Just Another Reason to *Heart* Living in the 21st Century

Here’s a perfect example of why living today rules:

AWESOME PHOTOGRAPHY!

Here’s the closest photo ever taken of an egg being released from an ovary (this was NOT the image I had in my mind of this, btw. but still, totally crazy awesome):

 

Click here for a larger view

And to read the interesting story as to how this photo got taken in the first place, read the New Scientist article here.

You’re welcome!

– Tiff

PS. Wouldn’t this just blow the ancients’ minds?? If I’m not mistaken, didn’t they believe the Goddess magically implanted a tiny baby in a woman’s belly after eating 3 dried turtle heads, then chanting at a Full Moon?

A Tribute to Dry Shampoos

Ever heard of these aerosol dandies? If not, it’s probably because you were either A) Born after 1970 or B) You live in the USA (apparently people all over Europe are more than aware of this easy-breezy way to “refresh” your hair).

Anyways here’s the dealio: There are some really nice (and expensive) dry shampoos that are on the market right now, and not only do they work (just spray it all over, comb through, let dry, and it’s clean/”refereshed”), but they’re perfect for ladies with disabilities who need help washing their hair the “water way.”

Your grandma probably used dry shampoo back in her younger days, and hippies at week-long music fests like Bonaroo? Oh you bet your mud-caked Teva’s they know about this most excellente way to wash their hair.

Check out the dry shampoo I bought myself last month and am totally in LOVE with:

Ojon Rub-Out Dry Shampoo (it smells like baby powder!)

– Tiff

Sexy golfer from the US Open

The one good thing about being “forced” to watch the US Open with the fam over the weekend was discovering the uber-sexy golfer from Columbia: Camillo Villegas. He’s 26 and is from fucking Medellin (any “Entourage” watchers will be able to appreciate that reference). So how cool is that shit? Anyways, he placed 9th over the weekend.

He’s only two years younger than me. I could totally have his beautiful half Columbian, half Swedish babies.

Just look at him! Squee! 

(They don’t call him “Spiderman” on the course for nothing)

His official USGA bio: http://www.usopen.com/en_US/bios/bio27770.html 

PS. Wasn’t Tiger amazing in this tour or what? Holy crap was that guy on fire. Totally deserved to win in the playoff round today, even if Villegas is exponentially sexier. Go Woods!

– Tiff

Let’s Break Outta Rehab

Us at the show.Last night was one of those special nights that make you feel like Santa Claus.

My concert/musician conoisseur friend Allison, a 38 year old with mild Cerebral Palsy (she can push herself in a manual wheelchair), has literally been stuck in the hospital the last 3 months with these mysterious stomach abscesses that had to be surgically removed.

And since she’s been in bed for 3 months trying to heal, she’s not surprisingly gotten weaker. So now, unfortunately, she’s at a stage where she can’t transfer herself anymore from the floor back into her chair for example (in her studio condo she just has a mattress on the floor…yeah she’s emo like that). So now she’s found herself in the nationally renowned Courage Center: A residential rehab center with PT, OT, and everything else disability-related under the sun. I myself lived there 10 years ago from ’97 – ’98, then moved out into an on-campus dorm.

So long story short, Allison has been seriously jonesing for some “medication” that involves a stage, live music, and some sexy guitar players. And being that’s she’s finally better to leave the hospital for short spurts at a time, and being that she had two FREE (woo!) tickets to see Billy Bragg last night, I was needless to say a more than willing chaperone. So off I went at 5:30pm last night to cross town to pick her up in my hoopdee – my modified, with ramp, lowered-floor 2006 Dodge Grand Caravan – and there was Allison in a freakin’ powerchair (her first time ever in one). She wobbled very unsteadily up my ramp, but blessedly made it inside in one piece, and within 20 mins we were at the venue.

We got the stellar, rock-star esque “gimpy gimp” seats, right by to the stage; far left. And we got a great view of da man himself, Billy Bragg. As per his usual (so says Allison; she’s seen him 12 times), he was great. His set involved a lot of political talk regarding Obama, Gitmo Bay, and then he blabbed about Bob Dylan for awhile too. And after the set, we rushed her back to the rehab center before midnight.

It was a great night. Allison got her much needed concert-fix, I broke her outta rehab and felt like Super Woman, and we got to see a famous musician up-close. What more could two disabled gals ask for?

– Tiff

PS. Billy likes to drink tea during his set. So very adorably British.

PPS. Allison cannot under ANY circumstance keep her eyes open when a camera flashes. lol. Silly CP.

What To Say, When Disability Shit Is the Last Thing on Your Mind?

Lately my mind has been elsewhere. On concerts, politics, friend drama, getting costumes ready for CONvergence, the utter lack of decent men in my city, and well, red wine.

And that’s the whole point of today’s point really: To stress that even though this blog is penned by a woman with a SCI, it is not her whole life. In fact, it has been the farthest thing from my mind lately.

I blame Barack, the arrival of summer, Battlestar Galactica, and an abundance of social activities to attend. So….with that said, I’m sorry. I have no sage words on disability life as of late, but that’s just how the ball rolls sometimes.

It’s bound to change though. It’s just a matter of time before some AB idiot says something to me on the street that’s worth blogging about.

Until that time comes….

– Tiff

“30 Days” in a Wheelchair

From the guy who brought you the award-winning movie, Super Size Me (Morgan Spurlock), comes the FX television show “30 Days.” It’s third season premieres June 3rd. And look what pertinent episode they have coming up!

“Ray played football for Baylor University from 1984-88 before his NFL draft in 1989. He won two Super Bowl rings in 1998 and 1999 as a starting member of the Denver Broncos. …In 1991, Ray was on the field with the Detroit Lions when his teammate and friend, Mike Utley, was involved in a play that left him paralyzed from the chest down.”

For 30 Days, Ray will live in a wheelchair and will rely on his mental discipline to keep his legs immobile. His home and his car will be retrofitted to accommodate his needs. Coaching duties for his son’s football team will continue and Ray will join the Texas Stampede, the wheelchair rugby team featuring players made famous in the documentary film Murderball. He will attend a weekly support group for paraplegics at the Baylor Institute of Rehabilitation and meet with a physical therapist to monitor any potential side effects.

Throughout his 30 Days experience, Ray will be under the medical supervision of Dr. Robert Bruce in order to track any muscle loss, blood clots, pressure sores or other side effects that could occur while he is wheelchair-bound.”

How. awesome. is. that. Talk about a great thing for AB’s to witness.

Go Morgan Spurlock and Ray Crockett. You guys both get free swirly cones from my step-dad’s DQ!

For more info visit the show’s website @ 30 Days.

– Tiff

Say Yes to Wii

So I learned what all the hype was about regarding Nintendo’s Wii over the weekend. It is (yes really) an amazing, revolutionary piece of video-gaming technology. The sensors in it are just mind-blowing. And the greatest part: Even me, a chic who can’t move her fingers, can play some of the games.

Here’s a nice ‘n tasty list of all the games Miss Tiff can play on the beloved Wii: Wii Tennis, Wii Baseball, and Wii Boxing (cheststrap required for that one, since I have zero trunk control and both arms are needed to play that intense game)….but let me tell you, it is ESSENTIAL for Wii Boxing. Each fight lasts long and you are constantly punching for over 3 minutes. I felt like I was doing Tae-Bo. Since I sit all day and am rarely physically active, this felt AMAZING.

Wii Tennis however was by far my fav. Doing backhanded serves, jumping in the air and hitting the ball just barely “in” and getting a point, was hella cool. I was definitely channeling my inner “Venus Williams.” And it was all so easy. I honestly haven’t been able to decently play a video game console since my injury. So thank you Japan, Nintendo, the makers on Wii, whoever, for giving this American quad girl one hell of a long-deprived gaming experience.

I plan on buying a Wii pronto!

– Tiff