Odds & Ends

A little bit of everything...

I'm trying something a little bit different this week. Instead of my usual "topic of interest" I thought I'd share what's happening in my real life for a change. Some of you may enjoy this "detour" and some of you won't -- for you in group two, I'll return to the old format next week. Group one folks? Here we go!

Item 1: As some of you know, last year I applied for services from the Bureau of Vocational Rehabilitation. My decision to leave my previous occupation (Licensed Massage Therapist) was a bittersweet one, having made some very good friends along the way. I kept the friends (good news there) but decided to leave the profession because I was no longer able to meet the physical demands of such work.

Almost a year later, I have passed the testing and evaluations. I have successfully interviewed professionals currently working in the Toledo area. Based on those interviews, I have chosen a new profession and I have the approval of the B.V.R. to go ahead and start evaluating schools.

As of this moment it is down to two: The University of Toledo, and Lourdes College. I must now make appointments to visit the schools before making a final decision. Oh, and my new chosen profession? Substance Abuse Counsellor/Case Worker. A bit of a change from massage therapy, yes? I'll let you know how that goes.

Item 2: If you've read earlier installments of this blog you are aware that I am having a ramp built onto the back entrance of our home, thanks to the kind generosity of The Ability Center of Greater Toledo. The bids are in, and a final decision was made, leaving nothing left but to sign the paperwork and watch in awe as craftsmen (and perhaps craftswomen) construct a ramp which will enable me to better exit and enter our home. I plan to take "before and after" photos and post them here sometime after the sawdust settles. Stay tuned.

Item 3: Not many of you know that since around January of this year I have been working on a secret project. The project comes in three parts, and I'm ready to unveil the first two parts today.

Part 1a. Introducing Buckeye Barrier Busters. Since my arrival here over a decade ago I have become (sometimes painfully) aware of the hit-or-miss nature of accessibility to buildings and events here in the Toledo area. We need education and awareness, to be sure, but a little activism now and again probably won't hurt either.

To that end, I have created BuckeyeBarrierBusters.org -- an organization dedicated to raising awareness of the barriers to access within our community, and working to remove those barriers. The website still needs a lot of work, but it's up now, and everyone is welcome to sign up for a free membership. We need your voice, so I hope you'll consider lending yours to our cause.

Part 1b. I'd also like to introduce you to our online community site, the Buckeye Barrier Busters Forum. Free to join and use as well, we have discussion groups, support groups, live chat room capability, streaming music, a photo album, an events calendar, and more being added all the time. Please come visit, and feel free to post a hello. Oh, and tell your friends too. The more the merrier!

Item 4: Just so you don't think this is all about me, I did want to tell you about the coolest new application (for the iPhone) I learned about earlier this week. Called the RunPee, this app does pretty much exactly what the name implies -- it tells you when the "slow parts" of a movie are coming up, so you can "run for it" and get back in time so you don't miss anything important or exciting. Just start it when the movie begins, and then if nature calls, you can just look at the screen on your iPhone and read when the next window of opportunity will arrive. It even fills you in on what you missed (via scrolling text) while you were away. While not created exclusively for the disabled, I know from personal experience just how useful such a device can be. If you've got an iPhone, you may never see a movie the same way again. :)

And that brings this week's posting to a close. I hope you've been enjoying the wonderful weather we've been having... and until next week, Go Buckeye's!