Tune in tonight

  For  A and  E  new series  Born this way. Staring Sean McElwee of  Who's The Slow Learner 
  and  six other  adults with Down Syndrome.


 Tonight  at  10 /9 central on A&E

AZ with  Sandra and  Sean

Year in Review

  Hay  guys  it seems like the year  was  just started  yesterday but as I  write this its the day before  New Years eve. 2014 has  flown by  and it was a  great  year . I hope that I can  have   a  great  year   in 2015.  

  Now there is  a lot of  great stuff that happened in 2014  here are the monthly  highlights  complete with pictures.

 Let's Go  Niners

 January 2014 :  Took  my  mom out to dinner and  paid for it making me the first child to do that. I got a new basketball and a nice 49 sweatshirt and hat,
 February 2014 :   Watched   the  Superbowl  with  Mexican  Food .   My  old b ball coach came to see me  play in a tournament.








 March 2014:    Had the  best weekend ever at the  TASH  Conference a
nd  got a   cool t shirt to celebrate  World  CP  Day.

March 2014 

April 2014 : Celebrated  Easter by   going to Cream. Competed in Shot Put for the  first time  ever with the special olympics.  I also  went to the beach,

May 2014:  Celebrated  my sister's  b day  by  hanging in  SF

June 2014: Started summer  school and  learned  that "Individual differences  reign
 supreme.  Saw the para olympics at my  jc.

July2014:     I cut my  hair on the fourth of July.  Celebrated my  Dad's b day by  going out  for  lunch and  feeding  the ducks.  Watched the World Cup  and  chugged a shot of  alcohol before  throwing it up.  I also  went to the movies with  LM

August 2014 :    Went to a giants  game.  Took a final   while my mom was away and aced it. I  attended  Motown the musical with my sister and  my mother.   I     also  played in my first Unified  golf  game hosted  by Special Olympics. My  team mate and I  got  sliver

Halloween 2014

September  2014:   I turned 23   and took the  ALS  Ice bucket challenge.


October 2014:      I had a blast at  Big  Wave  and helped make the day  fun.  I  was  paid in two  free spray painted  pumpkins .  I  won the JC  costume contest as an orange crayon and  went to two special needs Halloween Parties. The  Giants won the World Series

 November  2014: I got my first  job at the bookstore.  Had a wonderful Thanksgiving  at  my house My   Aunt L  Uncle M  C and R  came down.

 I beat  C in a game of Parcheesi 

December2014:   My  grandma comes to visit.  I get  my first pay check and use it to buy a golf  bag  and I gave my mom 200 dollars for being my mother.I MET TIM SHRIVER.  I had an awesome christmas  week with my grandma and cousins and had a X - Men Movie Marathon . .


Over all its  been a great  year.

 Here are some  post that are worth looking  at  from  2014



  The  Solution is Inclusion
 The  Power of Choice
 Inclusion Matters because

The power of Choice

  So   college  for me has  been a bumpy  ride to say the least.     From  being   terrified on my first  semester  of college to  powering through  to  the horrible inaccessible  experience at the  private university  down the street from my house.   Its been very hard.




  What makes it even harder was that I  believed  I  had no choice.  

 First Pay Check  12/15/ 14

      You  see as a disabled person  you do not  really get choices.  Ok  sure I had  the option of   choosing what I wanted  to eat and stuff but  the big ones i did not have a say.   In  high school I did not  have a say  where I wanted to work  and  messed up  on the job.   Back in  November  I  applied to a place  I have always wanted to work ever since I  went to  visit colleges back in high school.  I wanted to  work at the book store.   In  November  I got my wish.   This past week  I got my first pay check  and it felt good to earn money.  I am  one of the best workers.  I  take my job seriously and  am  learning a ton about the book business.   This is a far cry to  the placements  I had in high school.  I  chose what  I  wanted  to do.


 Now back to colleges, My  faith has been tested and if you asked me on  Friday morning will  I  finish college?  The  answer was.

  I do not know.

 A good problem to have 

  It has been  really hard to go through school with people that are ablest and who are not patient. I felt that I did not have a choice because when I  went in the spring  to apply to another school my parents  said no  i had to go  back to school that i hated. So  I did this past fall.  I took one class  from a teacher  whose cousin had CP.  So they understood me and helped me out with the projects  and  did not  think  anything of it.  I  had a fantastic  time there.  Which was  saying a lot.  I  always  felt respected. I  even had fun,

  Dealing with the administration was very hard though. After my advisor  was not nice to me  I   got  really sad.  It took a week to  recover  but I did.

     The day before thanksgiving I went to my advisor at the JC  who told me that I still had time to apply to CSU.  I thought i missed the deadline. I  got  right on it and was able to  apply before the window closed at the end of the month.

   On friday  I  got into  my first choice of schools for the fall of 2015.  I  am  soo happy.  I have options  I have  choice.



            I CAN NOW SAY  THAT IT IS NOT A MATTER OF IF  I  FINISH COLLEGE  BUT  WHEN  I FINSH COLLEGE.



   

 Now I have to chose my  path just like Pocahontas.  I might be able to finish  faster if  I stay at the private school but at least now  I have a backup plan
  This  was my favorite movie in Pre School.  Probably because  Pocahontas had my same skin tone 

  To all parents of children with disabilities  please  give your children choices, Teach them that  their voice matters.  Ask them what they want to be when they grow up and help them  get there.    Everyone should be given the power of choice.   Presume that all children can make choices.   Do not   try to guess what they  want  because you could be dead wrong.  Give them the tools and confidence to know that they can change the world.




 Got  Images from

http://www.manataka.org/images/Choices%201.jpg





https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7wBMloVl1WxJTmipjLGbg3M9YAM9BJyLWBcFKoAZm0HAVtHymHtH5QITnIP2yMB1w_g5PnhXZ_Jk0vMDOxxIO288SGwMAA8dL-XC64hiWrc4oJ6pezIyR1yUZr3E08MjsU6HszYxmgIzs/s1600/compass.jpg

More then a job

     

       So there is a new program called I am to  hire.  It's aim  is to encourage employers to hire  people with intellectual disabilities.  The  statistics are stagering about 88 percent of  disabled  adults do not have jobs.  so having jobs is  a good goal but  there needs  to be  more that needs to be said.

Disabled individuals  need more then just a job that they are assigned too by an  agency or school.   Able bodied people get to chose where they want to work  then  they apply.  People with disabilities should be offered  the same choice.  My  work experience was chosen for me  without  my input.  I  really  wanted  to work at  Trader's Joes in  high school, but  I was not given a choice. Instead  I went to Macy's  then to  Barnes and  Noble.  Neither  one of them  were places  that I wanted  to work and  guess  what  I was not motivated to work there.  I  did not complete the job for the whole  year.  The work was really   tedious and  boring.  I  had  to dust the selves and  racks for an hour.  This  was not a pleasant experience and  I had  to miss school

   Disabled individuals  need to make at least  minimum  wage.   It may be legal  but it is not ethical   If people were able to make minimum wage it wouuld cost the goverement  less in SSI.   A nickel an hour  or even a dollor is  not enough for an able bodied so why  is it ok  to pay said ammount  to the disabled.  This does not make senese to me.   The disabled are people first with wants and intrest.  We deserve to be payed at the same rate as our  able bodied counterparts.  It is not  eithical.

  That is  my  two cents for the day.  What are your thoughts?

Dear University : An Open to letter to all institutions of higher education regarding the inclusion of students with disabilities

   Dear  University,

  I want to tell you a story  about   a once highly motivated student  who is now the poller opposite.
   This student  grew up in a family that valued higher education.  The student was from a home where bed time stories were  a natural occurrence and  the path to college was  discussed at length    The parents paid students grades in junior high  and high school.  During  a middle school graduation the student friends parent  told   the student that  they only had four years of college left.  Without  missing a beat the student said. " No. I have  eight more  years, the student was  graduati
ng from 8th grade,  I am  going to college.   The  student's  path was set. They wanted to get a BA.

    The spring  of the students freshman  year, they  developed OCD.  It was  really  hard and made the student  regress. Also with the demands on social  in high school  the student was  behind and had trouble making friends due to  Non verbal  learning disorder.  In her junior year of  high school a  job coach told the student and their mother that  the student would probably work in the back room of Safeway. This and  OCD  made the student fear  high school graduation.  Nonetheless she  graduated.  Although the student had a rough start, they ended up excelling  in school.  Th
ey   graduated with an AA in social scince   with honors.  But they  were not done. They wanted  to get a BA and  go into the education field.

    Last year they went to a University  highly motivated to  finish.  But then  they  ran up against ableism.  The campus  was complete  inaccessible     There was no way for the student to   self serve in the lunch room.  The  room that housed  classes  lacked an elevator.

   One Professor  told the class " That all students   lean language  without ever being taught."   The  student  held their tongue at  first but was visibility upset because she  a speech impairment due to Cerebral  Palsy and had a  hard time learning to speak.   When they the student did say something  the professor  replied , " Well all  normal children do. "  That really  hurt the student.   What was  worse  is that the  professor  overly  praised the student when they  got the seconded highest grade then  admitted to the student that they  " were surprised that [the student]  did so well."    When an able bodied  student who got higher then said student was given the  test.  The student received no fan faire despite getting a hundred percent.

 Another teacher tesed a student's hat.   When the student had long hair and due to Cerebral  Palsy could not  do  their  hair  so they needed a  hat.  The same history  professor asked the  class " If  anyone had a rope." when said student had too many questions.  The student was   part African American  and the teacher  taught United States history.   They  could have  ment  lynching.
  This  remark was complete out of line.

    The last teacher  compared  student  to a  child  in front of the class.  The  teacher later apologized for this  remark.   Making her the only teacher to apologize 


  The administration  refused to let  the  student return  to school  for personal reasons    The  student   returned to school Fall 2014 under a contract.     The contract  stated  among other  things that   the student could only  take  two classes and  had to behave.  In the event that she  did not  behave, she was blamed for reacting to teachers   remarks, she  was to see  the  Disability  person, how  can  one person be in charge of all students with disabilities on a college campus.   On thursday  the student got  a message from a conduct  person.     Which violated the contract.     What made it worse  was that the student  went to advisor asking what the meeting was about. The consular said "  I do not want to speculate.    The student  then met with the conduct person  who said the consular  was    the one to report the incident.   The  student had  went into  a class  asking  to  switch the classes that she    wanted  because everyone   who  took it was fun.    The    advisor  said the student broke the conduct code.   Another student said the  student  had   followed  procedure and  had not broken the conduct  code.

 The student  is already  behind because they  do not feel wanted.    They do not  trust  anyone at  the university.   They feel betrayed  by the consular.  They  had  problems   committing to two  classes.  Although the professors were decent this  semester  the administration  has  been  hard to deal   with.


   So what  happend  to the student.  Well,  they  are currently recovering  l  from a major  bout of depression  brought on by this  stressed.  They  recovered not by  the  promise of  a college education but   with   I  pad  games, The  now   scan   the community for  entry  level  jobs and  are having a hard  time focusing on  education.  They   are   hesitant  to   try another  school.   The  student is  writing  this  to  teach you a few things.

 1 Make   campuses  accessible.   Every  lecture hall  should have  an  elevator.
2  Treat every student like a person  not a trained seal.  Not  a   half  person  not   a miracle.     
3   Dont  joke  about disabled students.    Make  them  feel  included.
4     Follow the  Golden  Rule.

5   If the  student  is on contract  follow  it. 


6   If the student  has   social  problems  do not criminalize them.   Use it a  teachable  moment .   Be  patient  everyone  make  mistakes.
7  Honesty
 8   Admit that you do not know everything.  Ask the student  to  teach you  about their  background.  Be willing to listen  about  what it is like  to be them.
9  Be  Patient
 10   Have training  for all  staff  on  ability  awareness.  Take  the   R  word  pledge.   Learn what Ableism  is.  

 ***  You  may not be able to do all of these  things  due to lack of  funding, yet  all  staff can  have  heart and show a little loving kindness  for all  students.  Especailly   minority  students.


    
   All the students  that  I have  met in  university  have  rallied around me.   I  have  enjoyed   talking to you guys. Thanks  for treating me  kindly   when  the  staff  has  not.  The   Center  for spirituality and the  director  of student  retention  have  been awesome  too.  You  guys   rock.

This could change my life

 
      ***** Authors note :  I  do not mean  in any  way shape or form to  be disrespectful  to  people with intellectual disabilities or  those that love them.  If I  did  I  apologize.  I am  just  sharing my  story. 



   So yesterday at around  5:00  I was talking to my psychology   teacher.   We  were   talking about my  inability  to communicate clearly and how  people  often assume that I am  intellectually  disabled.   It happens   right away.    The movement I open my  mouth  to a new person   bam   they assume that I  do not comprehend anything  which is   untrue.    It has  happend to me when  I attend university . Lets  think about this for a second.    I had to apply   and  got in but still a professor was  really  surprised  when I aced  a test.

  How I felt when the professor  was surprised about my  A . 

         Not even 24 hours  later I am  reading Love that  Max  that mentions Talkitt.         Its an app that translates  unclear speech into  speech  that others can understand.  This  has  to be the greatest thing ever invented.    Now this does not change ignorant minds,but   it allows for my message  to be expressed in  real time which   takes off the frustration from me and  the listeners.  And perhaps if they do not have to disappear what I am saying  just  maybe   they will be able to  see my  cognitive ability.


 Talkit  needs your help  it is  seeking funding to  make  this into a reality.  If  I could  I would donate all the money but I  can not but if any of my readers  would  I'd appreciate it.     This has the potentialr  to  change the world for  people with speech  impairments.  It would  make my life a little easier.   Go here  to donate and  watch a video of it in action.



Got image of  elsa  from 
 http://media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/2a/e1/e4/2ae1e45ff8e863aabc312bfe8212fd85.jpg

I am not sorry because I am not broken

           Hay  guys   sorry its  been a while things  are  good  here just been  busy  with summer school  at my   old  jc.   I am  breaking the silence  because     something has been on my mind  that I want to  talk about.

            Back when  I started   my  jc  one of  my first college  professors   apologized  when I  told her that I  had Cerebral  Palsy.

               When  I  introduced  myslef   to  my  Psychology   teacher this  summer and told him  I have  CP,  He did  the same thing

            Now  before  I  move on  I want to say that  both
of these  people were  well intentioned. The first professor and I are now  friends   on  fb and she  has helped me out a lot     this  past year.     I  also  am  enjoying my    summer  class and the professor  is  very nice and understanding of my  recent  history.

        But to get back to    my topic.  When  people   apologize  for   my disability  it  does not  feel good.   Imagine    if   someone  said  sorry    for   a characteristic  about  you.    Having Cerebral Palsy  is a part of me.  Its  been around  for    long as I can  remember.  It  has been  with me  and has  given  me  more  reasons  to  celebrate.    Because  some things  come harder then the average person,   I  get   to have more celebration  when  I achieve  them.     I  do not  mourn  CP  because  its a part of  me.   Does  CP   make  my life hard at times  yeah.  Are there  times  I  desire  normalcy?   Yeah  but  happly   the feeling  does not   last  long .   I am  not  broken.  I  do not think  that we  need to invest money  in trying to  prevent  others  like  me.  I  am  amazing.   I  bring   joy   and laughter   to   those  around  me.   I have a  unique  perspective  of the world because  of  my disabilities  and  experiences. note the  quote  below  is   my own  about disabilities particulary    CP and  NVLD.   *****OCD  is    different   as the  condition  itself  causes   me  unwanted  stress.  *****

I have  hope   but am  not  mourning   CP.

=

   The   hardest part about being disabled  is not the disability itself.   It   is much  harder  to live in a world  that   does not see  your life as  having  value.  It is much harder to deal with ableism   and  discrimination that  comes  with  disabilities.    AZ 

A Gap in my knowledge

      There is a show on  Fox and  National  Geographic   called  Cosmos.  I really  love this show.   The show   talks about    science.

       Ever since  I  have been watching this show, I  can not help  but  moran  for    a chance to be in middle school again.  In   middle  school  kids in  resource  only  took three core classes.   Everyone was  required  to  take   English,   then referred  to as Language  Arts, and  Mathematics. In terms of history and scince   at my middle school  you  were supposed  to  chose  between  the two.  All three  years of  middle school  the school and my parents  chose  history.  This  really  paid  off because  now I am  a  self  proclaimed history buff  and   passed  my  AP  test my junior year of high school in  American  History.   But   all three  years I
missed out  on  science.

  In high school   when  I  finally took  science ,  I struggled  in science  a lot.  In  biology  I was able to  work with the teacher who  was able  to help me  on test.   In   Chemistry  it was   really  hard  because I was  lazy  probably  in part  because I  had never  had  science  in  middle school.  In  college   I did well in Biology , but when  it came time to  take   the Solar System,  I was   lost  because  I   did not  know the order of the planets . I had  to work really  hard and  I  passed.

    Instead  of   learning science  in  middle school I  had   resource  room  where  I was bullied a lot   from other students  while the teachers did not  do anything.

 Lets think about what  my day would have looked like  if  my school   practiced  best practices  My   teachers  would have  came into the class  and   help me  inside   my  general education  classes.    Maybe  I would get pulled out   in a small group  once a week  for  pre-teaching  and  study  skills  development  in  areas  that I   needed help  with.      Since it was  a small  group   and  it was   with a purpose   perhaps   the other students would have been busy and  not   teased  me.    I  would  have  taken  Science and   History .      I wouldn't  have gaps  in my knowledge    Perhaps in  high school  I would  have   had an  easier  time  in  my science  classes.     I  might  have had the   foundation  I needed  to  take  an  AP  science course.  In  short   I  might have  had  a  educational career  similar to   my  peers  who did  not have a disability.

  All  schools  should   practice  best   practices   All  students  need to  learn   in  inclusive classes just like  they  would have  if  they did not have a disability.  We  are  Worthy!

60 years later

 Over the weekend,   Brown  v  Board of  ed turned 60 years  old. This court  case  turned  over Plessy  vs Feguson  which said  Seprate but equal  was not acceptable.

  All the news stories     that I have heard   only talk about race.     Race is  important  I  totally  agree.   It is still an  important problem  that    society  has not worked out.

   But  there is another  issue   in the fight  for  equality in the schools

           Disabled  students


   Disabled students everywhere  are  learning in segregated classrooms.  Segregated  classrooms.  Children are missing out  on the opportunity  to learn  grade level class work  and   meet the kids  in their neighborhood   All studies have   shown that   special education  classes produce   bad outcomes for kids.   The  unemployment  level  for people with  disabilities is high.

  The  next  time you talk about diversity  remember that there  are students  who  look, move,  roll different  too.    In a  country as rich  as ours  we should  find the  resources to   allow all  students  to  learn  together.  There are  no excuses.

60 years later.
 We have a lot of  work to do.

Blogging against disability day 2014: Don't put words in my mouth

 Too many orginzations that serve  people with disabilites,   the most famous one being Autism Speaks Do not  listen  to people with  developmental disabiltes


      Why is this  a problem you  might ask?

 Let  me take you  back to   history  class more specifically  American  History class.

   Your in fifth grade and   its  time to learn about colonazation.  In it you  learn about the British forced the  colonist to pay taxes.  The  colonist pay  taxes  on  things in which they have no say over  stamps   papper  goods .  Then they  foce  you to only drink  tea from the East India tea company.     People  do not like  it and a little thing    oh what is the word for  it  o h  yeah the American Revoultion happends.   Americans are taught that   British  were the bad  guys  because they forced  there agenda on   the colonost, later  the Americans.

  Now  can you igmane what would happend if instead of  money  people  told you that you are an epidemic. That  medince  needs  to heal  you. That you  have to wear smelly uniforms.    The last straw for American people  was when  activist  had to house soliders,   You know  what   those all called to us  Yanks   the intolerable  acts.

   Then  fast forward to the mid  20th centruy.    We learn that seprate is not equal and  everyone deserve a  vote.   So many  fellow  men and women of color  gave there lives  for  freedom. People  were  hosed  and  had dog attacking.  

Why  isn't   the  same liberaty offered  to those with disabilities.    Why is it that people  time and time again  disregard  us in making descins. Why do you  refuse to ignore  our wants and desires.  Give us  a vote. Bring us to the table  and  show us where the money is going.   Ask us what we hope for.  Ask us if  we want to be in the world or a community.  Asks  us if  we want jobs.  Asks us what our dream job is.   Then  listen  to what we have  to say.   Listen  like you would to our able bodied counterpart.   Listen to us.   We know best.    We  know   what it feels like to be isolated. We know how it feels  to  be talked down too.  WE  know   whats it like  to  work hard in theaphy. WE have experinced  frustration.  WE experinced the laughter and  taunts  go unoticed .  We know  the  pain of  people   dreading   a birth of  someone like us.    We know how it feels  when  people tell us our  experinced isn't valid because we are not  normal.



 Nothing about us without us.  

Happy b day ED Roberts

Fun fact    ED  went to the same JC I  now attend and i  know one of his former teachers who  joined the movement.

Get it down 31 for 21

 So  today  is the first    day of  October  meaning     its  Disability   Awareness  month. So  in order to celebrate  I  am doing a  31 for  21  in  which I will  blog  every day for  down  syndrome.    Which  will  include  more     Able to go to college  videos  along  with  summer photos.  

Grab This Button

  So why  I am  blogging   for DS  when  I have CP.


 Well  why not  I have    a disability  and  have lots of friends  with DS including LM who   you will hear  about   during the month.  He's  been   my friend  since  I was ten  and although  we do not get together  often  he  I enjoy the  time we  spend  together.      Lately     LM  me and his   "brother"  his  best friend  who also has  an extra chromosome  all hang out  together.


  So   are you  blogging for DS awareness month?   Any  fun stuff  planed  for this month  let me know.  If you are doing some  fun things and  take  photos    I would love to see them you can  post them to my  Facebook page or email   me at azchapman1991@gmail.com .        Who  knows you may  be asked   to write up something about   it to be featured (with your permission) on    the blog which shows the world that  All  people  with disabilities  have   more abilities then disabilities. 

  

Help them become Leaders of the pack

 These   three actors are the stars  of   a  internet   soon  to be  TV show    called  leaders of the pack  They  need our help  in terms of votes to  vote   u   need

1. GO TO: http://www.nextventertainment.com/votes.php?indx=2#
2. SCROLL DOWN to RICHARD REDLIN
3. CLICK VOTE! on right hand side


 if they  get  enough  votes they  can  be on  TV    that would be  cool  

Lauren Potter and  AZ   fall 2010

Cerebral Palsy is not hopeless

        I have many  memories  of  watching  60 minutes .  It has been  a tradition that    has    been    happening for a long time in  my household . I loved seeing Andy Rooney   at the  end    and  I am sad that he died.  He  passed away   the  day of my softball  torment  last year.

 So  On  sunday when     I was   on  face book and someone  posted that 60 minutes  would speak  about CP  I   do what  I normally do. I  sneak  into my parent's  room and  watch   TV as was the  case  Sunday  night.  I  really  like  how  60 minutes so far has  portrayed  people  with  disabilities   up  until this  point  but     the piece was a  exception.


    The way   the reporter  talked about  CP painted a   very sad  picture  of   my disability.  The  story starts  out  with   phrases   such as   "hopeless  disease."  Sorry  but   I  have    CP  and no it is  not  hopeless nor a disease, its  a disability.I  invite  anyone  who thinks  that Cp  is  hopeless   to come  spend  some time at my  place.   Laughter  is  a common thing in  my house  and  I  have  played sports gone to school   attend  college.      I  am  really funny .  yes  I have a disability  but  it is not the  end the world.


 This  brings up the  whole point  of the   article. The article talks  about wanting to "cure"  CP and   other disabilities  using  illegal stem sells.   I  find it  wrong because  I have  CP and  I  do not  want to be cure of CP.  It is apart of  who  I  am .     It is not  hopeless  nor is it the end of the world.  My advice to  parents of  kids   with CP is     step  back   take a deep  breath  and do not    go to other countries   to get stem cells  because    having  CP is not that  bad.  As  of    January  2012 stem  cells can not help  Cp   yet    CP is not  hopeless.  I  am  living proof that therapy   and lots  of  love  will do  wonders. For whatever   reason I  have  disabilities    and you  know  what   I am  normal. This  is  my  normal.

Something that has been on my mind since the new year o

      So    we had a  New  Years  day party at my house   yesterday.  I had a great time  ; however    some  one said  something about Dick  Clark


  Dick Clark   and  new years  eve  have been    a  package deal   most of the time since  i  was born.      , It is  only  recently that  I  became aware  of the  person who  has  hosted for a long time   apparently  to  long   for some  people.

 here is  what I heard  by two  people  say about  Dick Clark.

  Dick Clark  should not be  on  tv anymore.  I could not  understand  him.


   First off  Dick  Clark  had a stroke   that caused  his speech to be slurred  but  HE  IS  THE ONE  WHO CAME UP  WITH THE  NEWS  YEAR  EVE.  When  he started  if  ,40 years ago  he  was  abled  body the only thing  that happend  is  he  had  a  stoke.  What would have happend   if  Dick Clark had   the stork  around the time he was born ie  Cp,  Well  back then   his  parents would have been advised to  put him  in a institution  and    the   New  York  new years   thing would have not existed.

 So  here is  my option  on the matter.   Mr.Clark should get to contiue   bringing in the new years as  long as  he wants to. It is  a good   awareness    for people with  strokes.    Having a stroke  should not hinder  anyone  from   having   a  fun   New  Year.  Happy  New  Year  Everyone

2011 Year in Review

 

   It seems  like  yesterday I  did a  2010  year   in  review  now it is  time to  do  it for  2011  and  before you  know it  will  be time  for a 2012  year in  review.  I  honestly love  doing these it is  a chance to  reflect on all the  great  things  that  happend    during the  year  so  without  further  delay  here  it is.


 January 2011:   I  had a   my  first  long  winter break  and  started taking college level  classes   at  my local  community college .  Book gal   started  her last semester  of high school.

 C, me and R  2/2011

February 2011 :    I  made  a  buzzer  short  my  cousin  came to vist
 March  2011:    The  college  thing  just  clicked  for me.   It  took long enough


 April 2011:       I   actually  aced  a  college   essay.   I     competed  in the Menlo  Games .Book Gal gets  accepted  to UMass Boston.


May  2011:  Book Gal  turns   18. I  go to a job   intake  but  it did not work  out  yet I  had  fun  in the process. .

My  Dad and I  fourth of  July 2011

June 2011:  Book Gal  graduates  high school  we  celebrate with  friends and  family,.  My grandma comes   up and  My  parents  grandma and  me    take a  day  trip to   Monterey.  I    became a  Hope Solo  fan   watching the Women's world Cup.


July 2011; Celebrated    our country  independence   day  in  sacramento  with my   mom's   family Book  gal  leaves  for  college .  My  big  brother turned  27  and my  dad  had  his  b day as well

   "Sexy" minni mouse Halloween  2011  

 August 2011:   I  saw  my  old aid in the park,  Princess turns   17 and starts her senior year .   I    begin my  second year  of  college.
  September 2011:  I turn   two  decades   old   how   did that  happend


 October 2011 :   I  met  Steve  Wampler and   rocked out at  the 25 annual  bridge school   concert.     I also attended  my  first buddy walk


  November2011:      I  got  to be a goalie in  the  special olympics  tournament   and watch   power soccer at the Ability  expo  in  san  jose .  Princess   became  the  first     African  american   to win  homecoming    at  her high school


December   2011 :  My parents  celebrate 21 years  of  marriage . My  dog has been  in our family for seven  years  Christmass  eve   I enjoy  Mario  games on my  three Ds.  My mom and I had   a Comical  Costco  trip.


 

  Me and  Santa  at the Christmass  tree farm   December 2011 

Disability Awareness  post  that  you  do not want to miss

   Having  CP  is not the end  of the world
    Value of  my  Life 
    My  name is  AZ not  az








 Happy New Year  Everyone
   



 Got  image  from :
ehttp://www.2dolphins.com/images/blogpix/snoopy_happy_new_year.png

The value of my life

   It all started   on  Monday  night which  is my English  class. Now  i   want to say  i really like this teacher  she is  nice and has  tolerated   taught me two  semesters now. 

  We  are  reading a book  by Toni  Morison called Sula  in the book  a mother  kills  her  son  after  he  comes back  after  fighting  in the  war and  has  a addiction   to  drugs.   After  discussing this  fact   the  teacher asked us  to  write of all the ways  it was  moral  or immoral  for  the character to kill her son.   After writing stuff down   we discussed it  and  someone said  it was  ok to kill  her  son  because   he can not  take  care of himself.


    It  hit me like a fist   I am   20 years old and  still live at home.  Many  people with disabilities  spend their  adult lives  under supervision of  others.      Dose  this mean that  we all  should die.   I asked the teacher and told her  to  erase the  point that  it was invalid  yet  she left it  up there.     I  know  the character was once  able bodied  and    had  regressed to  a infant level but   that sould not mean death  right.   I  voiced  my option  and ended class on a high  note with laughter



 Tuesday:  I  went   to an  online  support group for people with CP. ( IF  you  want to know  what group   message me  below)  I  then saw this  link to a research  of  scientist  trying to stop  brain damage  which results in  CP.    Now  i am  100 percent  against that  abortion  because  of  disabilities is wrong and   i am not supper religious.  This  is  not  right  what  they are trying to do to my disability.    Why  used the word  damage  or  broken.    I am not broken  because   of my disabilities.  I  have speech  differences  and  movement differences and   behavior differences, yet  i am not  broken  far  from it. 
  As a  young person  i am   trying to find  my place in the world and   how  is  anyone with disabilities   supposed to develop  good self  esteem  if   scientist  are  saying that   I   was a mistake that   should   be  avoidable with science .  Having a disability  is  a part  of me  I do not  know differently.  Do  I  wonder what its like  not to have a disability?    sometimes  yes.   Would  I  want a cure for  CP?No  way.   I know  I do not  know what it feels   like not to have a disability but  come  on  guys  you  mean to tell me that it the best thing in the world doesn't   everyone have problems.  struggles. 
I wish  if science was  being done to help  people with disabilities   speak, move  learn   easier instead  of  abortion.    I wish people  without  disabilities  would stop lowing  the achievement  bar  for us.     that would make a  bigger difference.

      What do u all think

This is not ok

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     i am angered and upset by this story.   This man    was   a minority and he had special needs  police should not profile especially someone  with disabilities.      This is not ok

 I hope this young man   feels better my heart goes out to them tonight

  your thoughts

Not an abyss

  I  remember on the eve of leaving high school  I saw  my future  as an  abyss.    Since i do not have a intellectual disability  there was not  a  program  I could go too.  So  i  am now in a typical  collage  program  with supports and it  is going  well.    I do  wish   i had more independent living skills    thats  why  I think programs  like  this  need  to be replicated     Any thoughts?

A little different but it is still normal to me

    First and  foremost  today is  Princess's 17 b day  happy  b  day  princess.


   One of  Princess's  friends called  last night   to  ask  my mom  to   have a surprised  b day  party.     So  my day  was  spent   getting  ready for the surprise  b day  party.   Throughout the course of  the day I  talked  to  book gal  (who is  doing well thank you  very much)  and  i mentioned to her    it would be  cool  for me to have a surprise b day party. But then I  thought about it.  I do not have many of my own  friends and social situations are  hard.    Princess's  friends   and her  went out   to do stuff  I have yet to  learn how  to drive.    I have  average  friends, flocks without disabilities, but   for me it seems   to hard.  I  can  really  be  myself more around  my peers  with disabilities and  adults.


 Flash forward to  shopping for a card for princess. I found one that said   that sisters  know each other best.  I picked it up   because my dad and I (Mom is in  DC hope u  are  reading this mom ) had a lot to do.   The  card said  that sisters  know  each other best.   Yeah   maybe   typical sisters  know  each other best and  have  the same friends but that is not me. That is  book gal and   Princess  they are inseparable  and   their  friends   are  friends   too.   I know  about their   relationship  because they now  always  fb  each other  I am happy for them  but sad  at the same time.


  The  actual  party   the  girls    let me surprise them  and  cake  was  nice.  I  thought  I   had an allay in one of the girls  who does not come  over here that much.  I  told  her  jokingly that I  had a crush on  Mr.T (they  went to the same high school I   graduated from ) and  she  told the others  and they  laughed.  I get so confused  socially I mean  do  i make fun of myself on  purpose to fit in   Do I talk about boys?    I do  not  know  it is  soo  hard on me.

 After   they kicked me  out of   Princess's room   I  went to my neighbors house   and brought back  my  friend D  (who has  Autism and is 24)  and  we played  Lego  Pirates of  the Caribbean on the wii.   I  enjoy playing  wii  with D   and  it  showed    me   this  I may  have  a disability and  not a lot of  average  friends but  I have  lots of friends    on Facebook and    among the disability com minty. My life  may  be different then a typical  teenager  but  it is  my  normal.  Stay  toon  for more