by Tiff -

‘Iconic’ project needs disabled models

Have you ever wanted to try modeling and live in the UK (or can get there easily)?

There is an upcoming photography project looking for you, searching for disabled models (and absolutely no experience is necessary).

Elizabeth Waight, an able-bodied photographer in London, is the creative mind behind this exciting project which she has beautifully called ‘ICONIC?’ (the project has been copyrighted).

The purpose of the project: “To subvert the current obsession with physical perfection” by recreating iconic photographs (from the last 100 years), but using people with disabilities instead.

So far Elizabeth has already created a couple of images to get the public excited about her project.  My favorite is her recreation of the famous Steven Meisel black and white image of Madonna (where she’s lying on a white sheet, nude, smoking a cigarette).

She used Kelly Knox, a disabled model born with only one arm forearm, as the disabled representative of this image, and it turned out stunning. Read this entry

by Tiff -

Push Girls Episode 12 Review: Moving On

In episode 12, Mia and Tiphany go accessible apartment hunting so little miss Mia can get out of her grungy apartment and into a sexy “grown up” apartment she can be proud of. Not easy in LA, but is it anywhere really?

Watch the girls visit the Rose Bowl farmer’s market to find Mia some stylish new things for her place. Also, Chelsie’s back story with her dad gets spotlighted, with her beginning to feel some reluctance in doing her “don’t do what I did” speeches at high schools.

SPOILERS AHEAD ***

This episode begins with Mia in her apartment feeding her parakeet Chirpy.  We get the back story on Mia’s apartment. It’s “grungy;” has stained carpets from living there for five years and she can’t shut the bathroom door when she goes to the bathroom. “It doesn’t feel very inviting.  I don’t even like to be there,” she says.

Tiphany arrives to see Mia’s apartment for the first time.  You get to tour Mia’s apartment as Tiph rolls through, and if you ask me it’s really not that bad (except for the Persian rug over the carpet of course).

Mia tells the camera she’s not had people over because her place, “it’s not something I want to share with people.”

by Tiff -

Breaking barriers with wheelchair breakdance

Back in the year 2000, all you’d see online about wheelchair dance was wheelchair ballroom dance videos or maybe something on wheelchair ballet, but not anymore. Oh no.

Wheelchair dance has come a long way in the last decade, and Auti Angel of Push Girls, one of the best paralyzed hip-hop dancers in the world, has definitely helped make it more popular than ever. So we’ve uncovered a few others.

Mobile phone technology is the reason so much more wc-dance info is online, including the dozens of adapted dance videos that are available.

I’m always searching for videos that prove you can still be a dancer to be reckoned with even if you use a wheelchair, and these following videos do just that.

The first video profiles a young man from France paralyzed in a car accident.  He was a self proclaimed “b-boy” before his injury, so figuring out how to adjust his moves to his body wasn’t something he even needed to think about.

He has invented this leg-crossing method to get into some very cool moves. Watch him perform to Michael Jackson’s “Beat it” and do one of his coolest moves – a wheelchair somersault. Read this entry

by Tiff -

SCI Superstar: Marilyn Hamilton

When you were injured, what kind of wheelchair did you get?  A lightweight manual or a powerchair?  Either way, it sure wasn’t a 60 pound steel wheelchair.

Times have changed a lot since ancient wheelchairs were made (praise God!), and we have Marilyn Hamilton thank for it, the co-founder of Quickie Wheelchairs.

A driven businesswoman, Marilyn, 63, is without question one of the most successful people with spinal cord injuries in the corporate world.  Her insatiable desire for success is what catapulted her to where she is today, and where she is, is pretty dang exciting. Read this entry

by Tiff -

Push Girls Episode 11 Review: Breaking the Ice

In episode 11, the girls get to do one of the best adrenaline rushes you can still get when paralyzed – downhill skiing. They head to Big Bear, Cali for the classic weekend ski getaway.

Tiphany and Chelsie have fun rating hot men during the road trip there, Chelsie can’t calm her nerves before she skis and Angela has so much fun she can’t stop smiling. Also, watch Mia prove paraplegics can conquer the top bunk!

SPOILERS AHEAD ***

The episode begins with a flurry of activity at Angela’s house – all four girls are there, plus Chelsie, to pack for their trip to Big Bear (Auti’s idea. She’s the only one in the group who has gone adapted skiing before).

Both Chelsie and Tiphany have gone skiing before their injuries, but Chelsea is definitely the most scared to go.  She tried snowboarding her first time a month before her injury, and talks about how she’s afraid it won’t be the same.

Angela thinks it’ll be scary. “Come on a quadriplegic skiing?” Mia says this is the first time she’s ever gone skiing, and I think she kind of likes it that way.  We get a cute shot of Angela and her 25 year old boyfriend (she’s 37), and calls herself a “cougar kitty.”

Their relationship is definitely getting stronger.  Cody says learning to be with Angela has been an amazing growth process. “I had to battle immaturity to be her boyfriend,” he says.

by Tiff -

Push Girls Episode 10 review: Out of Control

In episode 10, Auti’s overbearing nature is spotlighted. She and Eric mix words while recording tracks for their new CD, and the Colours ‘n Motion dance crew butt heads after Chelsie and Mia get sick of doing the same old routine. Tiphany also takes Chelsie mini-golfing!

SPOILERS AHEAD ****

This episode begins with Chelsie getting dropped off at Tiphany & Angela’s house.  Chelsie is staying at the house because she’s in town for an upcoming performance with the Colors n’ Motion dance crew.  The dance team is scheduled to perform at an “abilities event” at a nearby aquarium that weekend.  Tiphany shows off her luggage pushing method with her footrests.  Man that girl has some upper body strength.

Tiphany shares how much she values her relationship with Chelsie, hoping she can be a good mentor to her since Chelsie was injured only two years ago and is just 19.  After Chelsie arrives, the show goes into the close relationship Tiphany and Chelsie have created since they’re so alike in personalities.

“She’s like my older sister that I never had,” says Chelsie. “You are so tan,” Tiphany says as she looks over Chelsie once they get into the house. “And you’re so hot.  Why are you so hot?” she asks with a smile, and they laugh. A fashion side note, Tiphany sure

by Tiff -

Podcast #88: Jeff Charlebois, Cali comedian goes country

In podcast #88 of No Free Rides, Tiffiny is joined by Jeff Charlebois, a quadriplegic copywriter turned comedian who’s performed at over 150 colleges.

Jeff is also a writer of several genres, including his latest dabble, country music song writing, and he shares his latest tune “Cougar Style” (oh yeah; a hilarious must listen).

by Tiff -

Self-defense, wheelchair style

Have you seen the episode of Celebrity Death match with the tough (and heavily tattooed) quad rugby player, Mark Zupan? He pretty much kicked Chris Pontius’ butt, and it was awesome.

It’s about time the world saw that wheelchair-users can have mad self defense skills. There are a ton of us out there, and you’ll find us at every level of ability (I still have a ways to go).

We can have great upper-body strength, so hey, shouldn’t be all that surprising right? And the following two videos you’re about to see are the BEST of the best when it comes to wheelchair self-defense.

This first video comes from the enlightened self-defense school in San Diego, Jing Chen Koushu. The founder Greg, may be able-bodied, but holy cow is he one of the best self-defense trainers I’ve ever seen for wc-users.

He’s trained Therese Riedel, (a very buff) C5 quad, some of the most intense wheelchair self-defense moves I’ve ever seen anyone her level of spinal cord injury do. Read this entry

by Tiff -

My first putt in 18 years

Check out what I did earlier this week. Oh…I just stood up and took my first putt on the green since 1993 (no big).

So how do I look standing up? (not bad for being paralyzed for 18 years). If you have never seen or heard of the Paramovile before, you can learn all about it in my post on how the day went down (loved it, but my short game needs a lot of work). Read this entry