Big Brother

This was arguably one of the best seasons of Big Brother. This installment had it all: epic fights, an ejection, a few crushes, a showmance, crazy competitions, and some of the most shocking blindsides the game has ever seen.

In the end, Ian, the boy wonder / superfan came away with the win. He was up against former coach Dan, who has already won once. Dan played one of the dirtiest games in Big Brother history, possibly worse than Evil Dick and Dr. Will. An outspoken Christian who often read the bible while in the house, Dan swore on that bible, as well as on his wife's life, his wedding ring, and promised his father's gold cross to a player as he backstabbed, blindsided, and lied his way through the season. I was very happy to see that the jury did not reward Dan's bloody play with a win. In fact, the only vote he received from the seven members was from Danielle, who in my opinion will need intensive therapy to recover from her obvious case of Stockholm Syndrome. Yes, Dan was her coach, and he did help her get far in the game. But how do you still vote for someone who tricked you into getting your "boyfriend" evicted from the house, convinced you to give up on the first of the three part final HOH competition, AND found out during the live show that Dan made a pact with both herself and Ian to get to the final two, when just the day before he swore that all of his evildoing was so she, his "protege", could win the grand prize. I do understand that Big Brother is just a game. And its a social game and a mind game as much as it is a physical game. But I just don't agree with swearing on the bible and your loved ones lives in order to get to the end.

In my opinion, Ian played the best game. He won four HOH's, and I believe two POV's. He had to get his hands dirty; he had to make some big moves. He broke his alliance with Boogie and Frank to join the "Quack Pack," and he had to put his crush, Ashley, on the chopping block, which resulted in her eviction. Although I didn't really want to see Dan make it to the final two, I absolutely understand why Ian chose him. After all, if Dan had not blindsided Shane, Ian would have been out of the game. Plus, Ian had a better chance of winning against Dan than Dani. If it had been Danielle and Ian in the finals, I believe that at least Frank, Shane, and Dan would have voted for Danielle. I think it would have been a very tough choice for Brit and Ashley.

I was happy to see Frank win the fan favorite award. Also a supfan of the show, Frank fought hard to stay in the game, constantly winning POV's so he could save himself after being nominated multiple times.

And in the final live show, Mike Boogie redeemed himself in my eyes with his praise of Ian. Boogie was more than a little immature in my opinion when he was blindsided, in large part due to Ian being the mole of the Quack Pack. But last night he was very classy in his comments to and about Ian.

Thanks for a great season, Big Brother!

librarianintx

So You Think You Can Dance

Wasn't a fan of last night's show. They had the dancers re-create some of choreographer Mia Michael's most famous performances from previous shows. I understand that dances are often performed by various dancers, just as plays and musicals have different actors. But the dances they chose to re-create are so iconic...I identify the original dancers so much with the pieces, that the re-creations fell flat for me, even though I think this season's cast is just as talented as previous dancers. For me, no one can perform "The Bench" like Travis and Heidi did; I don't want to see anyone but Katee and Twitch dance "The Door." Kupono wasn't necessarily my favorite dancer in his season, but the intensity, the fire, the evil he brought to his portrayal in "Addiction"...as amazing as Cole is, he did not bring that same level of performance for me. He did it for Mary Murphy and for Nigel, but not for me. Even the "Butt Dance," which was never a favorite of mine, and Randi and Even were not my favorites in their season, while I adore Amelia and Will...even with that dance, Randi and Evan did it better. So I was disappointed. And very sad to see Amelia and Janelle get eliminated, although I'm a big fan of Lindsay too. librarianintx

Glee Project results

I thoroughly enjoyed this season of the Glee project. I thought the cast was refreshingly diverse and uber-talented, and I really could see all of them as characters on Glee. Their group numbers were superior to last season's cast in my opinion. Basically I was pleased with the top 3 contestants, although I thought Lily deserved to be in the finale as well. I thought I would be happy with whoever won, because I think all three showed themselves to be hard-working, accomplished individuals. But there was definitely one person I was rooting for, and she didn't win. When Kevin McHale was cast as Artie, Ryan Murphy and company defended their decision to hire an able-bodied person to play a person with a disability by explaining that they were unable to find a person with a disability who could act, sing, and dance. On this season of the Glee Project, they found that person. Ali is beautiful; has a Broadway-style voice; could play a heroine, a manipulator, or a combination, and more than kept up with the choreography on the show. She never used her disability to get out of tough situations, like the slushie shoot, or the grueling gym video. She won the homework assignment multiple times, and was the only contestant to never be in the bottom. She only had to do a last-chance performance one time, and that was when all the contestants had to perform. Ali sailed through every part of the competition - studio work, choreography, and video shoots. Her fellow contestants adore her, the judging team recognize her talent, and she is easy to work with and takes direction well, unlike some of the other people this season. I hope other opportunities happen for Ali. She is so talented, but the road is tough for a performer with a disability. I congratulate Blake, and I think he will do a good job on Glee. He is a very good actor, and will be popular. I wish Ryan would consider hiring some contestants from this season for at least short-term roles, and see how they do. In my opinion, people like Ali, Lily, Aylin, Dani, Charlie, Abraham, Nellie, and Mario are what Glee is all about - being a little different and finding your place in the world. Look at what happened with the season one Glee Project cast. Alex, who was a runner-up, arguably made a bigger splash and had a much more compelling storyline than co-winner Damian. It has already been announced that Damian will not return for season four, but there's been no word yet on Alex. librarianintx

Anxiety

The only good thing about a day of anxiety...the one redeeming quality of a long, frustrating, emotional day...is when I become aware that the anxiety has finally retreated. Sometimes I can actually feel it slink away, usually when I am in bed, my body finally becoming more fluid, my stomach and leg muscles no longer rigid, my mind no longer racing to worst case scenarios, my heart easing into a natural rhythm. Other times, it disappears without me noticing because I have been able to focus on something else. In times like those, I suddenly become aware of the changes in my body and mind, and I smile and say to myself, "All right. I've survived it again." No matter how it happens, its a cause for quiet celebration each time. And moments to reflect and remind myself, "See...you are always stronger that it is. You will beat it every time. It will never win. No matter how much it twists your body into knots or causes your mind to ruminate, you will make it through to the other side." Is it worth all the hard stuff, to have those few moments of feeling at least relatively proud and strong? I'm not sure it's exactly worth it. It's definitely not an even trade off. But its better than never feeling proud or strong at all. Last night my girls saved me. As they have done many times before. Concentrating on their energy, their enthusiasm, their uninhibited, fearless zeal for life, I climbed aboard their train of teenage giddiness and left my blanket of anxiety on the tracks. Unfortunately, I woke up this morning once again swaddled in that familar cloak. But I know I'll make it through, and at some point in the day I will realize I have shed that straightjacket once again. librarianintx

Time managment

I listened to a webinar at work a few weeks ago on time management. That is the aspect of my job that I struggle with the most. Well, actually, public speaking is the hardest for me. But time management is second on the list. The webinar gave me a lot to think about. Procrastination is a big enemy in my life, and not just at work. There are many reasons for procrastination, and all of the ones the presenter mentioned affect me at one time or another: fear, boredom, perfectionism, feeling overwhelmed, poor planning. Procrastination results in stress, sloppy work, and is a waste of time and energy. It makes me feel unproductive and bad about myself. I'm also learning to recognize time wasters in my work day. Facebook is the biggest culprit. We are only supposed to check Facebook on our work computers during breaks or before 8 am. But of course I have Facebook on my phone. I also have other distractions on my phone, like Scramble, or Words with Friends. And personal e-mail. And texting. I don't do any of this excessively. But a few minutes here or there add up, and also make it hard to re-focus on work. My inner ear disorder also complicates the situation; it can affect my concentration, energy level, focus, mood, and anxiety level. It can also cause headaches, dizziness, imbalance, and nausea. This was not mentioned in the webinar, but I think even the food I eat affects my work performance. Bread is known as a breakfast staple, but bread, especially the kind I prefer, breaks down into sugar in my body, and can contribute to fatigue and poor concentration. I'm trying to eat more protein in the morning - hard boiled eggs, cheese cubes, and vegetarian sausage. Finally, I'm going to try structuring my day according to my energy peaks and valleys. I tend to have a dip around 11 - noon most days, and during that time I plan to do something more physical and less mental. Something that would require moving around more - unpack boxes, shelve books, file periodicals, organize my cubicle. The presenter also stressed the importance of taking regularly scheduled breaks. I rarely take a scheduled break, because 1) I only work part time, and 2) I take a minute here and a minute there during my work day. Taking a scheduled break will help keep me on task and make me feel organized. We are allowed one fifteen minute break for every four hours of work, and I work five or more hours per day. The one piece of advice the presenter made that I excel at is to be a list maker! :) librarianintx

Productivity

I was amazingly productive yesterday, and it felt SO GOOD! Considering it was my first day back at work from a week's vacation, AND it was a Monday, you would think that everything went wrong yesterday, but it didn't. One new thing I did yesterday - I read during the trip to and from work. Unfortunately this resulted in mild bouts of carsickness, but I did it anyway. I started reading Fifty Shades of Grey on my nook in the morning, and read a bit more of that in the afternoon. I got to page 55, which is quite a feat for me. I'm not a faster reader, but somehow I am able to read more quickly on the nook, and with better comprehension. Then on the way home I continued reading Mennonite in a Black Dress, which I have been trying to finish for months and months. It felt great to read that much in one day. And I think because I didn't just sit in the car and do nothing, I got to work feeling more energized and ready to work. I had good focus during the work day, and was nicely productive. I finished the day with thirteen hash marks for requests completion, and a lot of work put toward a big request that I should be able to finish today. I also had time to journal a bit yesterday, type up a few brief reviews on Goodreads, and write a card to my younger cousin Katherine at camp. I unloaded the dishwasher, did my daily chores, watched the new episode of Push Girls, and was in bed by 11. Of course there were things I didn't do that I should have. I didn't do my breathing exercises. I didn't do any exercising. But let's focus on the positive. It was a good, successful day. I'm happy. And my drought-plagued city got rain for the second day in a row!!!! librarianintx

Little accomplishments

A few days ago I was able to open two jars.

I successfully cleared a paper jam in the copier at work.

And I figured out how to use my vaccum cleaner for the first time.

Little moments that mean a lot.

It feels so good not to have to ask anyone for help.
Not that there's anything wrong with needing help sometimes. We all do.
But self-sufficiency still feels great.

librarianintx

You are what you eat...and do

Interestingly, since I made that last post I think I have improved in at least one or two of those areas. I still don't get enough exercise, but it's on my list of things to do. I am very grateful that at least for right now I seem to be in a good sleeping pattern. I still don't get to bed on time, but I am sleeping through the night more than I was. Two nights this week (during the work week) I got full night's sleep on the bipap. Oh, it feels so good!

And I have eaten pretty good this week. Well, better at least. I had vegetable soup yesterday for lunch. And two nights this week I had spinach salad. It boggles my mind that I am eating spinach salad. I never liked any form of spinach, and I rarely ate salad because of chewing issues. Now I do ruin some of the nutrition by eating it with a good amount of ranch salad dressing, but at least it's light dressing. Spinach salad with tuna. YUM.

And I have been getting some good fruit in too, thanks to my wonderful roommate. He made smoothies twice this week. Blueberries, peaches, strawberries, orange juice, plus almond milk and flaxseed. SO healthy for me, and delicious too!

I have also been pretty good this week about taking my multi-vitamin and D supplement. I was quite tired earlier in the week, but I also had a very busy weekend and I worked a conference on Monday and Tuesday.

A friend likes to say that caring for your health is like a full time job. It can be, especially if you have health issues. Little changes can really help though.

Now I need to work on reducing my sugar intake. Too many oreos. :)

librarianintx

Ways to boost energy levels

from Real Age:

1) sleep
2) exercise
3) stay hydrated
4) cut back on sugar
5) spend time in the sun
6) sip tea
7) increase magnesium intake
8) power nap
9) eat mini meals

Number nine is the only one I'm currently successful at. :/
But I'm working on some of the others.

librarianintx

Lyrics

"I love the time and in between
the calm inside me
in the space where I can breathe
I believe there is a
distance I have wandered
to touch upon the years of
reaching out and reaching in
holding out holding in
I believe
this is heaven to no one else but me
and I'll defend it as long as I can be
left here to linger in silence
if I choose to
would you try to understand
I know this love is passing time
passing through like liquid
I am drunk in my desire...
but I love the way you smile at me
I love the way your hands reach out and hold me near...
I believe...
I believe
this is heaven to no one else but me
and I'll defend it as long as
I can be left here to linger in silence
if I choose to
would you try to understand
Oh the quiet child awaits the day when she can break free
the mold that clings like desperation
Mother can't you see I've got
to live my life the way I feel is right for me
might not be right for you but it's right for me...
I believe...
I believe
this is heaven to no one else but me
and I'll defend it as long as
I can be left here to linger in silence
if I choose to
would you try to understand it
I would like to linger here in silence
if I choose to
would you understand it
would you try to understand..."

"Elsewhere" by Sarah McLachlan
from the album "Fumbling Toward Ecstasy"

I may have posted these lyrics before. I know they have had a lot of significance to me since I first heard them. Someone played the song for me again yesterday. The words washed over me once more. More than any other song, this one defines me, explains me, describes me...empowers me.

librarianintx

Quote from the book Mennonite in a Black Dress

"Is it ever really a waste of time to love someone, truly and deeply, with everything you have?"

Mennonite in a Black Dress is about a woman who goes back to live with her Mennonite parents after her husband of fifteen years leaves her for a man he met on gay.com.

I really like this quote. It has become my philosophy. Regret is as useless in life as worry. Everyone in your life and everything you do in life serves a purpose. Some people come and go and some remain constant for decades, but each person you come in contact with is or was in your life for a reason. Every human being, every situation is meaningful in some way. Some relationships are positive, some are negative, some start out good and end badly, and vice versa. Your life is comprised of experiences, and each one is designed to teach you something.

Your likes and dislikes, your hobbies, what you're passionate about...all of this changes and evolves as you go through life. You might be a Trekkie, or a huge fan of the band Bon Jovi, or you might read every Twilight book ever published. And then you become interested or passionate in something else. And you might think, "Oh, it was silly of me to be so interested in..." "I wasted so much time and money on this." But it wasn't a waste. It was meaningful to you at the time. It brought you happiness and excitement. It made you a part of something. It gave you a sense of belonging. It made you think and feel. You may have even made friends who shared your interest. Why should any of this be considered a waste?

Same with relationships. I have never been through a serious break-up or a divorce, thank goodness. And I can certainly understand how there can be regret in such situations. Regret and pain and lots of second guessing. But it sure would be nice if even in such times of hurt, we can look back on the relationship and remember the love that was there, and always believe that love is never a waste of time.

librarianintx

Response to GQ Down Syndrome Slur

http://childrenshospitalblog.org/mock-my-pants-not-my-sister/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+childrenshospitalblog+%28Thriving%2C+Children%27s+Hospital+Boston%27s+pediatric+health+blog%29

Mock My Pants, Not My Sister
July 18, 2011

The following was written by Brian Skotko , MD, MPP, a Physician at Children’s Hospital Boston’s Down Syndrome Program. It’s in response to a feature in GQ magazine that used insensitive language.

On July 15, John B. Thompson of GQ magazine slammed Bostonians as the worst dressed in the nation. Evidently, our beloved Beantown is actually a “bad-taste storm sewer” where all the worst fashion ideas come to “stagnate and putrefy.” He further decries, “Boston suffers from a kind of Style Down Syndrome , where a little extra ends up ruining everything.”

Go ahead, GQ, and mock my blue whale-emblemed Nantucket-red pants. Laugh if you want at the loud argyles that I prefer to wear with my black suit. I don’t even care if you dismiss the sexy pink polka-dotted tie that I like to wear with my blue-checkered shirt in clinic. But, whatever you do, do not mess with my sister.

My sister, Kristin, has Down syndrome, and let me explain what “Style Down Syndrome” really is. “Style Down Syndrome” is smiling when everyone else prefers to frown. It’s spending three summers, in sheer determination, learning to ride a bike because you want the freedom to be like everyone else. It’s singing tunes from Grease at the top of your lungs with your friends. It’s celebrating a third-place victory at a swim meet with as much gusto as the gold medalist.

Style Down Syndrome is strong-willed, persevering, and forgiving—because it has to be.

People with Down syndrome are ridiculed on a daily basis. Although not as obvious as GQ’s sport, children with Down syndrome do not always get invited to birthday parties just because they have Down syndrome. Young adults, freshly minted from high school, sometimes have trouble finding post-secondary opportunities. And, adults with Down syndrome are often the first to be fired when the economy tanks.

All of this comes at a time when people with Down syndrome are achieving previously unimagined successes. They are graduating, working, living and loving within our communities. So, why do people underestimate their abilities? It must be because they do not know someone with Down syndrome. Because, if they did, they would come to appreciate the life lessons that accompany their extra chromosome.

If my friends who are black were mocked, they would not take it. If my friends who are gay were slurred, they would not take it. My 400,000 fellow Americans with Down syndrome have been cheapened, and I will not take it. I invite GQ magazine to introduce its readers to real people with Down syndrome through the My Great Story campaign of the National Down Syndrome Society.

end of blog post

This is me, standing and cheering! You go, Dr. Skotko! Love this! What a lucky woman Kristin is to have such a sibling in her corner. And what a disgrace for GQ to denigrate a group of people with such a ridiculous, mean-spirited comment.

librarianintx

Working on Me

Depression, loneliness, frustration, fear....all can affect your physical as well as your emotional well-being. I feel like I spend so much of my life struggling...worrying...ruminating...being afraid. I am the princess of "what if," "should have," "could have," "need to," and "why can't I just."

So I'm trying to work on all of this. I have spent so much of my life mired in negativity. I stop myself from being happy and having what I want. I don't feel like I deserve good things. I constantly delay joy. I push away positivity. I focus on the bad. I look for life to go wrong. I anticipate it, thinking I will deal with it better if I lay in wait for it, and not let it sneak up on me.

I don't want to use the word "struggle" or "task." Its a daily reward. There we go! A daily gift to myself, to succeed in silencing the critical voice within me, the part of me that makes it her occupation to scare me, worry me, frustrate me, tell me that I'll never have what I want and I don't deserve it anyway, and terrible things are going to happen to me and the people I care about.

I'm always waiting for the next bad thing to happen.

So the first step on the way to change...be observant. Notice what you're thinking, and how its affecting you physically as well as emotionally. Realize that your leg muscles are tight, that your whole body is tight. Notice that you're holding your breath slightly, which can exacerbate and even contribute to anxiety. Listen to your thoughts.

And then do something different.

Re-direct. Focus your thoughts and energies elsewhere. Remind yourself that worry and fear are the two most useless activities you can engage in, and you're not going to waste your valuable time on them. Negative thoughts and emotions have no power of their own; they are only as strong as you allow them to be. They can never be in control of you unless you let them. So you say, "bye bye" and you do something else, preferably something you like to do. Read. Journal. Do something with a friend. Watch a show. Play a game. Maybe even better...try something new. Something you think you can't do. If you don't feel like you have enough mental energy to focus on something that requires brain power, like reading or journaling, then do something physical. Exercise a little. Clean something. Organize.

I know its not easy.
But its important.
And I know it works.
The key...
I have to care enough about myself to make this a priority.

librarianintx

Nurturing Dreams workshop

Yesterday and today I attended a workshop called "Nurturing Dreams" at an organization where I serve on an advisory committee through my job. This workshop was a "train the trainer" series designed to assist professionals in working with self-advocates and people with disabilities on identifying and hopefully making their dreams come to fruition.

There were about 15 of us going through the training. It was really really great. It was fun, it was cathartic, at times it was intense, we all really bonded, especially at our individual tables.

When I mentioned that I have a blog, one of the trainers asked for the URL, and asked my permission to write it on the whiteboard so people could visit the blog. I explained that I actually have more than one blog, but I gave the URL for this main blog. Its scary thinking that people I just met are going to possibly come here and read about all the stuff I'm interested in. But really, isn't that why I have a blog...so I can share my thoughts and opinions, and post about topics that are important to me?

So if you're from "Nurturing Dreams" and you're stopping by,,,thanks for visiting! Please say hi in the comments section if you have time. My picture is on the blog, but I don't use my real name. Here I am known as "librarinaintx" or "sweatergrrl."

It was so great to meet everyone at "Nurturing Dreams." Thank you all for sharing so much of yourselves with the group. I think we all learned and felt and grew and had a lot of fun in the process. A special thank you to "T."

librarinaintx

P.S. Hey dreamers...I aaw a beautiful, big, yellow butterfly this afternoon. :)

The James Durbin Radio in My Head

When I really get into a singer or band, I tend to wake up with a different song from them in my head. I won't keep track of this every day, but this morning the song was Sam Cooke's "A Change is Gonna Come." James sang this as his final song for Hollywood week. Jennifer could not contain herself during the performance. Steven declared "I'll have what he's having!" at the end of the song. We didn't get to hear the whole number of course, but what a beautiful slice of blue-eyed soul that was, with a James' higher-than-high note at the end, executed while in a back-bend. I don't think there was any doubt after that Mr. Durbin would secure a spot in the Season 10 Top 24.

librarianintx

Songs 4-26 and 4-27

Yesterday I only had time to listen to a few songs...part of a Journey greatest hits cd. "Separate Ways" is an older song that I'm obsessed with right now, so I think I listened to that three times. :)

Today so far its been Idol download day. I listened to James Durbin's songs, and then the songs that Casey James performed on Idol. Casey doesn't have a cd out yet, but he's working on one. Fingers crossed that its more blues than country!

librarianintx

Stefano's quote about James

http://blog.zap2it.com/frominsidethebox/2011/04/american-idols-stefano-langone-jokes-james-is-a-little-crybaby.html

American Idol's Stefano Langone Jokes 'James Is A Little Crybaby'

[snip]

On his bromance with James:

"James is a little crybaby. [laughs] James is my brother man, we been roommates since Hollywood. He's a brother to me, I'm going to be the best man at his wedding. He lost it last night, I told him to stay focused and don't even worry about me, I'm gonna be fine ... I was just telling him not to worry about me. I did everything that I set out to do on this show. Every single thing I set out. It's gonna pay off, I'm gonna do great and I told him to keep on focusing on the show. I calmed him down a little bit. He was a wreck, he's a big crybaby." [laughs]

[snip]

James wears his heart on his sleeve. Love that. :)

librarianintx

"Uprising"

There is an added reason why I'm so addicted to the song "Uprising" right now. I love James Durbin and I love big anthem songs anyway, but when I listen to this song these days it makes me think of the economic and social situation in this country at the moment, how services to people with disabilities are going to be either drastically reduced or eliminated, how people in my line of work are going to lose their jobs because of budget cuts, and how the LGBT community continues to be treated like second-class citizens.

In my state, children with autism may have their services completely taken away. They would not be eligible for other programs. James Durbin has Asperbergs Syndrome, a type of autism. He has been open about his struggle with both Aspergers and Tourettes. Is he interested in being a role model, a spokesperson? I don't know. I don't think he has to be. The fact that he is on the most popular television show in America, showing us his talent, his determination, and his positive attitude, is enough to both educate the uninformed and give hope and inspiration to the children and adults who live with these conditions. Especially with Tourettes, there is so much misinformation about the disorder. Many people think that everyone with Tourettes bark like dogs and shout obscenities. Simply by living his life in the public eye, James is dispelling myths and shattering stereotypes.

So when I watch James performing "Uprising," I think about the song being an anthem for the most vulnerable in our society.

"They will not force us.
They will stop degrading us.
They will not control us.
We will be victorious...
C'mon!!!"

librarinintx

Songs 4-25-11

Thanks to my roommate, I have a big i-pod full of an eclectic mix of music. I tend to listen to the same songs over and over. So I am trying to branch out more and listen to something different every day, plus the songs that I'm currently into. So I'm going to try to post what I'm listening to. We'll see how long I'm able to keep up with this. :)

So for yesterday, I listened to:
Maroon 5 songs from two of their cd's.
All of Katy Perry's "Teenage Dream" cd except the remix's. "ET" is currently one of my favorite songs, so I listened to that three times. :)
The first three songs from Ke$ha's "Cannibal" EP.

And I had to listen to James Durbin's "Uprising" multiple times. That song is my current addiction.

librarianintx

More on James

It is interesting that I have become such a James Durbin fan. In some ways he's very different from who and what I'm interested in today. I'm not really a metal fan anymore. Actually, I was never a metal fan in the pure sense of the term. I was a hard rock fan. James is also hardcore into wrestling, which I am not. But I'm rooting for him because I think he's the best contestant on the show this season. He has been consistently great every week, while showing that he can easily handle a wide range of songs. His creativity is unmatched this season. No one else has created moments on the show like he has. He is exciting and dynamic. He's a risk taker, but he also goes with his gut and doesn't let others change his mind when he knows what he wants to sing or how he wants to stage his performance. "We always tell you kids, just 'do you.'" Randy said. And that's what James does. Some people view that mindset as arrogance. "Who is James Durbin to tell Jimmy Iovine that his ideas aren't good?" people complain. But James isn't saying that. He is making his own decisions and standing up for his artistic vision. It has served him well thus far.

After doing several up-tempo songs in a row, James went with the George Harrison ballad "When My Guitar Gently Weeps." The song has been a treasured favorite of James' for years, and he has performed it several times. Jimmy Iovine and will.i.am worried that the song was too slow for the AI audience. But James knew he had to change things up. Jimmy advised him to at least make sure the ending was good, and James killed it with a long, soaring held note. So far I think his best decision has been the Muse song. It was a surprising selection, and he totally nailed it, vocally and artistically. Randy and Jennifer proclaimed it the best of the night, and he was only the second performer at that point.

Will James win American Idol? Too soon to tell. Scotty McCreery, though stagnate in his country genre, is wildly popular. Casey Abrams is the biggest risk taker next James, and has been applauded for his artistry as well. Haley Reinhart has a smaller fan base and has been in the bottom three multiple times, but she is very talented and a dark horse for the finale. Lauren Alaina has never been in the bottom three, but she has also has not achieved the potential I saw in her when she auditioned. Jacob Lusk is an amazing vocalist but unfortunately also often inconsistent.

Obviously I want James to win, but I believe he will have a career either way. And I hope his first cd is not all metal. I know that's what he likes to sing the best, and I want him to make the kind of album he wants to make. I also don't want his metal fans to feel alienated. I think many of them are looking to James Durbin to resurrect the genre. But James can do so much more than just sing metal. He is so versatile. In the group performances he has sung Michael Jackson and Coldplay. He's a tall, metal dude, but he handled the Idol cheeseball choreography surprisingly well. He also looked very handsome in a suit for the Stevie Wonder / Motown medley. For his final song in Hollywood week he sang Sam Cooke's "A Change is Gonna Come," and absolutely nailed it. The boy has soul. Passion. Fire. And he's got tenderness. Jennifer told him at his audition, "You sing from where you're supposed to sing. From a place of feeling, and wanting to make others feel."

That's why I'm a James Durbin fan.

librarianintx

Muse, The Name is James Durbin

A double entendre of course.

James Durbin sang the Muse song "Uprising" last Wednesday, and in the immortal words of Randy Jackson, he "slayed it." I know I have become woefully behind on my Idol recaps - just too much going on. But that is where the other meaning comes in.

Because James Durbin has become my new muse.

Every week on American Idol James has upped his game. From the beginning he has shown versatility with his song selections, singing everything from metal to George Harrison to Stevie Wonder to Muse. He has also displayed his artistic vision by creating moments that have never been seen on the Idol stage before: a flaming piano, a mic stand/cane, a troupe of drummers marching onstage, and one of the greatest metal guitarist doing what he does best.

Many of the Idol contestants this season have proven themselves to be great performers and very good singers. But for me, James has been the most successful talent this season. Every week he shows us something new and exciting. No one could ever accuse him of being karaoke, or "phoning in" his performances. Except for the George Harrison song where he sat on a stool during the entire performance, James is a force to be reckoned with onstage. He has been on top of a piano, run up and down stairs, stood on top of the judges' table, and executed several backbends, all without running out of breath or even visibly sweating.

There is so much to love about James Durbin.

First of all, he has an amazing range and can sing a wide variety of music. Metal / hard rock is his favorite genre, and besides what he has sung on the show, I have also seen youtube videos of him performing songs in this category, including "Back in Black," by AC/DC "Kashmir," and "Stairway to Heaven," by Led Zepplin, and "Rainbow in the Dark." by Dio. I've also seen him sing more mainstream rock songs, like "Layla" by Eric Clapton, and "Separate Ways" by Journey. I even found a video of him singing "Black Velvet" by Alannah Myles. "I bet you never heard a guy sing this before" he said in the video. Apparently he can sing country too, so if there's a country night on Idol he won't be a fish out of water. I found a video of him singing an amazing version of our national anthem.

Second of all, I love his professionalism onstage. James is only twenty-two, but he displays a maturity beyond his years. In every performance on Idol so far, James has managed to highlight whoever is onstage with him, whether it be backup singers, guitar or bass players, piano players, or drummers. He'll often call out their names during or after a song as well, and clap. I've seen him do this on the youtube videos as well. James communicates that a performance is not just about the lead singer, even when he's a competitor on a reality show.

He will also do all he can to bring the audience into the performance. Except for Paul, no one on Idol has done as much as James this season to get the crowd going. Besides his stage antics, he will urge people to stand up, point at people, wiggle his fingers, and make eye contact. He knows where the camera is and is able to succesfully engage the audience at home without alienating the studio peeps. I think if Simon was still a judge, he would say that James has "the X Factor." He has star quality.

Which is even more remarkable given the fact that James Durbin deals with Tourettes and Aspergers Syndromes on a daily basis. Both are neurological conditions. Aspergers is on the autism spectrum and can cause behavior problems and difficulties with socialization, relationships, and interpersonal communication. Tourettes results in involuntary movements known as tics, and in severe cases vocal outbursts.

James is lucky that he has mild forms of both disorders. But still, imagine being onstage in front of 30 million people every week, singing on a reality tv show, and dealing with conditions that most people know little about. Having both Tourettes and Aspergers is a double whammy because they can feed off each other. Aspergers can cause significant anxiety in social situations, and Tourettes can be exacerbated by stress and anxiety.

I'm certainly no expert in either disorder, but it appears to me that James has made significant progress in his journey with Aspergers. He makes eye contact easily, is very well-spoken, and is demonstrative and affectionate with his fellow contestants. In fact, when his closest friend on the show was eliminated, James was in tears, then ran out at the end of Stefano's song to give him a big hug.

I worried a lot in the beginning of the season about how James would handle all the pressure of being first an American Idol contestant, and then a singer in the public eye. There is so much to consider. The hard work, the long hours, the travel, the constant demands placed on you by both the industry and the public. James is witnessing firsthand the polar opposites of adoration and vitriol that the American public can heap on its celebrities. I have seen complaints about everything from his voice to the size of his ears to of course his facial tics. But James has so much going for him. A tough early life has strengthened him rather than hardening him. He has great support from a loving family, including a fiance and young son. He has a very positive outlook on life. "I have Tourettes and Aspergers, but they don't have me," he says. Singing is what he loves to do, and he's not going to let anything stand in the way of achieving his dreams, for himself and for his family.

librarianintx

Reality Stars with Disabilities

http://www.kansascity.com/2011/04/18/2808750/more-reality-tv-shows-are-featuring.html

More Reality TV Shows are Featuring Players with Physical Disabilties
by Neal Justin

Reality TV has taught us that housewives from certain counties can be vicious, C-list celebrities can be trained to cha-cha and the happiest denizens on the Jersey Shore insist on clean laundry.

But at its best, the genre is providing a more valuable lesson by spotlighting and celebrating people with physical disabilities. This season, deaf actress Marlee Matlin has outwitted the competition on "The Celebrity Apprentice," James Durbin, who has both Tourette and Asperger syndromes, rocked his way into the final eight on "American Idol" and a guy who's deaf (Luke Adams) battled another with Asperger's (Zev Glassenberg) last month on "The Amazing Race."

Television can provide an intimate entry point into the lives of people who are otherwise misunderstood or underestimated, said Andy Dehnart, who teaches at Florida's Stetson University and runs the reality-TV website Realityblurred.com.

"People are seeing that Marlee Matlin can be just as witty and cutthroat as anybody else, and that sometimes she gets frustrated that people are talking to her translator instead of her," said Dehnart. "That's educational. You might not have liked Heather Mills on 'Dancing With the Stars,' but the fact that she only has one leg had nothing to do with it."

Documentary filmmaker Dominic Gill hopes to open eyes with his new Universal Sports cable series "Take a Seat," in which he shares a tandem bike with physically challenged partners during a cross-country trip - but he's also wary of labeling TV as the perfect teacher.

"Viewers tend to kick their shoes off and their guard is down, so you share a really valuable message when they're at their most receptive," he said. "Having said that, you have to really make an effort. Television has the capacity to be the most powerful tool, but because it's so ubiquitous, it can be easily ignored."

One group that's not ignoring the trend are fans who face their own physical challenges.

Brandon DeVincenzi, 12, of Brentwood, Calif., became obsessed with "Idol" this year because he has Tourette syndrome, too.

"It's been like a coming-out party for Brandon," his mother told the Contra Costra Times. "Before this, he found it really difficult to accept his Tourette's, or even talk about it. James (Durbin) has put a face on Tourette's and is showing Brandon that he can be comfortable with himself."

Another reality contestant who's serving as an inspiration is Zach Anner, a comedian with cerebral palsy who will get his own travel series after co-winning "Your OWN Show: Oprah's Search for the Next TV Star." Anner was selected as a contestant after posting a hilarious audition video in which he pitched a show about physically challenged people traveling around the world. The video included his phone number, and Anner said he answered about 100 calls a day from people who'd seen it online, including a man whose son had just been in an accident.

"He was crying because my idea gave him inspiration that he and his son could travel someday," he said. "That was astounding to me. I never thought about the disability angle that much, but I discovered there was this huge community that was waiting for something like this."

Sarah Reinertsen, an amputee who finished seventh on 'The Amazing Race 10," learned the same thing, most strikingly while taking a walk in New York City in a short skirt that exposed her metal prosthetic leg. A stranger recognized her from the show and said his friend had recently had his leg blown off in Iraq.

"His friend had been totally depressed, but watching me on the show had totally renewed his hope," she said. "He thanked me for changing his (friend's) outlook and his life," Reinertsen said. "That's when I realized just how powerful the show really was and that it could help change perceptions and lives."

Of course, reality contestants don't sweat it out just to be role models. They want to succeed, too.

Reinertsen recalls the feeling of triumph when she managed to scale the Great Wall of China.

Rachel Swanson, who has severe cerebral palsy, participated in the Minneapolis-to-Milwaukee leg of "Take a Seat," just the latest in a series of personal adventures that have included downhill skiing and mountain climbing.

"It's important to Rachel to be a model to others, but it's also just another opportunity in her life to participate and gain personally," said her friend Joan Skluzacek.

One of the early reality stars to feel that sense of accomplishment was Josh Blue, who won the NBC comedy competition "Last Comic Standing" in 2006. Blue is more driven to be funny than to be inspirational.

"It's a cool feeling when people come up and thank me for not just presenting cerebral palsy, but disability in general, in an educational fashion," he said. "But ultimately that's not my goal. I just love doing standup."

10 GROUNDBREAKING TV CHARACTERS

TV has occasionally spotlighted physically challenged characters on fictional shows as well. Here are a few who stand out:

"TATE" (1960) - David McLean played a bounty hunter who's the fastest draw in the West even though he lost the use of his left arm in the Civil War.

"IRONSIDE" (1967-75) - Although a sniper's bullet forced Raymond Burr's detective into a wheelchair, he still managed to roll over bad guys.

"LONGSTREET" (1971-72) - He may have been blinded by an explosion, but James Franciscus' insurance investigator could still see through criminals' flimsy stories.

GERI ON "THE FACTS OF LIFE" (1980-84) - Geri Jewell became the first physically disabled actress to portray a recurring character, teaching the girls the facts of cerebral palsy.

CORKY ON "LIFE GOES ON" (1989-93) - Chris Burke, who was born with Down syndrome, won our hearts and admiration as the eternally optimistic Corky Thatcher in this feel-good family drama.

DR. WEAVER ON "ER" (1995-2007) - We learned that Laura Innes' Kerry Weaver was a lesbian and abandoned as a child before discovering that her limp was caused by congenital hip dysplasia.

AUGUSTUS HILL ON "OZ" (1997-2003) - Harold Perrineau Jr.'s character narrates from a maximum-security prison and a wheelchair after a cop threw him off a roof for killing his partner.

JOE SWANSON ON "FAMILY GUY" (1999) - It figures that TV's crudest cartoon would have its most likable character be wheelchair-bound Joe, voiced by Patrick Warburton.

JOEY LUCAS ON "THE WEST WING" (2000-06) - Before battling on "Celebrity Apprentice," deaf actress Marlee Matlin took on Josh Lyman as a savvy political consultant.

BECKY ON "GLEE" (2009-) - Wheelchair-bound Artie (Kevin McHale) may be a bigger character, but we'll save our biggest cheer for Sue Sylvester's protegee, played by Lauren Potter, who has Down syndrome.

end of article

Except for the use of the term "wheelchair-bound," this is a good article.

librarianintx

Mel Levine

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/26/us/26levine.html

Pediatrician in Abuse Case Kills Himself

by Tamar Lewin

February 25, 2011

Dr. Melvin D. Levine, a nationally known pediatrician who was found dead last week, died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, a medical examiner said on Friday.

Dr. Levine, 71, was found in the woods near his Rougemont, N.C., home with a gunshot wound to his forehead. His death was reported a day after a class-action sexual abuse and malpractice suit was filed against him in Boston.

A report by the Orange County Sheriff’s Office in North Carolina said officers went to Dr. Levine’s home the night of Feb. 17 after his wife reported finding a suicide note, but they were not initially able to find his body. The contents of the note have not been released.

The Boston lawsuit charges that Dr. Levine performed unnecessary genital exams on 40 boys while at Children’s Hospital Boston from 1966 to 1985.

Although Dr. Levine, a Rhodes scholar, had long been dogged by charges of sexually abusing young male patients, he had maintained that he was innocent. He was never convicted on any abuse charge, and never faced criminal charges.

On Friday The Boston Globe reported that several men who said they had been molested as young boys had described encounters in which they said Dr. Levine groped, fondled or performed oral sex on them. One recalled a trip on which he and Dr. Levine were in the same bed, saying that when the doctor took off his clothes, he put his arm around the boy and fondled him.

Christopher Dean, now a 50-year-old architect in Roslindale, Mass., said Friday that for four years, starting when he was 9, he went twice a year to Dr. Levine’s office for a “checkup” that was simply an occasion for molestation.

“It started when he came to my school in Brookline, saw me in the nurse’s office, fondled me, and then said he would like to see me as a private patient,” said Mr. Dean, a plaintiff in the Boston suit, which will proceed against Mr. Levine’s estate. “I came out in tears and in shock, but didn’t tell anyone.”

Several plaintiffs said that Dr. Levine’s abuse had clouded their lives, and that they hoped for resolution in the lawsuit.

“It left me feeling very awkward; I never forgot it, and I always kept track of Dr. Levine,” said Donald Roy, now 46, who said he was abused by Dr. Levine at age 10, when he was having surgery at Children’s Hospital. “My mother knew what was going on because Dr. Levine invited me to visit his house, and I said I just wasn’t going to go, and I explained why. But she didn’t know what to do with it.”

Carmen Durso, a Boston lawyer for the plaintiffs in the class-action lawsuit, filed his first suit against Dr. Levine in 2005, and followed with four more complaints before holding a news conference in 2008 at which he announced the charges. Those charges were resolved, but last week Mr. Durso held a news conference announcing the new complaints.

Until the sexual abuse charges, Dr. Levine was a leading advocate for children with learning disabilities whose fame spread through his books, including “A Mind at a Time,” as well as through a PBS documentary, “Misunderstood Minds,” and a nationwide schedule of lectures.

With Charles Schwab, Dr. Levine founded a nonprofit group, All Kinds of Minds, that has trained thousands of teachers. Dr. Levine’s approach stressed that whatever their learning disabilities — learning differences, he called them — all children also had strengths to build on.

In 2004, the New York City Department of Education gave All Kinds of Minds a $12.5 million contract to train 20,000 teachers, without the normal competitive bidding process, because, it said, there were no comparable programs.

In 2005, Scholastic Press named Dr. Levine the most admired person in education.

While some experts criticized Dr. Levine’s work as depending on observation and anecdote instead of replicable scientific investigation, teachers and parents flocked to his entertaining, multihour lectures.

“He brought optimism into the world of families by helping to demystify learning, helping kids put borders around their learning issues, so they no longer felt pervasively damaged,” said Claire Wurtzel, who worked with Dr. Levine and is now director of professional development at Churchill School and Center in New York.

Dr. Levine contributed to a paradigm shift, she said, getting teachers to explore what stopped children from learning, rather than just dismissing them.

“Before Mel, it used to be, for most teachers, ‘Why is this lazy kid in my room? He’s not learning and he doesn’t belong here,’ ” she said.

A basic tenet of Dr. Levine’s was that no child should ever be humiliated.

“From the moment a child gets out of bed until she is tucked in at night, she has one central mission: avoiding humiliation at all costs,” Dr. Levine often said in his lectures.

Some former colleagues, including Dr. William B. Carey of the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, said they could not reconcile that Mel Levine, their “brilliant, honest, kind, caring” friend, with the doctor charged with humiliating so many boys.

After Dr. Levine moved to North Carolina, sexual abuse complaints arose there, too. In March 2009, as the North Carolina medical board was investigating such charges, Dr. Levine agreed that he would never again practice medicine. At the time, the state medical board said it was prepared to show that Dr. Levine had conducted examinations that were not medically indicated or properly documented.

Mr. Dean said that when Dr. Levine moved to North Carolina, his mother told him that Dr. Levine had molested two young sons of a friend of hers, who believed he had left Massachusetts to flee complaints.

“My mother asked if he’d ever done anything to me,” Mr. Dean said. “I was 25, but I was still so humiliated that I said, no, he never touched me. The shame was so great that I didn’t tell my mother about it until last week, and I still haven’t told my father.”

End of article

I was shocked to find this article this morning while I was searching for something else. I never heard Dr. Levine speak, but I know he has been a highly respected voice in the LD community for years. We have his book "A Mind at a Time" in our reference center, and his approach was one of the reasons why I titled the publication I created "A Guide to Learning Differences" instead of "A Guide to Learning Disabilities."

How do you reconcile the two sides of Dr. Levine...the respected professional with the apparent child molester? Can someone be both good and evil? I mean, I believe that we all have good and bad within us, but can someone have the degree of polar opposite within him as Dr. Levine apparently did? When I really think about it, the answer is easy, given the fact that other doctors, men of the cloth, teachers, etc have been convicted of such crimes. It just still seems shocking to me, given all the work he did on behalf of children. This sentence from the article is especially jarring: "A basic tenet of Dr. Levine’s was that no child should ever be humiliated."
His emphasis was that children who struggled with learning were not disabled, they simply learned in different and sometimes uncoventional ways. And those learning styles should be explored and nurtured. And yet if the allegations are true, Dr. Levine humiliated his patients in the worst possible way.

So do I remove Dr. Levine's book from the reference collection? The work he did continues to be important and relevant and I think his findings have the capability of changing the lives of children for the better. But will parents and educators say to me, "How can you have a book in your center that's written by a child molester?" How do I feel about having a book in the reference center that's written by an apparent child molester?

librarinintx

Idol: Elton John nite

It was another night of very good performances on American Idol. Once again, everyone sang well, but some of the performances were more dynamic than others.

For the third week in a row, James was tops for me. He sounded great, and his performance absolutely blew me away. How did he run around like that and not run out of breath? Down the stairs, around the judges table, up the stairs, up the piano, jumping off the piano - WOW! Very impressive. James owns the stage every time, and as Randy said, he looks like he's having the time of his life. Go James! You rock!

Just like last week, Jacob was second for me. I know a lot of people think he's overly dramatic, but I like the passion and the emotion he brings to his performances. Just like on Motown nite, he was able to reign in the drama just enough so he didn't crash and burn. His voice is amazing, so rich and powerful. Great work, Jacob.

Third place was a surprise this week. Lauren raised her game and delivered her best performance since her audition. Her rendition of "Candle in the Wind" was lovely and I really enjoyed the emotion she put into the performance. I still wish she would sing more like Kelly Clarkson and less like Carrie Underwood, but I really really enjoyed her tonight.

So those were my top three of the night. Pia, Haley, Casey, Naima, and Stefano would be the middle of the pack for me. Once again Pia's vocals were stellar, but I felt next to no emotion in her peformance. She is the LaToya London of season ten. Haley sounded quite good, but there were a few spots when the song seemed to stagnate. I think her voice is very good though. Casey redeemed himself with a lovely, restrained version of "Your Song," although without all the growling and stomping I found his vocals a bit lacking. Naima sold her reggae version of "I'm Still Standing" with her enthusiasm and strong performing skills, and it worked for me, but I don't think it worked for the audience as a whole. Stefano worked hard on fixing some of his bad habits; he kept his eyes open for most of the song, and didn't oversing. He has a very good voice, but he's still middle of the pack for me.

My bottom three would be Scotty, Paul, and Thia. Again, with Scotty and Paul its a matter of taste. I don't care for Paul's voice; he's too "Bob Dylan" for me. Scotty is very talented and will be highly successful as a country recording artist, but he's not my cup of tea. Thia is a sweet girl with a lovely voice, but the talent on Idol this season is overpowering her.

So I would like Scotty, Paul, and Thia to be in the bottom three, with Paul and Thia going home. But I think it will be Naima, Paul, and Thia in the bottom three, with Naima and Thia going home.

librarianintx

Idol: Results

Well, I don't think anyone saw THAT comin'!! Wow!! Casey almost going home. Definitely shocking. No, I didn't think he was great on Wednesday night, but he did not deserve the lowest number of votes. I really find it extremely hard to believe that he actually did get the lowest number of votes. But supposedly Idol is not rigged, so...

I understand why the judges used the save, but I think they used it way too early. Casey has been a front runner, but I think his Nirvana gamble really hurt him, and he didn't do well enough on Motown nite to redeem himself. But now this means the judges have lost their save opportunity. So in a week or two a talented frontrunner could wind up in the bottom and that's it...they're gone. I guess there is that danger every season though. is this only the second season for the save option?

librarianintx

Idol: Motown Nite

Motown Nite is often a hit on Idol, and this year was no exception. I think the Top 11 did Motown proud. At least everyone sang well. But some had better performances than others.

Picking a bottom three this week is going to be very difficult because I think basically everyone did well. My personal bottom three would be Thia, Paul, and Scotty. Paul and Scotty are just not my cup of tea. But I know Scotty is very popular, so he will be safe.

My top three for Motown nite were Jacob, Naima, and James. Jacob and Naima really listened to the judges this week. Jacob was the most restrained he’s ever been, and Naima was able to control her breathing without sacrificing her performance level. Both of them picked very good songs that showed off their strengths. And James is consistently great in my opinion. His song choice was excellent, and I loved how comfortable he was on stage. He got the crowd going before, during, and after the song.

My prediction for bottom three this week are Haley, Thia, and Paul. But honestly, it’s really hard to know. I don’t think Haley belongs in the bottom; I think her lack of a fan base will put her there. If we are strictly judging last night’s performances, I think Thia does belong in the bottom three. She was okay, but not up to the caliber of the other performers. I actually did like Paul last night more than I did the other weeks, but not by much. I think he could be in trouble. Lauren might be too. I think Haley will go home, but if it were up to me I would send Thia home.

Here’s how I would rank the performances last night:
James
Jacob
Naima
Pia
Casey
Haley
Stefano
Lauren
Scotty
Paul
Thia

librarianintx

"Dancing with the Stars" week 1

I wasn’t going to watch “Dancing with the Stars” this season. Other than Kirstie Alley, I didn’t have a big interest in any of the contestants. And I am already watching WAY too much tv.

But the show is just too much fun; I couldn’t stay away. I love to watch dancing, and Tom B. is such a great host. I enjoy watching people step out of their comfort zones and bravely learn to do something new in front of millions of people.

Obviously Kirstie and Ralph Macchio were the best this week, but overall it was a pretty good start to the season. Bruno, Len, and Carrie Ann were in fine form as well. Bruno “scared” Len at least twice, which always makes me giggle.

I know it’s only the first week and anything can happen, but I think we could be headed for a Karina v Maks showdown in the finale. How interesting that would be! It’s definitely time for Maks and one of his partners to snag that mirrorball trophy!

librarianintx

Idol: Results

I got two of the bottom three correct. Hayley was in the bottom three instead of Thia. But Karen still went home.

librarianintx

Idol: Year of Their Birth

Rough night on Idol for me. I know several of the contestants were sick; some played that up more than others. Sick or not, pitchy was the word of the night.

James, Pia, and Jacob were my top three. I know Jacob went wildly off at least once, but I really like his intensity. I like that song a lot too, and thought it was a bold choice for him. I also liked the dance remix of "Where do broken hearts go" by Pia. James was consistently good in my opinion. I liked his interaction with the audience.

My bottom three is a tough choice; there are many contenders. Thia has a lovely voice but her performance was quite snooze-worthy. Karen is not a strong enough singer to tackle Taylor Dayne. Naima was VERY pitchy. And sick or well...I'm sorry, I just don't get the appeal of Paul's voice. Casey was one of my favorites...and still is for now...but his version of "Smells Like Teen Spirit" was a disaster. It sounded like he was trying to butcher it, like he was mocking the song. It sounded like a joke version, and I don't think it was supposed to.

My prediction for the bottom three: Thia, Karen, and Naima. Hayley may escape the bottom three this week because she was so close to going home last week, and her effort was passable. Maybe. Naima's pitch was really bad, and I'm not sure she has the fan base to keep her out of the bottom three. Casey will not be in the bottom three because his fan base is too big. Paul will probably be okay as well. I predict Karen will go home.

librarianintx

Idol Results

Wow, I was totally right! The bottom three were Hayley, Karen, and Ashton, and Ashton went home.

Wow, that is quite a mansion those kids are living in. I bet they don't have a whole lot of time to enjoy it though.

The first group medley of the season wasn't terrible. It definitely wasn't good in places, but I've heard worse in other seasons.

librarianintx

Idol Top 13 performances

Okay, I promise, I have been out to dinner tonight and have not seen the results show or read anything about it. I'll keep it extremely short this time:

My top 3: James, Casey, and Pia
My bottom 3: Ashton, Karen, and Hayley
My prediction for who will go home: Ashton

librarianintx

Idol Top 13

Well, I had better luck predicting the girls than the guys this time. I was right on 6 of the girls, but I didn't know there would be a 7th. I correctly predicted Lauren Alaina, Naima, Pia, Thia, Karen, and Ashton, but Hailey wasn't on my radar. For the guys, I guessed right on Scotty, Casey, James, and Jacob. I also thought Paul would make it, but I don't think I included his name in my blog, so ya'll probably don't believe me on that one. :) Stefano wasn't on my radar. And I was surprised that Brett didn't get to try for a wildcard position.

For the most part there were few surprises, and I think America and the judges got it mostly right. My roommate wanted the other Lauren instead of Ashton, but I want to see what Ashton can do. She's no Jennifer Hudson, but her "And I'm Telling You" was still pretty good. I like her intensity.

Its a long season, and anything can happen. I would say my hopes (but not necessarily my prediction) for top 3 would be Casey, James, and Pia. I would be happy at this point if any of those three won.

librarianintx

Survivor Week 3

Hallelujah, Russell was voted off! Of course, he's not gone yet, he's been banished to Redemption Island for now. Hopefully Matt can put us out of our misery and boot that big-headed fool off the show for good.

Fingers crossed that I get to say "B-Bye Russell!" very soon!!

librarianintx

Idol Top 24: The Girls

I don't know what it is about the girls this season. They're trying too hard? Trying to be sexy, trying to be cutesy, I don't know. I barely remember any of their names; some of them I don't remember seeing at all. Like some of the guys, the ladies also suffered from poor song choices. I think especially with the ladies, the song choices were bad because they didn't pick a song that fit with their style and/or range. Example: Julie. There was also too much Broadway, which caused Randy to channel Simon more than once.

I've liked Ashton since Hollywood week, but I didn't like her song choice. I also thought she was trying too hard to be sexy.

My best bets for top five are Pia, Thia, and Lauren Alaina. I would also like to see Ashton and Naima make it. Otherwise, I really don't have an opinion. I thought Karen Rodriguez did a decent job with "Hero" and singing part of the song in Spanish is something that's never been done on the Idol stage that I can remember, so kudos to her for that. But does that make her worthy of being Top 12?

librarianintx

Idol Top 24: The Boys

I doubt I'll have time to comment every week about Idol, but I'm going to try. I almost decided not to watch this season, but now I'm glad I did. I like Jennifer and Stephen as judges, although I felt they were a little too happy with some of the contestants last night.

I won't go into details on each guy, but overall I think many of them suffered from poor song choices, most notably two of my early faves: Robbie and Brett.

My top three last night were James, Casey, and Jacob. I also find them the most interesting of the twelve.

Definitely there are some big personalities among the guys this season. And on Idol, personality counts just as much, if not more, than singing ability.

My prediction for the top 5 guys? Its tough, but I'll say Scotty, Casey, and James for sure. Hopefully Jacob as well. After that its a bit of a toss up. There's a wild card position too. I would like to see Brett make it. Also Tim. And maybe Clint?

librarianintx

Stephen Abram

http://stephenslighthouse.com/

Had the pleasure of hearing a talk by Mr. Abram last week. I was already familiar with him because of a self-paced webinar series I did sometime ago about social networking tools and libraries.

Mr. Abram's talk was interesting, funny, and thought-provoking. I want to read more of his blog when I have time. It was so nice to be in a room full of librarians, listening to someone speak about the importance of libraries in society. I felt happy that for the most part I was able to follow most of what he said, because he is obviously extremely intelligent, and I am involved enough in social networking and technology that I was able to laugh at his jokes.

librarianintx

"R-word" Day

http://www.r-word.org/

Today is "Spread the Word to End the Word" Day.

Please don't use the word "retarded."

It's hurtful and offensive.

librarianintx

Zach Anner

http://newsfeed.time.com/2011/02/26/viral-victory-zach-anner-wins-his-own-show/

Viral Victory! Zach Anner Wins His 'OWN' Show

Step aside, Oprah: there's a new talk show host rolling into town.

An inspiration to us all, Zach Anner has been vying since June for his own show on Oprah's new channel. He quickly became an Internet sensation, and now Anner has been given the opportunity to become a television star.

The wheelchair-bound Anner has cerebral palsy – “the sexiest of the palsies,” he says. He entered Oprah's ‘OWN' show competition with dreams of hosting a travel show, and the Internet (along with his own hilarity) propelled him quickly through the ranks. Anner even overcame rumors that the competition was rigged, emerging with a very positive attitude. “No mountain is too high… and no Atlantis is too underwater or fictional!” he proclaimed in one of his audition tapes.

He found himself as one of the final two contestants on Friday night's finale – where Oprah gave both Anner and Kristina Kuzmic-Crocco their own shows. Anner will now head to production on his very own television show, titled “Rollin' Around the World with Zach Anner.”

Upon hearing the news late Friday, he tweeted: “Tonight, we made history. Tomorrow, we'll make a much sexier future! Onward to Atlantis!” NewsFeed predicts that'll be the first stop on Zach's world tour.

End of article

Three cheers for Zach!! SO excited that he won! I've only known about Zach for a few months. I watched the competition, and I know I'm biased because I like him, but Zach really was the best. He's got a fantastic personality, he's laugh out loud funny, he's smart, and he worked very well with everyone. I think he is an exceptional role model for the disability community and will do much to break down stereotypes and misconceptions that people have. Oprah's comments brought to light her own lack of knowledge about people with disabilities and individual abilities. She expressed concern about Zach's ability to travel and questioned whether he would have the strength for such a hectic lifestyle. Zach's reply? "I sit in a chair all day, that's not too strenuous." Gotcha, Oprah! LOL

Zach's show will debut on the OWN network sometime this summer. Can't wait!

And did I mention he's a Texas boy? :)

librarianintx

Perseverance

Over the holidays I was staying with my mom and an interesting thing happened. She has this big drawer attached to her television stand that holds her dvds and VHS tapes. She had piled up too many of the VHS tapes on top of each other, and one of them slid off and fell into the bottom of the drawer so the drawer couldn't close. The way the drawer is designed, you can't get your arm in there to retrieve the tape. A large arm won't fit and a small arm will fit but isn't long enough. My brother in law told her she would have to empty out the entire drawer and then he could take the drawer apart and get the tape. Not the worst thing in the world to have to do, but not fun either.

So I was determined to find another solution. I thought if I could find something that I could slide under the tape and stand it up, then I could reach it. I asked Mom if she had a working flashlight so I could see where the tape was, but her flashlight didn't have batteries in it. So I just had to feel around for it. First I tried this back-scratcher thingy that Mom had. But it was too thin and the claws on it couldn't grab the tape.

So then I thought of a spatula. My mom had one with a wide base, like for omelettes. I felt around for the tape, slid the spatula under it, lifted it up, reached my other hand in, and...success! I got it!!

I probably worked at it for about fifteen minutes. During that time Mom kept urging me to quit. She didn't want me to get frustrated. But I didn't get frustrated. I told her I was fine; I wanted to keep trying. It probably sounds stupid, but I was excited when I got that tape out. Not only because I actually retrieved it, but also because I figured out how. And I did it by myself.

I wasn't raised to be resilient. I was raised to whine when I couldn't do something and it would be done for me. I didn't have to ask and I didn't have to try at anything. Now I am discovering the joy in trying, and succeeding. How good it feels to figure something out for myself, and not having to rely on anyone else.

librarianintx

Steve Clark

Hard to believe, but co-lead guitarist for Def Leppard, Steve Clark, died twenty years ago today. He was a brilliant guitarist and a kind soul, and his legacy lives on in the music he helped to create.

librarianintx

Glee podcast

I'm having a good morning so far, so I hate to rant, but I'm listening to "A Gleeful Podcast" - my first time to listen to a Glee podcast. I was so excited to listen to the discussion of the "Grilled Cheezus" episode that I love so much. So far I'm mostly just really annoyed, especially with the guy who's talking, Josh. He is so critical! And he doesn't get his facts straight. Finn didn't sing the Billy Joel song, Puck did. Finn wasn't in the hospital scene at all. And Chris Colfer didn't lose the Emmy to Aaron Paul from "Breaking Bad," because that was the drama category. Chris lost to Eric Stonestreet from "Modern Family." I understand no one's perfect, but if you're going to discuss a show, the characters and the people who play them, at least know what you're talking about most of the time.

I don't expect everyone to have the reactions I do. And I can see some validity to some of his criticisms. But I just felt like he was way too picky. Does he even like the show?

Now I'm listening to the podcast on the Britney Spears episode. Nearly ten minutes into the podcast, and they have not said one word about the episode yet; they're going on and on about other stuff. These people come across as quite self-absorbed. I'm disappointed. I expected people who make a Glee podcast to really like the show, and what I've heard so far is a little praise and a lot of pickiness.

Maybe I need to do a Glee podcast. :)
librarianintx

more on Glee

from last week's episode:
Mercedes to Kurt (in the church): "I know you don't believe in G-d. You don't believe in the power of prayer, and that's okay. To each his own. But you've gotta believe in something. Something more than you can touch, taste, or see. Cause life is too hard to go through it alone. Without something to hold on to. And without something that's sacred. Anyway, Kurt, this song is for you."

From this week's episode:
Kurt to his father: "I'm the only openly gay kid in my high school. In this town. I mean, why can't I walk hand-in-hand down the hall with the person that I like? Why can't I slow dance at my prom?"
Burt: "You think I don't want those things for you? I do. You know, until you find somebody as open, and as brave, as you are, you're just gonna have to get used to goin' it alone."

Also from this week's episode:
Rachel to Kurt: "I know you're lonely. I cant' even imagine how hard it must be to have feelings in high school you can't act on for fear of being humiliated, ridiculed, or worse...That's 12 people who love you, Kurt, for being exactly who you are. I know you're lonely, but you're not alone."

After last week's spectacular episode, I was a little nervous that this week would be a let down. Luckily, I was wrong. "Duets" gave the audience a little bit of everything we expect from Glee - laughter, heartbreak, surprises, conflict, and show-stopping performances.

Since last week was basically a total Kurt episode, I expected him to be relegated to the background this week. I am so glad I was wrong. Building on the feelings of isolation from last week, one of the major themes from this week's episode was Kurt wanting to sing a duet with the new boy in the club, Sam, as well as Kurt's belief that Sam "bats for his team." With the topics of gay teen suicide and bullying so much in the news these days, as well as the ongoing debate about gay marriage and "Don't Ask Don't Tell," Kurt's loneliness and frustration, communicated so brilliantly by Chris Colfer, were so vital for the viewing audience to witness. Add to this another poignant scene between Kurt and his dad, and a verbal argument between Finn and Kurt, with Finn asking Kurt to back off of Sam for the good of the glee club, and you've got a wonderfully complex mix of emotion and hot button issues for family discussion.

And while I'm on the subject of Chris Colfer (when am I not these days?) :-) let's talk about his two numbers in the show. "Le Jazz Hot" from Victor/Victoria...are you serious? No professional experience before Glee? So hard to believe. That was one of the biggest production numbers on the show to date, and he NAILED it! Wow!

And then at the end of the show, we are treated to a performance by two of the biggest divas on the show, singing together simply for the love of performing, not because they were trying to win the duets competition. Rachel's supportive comments and finally a smile from Kurt after so much pain made the Streisand/Garland homage of "Happy Days/Get Happy" an absolute joy to experience. Rachel beamed, Kurt exuded confidence, and their voices blended gloriously. It was the kind of performance that you witness with a smile on your face and tears in your eyes. This is what Glee is all about.

There was so much emotional depth to this episode. Kurt's plea for understanding. Rachel's altruism. Quinn's hesistant steps toward a new relationship. Sam's maturity for not breaking his promise to sing with Kurt. And in the surprise of the night, Brittany feeling guilty for taking advantage of Artie in hopes of winning the contest. I did not see that one coming. For Artie, sex is a more complicated issue. Here, the tables were turned, and the man was the vulnerable one who got played. For the first time we get to see Brittany as a person with real feelings, not the dumb blonde cheerleader. Oh, the tangled webs these kids weave. And the next few weeks will only yield further complications.

My main concern at this point is Kurt fatigue. Chris Colfer is so adept at communicating pain, and the writers are giving him numerous opportunities to showcase that talent. The character of Kurt is receiving quite a bit of sympathy and support, and the young man who portrays him is enjoying well-deserved praise and very early Emmy buzz. But there are already rumblings of discontent. "I'm tired of every episode being about Kurt." "I want to be entertained when I watch Glee, not look at Kurt's sour expression every two minutes." "Enough with the gay storyline, I'm sick of it." I'm not too worried yet, though. There have been Kurt-haters from the beginning, as well as Rachel and Quinn-haters as well. The haters are a small and not very vocal subset of the Gleek population.

Another surprise in the episode: Brittany and Santana's little makeout scene. Tame though it was, this is a prime time television show on a major network that families often watch together. While I'm happy to note that I haven't heard much criticism of the scene, I know how our country operates, and it saddens me to firmly believe that Kurt and his boyfriend of the future will not have an opportunity to display such affection for each other. I would be thrilled to be proven wrong on this point.

librarianintx

Glee

It was a profoundly moving episode of "Glee" last week. I'm still processing my reaction to it. For those of you who haven't seen it, find it on the Internet and watch it!! :)

In the episode, Kurt's dad has a heart attack and nearly dies. As his glee club friends do their best to support him by singing spiritual songs and taking turns praying for his father at his bedside, Kurt struggles with his grief and fear, as well as his firm belief that G-d does not exist. People in pain often lash out when loved ones are trying to help, and Kurt's frustrations with his peers' constant religious interruptions further alienates him at a time when he really needs his friends around him.

This episode was sheer genius to me. The writing was truly inspired. In typical Glee fashion, the dialogue went from laugh out loud funny to achingly poignant to rather odball.

Several of the cast members were given the opportunity to shine, but no one as brightly or dramatically as Chris Colfer. WOW. The level of despair and heartbreak he communicated was overwhelming. His rendition of "I Wanna Hold Your Hand" was breathtaking. I have said before that he is a scene stealer on this show. On this episode, he brought his craft to a whole new level. I can't believe this is his first acting gig.

So much of this episode resonated with me. Losing one parent and constantly worrying about losing the other. Feeling alone in grief and pain. And being treated negatively because your beliefs are different from the majority.

Kurt singing "I Wanna Hold Your Hand" was riveting enough. But there was another scene that really affected me. When Finn was singling "Losing My Religion," he walked into the library, and the camera panned to Kurt sitting in a chair, ostensibly reading, with tears on his face, as fellow students moved around him, going on about their lives. I lost a close friend when I was in graduate school. I remember sitting in the dorm study lounge, a book open in front of me, crying quietly, as people chatted and studied and laughed around me. I felt invisible, hurt, and terribly alone.

Glee is a show that can truly make you laugh one minute and cry the next. Its a show that both entertains and makes you think about larger life issues. People who haven't seen it probably think its a silly show about a bunch of high school kids. I think Glee is an important show as well as a fun show. I hope its around for a long, long time.

failure

"It is impossible to live without failing at something, unless you live so cautiously that you might as well not have lived at all - in which case, you fail by default" - JK Rowling

Its the fear of failure that often keeps people from truly living. Sometimes its also the fear of success that keeps people from truly living. In each case, its the fear of something.

Is anyone truly fearless? I don't think so. I think every person is afraid of something, but some people are better at handling their fear. And some people are afraid of things that they don't have to encounter on a regular basis, like snakes or giant spiders or something.

I have lived with fear all my life. Big fears and little fears. Everyday fears and one-in-a-million-chance-of-happening fears.

The other day I was watching a reality show, and a young man was about to parachute out of an airplane. As the camera showed him preparing to jump, we hear him saying in a voice-over, "I'm not nervous; I'm trying to get that nervous feeling." Intellectually I understood what he was saying. Nervousness fuels the adrenaline high that comes from engaging in such an activity. But emotionally - it was absolutely mind-boggling to me that someone was actually WISHING to be nervous. When you've spent a good chunk of the forty plus years that you've been on this earth struggling with anxiety, you can not imagine anyone wanting to feel nervous.

Considering how much I have struggled, I would say that I have at least made some strides in my life. I have a Master's Degree, and I have a job. I go out to eat and attend social events. I have more of a handle on my anxiety than I used to. But in other avenues of my life, I still let fear win.

I try to remember that we are all a work in progress.
I'm not the only one who struggles.
I'm not the only one who's stuck.

librarianintx

My Personality

Its cool how little things in life make me happy. Things that I think most people don't think about, or things that are taken for granted. Silly things sometimes. For example, I bought this food container from a friend who sells Avon. Its a three-in-one container; it will hold a sandwich and then two side items, like chips and fruit. The sandwich section has a cover on it, so when you clasp it together the three sections stay separate. Even though its a little bigger than an average sandwich container, it still fits in my lunch tote.

I am really happy with this food container. Now instead of having to take and later wash three separate containers for the cereal, cheese cubes (or hard boiled egg), and bread slices that I take to work nearly every day, I can just use this one container. Its great. I used it for the first time on Friday, and was darn pleased with it. I even bought two of them, so one could be drying while the other one is in use. Its made of plastic and supposedly safe for the microwave, but I'm not going to use it in the microwave. If I did, I could use if for even more types of food, even at home. But that's okay. Using it for lunch with refrigerated or non-refrigerated foods is good enough.

I guess finding ways to make your life easier is probably a cool thing for many people, so maybe I'm not so different. I think this is especially true for people with disabilities. When we find ways to maintain whatever level of independence we have been able to achieve, the result can be very exciting. Or when we have people in our lives that are willing and able to help us without guilt or negativity, that is very important as well.

Unfortunately the flip side of this easy happiness is that I am also easily hurt and frustrated by circumstances and individuals. Sensitivity can be both a blessing and a curse.

librarianintx

The Boys

You meet all kinds of people when you ride a city's paratransit service. Some passengers don't stop talking; some never say a word. Same goes with the drivers. The clients hail from all walks of life, and have varying levels of ability.

Sometimes friendships are formed during these rides, especially if you have a permanent trip and travel with the same person or people every day. Currently I have one relationship that has migrated from fellow client to friend. We talk on the phone occasionally. We have met for dinner a few times. We ride together Monday through Friday, except when the schedulers decide to mix things up and put us on different routes. We don't like that. I had another paratransit friend several years ago. I went to her house once, and she came to my birthday party. But she moved away and we did not stay in touch. The rides are much more enjoyable when you have a fellow passenger or driver that you can talk to and joke with.

My trips in the morning are long. I usually ride for about an hour and twenty minutes. After we drop off my friend, we pick up three guys. Two of them (F. and P.) live in a group home, and the other (J.) lives with his father and young niece. My driver and I call them "the boys," even though two of them are older than me. F. and P. are blind, and all three guys have varying degrees of autism and intellectual disabilities.

I have known F. and P. for more than thirteen years, although we have not been fellow passengers for all of those years. They were on my very first route, which probably lasted about a year or so, and then I started riding with them again about two or three months ago. I probably rode with them a few times during the intervening years as well.

Our schedule doesn't vary, unless the schedulers change it of course. We pick up J. first. When she's not running late, the driver takes the time to get out of the car and say hello to J.'s four year old niece. J. rarely talks during this part of the trip, but he waves a lot - to pedestrians, to drivers, and sometimes just to the air. Some people smile and wave back; some look uncomfortable or confused.

As soon as F. and P. get in the car, J. is constantly talking. They all spend time at a multi-purpose rec center for people with disabilities, although F. and P. also work for a few hours each day, performing menial tasks at different restaurants. P. goes to work before going to the rec center, a fact that confuses J. on a daily basis.

J.'s questions and comments are usually the same. "Who coming?" "Where born?" "When born?" "that man there" "Goin' work?" Day after day after day. F. gets frustrated and rarely responds. P. is patient and answers over and over again.

Our driver plays music in the car. We've heard that the radios will be removed next month, and we're all sad about that. We enjoy listening and sometimes singing a little. F. and P. know nearly every song. As soon as a song starts, they'll say, usually in unison, "The Four Tops!" "Oh, that's Chicago." "Stevie Wonder..." F. and P. are quite different. F. is white; P. is black. F. likes country music; P. likes disco. P. sometimes has a girlfriend that he spends time with at the rec center. But the two men are very close. They have had to move to different group homes over the years, and so far they have been able to stay together. P. is higher functioning than F. He looks out for him. Before they lived in group homes, they resided in different institutions. P. said the staff was often mean to him. They would take his food away before he was finished. He endured worse than that, but those stories are his. I haven't asked permission to share them.

One day I knew a song that F. and P. didn't. I couldn't believe it. It was Dexy Midnight Runner's "Come on Eileen." A one hit wonder.

F. has a discman that he listens to a lot. Every few days he'll ask me to change the batteries for him. He'll carefully hand me the player and the batteries from his seat in the front; I sit in the back with J. and P. F.'s hands will flutter the whole time I'm working. He tries to be patient, because sometimes it takes me awhile to dig the batteries out and get the new ones in. One time I put the new batteries in wrong, so of course the discman wouldn't work. F. reminds me often that I got it wrong once. He's not being mean. Its just his way. He always says thank you. Even days later he'll say thank you. His birthday was in August. I gave him a ten pack of batteries. His boss at work gave him an Alan Jackson cd. He is an Alan Jackson fanatic.

P. listens to audio books. I often wonder why he has a menial job. He organizes the silverware at the restaurant. I don't know him that well of course, but I think he can do more than that.

I wouldn't necessarily call myself a morning person. Sometimes I feel frustrated by J.'s constant questions, and having no personal space during the last ten minutes or so of the ride. But usually I'm not bothered at all. I kind of feel like a sister to the boys. When J. gets in the car I make sure he puts his seat belt on. When I get out of the car, P. asks if I'm riding the next day. I let them know in advance if I'm going to be out of town or taking the day off. They get upset too when the schedulers change up the routes. Our driver will usually tell me, "The boys missed you yesterday." Every day both P. and F. admonish J. not to move over until I am out of the car. "Wait J.! Wait!" they say protectively. "Don't push her out."

We take care of each other.

librarianintx

Transitioning to College blog

http://blog.govdelivery.com/usodep/2010/09/transitioning-from-high-school-to-college-students-with-disabilities.html

By Guest Blogger Jean Ashmore, President, Association on Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD)

It’s the time of year again when yellow school buses are on the roads, uniforms and school supplies are everywhere, and students and parents alike are excited and anxious about a new school year. Those years when a student switches schools are particularly salient, with much to be learned and encountered in the new school. This is especially true when a young person transitions to college. All college students bring along academic and social experiences and lots of expectations and concerns – none more, in my thinking, than students with disabilities. Let me share some particulars on why college transition may be extra challenging for students with disabilities and give some suggestions to help make this time a success.

One of the greatest factors impacting a move from high school to college for students, who have received special education services during K-12, is that the laws regarding disability assistance differ substantially between primary and secondary educational systems. In providing resources and services for students with disabilities, colleges are guided by Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), both of which focus on non-discrimination and rights of access.

On the other hand, special education in public schools follows the provisions of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), which mandates what is to be done for students identified with disabilities that adversely impact their education. These differences can result in a student with a disability being disappointed and frustrated in college. At the college level, course requirements are not modified as they sometimes are in high school, homework isn’t reduced, tests are not routinely modified and for the most part, professors aren’t notified by the college about a student’s accommodation needs before classes begin. Note, I use the word “accommodations,” not modifications.

In college, accommodations are not modifications. Accommodations aid a student in accessing courses and tests, dormitory living, etc., but success is up to the student. That might sound harsh, but when you really think about it, it’s wonderful. This means in college, a student with a disability does the same work as his or her peers, earns grades of the same value, establishes himself or herself as a student heading to a good future rather than a person defined by a disability.

Because a disability may result in functional limitations for a student, the college will provide reasonable accommodations to reduce the impact of those limitations. Let’s say a person has a disability resulting in the inability to read print efficiently. Working with the student, the college’s disability resource office will explore what the student needs, such as large print, Braille, electronic texts etc. and then will work on providing those accommodations. Notice that the reading material and tests will be the same but the means the student uses to access them may be different. This is not Special Education under IDEA, rather this is at the heart of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) as recently amended – providing access so a person with a disability can learn, work and live a full and productive life.

So if the laws governing college are based on non-discrimination and the provision of access through reasonable accommodations, and the laws covering K-12 Special Education are quite different and provide for things not covered by colleges, such as school buses, personal care attendants and modified curriculums, what’s a transitioning student with a disability to do?

First of all, educate yourself about how the differences between high school and college will impact you. Understand your disability and learn to self advocate. If you’re not sure about how to be a self advocate, talk to your parents and teachers. Practice giving a brief “info bite” with people you know to develop confidence for when you need to discuss things like accommodations at your university. Don’t let others do this for you – remember the great saying, “not about us without us.” Being defined by your interests, personality and accomplishments rather than those “dis” things is where you want to be. I really hope you’ve chosen your college because of what it offers academically. It’s important to know about the college’s disability resources, but check those after you know that the school matches your interests.

College can be likened to a job with certain KSAs – knowledge, skills and abilities. Having the right KSAs will make college successful for all students, but especially those with disabilities.

K – knowledge of what disability resources and services are available at the college and how the system works, knowledge of what you need and why and knowledge of your goals.

S – skills with adaptive technology (exposure and training on AT should happen in high school), skills in talking with people about your needs and skills to follow a schedule you develop.

A – ability to work hard to do the academic work, ability to self-advocate and a very important ability, being independent as a college student regardless of the supports or accommodations that you may need.

Although many of these suggestions are geared toward a student who has a disability, I think these words can also be helpful to parents and others inquiring about higher education for students with disabilities. College is the gateway to good careers and lifestyle options that everyone aspires to, but I would venture to say that college is essential for individuals with disabilities, especially those with profound disabilities. Unfortunately, employment statistics of people with disabilities are woefully poor. While a college education will not guarantee solid employment, it definitely will help in that direction.

In my own experiences as a director at a university disability resource department, I’ve met some of the most incredible students. Future doctors, engineers, musicians, teachers, lawyers and so many other exciting careers. The challenges for an engineering student who is blind may seem overwhelming to others but to that student, it’s business as usual – ‘What’s the assignment?’; ‘How will I do it?’; ‘What do I need to get it done?’; ‘When am I going to do it considering everything I need to and want to do?’…voila! The work gets done and a well earned grade results. The student who reads books auditorily or who devotes lots of time to reading print just does that to get the job done. For these students, their learning strategies have incorporated functional elements linked to their disabilities. They do not define them – they are simply the methods these students use to achieve their goals.

There are some great resources about college transition for students with disabilities. The Department of Education‘s brochure, “Students with Disabilities Preparing for Postsecondary Education: Know Your Rights and Responsibilities” (http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/transition.html) is a good place to start.

My professional association, AHEAD (www.ahead.org), has a number of helpful resources, too. Add a copy of 100 Things Every College Student with a Disability Ought to Know by Johnson and Hines to those KSAs, and the student will be well poised for success. I can’t recall if the 100 Things book recommends it, but I’ll end this post with “know how to do or get laundry done (without Mom)!” Here’s to a great school year for everyone.

Jean Ashmore is the President of the Association on Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD) and the former director of Disability Support Services at Rice University where she lectured in Education Certification. With backgrounds in rehabilitation and school counseling, Ashmore’s career has entailed working with people with disabilities in various settings.

Posted by Stephanie B on Sep 7, 2010 8:45:49 PM in Education, Guest Blogger

End of article/blog

Transition is one of my key interests in the work that I do. Transition is so important for students with disabilities, and in my opinion teachers, counselors, and parents are still not doing enough to prepare students for the changes they will face when leaving high school. I received very little transition assistance when I was leaving high school, so I now endeavor to assist students and parents during this important time in their lives.

librarianintx