Sunday Miscellany - Incapable or Unlearned by Cathal .

Writing is my winter sport, but that’s not because I don ‘t write in the summer, its just that the plants shout at me louder in the growing months, as they pop up their heads in places that surprise me, and the snails begin their game of guerrilla munching which has been known to send me into an apoplectic range of a Sunday morning, when nurtured seedlings have been decimated to a status of single stalk, left erect in the clay pot as if flipping me the bird knowing that if I kick them, I shatter my pots. I like my pots, and the fucking snails know that too, they’re goading me. I blame the Missus, she’s an expert goader, remind me to tell you about a camping episode and the mental alarm clock.
But I’m not writing about snails today. I just want to try and get back into sharing a miscellany of a week in the life, or as I prefer to think of it, a life in the week.
I was in the garden this evening, forgetting my worries and thinking of my week. I keep a notebook with me, something Redbubble thought me to do, and I jotted down thoughts that occurred to me., ideas for stories, comments worth recording, and imagineering worth exploring. So to try and keep in touch with everybody and avoid my usual summer bubble hibernation, I’ve come in to the mac and starting banging down the thoughts I’ve just jotted down, and I’ll just post it after write one, so apologies for its lack of effort.
I noticed in the office today, that whilst it might be ‘casual Friday’ and everybody ditches the suits and the pencil skirts and white blouses, for some it should be more aptly called ‘uncomfortable Friday’ Apart from the fact that some men don’t have casual clothes other than golf shite, some of the women look decidedly uncomfortable in clothes that should make them feel more at ease, so that was debate number one after I mentally clocked off at 3 o clock. Debate number two was entitled ‘Is second stealing, actually stealing?’ which was a discussion on stealing newspapers from colleagues desks after they had been stolen from another colleague in the first instance. What can I say, it was a Friday.
The third note I have jotted down in my book is this. – ‘Incapable or Unlearned’
Let me explain. Last night I met two fantastic ladies called Caroline and Amy. Caroline is a social entrepreneur involved in disability rights and founded a company called Kanchi which strives to ensure an equal shot at employment for people with different abilities. We met at the launch of a DVD for people with intellectual disabilities which starred Amy. Amy spoke to a cinema filled with people and discussed the purpose of the animated video she was voicing over. She has also voiced the lead character in a cartoon called Punky currently showing on TV here in Ireland. It’s the first cartoon in the world where the lead character has Down Syndrome! Amy, who has Downs Syndrome herself, is rightfully proud of this achievement. We had champagne and finger food afterwards and Amy filled me in on the process of voice over and animation as it was something that really interested me. In the meantime Caroline, who’s personality was as attractive as her figure and her smile, happily bantered with me the merits of people with intellectual disabilities having Rebel Advocates, people who show them there are choices that involve body piercing, tattoos, hair dye and mohicans, religions and atheism, words and abstracts, snakes and cider. It’s one of my dreams. And whilst I don’t have the vocab or the background or knowledge that can espouse my theory with any semblance of academic proof, I firmly believe that by rebelling, we learn to choose. And when we learn how to choose, we learn how to actually live a life. A life that is ours and ours alone. And that’s what I wish for all that are considered different. And from talking to Caroline and Amy last night I’ve realized that If you can’t play the piano, or ride a motorbike, or paint a picture, is it because you’re incapable, or is it because you haven’t learned yet? And maybe that is how we should think of people who are different.

So before I sign off, I urge you to check out Caroline, here’s a link to a talk she gave at a TED conference in December. “Caroline Casey”:http://www.ted.com/talks/caroline_casey_...
And if you ever get to see Punky the cartoon, you’ll be hearing the wonderful voice of Amy, who can play numerous instruments and drink champagne whilst smelling a red rose as if that’s how it should always be done.
In the meantime I’m going to kill more snails and maybe add some more pages to a story called Pete, inspired by a comment from fellow bubblers Lisa Baulmer when she told me about the Ontario School for the Crippled, and by Jenny Nestor and her wonderful cartoon strips. It’s too big for posting in RB already! I do rabbit on a bot you know!
Have a great weekend folks, and if you do get a chance to check out Caroline at Ted.com. pop over and take a look at Ken Robinson too, here’s the link, I hope “ken Robinson, Schools kill creativity”:http://www.ted.com/talks/ken_robins...
Have a great weekend folks