(cross posted from my Disaboom blog)

Besides being members of our exclusive club that is!

If you watched the ESPYs a few nights ago, you didn’t miss the winners of the “Athlete with a Disability” category when you went to the bathroom, grabbed some popcorn, or in my case-took the dogs out. That award wasn’t televised. But this blog isn’t about just another oversight by the media to include people with disabilities in the mainstream. A couple hours after the award show, I looked up the winners and noticed an interesting commonality in both the winning male and female athletes with disabilities.

Both winners are the only athletes amongst their competitors in the category that do NOT participate in adapted sports. Both winners, Shay Oberg and Ryan Kocer, compete against (and with in Shay’s case) able-bodied athletes. All of the other athletes up for this award participate in elite level disabled sports, including wheelchair basketball, adapted swimming, Paralympic soccer, and track. The winners were chosen by public vote, so maybe this says something about how most of America decides who’s the best…in this case athlete.

[Photo caption: Ryan Kocer is pictured in red wrestling gear attempting to pin a competitor. Ryan is a single leg amputee.]

It’s usually an easy and quick process for me to decide where I sit on an issue involving disabled sports. I almost always have a strong and certain opinion, but this one has me stumped so I thought I’d open up the floor to hear your thoughts on the commonality between the winners and the shared qualities of the losers. To get you started, here are some of the thoughts and potential explanations for the finding that have been tumbling around in my head:

• The public is largely uneducated about Paralympic level sports: Unfortunately, Americans aren’t provided exposure to the Paralympics or to other elite disabled sports competitions. Too many people mistake the Paralympics for the Special Olympics and only a small minority really understand how competitive our sports really are. Everyone who voted has surely seen a wrestling match or a girls’ fast pitch softball game so that realm of competition was familiar to them.
• People seem more compelled by athletes that can hang with able-bodied athletes: Maybe it’s the whole underdog phenomenon or the fact that to even gain consideration for a team these athletes often have to overcome a stifling level of ignorance. Whatever the reason, I’ve witnessed the tendency in my sport (swimming). People were blown away when I entered able-bodied meets to make time standards for national disabled  swim meets. Even after I’d explain that my placing in the meet didn’t matter, people were in awe that I could “keep up”. Almost with exception, media and most people were more interested in that fact than where the time actually placed me in the rankings for my sport.
  • • • Athletes that compete with able-bodied athletes do not usually have severe disabilities: Of course, “severe” is relative, but most adapted sports offer a fairly objective way to determine severity. In swimming, everyone is assigned a classification number. Basically, the lower the number the more severe the disability. Both the athletes that won this category would be considered to have milder disabilities in the adapted sports world. Maybe voters felt they were more physically capable of being more “athletic” or perhaps voters don’t understand how athletes who use wheelchairs train.
• Not all sports  are offered in an adapted capacity. Both winning athletes sports of choice don’t really have a comparable version in organized disabled sports. Sure there’s wheelchair softball, but Shay Oberg wouln’t be eligible. It’s not a Paralympic sport, but then again able-bodied softball isn’t in the Olympics anymore either. There’s also not an organized version of adapted wrestling that can be compared to the college level of competition. So if these athletes want to compete in their respective sports, they have to do so against people without disabilities.

[Photo caption: Shay Oberg wearing sunglasses while playing outfield. She's gripping her glove against her body with her arm that ends at the elbow level.]

Before any Oberg or Kocer fans get fired up on this subject, it should be stated that in NO way am I suggesting these two amazing athletes didn’t deserve to win the ESPY. I just found how the 2 winners were the same AND different from the 6 other athletes that didn’t win more than a coincidence. What do you think?

I updated my wordpress in the first time in…ok…forever. And I seem to have encountered some fairly serious glitches (like the loss of my sidebar). I’m working on a full site redesign that will hopefully be done before the OI conference. Until then, don’t mind the dust.

~Kara

That tantalizing title deserves a bit of an explanation. Twitter and Plurk are two social networking (or micro-blogging) sites that offer users the (free) opportunity to post real-time updates, quotes, feelings, status changes, or pretty much whatever they’d like as long as it fits into a relatively short message (140 characters). If you’re familiar with texting, it’s like sending a mass text out to all the contacts in your phone book.

I was a late entrant to the micro-blogging craze because I really didn’t understand the point. Now I’m hooked and here’s why:

• I get the rare opportunity to be impulsive! Most of my life is fairly well-planned and thought out. It’s nice to have a place where my writing/expression doesn’t have such a permanent feel.
• New networks: My contacts on these sites include different professional and personal backgrounds than my usual cliques of people that usually fall into one common interest group (disability advocacy, digital arts, psychology, etc.) It brings everyone together and I’ve expanded to connect with different professions too.
• Keep it short! I’m such a rambler that the length limit has helped me sum it up already!
• Conversations from afar: It took me awhile to figure out but both sites offer options to reply to other’s posts or ask a question and receive your own answers (sometimes in only a few seconds).
• Get social! Once I understood the interactive part of Twitter and Plurk, I realized I needed to find some friends! Here’s where I branched out and found some people with unique but common interests, sent some requests to follow/friend/fan (depending on the site) and my network was born!

And finally…my favorite thing about micro-blogging has been its potential to draw people to my blog posts/articles and receive almost immediate feedback. Plurk, especially, has allowed me to spread the news the MINUTE I post my newest blog and it’s fun/interesting hearing from people that aren’t directly invested in the circle of people with disabilities what they think about our issues.

I don’t have any hard core arguments in the battle between Plurk and Twitter. Plurk is more graphic with its timeline feature (which amuses me but bugs others). Twitter is WAY more popular, has been around longer, and you can update easier from your mobile phone. Some complain that Twitter experiences too much downtime. I only post a few times a day though so it hasn’t put a serious damper on my twittering style. Lately, I’ve been using Plurk more because it offers this incentive program where the more plurks, responses, friends, etc. you make, the higher your “karma” score goes up. With more karma, you can use different emoticons and personalize your profile. (Sounds ridiculous right!?!) I guess my increased participation proves we all enjoy rewards (no matter how trivial) at any age!

The true fun can’t really begin on either of these sites until you have at least one friend so if you’d like to get started, feel free to add me!

Here’s my Plurk page: (Click on the button below that says “Plurk your life on the line”)

And my Twitter page: (Click on the button below that says “Twitter Just Do it!”

Happy twittering and plurking!

Been a fairly low-key week for us. The hospital is slower than usual. I enjoy taunting my mom and brother (both teachers) that this proves my theory that teachers are clearly to blame for the decline of mental health in our youth. Adam and I have been keeping up with our workout/healthier eating plan and we’re looking forward to rewarding ourselves tomorrow with my all-time favorite-”a Salad Salad” at Beverly Hills Cafe. It’s a HUGE really fresh salad with this awesome homemade (or at least Beverly Hills Cafe-made) dressing.

On the wedding front: I’ve got a couple more dress outings lined up (one in Kentucky and another next week here in Miami). I spoke to the priest from my parish at home yesterday and he let me know he’s resigning soon so who precisely will marry us is now an unknown variable. I’m still going to meet with my current priest when I go home in a couple weeks to find out more about premarital counseling.

I also had a chance to blog a couple times this week over at Disaboom:

Disability Discourse

Move over Becky!

AND I received an amazing gift from Terry Lou, an artist/friend from Disaboom. With inspiration from this blog post where I drew attention to an insulting billboard, Terry came up with this creation to honor our engagement! I love it. His sense of humor is awesome-you can see more of his gallery here.

Catch up more this weekend!

This has been the best weekend in weeks! I turned in the first chapter of my dissertation on Friday. I never knew a red stamp saying “APPROVED” could bring so much gratification. What a relief! It doesn’t mean that my dissertation itself is done but in my own odd/geeky way, it feels like the worst part is over and the real fun can begin! Now I can start lining up participants and planning my actual study with the literature review behind me. Because I’ve been on lockdown to get this massive project done, wedding plans have been on hold…until today!

My friend Krystal, her sister, her little baby niece, and I trekked down to Miracle Mile in Miami to visit the whole row of bridal shops in that area. If you’re in the mood for all things wedding, it’s an amazing place! With so many boutiques that there’s a total range of price, style, and even attitude (of the staff-LOL!). We planned our strategy over a big lunch,  which I don’t recommend because then I attempted to fit into dresses for the next two hours. I had no idea that sample dresses came in such a small sizes (they say an 8 but their more like a 4). This was verified by the women working in the boutiques lest you think I’m just trying to make myself accept the reality that some didn’t fit!

I’m so thankful Krystal was willing to take on this enormously exhaustive task with me. We work together (ALOT) at the hospital so it wasn’t as hard for me as it usually is to accept help. I don’t think most walkers could get into a few of those dresses without some assistance (or that’s what I tell myself). I think we both would have been less tired/sweaty if we would have joined each other in a 5K run. I’m still at a loss as to why it seems every bridal shop we visited lacked air conditioning. It’s never a good sign when OUTSIDE in Miami is cooler than inside. Our burning desire to escape the infernos though did manage to hurry us along.

I was able to figure out what I don’t like/what doesn’t work in the trumpet style. I will keep it in mind for a future Halloween costume, however, because I did strongly resemble a mermaid! Some ball gown dresses (the lesser poufy ones) did actually work and I loved their Cinderella appeal. My favorites were halter, A-line, with beading and a little lace. I learned I’m excessively fascinated by the sparkly hair accessories and that I do best in this town when accompanied by Spanish translators. Several of the boutiques seemed to respond friendlier if Krystal did the talking! I tried to leave my “advocate” hat at home and just enjoy the day as any girl but I did notice a few funny patterns in the staff’s reaction to my quest. It seemed the popular opinion that I’d want a “comfortable” dress. I think that was code for their uncertainty about how to make suggestions about/around my wheelchair. Oddly enough…NO ONE muttered the word all day. For once, I don’t think I care really if that’s a good thing, a bad thing, or if I’d like to change it.

This trip is the first of MANY to come…Krystal and I may even go back this Thursday (when the stores stay open until 8 for some reason) with a few other therapist friends from the hospital. Hopefully I’ll be ready for a larger audience by then!

My excursion motivated me to fit in a hardcore workout tonight so I’m off to bed earlier than usual.

Enjoy the rest of your summer Sunday!

Last night round abouts 3:30am I finally finished my final draft of my major paper (the first chapter of my dissertation).  It’s been such a challenge to fit in such a major project with my practicum work here at the hospital but it’s getting there. I enjoy using the word FINAL because it’s final to ME but not so much to my advisor! I met with her this morning and she’s still working on some little edits here and there but I turn in all 60 something pages (with 80! references that I’ve actually read!) on Friday morning.

I’m actually at the hospital right now…Something about monsoons causes people to reschedule appointments so I’ve got quite a chunk of time between the adolescent anxiety/depression group I run this afternoon. I’ve lifted my self-imposed ban of The Knot website and am daydreaming about all the things I’ve missed in the last month or so. I have a million pictures to edit and post so I’m hoping to get to that soon. Thanks for celebrating the end of my hiatus from life with me. Off to do something semi-productive.

(A little cross posting from my Disaboom blog because the same explanation applies here…more fun updates to come)

Hello long lost Disaboomers! This isn’t one of those unfortunately common apologetic blog posts promising more posts to come and explaining the way extended absences…Well, maybe it is a little like that but I generally hate those! Other than my self-imposed Christmas break, I’ve been a consistent blogger here for the past several months. I love having a platform to write and be heard on disability issues! Blogging and advocacy are my usual night jobs but they’ve had some fierce competition lately in the form of my dissertation.

[Graphic caption: Button with the text, "Dissertation Like writing a book but you don't get paid.]

This spring I finished the last of my courses towards my doctorate in clinical psychology. That left my major paper as my only summer term requirement. The major paper is the first chapter of your dissertation. Mine is on the social/psychological side of Osteogenesis Imperfecta (my condition!) in children. I’ve gone through about 10 major revisions and it’s ballooned to about 50 pages! Imagine how many blog posts that could have been!?! Believe me-I would have enjoyed your comments much more than those of my advisor!

[Graphic caption: Button picturing an opened fortune cookie with a fortune that reads "You will finish your dissertation.]

I’d anticipated a few challenges about writing about my own disability and actually avoided deciding on this topic for a couple of years. I worried that I wouldn’t be viewed as an objective researcher, but was taught ways to decrease the possibility for anyone involved in the study to be biased. I’ve also been inspired by disability studies research that actually uses the status of researchers in the community as an asset instead of a liability. I also predicted it would be hard for me to determine what is basic knowledge about my condition (because I’ve known some of it since I was around 5!) and what would require more explanation. I wasn’t as prepared for some of the internal conflicts I’ve faced while writing this gigantic paper. The advocate in me has struggled with the demands to describe my condition in sometimes not-so-favorable ways. Scientific writing doesn’t always include the potential and personality behind a disability. It’s so difficult to be accurate without further contributing to viewing disability solely through the medical-model (by seeing us as “patients”).

In all my dorkiness, I remember the exact day that I finally decided to study Osteogenesis Imperfecta (OI) for my dissertation. I had just met my favorite author, Jodi Picoult, over dinner to discuss my help with her 2009 book based on my condition. After dinner, she gave a speech at a nearby bookstore and included the quote, “Write what you know.” I knew right then that my topic was settled. There’s probably no topic that I know better and nothing that I  care more about furthering the knowledge available. So, that’s where I’ve been and these are my long-term philosophical thoughts on the process of my dissertation. In the short run? I’d really rather talk, write, think about ANYTHING other than my OI! On that note, I’d love to know what I’ve missed over the last two or three weeks! Have you done anything fun to kick off your summer?

[Graphic caption: Button with the text, "The diss is going just fine, thanks."]

I’m learning my summer routine at the hospital with balancing major paper writing (it’s the first chapter of my dissertation) with practicum. It’s a different sort of time competition when I’m not sitting in a classroom and I’ve found it takes some real diligence to avoid the temptation of distraction. My worst enemy = The Knot. There are just so many awesome ideas to think about…Here are a few that have caught my eye tonight!

An animated bride/groom flip book as a favor! The bride drew it herself!

View my Real Wedding Awards Nominee!

THIS pink color makes me super happy. I think it’s going to be my main color and I love the colorful bouquets too.

View my Real Wedding Awards Nominee!

This would be totally fitting for us–well ok, so really only me! There is a strong possibility that I might drown Adam however! If only we can find a pool that has a 2 foot section-we’re SET!

View my Real Wedding Awards Nominee!

View my Real Wedding Awards Nominee!

Back to my writing…

Ever since moving to Miami, I’ve had this problem…I have this anxiety-filled avoidance response to getting my hair cut/touched by anyone. Part of this feeling relates back to my love for Gina back in Frankfort who has ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS cut, highlighted, and repaired my hair after my many mishaps. There was the Sun-in phase, the many years of chlorine, and the time I let my roommate at Wright State highlight my hair in the dark (our other roommate was sleeping or plotting her next arson attempt). If I had it my way, I’d NEVER get my hair cut by anyone else but alas I can’t justify flying home often enough for regular mane maintenance so last week I took the plunge when we went to pick up my ring at the mall after it was resized. I made the appointment and then came back on Saturday ready for a long day. All was well until I tried to explain what I wanted. It went something like this:

Me: OK…I’d like the foil highlights to match what I have here, see? (pointing)

Hair extraordinaire: Ahh..chunky?

Me: (look of terror!) NO! NOT chunky…like the opposite of chunky. What’s the opposite of chunky?

Hair extraordinaire: Oh sorry…My English not so good. Chunky?

Me: No (quickly recalling my 5+ years of Spanish)…like thin? pequeno? poquito? (wild non-chunky hand gestures)

Hair extraordinaire: Oh ok..chunky!

So I resigned to the fact that chunky it would be and chunky my highlights are! I figured I might as well try something a little new and I’ve never had them before. Then came the color convo…I thought this might go better because there were props involved-those little hair samples.

Me: Now I don’t want it too light-like this color (pointing to the bottom of my grown out highlights!)

Her: Beige or blonde?

Me: (looking at the samples)..Umm..well not beige because I think that looks like it has a lot of gray in it. But not this blonde either. Can we do a little darker?

Her: (shutting book) Aha! Very blonde! Summer! Precioso!

I’ll try to post pictures soon of the result of my Spanish Deficit. I don’t mind it and….I get to see Gina in a couple months anyways!

In other news…

I’ve been looking like crazy at a million different ideas for the wedding. Adam and I have this amusing history with fireworks. Despite the fact I’ve nearly been killed by them twice, I love them. The first time (when I was 6) wasn’t so funny because a HUGE show backfired in Tennessee and two people were actually killed. So I had this whole PTSD/firework thing going on for quite some time! Then again several years ago, Adam and I traveled to Canada with the adapted recreation team for the Windsor Games. At their banquet, they had this HUGE indoor firework show. One of the tubes turned over and shot RIGHT at our table. Luckily, we’re quick wheelers and dodged the fireballs but one of the missiles did manage to break a plate! So with that safety record, it makes perfect sense that WE have indoor fireworks at the wedding!

Aren’t they awesome?

Unfortunately, I can’t seem to find them for sale online in the United States. Which means I’m not sure if it’s legal to buy them online here…Which means if I do, I won’t say anything further about it!

The most accurate way to describe my current state is probably overwhelmed…I have too many patients at the hospital and not enough time for much of anything. Tonight I was able to muster some motivation to blog about the newest turn of events in the Oscar Pistorius Olympic/Paralympic controversy. Take a look if you have a moment. I just noticed today that I’ve broken into the Top 5 most popular blogs over at Disaboom. That definitely made me smile…as does the thought of my awaiting bed!

Good night!