Two Years Ago “On This Day”
What a stark reminder: how far we have come in developmental disAbility services in our state. The pictured letter popped up in my "On this Day" Facebook feed this morning. It was two years ago that the state informed me that when I was 80, I'd get adult services for...
One Year Ago “On This Day”
"On this Day," Facebook's offering of what individual users posted two, three-plus years ago on a given day, sometimes surfaces things I'd rather forget. Today's reminder felt good, however. A reminder of how far we have come and all the battles we won the last 12...
#ArtistsVoicesRising & the Manna of Poetry
Beauty is a true human need. In his seminal work, psychologist Marshall Rosenberg's Nonviolent Communication, aka Compassionate Communication, identifies beauty as a true human need. In these confusing times of enormous national and global changes, I find that need...
Momma Bear Turns 20+
If you heard an angry roar today, it was a momma bear on the west side of town. There's much of this journey into disAbility adulthood that reminds me of the shell-shocked uncertain steps we gingerly made at the beginning of this journey 20 years ago. I've been...
Creatures of Summer
This weekend early summer crawled, slithered, darted, flew, droned, chirped, and bit. Nature was everywhere inside and outside my condo. Parades of black ants feasted on kitchen delights that evaded my eyesight. The only bug I just despise—besides maybe roaches—was...
Mindfulness: Joy Infusion 101
Mindful practices teach us to "watch our thoughts." I've been watching. And lately, I've decided to wave a big ol' yeller flag of caution. As I've navigated, with a nonexisting road map, the post-22 landscape of disAbilities—that barren terrain after school ends...
Autism Awareness Month, Year 2-0
Dominating our 20th annual Autism Awareness Month are issues of finding transportation to work; wages management;* that yet, unfinished art website, and my own next career move. Grace was diagnosed with autism in 1997—so, two decades with this known "disorder" are in...
