Blog (13 wpm)
…turning thoughts into print 13 words per minute
Extra! Extra! Read the transcript of Virtual Launch
I have been attempting to condense the video so I can upload it but it's not working now. Can you tell I am a Gen Xer that struggles with technology? Here is the Facebook link at least. But below is also the transcript in case you're interested!. But sales have been going well I think. Thank you everyone for helping me! I am proud to announce that I am now an Amazon bestseller! Here's the...
My first podcast!
Check out my first podcast, discussing My Unexpected Life: Finding Balance Beyond My Diagnosis https://www.disabilityrap.org/disability-rap-2023-09-04/
Models of disability
No, I'm not referring to lanky men or women sitting in their wheelchairs looking alluring in an advertisement for Tammy Hillfiger’s adaptive, clothing line. I am referring to three basic ways to look at disability. The medical model, the charity model, and the social model. First, let's look at the medical model. This is probably the most typical way people grew up learning about disability....
Can I NOT write about disability?
Apparently not since I just typed the word. Plus today is the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act. (ADA)--something definitely recognizable. But I do want to stray a little from my usual topic. Like millions of others this past weekend oh, I went to the movies. I decided to take a break from the endless emails. I seem to be sending out looking for opportunities to publicize my...
Jury duty
“What is she doing that for? She shouldn’t do that in her condition!” That is how my mom’s friend reacted when she found out I had been picked to be a juror for a two-week criminal trial a month ago. “What, does she think that when you started using a wheelchair, you lost your intelligence?” Mom said. I laughed, knowing the sentiment is held by many. Because my body is different, so must be my...
Cover Reveal and Blurb
It's official! Here is the cover of My Unexpected Life: Finding Balance Beyond My Diagnosis. It will be released on September 7, 2023. Here is the blurb... Jennifer Gasner is seventeen when her dreams are shattered overnight. Receiving a diagnosis of Friedreich’s Ataxia, a rare genetic neuromuscular disease, means she must prepare herself for a life of loss. When she starts college, she can...
The passing of Judy Heumann, disability rights activist
Where would I and the millions of others with disabilities be without Judy Heumann? I shudder to think. I was not even three when she was part of the 28-day non-violent sit-in at a federal building in San Francisco to get Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 enforced. 504 prohibited discrimination of people with disabilities at any place that got federal money....read more in my...
I’m back…
I know it’s been a while… what can I say? I’ve been a little distracted by my book. Today’s post may seem a little erratic and all over the place. I haven’t been here in so long that I will try to write this on the spot and publish it right away rather than go through my critique process. Basically, what I’m saying is lower your expectations. Happy 2023! It’s strange to think that I will be 50...
Authenticity
I have been re-reading my posts, and I wonder if I am being truly authentic. I know I am truthful. I am proud to be disabled, annoyed by the views people have of people with disabilities, and have shared some of the frustration that happens with Friedreich’s ataxia. But it feels very surface like I’m not going deep enough. I’m going to explore this topic a bit. Authenticity is a buzzword of...
I’m proud
Recently, I was looking through old pictures trying to find some image to potentially integrate into the cover of my upcoming memoir, My Unexpected Life: Finding Balance Beyond My Diagnosis. I contemplated whether or not to use a photo where I was walking solo, with my walker, or using my wheelchair. I was a little surprised to see that when I used a walker, (21-26), it hardly ever appeared. I...
Disability Pride Month
I was 17 when the Americans with Disabilities Act, (ADA), was signed by President George H. W. Bush in July 1990. While I don’t remember the specific words, images of me standing in our summer sun-lit living room pausing to enjoy the cool breeze coming from the air-conditioning remain. With my eyes closed, I heard the voice of ABC’s World News Tonight. Pots and pans cluttered on the other side...
COVID, part II
continued at the ER... Ten minutes later, I sat in the x-ray room. The middle-aged, male technician’s demeanor was cautious—he did his best to keep his distance. “Can you move your armrests up?” He said. I did so. “Ok. Now lean forward, put your arms up, and can you hold your necklace up in your mouth? I need to get a clear image of your lungs.” Seriously? For anyone who has FA or any...
