by Christine | Life, Observations
Handicapped? Yeah, right…
I used to judge people who parked in handicapped spaces and then step out jauntily from their sporty car. Most of these folks looked rich and entitled. They rarely looked disabled. Many of them, most likely, weren’t even handicapped. I mean, come on. UCLA football players were caught illegally obtaining handicapped parking placards in 1999, so it’s not like this is a new thing.
But then I became disabled. Or, rather, I gained a disability, as technically I’m not disabled. And while I don’t need a handicapped parking placard, I have come to realize that my disability is invisible, which brought me to the thought that there are many disabilities that are invisible.
As I’m also working on making my world as much a judgment-free zone (because judging people without all the facts is a pet peeve of mine), I decided this is one thing I can discuss from personal knowledge. (Okay, not the handicapped parking placard per se, but the invisible disability part.)
Losing hearing in one ear is a disability.
Like I said, it’s not one that comes with a handicapped parking placard, and it’s absolutely nothing when compared with total deafness. But not being able to echo-locate can be dangerous, mainly because I still think I can. For instance, I can’t always hear cars coming on my right side when I cross the street, so I have to be extra-vigilant. I can’t tell where gunfire is coming from (and in many areas of America, that’s damned important), or which direction a siren is coming from. A crowded, noisy room gives me a headache and makes me talk much louder than I normally would. Plus I have to turn my good ear toward the person speaking, so I can hear them – which often means I can’t SEE them when they talk, which can lead to awkward social interactions – until I confess my disability to the other party. (Okay, that last isn’t dangerous; it just has the possibility of being totally awkward.)
Other “Invisible” Disabilities
Other disabilities that might not be immediately apparent and that could require that handicapped parking placard are described as follows, from the Invisible Disabilities Association:
“The term invisible disabilities refers to symptoms such as debilitating pain, fatigue, dizziness, cognitive dysfunctions, brain injuries, learning differences and mental health disorders, as well as hearing and vision impairments. These are not always obvious to the onlooker, but can sometimes or always limit daily activities, range from mild challenges to severe limitations and vary from person to person.”
Now, granted, someone with cognitive dysfunctions (for instance) probably won’t be driving a car; but the point is, there are disabilities out there that are not noticeable, and that may require a handicapped placard. Or, you know, some compassion.
So what the hell am I asking here?
Think before you judge. Pretty please.
Think before you speak your mind to the person popping out of her expensive car in a handicapped parking spot. This might be her first pain-free day in weeks. Think before you cuss out someone who doesn’t get out of your way in the grocery store, even though you’ve said a polite “excuse me”. This may be his first foray into the world after surgery (which can leave the brain muddled for months). Think before you make fun of someone who doesn’t look/act/talk the way you do. They have as much right to live a happy life as you do.
And if you see a woman about to step into the path of an oncoming car, make sure to shout at her and get her attention. She just might not have heard that car coming up on her deaf side. (My thanks to the anonymous gardener in Studio City, who made sure I didn’t lose an argument with a speeding SUV last week.)
Live a compassionate life, people. In doing so, you’ll receive compassion, which is something all of us deserve.
)O(
So, what’s one of your pet peeves? I’d love to know!
by Christine | Observations, Writer Wednesday, Writing
Everyone’s doing boxed sets this year, several books bound together with one low, low price. This phenomenon has usually been in the romance world – sweet romances, country romances, sexy romances, gothic – well, you get my point.
Now, just in time for Father’s Day, Wolfpack Publishing has come out with a Western Boxed Set. Some authors you may know include Kat Martin, L.J. Martin, and Chet Cunningham (yes, my dad). So I’m VERY excited to share this with you.
Spread the word, grab the boxed set for your dad’s Kindle, and make my day. Here’s the blurb for it:
“NEW RELEASE SPECIAL $1.99 FOR A LIMITED TIME! 9 full length Western novels from America’s premier western writers – Western Writers of America Spur Award winners and runners up, NYT best selling authors. Frank Roderus, Robert Vaughn, Gary McCarthy, Chet Cunningham, Douglas Hirt, Kat Martin, L.J. Martin, Cliff Hudgins & Thom Nicholson. Over 650,000 words of fine western writing. Action, Adventure, Romance at its very best!”
This includes my dad’s book WADE’S WAR. So you see, you REALLY need to pick this up!
)O(
Thanks for dropping by! Who’s your favorite Western writer?
by Christine | Life, Observations
My dad had a devastating flood at his house. Apparently the toilet in the front bathroom (which had become something of a pain in the past decade) overflowed. And kept flowing. All night.
When he got up at 4 in the morning, there was 2 to 3 inches of water in his bathroom. The living room was flooded. Hallway. My old bedroom. Parts of his bedroom. Parts of the den.
People came out to cut carpet away and set up dehumidifiers. They were without water for a couple of days. When the insurance company folks came out, they said the tile under the carpet had to go as well. The tile? Asbestos. Yep. So now my dad can’t even live in the house until all the work is done. Oh, and the wallboards will have to be replaced, too. Two to three feet up.
So he and his caregiver are in a residence hotel about half an hour away from his house while the work goes on. My brother was there this past weekend, and took some photos.
Before and afters, coming right up…
Dad’s living room, pre-flood.
Post Flood
The closet where dad stores copies of his books. Yes, those are all his.
Cleaned out.
My room and the master bedroom sealed off due to asbestos floor tile.
One more – the hallway looking into the living room.
Sigh.
Everything changes. Even the house I grew up in. The last time I was down there, in May, I had taken tons of photos of the house – the photo wall, the kitchen, the garden, everything. Except when I got home, only two shots – of me and dad – had actually registered on the camera.
May, 2014
Here’s hoping the magic folks who are packing up my dad’s house and doing all the work it will take to make it habitable again do an amazing job, and that my dad is back in his home very soon.
Oh, and by the way – this is a public service announcement. If you don’t have homeowner’s insurance, OR renter’s insurance, get some. Trust me, it’s not money wasted. My dad has a $500 deductible which I’m sure has already been spent. Insurance is taking care of the rest.
Happy Monday. Count your blessings!
)O(
by Christine | Observations
Lovelies, I’m attaching Seema Sueko, the Assistant Artistic Director of Pasadena Playhouse’s email, below. If you can, PLEASE come – I might have a micro-read (one page) of my play that night afterwards. Plus, there’s FOOD. And DRINK! And if you come, I’ll hug you to pieces! It’s a week away!
Dear Friends,
Please join me on Friday, June 13, at The Pasadena Playhouse for a night of theater, networking and fun, all in the name of celebrating women playwrights and supporting gender parity in the performing arts.
The Pasadena Playhouse is producing the play
STONEFACE written by LA-Based female writer Vanessa Claire Stewart and starring her husband French Stewart. On Friday, June 13, the
LA FPI (Los Angeles Female Playwrights Initiative) is organizing a group to attend the performance to celebrate Vanessa. After the show, we’ll all go to the upstairs Carrie Hamilton
Theatre for food, drink, and Micro-Reads. Micro-Reads are quick, fun, one-page scripts, written by members of the LA FPI and read aloud by the cast of STONEFACE.
The entire evening costs only $28.00. That includes admission to STONEFACE and the Micro-Reads – that is 50%-off the regular ticket price.
Our goal is to demonstrate that producing plays by women is smart business. Did you know that in the field of nonprofit American
theater, approximately only 17% of the new plays produced are written by women? – and that’s not representative of the number of women playwrights. There’s an interesting article about this here:
http://www.giarts.org/article/discrimination-and-female-playwright.
I hope you’ll join me in supporting gender parity in theater on June 13. Here are all the details. Order your ticket soon as space is limited:
WHAT: LA FPI Night at The Pasadena Playhouse
WHEN: Friday, June 13, 2014
8:00 PM performance of STONEFACE, followed by Micro-Reads
WHERE: The Pasadena Playhouse
39 S. El Molino Avenue
Pasadena, CA 91101
TICKETS: $28.00
Click on the Tickets Icon
Follow the on screen instructions – Click on either seating section at right of screen
Select the brown seats (Rows Q, DD or EE) to get the exclusive $28 LA FPI ticket rate (this is 50% the regular rate)
You will receive a ticket confirmation when your booking is complete.
Be sure you only use this link to book your ticket. (If you use any other portal, your order won’t be part of the LA FPI group and you won’t get the discount and admission to the Micro-Reads).
Thank you!
Seema
—
Seema Sueko
Associate Artistic Director
The Pasadena Playhouse
Admin Office: 600 Playhouse Alley, Suite 300 | Pasadena, CA 91101
Theatre Address: 39 S. El Molino, Pasadena, CA 91101
Up Next:
STONEFACE
June 3 – June 29, 2014
by Christine | Observations, Writing
I know, I’ve been sporadic on my blogging again, so sorry. But something in me (or the universe) has shifted, and the words are getting demanding again. Projects are piling up, and I’m carving more time out of my downtime to getting the words done.
This time around, I’m hitting up coffee shops after work to grab an hour (or two, or more). It’s strange to come home after a session and be high on caffeine when I should be winding down for the night.
Cafe au lait at the JumpCut Cafe
Here’s the skinny. I’ve got two more books in a brand new contemporary romance series that I need to write this year. I’ve got two shorter, short novella-length stories I need to finish because they’re just cool – those are more along the paranormal lines. Plus, I have two more pieces – one novella and one novel – to finish to complete the first Caine Brothers series.
Hence, hiding in coffee shops. The JumpCut Cafe is in Studio City and is one of my favorite places to write, because I’ve been going there to write or talk about writing for over ten years, back when it was Lulu’s Beehive. The only bad thing? It closes at seven.
So for now, I’m haunting various Starbucks and Coffee Beans, looking for a non-chain cafe that stays open past nine.
In other news, I really need to start a Street Team…anyone interested out there? If so, let me know. And sooner or later I need to start a newsletter, too…there is just so much to do beyond the writing it’s scary, somewhat.
So if I miss posting here, you know why. Words. I’m getting them down as fast as I can.
)O(
Street Team! Interested? Let me know in the comments below. And if you’re not interested, that’s fine too – I know how busy we all are. Squishy hugs to you all!
by Christine | Observations, Wine Friday
Rose with Limoncello?
It’s hot out there. In my neck of the woods, anyway, it’s been hovering around 100 degrees.
(Amazing that it snowed last week in Colorado! WTF, Mother Nature?!!) And it’s not even Memorial Day, which kind of amazes me! Fortunately, you’ve got a week to plan some tasty drinks to go with your Memorial Day Cookout next week!
Typical White Wine Spritzer over at Martha Stewart
Memorial Day means to barbecue, or laze around the pool while someone else is barbecuing. When lazing (or barbecuing), your typical go-to sip might not be the right one in this blasted heat, which is why wine spritzers are Mother Nature’s go-to heat busting drink. (Oh, just go with it, lol!)
There’s the ever-classic white wine spritzer. Tall skinny glass, fill with ice, fill glass half way with white wine (I’d use a nice Sauvignon Blanc or maybe a Chenin Blanc, nothing too pricey); top up with soda water, add a lemon or lime wedge. Easy Peasy. If you want to get fancy about it, toss in a ball of cantaloupe or watermelon instead of the lemon or lime wedge, the way Martha Stewart likes to do.
Sauvignon Blanc and Raspberry Vodka?
How about some Sangria? No, I’m not talking about the pre-bottled stuff – get that right out of your head! Tasty Trials has several Sangria recipes, but the one that totally caught my interest is the Berry Sangria (and yes, it has Raspberry Vodka in it!). Doesn’t that look yummy? And how perfect for summer, sipping by the pool!
Go check out Tasty Trials. (I love this site so much I’m giving you 3 chances to find them, lol!) They have several different Sangria recipes that will put the whole ugly episode of that one summer night in the park with the bottle of gas station Sangria right out of your brain cells. Forever. Or maybe that was just me? Whatever…
Kitchen Treaty has a wonderful looking Strawberry Lemon Sangria – go check it out! For your visual pleasure, here’s a photo…
However you choose to cool down from the heat, remember to drink a glass of water for every glass of alcohol you drink. Alcohol and heat do NOT mix; it can be a fatal combination, so please be smart about your intake. Have a great weekend, my friends – stay cool!
)O(
Do you have a favorite wine cocktail recipe? Please share!
