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Potpourri

It’s becoming more and more difficult for me to don my winter coat, even with assistance, especially the part where I try to stuff my arms into the sleeves. So I bit the bullet and ordered this ridiculously expensive winter Cape, which has no sleeves. Once I try it out, I’ll give you a review (picture on right). Who else wears a cape: Batman, Superman, the magician at your child’s birthday party.

Marie Suszynski at Everyday Health published a column called Nine MS Myths, Busted. Myth 2, “Everyone with MS Ends up Severely Disabled”, and myth 9, “Everyone with MS Will Quickly and Steadily Get Worse,” are sadly ironic for me. But the rest of the items are pretty sound. Thanks to Stu’s Views & M.S. News for this link.

Apple’s iPhone has an abundance of accessibility features. Click here for a summary.  I also came across this article in USA Today a couple of days ago: Five Things You Had No Idea Your IPhone Could Do. I’m going to try #1, and I’ve already started using #3. (sorry Al)

Maintenance and parts support for the iBot will expire on March 31. I know people are still working on saving the iBot, and I have my fingers crossed. I wasn’t aware that Dean Kamen brought the iBot on the Colbert Report way back in 2006. Watch this clip – very entertaining. Thanks to Cynthia and Charles Riordan for the link.

Here’s a TED talk that everyone with a brain disease, like MS, or anyone who knows someone with a brain disease should watch. Siddharthan Chandran: Can the Damaged Brain Repair Itself? I have little doubt that medical researchers will find a way to repair the damage done by neurological diseases, but will it be soon enough for people like me?

Finally, I wanted to let you know that I have been asked to write another “Men with MS” column in the magazine MS Focus. It will be in the spring issue, and I’ll let you know when it comes out.

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Some Things I Miss (and a Few Things I Don’t)

Things I Miss
1. Walking (obviously) 
As a wheelchair user, I’m not
only missing out on little slices of life due to accessibility issues. I’m also
denied the many health benefits of walking. Every so often I stumble upon an article
highlighting the importance of getting up and moving, like this one: Too Much Sitting Linked to Chronic Health Problems.
I’ve grown to despise these reprimands. I get it already!
Eventually, they all read the same to me – “Get up and walk, you lazy piece of
shit, or suffer a horrible, untimely death.” 
Sigh. 
I also miss out on other health benefits.
According to this article entitled Mental Benefits of Walking, putting one foot in front of the other reduces mental decline, lowers
Alzheimer’s risk, improves sleep, lightens the mood, and can even serve as a
form of meditation. 
I enjoy accompanying people on
their walks, although it just isn’t the same for me as it is for them. But
please, continue to invite me along. 
2. Helping out 
Whenever someone encountered
difficulty, it was in my nature to step in and help out. Kim couldn’t reach
something on a high shelf; I would get it for her. Neighbor got stuck in her
driveway during a snowstorm; I pushed her car. Friend bought a new dishwasher;
I helped him carry it into the house. Today I am only a powerless bystander. I
realize that I’m still helpful in other ways. For example, I manage our family
finances and dispense husbandly and fatherly advice, perhaps too liberally. And
I understand that I’ve taken on new roles with my MS advocacy. But I miss being
able to just step in and lend a hand when needed. 
3. Typing 
Dragon NaturallySpeaking is a lifesaver.
It allows me to put words to a page without the use of my hands. However, I
still miss typing, for a few reasons. First, our house has an open layout. When
I’m dictating to my computer everybody within earshot knows what I’m saying,
and that doesn’t work for me (other than the most mundane tasks such as
responding to a straightforward email). Second, I had a pretty decent
respiratory cold last week and didn’t feel like speaking to anyone, let alone
my computer. Third, Dragon is only about 95% accurate. This may seem impressive,
but keep in mind that a typical blog post is about 1000 words. That means I
have to find and repair about 50 errors in each post. 
Although Dragon NaturallySpeaking
is a wonderful thing, it’s just not the same as typing. 
4. Spontaneity 
There a lot of things I can no
longer do. The remaining activities all require a certain amount of planning,
or unusual attention to detail, or both. Travel, dining out, going to the
ocean, even having sex, requires forethought and preparation. Sometimes,
knowing that there is planning to be done is enough of a barrier to discourage
the activity altogether. I’m engineery, so let’s not pretend that I ever led a
carefree life of whimsy. But I do miss the modest amount of spontaneity I used
to enjoy. 
5. Having a career 
I was not a workaholic, and I’d
be lying if I said I loved going to work each day, but having a career was
personally fulfilling. I always played an important role in the companies I
worked for, and people seemed to want me on their teams. I miss the feeling of
usefulness that came with my career. I also miss the travel, and the money. 
6. Being away from Kim 
Please don’t misunderstand. If
you’ve been reading this blog you know that I love my wife dearly, and that
even before my disability we spent most of our free time together. However,
there were certain activities that I enjoyed which required that I be away from
my wife. Some of these, such as going with the guys for a hunting or sports
weekend, are not practical for me anymore. I need Kim’s help just to get
through the day now. Similarly, Kim used to get away for professional
conferences and the occasional ladies weekend. At the moment we have no procedure
in place for anyone other than Kim to be my caregiver. We should, but we don’t.
Kim and I can’t be apart for even a single night. 
7. Playing sports and games 
When I was diagnosed at age 38, I
wasn’t playing in any men’s sport’s leagues. But I was active. I could shoot a
little hoops, play catch, ping pong, bean bags, billiards, Wii, foosball, etc.
I was competitive, and won my share of contests. Online cribbage and Words with
Friends help, but they don’t satisfy my need for play and competition. 
But I Don’t Miss
1. Golf 
MS gets the credit for rescuing me from a game that cost too
much money, required too much time away from my family, and left me miserable
more often than not, except for that hole in one. (Please don’t send me links
to handicapped golfing websites.) 
2. Dancing 
I always hated dancing. Now I can’t. (Please don’t send me
ideas for ways that I can dance in my iBot.) 
3. Swimming 
I could swim enough to keep from drowning, but it was an
activity I never enjoyed. We had swimming pools in two of our houses, and they
were wonderful for the kids. I may have jumped in 5 or 6 times per year. I
never found that the discomfort of having water get in my eyes and up my nose,
or the initial temperature shock, were enough to warrant the meager benefits. I
don’t miss swimming. (Please don’t send me links to handicapped swimming
sites.) 
4. The bullshit part of my career 
As I mentioned above, having a career was a partially
rewarding experience, which I partially miss. However, I cannot count the times
that I had to deal with absolute bullshit at work. The problem was not
tyrannical, immediate supervisors. Most of my bosses were excellent mentors and
all-around good eggs. But that didn’t stop them from asking me to do stupid
things, for stupid reasons. More often than not this was the result of upper
management feeling the pressure to meet month-end, quarter-end, or year-end
goals. Satisfying this urge usually required the temporary suspension of sound business
practices (like customer satisfaction). Once you start playing this game it
becomes self-perpetuating, an endless loop of jumping through hoops. 
Fulfilling? Not so much. (Please don’t send me links on how
to overcome my disability and reintegrate into the workforce.) 
For my healthy readers, what do you think you would miss most if you had MS or a similar disease? For my disabled readers, what is it that you already miss? What don’t you miss?

Note: My longtime
readers may recognize this as similar to a post from October, 2010. I made
significant updates and improvements, however.
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It’s Not the Disability, It’s the…

This is the internationally recognized symbol ...
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)
I’ve accepted
that I can no longer walk, and I’ve adjusted to the constant fatigue and the failing
memory. Kim and I have developed strategies for all sorts of activities of
daily living, so that I can be showered, shaved, dressed, etc. Everything this
damn disease has thrown at us so far we’ve handled, and pretty well if I do say
so myself.
What wears on
me, however, is this gradual, pervasive disease progression. Once
or twice I’ve been able to temporarily slow it down, but it always comes back. Of course I’d like
to reverse the path of this illness and actually get better. But that’s not
necessary for me to enjoy a fulfilling and relatively stress-free life. If my condition would just stop deteriorating, I’d be perfectly content to live the rest of my life with my current level of disability, or even some greater level. But that deal is not on the table.
It’s
this damn worsening disability, this insidious wasting away that threatens to
shake my resolve. Whatever I do, it’s never enough. MS cannot be placated. It
demands so much of me, and then it demands more.
You often hear,
“It’s not the heat, it’s the humidity.”
I say, “It’s
not the disability, it’s the progression.”
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10 Things I Have Come to Understand in My 50 Years

Bonus time.
(Photo credit: hfabulous)

I’ve learned so many lessons in my first half-century. I suppose this is true of every 50-year-old, but only a few of us have blog space to fill up with such ponderings. So, in no particular order:

1. Even if I were to die tomorrow, I win.

To have been born at all completely defies the odds. That’s why ever since my birth I’ve been living on bonus time, and so have you (since your birth). This continued existence of ours- it’s just icing on the cake.

2. The fact that a belief is widely held does not make it a fact.

The earth is flat, 6000 years old, and is the center of the universe. Separation of church and state is wrong. Slavery is morally justified. Women should not vote. Separate but equal is a fair compromise. Tim Tebow may be unorthodox, but there will always be a place for him in the NFL.

3. Listening is more important than speaking.

I realize that this is in easy statement for an introvert to make (if any statement is easy for an introvert to make).

4. Having an open mind and being contemplative are assets, not liabilities.

For reasons I cannot understand, we apparently want our leaders to be opinionated and inflexible, and they must never flip-flop. At least that’s how we vote. In reality, the most thoughtful and effective leaders are the ones who are comfortable saying “I don’t know”, or “I’ll have to think about that” once in a while. My problem is, very few of those people show up on the ballot.

Thankfully, however, many of those people show up at my happy hour. So that’s something.

5. Similarly, most people think they know way more than they actually do about how the world works.

The human brain does not cope well with ambiguity. We therefore construct models in our heads of how the world works, creating the illusion of certainty and predictability. We feel compelled to bridge our knowledge gaps with reasonable assumptions, best guesses, and large helpings of complete bullshit. In most instances the knowledge gaps would be best left unbridged. The fallacies that result from these errant models are at the root of most conflicts in our society.

It is a sign of great intelligence to acknowledge one’s ignorance (if I’m not mistaken).

6. There is a fine line between confidence and arrogance.

The first one is appealing and represents a strength. The second one is ugly, and represents a weakness. I admire people with confidence, something that I often lack. I do everything I can to avoid arrogant people. Yet, I sometimes confuse one for the other. It takes careful observation and a certain amount of patience to be sure which one you’re dealing with.

7. We need each other.

We are social animals. Other than the occasional, functional hermit, every human being relies on a network of other human beings. The people who are most successful and happy in life are not so stubborn as to underutilize their network or so shortsighted and uncaring as to mistreat it. They cultivate their relationships, and realize mutual benefit.

People who spend an inordinate amount of time at home, such as disabled folks, often benefit from an online network too. But this can’t replace the need for face-to-face, in-person relationships.

I could to do a better job cultivating both of my networks.

8. “You make your own luck” applies primarily to the lucky.

It’s comforting to think of the world as a meritocracy – you get what you deserve. This idea is primarily espoused by two groups. First, there are those who have been the beneficiary of good fortune themselves. Second, there are those who hold on to the notion that there is a scorekeeper somewhere, doling out appropriate rewards and punishments despite the overwhelming evidence that bad things keep happening to good people and good things keep happening to bad people.

I accept the idea that a lack of effort lowers one’s chances of becoming prosperous, and that expending effort raises one’s chances. I certainly appreciate the importance of hard work and accountability (ask my kids). But I cannot accept the notion that people necessarily deserve their lot in life.

Admitting that our successes and failures are largely due to one form of luck or another allows us to have empathy for the less fortunate, and discourages us from idolizing the more fortunate.

9. We are stronger than we think.

Resilience is an almost universal human trait. People often don’t appreciate their strength until circumstances demand it. I’ve seen this time and again. I’ve lived this.

You will eventually discover how much you can endure and all that you are capable of accomplishing, if you haven’t already.

10. Things are generally not as bad as they appear to be.

“The reason people find it so hard to be happy is that they always see the past better than it was, the present worse than it is, and the future less resolved than it will be.” Marcel Pagnol

These are wise words to live by. But eventually things are as bad as they appear to be, and we die. Even then, see item 1, above.

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Life Is a Little Better This Week

Toilet Spy. Urinal in Berlin
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)
On the whole,
things get more difficult over time with progressive MS. But once in a while we
stumble upon a new device, or a new procedure, which at least temporarily makes
things better. That’s what happened this week.
Here’s some
background. For many years, I have had to pee once or (occasionally) twice in
the middle of the night. That was no big deal, until my legs stopped working.
At first I would use whatever mobility devices I needed in order to help me get
from the bed to the toilet.
A few years ago,
instead of dragging my sorry ass all the way to the bathroom, I began to sit up
on the side of the bed and empty my bladder into a hard plastic, portable urinal. I would
then swing my feet back up into the bed, and fall asleep. In the morning, I
would empty the urinal into the toilet. That was so much easier, and it made my
life better. But it didn’t last.
Eventually I
began to lose the ability to swing my feet back up into bed without some
assistance. This meant that every time I emptied my bladder in the middle of
the night, I had to wake up Kim so that she could lift my feet back up into the
bed. This was our standard procedure from about 12 months ago until about 6
months ago. Then, it also became difficult for me to execute the first portion of this maneuver, getting my feet off the bed and
sitting up without assistance. I would have to wake Kim to help me both
before and after I emptied my bladder. Between her two tasks, she would
sometimes use the bathroom herself. Other times she would crawl back into bed for
a short time. Once in a while she would just stand there and stare at me, silently
inferring, “Hurry up. It’s the middle of the night, you know.”
I worried
about how I would manage if Kim wasn’t next to me some night. But more
importantly, and more urgently, I worried about her ability to get a good
night’s sleep. Once she expended the physical effort associated with helping me, Kim’s sleep pattern was significantly
interrupted. She felt tired the next day. I felt guilty.
I knew that
some men were able to use a urinal while lying in bed. I just couldn’t figure
it out. The biggest challenge was that water, or pee for that matter, runs only
downhill, never uphill. So I obviously couldn’t empty my bladder into a urinal
if I was lying flat on my back. If I rolled on my side I sunk down quite far in
the mattress, so far in fact that if I stuck a hard plastic urinal against
myself I was asking water to run uphill. I very much wanted to find a way to
make it work, but I couldn’t, until last week.
Once a year or
so I bring in my favorite occupational therapist, Maren, to help me figure out
new and creative ways to accomplish everyday tasks after a year’s worth of disease progression. Last
week was one of those times. We talked about a lot of things, and eventually
the subject of nighttime urination came up. We tossed around a bunch of ideas,
and that night I gave it a try, very much afraid that if I screwed up it could
be messy.
By using a
particular kind of soft, flexible urinal, and positioning my body only
partially lying on my side, and elevating my upper body a certain amount using
the hospital bed features that I have, it worked! Now, for the last week
or so, I’m able to empty my bladder without getting out of bed or even sitting
up on the side of the bed. That makes it easier for me to get back to sleep.
More importantly, Kim is able to snooze right through my nocturnal activities, like
she used to years ago.
I’m sorry for
subjecting you to a discussion of bodily fluids. But this minor procedural
change represents a meaningful improvement in our lives, leaving us happier, more
well-rested, and more likely to be awesome each and every day.
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Some What-If Scenarios

English: Titanic is sinking in Mime Misu's In ...
 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
I see no
benefit in wishing that things had
turned out better. That’s a waste of time and an emotional drain. However, I do
have an active, albeit MS-addled brain, and lots free time on my hands, and so
my mind wanders. I find myself imagining,
just for the fun of it, how
things might play out under different circumstances. For example…
Question one: What
if Kim had come down with MS instead of me?
This would
have been a disaster. I am so much better suited to have MS than Kim is, and
Kim is so much better suited to be a caregiver than I am. Don’t get me wrong,
Kim is a tough cookie and would have found a way to cope with MS, had she
contracted it. But she has no love for sedentary activities and has difficulty relaxing.
In contrast, many of my interests are sedentary, and I’m quite adept at kicking
back and taking it easy. Furthermore, Kim is a natural caregiver – it’s in her
DNA. I think I would have been an adequate caregiver, but I don’t possess her
rare combination of empathy and energy.
It’s best for
each of us, and for our marriage, that it worked out the way it did.
Now let’s ramp
the discussion up a notch to another subject I allow my mind to ponder at
times. Warning – some of you may consider this second scenario borderline morbid, in
which case I advise you to stop reading here (I’m talking to you, Carole).
Question two: Imagine
if Kim and I were the last two people on a sinking ship. There’s only room on
the rescue helicopter for one more of us, and the other will certainly drown.
Who should be saved?
I would insist
that Kim go on the helicopter. She, being the empathetic person that she is,
would insist that I go. Many people in committed, loving relationships would behave
similarly. So, although these would be noble gestures on our parts, they would
not be particularly unusual for the circumstances. But I would have reason and
logic on my side, instead of merely love, duty, and compassion.
Here’s what I
mean. If Kim were to live and I were to die, yes she would be left without the
love of her life. But she would most likely enjoy a long, active, independent,
healthy life, and one freed from the burden of caring for her devilishly
handsome, but significantly disabled husband. She would almost certainly remarry,
probably to a doctor, lawyer, or wine sommelier. However, if I were to live and
Kim were to die, I would be left without the love of my life and without my
primary caregiver. I would likely endure a shorter, more difficult life than
Kim would, and I would (will) suffer one health problem after another. I would
be completely dependent on paid caregivers who may or may not treat me with the
TLC that Kim does and would not necessarily have sex with me.
It’s conceivable that I could remarry, but I wouldn’t be exactly the most
eligible widower in town, iBot wheelchair or not.
I’m not being
heroic or romantic here. I’m being practical. Therefore, Kim, I don’t want to
hear any argument from you in the unlikely event that we find ourselves in a
sinking boat scenario. I’ve already stated my position clearly; now get your
ass in that helicopter!
Two clarifications:
First, I’m not saying I wouldn’t want to live if Kim were to die. I would find a way to marshal on. It just wouldn’t be pretty.
Second, I am by no means implying that my life is not worthy, that Kim would be better off without me, or that the lives of disabled people are less valuable than the lives of healthy people. I’m only making an assessment based on the scenario presented and an honest appraisal of our probable futures.
Readers, do your
minds ever wander in this way, or is it just me?
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Some Things That I Am Thankful For

In the run-up to the Thanksgiving holiday, which is celebrated this Thursday in the United States, everyone is compelled to share what it is they are thankful for. Of course my list includes family, friends, America, and ice cream. But I’d rather give recognition to some items which are less obvious.

This list is incomplete and in no particular order. I’m thankful for…

The Windows in My Living Room


Really? You bet.

I have two large windows- one which looks out on the street and the other which looks out on the ocean. After I stare into the abyss of my dual computer screens for a while, I pull back, rotate to my left, and gaze out these windows. This invigorates me, and I become reacquainted with reality. Until recently, however, there was a problem. Because I have an eastern and southern exposure on this side of the house, bright sunshine would often blast into the room, making me feel like an accused spy being interrogated under a hot lamp. Because I wasn’t able to operate the shades myself, I was left with either no view out of the windows or excessive sunlight, depending on how Kim had adjusted the shades before leaving for work. Therefore, a few months ago we made what turned out to be a wonderful purchase. I now have remote control blinds that I can adjust to any position, any time. And I do tweak those babies often throughout the day. I’m very thankful for my windows, and my window blinds.

The picture on the top-right is the sunrise as seen from my living room. It’s not pristine, but it doesn’t suck either.

The IBot Team

This includes: Gary Lawson, Charles Bogle, and everyone else at America’s Huey 091 Foundation; Max Burt, creator of savetheiBot.org; Dean Kamen, Joe Goodwin, and the rest of the team at DEKA Research and Development.

These folks and many others are focused on reviving the manufacture and sale of this incredible mobility device. For their effort and dedication, I am thankful. Wish us luck.

My Medical Team


This includes: Dr. Muscat, my awesome neurologist; Dr. Freedman, my very caring primary care physician, and her team at Martin’s Point Health Care; Dr. Aronson, my oncologist, and his folks who inject me intrathecally with methotrexate every eight weeks or so; my physical therapists Gabe Redmond and Jodi Mitchell and my occupational therapist Maren Nagem.

I know that these people are well compensated for what they do, but I feel that their compassion is authentic nonetheless. Because of my various medical challenges, this team has their collective fingers plugging countless holes in the dike, and for that I am most thankful.

All the Stuff in My Immediate Neighborhood


Two major grocery stores, City Hall, the post office, my bank, my eye doctor and my primary care physician, outstanding cafés and lunch counters, a variety of medium and higher-end restaurants, a useful and not yet dilapidated strip mall, several city parks, Bug Light Park in particular, the bridge to Portland, the butcher shop and market I can see from my kitchen window, and the cozy bar down the street. But most of all I’m thankful for my cool neighbors and the many friends that I have made here in the last two years.

The Internet

If I had MS prior to the existence of the internet, and stayed home most days, I think my situation might not be so tenable. I don’t know what I would do all day if not for the enrichment I receive from the internet. On the other hand, disabled people in the future will have some other, yet to be invented item on their list, which they won’t be able to conceive of having lived without. Still, I’m extremely thankful for my internet access.

The Health Problems That I Don’t Have


Yes, by any measure I’m in pretty rough shape medically. But things could be worse. First, I could be in pain all day, every day, but I’m not. Second, I could have any number of conditions that are worse than MS. I probably will someday, like almost everyone eventually does, but I’m thankful that said day has not yet arrived.

My Mind

Is it conceited to say that I love my mind? I can’t help it. I’m glad I have a brain that is open to and curious about new ideas. I’m glad that I am contemplative and think for myself, rather than adhere blindly to political or religious dogma. Perhaps most importantly I’m glad that I have a mind which tends toward contentment rather than gloominess. Sure, I wish I was more intelligent and witty, and that I had a better memory. I wish my brain function hadn’t been damaged by MS. But all in all I’m very thankful for the squishy blob of neurons and synapses which occupies the space between my ears.

Canvas Wrapped Artwork

This is our latest thing, and I wanted to share it with you. If you’re not familiar with the concept, click here. We have two beautiful pictures hanging on our wall, which were made from photographs I took, and then wrapped on canvas. Here they are, below, first the source photo and then the finished product.

We also have two professional photographs that are canvas wrapped. We purchased these at separate “Art in the Park” shows nearby. Some may consider this to be less than fine art, but I don’t care. I really love this medium. It’s relatively affordable, generally appealing to look at, and something that I can actually create myself (through a vendor).

Happy Thanksgiving everybody!

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A Piece I Wrote is Published

2010 06 15 I’m an engineer, not an author. I know great writing, and this is not that. I do feel that I have a compelling story to share, however, and I’ve been told that my writing helps some people work through their own challenges. My goal is to get this message out in a form that is as entertaining and readable as I can make it. The Multiple Sclerosis Foundation is helping that cause this month in their periodical called MSFocus. To read my article click here, and work your way to page 60. This magazine also enjoys a wide circulation in the printed form.

A couple of months ago I received an unsolicited email from the editorial coordinator at MSFocus. She had been reading my blog posts and liked one in particular. She asked if I would agree to have it published in their Men and MS column. I asked how much the gig would pay. She responded, “Nothing.” I said, “Deal.”

Over the years I have considered submitting pieces to various magazines for publication. But that might require some initiative on my part, so it just hasn’t happened. Or perhaps the problem is that making such an effort might either necessitate or compel an emotional investment in the quality of my writing. If I was to be emotionally invested in the quality of my writing, and it was to be rejected, then I would be sad. I don’t want to be sad. I’ll probably just sit back and let them find me again, like they did this time.

If this is your first visit to Enjoying the Ride, having read my piece in MSFocus, I welcome you. You’ll find this blog to be a roughly equal mixture of thoughtful contemplation and utter drivel. Some days I dabble in the profound, and other days I wallow in the profane. It’s a crapshoot.

If you’d like to get a flavor for this blog by reading just a few choice articles, instead of the roughly 300 that I have posted here, check some of these out:

To meet my incredible mother, who was a quadriplegic, click here.

If you need reality checks on your hopes and dreams, click here and here (hint: you probably do).

For instructions on how to select the ideal life partner, based on my personal experience, click here.

Being disabled can be wrought with indignities. For a few examples that all occurred in one weekend, click here.

Sometimes I write about earlier memories, before MS, like here.

Other times I wax philosophical, like I did here and here.

I’m not above offering unsolicited advice, like here, here, here, and here.

Once in a while I post about how I have maintained the pursuit of certain passions, like here.

I came up with lists of the 10 worst aspects of having MS, and the 10 best.

I made one attempt at poetry. I promise I won’t do it again (yet I’m obviously proud of myself since I included it here).

I have also thrown together a few YouTube videos. Most of them feature my amazing iBot wheelchair, but some videos address other subjects. My YouTube channel can be found here.

If you enjoy this content, feel free to share the link www.enjoyingtheride.com with others. I hope to see you here again soon.

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Three Recommendations

Everybody is so busy today that they barely have time to deal with their ever-expanding responsibilities, let alone pause to watch something interesting or informative. And even if you do find a moment to sharpen the saw (we miss you Stephen Covey), who has time to sift through all the crap out there to find the stuff that’s worthwhile? Well, I do! Because I no longer work, and spend most days sitting in my wheelchair in front of my computer, I’ll be glad to take care of this for you.

#1: A Movie Called The Intouchables

Based in Paris, this is the true story about the interactions between a wealthy quadriplegic and his unconventional caregiver. If you’re in a wheelchair, stop what you’re doing and watch this movie right now. If you’re not in a wheelchair, you can go ahead and finish eating your dinner or cutting your toenails, or whatever else you may be doing, and then sit down and watch this movie!

#2: An Inspirational TED Talk about Using Technology to Help the Disabled


The presenter, Henry Evans, is a mute quadriplegic who is able to tap into cutting-edge technology to become re-engaged in the world around him. Very inspirational! Don’t be afraid to watch this – it won’t make you uncomfortable.




#3: An Online Course Called The Big History Project

This one has nothing to do with disabilities.

Each of us endured our share of history courses in school, be it American, European, or ancient history. Also, we all managed to survive science courses where we were taught  facts about the universe, galaxies, and the solar system (except those of you who grew up in Louisiana). We all had at least one class focused on the Earth’s geology, environment, and/or biosphere. I recall that my freshman year Earth Science teacher had a speech impediment such that he pronounced the name of his course as Erf Science. Although many of my classmates were cruel, I felt bad for the guy. Couldn’t they have had him teach chemistry instead? Anyway…

I’m betting that none of you, however, was offered a single, all-encompassing course that tied everything together. There was no class that surveyed the history of our universe from the Big Bang to present day, broadly examining the series of events that led us to where we are today. Now there is such a course, and it’s awesome, and I just finished it.

The Big History Project is offered online, and free, because of a private group headed by Microsoft founder Bill Gates and historian David Christian. And the beauty of this course format is that you can take your sweet time. There are nine sections, and each one will take you approximately 30 to 45 minutes to complete. Maybe you could tackle just one section per week? If you do take the course, please let me know what you think. Here’s the link.

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Don’t Make This Mistake

There will be no images used in the production of this blog post.

I received a letter in the mail recently from a law firm in another state. It was peppered with phrases such as:

… Unauthorized Use of Copyrighted Image… your website www.enjoyingtheride.com has, knowingly without a valid license or permission… unauthorized usage on your website… pursuant to… you are liable for… statutory damages between $750 and $30,000… not more than $150,000 per infringement… our client’s legal fees… immediately cease and desist…arrange a monetary settlement… we have been authorized to commence litigation… maximum statutory damages… etc.

I was accused of displaying someone else’s copyrighted image in a blog post in 2010. That person hired a lawyer to not only compel me take the picture down, but to negotiate a monetary settlement for the period of time that I used the picture. I thought that it must have been a mistake. I hurried to the subject blog post, and sure enough, there was a beautiful photographic image that belonged to this law firm’s client. Yes, I had put it on my blog (somewhere in the middle of the post) without permission or attribution. I could not have deleted that picture more quickly than I did.

The next decision I had to make was whether I needed to hire a lawyer for this, or whether I could try to resolve the issue myself. I chose the latter. I wrote a letter to the law firm, and asked them to pass it along to their client. My letter was peppered with phrases such as:

… I am in receipt of your letter… alleged copyright violations… I offer the following points for consideration… personal blog website, which sells no advertising and generates no income… no use of my legs… unable to work… Dragon NaturallySpeaking… inspired many people… pains me greatly that I might have caused anyone harm… never occurred to me that I might be committing any sort of copyright infringement… I apologize for my misuse of the image… need to continue producing compassionate blog posts for the disabled community… lesson learned on my part… etc.

Over the next few days I scoured my almost 300 blog posts to see if there were any other violations similar to this one. I now have a high degree of confidence that none of my posts will cause me this type of legal trouble in the future, and I will be oh so careful going forward.

A couple of weeks later I received a call from the law firm indicating that “It would be counterproductive to pursue this further. Since you’ve taken down the image we’ll consider this matter closed.”

I was quite relieved.

My point here is not to complain about what some may consider a disproportionate response by the photographer or his law firm. He was completely within his legal rights to pursue this matter the way he did. Who knows what he’s been through regarding copyright issues. My relatively benign infraction may have been the straw that broke the camel’s back, or I may have been part of a broader roundup of offenders. I know that I certainly wouldn’t like it if someone plagiarized my writing, for example. The important thing is that I learned from my mistake, and I was able to mitigate any financial ramifications.

Perhaps some of you can learn from my mistake as well. Just because something pops up in a Google image search doesn’t mean it’s free for the taking. There are many options for public domain images. A few of these are listed in this article. Also, if you are a blogger, there’s a program called Zemanta, which works hand-in-hand with WordPress or Blogger, and offers up suitable images that match the text in your post.

Whew, that was close…

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