Tag Archives: special needs

Day 1861: 21 Icons season 3 episode 7: Thato Kgatlhanye

“When you walk a journey there are always people around you, and embracing that sense of community is how you get far.” – Thato Kgatlhanye

It’s 12 : 42 PM on day 1861 of my journey towards independence and I’ve managed to brush my teeth, pray, read Acts 6, publish my Disability of the Day feature, learn one new thing – Provenance [prov·e·nance] n. The beginning of something’s existence; something’s origin. The place of origin or earliest known history of something. “An exquisite vase of Chinese provenance.”- have breakfast and do some research for a local project i’m working on – who knew baby clothes were so expensive (thank you God for all that you’ve already given me please God give me the resources to bring a little Christmas joy into these kids lives).

Yesterday I watched season 3 episode 7 of 21 Icons featuring social entrepreneur Thato Kgatlhanye through Rethaka (the company that she co-founded) Thato and her team repurpose school bags from plastic bags included in the school bags are solar lamps for children to be able to study at night. Thank you SO MUCH Thato and team for what you guys do it’s environmentally-friendly and very innovative I absolutely LOVE it. Watch season 3 episode 7 of 21 Icons featuring Thato Kgatlhanye below:

Day 1698: “Greg Gage: How to control someone else’s arm with your brain”

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“Everything we do, every thought we’ve ever had, is produced by the human brain. But exactly how it operates remains one of the biggest unsolved mysteries, and it seems the more we probe its secrets, the more surprises we find.” – Neil deGrasse Tyson

It’s 12 : 11 PM on day 1698 of my journey towards independence and I’ve managed to brush my teeth, pray, read Daniel 9, publish my Disability of the Day feature, learn one new thing – The average adult human can go about 45 days without eating. Once you lose 30 percent of your body weight, death is imminent. – feed myself a peanut butter sandwich for breakfast and promote my Educate Generations campaign– Simon Magid who has donated three before donated $25 yesterday (thank you Simon you’re wonderful ) which brings my total raised to $2 899.

Yesterday I watched “Greg Gage: How to control someone else’s arm with your brain” it’s the coolest thing I’ve seen in a while in this Ted Talk neuroscientist Greg Gage shows us how the brain of one person can control the arm of another person. Watch “Greg Gage: How to control someone else’s arm with your brain” below:

Day 1696: What I am and am not and what my life is and isn’t

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The world’s perception of a particular population is often not the reality – that’s what I have realized.

It’s 12 : 13 PM on day 1696 of my journey towards independence and I’ve managed to brush my teeth, pray, read Daniel 7, publish my Disability of the Day feature, learn one new thing –Bull sharks have developed special adaptations that keep salt in their bodies, enabling them to live in freshwater. Bull sharks are aggressive and usually live near high-population areas like tropical shorelines. Many experts consider bull sharks to be the most dangerous sharks in the world – feed myself a peanut butter and banana sandwich for breakfast and promote my Educate Generations campaign– $2 847 raised so far so grateful (thank you to everyone who has supported this campaign so far 🙂 )

Yesterday sick of seeing any differently-abled person doing something worthwhile being labelled “inspirational” I took the liberty of writing down what I am and am not and what my life is and isn’t in the hopes that it will change the way the world views differently-abled people. Take a look:

What I am and am not and what my life is and isn’t

I am:

Strong
Courageous (at times)
Adaptable
Persistent
Loving
Giving
Compassionate
Grateful

I am not:

Inspirational (I am not inspirational I just have extra challenges in one area of my life which I work around (often with a lot of help))
Pitiful
Sad (my mom catches me smiling without reason and asks why I’m smiling)
Completely helpless (I need help with certain things but there are things I can do for myself)

My life is:

Meaningful (in recent years I’ve gone to bed most nights knowing I tried my best to make a difference you can’t buy that feeling)
Joyful (most days I tell jokes (often at my own expense) I laugh and I tease)
Peaceful (no matter what’s going on around me I feel peaceful inside knowing I will be okay)
Lonely (I have my family and they are awesome but it’s not the same as having true friends (the people who could potentially be my friends in real life are so careful around me that I know that we can never be true friend because to be true friends with someone you have to view them as your equal and not as someone that has to be handled with care))

My life isn’t:

Sad (when I’m running my own race and not worrying about where I’m supposed to be or where I would have been I absolutely love my life)
Boring (I have so many goals to achieve and so many hobbies to enjoy that I really don’t have time to be bored)
Easy (I have work twice as hard to do the simple things that most people take for granted)

Day 1676: I Will Never Be That Girl

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One of the greatest accomplishments of one’s life is being who you are – that’s what I have realized.

It’s 12 : 00 PM on day 1676 of my journey towards independence and I’ve managed to brush my teeth, pray, read Ezekiel 35, publish my Disability of the Day feature, learn one new thing –Carbon has the highest melting/sublimation point of the elements. The melting point of diamond is ~3550°C, with the sublimation point of carbon around 3800°C. – type up some stuff for mom, feed myself a peanut butter and banana sandwich for breakfast, promote my Educate Generations campaign– $2 700 raised so far 🙂 – and continue typing for mom.

This morning I realized that I will never be that girl who’s into fashion, hair and celebrity gossip and I’m fine with that because I am a passionate, persistent and ever-improving human being.

Day 1672: 2015 Reading List

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“Reading furnishes the mind only with materials of knowledge; it is thinking that makes what we read ours.” ― John Locke

It’s 1 : 43 PM on day 1672 of my journey towards independence and I’ve managed to brush my teeth, pray, go to church – today we had a 2-3 hour Indian holy communion service which meant we couldn’t eat before service I was so hungry and irritable – and promote my Educate Generations campaign–Jasmin Egner donated $40 yesterday (thank you Jasmin and Martin you two are AWESOME ) which brings my total raised to $2 638,

Last night I came up with a list of books that I’d like to read in 2015. Take a look:

2015 Reading List

Day 1660: Adaptability and Cerebral Palsy

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Adaptability – that’s one of the greatest gifts Cerebral Palsy has given me.

It’s 12 : 00 PM on day 1660 of my journey towards independence and I’ve managed to brush my teeth, pray, read Ezekiel 20, publish my Disability of the Day feature, feature, learn one new thing –The white part of an egg is called the “albumen.” – exercise, promote my Educate Generations campaign– $2 558 raised so far – feed myself a peanut butter and banana sandwich for breakfast and continue promoting the campaign – so far 71 donations made totaling $2 558 SO GRATEFUL to everyone who has (and continues to) help out 🙂

Yesterday our regular housekeeper couldn’t show up for work so my parents got a stand-in housekeeper that we knew pretty well to help me out while they were at work unfortunately the stand-in housekeeper couldn’t help me out the way our regular housekeeper would have but we made a plan and everything ended up fine adaptability is perhaps one of the greatest gifts that Cerebral Palsy has given me I know that no matter who’s with me or who’s not or what happens or doesn’t happen in the end I will be fine.

Day 1658: “Monica Lewinsky: The price of shame”

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“I was seen by many but actually known by few. And I get it: it was easy to forget that that woman was dimensional, had a soul, and was once unbroken.” – Monica Lewinsky, “Monica Lewinsky: The price of shame”

It’s 12 : 20 PM on day 1658 of my journey towards independence and I’ve managed to brush my teeth, pray, read Ezekiel 18, publish my Disability of the Day feature, publish my Kid of the Week feature, learn one new thing – Most kittens are born with blue eyes, which then turn color with age – promote my Educate Generations campaign– $2 558 raised so far – feed myself Puttu – a breakfast dish of steamed cylinders of ground rice layered with coconut – and chickpea curry for breakfast, read and watch the New Zealand vs. Australia cricket World Cup Match – Australia won.

Two days ago I watched “Monica Lewinsky: The price of shame” – a poignant Ted Talk by Monica Lewinsky about the effects of public shaming in this day and age – I had heard of Monica before watching the talk but watching the talk I saw a flawed human being just like me who made one monumental mistake sometimes we watch or read the news and forget that the people being talked about in the headlines are actually human beings with thoughts and feelings which causes us to speak and act without compassion. Watch “Monica Lewinsky: The price of shame” below:

Day 1657: Earth Hour 2015

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“We won’t have a society if we destroy the environment.” – Margaret Mead

It’s 12 : 05 PM on day 1657 of my journey towards independence and I’ve managed to brush my teeth, pray, read Ezekiel 17, publish my Disability of the Day feature, feed myself an egg sandwich for breakfast, hang with my family, learn one new thing –Excess carbon dioxide (CO2) caused by many factors is a building up in our atmosphere and contributing to climate change. Trees absorb CO2, removing and storing the carbon while releasing the oxygen back into the air. In one year, an acre of mature trees absorbs the amount of CO2 produced when you drive your car 26,000 miles.– and promote my Educate Generations campaign– $2 558 raised so far .

As you may or may not know today at 8: 30 PM (local time) people all over the world will be turning off their lights for an hour as part of Earth Hour – an annual event that aims to raise awareness about climate change. Use your power participate in Earth Hour.

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2015 WWF Earth Hour Campaign Video

Day 1622: What does it mean to lead?

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Being in a leadership position does not necessarily make one a leader – that’s what I have realized.

It’s 12 : 17 PM on day 1622 of my journey towards independence and I’ve managed to brush my teeth, pray, read Jeremiah 39, feed myself egg with bread for breakfast, promote my Educate Generations campaign – Anonymous donated $20 yesterday (thank you SO MUCH Anonymous I don’t know who you are but if you’re reading this please know that I am sincerely grateful for your support 🙂 ) – which brings my total raised to $1 945 only $555 more to raise to reach goal – publish my Disability of the Day feature, learn one new thing – Before aspirin was produced, ailing patients chewed the bark of the white willow tree (from which aspirin is derived) to help alleviate fever and pain. – and continue promoting the campaign – $1 945 raised so far I am SO GRATEFUL for everybody’s support I feel like all the blessings my parents have racked up over the years are being passed on to me I feel incredibly blessed (God I don’t deserve all the good things you have given me thanks for giving them to me anyway I will continue trying to be a good human being).

Recently I’ve realized that being in a leadership position does not necessarily make one a leader to lead is to have a vision, take action, be accountable for one’s actions and inspire others to live up to their full potential.

Day 1621: Cricket 101

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“I always breathe cricket.” – Kapil Dev

It’s 12 : 34 PM on day 1621 of my journey towards independence and I’ve managed to watch the New Zealand vs. England World Cup match – England got thrashed today (everyone reading this in England has my sympathies) – stretched my hamstrings, brush my teeth, pray, read Jeremiah 38, publish my Disability of the Day feature, learn one new thing – There is a word that rhymes with orange! It’s sporange: a rare alternative form of sporangium, a botany term that means “spore case.” – feed myself egg with bread for breakfast, make sandwiches for our sisi’s neighborhood with sisi’s help as part of Virginia’s Sandwich Run (thank you sisi for all your help) and promote my Educate Generations campaign – $1 925 raised so far SO GRATEFUL and humbled by everybody’s support 🙂

As you may or may not know I LOVE the sport of cricket and since the Cricket World Cup is currently taking place in Australia and New Zealand I thought I’d give everyone who has never heard of cricket a crash course on cricket. Watch “What is Cricket” below: