iain Glen, Olivia Colman, Harry Lloyd

Genre: Biography, Drama, History

Stars: 5/5

(Please be warned that there are Spoilers in this post)

I started this review like I have done any other review, reading the reviews. I have to say there is very little criticism on the film as a whole. I was surprised by this as there is always something negative, but honestly the only slight negative point was that it kept flicking between time lines – which left some confusion. Although, personally I think that’s the way the film was intended, to make us imagine the state of mind of Dementia.

I also watched the trailer before the film also, and I have to say, it seemed very eye-catching, but it wasn’t how I imagined it to be. I expected it to be more ‘real footage’.

The first scene was really dramatic. It showed the old Mrs Thatcher in a shop buying a pint of milk, in a frail manner walking to the counter and then walking back to her home. The music was very moving – it went very well with the scene. It then moved onto her sitting at the dining table eating her breakfast, talking to her husband. Here she seemed confident, (unlike the first scene) and sure of herself. After the scene her husband had disappeared and she was sitting at the table alone. Her husband was in fact dead. It appeared that she had two faces of her persona; she had her sure self, talking assertively and then the side of being scared and lonely, the reality.

The film in general was very touching as we can all only imagine how dementia affects a person, some of us have experienced this with a loved one and exactly, how horrible and disturbing it can be for them and for relatives. So, in all it gave a better understanding behind the illness, especially seeing that something so simple as a word or phrase can trigger back to the past – as for example in the film she’s getting ready for dinner with the company of friends and family, when she says “I prefer the company of men”. She hears laughter and it took her back to a time where she was ridiculed for being the only lady in her position.

In this film it showed us how she was teased most of her working life. She seemed as if she had a really good way with words and trying to speak her point – she wanted to make the world a better place, and she thought she knew best as she understood the difficulty of hard living in a middle-classed world. She had to work hard for everything she got, so her judgement became clouded as she became obsessed with everyone doing the same to achieve. She became very career driven and stubborn for people to hear her opinion and I think she lost sight of her colleagues and family – simply because she wanted to do right, in her mind, above everything else. She was a controller, she wanted to be in charge and questioned everything anyone spoke to her about – personally I think she was just head strong and became a mother, who wanted to do better for everyone, but eventually it seemed it got the better of her original quest, which was to make a better Britain. The power seemed to take over as she was in denial over the elections when another party challenged her for the position by saying “I am the Prime Minister” – when she was in her old state.

There were lots of emotional scenes in the film which got to me. It was just interesting to see the two sides of the one person, it was a film that showed that no matter what she seemed to have done wrong, she is still a person who got hurt, old and lived with the decisions she made. I think this came out more when she was watching her old home-tapes of the children and kept playing them over and over. Then to twist it again, she throws herself into denial over her husband talking to her – she doesn’t want to look like she’s loosing her mind. (With her career it wasn’t something she was able to do) She wanted to remain in charge of her life.

Through the film we also see how she lost so much when Britain hated on her for the Poll Tax and the problems over in the Falkland Islands and, well, so many other things. But, you have to admire how in the film she stood her ground for so long, that she ended up coming out on top – which it showed precisely how well she did her job. She was harsh, but honest to everyone for exactly what she stood for and no-one can knock her for that in the end.

For the final part of the film, we saw once again her attempting to get rid of her husbands’ clothes and finding an old memory box that belonged to him; inside there were cards from their children, leaflets from the elections and a photo of the family where she breaks down to tears and asks her husband if he was happy – I think this is where we see exactly how alone she felt at this time. It was her time to then say goodbye to the husband she’s been keeping alive for so long in her head and to finally let go of everything negative about her career. It was very sad and I spent most of the last scene sobbing – I could only imagine how it would feel to have to say goodbye to someone you have been with most of your life and loved. To the one person who has always stood by your side no matter what.

I really enjoyed this film; I gave it 5/5 simply as it was a moving story, and I have to say, one of the most heart breaking films I’ve seen. Mrs Thatcher was played by the exceptional Meryl Streep – an actress who has done her finest work doing this film. She’s always been one of my favourite actresses, especially since doing the hit Mammia Mia! She did nothing but shine in this tale – also, was shocking how much she actually looked like the real Mrs.T!

 All in all it was a very touching and made me sad – but also it inspired the fact, that no matter what your social standing, you can always come on top and achieve. From a daughter of a green-grocer to Prime Minister - no matter what your thoughts on her political standing, that’s admirable.

428 words about me, Immy.

Hi, my name is Imogene, but people call me by various other names. I have a severe hearing loss, so am completely reliant on hearing aids, I don’t mind it so much as I've had it since a young age, and learnt the word patterns and have become a fluent lip-reader.

I really enjoy the experience of going to the cinema, I like the loud noises and the ‘around the whole room’ part – but I don’t like going to a non subtitled film. Don’t get me wrong, I've been to loads of films and have got parts of it – but I never come away truly satisfied, and to be honest feel stupid asking what happened after. I think people get the impression you’re not all together there and think you may be dumb, but that’s not the case – it’s usually the voicing of the characters wasn't clear enough or that they were looking away at the important moments that binds the film together.
Saying that though, I have gone with my other half many times and at funny parts where everyone is laughing, I’m sitting there like ‘huh?’ and I lean over and ask him and he always tells me what was funny – but again, I felt stupid for laughing 10 seconds after everyone else..

Then, one of my best friends (Eleanor), showed me a site about subtitled films and asked me along for one, and to be honest I’ve never gone to the cinema since without subtitles. I’ve been able to come out of the film understanding the plot – which to me was amazing. Who knew how much help, some words on a screen could be? So now, we just make a day trip to the cinema simply for the subtitles. What’s the point of going to a film and sitting there not understanding, wasting money on something that you gain nothing from?

I enjoy a massive range of films from Fantasy, Action, and Adventure to a hilarious Rom-Com. I have a massive thing at the moment on the Batman and Iron man side of the movies – Who doesn't like the idea of a hugely attractive man, who saves the world? I do!

So this blog is simply for your entertainment, all thoughts are our own and well we’ll be very blunt and say it how it is from a deaf and lady point of view. I can promise you some smiles along the way – as I’m sure we’ll have many laughs ourselves over our projects! Feel free to comment on anything and well, make yourself at home.

Ta-ra!