BRING BACK THE CORD

Cell phones are a nuisance. 

Disagree?  

If you text (or surf the net) while driving, you're jeopardizing lives, including your own.

Bring back the cord.

Are you eating out with friends?

Dude reading a text at the table is not cool.

Your friends may think ."How Rude. What the hee?"

"You care more about a text than you do about me."

Bring back the cord.

Caregivers, please don't use your phone while assisting me.

It's written in my ISP.

Bring back the cord.

People with Bluetooth. 

That's so freaky. 

Talking to themselves. 

Having a party in their heads that I am not invited to.  

Why not? I'm a fun spaz. 

Bring back the cord.

Ah, phones attached to cords

Phone jacks for the cords.

The jacks went into the wall.

You could not take the phone anywhere at all.

 Bring back the cord

The twisty, curly cord from the receiver to the base with the rotary dial.

Thinking about it makes me smile.

You could wrap that twisty cord around your fingers.

Doing this kept the caller occupied when they were on hold.

Bring back the cord.

Phone numbers with a two-letter prefix

Party lines.

Wait your turn.

Be courteous.

That's what we did.

When I was a kid.

Bring back the cord.

Missed a call?.

They'll call back.

Bring back the cord.

You could only get calls at work if it was an emergency.

Bring back the cord.

People would not be zombies staring at a screen.

They would look one another in the eye.

Maybe even say, "Hi."

Bring the cord.

This cell phone generation doesn't know how to have face-to-face conversations.

Turn off your phones.

Talk to one another.

Bring back the cord.

I didn't have a cell phone by the time I was nine.

I turned out just fine.

Bring back the cord.

It will never happen.

This generation does not want to be tethered to a phone cord.

They want their news, their calls RIGHT NOW!

Or they get too bored.

Bring back the cord.

But what if they did?

Bring back the cord?

Ah well...

A girl can dream.

LIFE

We are given one life.

It is fragile.

It is fleeting.

Each life is unique.

Like a snowflake

No two are alike.

Time is limited.

Use it wisely.

Help others.

Be kind.

Make a difference in someone's life.

Achieve.

Succeed.

Gotta keep up with The Joneses.

Forget that.

Do what makes you happy.

Cuz it is hard to be happy with life sometimes.

When you find happiness hold on to it

Like a life preserver.

Don't let go.

Life is fragile.

You, Dear Readers,  are strong.

You'll survive.

You'll thrive.

This fragile, fleeting thing...

 Called life.

KEEP PUSHIN' THROUGH

I wanted to wish all of you a very happy and blessed 2023. My heart has not been into blogging. 

I'm tired. What I really want is for God to call me I know He is not ready yet. I am tired of being yelled at. I am tired of being lonely.  I want peace.

I met with a behavior analyst twice. I pray it helps the staff and me. Our therapy will begin in about thirty days.  The therapy is supposed to address the issues I mentioned above too. I hope it does.

I want to thank my family and friends for giving me a merry Christmas. I love and miss all of you.

My housemates continue to face challenges. My wish for them is a healthy and happy year. 

My wish for the staff here is that their stress is minimal., and that they care for the three of us with understanding and compassion. Their job is not an easy one.

The highlight of my year was writing a children's story, complete with images, for my friend's granddaughter.

. 

 My friend transformed the PDF file I sent her into an actual book. When I saw pictures of my friend's granddaughter with the book, and the big smile on her face, that made my whole year!  I've still got it.

I wish I had some positive words to close with. All I know is I have to keep pushin' no matter what.

Having a disability is hard. Life is hard. That's just the way it is. 

Keep pushin' through.

I AM STRONG

I am all of these.  I have been called all of these.  Women who speak their minds are often ignored. If a woman has a disability and speaks her mind the mouths of others are agape in shock. The attitude of others is, "Who does she think she is?" "She should be grateful." (I am)  "She should be appreciative." (I am) I will not keep silent.  These labels are not negative. These labels fill me with pride. I am strong.

Thank you, Jane Goodall, for letting me know that I am not alone! 

 

AGING WITH (OR WITHOUT) A DISABILITY

A better title would have been Second Childhood

 Said the little boy, "Sometimes I drop my spoon."

Said the old man, "I do that too."

The little boy whispered, "I wet my pants."

"I do that too," laughed the little old man.

Said the little boy, "I often cry."

The old man nodded, "So do I."

But worst of all," said the boy, "it seems

Grown-ups don't pay attention to me."

And he felt the warmth of a wrinkled old hand.

I know what you mean," said the little old man.

~ Shel Silverstein  

MY PERCEPTION (REALITY)

 Have I ever written anything that meant anything to anyone other than myself?  No one here really cares what I have to say. Maybe you don't either. Maybe you read my posts for fun.  Maybe you laugh at them secretly thinking how foolish I am.

I hope you do not think the following is foolish.

Everyone perceives their reality differently. According to Dr. Phil, there is no reality. Just an individual's perception of what is going on around them. 

The way I perceive reality is that I am the s**t disturber here. I cause all the problems by advocating for myself. I send emails. I tell what goes on. I bring up old issues such as the staff not looking up from their phones when I speak. I am supposed to converse with only my housemates. That's the rule. I have tried, but it is hard. The staff here is only required to assist with my physical needs. That's it I also have trouble moving on from conversations when I am upset. I repeat myself.

I am blamed for almost all the discord that occurs in this house. I do not feel that's fair, but another support coordinator is leaving here. This was her second stint here. This SC asked that I go through behavior therapy with the staff. They said if I did they would stay. We are waiting for the state to approve it. The SC is leaving anyway. 

My reality is very scary and uncertain. I wake up every morning feeling sick to my stomach not knowing what the day will bring. Human beings were not meant to live in isolation. Not talking to the people around them. This rule is stupid. And rude. I can't live that way. I find it difficult to respect most of the staff. I try. How can they not answer me or speak to me? I will never understand.

I have no idea what tomorrow will bring. I am not allowed to ask who is working. I was told I will see when they get here.

I have to make plans to go out around my housemate's appointments. Last month a friend invited me to visit her at her job. I asked twice if i could go. I was told yes both times. The night before my outing i was told my housemate had an appointment. The SC did not know if  I could go or not. It  depended on the length of my housemate's appointment. Due to the uncertainty, I canceled.

The administration wants me to assist in rebuilding this organization's staff. They asked if I would like to participate in the hiring process. They want to hire better, more professional staff. We'll see

I am asked all the time why I am still here Truthfully, I wish I were on hospice. I saw firsthand how kind those people were. I Thank God I am not sick.  I sure could use some of their kindness right about now.

I am visiting another LTC in two weeks. I will put my name on the waitlist. I should not have moved here. I know I need help. I will put in the work for as long as I live here.  

In four years no one here has ever really supported me. They blamed me but not supported me.

My reality? The fear of what's to come.

I'M A FUN SPAZ

 

Cher's not the only one who can rock a witch's hat!

I have spent the past four years begging the staff to interact with me. Talk to me Show an interest in me. It has been exhausting. I have shed many tears. The staff here meets my needs, then they do their own thing the rest of their shift. I have finally accepted this.

The staff and I are being required to take behavior therapy to work on our interactions with one another. If I had refused to comply with this company's wishes, I would have been given thirty days' notice. kinda puts things in perspective, huh?  Any staff member who refused would be terminated.

I am nervous too because I repeat myself. The staff wants me to break this habit. I am not sure if I can.  If I have made a staff member angry I can't drop it until I know we are good again. Please send good vibes I hope we can all work together.

Good LTC facilities have long waitlists for Medicaid beds. I am not sure I want to leave. There are days, however, when I know the staff would not bat an eye if I did. There are days when I too think it would be best for everyone. 

A few people have seen the side I hide until  I am comfortable enough with a person to show it to them. Until I am sure they will laugh with me and not at me. Several weeks ago a staff member told me that I was funny and silly. That positive comment made my day.

I wish the staff would take the time to get to know me. I wish they would forget how I behaved when I first arrived. I regret my behavior.  Living here is totally different than how I was told it would be. I have accepted this fact too.

I refuse to be bummed out any longer by the staff's behavior toward me. I choose to be happy. If they do not want to know anything about me. If they choose to treat me like I am a task that they must complete. That's their loss. I am not blaming myself anymore.

I want the staff to know that I am an awesome person. If you looked up from your cell phone once in a while you might be surprised. I want things to work out for all of us.

I make a mess when I eat. You may not always be able to understand me, but give me a chance.

Get to know me cuz...

I'm a fun spaz.

The things they made me do!