Different Ways of Going about Things
Disabled people are regularly attributed with various qualities which we may or may not have; bravery, pluckiness and so on. However the one quality which I have most consistantly noted among my fellow crips has been adaptibility; the ability to seek out and adjust to a different way of going about things, a different way of looking at a task or indeed life itself.
Our remarkable ability to innovate and adapt is what makes humans such fantastic and successful animals - this is not a talent exclusive to disabled people. However, as Lady Bracknell said back in April, necessity is the mother of invention, and disabled people simply have the need and opportunity to demonstrate this more than most.
Different Ways of Living
Suzy at Tryin' to Imagine Bliss writes that Sometimes It Takes An Illness to force you to do what you really love. This is a theme taken up by Charles Dawson at The Meanderings of a Politically Incorrect Crip in Thoughts That Lie Too Thingummajig for Words;
To develop an impairment in adult life can mean, to be given a second chance, if you want to look at it like that. To get off the treadmill. To say, well, I can't do this-or-that any more, so what else can I do?Belated Happy Birthday to Gordon, who in 25 years (and five days) on at Gordon's D-Zone reflects on the disability lessons of the first 25 years of his life. Amanda at Ballastexistenz discusses the ways in which she uses quite different cognitive processes from non-autistic people in order to do things in Doing Things Differently.
Zephyr at Arthritic Young Thing writes about her experience of shame and gradual acceptance of Living Off Disability, something I can relate a great deal to myself;
I've spent the majority of my life on disability income assistance. I felt ashamed and humiliated about that for a long time. It's hard to not be able to support oneself. It makes you feel sub-human, like you're not a fully functioning member of society.
She goes on to discuss the situation for people on Disability Benefits in Canada in these two subsequent posts.
In the wonderfully entitled This is super long and unedited, but if you want to read about my sexlife this is probably your only chance, the author of Letter to my Children writes candidly about sex, marriage and disability. Meanwhile, Pete at Rocky Spring's Blog talks about the innovative ways his friend has adapted to having one eye in One Eyed Medical Engineering.
Different Ways of Communicating
Stephen at Planet of the Blind shares a poem with us entitled Talking Books. Blue at the Gimp Parade opens an informative debate on "Web accessibility" for the disabled vs. for everyone. Meanwhile, Wheelie Catholic writes about her new electronic page turner (and her cat) in A real page turner.
Amanda at Ballastexistenz writes a really fascinating post about Learning Communication Skills from Autistic People.
When I was a certain age, I was very confused about communication. It’s hard to describe that state of mind in a language that is developed mostly through use by people who have not had the experiences I have had. Even many autistic people I know have not had this experience. I have, though. Remember, that I was not thinking these things in language. Remember also, some of these things are things I may have known before, but forgotten in one of the brain-scrambles of puberty. I have no way of knowing at this point, all I know is what it was like for me.
Different Ways of Having Fun
Turvy at Off to Great Places tells us about Dog Show Weekend and how she is finding new ways of attending the shows and carrying her photography equipment with her;
There is nothing particularly innovative about my rig. Rather, I knew what I wanted to be able to do and knew that the walker I was sent home with wouldn't work. I proceeded to set about finding solutions that would work for me; to give me the flexibility and freedom to achieve my goals. Search Engines and the Internet were my advisers and friends!At Life with a Disability, Bill Tipton writes about his adventures Picking Apples without Sight (Bill might be interested in Sara's recipe). Ziggi at Wheelchair Diffusion informs us about The Golden Access Pass, an admission card available for disabled people in the US which awards free entry into National Parks and other attractions. Ask Patty covers a project to encourage disabled people to take part in motorsports in Ask Patty supports Motorsports; Living life in motion.
In Ahoy! Disabled Divers Welcome Scott at the Rolling Rains Report takes about The Dive Pirates, a group that takes disabled people diving. Meanwhile Vicki at Down the MS Path offers some resources for people with MS who wish to practice yoga.
Different Ways of Shaking One's Thing
Autism Diva writes a glorious celebration of A thing of beauty: The joy of spinning and flapping. Zephyr is inspired by a video about Crutch Dancing!, whilst Imfunnytoo at Did I Miss Something? has her own perspective on Dancing;
I loved to dance. I'm not talking about dance-as-scheduled-performance.
I'm talking about dance-as-connection-with-something. Dance brings me closer to music.
Wheelchair Dancer is High, high, high, flying high, high high following an opening night's performance New York. Which is always good to hear.
Different Ways of Learning.
In Thinking Outside the Box, David at Growing Up with a Disability writes about the unique way in which he completed his high-school education;