Christmas 2011

I had a very good and humorous Christmas: Brooke gave me some had blown straws that are wider to drink soup with.  Now it gets funny, Wifey gives me her gift, with my first rip. I tare the corner of the paper and see an image of a baby stroller.  Wifey said my face started to ask a hundred questions.  Her gift was a cup holder to put onto my chair. Then I open Michael’s gift, the shirt is a funny on facebook. It says “your face” 3 million dislikes. This is the most I ever laughed opening my gifts.

How Long Does Plastic Really Stick Around?

Swallowing plastic is a weird sensation, when one does not have use of both hands other devices are used to open plastic and chip bags.  I have tried using the popping method; you push the air to one end until the bag pops open. You end up with a big mess, the contain flies out and most of it is crush.  On occasions both ends pop open, so you just have a food tunnel and keep eating until the chips stop falling out.

I end up using the hand and mouth method, the only problem is that sometimes pieces of bags get stuck in my teeth. It may take hours to work this little piece of plastic out with my tongue and/or by toothbrush. By the time I do get the plastic dislodge, it is to far back and end up swallowing it. I can feel the invader go half way down as it hits the side of my throat. I usually take a long drink to make sure it gets all way down.

15 Lives Later Follw Up

Brooke and I got off to a late start on Friday, plus the traffic was insane.  If there was not roadwork, it was an accident. So we got to Kennedy Krieger institute an hour late.  From the start, we were working against the clock since Brooke had to work that night.  While we were waiting a Spanish mother comes in with her two boys.

The older boy was about 5 and kept looking at me like what the...  At first I had my back to the family and Brooke was enjoy the faces that the boy was making.  I turned around and put my hand out so he could give me five.

We finally went back with Susan to start working on the new head sticks.  Time starts flying by and only one head stick is partly done.  Brooke and I start thinking of alternative plans. Maybe I could stay and Wifey picks me up later.

We told Susan of our dilemma, it so happen that her daughter was in a holiday program by our house.  Susan offered to drop the head sticks by our house after the program.  I went a head and road to work with Brooke and Wifey picked me up from there.

Sure enough Susan comes by our house at 11:30 and it fit as soon as I put the head stick on!!!!

15 Lives Later

Tomorrow I am going to get new head sticks, the last I got new one was in ’05, or ’06.  I also wait until they are totally trashed and held together with tape plus cardboard. This drives Brooke and Wifey crazy.  It is like turning in your car for a new one.  The less you get for trade in, the more of a badge of honor it is.

When I do get new head stick, there is a breaking period. As when people need to use their favorite pen.  This is the first time both of my head sticks broke, or fell at the same time.  That is why part of it is purple, Brooke and I took two head sticks and made one.  Glue would not hold alone, so we added the plastic ties too.

It we kept adding plastic ties; I could look like those guys from High Lander 2.  The 2 guys with the porcupine hair on the flying “skateboards”. As always Camden has to check out everything I do.

Fellow Artist

April Wood
www.aprilwoodmetalsmith.com
www.aprilwood.blogspot.com

Robert Florio
http://www.robertflorio.com/

Carlton Mackey
http://www.mytruevision.com/

Dino Lara
http://dinolarablog.com/

Jason Magbanua
http://jasonmagbanua.com/blog/

Mango Red
http://mangored.com/2010/

Josh Blue
http://www.joshblue.com/

Gregory Burns
http://www.gregoryburns.com/artist/

Matt Sesow
http://www.sesow.com/

Stacy Marx
http://on.fb.me/hyfYLd

Educational Tid Bits 2011

Elimination Of IEP Diploma Turns Divisive By Shaun Heasley
I think they should be able to walk, really have mixed feelings. I know when they refused to mainstream me. I thought about dropping out of school, why waist 4 years if I would not get a diploma.
Posted 1/11/12

Disability.gov: Internship Opportunities for College Students with Disabilities at the Smithsonian Institution http://bit.ly/dvk3vn

PA - SEARCH program trains disabled workers from school to employment http://www.ydr.com/premium/ci_15745492

NTID gets $170,000 for research, cultural awareness project http://www.ntid.rit.edu/media/full_text.php?article_id=1268

College students w/ LD need to learn to advocate http://media-dis-n-dat.blogspot.com/2010/08/experts-say-college-students-with.html
Scholarship Program For People With Disabilities http://ff.im/-q7ge4

50 Special Ed Teachers and Experts Worth Following on Twitter http://t.co/M2WaUa2

Celebrating 35 Years of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA): http://bit.ly/citRkI

The STEP Program is a program for someone no longer in the school system and is between 18 and 20,wants to work and is DD eligible through DDA. Their focus is on jobs. It is a small program which leads me to believe it might be relatively new. I think the focus might be for students who fall into a black hole when they leave school at 18 and are not eligible for GTYI funding until 21.

I could not find links for STEP, or GTYI.

Extracurricular & Nonacademic Activities in IEPs http://www.wrightslaw.com/blog/?p=4125 IDEA Court ruling Oct. 7, 2010 #moms #teachers #iep

Awareness to Action: Celebrating 10 Years of Inclusive School: http://www.inclusiveschools.org/week2010

Disabilities Scholarships
http://www.disabled-world.com/disability/education/scholarships/qualify-scholarship.php
http://www.disabled-world.com/disability/education/scholarships/

RT @suzrobitaille: Walmart Awards $600,000 to @AAPD for Internship Program http://bit.ly/dZqwKh

RT @BmoreSchools: In @waitingforsuperman , where were the kids who don't have parents or adults who advocate for them? http://bit.ly/ckMgSz

RT @disabledworld: Scholarships for Higher Education - Hamilton Relay http://ff.im/-ybCvA

RT @AIM_Center: Digital textbooks making way to W.Va. schools - State News - Charleston Daily Mail - West Virginia News and Sports - http://bit.ly/fbeuzX

RT @disabledworld: Apple App Store - Special Education Section http://ff.im/-zn0Ep

RT @CRPDisabilities: Too costly to help disabled at school http://ht.ly/6d08J

RT @nichcy: Best sources for #specialeducation info & resources: @educationweek, @NAEYC, @WholeChildAdv , @Inclusive_Class, @DiscoveryEd, @edutopia. #FF

on twitter

RT @NAIDW: Education Department Backs Away From Fix To Help Disabled Student Borrowers - http://naidw.org/breaking-news/

Articles 2010-2012

An 11-year-old disabled boy and his family are outraged after he was "shunned to the back" for his Year 6 graduation photo. Why would you even put a disabled be hide people that are standing. No adults were think like a human when they were positioning these students.

  

Posted 11/26/12

Disabled people can be freaky deakies too especially when they do not discover their sexually until later in life, or have to adopted their life style due to a injury. Some people would even call me a sexual deviant when I using pornos to relieve my frustrations.  The  first time my mom viewed the King Gimp with us, she was sitting be hide me. When she saw the part about the porn, I got a good smack on the back of my head.
My best friend, Jody has his master in sexology and now is work on his PDH and teacher is teaching at the school.  He has tried many time to have the school bring me there to talk to the students about my frustrations and experiences of being disabled and a sexual being.  There has been a few times Wifey and I have been speaking and the topic of sex comes up, but it was not the write plate form.  The curiosity is there, but the right audience remains to be found.

RT @DHorizons: Accessibility and sexual expression via @DHorizons 
Posted 12/24/12/
 
No matter what age you are, when it comes to sexuality and the disabled this is a taboo topic.  Most people think the disabled are incapable of having sex, or even having knowledge about sex. How can you stop something as natural and is in ever type of media as sex.  Yes sex can be frustrating as hell, if one does not have outlet to release these feelings.  One's sexuality is as necessary as breathing. 
RT @accessinclusion: 'How do I have sex now?' Intimacy for the physically disabled, shedding light on the taboo. #disability
Posted 12/19/12

RT @AboutDisability: Youth Disability Advocate Awards and Scholarships 

Posted 12/12/12
 

RT @rollaramp: Program provides wheelchair-accessible home to family in need. Too bad this is not a national program.
Posted 11/10/12

John Franklin Stephens on his open letter to Ann Coulter: "Use me as a symbol for someone who fights adversity" I keep having the same thoughts about bullying.  If our leaders are acting like kids, calling each other names and degrading one another when they do not get they way. This behavior is just becoming more accepting through out our whole society.  

Everyone says a picture is worth a thousand words, but when spoken one word can do a life time of damage, or make a person feel like a billion bucks.
Posted 10/27/12

RT @barrierfreemb: Disturbing: Ann Coulter Defends Outrageous Remarks #accessibility #a11y
What a Douchebag, but that is not a good to description for this "person" that can influence the thoughts of millions.  In the definition of Douchbag they even use the R word.  Maybe some body should lock her in  an institution and treat her like she is not human. If no other politician finds her offensive, they do not care about the disability community.  
   
Ann Coulter's backward use of the 'r-word' John Franklin Stephens on CNN.  
john franklin stephens open letter.
Posted 11/26/12

RT @nichcy: University of Tennessee program gives students with intellectual disabilities chance to attend college http://on.wbir.com/SH1vfQ.  This is a good example of how I speak about how everyone has something to contribute to society.  I also talk about how people may just see the help that I get from others, but in reality they also benefit from seeing my drive to achieve my goals.
Posted 10/8/12

RT @CLD_GSU: To Avoid Long Lines, Some Turn To Wheelchairs via @zite. If people want the perks of being a gimp, they should also see the down side. They should have to use a wheelchair for the rest of their trip. It is the same thing as parking in a gimp space.  I always wanted to ask the person if I could kiss them for 2 minutes.
posted 10/5/12
 
 RT @DisRightsUK: New Let's Stop Disability Hate Crime guides, available to download from our website today  #stopdisabilityhatecrime
I find it interesting that the UK has disability hate crimes.  I wonder if this is just a usage of language, or the UK take this issue that serious?

In US hate crimes are criminal acts, are they considering discrimination a criminal act in the UK?  In the US, discrimination is Considered to be a civil matter and a lot of cases are not notice because it is more money to hire a lawyer then the victim usually has as an income.  If you try to stand up for your rights at the time, you get threaten with trespassing, or causes a public disturbance so you end up going to jail.  
Posted 2/22/12

 To make these Trust even more complex, some state want to change the rules has they go.  This not for the Trustee, or the benefactor.
RT @TheCoffeeKlatch: Navigating Special Needs Trusts http://www.specialneeds.com/legal-and-trustees/add/navigating-types-special-needs-trusts #tck

 We agree! RT @ms4less: Interesting story about an artist with one eye. The worst #disability in life is a bad attitude! http://ow.ly/90h4a
Posted 2/13/12

RT @NirviShah: Feds Say More Students May Qualify for Disability Services http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2012/02/01/19speced.h31.html?cmp=SOC-SHR-TW via @educationweek
Posted 2/1/12

I think this is the same story about the documentary at Sundance.  It is a taboo subject, but needs to be addressed. The clip I saw was with a client in an Iron log.  Sex i s something that should be something everyone should experience.

Healings Hands
A sex surrogate helps men get over their sexual dysfunctions by getting into bed with them. Is this medicine? Or plain old-fashioned prostitution served up with a spoonful of love? 

Wow President Obama issued a statement proposing better labor standards for in-home care workers. I always thought if care providers got better pay and were paid on time it would be a win, win for all. The care provider could have a better income and the would give a higher quality of care. The over time party may be hard to make happen since that would be hard to write into a yearly budget.

Plus it is a job market that will not disappear, most likely it just keep growing. DAH!

Better wages for care provider 
Posted 12/15/11


Disability Sex Dating and Adult Chat
http://www.disabled-world.com/communication/disabled-dating/disability-sex.php

New online comic treats disabilities realistically
http://bit.ly/dk9ktG

a fun fyi about international disabled parking permits
http://bit.ly/c2k6kc

i never did good on exam myself, did effect my until college, could be why i don't believe in standerlize test
http://bit.ly/cLwuDr

you can live like everyone else, but only if you follow our rules.
http://bit.ly/cEpWA0

public school district says no to service dog
http://bit.ly/aO19ue

poll on learning disabled as parents
http://bit.ly/d03D8o

Media dis&dat: Delaware high school selects student with CP as pr...
http://bit.ly/cn7umX
Ski Wear Designed Just For Adaptive Skiing. Order Yours Today
http://www.disabled-world.com/sports/snow/ski-clothing.php

http://www.feministe.us/blog/archives/2010/06/18/disability-terminology-a-starter-kit-for-nondisabled-people-and-the-media/

Bravo TV "Work of Art" contestant puts a face on OCD http://media-dis-n-dat.blogspot.com/2010/06/bravo-tv-work-of-art-contestant-puts.html

Celebrating the ADA — Reflections From Tom Harkin http://bit.ly/d7GaLF

College Planning Handbook for Students with Disabilities http://bit.ly/9ADT9V

US Senate passes Internet video access act http://media-dis-n-dat.blogspot.com/2010/08/us-senate-passes-21st-century.html

Assistive Technology on the Move – CAP team lists some new #AT, including those for phones http://bit.ly/9ZmT7P

what are people thinking, botax to treat c.p., especially with kids!!!!!!
http://bit.ly/cNSUxm
Washing times
http://bit.ly/afcunW
http://www.cerebralpalsysource.com/News_and_Articles/botox-cp/index.html
http://www.aboardcertifiedplasticsurgeonresource.com/botox/botox-for-cp.html
http://www.cerebralpalsy.org/treatments/botox-therapy/

Health and Disability Fact Books Guides and Publications http://t.co/cXWBCbW

Mediadisdat
Study:Asthma drug albuterol can ease symptoms of MS http://media-dis-n-dat.blogspot.com/2010/09/asthma-drug-albuterol-can-ease-symptoms.html

A very interesting NPR series has been running on nursing homes, push for home-based care options and the DOJ's... http://fb.me/ADwnDkjf
Home Care Might Be Cheaper, But States Still Fear It http://n.pr/gfMKD0

RT @disabledworld: Budget Cuts Leave Disabled Adults To Fend For Themselves http://ff.im/-y6Y0g

RT @ParkingMobility: Discovering the social model of disability http://unleashwebaccess.com/?p=221

RT @EasyStand: If you think it is important that people with disabilities get the equipment they require - you need to do this. http://ht.ly/3XLAA

RT @disabilityscoop: Oprah Taps Man With Cerebral Palsy To Host New Show http://bit.ly/i7jwmW

RT @NationalADAPT: Learn about the HHS/HUD Community Living Initiative at http://www.hhs.gov/od/topics/community/olmstead.html.

RT @TiffCarlson: My latest blog! Spin 2.0: Does marriage without a license satisfy? http://bit.ly/ejH0AZ

Nebraska goes GIMP! Challenges norms of body image, #disability & #performance in "Life as a #Dance." http://tinyurl.com/3zvdfyy #gimp

RT @MAGICWHEELSgear: Amazing video: Boy rescues paraplegic bunny, designs tiny wheelchair - http://bit.ly/kqmT7E

i think is good that people are always developing new devices to improve life for people with disabled. personally i be interesting in using one of these, but i never walked so i might not know what I'm missing. then again it might lead to another device that i might use one day.

i did see an interview on CNN with Austin, he hope that some day this device will be affordable for everyone. that is where my skepticism kicks in.
Engineers to help paraplegic student walk at graduation http://t.co/h0QXgoT via @AddThis

i think is good that people are always developing new devices to improve life for people with disabled. personally i be interesting in using one of these, but i never walked so i might not know what I'm missing. then again it might lead to another device that i might use one day.

i did see an interview on CNN with Austin, he hope that some day this device will be affordable for everyone. that is where my skepticism kicks in.
Engineers to help paraplegic student walk at graduation http://t.co/h0QXgoT via @AddThis

Disabled man warns of dangers of guns, drugs http://t.co/xOJ4V3P

RT @TecAccess: Study Backs iPad For Students With Disabilities http://bit.ly/jABtqK #disabilities, #accessibilities

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/autistic-children-ipad-toronto-school-reach-communicate-180035702.html

RT @ParkingMobility: Handicapped Parking Abuse Is Costing Cash-Strapped California ‘Millions’ http://ht.ly/54GBz

Reading the comments to this story is a perfect example why, when budget are services for the disable are first to go. most of time when the press does cover a disability issue, people are more likely to remember the miss usage of funds, or worse.

They should have buy a roll cage on the chair and dragged both teams behide him.

RT @TroyWheelchairs: Video: A Student In A Wheelchair Scored A Heartwarming Touchdown http://read.bi/uo0ePN

via @BISportsPage