Disabilities: My Story

Tags

dysgraphia, Dyslexia, learning disabilities

This is the 2nd installment in a series on disabilities. It has taken much longer to write this than I intended. I guess because it is my story and personal. One of the reason’s I write about disabilities is because I have several learning disabilities.

One of the most frustrating things about learning disabilities is that they are a hidden. Outwardly there is often no indication that someone has a learning disability. My primary learning disability is dysgraphia. It is a form of dyslexia that effects my motor skills. As a result I have extremely messy handwriting and serious coordination issues. My handwriting is a constant source of embarrassment and discomfort for me. In school I had several teachers attempt to cure my messy handwriting or lack of care by making me re-write any paper that was less than perfect. Of course this only made me hate school and writing even more. As an adult I deal with almost constant joking/ribbing about my messy handwriting. I try to make light of the situation but at times it really bothers me. Also, I’ve been ridiculed and publicly derided by more than one clerk when I tried to write a check. More than once this has included enduring a clerk calling me stupid. Of course, I have learned to loudly ask for the person who handles ADA complaints.

So you may be wondering why I write about something that bothers me so much. I hope by writing about my experiences I will help others. Maybe I can help enlighten someone who believes that learning disabilities are an excuse. Maybe I can help a parent of a child who is struggling with the same problems I did. Or just maybe I can inspire someone to dream big and achieve in spite of what others say you can’t do.

Hopefully it won’t take me as long to write the next installment in this series.

Boycott Dr Pepper — Update

Tags

boycott Dr Pepper, Dr Pepper, Dr Pepper Snapple Group, Dublin Bottling Works, Dublin Dr Pepper

I left a comment on Dr Pepper/Snapple’s website about the way Dublin Bottle Works (Formerly Dublin Dr Pepper) was treated.  I received the following response:

January 16, 2012

Dear Mrs. XXX:

Thank you for contacting us about Dr Pepper Bottling Co. of Dublin, Texas.  We wanted to let you know that we have settled our legal issues with the Dublin bottler over the Dr Pepper trademark and distribution rights.  As part of the agreement, Dublin has sold us its sales and distribution operations, as well as the rights to distribute Dr Pepper and other DPS brands in its former territory.

Our former Dublin bottler is now doing business as Dublin Bottling Works Inc. They’re continuing to produce other soft drinks at their bottling facility, as well as operating their museum and Old Doc’s Soda Shop, offering tours and selling soft drinks, food and officially licensed Dr Pepper merchandise.

We want to assure you that you can still find Dr Pepper with cane sugar in Dublin and surrounding areas and at leading retail outlets in Dallas/Fort Worth, Houston and Waco and other areas where our bottlers make it available.  It’s the same product Dublin sold.  It will still be bottled and canned in distinct, nostalgic packaging.  The only difference is it will not reference Dublin on the label.

Dr Pepper is still a big part of Dublin. We will enthusiastically support the popular “Dr Pepper, Texas,” celebration as well as the related “10-2-4k” run held each June in Dublin. And if you’re in the area, we hope you’ll stop by the museum and Old Doc’s Soda Shop.

Thanks again for contacting us – and for being a fan of Dr Pepper.

Sincerely,

Consumer Relations

From the response I just don’t think the big corporate types get it. I’m upset because Goliath pushed the little guy out.  One of DPS complaints was that Dublin Dr Pepper used special packaging. Now DPS plans to use the same packaging. My pushing Dublin Bottling Works out of the Dr Pepper business DPS has forgotten its heritage.

Sky Watch Friday: Surfs Up

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beach, Flagler Beach Florida, photography, Sky Watch Friday, surfing

Location: Flagler Beach, Florida

This shot of the surfboards on the beach is one of my favorites I took that day.

Check out The Sky Watch Blog.

I Tripped

Tags

Costa Concordia, do the right thing, Francesco Schettino, Italian Coast Guard, responsiblity, shipwrecks

The actions of Captain Francesco Schettino following the sinking of the Costa Concordia are one of the worst examples of not doing the right thing. The entire incident  was caused by the failure to act responsibly.

Schettino has been criticized for abandoning ship. Even after being ordered to return to the ship by the Italian Coast Guard. In a conversation with the Coast Guard Schettino is asked why he left the ship. He repeatedly claims I didn’t leave it was sinking. Now the cowardly captain claims that he tripped landing in a life boat and couldn’t get back on his ship. Seriously, who does he except will believe that lame excuse.

It appears that the reason the Costa Concordia capsized was because it was too close to land.  Schettino has admitted that he was too close to land because the wanted to salute a friend. That’s right he was showboating for a friend.  He made a willful decision to show off his multimillion dollar ride risking the lives of unsuspecting passengers and crew. Oh, you may be wondering what the captain was doing when the ship hit rocks, he was eating dinner in the dining hall.

So, Schettino is taking partial responsibility for the Concordia being in a dangerous situation. However, he fails to acknowledge his inability to act responsibility. Personally, I think house arrest is too easy Schettino. I think a more fitting sanction would be to require Schettino to be involved with the cleanup of the disaster. He should be assigned the dirtiest and worst possible cleanup tasks. Further he should have to look the families of those who were lost in the eye. Just maybe being faced with the results of his actions even a selfish whimp like Schettino might learn to do the right thing.

A Boy and His Dog

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A boy and his dog, APA, cute boy, dogs, Missouri Animal Protective Association

Enjoy.

Follow-Up Video

Encouragement

Tags

Angel by Your Side, encouragement, Francesca Battistelli, Jason Walker, music

This is for friends going through tough times.

Angel By Your Side performed by Francesca Battistelli
Words & Music by Francesca Battistelli &  Jason Walker

I can’t say that everything’s okay
‘Cause I can see the tears you’re crying
And I can’t promise to take the pain away
But you can know I won’t stop trying

(Chorus)
I’ll be the angel by your side
I will get you through the night
I’ll be the strength you can’t provide on your own
‘Cause when you’re down and out of time
And you think you’ve lost the fight
Let me be the angel
The angel by your side

I know it feels like you’re running out of faith
‘Cause it’s so hard to keep believing
But if I can bring a smile back to your face
If for a moment, you’ll forget all about it

(Chorus)

‘Cause this won’t be the last time
You’ll need a little hope
But I want to be the first to let you know

(Chorus)

 

It’s all a gift undeserved that I shouldn’t have known.

Tags

Anthony Evans, boasting, Christianity, Lecrae, music

“It’s all a gift undeserved that I shouldn’t have known.”

The above line from  Boasting by Lecrae has  stuck in my head for the past few days. Everything I have, am or even just another breath is because of what Christ did for me.

BOASTING BY Lecrae featuring Anthony Evans

Chorus:
If this life has anything to gain at all I count it lost if I can’t hear you, feel you, ’cause I need you.
Can’t walk this earth alone.
I recognize I’m not my own, so before I fall I need to hear you,
feel you, as I live to make my boast in you alone.

Verse 1:
With every breath I take, with every heart beat,
Sunrise and the moon lights in the dark street.
Every glance, every dance, every note of a song.
It’s all a gift undeserved that I shouldn’t have known.
Every day that I lie, every moment I covet I’m deserving to die, I’m just earning your judgment.
I, without the cross there’s only condemnation.
If Jesus wasn’t executed there’s no celebration.
So in times that are good, in times that are bad,
For any times that I’ve had it all I will be glad.
And I will boast in the cross. I boast in my pains.
I will boast in the sunshine, boast in his reign.
What’s my life if it’s not praising you.
Another dollar in my bank account of vain pursuit.
I do not count my life as any value or precious at all. Let me finish my race, let me answer my call.

Repeat Chorus

Verse 2:
Tomorrow’s never promised, but it is we swear.
Think we holding our own, just a fist full of air.
God has never been obligated to give us life.
If we fought for our rights, we’d be in hell tonight.
Mere sinners own nothing but a fierce hand.
We never loved him, we pushed away his pierced hands.
I rejected his love, grace, kindness, and mercy.
Dying of thirst, yet, willing to die thirsty.
Eternally worthy, how could I live for less?
Patiently you turn my heart away from selfishness.
I volunteer for your sanctifying surgery.
I know the spirit’s purging me of everything that’s hurting me. Remove the veil from my darkened eyes.
So now every morning I open your word and see the Son rise.
I hope in nothin, boast in nothin, only in your suffering.
I live to show your glory, dying to tell your story.

Repeat Chorus

Bridge:
Glory was solely meant for you,
doing what no one else could do.
With All I have to give, (With all I have to Give)
I’ll use my life, I’ll use my lips. (My Lips Yeaaa)
I’ll only glory in your Word.
What gift to me I don’t deserve.
I’ll live in such a way that it reflects to you my praise.

Repeat Chorus

What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ (Philippians 3:8, New International Version)