tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-77948928405826889232024-03-14T00:14:56.795-07:00Jessi's Purple Pad 607-504“A house is made of walls and beams; a home is built with love and dreams.” - William Arthur WardJessica Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01533704545817605389noreply@blogger.comBlogger87125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7794892840582688923.post-5434355489078214942015-07-24T14:01:00.001-07:002015-07-24T14:01:05.936-07:00Making History!<span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The date was July 17, 2015, the day before the Disability Pride Parade. It was also my Nana's 80th Birthday. This was something I was looking forward to all year. I decided to sleep in that day because I knew I had an important speech downtown that night and I wanted to have lots of energy. The speech was something that I had mentioned in a prior blog post called "Do You See Me?" As part of the Disability Pride Celebration of the ADA 25th Anniversary, I decided to give this speech as part of a poetry slam held at the First Methodist Church. I felt like it was a success and I made an impact on people. This is the reason I do what I do. I was very happy with myself because I memorized most of my speech, which is a skill I have been personally working on ever since I started Toastmasters. I knew I had to contain my excitement because I had a performance in the morning as well as my fellow dancers would be expecting me to do my best. However, that night after the speech, I had a difficult time sleeping because it was very hot outside and when it gets extremely hot or cold outside, I have a difficult time breathing. This made me nervous. The next day was very important to me but before I knew it the alarm clock read 6:59am and I had to get up. I made sure I ate a big breakfast which is rare for a "non breakfast loving person." On the way to the parade I listened to all of my favorite music so that I could be all pumped up and ready to go. My playlist was a mixture of pop, country and inspirational songs that I knew would motivate me for the rest of the day. On my way to the parade, I saw a guy who was at the poetry slam the night before. He said,"Hey Jessica Martin! Good job last night!" This made me feel pumped up and ready to go. Then before I could think about anything else, it was time to line up and make history. I would be making history that day because we were celebrating 25 Years of the Americans with Disabilities Act or the ADA. The whole time I was squealing with delight. Then after what seemed to be forever, it was time for Momenta to join the parade. One of my friends said, "Jess you are so excited, we are just walking down the street!" What she didn't realize was in that moment we were making history! After the parade we waited a long time and it was our turn. The music went on and I was in my element. The energy in the crown was indescribable. I was so happy. Before I knew it the group piece was over and it was time for me to do my solo. My friends helped me with my costume change and I got into place and that was it! It felt like a dream. I was nervous but it was all okay. I usually don't get religious in my posts but after a while I forgot about the crowd and I listened to the music and I could feel G-d's presence. It was wonderful. My only regret was not dancing with my friend Maddy this year. We talked about it and we hope to dance together soon I was feeling good about the parade. That was until today...</span><br />
<span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One of my teachers was at the parade and saw my performance. She asked me if I want to perform at Counter Balance. This is another history making celebration of the ADA 25th Anniversary at the National Museum of Mexican Art on Sept 19 at 2pm. I still can't believe it!! I feel like I just got accepted to Juilliard!! </span><br />
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<span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Even though I am finished with this Blog, I will never forget where it all started. Thank you for your love and support. With lots of love and gratitude, </span><br />
<span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">-Jessi</span>Jessica Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01533704545817605389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7794892840582688923.post-19267747736356981002015-07-20T18:31:00.001-07:002015-07-20T18:31:19.385-07:00Freedom and Independence Part 2<div class="p1">
<span class="s1"><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At the beginning of the summer, in one of my dance workshops, we talked about the difference between core movement or constricted movement and expansive movement or distal movement. That has to do a lot with what I have discovered over the years because as I’ve grown into the person I am today I’ve learned that there are constrictions and freedoms to just about everything you do in life. There is a song called “I am Woman” from the 70's that expresses the singer's gratefulness for being independent about her life and that she is a capable person. This song fits me perfectly this month because I’m getting ready for the next step in my life. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At the end of August, I will be moving into my own ranch townhouse which is a perfect example of the way I have progressed when it comes to my independence and a perfect way to end this blog or first chapter of my independent life. Over the years, like this woman, I have learned a lot about myself, grown as an individual and realized what’s really important in life. Even though I will be closing the first chapter of my independent life I want to continue writing a blog because it is a way for me to help others, along with getting my thoughts out through a forum where I can express myself. I am extremely grateful for all of your love, support, and encouragement over nearly six years of living on my own. It all hasn’t been easy and the road hasn’t always been smooth, but I wouldn’t change it for the world because it helped me to become a more confident and independent person like the woman in the song, like she says in the two lines at the end of the first verse:</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“And I’ve been down there on the floor</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">No one’s ever gonna keep me down again”</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Just like the song says, even though I’ve gotten far in my life, I know there is still a long, long way to go, and that is another reason why I want to continue writing my blog.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Before I end this blog I would like to share one more story about finding ways to become more independent and find a way to maintain some privacy. As you know from either your own experience or from what I have told you, when you have a physical disability it is very hard to keep things private especially if you need a lot of physical assistance from others. But one very efficient way to get some privacy if you don’t want other people to hear your conversation is to use technology to your advantage. Try to text or email some one instead of a regular conversation face to face if you are able. I am not saying face to face conversation isn’t important but if you need privacy this is a great way to get it. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Do you have any ideas, as my readers, for my next blog title, before I close the key on this chapter and open a new one? </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">With Love and gratitude,</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jessi</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ps. Look for one more post for this blog.</span></span></div>
Jessica Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01533704545817605389noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7794892840582688923.post-134233263875514562015-06-19T19:22:00.006-07:002015-06-19T19:22:59.288-07:00Freedom and Independence Part 1<div class="p1">
<span class="s1" style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #c27ba0;">For this month and next month I'm going to talk about freedom and independence because as all of you know, I am very passionate about this subject and I absolutely love the Fourth of July! But the material I am going to reflect on for this month came from my writing class, and that's when I realized I couldn't just talk about independence and freedom for only one month.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #c27ba0;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #c27ba0;">So here's the first chapter. I'm sure a lot of you have heard of the song “This Land is Your Land.” But the question I was asked was “Do you believe this country was made for you and me?” I don't believe this country was made for you and me until these three things happened.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #c27ba0;">The first was when the Civil War ended in 1865. The second was when women were granted the right to vote alongside a fellow man in 1920. The third one that I would say made our country made for you and me is when the ADA, or Americans with Disabilities Act, was made official in 1990 so that all people with disabilities would have the freedoms to go to public places just as much as people without disabilities.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #c27ba0;">This is one of the reasons why I have been very passionate about the Disabilities Pride Parade and choosing to do that instead of going to camp. I feel it is my duty as a person with a disability to honor such a beautiful concept and make sure it continues for years to come. This year is particularly important to me, because it marks the 25th Anniversary of the ADA.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #c27ba0;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span class="s1"><span style="color: #c27ba0;">Another prompt that I found incredibly meaningful to me in the class was “How do you crown thy good with brotherhood?” I believe there are only two ways to “Crown thy good with brotherhood,” like that song said. One is to give your time or money to charity, and two is to follow through with what you believe in. That is why I have decided to dance in the Disability Pride Parade. I also want to say that a brother or sisterhood does not have to start and stop when you are in college. For example if you were a Girl Scout or Boy Scout as a young child that is a form of brotherhood or if you join a spiritual community as an adult, that is also a form of brotherhood. </span></span><span style="color: #c27ba0;">One of the reasons why I don't mind dancing with younger dancers is because I feel it is a sisterhood. Once we hit the dance floor age doesn't matter and we are just a bunch of different artists coming together to improve our craft.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #c27ba0;">Another place where I feel a sense of brotherhood is my temple. A few weeks ago I received an email from my Rabbi congratulating me on my one year anniversary with the Temple and how I am a valuable member of the community. It feels so wonderful to walk into a place and know I am a valuable for just being me, </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #c27ba0;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span class="s1"><span style="color: #c27ba0;">Along those lines, I firmly believe in these two quotes. The first is: “It is the responsibility of every citizen to question authority” by Benjamin Franklin. I totally believe this is true because if we didn't question authority, Black people wouldn't have the rights they have today, and women wouldn't have the right to vote. People with disabilities wouldn't have the freedoms that they have today if it weren't for the ADA and speaking out. </span></span><span style="color: #c27ba0;">Finally I’d like to end with one more quote from Martin Luther King Jr. that I feel strongly about: “One has a moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws.” I will just end that way because I think it speaks for itself.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #c27ba0;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #c27ba0;">For this month, I'd like to leave you with the concept of freedom and constraints, and I will explain more next month.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #c27ba0;">Love,</span></span></div>
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</span></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1" style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #c27ba0;">Jessi</span></span></div>
Jessica Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01533704545817605389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7794892840582688923.post-53914082818463658612015-05-31T17:08:00.002-07:002015-06-03T19:40:13.691-07:00Search Party<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">When my brother was little and he couldn’t
find something (like a movie) in the house he would say “Can we go on a search party to find
the video game I lost?” That explains my whole month in a nutshell, because I
have been searching a lot in 3 different areas: housing, a roommate and
acceptance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I need to move out of my
apartment/condo because the people that own it want to sell it. This is
bittersweet for me. My apartment holds a lot of memories I want to remember because I’ve
been in this particular building for a total of six years even though I’ve been
in 2 different apartments. I also developed a strong friendship with two
people I will never forget. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Another
thing I have been searching for is a perfect roommate. No one can replace Tori
or Norine and the memories shared between us, but I’m looking for a roommate who
is not just a roommate but a Shared Living Companion who can also help me with a lot of my daily living needs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This
is a little different than the arrangement that I had before. The people that
are helping me find this Shared Living Companion need to be selective and
careful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some of the qualities that they
are searching for is someone who is clean, likes to have fun, is flexible in
what they are available to do from day-to-day and their available hours. I like to travel
so living with someone who wants to travel is a plus and someone who likes
dogs. I don’t think I will be able to have Teddy back living with me again, but
I wouldn’t mind sharing the responsibility of taking care of another fury
friend.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> If you know of someone, please share their contact info with me.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">The other thing I have been
searching for is not an actual thing but it is acceptance that I will never be
able to visit the house I grew up in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>During the winter months it really didn’t bother me, but this time of
year it bothers me because I loved the garden and the ability to dance freely
outside and on the driveway or the deck.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Sometimes it’s the little things in life that you really miss. There is
a song called, “The House that Build Me.” by Miranda Lambert that I love. It sums up
how I feel about the Highland Rd House. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background-color: #eeeeee; font-size: 15px; line-height: 25px; padding-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You leave home, you move on and you do the best you can.<br />I got lost in this whole world and forgot who I am.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: #eeeeee; font-size: 15px; line-height: 25px; padding-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I thought if I could touch this place or feel it<br />this brokenness inside me might start healing.<br />Out here its like I'm someone else,<br />I thought that maybe I could find myself.<br />If I could walk around I swear I'll leave.<br />Won't take nothing but a memory<br />from the house that built me.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">So I guess you could say that I have been on
a search all month but not necessarily a party like my brother called it. -- it hasn’t all been fun like a party. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>Finally, my friends who are really helping me and giving me ideas about future housing are
friends from Access Living. It is a place where people with all types of
disabilities come together to enjoy activities and ask each other questions.
It’s through this once a month program that I found out about accessible housing.
It is events like this that help me stay positive and embrace life the way it
is. I have also learned that if you search a lot at once it can be overwhelming;
so my advice to you would be if you are looking for the answer to a question or
a place to live, take time. I know it isn’t always possible but if you give yourself
small breaks, the task will be less daunting. I hope this is helpful and may
your search begin!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"> I also want to thank all of you who made efforts to keep the IAMC funded with the State of Illinois. For now we have our funding back. I will keep you posted. I am extremely grateful for all of your support and my employment. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">With love,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jessi </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Jessica Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01533704545817605389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7794892840582688923.post-62073991040849206082015-04-28T10:29:00.001-07:002015-04-28T10:29:29.057-07:00Help Give the IAMC a Chance<span style="background-color: white;">Readers, </span><br />
<div class="p1">
<span style="background-color: white;">April 3rd was one of the most difficult times in my life, when it comes to job security, because I was told that due to grant funding, the IAMC (Illinois Association for Microboards and Cooperatives) funds were cut. It is totally unfair to people who just want to live quality lives, like myself, and people who support them to do so. On my ride to a PATH facilitation training, one that I feared would be my last, I was reminded of a song by Tim McGraw. The song is called "Live Like You Were Dying." It was then that I knew I couldn't take my personal emotions into training. It reminded me that even though I had these feelings, I had to give it my all, and pretend like we weren't losing the funding at all. Because if I didn't think positively, I would then bring my negativity into the room. After that first day of training instead of getting upset about the situation I decided to take action and have my friends and family sign the petition to reinstate this ever-so-important organization. While I was encouraging them to do so I realized the heart of why I was upset. It was not because of the money. It was because what we do as an organization is not just work to us it is life changing. This is why I need your help to educate people in Illinois why this funding and work important. So do your part if you believe people with disabilities should be able to live with freedom of choice. Please make sure you sign this petition. Also, call your local representative to the Illinois House and ask them to vote FOR Senate Bill 274. It will restore cuts to human services like the IAMC. Those who have done it already- Thank you! As Helen Keller said alone we can do so little together we can do so much! </span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="background-color: white;">PETITION: https://www.change.org/p/illinois-governor-illinois-state-house-illinois-state-senate-reinstate-iamc-illinois-association-of-microboards-cooperatives?recruiter=305902&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=facebook&utm_campaign=autopublish&utm_term=des-md-no_src-reason_msg</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="background-color: white;">Love, </span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="background-color: white;">Jessi</span></div>
Jessica Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01533704545817605389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7794892840582688923.post-660432900239268232015-03-28T18:44:00.000-07:002015-03-28T21:27:53.009-07:00See What Happens When You Don't Give Up!<br />
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<span class="s1" style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: magenta; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dear Readers:</span></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1" style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: magenta; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As I promised, I told you last month that I was going to discuss my goals for my work. I have spent the entire month trying to be as productive as I can, and really hone in on future plans for work.</span></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1" style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: magenta; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1" style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: magenta; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It is a great feeling to love dance so much that it doesn't feel like work. I am always thinking about how to make physically integrated dance more mainstream and accessible to more people through my work. I am going to be in a piece with other dancers and choreographed by my dance partner, Maddy this coming summer. I don't have more specifics to report now but my mind is always working and I'll keep you posted. </span></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1" style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: magenta; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In terms of my speaking career, I am working with my Mom and my speech coach to develop a mission statement to know I exactly want to accomplish as a speaker. This journey has been difficult and confusing, but all the same, rewarding. Now I see a clearer vision of my next steps and goals. </span></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="color: magenta; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">Being a Project Assistant for the IAMC is still an valuable position for me. I meet important people from around the state who are advocating for the disability community and I am learning skills to pay forward. I am looking forward to A Day with David Wetherow: Rediscovering Your Personal Power. Check out iambc.org Upcoming Events for details and join us at the end of April. </span></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="color: magenta; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1" style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: magenta; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At the beginning of last month I was experiencing pain that was so intense that I was like, “How am I going to get over this barrier?” I am very happy to say, that even with all this chaos of trying to figure out my life and my career, my pain level has decreased, thanks to my dedication to dance, NIA and yoga.</span></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1" style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: magenta; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Finally I would like to end with something else that I have found extremely rewarding. A few months ago I talked about a breakthrough that I had in dance. Just the other day I had another one. In dance you have what is called a working leg and a standing leg. I was in modern dance class and was beginning to feel, for the first time in my life, that I can feel grounded on my standing leg. I felt so grounded in fact, that I felt I could lift one of my legs and keep the other one down. This was a HUGE accomplishment for me, because when you have CP, your body often does not do what you want it to do. When it does, it is so magical and you feel like you can take on the world! </span></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1" style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: magenta; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1" style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: magenta; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I wish you good luck on any new goals you have been working on. </span></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1" style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: magenta; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1" style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: magenta; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Happy Spring :-)</span></span><br />
<span class="s1" style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: magenta; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jessi</span></span><br />
<span class="s1" style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: magenta; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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Jessica Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01533704545817605389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7794892840582688923.post-54426860103800470122015-02-08T16:43:00.001-08:002015-02-08T16:47:44.976-08:00Goals Setting better late than never<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">In my writing class, one of my prompts was how I
view being 65 – which I found overwhelming. However, with the start of a
New Year I know exactly what goals I want to accomplish in 2015.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
In the area of dance I want to continue making dances with my dance partner and
making sure that more people are aware of physically integrated dance because
as you all know I’m extremely passionate about this.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
My second goal for 2015 is to go through life with less pain. With the
start of 2015 I’ve had new complications come up as a result of my cerebral
palsy. I had this goal even before I knew about the complications. My
dance partner introduced me to a technique called Nia. It is a
combination of dance, Tai Chi and yoga. So my hope is that with the
combination of dance and adding more yoga into my life and nia that my pain
will become more manageable. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
My third goal is probably the hardest one to accomplish financially, but I
would love to travel to a far place with my spiritual community because I feel
that in this setting we would become an even closer community and get to know
each other that much more.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
My last goal for 2015 is to continue to pamper myself as I did this
holiday season. I feel that in today’s society we don’t give ourselves
time to just enjoy ourselves; so I plan to budget for time and money to go to
the movies with friends and family; and to go to the nail salon to get my nails
done. The people at the nail salon and at the movies know me by name. It
feels so good to go into a place where people know your name. I even
applied for a job at the beginning of the year. I didn’t get it, but at
least now, more people in Desplaines know me; and I feel that is an
accomplishment within itself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
So my question for you is, what are your goals for 2015? If you find it
overwhelming to think about your goals for the year; go through your life like
I did and everything you do. Then it becomes easier to create goals and
dreams for yourself. Good luck and Happy New Year!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>-Jessi<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Ps .
if you notice I did not talk about any goals having to do with my work
on purpose because that is the focus of my next post. </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Jessica Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01533704545817605389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7794892840582688923.post-20950680665852955072014-12-26T13:54:00.002-08:002014-12-26T14:30:37.013-08:00A Magical Evening<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #a64d79;">Imagine yourself on the fourth night of Hanukah in a large room with lots of Menorahs (or Hanukiot) on long tables. The candle holders are different shapes, sizes, colors and ages. Some have been around for years and passed down from generations and others are brand new and were just bought this year. What I just described to you, was my first experience celebrating Hanukah at Oak Park Temple but they have been celebrating this way for 150 years . This year there were about 150 Menorahs brought by families and scattered throughout the sanctuary. The lights went out and the sight was magical! When the lights in the room were on, all the menorahs looked different but when the lights went out, all we could see was the flickering lights on each of the 150 menorahs and we all chanted the blessings in unison. The lights were illuminated and we were all together as a community, celebrating the miracle of Hanukah. At the service the Rabbi talked about two universal messages. The first one is that everyone has a light in them and they might just need help finding it or letting it shine. It is our job as a community to help one another do so. The second one is that several times in our history, people were tempted to give up on each other but when they didn't, miracles would happen. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #a64d79;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #a64d79;">When you think about light this holiday season, remember our ancestors and how they didn't give up. They always had a glimmer of hope. Finally, don't forget that you have an inner light to shine and share with the world. So as the lights of my menorah go out on the 8th night of Hanukah while celebrating with family and friends, I wish you a year of peace, love and happiness.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #a64d79;">Write to you in 2015,</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #a64d79;">Jessi </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #a64d79;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #a64d79;">PS. I can't wait to participate in this tradition next year! </span>Jessica Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01533704545817605389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7794892840582688923.post-59956602703811326242014-12-10T12:00:00.005-08:002014-12-26T10:30:47.440-08:00Welcome to Walgreens and Welcome to My Life <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Helvetica;">I decided to wait a month to write again because I kept thinking of different ways to write about my experiences, but wasn’t happy with it. I was thankful for these opportunities but didn’t know how to say it. About a month or so ago, I was at my Walgreens job that I’ve had for almost 11 years now. Frankly, I felt like I was bored with it. You see, at my other jobs, I feel like I can make an impact on other people’s lives, but this one felt monotonous, until one day, when I said my usual greeting, “Welcome to Walgreens,” and the man replied, “Thank you, it feels good to be welcomed somewhere.” From that day forward, I have looked at my job differently. Though it is simple, I now believe that I am making a difference in people’s lives even if it’s just a little bit. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"><span class=""></span>Now, you’re probably wondering, why did I say “welcome to my life” as part of the tile of this post? I said this because I was at yoga class, and I had a breakthrough with my body. Something that I’ve been trying to do for years in dance finally clicked. This was a good lesson for me in not giving up on my body, because I believed I kind of did. I just thought that due to my disability, it’s something I could never train my body to do the proper way. So now, I feel like I am truly a part of me.</span></div>
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<div class="">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"><span class=""></span>Something like this is a perfect example of how you’re never too old for a breakthrough, disability or not. I am proud to say that, because of this breakthrough, I can finally do a high release properly. How do I know that it’s right now? Number 1, my yoga teacher said that it was. Number 2 and more importantly, before he had even said it, I knew it was right because it felt right. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">Whenever you aren’t sure about something, just go with it because it might lead to a breakthrough, or to something that makes others happy. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">Your dedicated dancer and employee,</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">Jessi</span></div>
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Jessica Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01533704545817605389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7794892840582688923.post-25796073470168612282014-10-13T21:47:00.001-07:002014-10-15T10:44:40.867-07:00Beyond Today<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">Hi Readers,</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">I know this is very rair for me to write two post in the month, but I came across two circumstances that I thought were totally blog worthy, and they relate to each other. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">So here they are.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">One day last week, Micheal's family who was my coach and friend for the first two years of me living on my own, brought some of his books to the lobby because they wanted to help keep his memory and legacy alive and most importantly his mission to help others with disabilities. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">To learn more about Michael, and his book go to my post and title Unforgotton Hero. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">It all started when my assistant went down for a break and said there were a bunch of books in the lobby in memory of Micheal. I decided to grab one for myself because mine was torn up. I was so happy it was like a gift was given to me. Once again and I felt like he was still apart of the building. Then a few days later, I got in a disagreement with someone at the purple pad. I was having a very difficult and stressful day, but then I thought of the books. What do I want to be remembered for?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">Do I want to be remembered as person who cannot express her needs?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">Or do I want to be remembered as a eloquent speaker, who helps others?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">Do I want to be remembered as someone who always complains about her day to day struggles?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">Or do I want to be remembered as someone that shacks it off and keeps dancing?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">What do I want my legacy to be?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">Just these simple positive thoughts, made the whole rest of my week a lot better, and that got me thinking again, even Michael's spirit is talking to me and telling me, the appropriate direction to turn. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">This pass weekend, an example of legacy came up again. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">My brother and I were in a corn maze at an apple orchard. He was very helpful to me, and with him you never know whether he's going to be helpful or not. But it was very cool. It was like he didn't have a disability. He helped me through the narrow spots, without being frustrated or complaining to much. He took the leaves out of my chair when he noticed that they were getting stuck.When I told him Brian we need to slow down because my chair is stuck, he pushed me out right away without any hesitation. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">When my chair malfunctioned at the very end of the corn maze, he waited patiently for me to fix it before going on any further. The only time, he went ahead of me, during the maze was if there was an easier way for my chair to get through. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">He did this a couple of times, but each time, he returned with a smile and said okay I got this. The experience of the corn maze was something we will never forget. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">This is what I believe, my brother wants to be remembered for a kind, compassionate, person who likes a challenge and a bit of adventure. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">I hope that more people will get to see these sides of him because they are what make him very special to me.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">This is what I believe he wants to be remembered for. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">So my question to you is: What do you want to be remembered for? What is your legacy?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">Happy to be out of the corn maze, safe and sound at the purple pad.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">Jessi</span>Jessica Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01533704545817605389noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7794892840582688923.post-44029554326360243582014-10-05T20:18:00.002-07:002014-10-06T20:28:26.614-07:00A Fresh Start<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">I took a month off writing because I've had alot of thoughts going on in my head, and I wanted to take a break to reflect on them before writing about them. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">In this post I will discuss different philosophy's that I have developed over the past year. As a result of me living on my own for six years .</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">The first one is "Never Break Tradition. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">For years and years, my friend Paula has been visiting me every summer and I have been going to her place every New Years. But this year, the week that she was suppose to come in, was the week after Tori moved out and things were just crazy. So I told her to come two weeks later, which was Labor Day weekend. I had everything planned out and things finally calmed down here, so I thought it would be perfect. But the Wednesday before, she was suppose to arrive the thing that locked me in the car, broke down and therefor that means I had to use the straps that normally lock her in when she is visiting. We were both devastated, but one day I had an idea. I was going to tell her, that she had a package coming on Saturday and she had to be home at a certain time to receive it. Then Saturday came along, and my car broke down. Shoot another conflict in my plans, but luckily we were able to fix it and I have a gullible enough friend, and she believes that packages come on Sunday, so when I told her that it would be a day late, she didn't even question it. Hour by hour, that day I was telling her from the car, how far away the package was and even though, my visit was not even for 24 hours, we were so thrilled to see each other and not break tradition. It was something we will never forget and a great way to end my year. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">I say My Year because when you are Jewish, you have two New Years, but the Jewish one is really not about partying it is about reflecting on the year as a whole and how you can make your life as well as other people's lives around you better. We talk alot about improving ourselves. And that is what made me come up with these philosophy's. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">My second philosophy, fits right into religion.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">I'm not telling you what religion to be, or how to believe I'm just telling you that at the end of last year meaning December, I was really struggling to find meaning in my life. Everything felt scattered, like a bunch of puzzle pieces. I believe, I even wrote about them in another post and realized that maybe going back to Synagogue would not necessarily give me the answers I needed, but give me strength. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">Since last December, even though this has been a difficult year for me, I notice that on the weeks that I go to Temple wether it is my new ethics class, or just plain services, I feel stronger and more together. I feel like it's easier to take on the week. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">My advise to you is to Find Something That Gives You Strength and Stick To It. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">My third philosophy is the hardest one yet and one that I would be working on all year to overcome. But with the spiritual strength, my love of dance, supportive Family and Friends I'm determined to make this one happen because it will make my whole life alot easier.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">I am very grateful for what I have in my life, but when there is something going on, that I really don't agree with, it is hard for me to be grateful for what I have in my life while excepting what is. Each day I will examine the day and try to find away to make myself happy, to that I can except what is.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">I know this won't happen overnight and that is why I'm giving myself a whole year to work on what right now seems like a overwhelming goal. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">If you have an overwhelming goal that you would like help with, I would be more than happy to help you as well because I know you will help me with mine. It is one of the hardest things that I have ever done, but I think now that I am 28 I am ready to take on this challenge. I also feel like I can take on this challenge because I was given the birthday of October 2nd, which is around the Jewish New Year which makes me feel like I have a double New Year. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">As Helen Keeler say's "Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much."</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">Much Love, Jessi </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"><br /></span>Jessica Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01533704545817605389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7794892840582688923.post-78547593449145172962014-08-19T21:58:00.003-07:002014-09-22T22:00:07.634-07:00Keep Going<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">My
life has been nothing but crazy lately but the breaths in between have been
amazing. Imagine yourself on a train or spinning around in a circle. Your eyes
are closed and you feel so overwhelmed. You think, oh this is just temporary I
hope. But day after day the same thing happens again, and more things keep
testing you to see if you<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>can
handle them. That is how my life has been lately. A little over two weeks ago,
Tori my roommate found out that she is moving to Wisconsin. I am very happy for
her that she is now following her dreams but she is not a room away from me,
and I keep thinking she is going on a vacation and she is coming back in few
days. I also have had a lot of assistance changes at the Purple Pad. At the
very last minute, people have been having to fill in with not much training or
notice, which has been very stressful for me. Also, each of them has different
personalities, which is another reason why it has been so difficult. But it has
taught me a lot about how you can’t always plan for everything in life. I have
had assistants living on my own for almost six years now. But the abundance of
people in personalities has just gotten to me this month. On top of it all, my
little Teddy has had to go to my Mom’s house because of behavioral issues. So I
hope one day, he can return to the Purple Pad. I think that is one of the
reasons my life has been crazy. I’ve almost always had a dog to comfort me
during difficult time and I don’t have it right now.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">So
it’s been nuts but in between all this craziness, I have enjoyed creating
dances with my dance partner. We have created memories that I will never
forget. Our relationship was just recently mentioned in the Oak Park newspaper.
We are helping to teach the world that everyone can dance. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">This
has been a perfect month of really realizing the important things in life, like
family because I had a lot of disagreements whether or not I should move to Oak
Park because of my love for that community but then I have finally realized
that I will be so far away from my family, and family is important. It is what
keeps you strong and keeps you grounded.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">Another
breath or special memory I will never forget about this summer is reconnecting
with my friend Annie. We met at the Dunkin workshop last summer and for
whatever reason, I thought I would never see her again because she lives in
Virginia, and I thought we would just be facebook friends until the end of
time. But surprisingly or not, I saw that she had returned to the Humphrey
workshop as well, and it was such a lovely surprise. So even though this month
has been very difficult for me, I will always cherish the memories that have
been created. I know all of my
readers have my back. So my message to you is simply this, "no matter what obstacles you face, keep going" there is always a pot at the end of the rainbow. even if that pot is really far away. Thank you
very much you are a big part of why I keep going. To read the article I mentioned and another reason why I
keep going please go to http://www.oakpark.com/news/articles/7-29-2014/friends-and-neighbors:-integrated-dance/ and type in intergrated dance. love you all </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">-jessi</span></div>
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<!--EndFragment-->Jessica Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01533704545817605389noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7794892840582688923.post-82067022961070016502014-07-07T21:58:00.000-07:002014-07-12T16:07:05.588-07:00Making Memories<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As all of you know, on the Fourth of July, our
Independence Day occurred. Part of discovering my independence was adapting to
having assistants. I knew I needed assistants to live a successful life, but I like to spend the Fourth of July
with my family each year. This
year, I went on a bike ride with my
dad and then we met up with my brother and we went kayaking for the first time. My brother and
I thought the experience was miraculous and then we had dinner with my mom and saw fireworks. It was a perfect way to celebrate the day. There are only a few things my brother really likes so when he said I really liked kayaking, it was so relaxing. I was so happy to hear this.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Over the
past few months, I have been struggling to find good assistants which
unfortunately is nothing new. The good ones have helped, stepped up and have
gone above and beyond what I could ask for. One of them is Tori, who you all
know is my roommate. Tori will be leaving at the end of the month. Her
playfulness is what makes her so good as an assistant and friend, along with
her sense of commitment. I will miss her as being my roommate we have so many funny stories over the past two years that I couldn't count them if i tried. the good
news is that she will remain in my life. She will continue to be one of my
assistants until further notice. I am grateful for this because we can continue
to allow our friendship to grow.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Another thing I have discovered about my independence is that like any other twenty-seven year old, I have dreams, but sometimes these dreams do not come true immediately. I want to move to Oak Park because my dance and spiritual communities are there. As you grow up, you realize that what you want to happen does not always happen as fast as you want. But, when it does, I will be extremely thrilled because I will feel even that much more independent. Also, a few months ago in a previous post I talked about having some free time for myself and some time away from my assistant's. Ever since that entry, the time away from my assistants has been wonderful and made me feel that much more independent. I hope you all had a nice Fourth of July and remember, everyone has their own form of independence. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">-Jessi</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">P.S. - For those of you who are wondering, when I move to Oak Park my room will still be purple.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: x-small; line-height: 32px;"> </span></span></div>
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<!--EndFragment-->Jessica Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01533704545817605389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7794892840582688923.post-52421899067955506852014-06-15T19:04:00.004-07:002014-06-16T21:27:53.921-07:00Follow Your Heart<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"><b>In life, you are faced with choices, and when you are an
adult sometimes it can be hard because your parents are not always there to
help you decide what the right choice would be. They say when you are confused
to follow your heart. This might sound cliché, but it was absolutely true for
this month for me.<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"><b><br />
I was faced with two choices: 1. To go to camp 2. To dance. It might seem like
a simple answer, but both of these things bring me comfort and enjoyment. After
several days of contemplating the issue, and being concerned about what the
right decision would be. I decided by the advice of one of my friends to give
myself a day to think about it. I did, and I truly believe I gave myself a day
to think about it. I not only did that, but I said to myself, “Do what your
heart is telling you to do”. <o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"><b>And in this circumstance, my heart was telling me to dance. Even though I am not going to camp this summer, I will still be going to Fall Weekend, which is a weekened where I can spend time with some camp friends. You might say, “Jess, but you only get a chance to go to camp once a year, and
you dance every week”. That was something I considered, too, but then I thought
about how as a sit-down/wheelchair dancer, I do not get as many opportunities
to perform as the stand-up dancers do. I knew my dance partner would be leaving
for college in a few years and I didn’t know how many more opportunities we
would have to spread the message of freedom of dance for all people with all abilities. <o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"><b>So, that is why I believe my heart took over and told me to
dance, because when I finally made my decision to perform this summer it was no
longer coming from my head. My body just had an instinct telling me “You need
to do this. This is an opportunity that you do not want to miss”. <o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"><b>I will be performing on July 19<sup>th</sup> at the
Disability Pride Parade downtown and at my dance studio in Oak Park, the
Academy of Movement and Music on July 26<sup>th</sup> and 27<sup>th</sup>.<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"><b>I don’t know how many other times I will get this strong
feeling of urgency in my life, but my advice to you is…When and if you ever get
a it, follow your heart, because if you don’t you may be missing out on
experiences you wish you hadn’t!</b></span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">-Jessi</span></b><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"><b>P.S. - My friend Chava had her baby today! Mazel tov to her and her family and I know she will teach her daughter to follow her heart!</b></span></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Jessica Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01533704545817605389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7794892840582688923.post-90545936469899390972014-05-17T14:45:00.000-07:002014-05-17T14:55:22.031-07:00Food For Thought<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">As most of you know, I usually write this blog to appeal
to all types of people: my friends, my family, and people who have disabilities
and have questions about living on their own despite having disabilities. But
this month’s post is mainly for people with disabilities. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">Even though I have been living on my own for 5 years with
assistants and have been writing about the adventures both good and bad, there
are some weeks that I still struggle with the very basic part of living on my
own, and that is having an assistant. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">Sometimes, it has nothing to do with them, but I just need
my own space and time to chill out. Other times, one thing gets me upset about
the fact that I need them generally and my whole day turns into a bad one. I
thought this would go away after several years of having assistants, but if
just goes to show you that we are all human and we all struggle with some of
the basic things in our life, relationships. Relationships are very difficult.
Even though I cannot get rid of my assistants because I need them on a
day-to-day basis for physical help and sometimes advice, we figured out that I
can have 45 minutes alone by myself if needed and eventually maybe longer and
two hours alone if I am with a friend or family member. This is another part of
living on my own that I did not realize would be so important to emphasize in
this blog.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">To the average person, it may not seem like a big deal,
but everyone needs their time and space. When I had my time and space for the
first time since we figured out this new arrangement, I thought about something
we talked about in my writing class. We talked about the quote, “Life is not
measured by the breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away”.
Though the author is unknown, it is a very powerful quote. It reminded me that
even when I am going through a difficult time with an assistant, that there are
always solutions to problems even though it may not seem that way at first. And
I have a lot to grateful for. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">I am grateful that they are there to help me. I am going
back once again to the Spring to Dance Festival in St. Louis, and to visit
family with one of my assistants. I am hoping that I will have less times when
I get angry with my assistants if I implement these break times in my life. I
plan to continue with the new system even when I am on vacation because my
assistant and I figured out we will be together for almost 100 hours over the
period of time we are on vacation. After I have had these breaks for a month or
so, I will tell you how it is going because maybe when and if you are living on
your own it might be something good for you as well to think about. I am by no
means trying to tell you what to do, I am just giving you a helpful tip that
might be beneficial to you.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">In addition to the Spring to Dance Festival, I will be
going back to Horizon Camp this summer. I will be a part of the Disability
Pride Parade, both walking in it and dancing with Momenta, the dance company I
am a part of. I will also be taking part in a summer intensive with Momenta,
based upon the Humphrey technique. Doris Humphrey was a dancer and
choreographer of the early 20<sup>th</sup> century who focused on the concepts
of fall and recovery. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">Finally, Paula will once again be coming to spend a long
weekend with me. I can hardly wait! And oh yes, the best news ever! I will be
spending a whole week with Paula because she is coming to Horizon Camp with me
this summer! It is still hard to believe. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">If that isn’t enough, just a few short days ago I received
the best package ever. It was from a school that I spoke at recently. I was so
confused. The package was really big and I already received my paycheck. Did I
forget something there? I said to myself “I think I had everything with me that
day. What could this be?” I opened the package to find thirty something letters
from 4<sup>th</sup>, 5<sup>th</sup>, and 6<sup>th</sup> graders expressing
their appreciation to me on how much they liked my presentation and that they
learned a lot. I was having a bad day with an assistant, and this turned my
whole day around. It is little things like that that can change a person’s
whole day and reminded me why I am creating this business of public speaking.
My new business is officially called “Good Life Designer”. It incorporates my
public speaking, my passion for helping people plan for their futures, and my
ability and passion for choreographing integrated dances. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">So, as you can see, I have a lot to be grateful for this
month, and I am grateful for all of you!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">-Jessi</span></span><!--EndFragment-->
Jessica Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01533704545817605389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7794892840582688923.post-60355177216011821942014-04-20T15:13:00.000-07:002014-04-21T21:38:20.237-07:00Dancing Through Life<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #741b47;"><b>There has not been much going on in my life that is new
since I last wrote, so I decided to steer this month’s post in a different
direction. At the end of the summer, Larry Ippel will be retiring after close
to 40 years of working at the Academy of Movement and Music, and Momenta. He was
one of my very first dance teachers at Momenta when I started there 7 years
ago.<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #741b47;"><b>So, I wanted to share with you the thoughts I wrote for
him to say “Thank you” before he retired. Now that the weather is finally
becoming beautiful once again, I want to encourage all of you to grow in
whatever capacity that may mean. Whether it be learning something new for
yourself or for the benefit of others. And THANK YOU Larry for helping me to
learn and become a better dancer! I will miss you! Here is the note I wrote to
him:<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #741b47;"><b>It’s a beautiful thing when we dance through life, the
people we come across. One man, who has made a big influence in my life when it
comes to music and dance, as a whole is Larry Ippel. He was the first person
who choreographed for me when I started dancing at Momenta. <o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #741b47;"><b><br /></b></span>
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #741b47;">
He made a special truck for me, so my wheelchair could fit in it while I was on
stage. Larry also admired the fact that my wheelchair sat up in an upright
position, so he created a cathead and it looked like I was a yawning cat as I
slowly went up and down in an upright position. He has always seen the beauty
in every dancer in the academy for that matter. He helped me from the start
become musically aware of the counts, though I found it very difficult from the
beginning to find my space on stage; he was always very patient with me because
I think he knew I would eventually get it.</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #741b47;"><b>I am happy that I was able to improve my timing and
ability as a dancer because in the beginning I didn’t know if I could and became
frustrated at this, over the years he has helped me with choreographing ideas
to make my dances even better along with dancing in and out of my wheelchair.
For I am extremely blessed because I came to find that in dancing in and out of
my wheelchair has its own gifts and experiences, because of this I have been
able to elaborate on this when I knew this was the case. <o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText">
<b><br /></b></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #741b47;"><b><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">When
dancing to the right music I feel free and at peace. Unfortunately there are
not many teachers that see the gifts that people with disabilities have, Larry
is one of them and he will be missed by a lot of people.</span><!--EndFragment-->
</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #741b47;"><b><br /></b></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Times;"></span><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Times;"><b><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #741b47;">Thank you Larry for encouraging me never to give up!</span></span></b></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Times;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #741b47;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #741b47;">Love,</span></span></b></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Times;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #741b47;">Jessi</span></b></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Times;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #741b47;"><br />P.S. - Tomorrow I am doing my first professional speaking gig at Hoover Math and Science Academy! I am so excited! I cannot believe it is already here!</span></b></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #741b47;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br /></span>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br /></span>
Jessica Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01533704545817605389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7794892840582688923.post-45119298622385735192014-03-31T22:02:00.002-07:002014-03-31T22:09:37.720-07:00True Example of Life<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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Since I last wrote, a lot has happened. So much in fact that
I can’t believe it has only been a little over a month. In every part of my
life I have had something either change for the better or for worse; but I
guess that’s a true example of what life is. So I’m going to break it down into
different categories. The categories will be as follows. Update on my funding
to live on my own and assistance, family life and new business.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Having help from the agency is becoming a little easier as
time goes on. They have been more flexible to my needs and accommodating to my
ever-changing schedule. The best part of all of it is, if I have a problem with
an assistant and if they aren’t able to show up my assistant will contact the
agency and it is their responsibility to make sure that there is someone to
help me out so that my parents and I won’t have to worry about it. I still find
once in a while that I have to stick up for my needs. Especially when it comes
to the interview process, they are not use to having someone that is interested
in being apart of the interview with them. Just the other night I had to remind
the person in charge of the scheduling that I wanted to be apart of the
interview but then again what independent disable person doesn’t have to stick
up for their rights so I’m kind of use to it. It was just temporarily
frustrating but I think she learned something and that to me is all that
matters. When I say that she is in charge of the scheduling I mean she does not
decide what or when I do things. She is just the person that makes sure that
people will show up when they are suppose to and don’t go over their hours and
let me tell you she was put to the test this month because I lost one assistant
and temporarily another one so I want to thank her for all of her hard work
that she has done to make sure my life is still running smoothly even though
she will say “ That’s okay it is my job”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I also want to thank my assistants and Tori for stepping in at the last
minute to work extra hours so my life can be more efficient. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
When it comes to my Family life we
were thrown two curve balls this month. My great uncle Sidney past away, which
is my moms last uncle he was 91 years old. I didn’t get to spend a tremendous
amount of time with him but I will always remember him for his courageous smile
and eyes that seemed to sparkle in mostly every picture. I don’t know why but I
will always remember that he loved the gummy chews, the kind that are hard to
find and come in a box. I think I will remember that because not many people
except my brother and I like them. When I met him for the first time and found
out that he loved them I was really happy. No one likes a memorial service but
at his memorial service they had a soldier service before the actual service and
let me tell you even though there were no words during the service it was
extremely fascinating and powerful something I will never forget. Along with my
great uncle Sidney my family lost our white furry member of the family. Junior
Bryan martin at exactly three months before his thirteenth birthday, I will
always remember the times we had together including bike rides, times by the
fire, and just simply sitting outside together and enjoying the beautiful
sunlight. He brought so much joy to our family and friends that is
irreplaceable It is amazing how such a small animal can make such a impact on
your life. He was their for me in difficult times in high school and often with
us for many celebrations just wanting to get scraps from the table. Thank you
dad for taking such good care of him in his last year of life, I know it wasn’t
easy and thank you teddy for being there when I found out that Junior had past.
I don’t know what I would’ve done without you. You are really maturing into a
wonderful dog. I’m so happy that you are now sleeping in bed with me. I will
miss Junior forever and he has definitely left a paw print in my heart. On a
happier note my grandparents also known as “ NANA” and “ PAPA” will be coming
home after almost two years of being in Arizona. I’m extremely excited because
I haven’t seen them since then. It will be a wonderful summer. Also even though
she is not a family member my friend Pearl Gannon feels like a family member so
I decided to talk about her In this section. Unfortunately she has not received
the necessary money to get an accessible van like I mention in an earlier post
but a few days ago she was crowned ms wheelchair Illinois. I am very proud of
her achievement and if you look up ms. Wheelchair Illinois on Facebook she
would love your support. I will be sending invites to her page later this week
to show my support for her. She has been through a lot and I am so happy she
was able to receive something good and turn her life around for the better.”
You Go girl”<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
Bam! My new career as a public
speaker has really taken off. I feel as though I am a horse running out of a
gate and taking off extremely fast. For something that I was waiting and
waiting to happen, that seemed like it would never happen, I am shocked at how
fast it all has come about. Let me start from the beginning. On February 26<sup>th</sup>,
I started my day earlier than normal because I had a presentation at my
cousin’s school, and of course I wore a purple dress for good luck, put my make
up on, put my board in front of me, and I was ready to go. I knew that I was
not doing this as a paid position, but I was thrilled to have the experience
and get my name out there. Cleo once told me, “In the beginning, it is not
about the pay. It is about the experience and getting your name out there.”
This was a true example of that. For some reason, I never would have thought
that my name would travel as fast as it did. People at that speech liked me so
much and the messages I had to share that one of the people that wasn’t even
there heard about my speech and wanted me to come and speak at their school.
This was a perfect example of how patience and perseverance really can pay off.
The funny thing was that the presentation itself was on perseverance. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
Thank you to my cousin, Jordan, and
the Lincoln Prairie School for listening to my message, carrying it out, and
letting me share my story with your community so my career as a public speaker
could take off. It is because of that speech that now I am able to say that for
the month of April, I am not only getting paid to speak at the Arc Conference,
but I am getting to speak at Hoover Math and Science Academy as well. That’s
what I mean when I say that it is really taking off. As for Cleo and I, we have
decided that we are better just as friends, but I am extremely grateful for all
of the help and support she has given me up until this point, because without
her help I do not believe I could be as successful as I am today when it comes
to being a public speaker. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
In the future, I am open to speaking
to colleges, high schools, junior highs, elementary schools, people with
learning challenges, and medical students. If anyone has an idea of where I
could speak, or has a referral for me, that would be great! Thank you very
much. <o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSroCMCrOmryA1Wi-pSxFhOHtvj_VwrgTJOrZYZMF1Y7mDsvPGoudXcc6FbmVszZXZJa3Of5_N3OQmdNu5Wpw2WQG-BFRse1PeNn7ytpl80QP2mlkP8snA3hyphenhyphen-sRS8Mf9PccdkC_t4kAQ0/s1600/1795581_745271805484298_457804245_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSroCMCrOmryA1Wi-pSxFhOHtvj_VwrgTJOrZYZMF1Y7mDsvPGoudXcc6FbmVszZXZJa3Of5_N3OQmdNu5Wpw2WQG-BFRse1PeNn7ytpl80QP2mlkP8snA3hyphenhyphen-sRS8Mf9PccdkC_t4kAQ0/s1600/1795581_745271805484298_457804245_n.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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Your new public speaker,<o:p></o:p></div>
<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Jessi</span><!--EndFragment-->
Jessica Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01533704545817605389noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7794892840582688923.post-17415744535529845212014-02-23T13:51:00.001-08:002014-02-23T14:02:20.921-08:00Thank You<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #351c75;">Another reason why I write this blog is to share things that have gone well with my assistants to inspire and hopefully help those who want to live on their own with a challenge. So, this entry is a story about something that worked well for me and I understand if it does not work well for you. I just thought it might be helpful. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #351c75;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #351c75;">As I said in my previous entry, I just lost two assistants and for the most part my time with them went well. So, I decided I would write thank you notes to show my appreciation for what they had done, things I will never forget about them, and things that I would like to leave them to hopefully motivate them to become an even better person as they both go on to higher positions in their life. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #351c75;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #351c75;">I used to think thank you notes were a waste of paper since my family has always been environmental, thanks to my brother's beliefs and business. But I realized how important just a few words can change a person's outlook on life, inspire them to be better and continue to follow their dreams. I think that the idea of writing thank you notes to your good assistants is a good way to help them feel good about themselves. Everyone needs validation in life and this is the perfect way to do so. It is amazing how just those two words, "Thank you", can make a difference in a person's life. You might not even know what that difference will be, but at least you made an impact in their journey of life. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #351c75;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #351c75;">I would like to leave you with a quote that perfectly summarizes February for me. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #351c75;">"My life is about not knowing, having to change, taking the moment and making the best of it, without knowing what's going to happen next". --Gilda Radner</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #351c75;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #351c75;">With much appreciation,</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #351c75;">Jessi</span>Jessica Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01533704545817605389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7794892840582688923.post-72362661405754179842014-02-09T10:25:00.002-08:002014-02-09T22:40:29.167-08:00Pieces of Life<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">Do you remember when you were a kid
and you wanted so badly to get that 500 piece puzzle from the store, then
it took forever to convince your parents to buy it for you, but then when you
got it home you were like, “What did I get myself into!?” That is how I feel
when I am about to hire a new assistant and the interview goes well, I think
the training process will also be a breeze, but unfortunately that is not
always the case. In the same way, I believe that my assistants may think the
same about me that working with me will be a breeze. Even though this person
may have good qualities and credentials to fit my life, it might take them
longer to learn how exactly to fit my needs. In a way this makes me like a
puzzle because I sometimes have needs you cannot see on the surface. So from
the very start, we have to work together to make the pieces all fit together. </span></span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">That is why I get so excited when I
go to my friend Paula’s house for New Years. Because aside from the party time,
it is a time to get together with friends who are older than me with
disabilities to discuss my concerns, so that the year starts out right. We talk
about health concerns and share experiences. It’s an informal, open-ended
discussion among friends where I can ask questions and be mentored. This
conversation helps the year start smoothly. This year was no different. I got
to go to one of my friend’s houses that is totally accessible, and by that I
mean the kitchen included. Everything is adapted so that she can reach all the
utensils and appliances. Even something as simple as this helps me get inspired
for the rest of the year. </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">I believe I have two puzzle pieces
to deal with at all times, if not more, due to my disabilities. One is the
assistant piece, which I just had to deal with recently because I am losing two
assistants that I’ve had since March. The second piece is that even though
Cerebral Palsy doesn’t get worse, the symptoms might be aggravated due to
weather or difficult situations in my life, which are happening right now. This
time around I am experiencing tightness and spasms, but sometimes it can mean
uncontrolled movement. So it is always a puzzle to figure out how to be
comfortable with the new problems that arise due to my puzzle pieces and I am
working to put them all together, but I know it will take time, I want to thank
all of my readers for supporting me in this difficult time of putting the
pieces back together.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Love, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Jess<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span><!--EndFragment-->
Jessica Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01533704545817605389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7794892840582688923.post-50702009800151614452013-12-22T15:45:00.001-08:002013-12-22T20:14:53.229-08:00The Rest is Still Unwritten<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">As promised a few weeks ago, I am once again here to leave you with a final note for the year. As a lot of us spend time with our family and some of us put the lights on the Christmas trees, it is never too late to try something new or try something you have been wanting to try for years, but have been neglecting it. I have two examples of this.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">As I said a few weeks ago, I was waiting on a proposal for Cleo and I to possibly speak at a statewide conference put on by an organization called the Arc. For a year and a half or so, speaking with Cleo was just a dream, a hope, and a wish for the future, but now we can both proudly say that it has become a reality. They said yes to our proposal and with that yes a new business has unfolded. I am so happy that I didn't let this dream go dormant, because I was about to. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">My other example is a touchy subject for some people and at first I didn't know how to go about this one because there are many different ways to go about it and many different approaches to achieve the same peacefulness. Due to all of my struggles this year, I have decided to turn to my faith once again and consistently go back to a synagogue. So, I decided to look at a synagogue that felt right to me. I like the Oak Park community, because, in general it feels excepting. It has a wide variety of people with all different ethnic backgrounds and classes. A perfect example of the ethnic background scenario that I am talking about is when I attended my first service at Oak Park Temple there was a man converting to Judaism from Mexico. That is a perfect illustration of open mindedness and an excepting community. Another thing that I was attracted to from the very beginning was that their synagogue is on a sliding scale. Which means you are only required to pay what you can afford and they won't turn you away. Even though it will be awhile, my ultimate dream is to move to Oak Park. So I knew that besides my dance community, I would have to build more of a community in Oak Park and I thought that this would be a great place to start. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">With all of that said, however, I am a big believer in tradition and family bonds. So I will always continue to go to my synagogue in Northbrook for the high holidays which are Rosh Hashanah, our New Year, and Yon Kippur, our repentance day. With a combination of reconnecting with my faith and creating a stable profession for myself all in the matter of a few weeks, it has made me believe that this year will start out to be a good one. I hope that all of you have a wonderful celebration of the New Year and that it will bring to you happiness, health, prosperity, and success in all that you do. Don't give up on those dreams that you have been putting off! As the song by Natasha Bedingfield says, "the rest is still unwritten". </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">I am unwritten, can't read my mind, I'm undefined</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">I'm just beginning, the pen's in my hand, ending unplanned</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">Staring at the blank page before you</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">Open up the dirty window</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">Let the sun illuminate the words that you could not find</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">Reaching for something in the distance</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">So close you can almost taste it</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">Release your inhibitions</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">Feel the rain on your skin</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">No one else can feel it for you</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">Only you can let it in</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">No one else, no one else</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">Can speak the words on your lips</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">Drench yourself in words unspoken</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">Live your life with arms wide open</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">Today is where your book begins</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">The rest is still unwritten</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">Oh, oh, oh</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">I break tradition, sometimes my tries, are outside the lines</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">We've been conditioned to not make mistakes, but I can't live that way</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">Staring at the blank page before you</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">Open up the dirty window</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">Let the sun illuminate the words that you could not find</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">Reaching for something in the distance</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">So close you can almost taste it</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">Release your inhibitions</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">Feel the rain on your skin</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">No one else can feel it for you</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">Only you can let it in</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">No one else, no one else</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">Can speak the words on your lips</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">Drench yourself in words unspoken</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">Live your life with arms wide open</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">Today is where your book begins</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">Feel the rain on your skin</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">No one else can feel it for you</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">Only you can let it in</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">No one else, no one else</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">Can speak the words on your lips</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">Drench yourself in words unspoken</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">Live your life with arms wide open</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">Today is where your book begins</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">The rest is still unwritten</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">Staring at the blank page before you</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">Open up the dirty window</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">Let the sun illuminate the words that you could not find</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">Reaching for something in the distance</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">So close you can almost taste it</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">Release your inhibitions</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">Feel the rain on your skin</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">No one else can feel it for you</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">Only you can let it in</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">No one else, no one else</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">Can speak the words on your lips</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">Drench yourself in words unspoken</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">Live your life with arms wide open</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">Today is where your book begins</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">Feel the rain on your skin</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">No one else can feel it for you</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">Only you can let it in</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">No one else, no one else</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">Can speak the words on your lips</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">Drench yourself in words unspoken</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">Live your life with arms wide open</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">Today is where your book begins</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">The rest is still unwritten</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">The rest is still unwritten</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">The rest is still unwritten</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">Oh, yeah, yeah</span><br />
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXMcNoyFsC8YkJD1c-47A1NXBOEFPM3Vm49gj73Wsq7WdFBud_jrxdOWbK9zw7vKQHaxCd6X4ncF02mbma_22C2GZWld3RJ1vwfQSVeRcuKN5hts4IXGITvTqCtfVgdYroH2oX9dlD6Gfm/s1600/1489284_709924002352412_1543689978_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXMcNoyFsC8YkJD1c-47A1NXBOEFPM3Vm49gj73Wsq7WdFBud_jrxdOWbK9zw7vKQHaxCd6X4ncF02mbma_22C2GZWld3RJ1vwfQSVeRcuKN5hts4IXGITvTqCtfVgdYroH2oX9dlD6Gfm/s320/1489284_709924002352412_1543689978_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">Start the New Year off right! Love to all, write to you in 2014!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">-Jessi</span>Jessica Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01533704545817605389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7794892840582688923.post-78023376289208903592013-12-03T22:23:00.002-08:002013-12-04T21:16:26.753-08:00Patience is a Virtue<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">Even though the saying, "Patience is a virtue" is very much a cliche, I believe it is very true even in today's society. I was reminded of this in this past month, which I believe is ironic especially because it is the time of year in which people spend more time with one another and give gifts to one another. I would like to share with you two stories in which I most recently received two of my favorite gifts.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">The first one was when I was having a meeting with some family and friends to discuss my future. I had expressed some frustration that Cleo and I hadn't really gotten our business up and rolling and I felt defeated. I didn't know how to stay motivated with this idea and I didn't want it to be gone with the wind, but I needed some advice. At the meeting, my co-worker suggested I write a proposal to speak at the upcoming Arc conference in April. I called Cleo days before the proposal was due explaining my situation and asked her if I did this on my own, would she be interested in doing the real thing with me because we hadn't talked about this in months. A few days later I got an email from my co-worker saying, "I'm afraid I have some bad news, Jess. I believe the deadline for the application to the Arc has passed, but if you call the person below you might be able to pull some strings." So, immediately after that I called the number. She said the deadline was last week, but she was willing to extend it to that Wednesday. I was very pleasantly surprised but very nervous at the same time. One, because this was Monday and the deadline was that upcoming Wednesday. And two, I knew Cleo was out of town. I knew that I would have to do most of this on my own and if I had questions I would just have to talk with her through text. I had an idea of a basic outline but never imagined that I would be doing my first proposal as a professional speaker alone. Especially, since we agreed to do this together. I don't know the end result but I do believe that we definitely have a shot. Despite having to wait for our first big break to come at the right time, patience is a good virtue to have. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">As for the second gift, I got to go to my Chi Chi's 80th birthday in St. Louis. See, we kind of have a unique relationship. When I was 7 years old, my Poppie was dating a woman that basically became a part of our family. She basically has always seemed to fit into our family like a glove even before my Poppie and my Chi Chi were married.When he decided to marry her, my brother and I knew we wanted to call her something other than Grandma, because she is not technically my Grandma and she also seemed too upbeat for that name. It just didn't fit her. So we were tossing around names, similarly to how you do when you are about to have a baby or get a new dog. I don't know how we ended up with Chi Chi, but it has been that way ever since. Because I never met my real Grandma, Marsila, she has felt like a real Grandma to both my brother and I. She is always there for us when we need her and my favorite part about her not having an old spirit is that we can talk about boys and it doesn't seem awkward. She tells me about her boyfriend she is dating because unfortunately my Poppie is not with us. We discuss life with Poppie and everything else under the sun. So, I was beyond thrilled when I found out that her sons were having a party for her 80th birthday. I couldn't think of a more deserving woman! She is very accepting of all people and she embraces every one in her life. It was a marvelous thing to look back and see how many people were there from all different walks of life and from all different connections she has made through her life. In my past writings I have talked about connectors and she is a wonderful connector. She had family, friends, our blended family, cousins, her current boyfriend's family, and many many friends from her childhood. She has been through a lot, but she is a perfect example of what happens when you truly believe that patience is a virtue. Happy Birthday Chi Chi! Thank you for wrapping us into your life!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">Stay tuned for my second post for the month to help close 2013. Write to you in a few weeks.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">-Jess</span><br />
<br />Jessica Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01533704545817605389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7794892840582688923.post-69239744222287614192013-10-16T22:47:00.001-07:002013-10-16T22:49:09.771-07:00Featured Camper<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">This month I was featured in a newsletter that my camp puts together every month. I have had a very wonderful month with many birthday cards, presents, and good wishes from my family and friends. I also was able to participate as the entertainment in the Champaign Disability Expo. I plan to post pictures from that experience on the blog as soon as I get them, but the funny part of it all is that experience almost did not happen. I was trying to leave my room and my chair wouldn't move. You see earlier that day I had spilled coffee on it two times, but up until that moment my assistant and I were like, "Phew!" It didn't break down, but apparently it did, just not when we thought it was going to. Thank goodness the wheelchair people were able to get me a joy stick within 2 days of the mishap. I guess that's just the key to getting things done fast in the future. Just tell them you are going on vacation even if you are not, haha! Teddy has been through a lot also this month, but I am trying to get him back into the pup I want him to be. A friendly and enjoyable dog that everyone will enjoy because I know he has that potential. Anyways, here is the story from the featured camper of the month.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">http://secure.campaigner.com/Campaigner/Public/t.show?5y3tx--326sp-k3b0db3&_v=2</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">I have one more funny story to share. I was exhausted from the show because we had four pieces to do. The biggest show I have ever done in my whole life and I was waiting for Tori to get out of the bathroom. This mom said, could you move up, I said sure. I must have looked really out of it because the little girl whispered to her mom, "is she real?" That is my scary story for Halloween, BOO!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">Happy Halloween!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">Jessi</span>Jessica Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01533704545817605389noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7794892840582688923.post-7642538332420295772013-09-30T23:13:00.002-07:002013-12-03T21:41:15.029-08:00Inclusion or Not<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
Hello Readers,<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Even though it is late I have decided to write a blog. I
would like to address with you a very controversial topic in the disability
community. Inclusion or not. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I have mixed feelings about this. Earlier this month, I
found out that a young woman my age was fully included in her classes despite
her learning disabilities. And I was like, “Why couldn’t that be me?” I felt
very angry, but on the other hand I enjoy going to camps and other segregated
programs because it is a way for me to bond with others who have similar
issues. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This has been very helpful to me this month because I am
going through a lot of stomach issues and ironing out these issues with people
who have similar problems makes me feel like I am not alone. It makes it easier
to get through the days and see that there is a pot at the end of the rainbow. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So I have very mixed feelings on this issue. It depends on
the day for me. Sometimes I like inclusion, and am a huge advocate for it. I
would like to know from other people with challenges such as myself their
opinion on this issue. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I have had a lot of people in my life with disabilities who have
passed away as a result of their conditions and I am very happy to say that
despite my stomach issues I have lived a very healthy year this year and will
be having my 27<sup>th</sup> birthday in two days! And with a song that I
believe sums up this month in a nutshell, it is called “Better Together” by
Jack Johnson.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 13.0pt;">There is no combination of words I could put on the back
of a postcard<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 13.0pt;">No song that I could sing, but I can try for your heart<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 13.0pt;">Our dreams, and they are made out of real things<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 13.0pt;">Like a, shoebox of photographs<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 13.0pt;">With sepia-toned loving<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 13.0pt;">Love is the answer,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 13.0pt;">At least for most of the questions in my heart<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 13.0pt;">Like why are we here? And where do we go?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 13.0pt;">And how come it's so hard?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 13.0pt;">It's not always easy and<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 13.0pt;">Sometimes life can be deceiving<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 13.0pt;">I'll tell you one thing, it's always better when we're
together<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 13.0pt;">Mmm, it's always better when we're together<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 13.0pt;">Yeah, we'll look at the stars when we're together<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 13.0pt;">Well, it's always better when we're together<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 13.0pt;">Yeah, it's always better when we're together<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 13.0pt;">And all of these moments<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 13.0pt;">Just might find their way into my dreams tonight<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 13.0pt;">But I know that they'll be gone<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 13.0pt;">When the morning light sings<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 13.0pt;">And brings new things<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 13.0pt;">For tomorrow night you see<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 13.0pt;">That they'll be gone too<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 13.0pt;">Too many things I have to do<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 13.0pt;">But if all of these dreams might find their way<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 13.0pt;">Into my day to day scene<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 13.0pt;">I'd be under the impression<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 13.0pt;">I was somewhere in between<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 13.0pt;">With only two<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 13.0pt;">Just me and you<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 13.0pt;">Not so many things we got to do<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 13.0pt;">Or places we got to be<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 13.0pt;">We'll sit beneath the mango tree now<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 13.0pt;">Yeah, it's always better when we're together<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 13.0pt;">Mmm, we're somewhere in between together<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 13.0pt;">Well, it's always better when we're together<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 13.0pt;">Yeah, it's always better when we're together<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 13.0pt;">Mmm, mmm, mmm<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 13.0pt;">I believe in memories<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 13.0pt;">They look so, so pretty when I sleep<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 13.0pt;">Hey now, and when I wake up,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 13.0pt;">You look so pretty sleeping next to me<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 13.0pt;">But there is not enough time,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 13.0pt;">And there is no, no song I could sing<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 13.0pt;">And there is no combination of words I could say<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 13.0pt;">But I will still tell you one thing<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 13.0pt;">We're better together.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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Write to you when I am 27! Sweet dreams!<o:p></o:p></div>
<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">-Jessi</span><!--EndFragment-->
Jessica Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01533704545817605389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7794892840582688923.post-46195734212625747022013-08-29T22:08:00.006-07:002013-08-29T22:16:13.497-07:00Fork Stuck in the Road<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This month has made me very confused and uncomfortable. I
feel as though my life has been shook up and put back together. That is because
I received state funding a few days ago, and with that state funding comes
rules and regulations that I’m not used to. They are also not used to having
somebody receiving this funding having such an active life like I do. So we
both have to work together, even though I don’t see it now, people keep telling
me it will benefit me in the long run. I was reminded by a song this month by
Green Day, called Good Riddance, I think that describes exactly what I am going
through.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am also experiencing a lot of good things though. Cleo and
I were interviewed on my boss’s radio station, Disability Beat, a few months
ago about our upcoming business, which will probably be called No Limits with
two taglines that my aunt suggested. Thank you Aunt Sheri! Here is the
interview for those of you who want to hear it and if you would pass it on to
your contacts I would greatly appreciate it. <a href="http://www.disabilitybeat.com/MP3s/jessiandcleo.mp3"><span style="text-decoration: none;">www.disabilitybeat.com/MP3s/jessiandcleo.mp3</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Also, I believe that
having a blog isn’t always necessarily for me. It is a way for me to reach out
to my contacts and help other people out when needed. This summer, I was
fortunate enough to meet a wonderful young woman at camp named Pearl Gannon.
Her muscular dystrophy has gotten to the point where she is in desperate need
for an accessible van to maintain her health and to be able to do the things
she loves to do. Including going to camps and participating in many wheelchair
sports. But she can’t do it without your help. So in honor of the Jewish New
Year, I am asking you please to help my friend out in any way you can, even if
it just is telling other people about her situation. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thank you very much!
And I hope for those of you that it applies to that you will have a sweet,
happy, and healthy New Year with your family and friends. I know that I will
because my friend, Paula, is coming in right before it starts. Which means she
will set off good vibes for me. She has been through a lot this month herself
and I really am grateful that she will once again be able to make the trip up
here. September 1st marks my 5<sup>th</sup> year of living on my own. Thank you Mom
and Dad for helping to support me this far. I know it hasn’t been easy and I am
extremely thankful. Within those 5 years, I have learned so much, grown as a
person and developed my own views and opinions that help me to help others in my
situation. I am so grateful that I have had this opportunity to be able to live
on my own the way I want to, but I am mostly grateful that I can set a good
example for the agency that's helping me to recieve the state funding of a person that likes to live a productive and
meaningful life, and not one of what they are used to. I love to be one of
those people that make others think and go beyond what they are used to. And it
also marks the day that my cousin, Jordan, will be moving in to his own
apartment very close to where I live. Another good way to start off the New
Year! We are extremely excited, we don’t know who is more excited, me or him! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here are the lyrics
of the song I mentioned above…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>"Good Riddance (Time Of Your Life)"</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Another turning point, a fork stuck in the road<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Time grabs you by the wrist, directs you where to go<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So make the best of this test, and don't ask why<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's not a question, but a lesson learned in time<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's something unpredictable, but in the end is right,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I hope you had the time of your life.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So take the photographs, and still frames in your mind<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hang it on a shelf in good health and good time<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Tattoos of memories and dead skin on trial<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For what it's worth it was worth all the while<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's something unpredictable, but in the end is right,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I hope you had the time of your life. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's something unpredictable, but in the end is right,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I hope you had the time of your life. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's something unpredictable, but in the end is right,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> I hope you had the time of your
life.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Five
years and counting,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jessica</span>Jessica Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01533704545817605389noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7794892840582688923.post-44616460373275534762013-07-31T22:32:00.001-07:002013-07-31T22:32:04.179-07:00The Explorer<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">This summer, I feel like I got to really explore myself in
two main areas, myself as a person, and myself as a dancer. I got to support my
friend while visiting my family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
feel that during this time that my bonds with my family became that much
stronger. This was especially exhilarating for me, because it was my first time
going to see my family without my parents. Not that I don’t like to go as a
whole family on vacation because I do, but getting this opportunity to go see
family on my own gave me renewed confidence that I can explore and see my
family on my own and this made me feel like a true adult.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">It was weird but all the same empowering. At times I felt as
though I had to pinch myself because I was like “Am I truly here alone without
my parents?” During this trip, I got to see different forms of dance every
single night. There are not many places and times in your life that you can see
a ballet piece and then five minutes later see a modern or a dance with a
Spanish flare to it. Seeing all of these different types of dance over three
days was an amazing feeling. I kept thinking, “Wow, wow, wow!” I felt like a
little kid who just opened a bunch of birthday presents, and one was even
better than the next. But my dancing exploration did not stop there. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">In June, I went to a summer intensive that was put together
by the Dancing Wheels Company and School. They are based out of Cleveland, Ohio
and during this week we studied the principles of Martha Graham, Doris
Humphrey, and the integrated dance movement of the Dancing Wheels Company
themselves. I believe during that week I grew as a dancer because of what I was
taught. My teacher there was brilliant. He saw the good in every human being
and there needs to be more people like that in the world. He said something
that will always stick in my head. He said, “The most important part of dance
for every single dancer is their face”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And I believe that is 100% true. I think that helped me to understand
dance on a whole new level. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">My summer isn’t over, but my most recent experience I had
was going to camp. This camp was most made for adults with physical
disabilities. It was for 18 and older, but most of us were 21 years or older.
We all had some sort of physical limitation in our day to day life, which didn’t
matter to any one in that camp. That is why I think I like camp as a whole.
Meaning my camp in Colorado, or this camp. For one week we can just enjoy
ourselves, ask questions about what each other is going through, feel like
kids, and basically do whatever we want without having to worry about judgment,
or if it will take us too long to complete the tasks.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">For example, you might think that this is a childish
activity, but I wanted to color one of those felt and marker poster boards that
they had in the arts and crafts room. My assistant asked me if I wanted to go
on a different activity several times. And I specifically said no. Now you may
be wondering, why would I say no when there are so many things to do at camp.
And my answer is this, I just wanted to sit down, color, and didn’t want to
worry about where I would be going next or what I would be doing next. Or we
have to hurry up, can I finish this for you? At times, this was even an
adjustment for me to relax because I would even ask my assistant “Do we have
enough time for this? Do we have enough time for that?” And just hearing “Yes”
was an amazing feeling. Having the freedom to take as long as I needed to
complete something was a great gift in itself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">Another wonderful gift that I got to experience, was that I
got to put my feet in the lake for the first time. Yes, I am 26 years old and
have not had the opportunity to put my feet in the lake. When I told my dad
this, he was surprised and I could tell that he kind of felt bad that I had
never had that opportunity before. I do not want him to feel bad because at
least I got the opportunity. It was nice to experience something out of my
wheelchair that was a part of mother nature, that is given to all of us human
beings on the earth. It is the little things in life that I enjoy exploring.
And that sometimes when there is no time limit on the activities that I want to
do, it makes my whole life a lot easier. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">In my day to day life, I often feel as if I am being rushed
from one place to another, especially since it takes me longer to do things.
But for this one week, I did not feel rushed. I could sit by the lake for as
long as I wanted to, sit by the campfire for as long as I wanted to, and not
have to worry about a single thing in the world. This was a very hard
adjustment for me when I came back home and I wish I could have shared it with
my Colorado friends, but that is what makes life exciting. It makes you look
forward to those precious times again where you can once again do what you want
to do. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">If they happen all the time, you would have nothing to look
forward to. I also was very happy because my friend, Paula, surprised me and
came to Visitor’s Day at camp. I was trying to get a hold of her all week to
see if she was coming. She did not answer my phone calls or anything so the day
of Visitor’s Day, I kept thinking, I hope she is okay, maybe it is bad
reception in the woods. But then her mom came running in around dinner time and
said “Paula’s here!” My face lit up with excitement, and that is when I
realized she wanted to surprise me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">But the fun doesn’t stop there, she is coming in just a few
weeks to come and spend a weekend with me and I absolutely cannot wait! I hope
that all of you have been able to explore during this rest and relaxation for
the summer and hope that you have had a chance to be out in the sunshine to
explore in your own way. Tori and I have been exploring together for a year on
Thursday! I can’t believe we have been living together for a year! It has been
amazing and I would never change it for the world. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">So go
explore and I hope that you have a good compass!</span></span><!--EndFragment-->
Jessica Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01533704545817605389noreply@blogger.com1