Tuesday, January 20, 2009

A Report on Idaho State Independent Living Conference January 13-16,2009



Last week I attended the Idaho State Independent Living Conference in Boise. The theme this year "We Are Family, Our Time to Shine!" The activities empowered people with disabilities and their family to interact and network with all who attended. Not only did I learn I have the opportunity to discuss situations that clarified many things.

Wednesday 1-14-09 There was a general session with Jonathan Mooney, keynote speaker, a writer with dyslexia who did not learn to read until he was 12 years old. In 2000 he graduated from Brown University received an honors degree in English Literature. He is the founder and president of Project Eye-to-Eye for students with learning differences. He has also won the Truman Scholarship for graduate studies in disability studies and social change.

Thursday 1-15-09 We had Paul Dziedzic the Coordinator of the Center of Continuing Education and Rehabilation. He had all of us divide into our districts to discussed our wants. When we finished talking we submitted our ideas to Marilyn Sword to type up so we could communicate these in a Legistative Manner. At 1:00 we were helped by Boise Police from Boise Center to the Capitol Annex.

On Friday1-16-09 We were introduced to Scott Cooper who has been traveling the U.S. sharing his son history project which chronicles the history of the Disabilities Movement. Mr Cooper has been appearing at Independent Living Conferences conducting personal interview in order to share individual inspirational stories. He made an American Flag out of feathers and beads wrapped with raw hide and called them story sticks.

Thursday, January 8, 2009

What I did Last Night 1-8-09

When I got off work yesterday after work, the van pick me up and then we picked up Toby We took him home first and then Ted took me home.


After I got home I took my usual nap until 3:30. I got up and watched T..V. until Ann came. When she got there I told her that we needed to go to my car's insurance company because they didn't sent my card to put in my car. We went there and they gave me temporary paper until my new card come. Then we went to the mall until about 7:00 .

While I was wheeling around I saw that they had 50% off of this years calendars. My Dad is a big Green Bay Packers Fan and they had one calendar to put on table. We took it to him.

Then we home and had dinner. We read for a while out of history book and watched T.V. and went then I went to bed.

Wednesday, January 7, 2009

What I did Last Night 1-6-09

The snow will not slow me down! When I got to work yesterday morning there were cars parked in front of the office door, so the van driver let me off down at the end of sidewalk. Disabilities Action Center, where I have my computer, is three doors down. When the van picked me up he park by my office, but the driver had to shovel bit so the lift could come down. After we got to home helped me in my house.

Then I took a nap for a hour and when I got up I watched T.V. until my provider came. I am having my provider read a book on world history every night. I miss a lot of subjects when I went to school because they took me out for speech and physical therapy.

After that Ann fix me some dinner and we watched T.V. until bed.

Tuesday, January 6, 2009

What I did over Christmas break

My last day of work December 17 2008. When I got to work that day I got an email from Marolyn Sword that they would have a telephone conference for Governors Conference from 2:00 t0 4:30. I called in, and learned that Grovenor Otter of Idaho is cutting 1% across the board. The biggest thing is he taking away programs for children with disabilities.

So I spend the first part of my Christmas break writing to Governor Otter to tell him that I live in my own apartment and I have providers that come in and help with everyday living.

Then it was Christmas and I may out great. I got a new comforter for my bed, new sliverware two pillows, one for my bed and one for the living room. When I am home I lay on floor to watch T.V so I need a pillow in the living room.

For the past two weeks we had some amazing snow. six feet in spokane and that broke all the records of snow fall. I was stuck at home from December 28 to January 1. I was home because of snow. Using a wheel chair in northern Idaho in winter time can be a huge problem!!

hope everyone had a good holicay.