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.

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.

I think you misunderstood my words.   Obviously I don't introduce myself by
saying I have cerebral palsy!  First of all it would be a redundant remark
since anyone with eyesight who sees me walking up to them already knows I
have a disability.  I was making the analogy between the denial I had
accepting my disability, and the denial of an alcoholic that they have a
substance abuse problem.

There is no way to work out any problem unless you first admit there is a
problem.  Hence, admitting to myself I have cp.  The only time I ever really
talk about being disabled is at the doctors office, or here on the list
(which I thought was the nature of this beast :D )

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.

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