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).

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

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

by Tiff -

Push Girls Episode 9 review: Freaky Deaky

In episode 9, get ready for some fun ’cause it’s the dating episode. All four ladies attend an art gallery opening together (and get lots of stares), Tiphany reconnects with an ex-flame (a guy this time!), Angela dates a hunk 12 years her junior and Mia goes kayaking on a first date. The Bachelorette has nothing on this episode.

SPOILERS AHEAD ****

The episode begins checking in with Tiphany and Angela. Tiphany is on her computer in the living and checking her dating profile. Tiphany says most people assume you have no dating life if you use a chair, but admits that being in a chair can make you more vulnerable. “Trusting people can be tough.”

Angela rolls in asking her if she puts down she uses a wheelchair in her profile (while Tiphany points out an alternative-looking she thinks is hot who has ginormous gauged ears; Angela squirms and asks, “What in the heck is on his ears?” lol). And then Angela brings up one of the most creepy issues you’ll discover after being paralyzed  – wheelchair fetishists (they have an attraction to people in wheelchairs). 

by Tiff -

Could Tiger Woods play like these guys?

By using either good old-fashioned American ingenuity or the very cool stand-up personal mobility device, the Paragolfer (also known as the Paramobile), the only handicap you have to worry about when you’re out on the links is your number of swings, not your paralysis. See with golf, creativity is key.

It’s funny…so many people think golf is off-limits to people in chairs. But as long as you have the right equipment (and an open-minded golf course that doesn’t think wheelchair-users are the equivalent of lawn-wrecking gophers), you can golf. Really!

All you need is some upper-body movement and determination to get out there.

In this first video, Tim, a paraplegic from Illinois, shows how he’s perfected his golf swing from his manual wheelchair (he doesn’t use any fancy mobility devices either).

By simply twisting his torso to his right (and keeping his legs in their usual position), Tim can swing his club quite impressively (it’s no monster drive, but it flies). And he uses a reacher to set his ball on the tee. Genius! Read this (awesome) entry

by Tiff -

SCI Superstar: Sabrina Cohen

Sabrina Cohen, a C3-5 quad, saw her whole life change on Halloween in 1992 after she left a party with friends. All it took was being a passenger in a car (that decided to suddenly join in on a drag race) for her life to be completely altered.

The car hit a tree, with Sabrina breaking her C3 through C5 vertebrae. But even though she was only 14, she started honing her advocacy skills from the get-go.

In this video you can see one of the first speeches she gave after injury, where she speaks to fellow high school students on the power they have to say ‘no’ to bad decisions.

Despite always holding out hope she’ll get better one day, Sabrina wasn’t about to let her life go on without her. After high school, she went on to graduate with a degree in Communications from the University of Miami and received a masters in Copywriting from the Miami Ad School.

She also started her own ad agency SabCo Productions in 2003. But despite all of her academic and professional success, something was still missing from Sabrina’s life – advocacy. Read this entry

by Tiff -

Getting hitched (on wheels)

Wheelchair-users get married everyday (despite most able-bodied people being shocked).

No, we are not damaged goods; we are some of the most precious cargo around. What’s important is the love that’s shared between two people, not the car you drive.

These two wheelchair wedding videos – one giving advice on planning a wedding if you use a wheelchair, the other showing the coolest first dance I’ve ever seen a wheelchair-user do – prove just how awesome our weddings can still be.

And what I love about these videos is that they’re not about a bride or groom walking down the aisle, the media‘s favorite subject of late (we get it already; people feel cooler when they walk!).

The second video is titled, “A Perfect Wedding Dance – Bride in a Wheelchair” (courtesy of “Shake It” by Metromix) and it shows the coolest first dance I never seen a wheelchair-user do.

The bride Angie is a paraplegic and she hired a choreography company (that specializes in first dances) to create the first dance for herself and able-bodied groom.

From start to finish, the routine is flawless.  It’s an up-tempo song (hip-hop) and she even throws a cute kick in there at the end. You gotta watch it. Read this entry

by Tiff -

My Gimpy Life trailer drops

I don’t mean to be bossy, but you gotta watch this trailer of the upcoming web series (a TV show available online), My Gimpy Life, starring my awesome friend Teal Sherer.

When it comes to disability in the media, I don’t think I’ve seen anything quite as smart, witty and well, as perfect, as this.

She’s a paraplegic actress in Hollywood (in real life) who plays a working paraplegic actress in Hollywood, and it’s a comedy (a damn good one). That’s all you need to know.

Can’t wait for this series to premiere July 31st! Now, prepare to have your mind blown:

by Tiff -

SCI Superstar: Daryl “Chill” Mitchell

Maybe you recognize him from NBC’s Ed or maybe you remember him from when he could walk when he was in Veronica’s Closet.  Or maybe it was that show Brothers on Fox a few years back.

That’s what’s so incredibly blog-worthy (times infinity) about Daryl “Chill” Mitchell is that he’s had this amazingly long acting career, millions recognize him, but he’s managed to do all this despite becoming a wheelchair-user midway through his career.

This was not something he had planned for (obviously). Daryl was a tall drink of water before his motorcycle accident.  Being naturally funny, he was cast in dozens of TV shows and movies in the 1990′s, including The Cosby Show, Law and Order, The John Larroquette Show, 10 Things I Hate About You, Galaxy Quest and Home Fries.  

His career was on fire right before his motorcycle happened in 2001. While riding his bike, he hit loose gravel and wiped out, becoming a paraplegic. But Daryl couldn’t sit still, and he didn’t. Read this entry