I AM UPSET LATELY ABOUT THE INTENTIONAL WAYS THAT PEOPLE SHOW AN UNINTENTIONAL LACK OF RESPECT 2 THE DISABLED. 2 MY FACE, THEY ARE NICE & OPEN DOORS & HELP ME, BUT IF I’M NOT IN EYESIGHT, THEY “TEMPORARILY” USE THE HANDICAPED PARKING SPOTS, SIT IN DESIGNATED HANDICAP SEATING, ETC. IF I’M NOT WITH MARK, HE DOES NOT SIT IN HANDICAPPED SEATING, AND DOES NOT EVER PARK IN HANDICAPPED SPOTS (EVEN THOUGH HE COULD MAYBE GET AWAY WITH IT WITH MY DISABILITY PLATES).

SUNDAY, I HAD SEVERAL THINGS OCCUR THAT WERE ALL MINOR ANNOYANCES, BUT ALL TOGETHER, THEY SEEM 2 TELL ME THAT I’M NOT WELCOME HERE…HOWEVER, I WAS TRYING 2 INSTEAD FOCUS ON WHAT WAS DONE 2 MAKE THE DISABLED WELCOME (THOUGH I WANT 2 SHARE A PET PEEVE: IF U ARE LDS, THE MEDIUM-SIZED BENCH IN THE BACK ROW THAT IS SHORTER ON BOTH ENDS IS NOT 4 A MEDIUM-SIZED FAMILY OR 4 AN INFANT CARRIER, OR 4 A BABY 2 PLAY ON A BLANKET…BUT IT IS 4 WHEELCHAIRS & NON-COLLAPSING WALKERS! I THINK WE NEED SIGNS THAT SAY THAT IT’S RESERVED 4 THE HANDICAPPED!)

MONDAY TOOK THE CAKE! I WENT 2 WATCH SOPH’S DANCE CLASS AT PAIYH (PUT ART IN YOUR HEART) DANCE STUDIO, AND SOME1 WAS PARKED ILLEGALLY IN THE HANDICAPPED SPOT…THERE ARE ONLY 2 SPOTS, & 1 WAS BEING USED BY A CAR WITH THE RIGHT DISABILITY PARKING TAGS.4 SOME REASON, PEOPLE THINK IT’S OK 2 “TEMPORARILY” PARK IN THE HANDICAPPED PARKING IF THEY FEEL IT WILL ONLY BE A SECOND, & THE CAR IS STILL RUNNING. THIS IS SO NOT FAIR, AND NOT TRUE: THEY CAN PARK ANYWHERE! I HAVE MINIMAL CHOICES, & IF BOTH ARE FULL, MARK HAS 2 LET ME OUT/IN ON THE STREET, OR I DON’T GO!

MON., MARK TRIED HONKING & WAITING, BUT HAD 2 END UP GOING AROUND THE BLOCK, AND I HAD 2 GET OUT BEHIND THE BUILDING & “WALK” AROUND. HE USUALLY HAS TO KNOCK ON A WINDOW TO GET PEOPLE’S ATTENTION BUT THERE WAS TRAFFIC THAT DAY. 4 SOME REASON, I HAVE FOUND THAT DANCE STUDIOS ARE REALLY BAD ABOUT THIS: GUESS BECUZ THE DISABLED ARE NOT EXPECTED 2 GO THERE! BUT I’VE HAD TROUBLE AT SCHOOLS, CHURCH, DRY CLEANERS, AND OTHER SMALL BUSINESSES…U NAME IT! ARE AMERICANS UNGRATEFUL WITH THEIR ABILITY 2 WALK, AND 2 LAZY 2 WALK A FEW FEET EXTRA?

AS A WOMAN WHO ENJOYED MANY FORMS OF DANCE ALL HER LIFE, AND EVEN DANCED ON MY COLLEGE BALLROOM DANCE TEAM, IT IS PAINFUL TO SEE ABLE BODIED PEOPLE PARK IN THE “PREMIUM” HANDICAPPED PARKING SPACES IN FRONT OF THE DANCE STUDIO. DO THEY NOT REALIZE HOW BLESSED THEY ARE TO BE PHYSICALLY ABLE TO BE DOING SOMETHING THAT THEY LOVE? NOT SAYING THIS OCCURED, BUT IT IS BAD ENOUGH WHEN SOME1 W/DISABILITY TAGS USES A SPOT IF THEY DON’T NEED IT (I THINK THERE IS A TENDENCY 2 THINK THEY “HAVE THE RIGHT,” OR THAT IT’S JUST EMPTY…BUT THAT IS ALWAYS WHEN THE WHEELCHAIRS COME, IT SEEMS), BUT 2 ADD A PERFECTLY HEALTHY, ABLED BODY TAKING DISABLED PARKING, SEATS, ETC… THE FAMILIAR STATEMENT “ADDING INSULT TO INJURY” RINGS PRETTY TRUE IN THIS CASE.