Fwd: Holiday Letter 2007
Date Mailed: Sunday, December 9th 2007 11:14 AM
Aloha. Many of you have asked if you've missed Manifestos this year. The
answer to that is no, there just haven't been as many. It's a combination
of being busier (see below), many other lilstservs now existing, and
whatever else I'm not currently thinking of. But it is great to know people
like forward to them. Steve
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Steve Brown <sebrown@hawaii.edu>
Date: Dec 9, 2007 9:45 AM
Subject: Holiday Letter 2007
To: "Brown, Steve" <sebrown@hawaii.edu>
Holiday Season, 2007
Dear loved ones, friends, and colleagues,
Another busy year, and one full of transitions, is coming to a
close. Lil and I want to wish everyone who receives this message a happy,
healthy, and prosperous 2008!
We also want to share some of the highlights of this year.
On the work front I continue to work on several projects and teach in our
graduate Certificate Program in Disability and Diversity at the Center on
Disability Studies at the University of Hawai'i, in Honolulu. One teaching
highlight this year has been watching the success of Patricia Wood, a
Certificate Program student, who published the excellent (yes, I'm biased)
novel, *Lottery* (http://www.patriciawoodauthor.com/).
Another highlight was being able to travel in May and June to Norway and
Sweden. After a two-day trip from Honolulu through Newark, New Jersey, then
through the Oslo airport, I arrived in the coastal city of Bergen. Although
exhausted, I was thrilled to arrive in an area of the world I'd never before
traveled. I had heard the train ride from Oslo to Bergen was one of the
most beautiful in the world, and although I was unable to take the train, I
was able to see why it might be such a magnificent journey. I stayed in a
quaint, old building, which was a cross between a motel and a bread and
breakfast. That day, after I arrived, when no work was scheduled, I walked
with my host, Jan-Kere (I learned the "e" is pronounced as "o", so it sounds
like Jan-Cory), around the city center of Bergen. We also took a tram up
the mountain, where we could see much off the surrounding area (see attached
picturethat's me in the foreground). Bergen is surrounded by coast and
mountains and is truly beautiful. The next day the work began and I
presented a lecture at a seminar on "New Perspectives on Disability
Research" called, "Disability Culture: Global and Diverse?"
When I left Bergen after several days, I traveled to Stockholm to stay with
our good friends, Adolf and Doro (see attached picture), and their pre-teen
daughter, Katarina. It was a combination of catching up with friends,
relaxing, see a bit of Stockholm and work: I discussed the Americans with
Disabilities Act on a panel that met the day before a "March on
Accessibility" to advocate for strengthening of a new clause in the Swedish
constitution protecting the rights of individuals with disabilities. The
March, (see http://www.marschen.se/viewpage.php?page=2), through downtown
Stockholm included both many marchers and spectators.
After a wonderful time in Stockholm, I returned to Norway, where I spent a
night in the charming, and artifact-filled, house of friends Bente and
Bjorn. Unfortunately, pictures I took in the house and of Bente and Bjorn
somehow disappeared. The next day they dropped me off at the incredible
Weigland Museum. Pictures simply cannot prepare you for the drama of this
outdoor sculpture park, based on the life from birth to death, all done via
nude sculptures. It is huge, filled, and open all the time to the public,
so on the welcoming spring day I was there I saw many workers taking their
lunch breaks with picnics in the park. I attach one of sculptures late in
life.
The work began the next day in Drammen (near Oslo), where I again discussed
disability culture. One of the highlights of this part of the trip was
reuniting with 3 German friends, Ottmar, Uwe, and Heidrun (see attached
picture taken at ULOBA, the Norway CIL).
After 3 weeks, I returned to the States to spend a wonderful
week in Oklahoma with my daughter, Aimie and son-in-law, David. For their
big news, see Lil's comments below. I planned to return to Honolulu, after
this week, but it didn't work out that way.
I was fortunate to spend time last December with my parents. That was the
last time I would see my Dad in a relatively healthy state. I left
Oklahoma for Tucson to see my Dad move into a hospice setting. For the two
weeks he was there, they took wonderful care of him. My brother, from
Israel, and my sister, from Wisconsin, were also able to travel to be with
our parents. While we were all saddened when he passed on, we were also
aware of the gift of being able to be together during this time.
My own well-being has continued to improve as I now enter my third (I think)
year post-wheelchair use, and still more amazingly, without chronic pain. I
still attribute this to the energy work I've now been doing for about ten
years, called Reconnective Therapy (RCT). Another highlight of the past
year was becoming a Certified RCT Practitioner. In the past few months I've
been developing an RCT-Hawai'i website at:
http://web.mac.com/disculture/Reconnective_Therapy-HI/Reconnective_Therapy.ht
ml
Also, on the website front, many of you will recall about this time last
year I announced that I published my book about disability rights pioneer Ed
Roberts, *Ed Roberts: Wheelchair Genius*, as a CD-ROM. At that time, many
of you asked if you could purchase the book via PayPal. That is now
possible at the following address:
http://web.mac.com/disculture/Site/Ed_Roberts_Wheelchair_Genius.html
And, of course, my 2003 book, *Movie Stars and Sensuous
Scars: Essays
on the Journey from Disability Shame to Disability Pride* is still available
and all pertinent information is at:
http://web.mac.com/disculture/Site/Movie_Stars_and_Sensuous_Scars.html
You might also be interested in the story behind what has become
my signature poem, "Tell Your Story," which begins at:
http://web.mac.com/disculture/Tell_Your_Story/Title_Page.html
You may recall that last year I wrote about "internetworking."
As
you can see, I've continued to pursue that realm. This all seems like more
than enough, especially since we all get lots of emails these days, but
there it is: some off my 2007 in capsule form.
Love, Steve
WELL, I DON'T HAVE SUCH AN EXCITING LIFE, BUT I DO HAVE A PRETTIER FONT ! IT
HAS BEEN SO LONG SINCE I'VE PARTICIPATED IN THE WRITING OF ONE OF THESE
LETTERS IT FEELS STRANGE, IT'S THESE NEW FANGLED ELECTRONIC INVENTIONS SOME
CALL COMPUTERS. I'D RATHER WRITE CARDS BUT I NEVER GET AROUND TO SENDING
THEM, SO IT IS TIME TO STOP COMPLAINING. ME, THAT IS.
OK, MOVING RIGHT ALONG. I LEAD A MORE LEASURELY LIFE THESE DAYS THANKS TO MY
HUSBAND'S LONG WORK HOURS, AND SSDI'S GENEROUS ACKNOWLEGEMENT OF THE LONG
YEARS OF WORK I PUT IN. I GET ENOUGH MONEY TO PAY FOR THE GAS FOR MY CAR
EACH MONTH. ALMOST. OK, FORWARD FROM MY AFFLUENCE REPORT.
AS A RESIDENT SCHOLAR AT THE AFOREMENTIONED CDS I WAS MOSTLY ATTENDING
SOCIAL EVENTS , SO I TOOK COMPLETE LEAVE OF MY SENSES AND JOINED THE STATE
SILC. YES FOLKS OURS RUNS ABOUT AS WELL AS YOURS DOES.
FOR THE NON DISABLED FOLKS READING THIS WHO MAY NOT UNDERSTAND ALL THE
JARGON, TRUST ME IT'S NOT WORTH EXPLAINING OR KNOWING. AT ANY RATE THIS
BRILLIANT MOVE HAS MANAGED TO GET ME ELECTED TREASURER WHICH IS VERY FUNNY
TO ANYONE WHO KNOWS ANYTHING ABOUT ME AND MONEY. IF ANYONE ON THE EXECUTIVE
COMMITTEE READS THIS I'M JUST KIDDING. (HAH!) ALL OF THIS HAS GIVEN ME A
CHANCE TO FINALLY FIND THE REALLY FUN DISABLED FOLKS ON THE ISLAND YAY! MY
RABBLE ROUSING CELLS ARE NOT DEAD. THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION SHOULD BE FUN
THIS YEAR. SO, BESIDES FOLDING A LITTLE WORK INTO MY LIFE, I HAVE CRIP
FRIENDS AGAIN. THIS MEANS UPPING MY ENJOYMENT OF LIVING IN PARADISE HUGELY.
I CAN GO PLACES WHERE SOMEONE ELSE HAS SCOUTED OUT THE ACCESS AND BLAH BLAH
BLAH.
WHILE STEVE WENT TO SCANDINAVIA LAST YEAR, I WENT TO PERU WITH MY SISTER TO
VISIT MY AUNTS. IT WAS WONDERFUL TO GO BACK AFTER 7 YEARS. MY AUNTS ARE
BOTH IN THEIR 80'S AND BRIGHT AND LIVELY AS CAN BE. THEIR BODIES HAVE
DEFINITELY SLOWED DOWN BUT THEIR HEARTS ARE STILL AS BIG AND WARM AS
EVER. JESS
AND I ARE THINKING OF GOING AGAIN THIS YEAR IN THE EARLY SPRING AS EUGE IS
87 AND FEELING FRAGILE. VIOLE IS HEARTIER,BUT IT IS HARD BEING AWAY FROM
HER. THEN STEVE AND I ARE PLANNING TO GO TO TULSA TOGETHER TO MEET OUR
FIRST GRANDSON DUE TO BE BORN ANY DAY NOW. WE CAN HARDLY WAIT! AND THE
IDEA OF STEVE AND I TRAVELING SOMEWHERE TOGETHER WHAT A CONCEPT!!!
SO, LIFE IS GOOD, I LIVE IN PARADISE, I'M MADLY IN LOVE WITH MY HUSBAND, I'M
GONNA BE A GRANNY (GASP), I HAVE MORE GOOD FRIENDS, WHAT MORE? WHAT MORE
YOU SAY? OK, LESS PAIN, AND DEPRESSION. THIS 24/7 BUSINESS IS SILLY. BUT
STEVE WORKS ON ME AND BIT BY BIT I'M STILL IMPATIENT. BUT THINGS CHANGE
AND THAT'S GOOD EVEN WHEN IT TERRIFIES ME. I'M SUCH AN ADVENTURER. I HOPE
THIS FINDS YOU ALL WELL AND THAT YOU KNOW YOU'RE LOVED. E MAIL US ! (
eccentriclil@gmail.com) OK, I'LL TRY TO E MAIL BACK! LOVE YA, LIL
--
Steven E. Brown, Ph.D., Assistant Professor
Center on Disability Studies, www.cds.hawaii.edu
Editor, Review of Disability Studies, www.rds.hawaii.edu
1776 University Ave., UA4-6
University of Hawai'i
Honolulu, HI 96822
808-956-0996
808-956-7878 (fax)
Co-Founder
Institute on Disability Culture
http://web.mac.com/disculture
Movie Stars and Sensuous Scars:
Essays on the Journey from Disability Shame to
Disability Pride
information at:
http://web.mac.com/disculture/iWeb/Site/Movie_Stars_and_Sensuous_Scars.html
Register for the 24th Annual Pacific Rim Conference on Disabilities
April 14-15, 2008
www.pacrim.hawaii.edu
Sheraton Waikiki Hotel & Resort, Honolulu
--
Steven E. Brown, Ph.D., Assistant Professor
Center on Disability Studies, www.cds.hawaii.edu
Editor, Review of Disability Studies, www.rds.hawaii.edu
1776 University Ave., UA4-6
University of Hawai'i
Honolulu, HI 96822
808-956-0996
808-956-7878 (fax)
Co-Founder
Institute on Disability Culture
http://web.mac.com/disculture
Movie Stars and Sensuous Scars:
Essays on the Journey from Disability Shame to
Disability Pride
information at:
http://web.mac.com/disculture/iWeb/Site/Movie_Stars_and_Sensuous_Scars.html
Register for the 24th Annual Pacific Rim Conference on Disabilities
April 14-15, 2008
www.pacrim.hawaii.edu
Sheraton Waikiki Hotel & Resort, Honolulu
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