Disability Blog Carnival # 17: Laughter, The Best Medicine

About a week ago Steve wrote a post titled of Comedy and Disability as a means of introducing this Disability Blog Carnival.  The theme we chose is "Laughter, The Best Medicine", borrowed from the column with the same name in The Reader's Digest Magazine.   

Simply put, we felt we needed to laugh.  Things had gotten much too serious around the Kuusisto household and we figured we might not be alone in that regard.  No sooner had we made this decision when, coincidentally I think, Penny wrote a post inspired by her young daughter called Call the people at Marvel Comics... posted at Disability Studies, Temple U.  My hubby Steve was delighted by this post and couldn't help but add his thoughts.  We felt we were off to a good start.  We hope you'll agree.  More importantly, we hope you find reason to laugh.  We sure have thanks to all these wonderful contributions...

Steve nor I had ever met the Queen Mediocretia* of Suburbia until now.  Check her out if you haven't yet - much of what she writes about is funny.  In her post Prelude to Insanity, the "Queen" talks about the typically  not-so-funny colonoscopy she underwent when her "digestion went south".  You'll be amused I'm sure, but not as much as you will be when you read this post about "the adventures of Colin".  Go ahead - try to hold it in.  Your laughter that is!

The challenge: what would be the MOST inconvenient combination of garments to wear for a blood draw?  It's One of life's eternal mysteries being pondered at The Perorations of Lady Bracknell.

Speaking of what to wear Claire, in her blog The Crooked Truth, let's us inside her head as the left side of her brain debates with the right side Here's why: I can't wear a onesie.

Here's a funny kid, *and* a parent who can see the humor in his antics at Kellen's How to Guide: Fun with Assessments post at Reimer Reason.

Warning Earthlings: Mark from The 19th Floor is making "plans to achieve world domination".  All he needs is a wheelchair like this described in What All The Suburban Gimps Will Soon Be Driving.  And in this post, Mistaken Identity, Mark and his sister "quickly looked away before either one of us began to laugh mercilessly at this woman's magnificent cluelessness." Magnificent indeed.  An admirer of Mark's writing submitted this post saying "Even when Mark Siegel is trying to be cranky, he's still funny, in that Minnesota kinda way. 

Here is a new blog we discovered thanks to pilgrimgirl and her Disability Blog Carnival *event*.  It's called Bums & Bellybuttons: The View From Here. The subtitle is "Life among butt cracks and belt loops."  I can't help it - the name of this blog just makes me laugh.  Let's hope that by the time we publish this carnival Laura will have come up with a post she wants to submit.  Otherwise we'll just have to grin and giggle over the title of her blog!

We *met* Andrea at pilgrimgirls' place also.   One of the many things that Andrea's Buzzing About is the Top Ten Things About Having Faceblindness (Prosopagnosia).  Here's  the first:

1. You save a fortune not buying celebrity magazines because you have no idea who is™s in all those pictures.

A M Baggs presents How to Boil Water the EASY Way posted at Ballastexistenz.  As Penny put it, "this is a humorous-but-serious video by Amanda".

You'll laugh, and cheer, this great post by Lisa F. as she cries Help! I'm crying cuz I can't see the internet! posted at Twinkle Little Star.

Liz is thinking about aging, and perfection, and body image here... The Trouble With Spikol: Print Edition: Age Marks the Spot posted at The Trouble With Spikol.

Here's a mom with enough sense of humor to have a "Dude, Where's my Arm?" t-shirt for her baby daughter (who has a prosthetic arm), and to find comedy in the awkward comments made by strangers in Subtle staring posted at Born Just Right.

Dave means it when he says (and yes, I think he may have felt like YELLING):

"NOTICE: DISABLED PEOPLE DO NOT NEED PERMISSION FROM ANYONE TO LAUGH AT OURSELVES OR OUR DISABILITIES. AND, AND, AND CRIPPLED IS MY WORD, NOT YOURS. YOU'VE HAD IT LONG ENOUGH, IT'S OURS NOW."

Yep.  I think Dave's a little "upset".  And rightly so.  Read Funny HAHA posted at Chewing The Fat.

Lori's taking inspiration from Paul Simon in her post There Must Be Fifty Ways to Leave Your District by Lori Miller Fox posted at Special Education Law Blog.  As Neil Sedaka might add, "Breaking Up is Hard to Do..."

Falling isn't funny, and an out-of-service elevator isn't funny, but Sara's post about them is entertaining--and includes a song a la Cole  Porter!  Introducing Hubris and the Single Girl* at Moving Right Along.

Even God is sometimes amused by lilwatchergirl according to this post...Developments, hydrotherapy, all that stuff posted at Through Myself and Back Again. 

Zephyr's got some good reasons why she doesn't live in an accessible building--and she's, ah, specific about them, in this post: TopChair: The First Stair-Climbing Wheelchair posted at Arthritic Young Thing.  (Parental discretion advised!)  And clearly Zephyr was not in a laughing mood when she submitted this post: Things Caretakers Do That Bug the Hell Out of Me.  Who can blame her?

Josh, over at Winheld's World took advantage of the opportunity to catch a comedy show featuring  Josh Blue.  In his post Feeling Blue Josh tells us 

"Comedian Josh Blue (see video clip) shows that there's nothing wrong with laughing at yourself -- even if you have a disability. Blue, who won NBC's "Last Comic Standing" in 2006, has cerebral palsy, which he incorporates into his brand of humor."

Speaking of comics "standing", have you heard of the GOJO Campaign yet?  Scott Rains of the
Rolling Rains Report has a nice summary  of the campaign in his post GOJO - Get on the Bus! part of which I've copied here:

"Get out and use public transit!

That's the message of the GOJO Campaign run by the UK's Disability Rights Commission (DRC),

At the centre of the campaign is the GOJO website - at www.mygojo.co.uk - which will provide practical tips to increase young people's confidence travelling on public transport and information on special leisure deals and how to travel there. The site will also include information on rights and how to make a complaint if young disabled people feel they may have been discriminated against under the DDA.

To drive young people to the site, comedians from Abnormally Funny People are performing 'stand up' comedy gigs on buses in five cities across the country with clips from the films posted on the internet."

We received and e-mail from the folks at GOJO not too long ago telling us of the "comedy clips" posted on the GOJO web site (via YouTube).  But here's the thing:  call me old fashioned, but I'm not sure I'd be too happy being a captive audience on a bus and being surprised by this stand-up routine.  Forgive me, but it has nothing to do with this young lady personally - I wouldn't care if she was Halle Berry - I'm not interested in hearing "what happens when the stuff grows back" - not in this venue anyway.  In a comedy club with a drink in my hand, maybe. Is it just me?  In any event, these comedians are funny, each in his or her own way.

Finally, there is no point in hosting a carnival about humor with out including Kay's posts and photos about "Things that crack me up" at The Gimp Parade.  Here's just one that makes me chuckle: 

Kay wrote 

"The Gimp Parade is the ninth Google result for the search:
replacement parts for older japanese vacuums
Because, you know, that's what I'm all about."

Yes, we know that about you Kay!  Hmmm.   

(In keeping with the Carnival philosophy in that all disability related posts are welcome despite the theme of the carnival) A freelance writer mother realizes how much her husband contributes to their Down syndrome preschool daughter's development in this post presented to us by Leticia Velasquez: Special Needs Dads posted at cause of our joy.

When ideology overrides human rights: Romeo Vitelli presents The Leilani Muir Case posted at Providentia.

And here is another "Penny Richards presents":  Wheelchair boxing: think it's a 'freak show?' Mind stepping a little closer... posted at Screw Bronze!.  Elizabeth is taking boxing at the Y--and completely digging it.

Ahhh, and speaking of Penny, Steve and I would like to take this opportunity to thank her for ALL the effort she puts into organizing these Disability Blog Carnivals.  While she is very good at delegating and allowing we bloggers to take turns and host these events, we have a sneaking suspicion she's often busy behind the scenes.  She's certainly supported us in our efforts.   Thank you  Penny.

In closing we would like to take this opportunity to introduce a brand new blog, one we think you will all be interested in exploring.  It's called [with]tv and the folks there are looking for our ideas and support.  [with]tv is a "television channel of, by, and for people with disabilities...and everyone else" currently under development.  To learn more...

Thank you for stopping by!  We hope you enjoyed reading these entries as much as we have.  It is our understanding the next Carnival will be hosted by Retired Waif on July 12.  See you then!

Comments

[Penny]

Of course you're welcome--and remember, I'd be busy with or without the Carnival, so it's just a better channel for my busyness (better than keeping a lot of fun links to myself!).

And thank YOU--Nice work here! Looks like bloggers rose to the "laughter" challenge. Yes, the next edition is scheduled to appear at Retired Waif on July 12--and after that, Zephyr is hosting the July 26 edition at Arthritic Young Thing, with the theme "Sex." Could be a hot summer for the Disability Blog Carnival. Stay tuned.

[Janet]

Wow! This is an amazing set of links that will keep me busy for awhile. Thanks, Connie and Steve.

[Ruth]

This is a great carnival - can't wait to read the links - and yes I certainly can use the humor too :)

[Sara]

This looks like a lot of fun! Thanks!

That [with]tv think is pretty darn exciting, too, isn't it? I look forward to watching it develop. Thanks for the heads up.

[Sara]

Uh; sorry. I meant "that [with]tv thing."

[Jonathan Dresner]

Good lord, that's a big carnival. Amazing collection of stuff....

[kwrenb]

Great carnival! I'd like to be in the next one...
is there always a theme and what will the next carvial's theme be? (assuming that the answer to "is there always a theme?" is "yes"...)

[Penny]

I haven't heard a theme from Retired Waif yet--but when I do, I'll try to post it here and at DS,TU.

[Zephyr]

Whoops! I would have submitted a better post but I forgot the theme of the carnival. Glad you could find a funny post.

[blue girl]

Connie, you've been goosed.

[Connie]

Oh?????? And if I follow the "Posted by: blue girl" link below you'll explain will you?

Is this good news or bad?

OK, here I go......

[Connie]

Ooops. I meant the "blue girl" link above!

[Ali]

Hey Steve,

I liked the aricle about PWDs, specialy the one about Afghans with Disabilities doning suicide...

It will be great to post some aricles in link to this aricle to prevent the PwDs from the tragedy going on...

I mean the decision makers must consider the crucial situation of PwDs and give their rights and dignitiess...

I am in Kabul witnessing it..

Ali

[wheelchairs]

I really appreciate your post and you explain each and every point very well.Thanks for sharing this information.And I’ll love to read your next post too.
Regards
http://www.wheelchairindia.com

[Manisha]

A developmental disability which significantly affects verbal and non-verbal communication and social interaction, generally evident before the age of 3 that adversely affects educational performance. Other characteristics are repetitive activities, stereotyped movements, resistance to environmental changes, change in daily routines, and unusual responses to sensory behavioral disorder.