BATTLING BACK

By: Denise Balcarcel

NoraDiva1@comcast.net

As I watch Hillary breathe life into Nora's recovery story, I am truly humbled.  No one - and I mean no one – does physical storylines like her.  It feels so comfortable and familiar to see Nora fight back.  Watching Nora struggle to communicate and walk, and feeling her determination, fear, frustration and joy, is truly inspiring.  You cannot help but run the gamut of emotions with her.  This is a woman who refuses to succumb to pain and defeat.  She fights harder with each time she is knocked down.  This is the Nora we know and love, and this is the Nora we yearn to see.  As far as I’m concerned, Hillary nailed her Emmy reel weeks ago.  She places me right in the moment with Nora in each and every scene, and just for a second, the line blurs between illusion and reality. Now that's power. If I could bottle the magic of these moments, Nora would remain on the front burner for the rest of our lives.

There's an eerie parallel between Nora fighting to recover and in us fighting to keep Hillary on the canvas. The way I look at this year - and at the past fourteen years that she's given to us - is that it's a gift.  Every time I watch Hillary create, I am reminded of her brilliance. A huge cross-section of viewers from numerous online forums is completely mesmerized right now. In fact, I've read posts from viewers who are gushing with praise, and some of these individuals weren’t necessarily always Nora fans. Somehow, and in some amazing way, Hillary has managed to reach a contingent of indifferent viewers and convert them into Nora fans.  These same viewers are loudly speaking out in support of HBS, and some have contacted me and asked to join the H.E.R. (Hillary-Erika-Robin) Initiative.  I always felt that viewers couldn't be swayed once they formed an opinion of a character. Well I bow at the feet of the soap gods and gladly stand corrected. Once again, Hillary breaks the mold and creates a new one.

I have a theory concerning why these viewers are now jumping on board our ship. First of all, they are captivated by Hillary's performances as Nora battles the effects of her condition.  Second, we are witnessing the return of Nora's fighting spirit.  Daniel Colson is a distant memory, and we’re able to anticipate and debate Nora’s future, instead of peering over our shoulders and dwelling on the past.  Nora is fighting back harder than she has fought in a long time - and it's marvelous to watch. I especially enjoyed the scene where Lindsay burst into the hospital sunroom after witnessing Nora and RJ kiss. What better incentive for Nora to fight than to show up Lindsay? This is one game of cat-and-mouse I always enjoy.  It’s very clear that as Nora battles to regain physical control, she is redefining her very essence and reevaluating her identity.  I think it's safe to say that she will never quite be the same person again.  While her ethics, morals and principles shall remain intact, I am betting that Nora views life rather differently in the months that lie ahead. It's questionable whether Nora’s emotional scarring will run deeper than the physical challenges posed by her medical ordeal.  If TPTB balance the emotional and physical components of her recovery, this story will be pure gold.

Speaking of gold, how incredibly wonderful were the Bo/Matt/Nora scenes?  It doesn’t matter which side of the table one sits on in relation to Nora’s romantic pairings, because all of us can agree that this family was long overdue for a reconnect session.  What moved me when I saw the three of them interacting was a sudden realization of how much time has lapsed.  It seems like just yesterday that Matt was a baby – and now he’s maturing into an autonomous and responsible young man.  I’ve often said that Matt and Starr are two of the most significant characters on the canvas.   We tend to forget just how much history their characters sustain.  I think it’s important to reflect upon this history from time to time, because it’s so vital to our correspondence.  Matt and Starr carry the Buchanan, Cramer and Lord dynasties within their gene pools, and Matt has enough Hanen blood flowing through his veins to keep him grounded.  These two precocious and vibrant children are Llanview’s future, and their fates have been predetermined by a combination of luck and circumstance.  I have no doubt that both will rise to the occasion and honor their family names when the appropriate time arises.  In fact, they already have.

I also want to provide you with a brief update on the H.E.R. Initiative.  Thus far, I’ve received positive responses from one-third of all program sponsors.  I’m drafting a second round of letters to these company reps which is near completion.  Robin’s rep is scheduled to attend the OLTL Fan Luncheon and promises to promote the campaign with as many fans as possible.  Susan has worked directly with Robin and other OLTL actors on Hurricane Katrina relief efforts and brings excellent public relations skills to the campaign.  This feeds into my next goal, which is to reach “offliners”: viewers who do not access soap sites and are not regular Net users.  I am currently reaching out to the written media with hopes that I can publicize the initiative within soap periodicals.  Magazines often serve as the sole form of outreach and information for millions of viewers, so it’s crucial that this demographic is reached.  I must send a huge thank-you out to Joi, a fellow HBS fan.  Joi also runs fan sites for REG, KDP and TDS, and graciously offered to promote the initiative among her site members.  Please e-mail me if you would like links to Joi’s sites – they’re absolutely wonderful.  Finally, I must thank Angela and Jenn for all they continue to do.  If we fail to express often enough how grateful we are to both of you, please know that we’re constantly mindful of the effort and dedication that goes into all you do for HBS and for us.