Hi Denise,


> Trisha Said, " Denise, I am curious - why is it necessary to mention your
> disablity when you meet someone?"
>
> Remember my reintroduction post?  I reminded everybody I sometimes end up
> with foot in mouth?  Well, this is how it starts, "Misunderstanding."
> Trisha, I am a VERY sarcastic person (but in a good way :D)   Always have
> been.  Always will be.

     Sorry - I keyed in on the like alcoholics and went from there.
Alcoholics do always introduce themselves and then share the alcoholic
part - My response is usually - And I need to know this becasue?

> In person you have the benefit of inflection, tone, facial expressions,
etc.
> This usually leaves no room for doubt.  However, the written word can be
> tricky.  Sarcasm, joking and kidding are sometimes "misread" on paper,
which
> is what happend here.

    Yup - happens a lot with e-mail!!

> I am a firm believer that people already break themselves off into
> ridiculously small groups.  You know?  There are people who continue to
break
> themselves off from the rest of the human race, segregating themselves
even
> more.  Like, "I only hang out with other left-handed, synchronized
swimming,
> cat-owners, of Sumarian decent who do needle-point and are allergic to
blow
> fish."  These slivers of definition CAN get ridiculous.  BUT, you can not
> deny the fact that some times, there are certain facets which contribute
to
> who we are.  I don't define myself by my disability, BUT  there is no way
I
> can say it does not color my perception of the world.  This is a part of
who
> I am, just like being Italian, or a first-born child, influenced my
> personality.
>

    Yes, it was already pointed to me privately- that I can't really
understand becasue even tho I am disabled and Amber has CP - I don't have
CP - therefore I am can't truly understand becasue I am not a personal
member of  club CP.  What I have found thru reading the the posts - pain is
pain - your pain about not being accepted and being different is doesn't
feel any different than mine. Ever since I was born - I have been different
for one reason or another - beginning with being born an illegimate child -
exclusion doesn't feel any different  and it should teach you - it hurts to
be excluded and not to in turn be that petty to someone else. This part of
the lesson seems to sail over most folks heads. My impulse was to say take a
flying leap - that however somone elses smallness should not color my giving
someone help nor getting it for Amber.

> No matter how much we may want to believe these "groupings" don't
influence
> us or how others see us, I think they do.  Again, my entire outlook on
life
> isn't soley based on cp, but a large portion of my expereinces were
colored
> by being disabled.
>
> There!  I hope I've cleared that all up.  - And I know Trisha can relate
to
> the sarcasm.  She had quite a good jolt of her own when she said, "... -
you
> too can have think things thru. I have seen Amber do it as an 18 month
old -
> so I am fairly
> sure - its a species skill we are born with."  Good One Trisha!  :D

   Thank -you!!