Do It Myself Blog – Glenda Watson Hyatt

Yesterday Karen was denied service at her local Steak & Shake because she is Deaf. Today she was interviewed by two tv stations. Here is the ABC interview. Don’t deny a woman her milkshake!

I’m proud of you, my friend!

Ironically, two days after Martin Luther King Jr. Day in the United States, my friend Karen Putz (aka DeafMom) was denied service because of her disability, her deafness. After picking up one child at one school and before picking up the next, she decided to treat her son and herself to milkshake at her local Steak & Shake drive-thru. Because she drove up to the window to place her order, rather than placing it at the speaker, which she can’t hear, the guy refused to serve her, even after she explained she is Deaf and requires accommodation as legislated in the Americans with Disabilities Act. He still refused to serve her.

Karen has contacted the corporate office and a lawyer. Tonight, with a crash course, she has set up a Twitter account where she plans to share updates on her fight for her rights. Please join our Viral Activism in Action!

Perhaps appropriately Do It Myself Blog has advanced to round two of the Canadian Blog Awards, in the Best Activism Category. Voting is now open until January 30th, 2008 11:59 PM PST. Thanks for your support!

Nancy Cleary of Wyatt-MacKenzie Publishing, Inc. did an awesome job in creating the cover for my autobiography I’ll Do It Myself. I was amazed and emotional when she emailed the mock-up! The cover captures so many aspects of my life.

Since the book has been out for over a year already (where does the time go?), I figured it is time I share the story behind each photo included on the cover.

While in Kindergarten, each time I walked down the hall for occupational therapy, I was allowed to choose an artificial flower from a large cardboard box to fasten to my walker. Once my walker was covered in flowers, they were removed and I began again. Adults will use almost anything to bribe kids!

I loved the Brownie Smile Song:

I’ve got something in my pocket that belongs upon my face,
I keep it very close to me in a most convenient place

I’m sure you couldn’t guess it if you guessed a long, long while.
So I’ll take it out and put it on – it’s a great big Brownie Smile!

Excerpt from I’ll Do It Myself:

Being atop a horse, I could separate myself from my wheelchair, which, although it enables me mobility, it symbolizes my disability. People instantly know I have a disability when seeing me in my wheelchair, and they approach (or avoid) me based on the stereotypes, assumptions and misconceptions they have about people with disabilities. On the horse, at first glance they do not see my cp in all its jerky, gross, misunderstood ways. For that brief moment, until they take a closer look or interact with me, my disability does not exist. They simply see me. That is the sense of freedom I feel atop of the horse.

On this day I won the gold medal at the BC Summer Games!

After seven long years at Simon Fraser University atop Burnaby Mountain, I earned my Bachelor of Arts degree, with a major in psychology and a minor in communications!

Our wedding day! Need I say more?

Kayaking for the first time! My brother-in-law Todd did most of the padding and kept us fair close to shore, just in case. That was an awesome day!

So many people have asked me who is the cute dog on my bookcover That is Hailey, my sister-in-law Daphne’s rat terrier puppy – a real sweetie! (Daphne is a sweetie too!)

Ain’t life grand!

Update: Now available on the Amazon Kindle!

(Photo credit: Gregory Runyan)

Hi and welcome to the Readers’ Café – a place to gather and to share.

Personally, I have had enough of the cold, wet and dreariness of winter. I’ve decided to treat everyone to enjoy some fun in the sun! Today we’re soaking up some warmth (with appropriate sunscreen, of course) on the beach at Hanauma Bay on Oahu in Hawaii.

Please help yourself to a cool beverage of your choice. Then spread out a beach towel, sit back, and soak in the sights and sounds. Join in the conversation by posting comments below. We’re a friendly bunch; no need to be shy.

Hit your internet browser’s REFRESH button to see new comments as others join in the conversation. All that I ask is that you respect others and keep it relatively family-friendly. Also, keep in mind that this is a public space, so share what you feel comfortable sharing publicly.

Today’s conversation starter:

• If you could be anywhere doing anything in this moment, where would you be and why?
• What is your wildest daydream (that you can share publicly)?
• Have any of your daydreams ever come true?

Aloha!

The Canadian Blog Awards is an annual event on the Canadian Blogosphere in which Canadian Bloggers and Blog Readers vote to decide which blog is the best – either overall or within a category.

And the nominees are…

Thanks to my high school friend Chris Foley, Do It Myself Blog has been nominated in the Best Activist Blog.

I was somewhat bewildered to be nominated in the Best Activist category. I have yet to chain myself to an inaccessible building, although the thought has crossed my mind at times! I looked up activist and found this:

a doctrine or practice that emphasizes direct vigorous action especially in support of or opposition to one side of a controversial issue

My life’s work has centered around inclusion, acceptance and accessibility for people with disabilities, which, at times, still remains controversial. Perhaps that does make me an activist in a sense.

Voting for Round One is now open and will close on Monday, January 21st at 11:59 PM PST. The top five blogs will advance to the Final Round. You need to vote only once per round, and you do not need to be Canadian to vote!

Thanks for your support.

Reader’s Café, a place to gather and to share, opens again today at 4pm pacific time. Hope you can join us right here for good conversation with good friends.