Journal Entries

My friend Mary

I'm here today with my friend Mary -- she wanted to see how to create an entry and use lots of cool smilies and stuff. So here we go -- whee!!!!!!

smiley - cheerupsmiley - magicsmiley - coolsmiley - biggrin

Discuss this Journal entry [1]

Latest reply: Sep 14, 2002

New smileys == tee hee!

I'm Mikey the Humming Mouse!

smiley - musicalnotesmiley - esuomsmiley - mousesmiley - musicalnote
smiley - musicalnotesmiley - esuomsmiley - mousesmiley - musicalnote
smiley - musicalnotesmiley - esuomsmiley - mousesmiley - musicalnote
smiley - musicalnotesmiley - esuomsmiley - mousesmiley - musicalnote
smiley - musicalnotesmiley - esuomsmiley - mousesmiley - musicalnote

Discuss this Journal entry [1]

Latest reply: Aug 21, 2002

My life is not a Hallmark card or a made-for-TV movie or a book from Oprah's book club

You know, there's all these "inspirational" books and movies and whatnot about people with chronic (or terminal) illnesses and disabilities. And they all seem to have this common theme -- "I may have XYZ, but I can still do anything anyone else can do, I just have to try a little harder."

And you know, I'm all for raising public awareness about the fact that people with chronic illness or disabilities don't need to be completely cut off from the rest of life, and can still enjoy the same kinds of things everyone else does, and can still succeed in many areas.

But I think in some ways, it may have gone too far. It's reached the point where people have made me feel inadequate because I'm not doing anything heroic. There seems to be this conception (largely fostered by daytime TV and made-for-TV-movies) that "God only gives disabilities to people who are extra-strong and extra-brave" or that "people with chronic illnesses are here on Earth to show the rest of the world how to live bravely". What a crock of s**t.

I may be disabled, but I'm not running a marathon, or climbing a mountain, or zipping to the top of my field. In fact, it's in part *because* of my disability that I'm not doing these things. There was a time in my life when I ran 10-20K races pretty frequently -- I now have problems walking 20 meters. There was a time in my life when I used to take Girl Scout troops on hiking and camping trips every month -- now I just sit back and teach other adults how to do it. There was a time in my life when I could work 60-hour weeks and go to school full-time on the side. Now it's a struggle to stay awake long enough to work full-time and take one class.

And you know, by "normal" standards, I'm leading a pretty good life. I have a masters degree, a good job, and I'm considered good at my job. I do volunteer work on a regular basis. I go to church, I hang out with my friends.

And yet I have family and friends who accuse me of "using my disability as an excuse" for not "living my life to the fullest". And then, inevitably, they hand me an "inspirational" book, and tell me to watch Oprah.

You see, I'm having a hard enough time adapting my life to the fact that there are many things which I just *can't* do anymore. And to have people tell that it's because I'm a "quitter" or because I'm "just not trying hard enough" is really, really painful. And frankly, I'm in enough pain as it is.

smiley - blue
Mikey

Discuss this Journal entry [1]

Latest reply: Feb 22, 2002

fumefumefumefumefume

smiley - crosssmiley - illsmiley - grrsmiley - martianfrownsmiley - injuredsmiley - steamsmiley - yuksmiley - alienfrownsmiley - crosssmiley - illsmiley - grrsmiley - martianfrownsmiley - injuredsmiley - steamsmiley - yuksmiley - alienfrownsmiley - crosssmiley - illsmiley - grrsmiley - martianfrownsmiley - injuredsmiley - steamsmiley - yuksmiley - alienfrownsmiley - crosssmiley - illsmiley - grrsmiley - martianfrownsmiley - injuredsmiley - steamsmiley - yuksmiley - alienfrown
smiley - bleepsmiley - bleepsmiley - bleepsmiley - bleepsmiley - bleep
smiley - grrsmiley - grrsmiley - grrsmiley - grrsmiley - grr
smiley - bleepsmiley - grrsmiley - bleepsmiley - grrsmiley - bleepsmiley - grrsmiley - bleepsmiley - grrsmiley - bleepsmiley - grr

Mikey, the Angry Mouse

Discuss this Journal entry [2]

Latest reply: Jan 16, 2002

woo hoo!

Well, I've finally done it. I've reached the point where the "medium" crossword puzzles are too pointlessly easy, and I can generally complete the "hard" ones and even enjoy trying the "expert" ones. Sounds sad, I know, but I used to really suck at these -- crossword puzzles have always seemed to assume this stock of general knowledge that I simply don't have (especially in the areas of history and entertainment).

smiley - smiley
Mikey

Discuss this Journal entry [1]

Latest reply: Jul 29, 2001


Back to Mikey the Humming Mouse - A3938628 Learn More About the Edited Guide!'s Personal Space Home

Mikey the Humming Mouse - A3938628 Learn More About the Edited Guide!

Researcher U99875

Former Guru
25 Edited Entries
University Researcher

Write an Entry

"The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is a wholly remarkable book. It has been compiled and recompiled many times and under many different editorships. It contains contributions from countless numbers of travellers and researchers."

Write an entry
Read more