Month: October 2012

Movie Review: Of Mice and Men

by caste551, posted in Uncategorized

For this week’s review, I chose “Of Mice and Men”.  This movie was originally a book by John Steinbeck.  I had actually read the book for a book report when I was in grade school.  While the movie was made in 1939, it had some interesting themes.  Here are some of them:

1. Not being allowed to talk for himself– This is something that even I have unfortunately experienced.  It is honestly quite annoying.  George spoke for Lenny a lot in the movie, making it like because of his mental impairment, he could not talk for himself.  In particular, this has happened to me a few times when I have been in a wheelchair at the airport.  You want to tell people, “I can talk for myself even though I am using a wheelchair.”

2. Women– I had done some research for a job once.  The research talked about how people with disabilities were not really taught too much about the opposite sex.  This was also shown in the movie.  Lenny was told to leave one of the character’s wives alone because she was nothing but trouble.  Especially during the time in which this movie was made, I can see a lack of information being given about this topic to those with a disability but, definitely disagree with it.

3. Being characterized as crazy because of a mental disability– Even though this is an old movie, sadly, this still has some relevance today.  A lot of people just assume that if you have a mental impairment, that must mean you are crazy.  Just because a person has some mental impairment does not automatically make them crazy.  It also brings up the issue that there used to be a lot of institutionalization of the disabled.  This is definitely not necessary.  People with disabilities can and should live in the least restrictive environment possible so that they have the opportunity to enjoy life.

4. Not knowing his own strength–  Lenny was big but, had an intellectual disability so he didn’t understand some things, including how strong he himself was.  This caused his character many problems in the movie.  I think that if George would have helped Lenny better understand his own strength, he wouldn’t have been so misunderstood by others.

5. Over protectiveness– George was over protective of Lenny to a certain extent.  As I have said before, I know this is done out of love and concern for the person who is disabled but, if it is done too drastically, it could be detrimental to all involved.

All in all this was yet another movie I quite enjoyed.  To be honest, the only thing I did not enjoy was the ending.  I thought it was a great movie that showed how someone with a mental disability was treated and characterized at that time.  I say that because I feel like it can also show us how to improve the treatment of people with mental and other disabilities.   If we could improve the treatment of people with disabilities by everyone in society, people who are disabled could live with the dignity and respect that everyone else receives on a daily basis.

Thanks for reading..

cr

The Power of a Brother’s Love

by caste551, posted in Uncategorized

I was watching Good Morning America this morning and learned about 9-year-old Connor and 6-year-old Cayden Long.  Cayden has Cerebral Palsy and his brother Connor decided he wanted to help him experience things that he may not have the chance to experience.   Connor knew that because of his disability, his brother wouldn’t be able to experience things  like other kids would.  Connor decided to run in triathlons with his brother so he could give him that opportunity.

They were just chosen as Sports Illustrated’s 2012 Sports Kids of the Year.  The interesting part of the story is that Cayden’s brother Connor has inspired his family to look at his brother’s disability in a new way.  Their mother was telling Josh Taylor, who interviewed them,  how she and her husband had grieved when they were told that their child was disabled.  Too often, parents of children who are disabled grieve for the lack of ability their child experiences in their lives because of a disability.

In my opinion, life with a disability is an opportunity to accomplish things in a different way.  I know it may be upsetting for a parent at first but, the way I look at it, I haven’t missed the things I have been unable to do so, I am not sad about being born with my disability.  I could be wrong but, I don’t believe children miss what they do not know.

I am very impressed that Connor, at his young age,  is and was able to show his parents and others the potential his brother has despite his disability.  It will be interesting to see how else Connor may advocate for his brother in the future and what else they might accomplish as a team.

Here is the link in case you would like more information:

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/video/cerebral-palsy-sparks-brothers-conner-cayden-longs-triathlon-17552289

Thanks for reading…

cr

A Movie Review: Miracle Worker

by caste551, posted in Uncategorized

This week’s movie review is about the early life of Helen Keller and how her teacher helped her overcome her disability.  I had read some things about Helen Keller when I was younger but, didn’t realize what an activist and advocate she had been in her lifetime.

There were a handful of messages I took from the movie that are important to me about being a person with a disability.  In today’s post, I am going to share some of them with you.

1.Pity – It was ironic to me how in the movie, Helen’s parents let her eat off of their plates by walking around the table and picking at their food with her hands.  This was because Helen’s parents did not think she could be taught to eat with everyone else at the dinner table.  On the other hand, part of what probably helped Helen succeed in her life was the fact that Ann Sullivan, her teacher, did not feel sorry for her.  In my opinion, the fact that her teacher did not take pity on her helped her become the activist she was later on in life.  I don’t ever believe in pitying anyone because of their disability, it serves no purpose and there is no real benefit to the person who is disabled.

2. Dignity– Because of her inability to communicate, I got the sense that Helen’s parents felt like she was more feeble than a baby.  On the other hand, her teacher knew that she could have the ability to communicate if she in fact worked at it.  She treated Helen in a dignified manner.  This is how everyone deserves to be treated.

3. Perseverance– Anne Sullivan, who was Helen Keller’s teacher and companion for most of her life,  believed in Helen even more than her own parents.  I know that Helen Keller lived before things like the Americans with Disabilities Act, so really, very little was expected of her but thankfully, she had Ms. Sullivan  who continually worked with Helen to help her unlock her actual potential despite the physical barriers she faced.

4. Independent Living Skills– To me, this movie demonstrates the first attempts at teaching a person with a disability independent living skills.  Helen’s teacher was able to teach Helen skills such as feeding herself and communication through the use of sign language.  In today’s world, this is not so uncommon.  There is more information and resources available that demonstrate how to teach independent living skills to people with different disabilities.

5. Faith– Sometimes, the person who has faith in us and ends up making a difference in our lives is not a parent or even a family member.  Maybe it is a friend or a teacher we have in school.  We may not even realize who or what makes us have faith in ourselves.  The important thing is to strive to do the best we can with what we are given and believe we can accomplish whatever goal we want to achieve.

These are just a few high points I got from the movie.  So far, both movies I have seen in doing this series for the blog have been really good.  I am hoping that the last two movies I picked illustrate people who are disabled in such a refreshing light as well.

Finally, I don’t believe in being ashamed of a disability as it seemed Helen’s parents were below the surface.  All we can do is face our obstacles head-on with our heads held high and find a way to overcome those obstacles in the best and most effective way possible.

Thanks for reading..

cr

National Disability Employment Awareness Month–Some of my Thoughts

by caste551, posted in Uncategorized

October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month.  This is an important month for many reasons. In today’s post, I am going to talk about some reasons that stand out the most to me.

I know that there are some people who are  disabled, that because of their disability, cannot work.  That is totally understandable.  On the other hand, there are also people who have different types of disabilities who can work and want to work.  For those people, finding a job can be a difficult thing to do.

1. The Americans with Disabilities Act – People could learn more about the Americans with Disabilities Act.  Title I talks about employment and removing the barriers that could exist for qualified people who have a disability.  This is a great example of how the ADA gives an “equal playing field” to all potential employees.

2. Visibility in Society– When people who are disabled are out in the workforce, it gives this part of the population more visibility in the everyday world.   As a result, it doesn’t seem like we are locked away in a tower. (I always think of Quasimodo with the hump on his back–yes, I know, a bit antiquated but, some people do still think of disabled people this way).  Some people do not realize that people who are disabled can positively contribute to society.  This visibility in society also helps people who have not had experiences with people who are disabled so that they can maybe become more sensitive or better informed about this part of the population.

3. Stimulating the Economy Just as when people who do not have a disability are out in the workforce and stimulate the economy because they have money to spend, the same thing happens when someone with a disability has the opportunity to work.  They have the opportunity to help the economy grow.

Employment continues to be a barrier for people who are disabled, though we have made some strides in the right direction.  I also know that maybe some of my comments sound unreal or unbelievable but, for a lot of people, this is their reality.  As I have said before, it’s not easy living with a disability but, at the same time, it is not something that can’t be done, and done successfully, for that matter.  Don’t ever be afraid to think and look outside the box to achieve your goals, whatever they may be.

Thanks for reading…

cr

A Movie Review: “Bright Victory”

by caste551, posted in Uncategorized

From my last post, you may remember that as part of National Disability Employment Awareness Month, TCM (the cable channel) was going to showcase movies that showed a history of disability in films.  I thought it would be interesting to randomly choose a movie each week and talk about its significance as it relates to people with disabilities.

This week, I chose “Bright Victory”.  I was a little concerned at first because I was not sure how this movie would portray a person who is disabled.  I started watching “Bright Victory” and was very impressed for a few different reasons.  The first being that although this is a movie from 1951, the themes are very relatable to today’s world and living with a disability.  The second believe it or not, was that although the movie is from the 1950’s, the ideas of a peron who is disabled were not as antequated as I thought they would be.

The main character, Larry Nevins,  is injured in World War II and as a result, totally loses his vision.  The movie showed different aspects of his life that were affected by the adjustment he had to make as a result of becoming disabled.

I thought I would pick a few aspects of the main character’s life that were affected by the disability and talk about them as they relate to life today.  I actually picked 4 things.  I have to say, there were so many to choose from, it was hard to narrow it down.

1. Adjusting to a new disability– Of course this happens early on in the movie.  It was a good portrayal because the other officers encouraged Larry that just because he is disabled did not mean he couldn’t still find things in life to enjoy.  I have worked with many different people who have become disabled later on in life.  Just because someone becomes disabled at a later date in their lives, as opposed to at birth, does not mean that you have to stop enjoying things life has to offer, you might just have to find different ways to experience them.

2. Family’s reaction– Larry’s family was not sure how to react at the news of his disability.  They were a bit hurt about the fact that he lost his vision.  When he came home, everybody wanted to do everything for him.  This is very understandable because our families love us.  Even so, by the time Larry got home, he was pretty self-sufficient but, I could totally say that this is something that could definitely happen in today’s world.  Not only does the person who becomes disabled have to adjust to the new way of doing things and experiencing life but, so do his or her family members.  Sometimes the family members need more time to adjust to their loved one’s new situation and this can certainly be met with mixed emotions.

3. Re-learning skills– This was one of my favorite parts of the movie!  The teachers were teaching Larry and the other students about all of the abilities they had that could help them compensate for their lost vision.  It helped Larry and the other students not feel helpless. The classes they were given helped them learn how they could still accomplish things on their own.  This really made me think of places like the Florida School for the Deaf and Blind in St. Augustine, FL and Lighthouse Central Florida in Orlando, FL.

4. Dating– This is something I have yet to talk too much about.  Dating for someone who is disabled can sometimes be intimidating because of the fear of rejection they may face.  In the movie, Larry is engaged before he goes off to the war.  When he returns home on his furlough and sees his fiance, she ultimately decides she can not handle his disability and leaves him.  Larry had actually rejected his nurse, who fell in love with him early in the movie, but ends up getting together with her later on.  I have experienced this myself and it is not a great feeling.  In my opinion though, there is always someone for every person and the person that really loves you will accept and love you no matter what.

Overall, I was very impressed that throughout the movie, the main character was portrayed with such dignity.  I think this is a very important concept to have shown in this movie, as I am sure it reached a large audience.  One other thing I quite enjoyed was that they showed Larry out bowling with friends.  Too often, people don’t realize that people who are disabled like to get out and have fun too, given the opportunity.  After all, we are first and foremost people.

This movie, for its time, was ahead of its time.  I am very impressed that it showed life with a disability in such a positive and upbeat fashion.  I know that sometimes life is not a bowl of cherries.  Even people who are not disabled do not have it easy at some point or other in their lives, but, to me, it is important to look at the positive side of things.

Thanks for reading..

cr

National Disability Employment Awareness Month

by caste551, posted in Uncategorized

It has been a really long day, but, I was so excited when I saw a post from TCM (the cable channel) on Facebook, I had to add a post to the blog.  October is  National Disability Employment Awareness Month.  I will be talking about that in some future posts this month but, think it is equally important that a cable channel will spend some time highlighting the lives of people who live with a disability.

I am so excited because TCM is going to show a series of movies every Tuesday on the topic of disability as it has been portrayed in films.  I have written about disability and the media before but, I am hopeful that this showing of different films will be representative of different disabilities and the impact they have, not only on the people who live with the disability but, also on those people whose lives are touched by those with the disability.

I know that through history people who are disabled have not had it easy.  They have paved the way for many of us who are going through life today.  Though there is still lots of work to be done in many aspects of the barriers that the disabled face, hopefully, this series will bring some positive exposure to those who a lot of the time get no exposure at all.

Thanks for reading..

cr

In case you would like to see the lineup of films, here is the link

http://www.tcm.com/2012/projectedImage/films.html

One Paralympics Untold Story

by caste551, posted in Uncategorized

I know that the Paralympics ended some weeks ago, and to be honest, I was very surprised at the lack of coverage of these events.  While we were on vacation, I saw Spirit Magazine.  This is the Southwest Airlines in-flight magazine.  On the cover was Oksana Masters.

At first, it just looked like your everyday story of how someone made it in to the Paralympics (to be honest, I wasn’t really paying too much attention until I picked up the magazine).  Oksana’s story was not only about what she had endured at an orphanage in the Ukraine but, also about her disability and how it led her to compete in adaptive rowing.

It’s a shame that there is such a lack of coverage in the media of the Paralympics.   The general public not only misses out on hearing about the great triumphs that come to the athletes because of their participation in these events, but they also miss the background stories that can inspire people to reach for their goals.

To me, it is important to know that we are not alone in the world.  What I just wrote may sound silly but, there are a lot of people who are isolated in their homes because of daily barriers they face.  Maybe others don’t have those same barriers to contend with but still feel isolated from the rest of the world.   This also happens to people a lot these days because of the technological age in which we live.  This made me realize that there are a lot of untold stories from the Paralympics and Oksana’s is just one of them.

Stories such as this one give encouragement to many different types of people.   It lets them know they should never give up on their dreams, no matter how distant or unattainable they seem.

What are your sources of inspiration?

Thanks for reading..

cr

Gliding Stars: A Different way to Ice Skate

by caste551, posted in Uncategorized

As the weather gets cooler, I start thinking about wearing sweaters, making chili and believe it or not, ice skating.  I have watched ice skaters on television before but, never knew that this was something I could do too, even with my disability.

A few years ago, I found out about Gliding Stars.  Gliding Stars is an adaptive skating program where people with all types of disabilities can get out on the ice and skate! You read that right, they ice skate.   You may ask yourself, how is this possible?  The program has adaptive equipment available that allows participants to get out on the ice and have fun, just like anyone else who skates in their spare time.

Even if you don’t have a disability, you can get involved too!  There are volunteer opportunities available that allow you  to help the participants skate out on the ice.  It is also a great way to get exposure, have interaction and build bonds with people you may not otherwise have a chance to meet.

Gliding Stars has chapters in such places like New York, Florida and Ohio.

There are also some great benefits to this program.  First, the participants get to experience something they would not otherwise have the opportunity to do.  There is also the aspect of getting out and doing something fun.  Next, they get to exercise with out really even knowing it!  The program also helps with the participant’s social development.  At the end of the season (which lasts from 12 to about 26 weeks), an end of the season show is performed, where the participants can show the public what they have learned.  This also helps increase their self-esteem because of the sense of accomplishment they feel from reaching their goals in the sport.

What other benefits do these types of programs have for the people involved?

If you want more information about this program, please go to www.glidingstars.org

Thanks for reading…

cr