barbara

hi - I don't know if you are familiar with the history of everyone's distaste for the ISU awards show. The idea of these awards was conceived AFTER the schedule for Worlds was already published and tickets purchased by fans. We were promised the standard, expected and massively popular gala for the Sunday afternoon. The ISU changed Sunday and did away with the gala and replaced it with a stupid awards show - no one could return tickets, though this was not what we bought tickets for. It was clear that the whole thing was going to 1)prevent the fans from seeing an actual gala presentation and 2)was basically a promotion that had zero to do with the competition. No amount of begging, pleading, complaining, demanding ticket refunds swayed SC or the ISU. If there was one tiny silver lining to Worlds being cancelled, it was because this promotional, ill-advised and unwelcome sideshow was not going to happen. Anyway, we all came into the announcement that this "show" was still going to happen with a deserved contempt for the organizers of the "show". And, of course, the ISU has generally been crazy biased against Yuzu for years, almost consistently under-scoring him. After the presentation, IF Yuzu wins MVS, then I'll watch the replay. But not watching during it. I hoped the explanation helped.

Okay - time to ask this question - I LOVE the clear files I've been gifted by other satellites, and i'd like that Masquerade one, too - but, what is the purpose of a clear file? Other than collecting them, is there a specific purpose for a clear file? I keep travel papers in one (back when travel was something that people could do) but have been curious forever on what the actual usage of these are? And why so popular in Japan? I know why the ones with Yuzu on them are popular, I'm just asking about clear files in general.

With shredded cheese, of course. Easy, quick and high protein. He did not get this idea from me. He learned in college.

Yuzu has been vocal about how much his mother's help, and especially her looking after his nutritional requirements, has been so important to him. I am certain he is perfectly capable to looking after himself - but he is not a regular 25 yr old (when my son was 25, he took care of all his needs, but ate a regular diet of tuna quesadillas that kept him full and alive but hardly optimum for health). Yuzuru is a full time elite athlete and a student, living in a foreign country. By looking after the everyday needs (and, I think you guys are right about helping with the managerial duties), his mother frees Yuzu up to concentrate on his training, his competitions and his academics. And, he is not socially active so his home is his center. It offers freedom and balance and psychological support. There is no way to over-estimate how crucial Mama Hanyu has been to Yuzu's success.

I do claim "sickest" and "worst response" for the the United States. In Arizona alone, we have a higher per capita infection rate than even Brazil. The US has 4% of the world population and 25% of the deaths. Believe me, I am not proud - but alarmed. It's like living in a prolonged dystopian nightmare.

I think that if you are arriving by air, your "papers" are checked at departure. That's at least true for some countries, depending on the gov't and size of airport. For instance, the US has their point of entry IN some airports (YVR and YYC, for instance.) I think, with the kind of restrictions in place right now, that departing Japan (and So Korea) would require something that assures the ability to be in the country that one is arriving in. If SC and SO were persuaded to allow Jason in, it would now be up to the JSF to request that Yuzu be able to return to Toronto. I expect his "people" are doing what they can ( and what he wants - which may be to stay in Sendai another month).

The biggest surprise that, for whatever official reason he'd be allowed into Canada, Jason would have been traveling from the states and we, in the states, are the most embarrassingly infected country in the world (and getting SO much worse). I have to believe that, while it would be fairly uncommon, for any country trying to protect their citizens during these bizarro times, there will be an occasional exception made by someone in government to allow an individual to go to Canada (and quarantine for 14 days). I guess we will find out more tomorrow, but if a rare exception can be made for him (coming from sicko-land), then Jun and Yuzu and their mothers (and Evgenia) can be rare exceptions, too. I don't know what kind of influence one has to have or what hoops are jumped through, but only a truly authoritarian country (China, for instance) would deny entrance to absolutely anyone. Permanent residency is far more difficult for an American to get in Canada under the best of circumstances - it took a friend of mine a decade and she was teaching at university and self-supporting- , and, yeah, he didn't get married (but if anyone knows anyone looking for an american wife who is a great cook and great with dogs, I am available, though old).

"Shenanigans" is almost too light-weight a term for what the ISU is doing. And - are they seriously planning on doing another awards show at next year World's? It's not like the #1 for almost every category wouldn't be the same nine months from now. Maybe the costume category would relate specifically to the competition year (and why would that go to the skater and not the costume designer?) , but not "most valuable" - that would be the same for the last five years. Newcomer, I guess. And when, if ever, will they release the number of fan votes each person received? The criteria is so vague.

I'm almost embarrassed to say that I feel the same (not embarrassed that Yuzu is the focus of my FS interest and that interest would plummet if not for him) about secretly hoping that certain skaters will have disaster skates. Fall. Screw up. Not be injured, though (except maybe a little bit), but definitely have bad skates, especially in they're in a competition with Yuzu -

Wow, we are a desperate crew to latch on to even a second of a flash of a photo...

I ordered this at the end of May and it just arrived, pretty much when expected. It is heavy and the shipping was nearly as much as the photo book, but total cost less that $40 USD. Beautiful photographs and plenty of text I can't read....

Is there a historical or cultural reason the JSF never speaks up about Yuzu's clearly biased scoring? I don't know if it would make a difference, ultimately, in how he is scored, but it would be validating to hear that they recognize that he is the GOAT and that he has increased global interest in Japan and Japanese skaters by a magnitude. And he is probably personally responsible for increased tourism to Japan. I think the JSF's reticence to say anything about the unfair scoring would be seen as complaining (which, I suppose, it would be) and it's a cultural reticence -not so much a statement of what they believe is fair.

I haven't seen this posted before....is this the forum it should be on?

I, for one, am really sad but totally understand that the US border is still closed. It means I can't visit friends in Canada and get out of the super hot desert. (And it also reflects on how completely out of hand and insane things are in the states with virtually zero federal response or actual guidelines.) I'm not sure how anyone who requires a visa will be able to go to Canada anytime soon. All Canadian visa offices are closed, at least in No America. I have a young friend who is dual US/Canadian citizen and she has been trying since late February to get a visa through the Canadian gov't so she can go live and work in Scotland. The visa offices are closed "indefinitely". Maybe it's a different visa office that athletes apply through. I don't know.

I LOVE my origami swan!

Why do I think Yuzu would never do this? Ever.

As with any performer, they are, in fact, just human. (Some actors always want attention and to be treated differently - we know that is NOT who Yuzu is.)

I see it now, but i don't understand it. (and may no one ever put large close-up photos of my face on screen and then dissect them..).

I can see doing this for something like the GRE or big entrance exams, but I learned (the second try at University) that if I showed up for class, did my assignments and read what I was supposed to, all I really needed to do before an exam was to review my notes - because I'd already actually learned the material. A high protein breakfast beforehand helped, though.

I, for one, truly hope that where Yuzuru's father teaches/works is not every publicly revealed. It's no one's business, and would just infringe on his privacy and the privacy of everyone at his school. I've heard about the Sendai "rule" regarding silence on matters relating to the Hanyus, and agree with it completely.

I am not a Japanese satellite - but I do know that Yuzu is a very diligent student. And acquiring a good education is very important to him and to his family. Maybe lots of students have to cram (I didn't know there were schools for that) but think of Yuzu's full life. He practices. A lot. He spends an enormous amount of time on his programs and his physical conditioning. And he goes home. He doesn't have a social life as what most other students do. He doesn't go out. He doesn't party. He studies. He does his work. And he is bright. Yuzu knows how to focus and genuinely applies himself to his studies. I think his grades are exemplary but not inhuman - just reflective of a very bright young man, taking his education seriously, who pushes himself to achieve. What is a "cram school"?

I can get past the mustard/pickle thing. We can just order separately. And his family supporting him? Yes, lots of sacrifice, but as a mom of a son who is accomplished in his own field, I think they feel as I do - It's been my privilege and joy to support my son pursuing his dream. If you're lucky enough to have someone with a gift and the drive to pursue it, the sacrifice is not a burden. The Hanyus have done so much for their son but I'm sure it has been without reservation and without regret.

Yeah! I love being right (most of the time). I have watched a number of videos with Yuzu visiting badly damaged areas near his home and remember this visit - and the tweet translated to "Ishinomaki City Minato Junior High School". That school was demolished in the tsunami and many students died. So sad.

I could be wrong about this (and I suppose if I could read Japanese, there would be more clarity) but I thought this was a visit to a school that had been badly damaged during the earthquake and, in addition to the messages for Sochi they sent him, the re-building of the school was why he visited. Something to cheer the students who had been through so much, But I might be wrong...