Sorry for the lack of posting yesterday. There seemed to be some sort of clog at my end of the internet tubes. Hopefully, the Drano that I poured into my cable line solved the problem. You can recall the search teams. More soon.
Jul 302007
Jul 282007
This summer’s concert season hasn’t intrigued me much, aside from the Prince show. But this fall offers a veritable feast of performances for the discriminating music snob. Metric. Arcade Fire. Stars. And the return of my personal indie idols The New Pornographers on October 16. I may have to get a second job as a gold farmer on World of Warcraft to fund my ticket purchases.
Jul 272007
It’s Friday night, so why not slip into something more comfortable and check out the latest Disability Blog Carnival on the topic of sexuality. I thought about contributing a post, but I thought it better to spare my regular readers another anecdote about my innumerable erotic adventures. I mean, I can only tell the one about sharing a rooftop Jacuzzi with triplet exotic dancers in Miami before it starts to get stale. And the only reason I’m sitting here at my computer on a Friday night is because I’m saving up my energy for a marathon session of debauchery tomorrow evening with a couple of Brazilian nursing students.
…
Listen, this little exercise in self-delusion isn’t going to work if you’re just going to sit there and smirk. I thought you were my friend. Not cool, man. Not cool.
Jul 262007
The Americans with Disabilities Act was signed into law seventeen years ago today. I’ve lived in a post-ADA world for half my lifetime. People with disabilities in my generation came of age just as the ADA was enacted and we have tested the law’s promises against the realities of our own experiences. Under its auspices, growing numbers of us have sought out higher education. But relatively few of us manage to find gainful employment. The local cinemas and shopping malls are usually accessible, but some courthouses still are not. Don’t get me wrong; the ADA is landmark legislation and it has certainly improved my life in innumerable ways both grand and small. But as our predecessors in the civil rights know so well, we must remember to keep our eyes on the prize. The ADA points the way to a more equal society, but we still have a long march ahead of us.
Jul 252007
Here’s a music video about two star-crossed lovers: a beautiful blonde woman and a young man with Down’s Syndrome. The video strikes just the right tone: bittersweet but not maudlin. I particularly liked the treatment of the woman’s standoffish best friend. Thanks to BoingBoing for the tip (and mad propz to the BB team for being so clued into the disability scene).
And I just e-mailed the Current DJ to correct him on a poetry reference he made. Despite my best intentions over the years, I can never seem to completely suppress my know-it-all tendencies.
Jul 242007
Natasha Wood is a British woman with spinal muscular atrophy who is currently on the road with a one-woman play entitled “Rolling with Laughter“. I can’t speak to its quality, but the LA Weekly gave it a decent review. Too bad she isn’t making a stop in Minneapolis. She could probably get a sizable audience here.
I’m also beginning to think that one of the symptoms of SMA is attention-seeking behavior.
Jul 232007
I’ve now hung on to this planet for thirty-four revolutions around the sun. I’ll be having a party in a couple weeks to commemorate the occasion with friends, but I’m feeling reflective at the moment. What have I accomplished with my life? What does my future hold?
Hang on, there’s someone at the door.
How strange. A rather attractive woman in a police uniform has just walked in here and told me I’ve been a very bad boy. I’d better figure out exactly what she wants. Thanks to everyone who has sent me birthday wishes.
Jul 222007
According to a recent report, the desktop computer may become as dated in the next few years as console televisons. Instead, notebook computers and palmtops will become the preferred tool for accessing’s one’s e-mail, music files, and porn. Call me old-fashioned, but I like the greater expandability and customization that a desktop allows. I’m also influenced by the fact that my adaptive computer hardware isn’t easily portable, which makes notebooks somewhat useless to me. I suppose that could change in the future, but I’ll probably still prefer a desktop that I’ve built myself.
Jul 212007
I should probably avoid much of the internet for the next few days so as to keep myself ignorant of Harry Potter’s fate. I’ve read the first couple books and I do plan on eventually finishing the series, preferably without stumbling across any spoilers related to the finale. That’s going to be a challenge. After all, sticking one’s fingers in in one’s ears and chanting “la, la, la!” while surfing the web doesn’t really accomplish much.
Jul 202007
I met a friend earlier tonight at a restaurant in Seven Corners, which was my neighborhood for the first seven years I lived in Minneapolis. Even though it’s only a mile or so from downtown, I don’t have much reason to go there anymore. It’s primarily home to U of M students and the businesses that cater to them. Half a dozen eating and drinking establishments sit within a block and a half of each other. I always preferred Sgt. Preston’s because it has great outdoor seating and people-watching during the summer months. I remember going there once with this cute blonde law student on whom I had the worst crush. I couldn’t help it; she was smart, funny, and she wore leather pants to Health Law. I don’t get crushes like that anymore, but I’m glad she was one of them.