The Trial

A book coverEver since the latter years of high school, I’ve been rather fond of the writings of Franz Kafka. And, one story in particular, The Metamorphosis. I’ll let you draw the parallels.

To which I’ve read, at least 4 more times since, being a grade 12 English student looking for the shortest amount of time I needed to spend on reading a book for school. Sadly, it was short enough to get me interested enough to finish. Little did I know what was just around the corner, eh?

And I guess it was last year, following my latest perusal of said story, that I decided to check out more of Kafka’s work. So in addition to “The Castle” and a “Complete Short Stories” collection, I ordered “The Trial,” as well. Unfortunately they’re all still in the queue. But, “The Trial,” just got bumped up. To next…

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Bittersweet

This past weekend, yesterday in fact, I had the wonderful opportunity to catch up with an old friend. Someone I hadn’t seen in a very long time. It’s funny, no matter how much time passes, some things may never change, eh?

But with such a great occasion came the reminder of some less desired aspects of a life. Specifically the way in which I’m often treated.

The hardest part of my accident, especially in terms of it’s result, is having to constantly endure peoples short sighted expectations. Specifically their perception of my “capacity.” Just because I’m unable to walk and speak like a “normal” individual, doesn’t necessarily mean I need to be treated in a way that is different from anyone else. When a person starts to speak slower, louder, or not even to me, it only insults their intelligence…

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You Musn’t Worry, We Will

I’ve absolutely no idea why, but yesterday, while listening to Propagandhi’s new record, yet again, one song, in particular, felt so much like a kick in the neck. Potemkin City Limits. I know, why is that song, the name of their last record, on this album, Supporting Caste? As Chris said in a recent interview;

“If you had heard the version of the song ‘Potemkin City Limits’ that was originally intended to appear on the record of the same name, you would nod your head vigorously in understanding as to why it was ultimately shelved until a later date. Wow, did it STINK. It is good now.”1

Is it ever! Not just good, it’s great. Not that I’d heard it before. But any song that incites a response, such an emotional reaction, from the strongest Motherfucker ever to rock this planet’s surface, me (OK, I like to exaggerate), has to say something. Doesn’t it?

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It’s Still My Revolution

Disability BadgeI stumbled upon a great website yesterday. If I Can’t Dance Is It Still My Revolution. Before I proceed, it must be said, if I could dance I probably wouldn’t. I’ve never been comfortable or drunk enough, for that matter, to seriously “cut a rug.” But I love the analogy.

And within said site were these words, by Tanya Titchkosky, speaking of “Supercrips;”

“Those people who can exclude attending to disability by attending fully to their ability to participate in society, as normally as is possible, and they ultimately and inevitably signify having a ‘positive effect on others,’ ‘contributing fully to the community,’ and ‘maximizing their potential’… The stories of the abled-disabled demonstrate that even disabled people are able to fit in and take up an appearance which shows that their conduct is undoubtedly oriented to an unquestioned normalcy. Through this way of conceptualizing disability, disability becomes the space in which the value of normal shines forth without ever having to be directly spoken of, and disabled people are held to be asserting their individual ability (value) when they can be seen as oriented to serving this normal order.”

Wow, Supercrips, sound like truly amazing people…

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