My dad, oldest brother, and twin are all bankers; my second oldest brother is an entrepreneur (whom I work for); and my third oldest brother is in the Air Force. And my mom grew up wealthy in Dallas. As you might suspect, they are all staunch Republicans.
But me? Well, I swing wildly and unpredictably between the two ends of the spectrum. For example, I voted for Bush AND Obama. :eek: I’m not terribly political, since I clearly can’t figure out what I’m for or against enough to be remotely consistent in my voting patterns. Some election cycles I’m pickin’ up what the Dems are puttin’ down, other times the GOP line makes sense. Does this have anything to do with my disability? I doubt it.
I’ll answer your question with a question: Do YOU have any suggestions for how a (probably deliciously tender) quadriplegic girl has any hope of surviving the zombie apocalypse? I’ve noticed there isn’t a single quadriplegic character on Walking Dead, and this has me understandably concerned…:dubious:
I would love to say that I have a lot of hobbies, but when I really think about it, I spend most of my time working or hanging out with friends and family. I can’t cook, or knit, or jog, or rebuild old cars, so a lot of classic “hobbies” are out for me. I do love reading and I’ve been toying with writing a book for about 3 years. I used to draw quite a bit and I’m looking into getting a camera that I could get set up to be accessible to me. I’m also going to try my hand at SCUBA this summer.
But when I don’t have plans with folks and I am home, particularly in the evenings or on weekends, I can’t putter around like AB people do, putting laundry away or grabbing a little snack or painting my toenails or whatever. So I’m usually in front of my computer, sometimes with the TV or music on, too. I only just recently joined The Dope, but it’s definitely a new fave.
On weekdays, my work schedule is really variable, since I recruit for a field that is itself really variable. It’s not uncommon for me to be emailing from 7am to 11am, have nothing pressing to do from 11am-6pm, then get on the phone or email again from 10pm to 1am. Again, if I’m already at my computer and I don’t have much work to do, The Dope is a nice diversion.
Do you have pets? Is there a pet you’d like to get but have concerns about the level of their reliance?
Does it seem you’ve met every idiot there is to meet?*
I’d think a good support crew could still keep you going. You might want to get started on the sustainably-powered underground bunker just in case. Or heck, you might be able to train some zombies to help you.
Ok, I have an interest in vicarious squirming embarrassment, so I’ll ask: if you had to assemble a Top Five Cringe-Worthy Comments You’ve Heard, where the commentator just must look back, remember what he or she said, and glow bright red with shame… what would that list look like?
I briefly addressed this a few posts ago, so I hope you don’t mind if I just post that response here:
I’ll also add that I don’t want to add any pet responsibilities to my helpers’ already long to-do list just taking care of me. I love dogs, but I get enough interaction with my parents’ dogs to tide me over, so don’t cry for me, Argentina.
Ahaha! I’ve met my share of idiots, but then–I’m sure I’ve been an idiot a time or two (at least once on this thread).
Yes, but how to convince a support crew to take me on? I have LIABILITY written all over me. Especially in a world where money isn’t worth the paper it’s printed on. You’re right, better get started on the underground bunker…
OK, I’ve got to know more about this one. Who fed you the booze? I know you’ve said that your carer’s job is to do what they are told without passing judgement. But at this point, I would assume the carers were still hired by your parents, not you. So do they have an obligation to your parents to stop you from unsanctioned drinking? Or do they just do as you say and help you with your keg-stand? Or was there no carer present, only friends and/or brothers? Did your parents find out? were there repercussions? Or was it just that you vomited, were OK, moved on, and the 'rents never knew?
Uggghhh. Well, although I had my fair share of friends, among them guys, I was flat-out undateable in high school. Not sure if that was because a lot of those guys had known me before I got hurt, or because dating someone with my disability is just a really heavy thing to take on in high school. I found myself attracted to many of my guy friends, but none of them reciprocated romantically. But, honestly, I don’t know what I would have done if one of them had liked me back. I really wasn’t sure what my body was capable of, sex-wise (the 70s-era wheelchair sex videos I’d been shown in my doctor’s office at 16 notwithstanding :eek:). And though I had accepted my new body, I wasn’t sure I’d ever meet a guy who would also be able to do that. I was really self-conscious and worried about being judged (so, pretty much like every other high school girl).
I didn’t have sex or a real relationship until I was in college, where guys were more mature and open-minded…and social drinking entered the equation. You?
I told you I’d share: In my hometown. they held sports camps to expose kids to HS offerings. A week before I started 7th grade, I did track camp, and met this girl, “Kate”. I would go on to spend the next 5 years madly in love with her. She wouldn’t date me, though it wasn’t becasue of my wheelchair. It was because I wasn’t what she wanted me to be. What did she want me to be? IMO, a biology book. (she was our valedictorian, went to Harvard, later earned a Ph.D from Washington University.)
