Everyone is Norm

   Hay guys  today  is the  relaunch of  the   I am  Norm  website  to celebrate the   re launch of the website.  I am delighted to be a part  of this  wonderful  organization.   I am  norm  is  a youth  run  inclusion campaign    I have been working with them  all four years  all online.  They  do not mind  that I have never flown  they  accept  me  and  include  me and  tell  me  that I  too     am  Norm.    I  feel so blessed to work with such caring  people. 


 To  see the  new  website  click here.

Able to go to College: Episode ten : The best way to go to school

     









Going to school with  my dog is the best way to go to school. I mean   Zoe is really cute   and  soft.  
  Anyway  about the smart  pen.

  The Smart Pen  is a  pen with a tiny recording device that allows people to tape record  what anyone is saying.  It is  a helpful tool for  people with  disabilities.     The best part is  if you do not  write everything down and  miss something you do not have to listen to  the whole thing over again.   The only drag  is    that  at this point  I could not  take the pen home because it  belong to the school.  To learn more about  the smart  pen  click  here.

Saying good bye to a difficult year

 This year has been one of the hardest  years  of my life.  I have lost  two grandpas in addition to meeting people with ablest  attitude aka college professors.  The past couple of months have  been especially  hard  so I am sorry  that  I have not had a chance to blog. I hope to keep writing stuff in   the New Year.

       January :My parents go to  Obama's inauguration.    I help build a roller coster with C and  R.       I  meet   Prof D  and he guides me through  the  Adventures  of Huckleberry Finn.  I also had a situation with the cheese burgers.


 February    I  got new  glasses   and  was team  ghost busters  for Turn of the screw.  My parents went to  AZ  for spring training My father's dream  come  true.

March . I met up with  Steve Wampler again   and  watched his  documentary about climbing El Captain    The cougars bring home  the gold in   2013 Basketball championship.


April     My  family  gets a new car. Tragedy strikes the  special  needs blogging community when Gavin  passes away suddenly.   Aunt  L  gives me a new hair style

May I graduate CC  and get accepted into   university.

 June  
Princess finishes up her freshman  year of college.   My  dad's dad  passed away suddenly in his sleep.   We celebrate fathers day  at my mom's  sister's house.

 July
I celebrate the  forth of July and learn about an emperor  who might have had Cerebral Palsy.  My  mom's  dad   is told that he is  sick.  My cousin has another baby.

August
 I   say the pledge of allegiance and  earn another  gold medal in golf  and  receive the best medal  ever   begin  university.

 September
  I got a personalized orange back pack for my 22  birthday.

 October
    I am a world CP  Champion .  I   make  a Super  Hero  World CP day.   My mom  takes me to see  the Wizard of   Oz.   Its a fun night but the mood turns to sadness  when a later that month    my mom's dad  had a stroke    and  died.

November
    I had  to say goodbye to my  grandfather at his funeral.  I  attend  the ability expo and see demos of  wheelchair sports and  a  super  cool new wheelchair.   My  cousins and  I took awesome fall photos  for thanksgiving

December
  I get  to  see   Dan  Habib's new film.
 We  get new carpet.  I  got to  go to see my first NBA  game on Christmass  and   hang out with   C and R .  My  parents are in  Mexico  and  I can not wait to see  them in the new  year.










   It  is bittet sweet  to say  goodbye to this year because of all the deaths that have happend  in my family.    But  I  know that   the memories  of my grandfathers  and  Gavin  will continue   in  the  new year and beyond.

  Note:   Sorry I have not  posted more on here I  am plaining to   work on the  rest of the Able to go to college  posts and should have those up  starting in january . I have finished all of them   I  just have not got a chance to upload  them all.   I also  owe you  guys more  post.  Hopefully I will  have time in 2014. 

 Happy   New  Year  Everyone.    

When Universities are not inclusive

  So  last post  did not get any  comments but I  did  post a question.  

 The  inaccessible
 staircase
 that leads to campus.  I do not  take this
 often.
 I  go  where the cars
go.

        My  university is completely inaccessible.  Walking  up to  the  campus  from  the street,  I   take the bus  because I live at home with my parents,  You  are met with a wooden   staircase.    You  know the  wood  that cause  you to have  splinters if  you  need to  use the rail due to  compormised   balance.       
  There  are only two people that I have seen  that use  wheelchairs  and  I am not surprised because there is  one  building  that holds classes    does not have a elevator.


 Why  am  I  telling you this , well this is the scene  of my college  and their  view of  disabled  people.   This  is where  I have been attending for the  past  week and although I   do not need an elevator   I still have a major  disability.  I  have CP   NLD and  OCD.

   *  I have had  teachers  that do not  get it. 

*  I had a professor   make jokes about my  hats and then  when  I explain  the fact that I can not do  my hair because of  Cerebral  Palsy.   He says  whatever

 A sad day at school.    This was taken  in the
 beginning of October
:however things never improved  they got worse

 *  I have  had an  Linguistic teacher   say  blanket statements    such as  " Everyone learns  language without direct instruction,  which   invalidates   my experience,

*   I have  had a professor    defend  the use of  the word  cripple.  She  is not  a  crip   thats  my  word to defend.

*  I have had a  professor  use the R word and  then   scold  me  when   I  bring  it to his attention.

*  I have had a professor   not  understand  why   reading   Beowulf  and  Canterbury  Tails   ( Click on  each one to hear  how its pronounced )  out loud    seem  like cruel and  unusual  punishment   for someone who  struggles to speak  modarn    english.

 *   I  have had   a professor   force me to take a test that I was not  prepared  for.


 The last  one  was the  straw that broke   my  back.  i have  no  intention  of  going back this semester     Its   gotten  too the point where I do not want to  be a teacher anymore.    




 So what  happens  when  schools   are not inculsive  

    One of the few fun times that   I  had  in University was
 an activity  on campus.   

 " IT MAKES  DISABLED  STUDENTS  FEEL  LIKE THEY ARE AFTERTHOUGHTS.   IT MAKES US  GIVE UP ON OURSELVES AND   LIVE UP  TO SOCIETAL EXPECTATIONS,   IE SHELTER  WORKSHOPS,    IT  MAKES US  DEPRESSED AND UNSURE OF  OUR  FUTURE." 

Inclusive Schools week 2013 : A Question

 If  I knew what I know  now.   I do not  think  I be smiling for the camera .

             According to my parents, who are both physicians    College is the key to a good life.  You need college to have a great job.  I   believe this  and have a lot more to say; however  its 11:25  I have class at  12:30  which  means that   I have  to leave but  before i do  I want to leave you with this thought.


" If college is  supposed   to be the key to   a successful adult life .  Who is that  key ment for?  Is it  ment  for  everyone  who  wishes  for a  good life. Is it ment for   people who  fit the mold  of   a college student.   How about  students who  have physical and  mental  health issues.  Is college ment  for them."   

An Update on Henry

     Remember this   amazing young man.

    No  well  maybe  this will spur  your memory.  






 Here is  his  update.      Watch it til the end its  worth it.   He also  got an  Award from ASAN.  











  Keep up the good   work  Henry.  Still want to meet you one day

Its been a while

   Hay  guys  so   I  know  I have not been around    recently.    Its because   I have been dealing with  mental health issues/ depression in addition  to another loss in the family ,  My mom's dad    pasted away  the last saturday of  october.  So its been  hard.   Hope to blog more soon.