by Tiff -

A Blissful Reunion

Sometimes a picture can make even me, this tough SCI beeyotoch, tear up.

And this is one of them.

Paul, the devoted hubby of Kelly (a fierce and sexy blonde para, who I’m honored to call a friend. They live together on base in North Carolina), finally returned to the States today after serving in the “hell hole” that is Afghanistan for over 12 months.

He serves in the Army as an Executive Officer of a parachuting Batallion (a pretty James Bond-esque job, which’s he’s honored to do), but this poor couple (who were legally married right before he left) have been missing each other like crazy. Not surprising, his sexy lady and New Castle beer topped his list as the things he’s missed most.

Their “official” wedding will be in June down in Fort Bragg. I REALLY hope to make it (PCA and plane ticket expenses, from Minneapolis, withstanding of course).

They did, after all, meet on this site through the message boards. So I REALLY want to go.

Congrats Paul & Kelly! So glad you’re finally reunited!

Have lots and lots of sex for me, ok? LOL

– Tiff

by Tiff -

“Oracle” aka Batgirl

Did you know that DC Comics had their character, Batgirl (Batman’s daughter, Barbara Gordon), become paralyzed after being shot by her arch-enemy, The Joker, who then changed her identity to “Oracle”…a sexy paraplegic, computer genius, who ran her team of able-bodied ass-kicking proteges from her home in Gotham’s Clocktower?

And the coolest part? WB had a show based on “Oracle” called Birds of Prey, that was on from 2002 – 2003. “Oracle” was played by Dina Meyers; a red headed, blue-eyed, future-esque using wheelchair phenom…this sexy, main character WITH a disability was and still is a big deal to have ever made it to network television. A powerful and SEXY woman in a wheelchair?! Usually VERY taboo….

 

Here are some awesome screenshots from the show:

– Tiff

PS. Birds of Prey will be released on DVD July 15th, 2008.

by Tiff -

What Do You Appreciate More…Now?

How has your disability influenced you in such a way, that you appreciate certain things more than “everyone else?”

It’s funny. For me – over all these crazy years of having a SCI – “The Little Things Tiff Appreciates” list has grown exponentially.

Here are mine:

– A hot cup of coffee WITH creamer (ok, maybe everyone loves this one, but it had to be said).

– Sunshine. Even those blessed 30 seconds when the clouds shift, and the sun shines on my face for a moment in time, as I drive down the freeway and like magic, I warm up, can be orgasmic.

– “Fresh scent” oil candles by Glade, glowing at night in my completely dark living room. The sight, the smell, can make all the hassles of everyday quad-life go away…for awhile at least.

– My kitty “Pixie” kneading the faux white fur rug on her favorite chair. No matter how many times I see her do it, it just melts my heart. OMG cuuute!

– And getting into my poufy, comfy bed at the end of the day (feather duvet included) whilst watching Iron Chef America. Sooooo comfortable, relaxing, and I’m finally OUT of my chair (bleh…let’s face it. It gets old by the time 10pm hits). 8 blessed hours of non-chair life, here I come!

Ok, your turn. Start typing 🙂

– Tiff

by Tiff -

What’s Pissing Me Off – The April 6th Edition

To all over you annoying male C5-6 (and lower) quads out there (I’m sorry to say this…), but fuck you.

I’m SO sick and tired of these machismo “know it all” SCI men who have the same injury level as me, and tell me I didn’t work hard enough in rehab and that I should be able to transfer myself and do all of my OWN cares.

Fuck you for being so pompous!

What?? You don’t think I worked my ass off hard enough in rehab to try to be as independent as possible? Needing PCA’s everyday SUCKS ASS, I hate it, so how can you accuse me of being lazy?

Simply put: Men, with SCI or without SCI, will always and forever have more (and stronger) muscle groups than us females. It’s a proven fact. THAT’S why you’ll commonly see a C6 quad guy who can transfer himself, but a woman with the same injury who cannot. Saying she’s lazy is nothing but offensive.

Ok, rant over.

– Tiff

PS. This just really needed to be said. I’ve had this continual criticism directed towards me from SCI men for 14+ years. Stop being jackholes, ok?

by Tiff -

The Thing About Wheelchairs See…

…is that no matter how careful you are, your plaster 1 foot and lower on ALL OF YOUR WALLS, AND your carpet (if you have some that is, vs wood floors) WILL eventually (I guarantee you) get ruined.

So save up, my wheely-friends of the world. You’ll need a nice savings buffer to make your home seem…umm….presentable, after you’ve dented, cracked, made holes, in the walls throughout your home thanks to your trixxy back wheels or annoyingly sharp-edged foot rests.

I know I have. Of course, the copious amounts of red wine I drink befote the plaster demolition or carpet staining commences, likely doesn’t help.

– Tiff

by Tiff -

“What Are You Looking At?”

Kevin Connolly is a bonafide hottie. He may have been born without legs, but that doesn’t cloud just how hot, and even better (and more notably), how TALENTED this guy is.

What makes him so talented? He goes around the world taking pictures (30,000+ so far) of people staring at him. As a disabled woman, the looks he’s captured are more than familiar. What a fantastic idea this is! I just love it. He’s taking the power back. And the photos from his point of view are just stunning (I want to buy a few!).

Kevin’s photography is growing in popularity even today, thanks to this awesome article One of his subjects.about him on Yahoo News. There’s also an excellent video segment posted in that link so be sure to check that out. It is REALLY good.

And….he travels around on a skateboard. Pretty sweet, Kev. You’re my new MySpace hero *smirk* (no really, check out my page)

Kevin’s website. The Rolling Exhibition

– Tiff  

by Tiff -

Since When Did Touch Lamps Go Out of Style?

There’s something about touch lamps that makes this C6 quad a happy girl. I mean, all you gotta do is touch them – ANYWHERE – and then voila! “…and then there was light!”

Anyways, I went and bought myself a very cool modern touch lamp from IKEA last week (it’s in my living room next to my couch), and it’s increased my happiness level by at least 50% (for now…of course being human, that’ll eventually change).

It even has a dimmer “switch” (which really isn’t a switch; you just hold your hand up against it for a few seconds and it’ll start dimming).

What I bought: IKEA Stockholm table lamp

Price: $69.99

Ok, off to touch my lamp again…

– Tiff

by Tiff -

Don’t. Touch. the. Joystick. (kid!)

Something must be said for the phenomena, the draw really, of kids towards the mighty joystick.

There’s something about the wheelchair joystick that just screams for kids to come and play with it. And I gotta say, as much as I love me a cute kid, having random, strange kids reach for my joystick unbeknownst to me and accidentally run themselves over IS NOT something I want.

Hey, I’m a poor writer. I can’t afford to be sued by some pissed-off parents. Screw you. It’s not my fault your kids can’t keep their little grubby hands to themselves.Even my 1 year old neice, who is barely aware of the world around her, hones in on my joystick like a tiger to raw steak. I can’t explain it. It’s seriously the weirdest thing ever.

Maybe it’s because my joystick is shaped like a huge, over-sized nipple, and subconsciously the kid is drawn to it just because she just wants to suck on it. Maybe that’s true for the younger kids (ha), but for the older kids, say…the 5 – 7 years olds (after 7 they usually know better), well, these kids just see my joystick as an opportunity to practice the video game/XBox/360/etc skills, or something to that effect.

What am I? A rolling practice console?? 

So after dozens of incidents where tiny little kidlet hands have grabbed onto my joystick without me knowing and driven me around like an old lady drunk on Jager, I’ve learned to hone some skills of my own. Oh yes. I call it the “Flip Off and Cover” method. Once I see their eyes gravitate toward my apparently tasty black “nipple,” I turn it off and hide the joystick in the crook of my elbow. Disaster averted, and then the kid must now find something else to entertain him/her for that 10 second interval.

Apparently there really is “joy” in handling the “stick” afterall. After 14 years of using one, I guess I’ve forgotten there was a novelty about it. Bizarre…

– Tiff