Ever since I can remember, I’ve loved art in some form. My favourite thing as a kid was having a fresh notebook or sketchbook with a pack of pens, pencils, or crayolas. In class, like most artsy kids, I was chided for doodling, but it was the only way for me to focus when a subject or teacher didn’t engage me. (I know now, thanks to Autism.) I dressed eccentrically, I was the owner of many Gellyrolls by Sakura, and whenever an adult could take me to Suncoast (RIP) or to the local comic book shop for manga or anime, I was thrilled.
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It's the little things: Tamagotchi
Being both physically disabled and Autistic, it is no small task discovering adaptive hobbies marking every one of the following categories: accessible, mainstream-available, mainstream-loved, and also a Special Interest. The least necessary are the ones having to do with the mainstream, but they are icing due to increased overall social enjoyment and my ability to access them. In the rare freaking coincidence this happens, the brain sirens are a-ringin’. I want to share my love for whatever it is with the world.
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When We Have Nowhere Left to Go...[Podcast]
Hello, Sparkly Society. It’s been a while since we have done a Disability News! Welcome back. If you’re reading this on our blog, yes, common sense has finally kicked in, and this is the accessibility Frill-Ability has needed. (It took me a while. I am sorry.) Our long podcasting break has been due to my own health and disability. On Tuesday, September 19, I had my final Spinal Cord Stimulator surgery. I’m an electricity producing cyborg now, very exciting stuff.
Despite being holed up in bed, the following story quite literally ejected me out of my little pillow-fort two weeks ago in rage. Even if “everything turns out fine” and “it will never get passed” like people say when issues do not affect them, the ramifications of the following are very serious.
We have covered articles about Medicaid cuts. This is worse. Congress is trying to rip apart ADA, specifically Title III. The article reporting on the issue is entitled, “The Quiet Attack on the ADA Making Its Way through Congress” by Eliza Schultz, Rebecca Cokley, and Rebecca Vallas of the Center for American Progress.
To my friend Paul...
Dear Paul,
Thank you for being kind, for loving people without reservation. Thank you for loving unconditionally. Today, those are the rarest qualities a human could have. You sought to understand even when others did not understand you.
Thank you for being a teacher. You gave us power, hope, and strength. Thank you for allowing yourself to be soft in a hard world. Thank you for never taking crap. You kicked ass literally, figuratively, and when you missed, you knew how to laugh at yourself.
edit by ElleJay Volpe, stock images by Innvo Labs
Robotics for Well-Being
This is Pleo Rb, a real robot that can learn, "think," and respond to a variety of stimuli. To mimic, on a micro level, the human brain, Pleo and many other intelligent robots are programmed with neural networks. A neural network is a system of "synthetic neurons" programmed to receive any number of inputs, process the information, and spit out a number of outputs.
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Free and Low Cost Healthcare
Frill-Ability has been absent for quite some time because honestly, I couldn’t find the enthusiasm to write with the seemingly infinite amount of human rights issues plaguing the world and the United States. I thought to myself, what kind of real difference could I make? A huge issue that I might be facing and many others already are is the loss of insurance. This is a death sentence for the disabled and chronically ill community.
One skill I do have is the power of research, and now is a time that we need to take advantage of our community’s amazing resources. We just don’t always know they are there. For example, there are free or low-cost clinics all over the nation who assist low-income and uninsured populations. (even veterinary care! ...coming soon...) I have tasked myself with eventually creating a master list for at least one or two per state, so that you can come here and find what you need.
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