Interdependence

2012

2012-01-02T02:02:00.001-05:00

Ok, they say that if I make things known they will happen

So, plans are thus.
Graduate from Graduate School.

Get a pet and/or a baby. I would prefer a baby.

Make something big come together. Such as a large 'mission style' trip for an exchange of ideas with African born staff here in DC and go to West Africa for an idea exchange.

I'm gonna go to South Africa, Amsterdam, and Haiti.

I am going to live somewhere warm. In a home where my mom could stay with me if she wanted. On a beach or a community I would want to live.

I'm going to help someone or some people move into homes of their design with people they enjoy. (close the institutions)

Find ways for nt & Aspie communities to work together to further the disability movement. And through ending discrimination decrease bullying and misunderstanding of those with disabilities.

I'm going to start a program to teach about bullying defenses and reasons not to bully with the help of those that have been bullied because of their disabilities.

iPhone 4S Siri & Disabilites

2011-11-08T23:55:00.001-05:00

Siri, the new voice recognition software on Apple's new iPhone 4S is the newest innovation for people with disabilities. It's a very exciting time for all of us looking at new technology for individuals with disabilities. Just look at all the new applications being developed for the iPad for use by those with autism.

Siri will take us a step further. Using voice recognition Siri is able to interact with your iPhone apps, maps, calendar, email etc. An individual can use Siri to set up pill reminders, turn on and off the lights, look up bus routes, call your buddy, all with speech. There will be little need for the user to have reading skills or a great memory to access Siri.

Judging by Apple's website they have already started to explore some of these options, check out this link. http://www.apple.com/iphone/features/siri.html

Integrating your home with Apple leads to more features using Siri. For instance, "Siri, please turn on my movie." or "Siri, set my alarm for 6am." or "Siri, text my staff and tell them I'm home from work."

Siri and Apple have the potential to open up a reasonably affordable way for people with disabilities to live a more compelling, independent life. I look forward to watching it unfold.

If you've started using your new iPhone with Siri and have found it helpful overcoming your disabilities I would love to hear from you. Of course all feedback is welcomed.

Birthday Wishes

2009-07-25T02:23:00.008-04:00

On Sunday I turn another year older! I'm ok with it but made a decision not to make a big deal about it. No party or fan fair. I feel like I have so much already.

Today, I had the pleasure of taking five seniors with disabilities out for our Jubilee Golden-Ager Social Group. We planned on lunch and a movie. I didn't have a second staff today so I was on my own. Not a big deal except getting through the line and asking what everyone wanted and then helping everyone get started on lunch. Otherwise fairly uneventful. At Potbelly there are always live musicians playing when we go, as there was today. So I thought it was a nice venue for lunch. As we were finishing our meal one of the clients walked up to the musician, I thought to get a better view. Although, I don't really know how we could have been closer. I asked her to move to the side so she was out of the way of the busy lunchers. She complied and started talking to the guy with his small amp and guitar. She came back over to the table and sat down. Next thing I know the musician was singing Happy Birthday to me. It was great! I couldn't have asked for a better present than for my client to remember it was my birthday. What a serendipitous moment. I don't even know how she knew it was my birthday. I was humbled to be remembered.

If we hadn't chose Potbelly she wouldn't have had to opportunity to have someone sing to me. She let everyone else know about my birthday and they all said happy birthday. The other great present was her smile at surprising me and in seeing that it made me happy. What a super birthday present!

Thank you to the staff at Potbelly for being so accommodating. Especially the musician that was there. Our small tip didn't begin to say thank you.

Fighting for Iran

2009-07-12T23:29:00.005-04:00

I've been mildly obsessed with the Iran Election Disputes. Mainly as it relates to social media. For one of the first times in history cell phones, You Tube, Facebook and Twitter changed the social landscape of a particular social movement. By using these venues Iranians have shown the world how they protest, accuse one another, fight, and march. You Tube has seen countless videos of protests and blood. They have walked miles and chanted nightly for their belief in democracy. They have uploaded in hopes of someone seeing the videos and tweets and coming to help them. Of course no government has come to their aid. Twitter was overwhelmed by the amount of people turning their avatars green, hastagging #iranelection, #NEDA, and #Iran. Dissidents have shown us footage of batons bruising and gunshot wounds. Violence has broke out throughout the country. People have been imprisoned and beat and tortured. Yet they continue to protest. Universities have been closed, commerce and tourism is almost at a standstill. These people and their faith amaze me. Astonished I read nightly reports that can be confirmed as if by only being informed I am helping. http://iran.whyweprotest.net/ seems to have some of the best, accurate information. I wore green on the 4th of July in an extremely small effort to show my support. I felt closeness to those others wearing green on that day.

Watching them stand up for what they believe is right I have been more impressed with democracy. I feel more proud of the US and our democracy. It is hard for me to imagine protesting the government and being arrested. Most of our peaceful marches end peacefully. I have found that our freedoms are more free knowing that others have to fight so hard for freedom.

Iranians have made an impression on me. Hopefully they have made an impression on the world. I hope and pray they stay strong in the face of grave grave danger and do what is right for them.

A true fan of Michael Jackson

2009-07-07T22:46:00.000-04:00

I wonder how Bob is doing now that Michael Jackson is gone? Bob, a friendly man with down syndrome loves Michael Jackson. I've worked with him on and off throughout the years. At dances he will always request some Michael. Whether its Beat It, Thriller, Billy Jean; Bob is on the dance floor doing a one-man Michael Jackson routine. He has the hat, glove, jacket, all the CD's. He practices his dance moves in his bedroom. At the dances he always does Michael moves. He loves it. Sometimes for the Halloween Dance he dresses up like Michael Jackson.

Lots of the staff think its cute. They try and get him excited so he'll dance. They taunt him saying, "Do Michael? Please?" "Why won't you dance like Michael?" Sometimes it embarrasses him and then he doesn't want to dance. He gets mad and starts talking to himself. I hate it when they do that. I've even tried to tell the staff how I feel but it doesn't really help. They just say "he's fine, no big deal." and walk away. He has such a love for Michael that I think they hurt his feelings. Often we don't give people with disabilities the credit they deserve. We try to get them to do things they don't want to do. We try to make jokes at their expense, make them do "tricks".

I do love it when he dances like Michael. I love it because I know how much Michael means to Bob. How much he's tried to emulate him. I know he has all the tapes and has watched them forever.

I asked Bob, once, a few years back, what he thought about Michael and the accusations that he abused children. Bob stormed off, he wouldn't answer me. In fact, if I remember correctly, he didn't talk to me the next time I saw him either. I think he mumbled under his breath but that's it. Obviously, Bob wasn't going to believe the charges. He wasn't about to believe the hype. A true fan. When others didn't believe in Michael, Bob was there for him. In his own corner of the world, Bob was a true fan.

I think Bob has something going for him that most other people don't...faith. He believes in what is right, what he knows is true. Despite evidence to the contrary, Bob believes that Michael Jackson was a good soul. He admires him and isn't afraid to admit it (except when he knows others are making fun of him). I also admire Bob because of his conviction. He never stopped being a faithful fan! How do you stand up for what you believe in even in the face of great distaste or public persecution?

People with disabilities are so often persecuted. Maybe Michael understood that about children and people with disabilities. Maybe that's why Bob is such a fan because he knew how Michael felt. Bob understands how Michael felt when no one understood him, that they were making fun of him. They understood each other, perhaps share a common bond. Recently people have described Michael as almost childlike. People with disabilities are always referred to as childlike. Neither is the case, more often than not both people with disabilities and Michael were ostracized from their community, misunderstood, and underestimated. Just as Michael was not a child neither are people with disabilities. More often than not, they know more than the rest of us.

I wonder how Bob is feeling today? How is he grieving? Maybe I will send him a card tomorrow.

Inclusion is a bitch, how do we get there?

2009-07-06T02:44:00.000-04:00

What is Inclusion anyway?

Where do we find it?

How do we create inclusion for people with disabilities?

It goes beyond making sure that the building is accessible. Making those with disabilities be seen by the larger community is a very difficult task. Each of us must help advocate for full citizenship and inclusion for our friends and clients with disabilities.

After asking several people what inclusion means to them I present these answers;
--living with people I choose.
--being free to ride my bike to Dunkin' Donuts.
--meeting new friends, that aren't disabled or paid.
--having a girlfriend.
--being able to vote for my candidate.
--going to the movies and not being stared at.
--people not talking "down" to me.
--smoke cigarettes if I choose.
--having a job wiping tables.
--working in the community, not a sheltered workshop.
--being allowed to go to doctor alone.

I ask that all of us without disability do the following;
--Meet one person with a disability.

--Volunteer with an organization to help someone have a non-paid, non-disabled friend.

--Talk to people with disabilities like you talk to me.

--Encourage law makers to include people with disabilities in their respective budgets.

--Find creative ways to employ people with disabilities in "normal" jobs with accommodations.

--Think outside the box about solutions for letting people live the lives they want to, even if its harder to do than not doing anything at all.

--Don't stare, ask. People with disabilities would prefer to help you understand their disability than you gawk at them in wonder.

--Don't call or say to staff with clients "angels", "god bless you", "I could never do what you do". Its annoying and you could do it. It isn't hard when you treat that person with dignity. Its wired into who we are. We aren't special, we are just doing our jobs.

--Find ways for people with disabilities to be part of YOUR community. Include in church/synagogue groups, help feeding the homeless, go grocery shopping together, dog walking, motorcycle groups, knitting circles, farmers market, baseball teams, college campuses, cultural fairs, etc. etc. etc. As many things you can think of there is an interested person with a disability.

--Help with transportation. Transportation is one of the biggest reasons people with disabilities aren't included in the community, they can't find a ride.

Please help people with disabilities be safe but let them live with the dignity and respect they deserve.

'Oh, hi, Robert Kennedy. You free for dinner Wednesday?'

2009-07-06T02:27:00.001-04:00

Robert Kennedy
I want to know how he feels history has portrayed his life, family, and the times of the 1960's. His ideas for the future and what he thinks of Obama.

Billy Holiday
I would like know a black woman's experience living through WWII and the times surrounding it. I would love for her to sing a song or two for our dinner party.

Harvey Milk
I want to thank him for helping make my life easier. By teaching main stream politics on a local level, Mr. Milk progressed the gay rights movement through a very difficult time. I would want to ask him what being gay was like before the AIDS pandemic. And what he would do to grow public awareness.

Inclusion at its BEST!

2008-11-19T13:49:00.001-05:00