Mag and others,
This morning I took a peek at your old CP Book, and I want to say that I
liked reading some of the writings. I'm getting to enjoy seeing things like
this that people with disabilities had a main role in developing, because we
definitely have stories to tell, which helps others understand disabilities
a lot better, and that leads to better education, better therapies, social
acceptance, more job opportunities and a lot more. Sometimes I feel that
people with disabilities aren't comfortable enough with telling their life
stories which causes them to not move on with life.
Thanks,
Anthony
Visit me at http://www.ara1.net
----- Original Message -----
From: Magenta Raine
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: Sunday, April 21, 2002 5:33 PM
Subject: deri, contribution to new book
By Magenta Raine.................
Angella is my chocolate caramel angel. She is as wacky, fun, and smart as
I=20
am. When we are out in public together people ask if we are mother and=20
daughter, Angella was happy when I finally colored my hair, as it made me
no=
t=20
look like her mother, (her sister is light skinned -- about the same as
my=20
skin color).=20
Sometimes when dressing me we get into funny positions, and if I were a
man,=
=20
I'd probably try to make something of them. Instead, I just say, "Boy,
look=20
at us=E2=80=A6now if I were a guy=E2=80=A6" and she responds, "Yes, but
you'=
re not and I'm=20
not interested in women." We laugh.=20
Sometimes when putting on a skirt or pants, Angella will tell me, "assume
th=
e=20
position." I lay on my back and lift my legs up. It's not the most
dignified=
=20
position, but it gets the job done. Sometimes Angella will tease me
about=20
this as being my favorite position, and I just smile demurely.=20
Angella is probably the most man-crazy assistant I've ever had.
Sometimes,=20
she walks into my room, and some days I can just sense what she feels
before=
=20
she says, "Hmm I feel so sexy today." We laugh a lot. =20
She is in graduate school now, and because she hasn't a computer yet,
I'm=20
typing her papers for her. Her readability score is just the opposite
of=20
mine. She has a 12th grade writing level and the program says her papers
are=
=20
going to be understood by only 35 percent of the American population.
My=20
writing tends to be at a ninth grade level, but understandable to about
75=20
percent if the population. If this is accurate, our education system is
sadl=
y=20
lacking.=20
I have a thing about zippers, I don't understand it. But every time
Angella=20
wears a new jogging outfit, (and lord knows she must have 35 of them by
now)=
,=20
I am tempted to tease her by adjusting the zipper on her jacket, or the=20
zipper on her pants leg. I guess this is just my way of saying,
"Ooohhh,=20
another zipper!" and remaining youthful in spirit.=20
When it rained the other day, she wanted to play scrabble, but didn't
feel=20
like keeping score and bratted out on me by saying, "Can we play
another=20
game?" when I kept putting nice words down. So, we played Tell a Fortune,
an=
d=20
we "read" each others fortunes. And then we played charades. This may
not=20
seem like part of her job, but life is more than just cleaning, making
food,=
=20
and going to the doctor.=20
All of Angella's past boyfriends have commented that she has "too much fun
o=
n=20
the job." But we just feed on each other's consumerism, and she adapted
my=20
love of catalogs and on-line buying. And I had to quit using my credit
card,=
=20
so now we're both on a credit card diet. I have instead, purchased from=20
places that let you make monthly installments, and a couple of stores
have=20
delayed billing, but I've figured out what I can afford, so I just
finished=20
getting my new wardrobe. Which I needed since I've dropped six dress sizes
i=
n=20
the past year, and had to give away many of my clothes, particularly
skirts=20
and pants because they're falling off me. I've dropped 27 pounds, most
on=20
purpose, and a few because of a bad reaction to medication. I'm proud
that=20
today I am within the weight I was in high school. Anyway, since I
worked=20
hard for the money, I can spend it the way I want to. So, I really love=20
working, as it makes me not only feel productive and useful, but it
enables=20
me to not look like a slob.=20
Today, Angella caught me unaware, while ordering a refill of my
medication,=20
she suddenly asked, "Do you want this filled by a male or female?" I
looked=
=20
at her, like "What?!" I shrugged my shoulders and raised my hands in a=20
who-cares gesture. Three minutes later she asked "tall or short?" I
grinned=
=20
and snorted like a horse. Later, after going over the address with a
live=20
person, she asked me another question, "Brown eyes or blue?" but pretended
t=
o=20
still be on line. I laughed and said, "Ohhh Girl, you are so bad
today!"=20
Sometimes I wear tight fitting socks, and when I want to take a bath, I
need=
=20
help taking them off. I will stick my legs out toward Angella and she
will=20
grab hold of my socks, then tell me to reverse my chair. I do, and slowly
th=
e=20
socks stretch and pull off.=20
The other day Claire was substituting for Angella, and I nearly pulled
her=20
onto the bed with me as we tried to get a shirt over my head and arms.
We=20
laughed.=20
Today we ran into the old cream cheese problem. I said I wanted "Cream=20
cheese," and she kept saying "You want green cheese?" Got a good giggle
out=20
of that.=20
=20
_________________________________________________________________
Shopping online saves time, gasoline, and stress.=20
Visit my Mall!
And while you're there, check out my business opportunity!=20
http://www.ebizgravity.com/tamar-raine=20
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