New Blog [with]tv address...

This blog has officially moved!

Please visit us on our new site: Blog [with]tv
and remember to change your blogroll links to www.withtv.typepad.com!

Thank you!

Blog Update: THIS BLOG is MOVING!

Dear Friends,

A decision has been made to move this blog to a new address. Please visit us at our NEW Blog [with]tv site at http://withtv.typepad.com...

While you're there, please feel free to take a moment to comment and tell us what you think. Your feedback is greatly appreciated.

And don't forget to change your links and bookmark settings to reflect this change. We're counting on you to help us grow. Blog [with[tv!

Thank you,

Connie Kuusisto
Blog Master [with]tv

This will be a work in progress so please bare with us as we transfer posts and links. Thank you!

Disabilities at the Multiplex: Resurrecting the Champ

Disabilities at the Multiplex
With Stephen Snart

Resurrecting the Champ



Starring Samuel L. Jackson, Josh Hartnett, Kathryn Morris, Dakota Goyo and Alan Alda
Written by Michael Bortman and Allison Burnett
Directed by Rod Lurie
Distributor: Yari Film Group Releasing
Release Date: August 24 (select cities)
Rating: PG-13
Running Time: 111 minutes

Loosely based on a story reported in a L. A. Times Magazine article in 1997, Resurrecting the Champ tells a tale of a brash, young journalist and a former heavyweight boxer turned brain-damaged homeless man. The former boxer, played with verve by the intrepid Samuel L. Jackson, is first seen rummaging through a dumpster behind a Denver sporting complex. He’s become popular with a group of mid-twenty dimwits who come around and give him a few dollars in return for boxing with “The Champ.” One evening, after an unspectacular bantamweight match, local sportswriter Erik Kernan (Josh Hartnett) discovers The Champ and saves him from the group of drunken amateur pugilists with the type of Good Samaritan ethos that only exists in the movies. After talking with The Champ for a few minutes, he learns that the local homeless man is actually Bob Satterfield, a once-great boxer in the mid-50s.

Erik takes an immediate interest in The Champ and begins visiting him on a daily basis, culling information for the makings of a feature article. The Champ is initially reluctant but after Erik supplies him with a brown-bagged 40, the stories start a-flowing. In spite of his shabby appearance and his short attention span, The Champ’s knowledge of the ring is immaculate. Erik invites him to tag along to a local fight and The Champ is instantly able to predict the winner through keen observation and personal recollection; his insight helping Erik to file an exceptional write-up of the match.

But Erik’s interest in Bob isn’t necessarily benevolent; in fact it’s mostly routed in self-aggrandizing opportunism. See, Erik is trapped in the shadow of his deceased father’s prolific career as a sports announcer. He tried to distinguish himself by taking on over 65 bylines for the Denver Times Sports Page the previous year but his prickly editor (Alan Alda) describes it as: “a lot of typing, not much writing.” So, Erik sees his chance meeting with The Champ as a prime opportunity to garner attention for his own sports writing rather than a way to raise awareness about The Champ’s destituteness.

It’s difficult to discuss The Champ’s mental condition without divulging too much of the plot but suffice to say, his brain has been significantly addled in the ring. Although, since his memory of his boxing days seems firmly intact, the film suggests his years on the street have taken a far worse toll on his mentality.

Following The Caveman’s Valentine in 2001, this is the second film in which Jackson has taken on the lead role of a homeless man. In Resurrecting the Champ, he again takes his job as seriously as the consummate professional that he is. His face caked with dirt and grime seemingly seeping from his pores (a flawless make-up job by Allan A. Apone), Jackson is completely immersed in his character for the film’s entirety, never once winking at the camera or revealing his celebrity persona. Unfortunately, the filmmakers don’t seem quite as respectful of the character as Jackson does, as they occasionally exploit his condition for story’s sake; not unlike the way Erik is using The Champ for his article.

The film bears no real examination of the practicality of The Champ’s survival on the streets. No mention is made of the harsh Denver snowfalls that can range from mid-October to the end of April or for that matter, how many of them he has weathered. Nor is there any insight into the homeless community, save for a brief scene set in a soup kitchen. Which in turn raises the question – one the movie refuses to acknowledge – does The Champ deserve any extra attention than the droves of other homeless people roaming the streets? Granted, the majority of the film is told from Erik’s perspective and his character readily illustrates that he has little interest in such details. But that’s not an excuse, the film still features scenes of The Champ that exist outside of Erik’s realm of knowledge; just they’re used primarily to show him fending off his mid-20 assailants.

While the situation of a mentally fractured homeless man is mildly exploited for the sake of dramatic license, it permits the film to conduct a truly remarkable slight-of-hand: convincing the audience to feel almost as much sympathy for a self-centered journalist as for a wandering poor. As Erik spiels the doom and gloom of his journalism career – highlighting everything from the internet’s takeover to corporate politicking to unreasonable time conditions – it’s all enough to dissuade even the pluckiest of high school newspaper editors from considering a career in journalism.

Much of the effectiveness of the character is due to the screenwriters’ decision – and Hartnett’s willingness – to assuage cloy sympathy by playing up the character’s considerable faults instead of clinging to the few positives that he does exhibit. The brilliance being that Hartnett’s performance is able to convey the character’s naïve disillusion.

In a string of heartbreaking scenes, we see Erik filling his six-year-old son Teddy’s head (a sweetly sincere performance by young Dakota Goyo) with a series of white lies about his job, never stopping to realize the damage he is causing until it’s too late. The screenwriters, Michael Bortman and Allison Burnett, demonstrate a keen ability to write complex lead characters but also a need for them to pay more attention to plotting.

There are a number of plot holes here that certainly couldn’t stand nine rounds and probably wouldn’t hold up much longer than one round (i.e. one viewing). Further, the ending is certainly too cutesy for a film hard-hitting enough to present such a flawed lead character and dexterous enough to evoke sympathy for him. But still, the basic story is an engrossing one and the lead performers have such a beguiling quality that it’s easy to brush off some of the less plausible aspects of the script and simply give in to the impassioned yet understated acting.

Description of photo above: Setting: a park in early fall perhaps. It's cold enough for the three characters to wear light jackets. A young man (Josh Hartnett) is sitting on a piece of playground equipment and a child, a boy, is in his lap leaning up against him. Standing in the grass in front of them, facing them, is the Samuel L. Jackson character. He's in a boxer's stance, knees bent, fists in front of his face, as if demonstrating his boxing moves.

Feel Your Heart Race with the Victory Junction Gang

"Focusing on Abilities"

Written by: Karen Stallings

The Actor, Paul Newman, opened and founded The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp in Ashford, Connecticut in 1988, for children with cancer and serious blood disorders. He named The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp for the ragtag bandits from his movie, “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid”. Since 1988, Newman has founded camps in New York, Florida, Ireland, France and California. He wants to give children the chance to “kick back,” relax and have lots of fun!” Newman insists that the camps’ focus would be about fun and it could be free of charge for the campers and their families.

The NASCAR Driver, Kyle Petty and his wife, Pattie, partnered with Paul Newman in October of 2000, to launch their most ambitious project to date – The Victory Junction Gang Camp. This project was founded to honor their son, Adam, (the first fourth generation professional athlete in the United States) who was killed in May of 2000 during practice for a NASCAR Busch Grand National Series Race in Loudon, New Hampshire. A study was done and found that there were over 230,000 chronically ill children within radius of the proposed Victory Junction site. The study also found that there were very few opportunities for children with needs to attend a camp and there wasn’t any facility similar to a Hole in the Wall Gang Camp in the region.

Victory Junction Gang serves children from ages 7-15, with the following diseases and conditions: arthritis, asthma, heart diseases, spina bifina, kidney & liver diseases, sickle cell, etc. Victory Junction primarily serves children from North and South Carolina, Virginia. Due to the close relationship with NASCAR, Victory Junction will accept a limited number of campers on a national basis. Final selection for camp admission is determined by the Victory Junction Medical Advisory Board.

Victory Junction is an independent not for profit organization with a dedicated staff. Each camp in the Hole in the Wall Association has boards of directors and founders. NASCAR named Victory Junction as a proud sponsor and pledged their support through a comprehensive media campaign. In addition, many of the teams, owners and track owners support the camp with individual contributions.

Victory Junction has its camp year round! During the summer, there are eight one week disease specific camp sessions. The reminder of the year there are family retreats, specialized programs for smaller diseases groups, sibling weekends and camper reunions. There is no fee to attend the camp for the children and their families. The camp has volunteers and medical volunteers that work there. Everyone is welcome there to work as a volunteer including people with disabilities.

If you are interested in attending the camp, being a volunteer and making donations, contact the Victory Junction Gang Camp at 4500 Adam’s Way, Randleman, North Carolina 27317. The telephone number is (336) 498-9055. The fax number is (336) 498-9090. The website is www.victoryjunction.org

So, climb on board the Victory Junction Gang Platform and feel your heart race!

Meet Columnist Karen Stallings

Karen is the Executive Director of the Association of Self Advocates of N.C., Inc. She's an actress & a board member for a inclusive theater company, Raleigh Ensemble Players and she's currently writing her autobiography, "I'm not Disabled, I'm just a little Inconvenience", as well as a play "Soldiers of Empowerment". Karen is on many boards & committees in her community. She's been married for 9 years and she loves to travel.

Karen and her husband host and produce an award winning TV program called "Speak Up, Speak Out, Voices in the Community" on which they interview guests to talk about different disability issues...It has been on the cable access channell for 8 years. In addition, they edit and distribute a newsletter, Disability Express

Karen will be contributing posts in a column she is calling "Focusing on Abilities."

Disabled Peoples Assembly Film Series

Submitted by Day Al-Mohamed

The 7th annual DPI World Assembly in Korea has a small film festival attached to it. The mission of the Assembly is for people with disabilities from around the world to have the opportunity to meet and discuss the various status’ of people with disabilities in their countries, and to consider various progress plans together, share best practices, adopt resolutions and to basically share information.

Their side event of a Disability Film Screening includes 9 films. Most are from Korea and unfortunately I couldn’t find out much about them; Google translator isn’t quite ready for Korean. But there were two American films.

39 Pounds of Love

This film is about Ami Ankilewitz who was born with spinal muscular atrophy. A doctor told his parents he might live for six years; the film starts at his 34th birthday. The film follows him on his journey to fulfill his dreams: to visit his brother in America, to ride a Harley, and to find that doctor and tell him he was wrong.

http://www.39poundsoflove.com/main.html
39 Pounds of Love Official Website (Not screenreader accessible)

http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051208/REVIEWS/51205004/1023
Roger Ebert Movie Review

Bethel - Community and Schizophrenia in Northern Japan

This film is about a small fishing town on the northern island of Hokkaido where the Bethel House organization supportsa small but vibrant group of people with schizophrenia and other psychosocial disabilities. Through various work programs, group homes, and a close relationship with the hospital and town, Bethel’s members slowly reintegrate into Japanese society. The film explores how the members of Bethel struggle with their lives, their problems, and the meaning of community.

http://www.disability.jp/bethel/
Website for Bethel

http://www.photoethnography.com/blog/
Bethel Director’s Personal Blog

What I think is important and what I want to draw attention to, is the growing number of conferences and festivals that have added side presentations, sessions and events on disability film. Yay! Hopefully, eventually we will be seeing more people with disabilities not only in film at these “disability events” but more people with disabilities making movies and these films at all film festivals and events.

Main Event Link: http://www.dpiwa.net/eu/
7th annual DPI World Assembly in Korea

Cross-posted at Day in Washington

Meet Columnist Mark Siegel

Mark Siegel is an attorney who works as a policy consultant for the State of Minnesota, where he specializes in the areas of disability and employment. Mark lives in Minneapolis and when he's not working, Mark enjoys film, live music, writing, and all things geek. He is a graduate of St. Norbert College and the University of Minnesota Law School.

For the past five years, Mark has been blogging at The 19th Floor. He is also currently guest-blogging for the BBC.

TV Nation

Written by: Mark Siegel

I love television. For a long time, a statement like that was likely to earn you sneers from the intelligentsia. After all, television was supposed to be a wasteland that that catered to the lowest common denominator. Cheap laughs, shallow characters, simplistic plots: television was supposed to have none of the qualities of great art or literature. Television belonged to the great unwashed masses and it would never transcend its pedestrian limitations. At least, that was the conventional wisdom.

In truth, television has never been quite as mind-numbing as its critics proclaimed. For every dozen wretched sitcoms, there's at least one MASH. For every hackneyed drama, there's at least one The Sopranos. But now, television writers are finally beginning to realize that television is capable of telling layered stories with complex characters. Lost, Battlestar Galactica, The Office, The Wire: these shows rival and sometimes surpass anything that can be seen at the multiplex. There are so many good stories being told on television that I was compelled to add extra storage space to my TiVo.

And that's why I'm so excited about [with]tv. It's an opportunity to tell some great stories--our stories. As people with disabilities, we have perspectives and experiences that don't get much play in the media, except for the occasional human interest story on the local news. When [with]tv becomes a reality, it will give us the means to tell our stories on our terms. But I don't want [with]tv to simply be "the disabled channel". I want to see shows that aren't just about people with disabilities; I want to see shows that feature characters who happen to have disabilities. Sometimes the disability will be a part of the story and sometimes it won't even be mentioned. Because isn't that how it is for most of us with a disability? There are those occasions when our disabilities are front and center and can't be ignored, but much of the time it's background noise.

Over the coming weeks and months, I'll be posting here about various topics related to disability, pop culture, and whatever my current television obsession is. I'll do my best to keep it interesting. I'm really excited to be part of the [with]tv community.

Thank you, David

For this endorsement of [with]tv...

A piece of fiction, with a link to reality.

Written by: Thomas Reid

When I lost my sight, many people asked if I was going to eventually get a guide dog. I usually responded, “No, at least not right now.” The geek in me started thinking of my ultimate guide, a robot. I am not talking about one of those little robot dogs kids play with or one of those little vacuum cleaners, I am talking about a full sized, multi featured robot. Let’s call him Belvedere or Belvy for short - at least that is what I would call mine. Think of Robocop without the automatic weapons, at least not in version 1.

Belvy would stand about 6 feet with a muscular frame. He would not take on any characteristics of a human other than two arms legs torso and head. A shiny silver metallic color equipped with some really useful functionality and of course some cool gadgets.

Check out a day in my life with my robot Belvy.

“Good morning Sir, this is your scheduled wake up call. As you requested, I will play the song you decided would best help you to begin your day. As Public Enemy’s “Welcome to the Terrodome” plays, Belvy accompanies me into the bathroom where he  has prepared my clothes for the day, according to my previously loaded command, loaded via Bluetooth of course

After brushing my teeth and shaving, Belvy cleans up, removing any hair left in the sink. “Would you care for cologne today sir?” Yes please Belvy” Belvy recognizes my voice and only obeys my commands.

While eating my breakfast, made to order, I ask Belvy, “What is on my calendar today?” You have a meeting at10:30, a lunch appointment at 1 and you have to pick up your daughters at 4.” “Great! Start the car. For my music, I would like to hear “Songs in the Key of Life.” Set your GPS to the address listed in the address field for my first appointment.” As Belvy walks out to the garage where my truck is parked, I gather the rest of my things.

Many people wonder how Belvy is able to drive me any where I want to go. Both he and the truck are equipped with matching GPS navigation systems. Belvy’s however, includes walking routes. The truck is equipped with auto sensory detection that automatically senses on coming traffic and alerts when cars are too close. Between the technology in the truck and Belvy, I am safer than driving with a human. Belvy doesn’t get road rage or upset. As we are driving to the appointment, Belvy asks “Would you like me to call ahead sir” “Yes please.” Belvy activates his on board phone and dials the number directly from my contact database. “Good morning this is Mr. Belvedere calling on behalf of Mr. Reid. He will be attending the meeting and according to my calculations should be arriving by 10:20. Thank you.” All the while I am seated comfortably in the back seat enjoying Stevie Wonder’s “As.”

When we arrive at the appointment, Belvy immediately parks the truck. Belvy exits and opens the back door for me. “Would you like to go sighted guide sir?” “Yes please Belvy.” I hold onto his elbow and we proceed to the entrance of the building. His on board navigation kicks in automatically to the walking route. When we enter the building the GPS immediately detects a building internal navigation system, Belvy determines the meeting will be held on the 4th floor in conference room C.

I earlier programmed Belvy to record the entire meeting. I remove the wireless keyboard, securely stowed away in Belvy’s rear compartment located on his torso and jot down some notes. Belvy’s hi speed wi-fi connectivity allowed me to quickly check my email and access documents on my home network.

Following the meeting I decide to walk to my lunch date 10 blocks away. As we walk, “Belvy, tell me the points of interest.” Belvy immediately begins listing the various businesses and shops in the area. “As we pass a perfume store I decide to purchase something for my wife.” Belvy immediately detects the RFID tags and generates a list of perfumes. He compares that to a list of my wife’s current collection to determine which she would most like. I sample a few and decide on a purchase. “Sir, you have 12 minutes to get to your next appointment. I pay for the perfume and continue walking. Belvy has adjusted his walking speed to assure we are not late. Several on lookers try to stop us asking about Belvy, but I engage the anti on looker mode. Each time someone calls out to us Belvy simply says through his surround sound speaker system “Sorry, we cannot stop right now, but if you are interested in learning more about us please visit http://www.reidmymind.com/.”

During the lunch with my wife, Belvy sits in a chair at the table with us. I ask Belvy to play some random slow jams from back in the day. Shirley Murdock’s As we lay” begins as I hand my wife the perfume.

After lunch Belvy and I head back to the truck. This time I disengage the anti on looker mode. Stopping several times to talk with various people on the street to explain how Belvy works. I even show off his high speed internet access, his on board high definition television screen, mainly used by my kids when we are on the road to access the thousands of movies stored in the 10 terabyte hard drive.

On the way home my music selection changes a bit and I listen to Boogie Down Productions “Criminal Minded.” We make it back in time to get my daughters from school. As usual they ask if they can show Belvy to one of their friends. I have him demo’ his latest Xbox, games. The girls just smile as their friends admire Belvy.

When we arrive home Belvy begins dinner as directed while I help the girls with their homework. When my wife arrives home we all sit down and enjoy a meal together. “Belvy, why don’t you head over to your recharging center and I’ll do the dishes.” “Thank you Sir, will do.”

That’s the least I can do for my man, uh, robot that is, Belvy!

Think it’s far fetched, check this out.

Cross-posted at Reid My Mind

Protesting Pity

It's Labor Day which to many people with disabilities has a meaning all it's own, as was mentioned in this post.

Join Kara and friends as they "Protest Pity" and examine each other's reactions to the annual Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon. Kara writes:

"Welcome to the first annual Anti-Telethon Blogswarm (online gathering of bloggers to bring attention to an important issue). By stopping by, you’ve joined our protest against pity."

Cross-posted on Planet of the Blind

Thoughts on the Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon

Written by Howard Renensland, CEO & Founder, [with]tv

I wanted to add a few thoughts on the ongoing and most probably never ending discussion – slash – debate on the Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon. I started [with]tv so people with disabilities and their community could have a true mainstream media voice.

While I personally applaud all those brave individuals who continue to wage a war of protest against the myriad wrongs inflicted upon this community and urge the continuance of these and any and all measures –acts of violence aside –meant to advance the global cause of people with disabilities I do not feel they will accomplish their mission without the existence of [with]tv or something very much like it.

Indeed I feel that [with]tv as an element of “popular culture” will accomplish this mission more quickly. We need a media voice where anyone can see people with disabilities in the same numbers and in the same roles as they can see people without disabilities. Period. We need a media voice that will include “our stories” from “our perspective” amongst the remainder of its 168 hours of weekly programming and in those stories that have “Absolutely nothing” to say about or do with disabilities have casts and crews where 17%+ of the workforce and management are people with disabilities.

Let me again state clearly that I support all forms of advocacy and protest. Yet, we must be aware that there is in the world an overwhelming amount of backlash against people who protest anything, including people with disabilities, that at many times rises to outright anger, hatred, and in some cases what are now being termed “hate crimes” against people with disabilities. In addition to this backlash there is so much confusion, lack of knowledge, inconsistency, misunderstanding, and fear. We still have members of our community who use terms like “wheelchair bound” and are totally comfortable doing so.

It will be the editorial position of [with]tv to give voice to all sides of all questions and we will invite commentary from those with and without disabilities. When we feel strongly about an issue we will say so, but we will respect all sides. I have followed this philosophy personally. My family and I have always advocated for full inclusion while respecting the opinion of others and recognizing that each person and family must choose their own path.

So as to Mr. Lewis and the folk at MDA I would say, “Raise all the money you can to favorably impact on those with MDA, but look to your methods and trust your donors. Some people with a disability might welcome some form of help; some are fine without it. We would all like a voice and a say in how we are represented and viewed by those who know us and those who do not."

Thank you, Ruth Harrigan

...for this endorsement of [with]tv!

Same Old, same old...

Written by: Connie Kuusisto

I think I was ten years old when I saw my first Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon. I was definitely too young to know better. For the next couple of years I spent much of Labor Day afternoon watching the spectacle. But I was ironing mind you - what better way to spend hours ironing your father's white dress shirts, slacks and hankies and your family's pillowcases than to watch all those celebrities dance and sing and applaud each other for the wonderful work they were doing. (Yes, we ironed pillowcases back in those days.)

Oh and the kids. Those "poor, sweet" kids. Why they were just as cute in their little leg braces and their wheelchairs as any of the kids I knew. It's a shame they couldn't run and play like I could. (Yeah, but they didn't have to stand there and iron for hours either.)

The money just kept pouring in as the oh, so generous people opened their wallets and corporations tried to best one another. A check for $10,000! Oh, thank you! Here's one for $50,000! Can you believe it? Oh, thank you, thank you! And here's little Timmy: Timmy cracked open his piggy bank and is donating $12.32. Timmy, your parents must be so proud of you...

Drum roll please...our new total is....!

On more than one occasion I plunked coins into the MDA display can by the cash register as I purchased bubble gum and ice cream. That was something to be proud of too wasn't it? I thought so...

You know, I'm not going to totally bash Jerry Lewis and the MDA Telethon. In the title of a post I submitted on Planet of the Blind, I stated that the wrong message overshadows the original good intentions and that's as cynical as I'm choosing to go. Jerry Lewis and thousands of other people have worked tirelessly to raise funds for medical care and research for people with disabilities. They do have good intentions don't they?

Here's the thing though: in the 27 years since I was ten years old, I've evolved. I almost never iron anymore. I've worked side by side with people with disabilities; I married a man who can't see; I've been involved in walkathons as support staff to people with disabilities (and their guide dogs) who raised all the money and then did all the walking. I've learned that no one needs my pity. I've come to understand that emotional appeals used by the telethon industry often lead to corresponding anguish felt by people with disabilities.

Yes, I have evolved. I wish I could say that the Jerry Lewis sponsored MDA Telethon has also, but strong voices insist otherwise. I wouldn't know. I haven't seen it in years. But I'm not the least bit surprised. Why just this morning I heard on the news that Tony Orlando is in NYC to perform for the telethon....I think he said he's been doing it for what, 28 years...?

Meet Columnist Ruth Harrigan

Ruth Harrigan is an attorney with a B.A. from Rutgers College and a J.D. from Wayne State University. She is a member of the NJ Coalition for Inclusive Ministries and started her blog Wheelie Catholic to raise awareness of the need for inclusion of people with disabilities. Ruth also writes essays and fiction about disability issues at her blog A Different Light. Ruth enjoys skiing and was nationally ranked as a wheelchair tennis player.

When a Man Loves a Quad

Written by: Ruth Harrigan

One of the negative attitudes toward the disabled I encounter socially is when I'm dating an able bodied man and someone assumes he's doing it out of pity or some misguided reason. (I also hate when I'm dating a disabled man and people say we're "cute together". Oh please.) People with disabilities are not asexual. Nor are we "less than" in terms of a catch, if you must think of it that way. (I hate talking about these things. It reminds me of awkward high school dances.)

Both before and after I acquired my disability, I've dated able bodied and disabled men. I never thought of it that way - putting people in categories. I dated a guy in college who was blind so I learned about radar canes and braille and such. We loved going out to dinner and theaters. When I dated an amputee, I learned about prosthetic legs. They, like the able bodied men I dated, had their own way of doing things in life. I don't see the difference if it happens to be about a piece of assistive equipment or a resourceful way to do something because of a disability. How is that any different from the able bodied man I dated who would only drive into New York city on one route and park in one parking lot? It was his way of doing things. Actually that was different - he was just being stubborn. But you get my point.

It's very difficult to write about this. There are a lot of bad memories-like the times when I've been at a social function with an able bodied man and another woman sidles up next to my wheelchair and asks "How did you catch him?" and I smile politely until she adds "with you in a wheelchair?" Or the people who ask him - or me- intrusive questions like whether I can have sex. Then there are the able bodied boyfriend's friends or family members who talk to me privately and suggest that I break up with him and not be "selfish so I don't ruin his life".

No, it's not easy to talk or write about this kind of thing from the point of view of the person who is being seen as the deficit. Much of it is like a quick hit and run where you don't even want to deal with the insurance company at all and prefer to take a hammer to the fender, bang it back in and pretend the accident never happened. But this behavior needs to be addressed just like other attitudes toward the disabled that continue to lurk around.

These attitudes come from a negative way of seeing the world - and disability. It says that a person with a disability is less than an able bodied person and a deficit as a partner. (When they refer to you as a "special someone", they don't mean it in a good way at all.) You might hold him back or, worse yet, "drag him down with you".

Into what? Where are we going? Where is all this fear coming from and where is it all taking us? Not toward inclusion. Not toward a vision of the world where all people are treated with dignity and respect. It is up to us to work out the boundaries and issues surrounding our relationship - the give and take and the reciprocity. This is the same as it is in all relationships. For those who assume that an able bodied person will become a burdened caregiver, I can only say this shows an exquisite lack of imagination as to the myriad possibilities that can be worked out. It exaggerates the situation in a negative way.

And if I have to be the special someone to say this, I will : jokes, sarcasm, crude and rude remarks, busybody interference and other misbehaviors are not only ableist but disrespectful of my autonomy and the autonomy of the man who loves me - as a quad

Cross-posted at Wheelie Catholic

Stay-Focused with Brandon Lloyd

Stay-Focused (S-F) is an organization that offers mobility-challenged persons the opportunity to become certified SCUBA divers, and through that experience to learn lasting lessons about life and achievement. It promotes empowerment, discipline, and focus in helping young adults achieve personal goals. Also, Stay-Focused is committed to supporting medical research that explores the beneficial aspects of water sports on persons with mobility issues.

While in the Cayman Islands in May for the 2007 NFL Quarterback Challenge, NFL wide receiver Brandon Lloyd (Washington Redskins) spent time with Ryan Chalmers, Jackie Cimino and others as they all learned to Stay-Focused while scuba diving.

Take a moment to watch this NFL Network Feature YouTube clip and no doubt you too will be caught up in the wave of enthusiasm exhibited by these folks.

Disability Matters. 1st Edition

Written by: Connie Kuusisto

Just as "It Takes a Village" to raise children, it also takes a village to raise awareness about issues of disability.

"By uniting people with disabilities and those desiring to enjoy our social intercourse, share our cultural perspective, understand our political agenda, and address our broad general and specific consumer needs, we will achieve success."

This statement, borrowed from the powerful Mission Statement of [with]tv is also useful when referring to the community of bloggers discussing issues of disability. [with]tv is on a mission to unite people with disabilities....and everyone else. This blog has been created to support that mission and this blog, like every other blog, needs a village.

Having said that, we would like to introduce the following blogs to our blogroll titled "Disability Matters". Please visit, comment, link and enjoy one another as we celebrate life, with or with out a disability, and each other. Let us welcome these blogs, and their "bloggers", to our [with]tv Village.

The Day Al-Mohamed Blog: Day lives in Washington DC with her partner and two very spoiled yellow labradors. By day (no pun intended) she is a mild-mannered Legislative and Federal Affairs Officer but by night she is another frantic-typing, tea-swilling, candle-burning writer. For a more formal bio, please visit Day at her other blog, Day in Washington: Home of the Disability Policy Podcast.

David at Growing up with a Disability says "I am 21 years old and am taking a year away from college to pursue this project. I like sports, music, travel, and conversation. And, I have cerebral palsy. I believe society often underestimates the complexity of living with a disability - the joys, the challenges, the ordinary, and the extraordinary."

Planet of the Blind is "a space where those of us who live on the Planet of the Blind, or any other planet, can share our experiences and network together."

The Rolling Rains Report is a most informative blog "Precipitating Dialogue on Travel, Disability, and Universal Design" - and then some - by Dr. Scott Rains.

Rob Roy at The Journey believes that "Through sharing stories, we can learn accurate information about specific disabilities and challenge ourselves to look beyond people’s limitations and embrace diversity. Welcome to the journey where we explore truth and watch it evolve creating a better world for all -- one that is inclusive of all."

Ruth is a Wheelie Catholic and writes "a blog about issues concerning people with disabilities providing information, raising concerns, sharing experiences and encouraging prayerful efforts toward social justice and inclusion in the Catholic church community and the world at large."

The Six Knows of Preparing to Travel

By Scott Rains

"Vacation" is a magic word. Use it in a conversation and people are likely to momentarily spirit off to their private bit of paradise; disappear to somewhere that exists between fantasy and the world-as-we-know-it. But even Harry Potter puts in long hours of preparation to work his magic. So, what's the magic formula for conjuring up a charmed vacation?

First, open up your own personal travel style for inspection. Add a pinch of experience from each of the Six Knows below and you will spice your formula with the wisdom of other travelers with disabilities. Stir it up with a friend or travel agent. Then get out there and see the world!

Know Yourself

Socrates said, "The unexamined life is not worth living." Take it from me, it's not worth carting along on the road with you either.

First off, ask yourself: What would make this vacation a success for you? Try to answer that question even before you decide on a destination, a reservation, or a travel companion. Pare down to the non-negotiables. Are you looking for quiet rejuvenation -- or exhilaration? Do you have strict budget limits -- or room to splurge? Does success mean having sun, snow, a tropical rainstorm -- or are you content with whatever comes along? Do you have "must includes" for your trip such as a food, an event -- or a language?

Secondly, review your physical health. Do it with your physician if necessary. How is your physical strength? Your stamina? Your immune system? Are you in physical pain that would influence your travel plans? Are your medications working correctly and do you have enough to bring on the trip?

What about your mental health? How is your emotional resilience? What's the recent pattern of your moods? Are your dreams or fantasy life telling you something about how you might react to travel right now?

First published at Suite101.com

Disabilities on DVD: "The Lookout"

Disabilities on DVD
With Stephen Snart

The Lookout
Starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Jeff Daniels, Matthew Goode, Isla Fisher, Sergio Di Zio and Bruce McGill
Written and Directed by Scott Frank
Distributor: Miramax Home Entertainment
DVD Release Date: August 14
Running Time: 99 Minutes

The Lookout is one of the year’s most exciting films; a rousing, supremely entertaining crime thriller about a bank heist. But what the marketing doesn’t divulge is that it’s much more than just a genre picture. In fact, it’s an intense character study about a young man coming to terms with a self-induced disability.

The lead character is Chris Pratt (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), a one-time high school hockey superstar whose career came to a halt when a post-prom joyride ended in tragedy. He awakes from a coma to find out his moment of behind the wheel recklessness led to the demise of two of his closest friends, a permanent injury for his ex-girlfriend and saddled him with a moderate traumatic brain injury.

Four years later, Chris spends his nights as a janitor at a rural bank outside of Kansas City and his days taking classes at the independent life skills center. His disabilities are predominantly routed in his cognition and mental health. He’ll cry without knowing why, inadvertently blurt out profanity and call a juicy red fruit a lemon instead of a tomato, even though, as he puts it, he knows it’s wrong. He’s also diagnosed with a sequencing problem but his blind roommate Lewis (Jeff Daniels) assures him that he can sequence fine; he just needs to start from the end and work backwards. Like Chris, Lewis’ disability is permanent and a product of his own rashness (a methamphetamine lab explosion in his 20s) and their living situation is mutually beneficial.

Aside from Lewis, Chris finds opposition from almost everyone in his life. His haughty, affluent family doesn’t know what to do other than infantilize him. That is except for when his pompous father (Bruce McGill) takes pride in defeating Chris in a game of chess. “Would you rather I let you win?” he asks when Chris declines a rematch. Even the well-intentioned Deputy Ted (Sergio Di Zio) inadvertently crushes Chris after griping about his own newborn baby woes by callously adding: “You’re lucky you won’t have to deal with this stuff.”

Others try to capitalize on his disability. Whether it’s day-to-day stuff like the bartender who quietly collects a $17 tip due to his diminished mathematical skills or it’s more egregious like what local hoodlum named Gary Spargo (Matthew Goode) has in mind. Gary initially disarms Chris by watching out for him in the face of other opportunists and by introducing him to a beautiful pole dancer named Luvlee (Isla Fisher). After disillusioning him with false friendship and sexual relations, Gary recruits him to play the part of the lookout during his plan to rob the bank at which Chris mops the floors every night.

For as much as there are perfectly executed moments of heist-related suspense (and The Lookout contains a number of taut nail-biter’s), the emotion is always reliant upon the viewer’s sympathy for Chris. In the wrong hands, the character could have easily inspired apathy or maybe even detest considering the horrific car crash that opens the film. When Chris says that he didn’t do any prison time for his accident, another character grimly replies, “You’re doing your time now.” But the filmmakers aren’t interested in damning him for mistaking his youth for immortality. Instead, they present him as a tortured soul in search of self-retribution. One of the film’s saddest scenes shows Chris going to a bar, ordering a non-alcoholic beer and trying to scribble down pick-up lines he overhears from a more confident patron.

Much of the credit has to go to the performance by the tremendous young actor Gordon-Levitt as Chris. In one segment of the DVD’s special features entitled “Behind the Mind of Chris Pratt,” the actor states that this was the hardest role of his career. Normally, such a pact statement like from a 26-year-old actor would elicit an eye-role of pomposity but considering his previous work as a juvenile delinquent in Manic or a child sexual abuse victim in Mysterious Skin, it really is quite a testament to his regard for his role in The Lookout. Also on the DVD supplement, Gordon-Levitt expresses his concern not to make the performance morose and goes into detail about the research he did for the role, which involved spending time with real-life people suffering from similar conditions as his fictional counterpart.

It is worth continuing to reiterate how much of the film’s strength resides in its characters because it’s so rare to find characters with this depth of complexity in contemporary American genre cinema. Even the most minor of characters in the film is bestowed with careful detail. Consider a party scene in which the camera takes the time to focus on a young mother calling her child with the news that “Mama will be back in three weeks” or a dementia-addled grandfather who creeps into the room on a walker for a moment before being ushered out of sight. The one weak link in the film is the character of Luvlee, an utter cipher of whom neither the writing nor the performance give enough evidence to know whether she is a calculating femme fatale or a bubbly, air-headed victim of persuasion.

A much better example of a supporting character is Lewis. If The Lookout had been produced by a big studio (although the $16 million allocated by Miramax is still sizable), the character of Lewis would have almost certainly been excised from the script under the economy of character ethos as he serves no direct benefit to the ‘plot.’ Fortunately, the producers understood that the film is a character piece and that the beautiful friendship between Lewis and Chris is one of the film’s most winning qualities.

Curious? More Links:

Monday Movie Review: The Lookout

DVD Review: The Lookout

Cable Network GSN Launches the Without Prejudice Project

Article submitted by Day Al-Mohamed

This summer, GSN (The Network for Games) is airing Without Prejudice?, a groundbreaking new television series that features frank discussions about race, gender, religion, disabilities and a variety of hot button issues. To complement the premiere of the show, GSN launched the Without Prejudice Project, an initiative designed to help Americans address and combat prejudice in all its forms. The network is working with a coalition of social justice organizations to encourage a national conversation about prejudice in America. You can find this conversation, at www.gsn.com/withoutprejudice and catch Without Prejudice? every Tuesday at 9PM/8C.

Other Links:
Without Prejudice.....The Review
Are You "Without Prejudice"? (Video)

This Week in Sports

Written By: Jamie Lazaroff
Edited By: Bob Lazzari

Although this is a national blog, I was born and bred in New England and still reside here. It is truly a great times to be a sports fan in New England. The Red Sox are in first place and just pulled off a great deal. In basketball, it appears the Celtics are back on the map.

*First up, the Red Sox just traded for Eric Gagne of the Texas Rangers. What a pick up! I know that Gagne has been injured the last few years and has struggled lately, but he'll still be effective; having both Jonathan Papelbon and Gagne, the Sox' bullpen is all set. If the bats can get hot and the starting pitching remains fairly strong, the Red Sox will be fine and win the American League East.

*I have some questions about the Celtics' recent deals involving Kevin Gannett and Ray Allen. To get KG, the C’s had to give up many of their young players. Al Jefferson, Ryan Gomes, Gerald Green (the slam dunk champion this past year) and Sebastian Telfair are all under 22 years old. In order to obtain Ray Allen on draft day, they had to give up Delonte West--who is also under 22 and led the team in assists last year. I would have chosen to deal for KG OR Allen--not both-- because they still had All-Star Paul Pierce in their lineup. My opinion is that two star players are better than three because:

A. They may have to divide playing time.
B. They would have more young players on their roster.
C. It just makes more mathematical sense--salary-wise.

The Celtics still have Kendrick Perkins and drafted Glen Davis (Big Baby) from LSU. The immediate future is surely looking bright, but will all the pieces fit together? That will be the question.

*I’m not a fan of fantasy football because I like rooting for an existing professional team (New England Patriots) and not individual players. It may enhance the football viewing on Sundays for most people, but it’s just not for me. Speaking of the Patriots, I can see another Super Bowl championship this year. Randy Moss will fit in nicely with his new team.

*This week's spotlight comes from the Paralympics website. Paralympian Lee Pearson from Great Britain has added three more titles to his impressive career at the 2007 International Equestrian Federation (FEI) World Para Dressage Championships in Hartpury, Great Britain. Being born with arthrogryposis multiplex congenital, Lee Pearson made his competitive debut in 1998 and from there became one of the most successful riders in his class. At his first Paralympic Games in Sydney in 2000, he won three gold medals and did so as well in Athens in 2004. Even though his horse Blue Circle Boy had retired before the 2007 FEI World Para Dressage Championships, he once again won every competition he competed in. Lee has been nominated several times for the Laures World Sport Award and also for the Eurosport Sport Star Award, which he won in 2004. In May 2007, he became the first chairman of the FEI Athletes Committee. Career Highlights:

· Sydney 2000 Paralympic Games – Three gold medals
· Athens 2004 Paralympic Games – Three gold medals
· 2007 FEI World Para Dressage Championships – Three gold medals

That’s my take; I would like to hear yours.

Jamie Lazaroff

Dream Mom has a Dear Son

On her blog: Dream Mom, this "single parent of a special needs child" submitted a post to the most recent Disability Blog Carnival found at David's site. She titled it "Top Ten Things Dear Son Has Taught Me". Here is the first:

10. He taught me that children with disabilities are not children to be afraid of, but rather, children to celebrate. They are the children who will cherish all the love, kindness and happiness that you bestow upon them, not once in a while, but every time they look you in the eye.

After having read the other nine things Dear Son taught Dream Mom, Ruth commented: "Wonderful list - very powerful and moving."

Ruth is right about that.

Managing Perception is Key to Success

Buzzing in the Workplace

By: Rob Roy

While some might still consider me ‘fresh’ in the workplace, the past couple years have provided me with wisdom that has left horizontal impressions on my forehead! The growth I’ve experienced was most evident to me when I met a group of new hires who recently began working at my firm. I recognized the gleam of enthusiasm and anticipation in their eyes and the innocence of their smiles – a familiar look I know I had two years ago.

If I could share my nugget of wisdom with the new hires, I would tell them the following: managing perception is key to success.

What do I mean? How people perceive you in the office and how confident you feel about your contribution to your team ultimately impact the substance of work you receive as well as the availability of opportunities that can advance your career. With substantial work and solid opportunities, you are well equipped to demonstrate potential that (I hope) will lead to a promotion.

So, how to begin managing perception? (Obviously, it is easier said then done.) The following five tips have worked well for me and my co-workers:

Praise in public and criticize constructively in private. When a peer does well leading a team meeting or presentation, congratulate them on doing a good job. If an organizational process has improved, commend the person in charge of leading the change. When feeling disgruntled because of a policy change or the printer doesn’t print correctly, leave the criticism for you to discuss with your manager. Avoid raising any criticism in front of a large group.

Act engaged at all times. Ask good questions - even if you think you know the answer – and follow-up with additional insight or observation on what you learned. Active participation shows you are not a silent observer and that you are engaged in the content of your job. Be wary though – peers often recognize and dislike excessive participation. Don’t go overboard!

Always know the next step. Understand the different responsibilities between your current and any future position you desire. Seek out opportunities to demonstrate capability for tasks that are part of the next job. Perform these responsibilities well and utilize peers for guidance and direction when uncertain about how to approach the tasks.

Work on ad hoc projects or participate on a task force. Extra points are usually earned when you participate on a task force or ad hoc project outside the scope of your day to day responsibilities. However, it is important to be proactive about finding a project or task force as it typically doesn’t drop in your lap. You could participate on anything as big as a team devoted to positively impacting how your company is structured to as little as creating a committee that plans out-of-office social events.

Record, record, and … yes, record. Keep a documented log of your project work and a description of your contribution to each project. Focus on contributions that positively impact the business. Share the log when moving to a new team or transitioning to a new manager to demonstrate your experience and manage your new leader’s expectations. Also, reference this list – strategically, of course – when approaching your performance review to ensure the scope of your accomplishments are captured in your review.

Cheers to all you new hires that are beginning your careers and best of luck! May you strategically manage perception and have a year filled with success!

Cross-posted on The Journey

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David Hosts Disability Blog Carnival # 21

David is Growing up with a Disability and believes "society often underestimates the complexity of living with a disability - the joys, the challenges, the ordinary, and the extraordinary."

As host of the Disability Blog Carnival this month, he warns David Letterman to "move over" because "here come the bloggers!"

"The topic for this carnival is Top Ten Lists, and people put together a variety of lists on a variety of topics."

David, we've never seen you in a double-breasted suit like Letterman wears, but we bet you're equally as dashing! Audience, don't you agree?

As per David:

"The next carnival will be hosted by Reimer Reason on September 13, with entries due by September 10. Posts can be submitted via the carnival site. Update - Penny says the theme is "Resilience".

Cross-posted on the Planet of the Blind

Meet Columnist Bob Lazzari

Bob Lazzari is an award-winning sports columnist for Connecticut's Valley Times and NY Sports Day; he also contributes a daily sportscast to SportingNewsCT.com and is a member of the Connecticut Sports Writers' Alliance. He will be editing Jamie Lazaroff's column on a regular basis while occasionally adding some material of his own.

How do you measure happiness?

Written by Scott Rains, Senior Advisor, [with]tv and editor of the Rolling Rains Report

It may sound absurd to put “measurement” and “happiness” together like that. What’s next? People saying, “I’ll take 2 pounds of happiness please?”

Actually, the travel industry is beginning to ask itself for a “happiness metric.” In an industry that successfully markets dreams and sells experience, quantifying the ineffable does not seem to be a goal beyond reach. Innovation is beginning to characterize an industry as it takes up the causes of ecological sustainability, equitable treatment of its employees, and inclusion of seniors and people with disabilities.

Thailand, drawing on concepts from Bhutan, seems to be taking the lead in exploring happiness as a new benchmark. The core concept is a complement to the economic measurement of Gross National Product. It is Gross National Happiness.

A conference on the topic was held in Bangkok, Thailand July 18 & 19, 2007. According to the organizers of this conference, “Happiness and Public Policy”:

As happiness is the ultimate goal of human beings, development paradigm needs a rethinking. Development goal is not only an economic prosperity – which is only a material mean for happiness, but development should also be conceptualized as an instrumental goal of happiness. Higher levels of human happiness involve other factors such as physical, mental, social and spiritual happiness. Public policy, therefore, plays a key role to improve conditions of happiness at all levels of people in the society.

Looking ahead to the 3rd International Conference on Gross National Happiness scheduled for November 22 to 28, 2007 also in Bangok

The launching of the concept of Gross National Happiness in the global arena has induced a growing movement calling for transformation of conventional development policies and practices at all levels. By placing ‘happiness' at the center of development the current obsession by economic growth, measured by Gross National (or Domestic) Product, has been fundamentally challenged… Efforts are made to better understand and to monitor happiness. Well-being indexes serve public policy development, in order to counter wealth-dominated, unsustainable, globalization.

Reporting on these developments in Travel Impact Newswire, Imtiaz Muqbil, writes:

[This is] possibly the first time this subject [Happiness and Public Policy] has been covered in the travel trade media, it will quickly gain traction. Branding gurus will latch on to it, conferences will feature it and industry experts will seek to outdo each other with the perfect solutions and answers. If that happens, and the world becomes even a slightly better and more happy place, the purpose of this dispatch will have been well-served.

The full set of conference papers can be found at: http://www.ppdoconference.org

Let’s hope that the gurus of happiness study the sutras of Universal Design. Let the good times roll!

Meet Columnist Rob Roy

Rob Roy is an Analyst for the Nielsen Company, a leading provider of marketing information and business media services, where he advises clients on new product innovation and execution strategies. A native of Chicago, Rob received his Bachelor of Business Administration degree from the University of Wisconsin – Madison.

When not working, Rob likes to ride his bike, hang out at the beach with his dog, and spend time wondering what is Buzzing in the Workplace.

You can also visit Rob on his new blog: The Journey, Evolving and Enduring - Empowering People Through Disability Learning

Meet Columnist Jamie Lazaroff

Jamie Lazaroff is an aspiring sportscaster who has reported for television extensively for Special Olympics International and CT, covering events that include the Special Olympic World Games, for which he received a 1995 New England EMMY nomination. He has also co-hosted several cable television shows in Connecticut. In addition, Jamie was actively involved in the Special Olympics Global Messenger Program through which he trained other athletes for the Special Olympics and speaking engagements.

Meet Columnist Michael A. Harris

Michael A. Harris is a prominent disability advocate and the founder and executive director of the Disabled Riders Coalition, the tri-state area's only disability advocacy organization focused solely on transportation issues. His work as an advocate has won him international recognition and he makes frequent appearances on local, national and international media. Michael also works as a freelance writer and photographer and has had his work published in amNewYork, Courier Life, Able News and the Brooklyn Daily Eagle. He is currently employed part-time in the office of New York State Assemblyman Micah Z. Kellner. Michael is a recent graduate of Manhattanville College, where he majored in political science and journalism.

Meet Columnist Anna Bergholtz

Anna Bergholtz is a Swedish freelance journalist, motivational speaker and the first blind film critic of Sweden. Web Page (soon to be in English): http://www.annasvision.se/

The Day I Became Different

Written by Laura of Bums & Bellybuttons: The View From Here
(Cross-posted with permission)

I don't have an actual memory of the day I realized I was different. It's more of a created memory, bred from hearing the story more than once and analyzing the event objectively. Up until this particular point, I lived in blissful ignorance. I can't say with any certainty that I even knew, at the time, what "different" meant.

Today, it's multi-zillion dollar affairs thrown by guilt-laden parents hoping to earn the affection of their entitled children. In the '90s, it was Chuck E. Cheese. But, in the '80s, the happenin' birthday party spot for the under-10 set was McDonald's. I know; I was there. I must have attended a large handful of these parties, always fearful that the clown mascot would suddenly appear. (Hey, clowns are scary. Deal with it.)

At one of these parties, when I was about 5, I learned that I was different. When I entered the restaurant with my parents, a young boy (about my age, I guess) stood up and repeatedly announced to the entire population, "She's in a wheelchair!" Needless to say, staring commenced. Pairs and pairs of eyes swiveling toward me, a little girl, cute in her party dress, suddenly not the girl she was five seconds before she came through the door. Even thinking about it 20 years later makes me want to claw my skin.

It had never occurred to me to realize that sitting down made me fundamentally different than just about everyone I encountered. No one else seemed to notice, so why should I? My parents didn't make a big deal out of it, unless it was for my own physical safety. It just was as it was.

I believe that boy, unknown to him the great power he wielded, changed my life. Sure, my perception would have altered sooner or later, but he happened to be the lucky one to draw that card from the deck of my life. His inexplicable and unexpected assertion that being a wheelchair user was somehow "wrong" robbed me of the innocent nature most children possess. The belief that everyone is just a good/bad/indifferent as everyone else.

I have done my best to re-instill that belief in my mind. For the most part, I do believe that, unless they prove otherwise, all people are just as worthy as all other people. And yet, there is this twinge from time to time at the back of my mind that says, "Except for you." Now, the part of my brain that doesn't listen to what other people say or pay attention to what other people do blows this off with a flip of the wrist. The rest of my brain dredges up 26 years worth of stares, name calling, rude questions and all-around "make you feel different" stuff.

I wonder from time to time if that boy, whomever he was, carries around any memory whatsoever of me. I doubt it, seeing as how I can't even recall the Day That Changed My Life. I wonder what he would think if he did remember. Would he feel guilty for stomping all over my rose-colored glasses? Would he blow it off with a flip of his wrist, rationalizing that it would have happened sooner or later? Would he care at all? Or, as I fear, is he one of those people who don't believe I'm as good as any girl on two legs?

Calling All Bloggers...and everyone else

Dear Friends,

As a volunteer working with the folks at [with]tv I have recently been honored with the title “blog master”. In that capacity I am writing to disability bloggers I know and respect to ask for support. I (we) are hoping you would be willing to either write a post, submit a post you’ve already written, or even join us as a “columnist” and submit posts whenever the mood strikes.

Posts can be submitted to my attention at articles@with-tv.com. This blog is a work in progress and I (we) sure would appreciate your support. While you’re here, please sign the Guest Book and let us know what you think. We’re working hard to spread the word. Anything you can do to help would surely give us a boost!

Thank you,

Connie Kuusisto
Blog Master, [with]tv

P.S. A person need not be a blogger to submit articles to [with]tv or to sign the Guest Book. Anyone interested in the topic of disability is encouraged to participate.

Cross-posted on the Planet of the Blind

Support [with]tv

[with]tv would like your show of support to demonstrate to our potential corporate partners, advertisers and investors that there is not only a need for our service, but strong American and International support for our programming. Please read the support letter, click on "Guest Book" below, and fill out the form.

________________________________________________________________________

Howard Renensland
CEO and Founder
[with]tv

Dear Mr. Renensland:

I would like to express my wholehearted support for [with]tv’s mission of providing accessible television and Internet programming that, while appealing to broader markets, is focused on providing high quality, news and entertainment programming that meets the needs and interests of persons with disabilities, and those committed to them personally, professionally, and commercially.

People with disabilities have a global need as individuals and as a community for access to information, employment, artistic expression, and control of their image. The disability community, which in the United States alone is 54 million strong with a discretionary income of $220 billion, is a grossly underutilized source of both talent and market share for companies, making [with]tv a win-win solution for individuals, society, and business.

I intend to support your content, partners, and advertisers in every way possible. I congratulate you on the work that you and your colleagues at [with]tv have done thus far and wish you the best of luck going forward. Please keep me informed of your progress and let me know if I may be of any further assistance.

To show your support of [with]tv, please sign our Guest Book.

Meet Columnist Connie Kuusisto

Connie Kuusisto has worked for over twenty years in the world of guide dogs and their blind partners, first as a Trainer/Instructor, then as Manager of Admissions at Guiding Eyes for the Blind, one of the premier guide dog training programs in the United States. She co-founded, with her husband Stephen Kuusisto, Kaleidoscope Connections, a resource for bringing people together to help promote disability awareness. Together they've worked with a wide range of businesses, including Sandals and Beaches resorts in Jamaica, where they've given workshops on customer service for people with disabilities.

You can visit Connie and Steve on their blog: Planet of the Blind

He's Blind. I Married Him Anyway.

Written by: Connie Kuusisto

Note to reader: I had written this post back in January and was thinking of submitting it for use on this blog. Then I read Laurie Rubin's terrific post, Two Invitations, and realized now is as good a time as any to follow up with mine...

The world is full of perfectly lovely, well-intentioned, but in some ways, clueless people. Admit it. There are people in your life who, as much as you care for them and they you, could use a little "disability awareness" training. There are also people who are ignorant. And there are those who are just plain mean. I won't make the claim that I've "seen it all", but as a former guide dog instructor / manager of admissions at a highly regarded guide dog school, I've seen and heard plenty. As have you I'm sure.

A few years ago I was asked, as a member of a local women's group, to be on the nominating committee for the next year's "officers". I was the youngest person in the room. I was, I'm pretty sure, one of the two youngest women in the entire club. I'm talking decades here. I assure you the other women in the room did not attend school in an age when children with disabilities were "mainstreamed" into public schools. Nor had they ever given much thought, I'm sure, to the concept that they themselves might only be temporarily "abled". Time was no longer on their side..

Before the meeting started, I was enjoying small talk with one perfectly lovely woman; I'll call her "Alice". Alice eventually revealed that she had heard from "Betty" that my husband was blind. Really? Can he see anything? Does he work? Well how does he get to work? Really? How did he go blind? Really? Was he blind when you married him? OH REALLY!!

Well it just so happens that my husband is, among other things, a talented writer and I'll take any opportunity I can to plug his book "Planet of the Blind" (including this one!). So I gave Alice the particulars and suggested she ought to read it. "Oh isn't that nice. Oh I will read it! Thank you for telling me about it...." And then, just as we were being interrupted by the announcement that the meeting was coming to order she said, almost under her breath, "So. He's blind and you married him anyway...." *Smile* Alice fell into the "perfectly lovely, well-intentioned, but in some ways, clueless people" category. She didn't mean to sound insensitive. I know she didn't. She's far too nice.

Is that what people think? Was this sweet little grey-haired old lady just voicing what everyone else thinks? Oh if they only knew. To quote Ralph James Savarese in his soon to be released book: Reasonable People: a Memoir of Autism and Adoption, she "underestimated what a relationship is, conceiving of disability only as deficits."

You see, I was married once before. I call my ex my "insignificant other". My insignificant other could see just fine. He could mow the lawn in straight lines. He could drive to the corner store for milk. He could change the oil in the car and make sure the tires were inflated properly. And I'll say it hear and now, he was the neatest roommate I've ever had. On Saturday mornings we'd do housework together. Let me tell you, he was meticulous. Not a crumb could you find in the kitchen. Not a Labrador hairball could you find on the floor when he was done. Oh he was fine in that regard! Oh, but if only he could have been a friend. If only he could have been loyal.

Several years later I met Steve. My two young children didn't seem to notice he was blind. My parents met him, liked him immediately, and didn't care. Neither did my friends. Most of them had been guide dog trainers too. We had a small wedding ceremony in Jamaica. We call it our "family-moon" because my children and all four of our parents spent most of the week there with us.

So here we are ten years later. Steve can mow the lawn, but I prefer it when he doesn't. I like a lawn to look mowed when it's done. I'm fussy that way. Steve can go to the corner store for milk - he walks. It's too close to drive anyway. I should walk there with him. It's true, he is not the neatest *roommate* I have ever had. He fails to see the crumbs on the kitchen counter and yes, what with three dogs, more often than not there are Labrador hair tumbleweeds everywhere, even after he vacuums. I am fussy. But that is my problem, not the fact that my husband can't see. I mow the lawn now, but in exchange for taking on that chore, I've got a true friend. I've traded crumbs on the kitchen counter for loyalty. I've left the life of a single Mom behind for a life of adventure with a man who's taken me to San Fransisco, Jamaica, London, Helsinki, Milan, Venice, Hawaii...

As for Steve, he traded his days as a bachelor for life with a fusspot and her two teenagers. Can you imagine? A fusspot and not one, but two teenagers!

Yes, Steve is blind. And borrowing these words from Jane Eyre: "Reader, I married him."

Cross-posted on Planet of the Blind