People who don’t work or live in a world of disability don’t understand what life is like without.
Last week I spent some time with a brain injury group and the moment I sat down, I felt the clawing hands of desperation to get at my funding, to benefit the place I was at.
I mean, I walked in and all the members were excited because they were all waiting patiently for “stuff to happen.” Then the staff started treating me like I worked there. How many people are coming? Where is Neil?
Admittedly, I live closer than Neil (who is from the Peninsula and runs a group called ‘United Brains’) There weren’t enough chairs and I was informed there were “staff” in the meeting room next door and they were using all the chairs.
Call me crazy, but I don’t think much success can come of a business model that doesn’t prioritise chairs for welcoming visitors. That’s not even the thing that made me completely livid last week.
But the ‘thing’ that annoyed me the most was when one woman stated the staff at the NDIA don’t come from a disability background, because they want to treat us like we are NORMAL.
Grrrrrrr….. this is why I’ve had to explain what my AFO does, why I had medically approved shoes and why I deal with migraines all the damn time.
Today’s lunch is a little different today. I’m actually at a once yearly United Brains BBQ. It’s one of the Melbourne based brain injury groups I am on the fringes of. So, instead of food today, here are some pictures of people!
Ok, and maybe some food.
Always feel being at these kinds of ABI groups they could easily recruit the next season of Walkers for the Walking Dead here. There is always some numpty walking around drooling. I generally pick my regular faces to catch up with quietly. Even though I have one ear trained on what others are discussing. I then try to offer a few brief words of advice to help others. I generally don’t last long before I have a migraine and am feeling very seedy. I do still have my standard punchy/stabby day ahead.
Also, note photo of moi with a marrow? Ok, Larissa the artist gave it to me and. No matter how big they get she still calls it a zucchini. I grew up calling it a marrow once they got this big.
#Helensnotexpecting
Also, the photo of the snag in bread? Most Aussie thing ever! Yes, it’s the long sausage in the square bread!
I really wanted to include a clip of a comedian explaining his take on some of our Aussie food things. His name is Ivan Artisteguieta and yes, I have written that name enough times today. He comes from Venezuela so his take on our food culture is rather amusing to us. He does a particularly witty take on our love of the sausage sizzle at our Bunnings hardware stores. Because they are there to raise money as a fundraising activity. That smell of burning onion as you leave a Bunnings on a Saturday morning gets you every time! However, he makes fun of us trying to put a long sausage into a square piece of bread or as we often refer to it as a Snag in bread. He points out in America and Venezuela where he is from they have long sausages and buns designed for such. So, I guess if you all luck out on finding anything on him online, as I did. Keep an eye out for him on the comedy circuit.
Australia Day/Invasion Day is this weekend so a good Aussie staple is in much need. That is the anniversary of when the First Fleet arrived in Botany Bay in 1788, and when the Aboriginal community see as the start of white man killing and abusing their people. It happened, I’m not suggesting it didn’t. I know I didn’t do it and I’m sure you don’t need me to get politically motivated about it here. If you would like to read more about the above here is a link…