Karma

I do an art class at TAFE and most of the other students are great but there is one who has been nothing but an issue since the very first day I joined the class. For Example, the very first night I joined the class the first thing she said to me was "why are you in a wheelchair?" She did not even ask my name. Anyway the other day at break she turns around and says to me, "Karma is the reason you are disabled". I was absolutely dumbfounded and did not know what to say.

Back

More and more often I'm finding I need a place to air the thoughts going around in my head so thought I'd start bloggling here again. My health has been a roller coaster ride but you can read more about that on my Caringbridge page. I am now studying for a Bachelor of Arts in Professional writing and editing. I hope to become a freelance journalist when finished and have already been picking up some work.

Back again

Decided I need a forum for the thoughts roling around my head so am back blogging here. It will take time to build up any kind of readership but maybe one day.

grateful

This post was written in response to a comment that I should be grateful for what I have and not whine about having different abilities.

I am lucky and blessed in so many ways. Compared to most people I know I am relatively unaffected by the CP. Sure, I use a wheelchair to get around and have difficulty with fine motor tasks and there are times when I cannot transfer by myself but there is so much that I can do and this has given me opportunities that many people with CP don’t have. I can communicate and function without a lot of physical support (I can feed myself and take myself to the toilet as long as it is set up with rails etc). I understand that I am lucky in these ways and I think I show that by not complaining about the things that I cant do yet society seems to be set on reminding me of this fact at every chance it can.

Take the other day for example. I had traveled into a nearby city. I had some shopping to do so we hit the shops for a couple of hours and in that time I had no less than 11 people tell me I was lucky because of something in relation to my different abilities (I don’t like the word disability). Your so lucky to have that wheelchair was a common comment. I wish I had one was another. I’m not quite sure why people think it is so great to have a wheelchair, mostly I think they were tired of walking around the shops, but I just wish they would be careful what they wish for: it might just happen to them one day. I guess if this happened to some of the more influential people (a politician for example) that have made similar comments to me then it could be a good thing because I bet that services for people with different abilities would be greatly improved if those people who control such services needed them. Am I being selfish to think this way? I hope not for I am truly grateful that I have had the opportunities I have had- I just want to ensure that I have more in the future and that future generations do as well.

So much homework

I'm behind in everything. Will be back soon.

Law student on wheels

I have started a blog about my experiences as a law school student. You can visit it here. I will still blog here and on caringbridge also.

independence

When my carer couldn't come this morning I realised just how dependent I am on either them or my parents. This needs to change but I'm sort of lost as to where to begin. I know I need to be physically stronger to be able to be more independent so might start with that I guess.

Novel writing

One of my goals for 2010 is to write a complete draft of a novel. Its something I have attempted in the past but always seem to burn out part way through. I think its because I put pressure on myself to do it fast like with NaNoWriMo. This time I hope to be able to write a bit each day even if its just a few hundred words. by the time the year is up I should have a full draft.

2010 goals

In no particular order these are my goals for 2010. Posts in the coming days on how I plan on achieving each one:

• Save 10,000
• Write a novel draft
• Walk with k walker for short distances
• Be as independent from parents and carers as possible
• Be as healthy as possible
• Get more freelance writing work.

Church

I always swore I'd never mention religion on my blogs but here I am about to break that vow. I am not an overly religious person and can count on one had the number of times I have been inside a church. I believe in the power of prayer just not that we necessarily all pray to the same god. So I have always appreciated people praying for me and been happy to pray for others. But lately some people on my caringbridge page have been making me feel uncomfortable. Suggesting I need to give my life up to god and that if I'd go to to church I'd be cured just stuff like that. I'm not sure how to respond without offending people but I'm starting to regret writing anything on my page and thus have been avoiding writing on it. I need the support just don't want religion jammed down my throat. Is this wrong? What should I do?