This is our weekly Chatterday! open thread. Use this open thread to talk amongst yourselves: feel free to share a link, have a vent, or spread some joy.
What have you been reading or watching lately (remembering spoiler warnings)? What are you proud of this week? What’s made your teeth itch? What’s going on in your part of the world? Got any questions for your fellow FWD commenters?
Today’s chatterday backcloth, a big capybara smooching a wee capybara, comes via the Daily Squee.
Did anybody see The Colbert Report’s segment with Aimee Mullins about her prosthetics? I wondered what kinds of reactions people here had.
I didn’t watch it because well… she’s an athlete. I used to watch all the interviews on TDS/TCR, but I’ve been slipping. For people in the USA, it’s probably available online at comedy central’s official site. (And maybe youtube until viacom notices for the furriners out there :P) But I don’t think they offer subs at the official site. 🙁
I finished all the Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot. In the 2nd to last books, she gets depression bad and gets a mediocre therapist (no abuse, but no zing, wow, I like my therapist) and it was interesting to read the description of her depression as similar to when she fell in a hole years back and now there are no roots to get out, she needs help.
What’s under my skin? A guy tried to set my hair on fire. But not really. It was a joke. Yeah. And he had so many non-PC “jokes” and I wished I slapped him or moved after the lighter thing. But I was more like WTF did that just happen? Also, he was classy with a K – I was telling him about my mom’s issues with the school nurse after the fire alarm (and in general) because they got the wheelchair kids out quickly bam bam bam, and no one said, wow! 3 kids in a wheelchair, just 2 adults! Good job. No, they got chewed out for leaving something behind. Anyways, this guy was just cracking up at the idea of “special ed” kids in a fire alarm. And there was the lighter thing.
Also, on Wednesday, I discovered that the school has NOTHING before 6pm (when Tiger Patrol is SUPPOSED to start) for people who have trouble walking. I had a test Wednesday, and about half-way to the Tiger Den, the pain got so bad, I called Disability Services. “I can’t walk. I have to take a test, I have to take a test, can I get a ride back to my dorm after my test?”
The only transportation available is a van for kids who use wheelchairs so they can get over the traintracks. This would be a one time thing and it was very inconvenient because the only person who could drive it had meetings all day. Luckily, I felt better by the time I was done. And their advice? Get a scooter, that’s what most students do when they can’t walk. When I can’t walk, I usually can’t sit upright pain-free and concentrate in class, so when I can’t walk, I rarely go to class. But I was already almost there and I had a test.
Tiger Patrol operates from 6pm to 2am, and today and last Sunday, I called at 6 and got police services. Different numbers, but if you call TP and no one answers, it rolls over to the Police. So for the second weekend in a row, I got a ride in the back of a cop car so I could get some effin’ dinner without collapsing from pain. Why? They’re not busy in the first shift on the weekend, only one person is there…
Also, I apparently have the flu. No symptoms at all (like, I dunno, a FEVER) but the swab was positive. “You wouldn’t notice aches and pains, would you? You’re unique, tell your mom I said that.” But I can’t even do the flu right! I am so weird.
http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/271372/april-15-2010/aimee-mullins
I think it’s only good in the US, and there are no sub options.
The crack about everyone in Hollywood being “mentally disabled” got just an eyeroll. Really, that old crack? Plus, she didn’t act upset about it.
He was right – that shot of her running down the beach is gorgeous. Not just because she’s what society deems hot, but it’s just amazing.
I think he did a good job of mixing his bombastic shtick and respect, without being patronizing. Though I think he was poking fun at the idea of a “normal” person racing an amputee with prosthetics and losing miserably with his winded act as he walked to the table. And I think it was cool that he did not make her walk, “let’s see them in action” or something. That’s not the formula. The only time guests at the end stand or walk is if they’re going to sing. (Or kick his butt at a dancing video game – RAIN!!!!!)
I just finished collecting research for my paper on “A Passage To India.” I’m not sure what I’m going to focus on, so if anyone has read Forster and has some helpful ideas, I’d LOVE them. 🙂
Did anyone see the most recent episode of Law and Order SVU? It’s title is “Disabled”, and is about a quadriplegic rape victim. The only criticism I could recognize was the unfortunate use of ableist language by the ER doctor and Assistant DA.
Kaitlyn – WTF????
Rachael – I watched her talk on TED, and I was a bit meh about her. She said a lot of good things, but I think she also plays into the ‘Supercrip’ and ‘inspirational’ narratives.
After referencing it in an essay for my philosophy class (don’t ask), I’m re-reading John Wyndham’s The Chrysalids. My mum first read it to me when I was about 8, and it made a really strong impression. I really identified with the kids with congenital abnormalities who were forced to hide them, who were called ‘abominations’ and who, if they were discovered, were forcibly sterilised and cast out. Last night I asked my mum if that was why she chose to read it to me, and she was like, ‘Huh?’ She hadn’t even noticed those kids – the heroes of the story – were LIKE ME. She hadn’t realised I would identify with them. So on the one hand it’s great that growing up I had at least one novel that gave me some kind of narrative for my situation, but on the other it really confirms that even parents can be pretty clueless about the issues their disabled children face.
Hi everyone! I’m never on these Chatterday threads so I thought I’d pop in and say hello. I’m very excited as I have chocolate and the first episode of the new series of Doctor Who, my favourite favourite show, is airing here in about an hour. Wooo! I am going to sit in front of the telly and demand silence, silence!, for an hour. Currently I am a bit frustrated as I’m meant to be printing some stuff off for classes tomorrow, but the document isn’t up yet! Oh well, I suppose I can try in the morning. Also, I’m thinking of doing some posts about disabled figures in Greek myth, what do you reckon?
Chally — that’s a brilliant idea! Hephaestus is especially interesting from that angle — he was fairly severely physically disabled and built himself all sorts of amazing mobility aids with his godly forging skills. But Aphrodite, his wife, was unhappy being married to a disabled god.
Thanks for sharing your comments on that Colbert piece – I must admit that I don’t yet feel like I have enough tools in my metaphoric toolbox to feel like I can properly critique such pieces.