The Meaning of MLK Day~

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr continues inspiring me toward equality and civil rights for all disabled as disability knows no racial, cultural barriers. Thank you, Dr. King for demonstrating action oriented dreams and for your sacrifices toward leaving our world with deeper unity awareness.

http://www.thekingcenter.org/meaning-king-holiday

Living Life to the Best of Your Possibility

‘You can judge a nation by how it treats its most vulnerable’ ~ Aristotle

Victoria Kaloss

Let’s Help Wheelchair-bound citizens FLY~~

I posted about having signed this petition to create accessibility on airlines for the disabled.
Too many Living Life to the Best of Your Possibility blog posts headline trials over travel.
Below is the link to the petition:
Wheelchair Access On Commercial Airlines – has been developed.
http://petitions.moveon.org/sign/wheelchair-access-on?source=s.fwd&r_by=2278553

———————————-Update—————————————————–
In an email from the powerhouse advocate on Wednesday, August 27, 2014
From the powerhouse advocate;
Vicki Jurney-Taylor
Converse, Texas

vjurneytaylor@gmail.com

Now, it’s really important that we get more visibility for this issue. Can you please take a moment to write a quick letter to the editor? Decision-makers regularly read letters to the editor to see what residents are talking about.
You don’t need to write a lot. Your letter should be no more than a few sentences and it should reiterate the main message of the petition, which is:
“Please push the Federal Aviation Administration and Congress to require airlines to provide designated wheelchair accessible spaces on every commercial aircraft, which will allow passengers to remain safely seated in their personal wheelchairs.”

You might also like to relay any personal accounts of inaccessibility that you may have encountered while flying, as personal stories have more impact.
Click here to find your local newspaper and submit your letter:http://civ.moveon.org/lte?campaign_id=132&id=100425-25921480-lI3d42x&t=2
Thank you for making your voice heard on this important issue.
–Vicki
_____________________________________________________________

Thanks everyone!
We’ll be flying toward our greatest possibilities with your help.

Handicapped Heat Up Headlines

Dead air time, white noise and white space be damned!

The disabled sizzled the week with three newsworthy handicapped headlines aka: unprecedented exposure.

1. Via Facebook, a shared news story headline:

Oh, yes they did…… read all about the dirty mess on a Georgian museum’s reputation by clicking the provided link below.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2358899/Disabled-girl-denied-access-museum-wheelchair-carpets-dirty.html

2. The Colbert Report, with host Stephen Colbert, Comedy Central station on basic cable, interviewed author, Andrew Solomon for the release of his new book, Far From the Tree

The book highlights parents’ journeys of exceptional children ranging from severe disabilities to prodigies.

While Mr. Solomon used the word ‘exceptional’ to describe the children, Mr. Colbert used the word ‘special.’

**I recommended on The Colbert Report Official Website to use three words; members of humanity.

You can watch the episode by using the link below;
http://www.colbertnation.com/video/disabled

You can read about Andrew Solomon’s, Far From the Tree, by using this link;
http://www.farfromthetree.com/

3. HBO Documentary, Miss You Can Do It, premiered on June, 24th. I recorded the premiere channel listing. July 13th, my sister and I boosted by the progressive determination of the Miss You Can Do It annual beauty pageant for girls and young women with disabilities.

The pageant founder, Abbey Curren, became the first woman with a disability to win Miss Iowa 2008 in the Miss America Beauty Pageant™.

She organizes this event, unsponsored. Abbey Curren endorses positivity over disability for both the girls and their parents.

The Director, Ron Davis, captures the contestants’ inner-beauty, inner-conflict. His film reaches into parents’ joys and sorrows, all hoping for a constructive societal shifts in perspective toward people living with disabilities.

These three ‘Handicapped Headliners’ unveiled my dream, my vision, my mission establishing the disabled onto the world stage as authentically equal members of humankind:

“All Inclusive, All the Time, No Disability Left Behind”

The media left the disabled behind unless a sensational story developed. Sensational stories fade.

Memorable moments shine far and wide.

Prior to the hot headlines my dream scope spanned in milliseconds.

Prior to last week, my DVR saves three personally significant shining millisecond moments.

1. Master Chef Finale; 2012 – Winner Christine Ha crowned first blind Master Chef.

2. Master Chef Episode 9 – Pressure Test 3; Co-competitor Josh Marks cups and guides the hands of blind home cook, Christine Ha during a visual presentation on ‘how to make homemade tortellini.’

**I wrote Fox thanking executive staff for not cutting the episodic millisecond.

3. 2012 London Summer Olympic Opening Ceremony; Promoted a deaf percussionist, a deaf and hard of hearing children’s choir making certain to include the wheelchair-bound singers in the shot and focusing on a wheelchair-bound dancer performing on stage beside fellow dancers. I wept into my sister’s arms after watching that millisecond.

**I wrote to Danny Boyle thanking him for his all-encompassing visionary production.

My gloriously short, sweet dream realized, now expands!

I recharge, ravenous for enriched shining moments.

Do you have any dreams realized? Any awaiting realization?

Feel free to share!

Warmly,
Victoria Kaloss
Living Life to the Best of Your Disability
‘All Inclusive, All the Time
No Disability Left Behind’

**No replies to date.

Clear Fog

I watched the Atlantic Ocean fog follow me as I drove home from the rheumatologist’s office.  Good news, normal liver enzyme functions on the blood work report.  The vapor had traveled inland, followed me home. And like a good witch, I nestled between the sheets, pillows plumped and adjusted to my joints’ specifications-just so-a relieved exhale buttered my muscles and hazed my mind.

I saw myself sitting in my office.  Not my current home office with the flat screen monitor facing the front yard view of taxis shrubs, holly sapling and ink berry bushes the mocking birds and catbirds delightfully snack upon. 

The other home office with a floor to ceiling wall of glass facing the open waters.  A full view of turquoise, periwinkle sea. 

 

Cloudless sky frames the upper portion of my picture windows.  My glass desk with chrome has a wireless tablet.  I place my lit cigarette in a clear glass ashtray.  Smoke ringlets form and I type away.  His hand touches my shoulder.  He does that frequently, whoever he is-just gently, ever so gently touches me on the right shoulder from behind.  I heard bells. 

So here I sit on the green couch in the living room looking out of the window viewing the dogwood branches wiggling from wind and rain, writing down the vision of the clear sea, the clear sky and the clear goal.

Oh, I can hardly wait for the next fog that rolls from the Atlantic Ocean, to my home and to my dreams.