Tuesday, April 30, 2013
Monday, April 29, 2013
Fuel to the Fire
This morning I read an article about how a man and his guide dog were refused entry into a Spring Rolls restaurant. I got so upset that my blood boiled! In this day and age you would think that everybody would know that this type of discrimination is illegal.
Unfortunately, this isn't exactly the case. The general public, and people who own businesses especially, are ignorant of the laws regarding accessibility. Part of the problem is that the government doesn't enforce the AODA (Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act). A lot of people don't even know the act exists, which is disgusting!
As I've said so many times in my blog, having a disability makes me feel like I'm a second class citizen. People like me feel our issues aren't listened to or given a serious thought to and that's terrible!
On Saturday at the St. Lawrence Market, Helen Henderson came to see me. Helen was the journalist from the Toronto Star who helped me eight years ago to expose the abuse that goes on in attendant care agencies. We've stayed in touch and friends ever since.
So you can imagine how I felt when she told me she was in a battle with Shoppers Home Health Care, because they won't lend her a scooter while they fix her current one. She explained to them that she needs a scooter to do her daily activities like going out and buying groceries and doing her personal care at home. They said, "why don't you just stay in bed while we fix your scooter?" A person without a disability would never be given such humiliating advice. What makes it even worse is that Shoppers Home Health Care is a company that is supposed to understand the issues that people with disabilities face. They are supposed to give people support and respect not tell them to stay in bed for god knows how long! Believe me - I know! - sometimes wheelchair and scooter repairs can take 3-6 months to finish.
(Helen's experience, unfortunately, is not an unique one by any stretch of the imagination. Daily, people with disabilities face these type of frustrations, and receive backward thinking from those who are supposed to make their lives easier, not harder.)
Eight years ago, Helen helped me expose the dark side of attendant agencies, and this eventually led to me getting Direct Funding and being able to hire my own people. I can only hope that this blog entry can be as of much help to her in opening up people's eyes as her article was for me.
I hope this entry, past entries, and future entries will help make people see that changes need to be made in both thought and deed if there's to be any kind of positive outcome for people with disabilities. Our concerns must be heard and taken seriously. Supports given to us must be from those who have empathy and respect for our needs. Laws, written specifically to ensure our inclusion must be enforced.
Unfortunately, this isn't exactly the case. The general public, and people who own businesses especially, are ignorant of the laws regarding accessibility. Part of the problem is that the government doesn't enforce the AODA (Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act). A lot of people don't even know the act exists, which is disgusting!
As I've said so many times in my blog, having a disability makes me feel like I'm a second class citizen. People like me feel our issues aren't listened to or given a serious thought to and that's terrible!
On Saturday at the St. Lawrence Market, Helen Henderson came to see me. Helen was the journalist from the Toronto Star who helped me eight years ago to expose the abuse that goes on in attendant care agencies. We've stayed in touch and friends ever since.
So you can imagine how I felt when she told me she was in a battle with Shoppers Home Health Care, because they won't lend her a scooter while they fix her current one. She explained to them that she needs a scooter to do her daily activities like going out and buying groceries and doing her personal care at home. They said, "why don't you just stay in bed while we fix your scooter?" A person without a disability would never be given such humiliating advice. What makes it even worse is that Shoppers Home Health Care is a company that is supposed to understand the issues that people with disabilities face. They are supposed to give people support and respect not tell them to stay in bed for god knows how long! Believe me - I know! - sometimes wheelchair and scooter repairs can take 3-6 months to finish.
(Helen's experience, unfortunately, is not an unique one by any stretch of the imagination. Daily, people with disabilities face these type of frustrations, and receive backward thinking from those who are supposed to make their lives easier, not harder.)
Eight years ago, Helen helped me expose the dark side of attendant agencies, and this eventually led to me getting Direct Funding and being able to hire my own people. I can only hope that this blog entry can be as of much help to her in opening up people's eyes as her article was for me.
I hope this entry, past entries, and future entries will help make people see that changes need to be made in both thought and deed if there's to be any kind of positive outcome for people with disabilities. Our concerns must be heard and taken seriously. Supports given to us must be from those who have empathy and respect for our needs. Laws, written specifically to ensure our inclusion must be enforced.
Sunday, April 28, 2013
Saturday, April 27, 2013
The Rant Will Come Out Tomorrow
I had a good day at the market today, not fantastic but not bad either.
I was going to rant about something Helen Henderson told me today, but I think I'll drink wine; chill out; watch Fringe and Crazy Stupid Love; and cheer up a friend.
I was going to rant about something Helen Henderson told me today, but I think I'll drink wine; chill out; watch Fringe and Crazy Stupid Love; and cheer up a friend.
Friday, April 26, 2013
Ninety-nine Percent Better
I feel much, much, much better today! I'm far more energetic, my nose has ceased running, and there are no more body aches ... well, except for my usual neck and arm pains. All that's left of my cold is a trace of a cough.
Already today, I've gotten back to my regular routine of writing emails; keeping track of my finances; doing the schedule for my employees, and ordering cards.
Now, I'm going to relax, have a beer and steak, and watch Game of Thrones.
Already today, I've gotten back to my regular routine of writing emails; keeping track of my finances; doing the schedule for my employees, and ordering cards.
Now, I'm going to relax, have a beer and steak, and watch Game of Thrones.
Thursday, April 25, 2013
Feeling Mildly Awful
After nine hours of sleep last night and five hours this afternoon, I'm pleased to say that I'm feeling ... mildly awful.
My nose has dried up, I'm coughing less, feeling less tired, and my appetite is better. However, I still feel achy and worn out, and my sinuses are killing me!
Hopefully, I'll feel even better tomorrow. Until then, I'll continue babying myself and cheering myself by listing to my playlist "Anne Rocks Out" on YouTube.
My nose has dried up, I'm coughing less, feeling less tired, and my appetite is better. However, I still feel achy and worn out, and my sinuses are killing me!
Hopefully, I'll feel even better tomorrow. Until then, I'll continue babying myself and cheering myself by listing to my playlist "Anne Rocks Out" on YouTube.
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
Tuesday, April 23, 2013
Monday, April 22, 2013
My Internet Sucks Today
Internet! You foul, sluggish beast, you! Did you party too much over the weekend and have a massive hangover? Tough! I have work to do! I need to reply to emails and order more cards. Bloody hell!
Perhaps I`ll boot you in the butt by turning my computer off and on. If that doesn`t work, maybe I`ll unplug and plug you.
I love you and I hate you! Why can`t you behave yourself?!
Perhaps I`ll boot you in the butt by turning my computer off and on. If that doesn`t work, maybe I`ll unplug and plug you.
I love you and I hate you! Why can`t you behave yourself?!
Sunday, April 21, 2013
Message From Mom
This morning I woke up to the song "I Just Called to Say I Love You" playing over and over in my head. It's still playing now. It feels like a message from Mom.
It's eight months today since she passed away.
The song evokes memories of going to dances: birthdays, anniversaries, wedding receptions, and ringing in the New Year. In the 70's and 80's, that song (along with "After the Loving", "Green, Green Grass of Home", "The Chicken Dance", and "You Needed Me") played so often that they were like old, faithful friends.
I can see my parents dancing to "I Just Called to Say I Love You" the way they used to back in the day. I used to roll my eyes because I thought it was ridiculously old fashioned. Why couldn't they learn new moves? Now I yearn to see Mom and Dad dance like that again.
Message back to Mom: I love you too, from the bottom of my heart. I hope you and Dad are having fun dancing together ....
It's eight months today since she passed away.
The song evokes memories of going to dances: birthdays, anniversaries, wedding receptions, and ringing in the New Year. In the 70's and 80's, that song (along with "After the Loving", "Green, Green Grass of Home", "The Chicken Dance", and "You Needed Me") played so often that they were like old, faithful friends.
I can see my parents dancing to "I Just Called to Say I Love You" the way they used to back in the day. I used to roll my eyes because I thought it was ridiculously old fashioned. Why couldn't they learn new moves? Now I yearn to see Mom and Dad dance like that again.
Message back to Mom: I love you too, from the bottom of my heart. I hope you and Dad are having fun dancing together ....
Saturday, April 20, 2013
Friday, April 19, 2013
My Week in Pictures
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| The Boys and Me |
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| Bruce and Me at Taco Bell, After Signing TD Papers |
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| Training New People the Art of Bed Making |
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| Scrabble Add |
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| Buzzzzzzzzzzzzz |
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Today was the 43rd month anniversary of when I lost my beloved Rob. I miss him so damned much!
On Wednesday, I met Bruce at Mom's TD branch in Scarborough to sign some papers to move the inheritance process along. (Talk about a mind fuck! Happiness, sadness, and guilt are all tangled together inside of me - and I'm trying my best to unravel and understand it all!)
Yesterday I trained a new person named Lucy. She seemed very nice and competent, and I think we'll get along famously.
It's been a crazy, hectic, and extremely emotional week for me. To deal with everything, I've reveled in my adoration of my two adorable cats; played my favoutite music repeatedly, and I played on-line Scrabble with friends.
And today, on a whim, I went to Top Cuts and got them to shave a strip of hair from the right side of my head. It looks and feels fantastic! Very fashionable too!
Perhaps the road to understanding what's going inside of me is to re-make myself and try new and different things ....
Thursday, April 18, 2013
We Interrupt This Important Blog ...
... Because of Technical Difficulties.
And because of EXTREME busy-ness!
And because of EXTREME busy-ness!
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
Exhausted!
I'm too physically and emotionally exhausted from today's very long TTC trek to Scarborough and from signing papers at another of Mom's banks to write anything awe-inspiring or interesting right now.
I'll write tomorrow.
I'll write tomorrow.
Tuesday, April 16, 2013
An Un-good Day
It hasn't been a fantastic day, nor has it been a terrible one. It was a mediocre and frustrating day. Maybe it wouldn't have been so bad if I had more than just 4 hours of sleep last night.
I went to bed at 4:00 and then couldn't fall asleep and woke up at 8:00 worrying about booking Wheel Trans for tomorrow. As it turns out, I had good reason to worry. I couldn't book a ride to Scarborough tomorrow to meet my brother to sign more papers. Bloody hell! I had to map out an alternate route on the TTC.
I like to have a shower and do laundry on Tuesdays but the water was shut off until 5. That threw my schedule off. I hate that!!! Bloody hell! The building usually warns us they're going to shut off the water.
I felt like I was getting a cold again because I kept sneezing and sneezing and sneezing. But now I feel better. I just feel kind of blah, you know?
Maybe I have spring fever ...?
I went to bed at 4:00 and then couldn't fall asleep and woke up at 8:00 worrying about booking Wheel Trans for tomorrow. As it turns out, I had good reason to worry. I couldn't book a ride to Scarborough tomorrow to meet my brother to sign more papers. Bloody hell! I had to map out an alternate route on the TTC.
I like to have a shower and do laundry on Tuesdays but the water was shut off until 5. That threw my schedule off. I hate that!!! Bloody hell! The building usually warns us they're going to shut off the water.
I felt like I was getting a cold again because I kept sneezing and sneezing and sneezing. But now I feel better. I just feel kind of blah, you know?
Maybe I have spring fever ...?
Monday, April 15, 2013
Pictures From Last Night
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| Yuula, Rob S, and me |
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| Hershey: "Why are you watching Mad Men when I'm far more entertaining?" |
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| "Yoo-hoo! I'm still heeeere!" |
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| "Sheesh!" |
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| "If you guys don't start paying attention to me on my goddamn birthday ..." |
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| "I'll chew right through this cord!" |
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| "I'm far more sexy than Don Draper!" |
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| "Hmmm maybe I can steal these tuna sandwiches while they 're not looking..." |
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| "I'm getting closer, closer..." |
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| "Who me? I wasn't doing anything!" |
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| Rob Stolik and me. |
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| "Are you guys still watching Mad Men? When do I get my presents?" |
Sunday, April 14, 2013
Happy Birthday, Hershey and Rascal
Happy Birthday, Hershey and Rascal!
Thank you for bringing love, laughter, and joy into my life for the past 7 years. I love you guys so much!
Thank you for bringing love, laughter, and joy into my life for the past 7 years. I love you guys so much!
Saturday, April 13, 2013
Slings and Arrows of Outrageous Fortune
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| Amazing Aaron |
At first, Sarah and I thought that the spirit of Aaron was all around us at the market. To honour Aaron's love of double meanings, I'll even venture to say that his spirit seemed to be inside of us. (Heh heh heh!)
It all started when Sarah told me that she really liked the iPhone case that I had ordered for her (the one with the painting of Aaron on it), but she wanted Aaron to be bigger. Sarah had meant that she wanted the image to be enlarged, to cover the whole case. Like schoolgirls, we giggled at this, though, because we both knew that Aaron would be laughing with a twinkle at this raunchy play on words.
Soon after this, a customer told us about how her husband used to sleep every night cuddled up to their late Siamese cat. This type of cat isn't usually affectionate, but their car was.
And then, the customer did something kind of odd. She was holding a bunch of pussywillows and explained that she loved rubbing the softness across her chin. She demonstrated this fact, and then rubbed my chin with a soft little pussywillow flower to show just good it felt.
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| Me at Market |
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| My new "skull" dress |
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| Today's crossword |
While doing today's crossword, I came across a partial Shakespearean quote from Hamlet: "... Slings and Arrows of Outrageous Fortune ..." and thought how funny it was that I was wearing my skull dress. I felt like using another quote from Hamlet: "Alas, poor Yorrick. I knew him, Horatio."
I wanted to talk about my dinner with Bruce and the kids, but I'm exhausted! Sufficed to say, it was wonderful to see them!
What wasn't wonderful was the rain, freezing rain, sleet, and (I kid you not!) hail that I had to endure to see them and then return home. Talk about slings and arrows of outrageous fortune! Sheesh!
I WANT SUMMER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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