Friday, July 12, 2013
3:30 PM - 4:45 PM
David L. Lawrence Convention Center
Pittsburgh, PA.
The topic is broad: life. That's a lot to cover in the 15 minutes each of four speakers will be granted. I don't know what I can say in 15 minutes, but I'll give it a shot. The moderator has offered the following ideas:
- What did family do for you?
- What were your school experiences?
- What was a help and what was not helpful?
- How has your adult life developed?
- What are you doing and what would you like to do?
- What are your sensory issues?
- Do you have friends or relationships?
The quick answers, if I choose to tackle these topics in the short amount of time allotted:
Family, especially my mother, did whatever they could to guarantee a "normal" childhood. School was a miserable experience, even through graduate school. That's how many people would answer, including those without any disabilities. People telling me I need to change and need to be more "charming" annoy me. You want me to do my best work, leave me alone. Adult life has been a lot like high school, and sometimes worse. I'm teaching and writing, doing what I like and wishing I had more time in every day to do more. My senses are always overwhelmed. I'm married to my best friend.
What do people want to know? Why would my answers matter?