Hubs & Spokes #3

Down the rabbit hole of existential dread.

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Not Irrelevant, But Not At The Top Of Today’s List

When I started my Substack, I thought I would be sharing information about the Civil Rights for people with disabilities, crip strategies, my opinions, etc. But, the political developments of the last few months have felt like they really should take precedence over my “niche.”

Civil rights as a concept, and “protected classes” of people seem to be a quaint ideas these days. While they haven’t sent out the Crip Squad yet, it doesn’t seem too far fetched to imagine that could be on the MAGA agenda.

I said to a friend the other day that The Fun Palace (the phrase my dad used to refer to my former place of work—a university) was going to have to decide whether or not they would continue providing disability related accommodations if 47 managed to repeal the laws that mandate accommodations at the higher education level.

The Goober Gang in the White House hates anything that “levels the playing field” for any disadvantaged group. We know that Donny Two Dolls* relishes fucking with schools like Harvard.

We (my friend and I, among many others) also know that there is a sturdy group of faculty that would be just as happy if educational accommodations were eliminated.

Landlords and employers might be found dancing in the streets if housing and employment laws mandating accommodations were eliminated.

I hope the current treatment of undocumented immigrants (and the citizens of the US who “accidentally” get swept up in the ICE raids) serves to illustrate that my anxieties about the immediate future for my people (people with disabilities—PWD) are not unfounded.

Nothing Like a War to Divert Citizens’ Attention

Photo by Emanuel Kypreos on Unsplash

If you want people to stop bitching about the price of eggs, start bombing another country. That’ll distract ‘em! What ICE raids?

Speaking of Distractions

I have been on an all out campaign to distract myself from the news. I have several methods:

• Reading other Substacks and commenting on them.

• Using a digital color by number app; occasionally I post the pictures. I had long thought that I would take up paint by number when I retired, but I hadn’t factored in two very attention seeking kitties in that equation.

• Bingeing shows on the many streaming services we have.

• Knitting! I have been a knitter since I was a preteen, but tend to drop it for a decade or two before I pick it up again. I can combine knitting and bingeing shows—provided that I don’t need to read subtitles.

These Are a Few of My Favorite Things

These Substacks are my go-tos. I also read news and political Substacks, but we are focusing on distraction today.

Receipts From the Bookshop by

Katie Clapham

is my favorite Substack. Katie writes entertainingly about her shifts in the Bookshop she owns and runs with her mom, Business Mum. I have been reading Receipts for over a year now, and I look forward to it. There are also book recommendations, which I read eagerly, but my current mindset turns out to not be conducive to reading books.

Everyday Knitter by

Louise Tilbrook ✨

is, I think, what inspired me to start knitting again. Louise is much more serious about knitting than I am, but she really makes me feel like you can put down your knitting and pick it up again later—no big deal.

My one drawback for knitting, in addition to my general sloth, is my two cats. They like to chew on the yarn. They like to lie on the tote I keep my project in—it is a shawl/scarf, which I really like to wear when I’m out and about in my power wheelchair.

Streaming

Only Murders In The Inbox by

Reda Rountree (she/her)

is a really comprehensive and well-researched look at all different types of murder mysteries streaming now. Reda has really deep dived into sub genres of mysteries and updates her lists. I’m always curious about what she says is on the streaming horizon and what she is bingeing now.

Beth’s TV and Film Recommendations by

Beth Lisogorsky

is slightly less focused on mysteries, but I find her recommendations to be right on the money. When I come across a show or movie that she hasn’t mentioned (doesn’t happen very often), I will post a heads up on her chat channel, which is fun.

Too Much Tv by

Rick Ellis

is a deep dive into the business side of television production (which I sometimes skim), plus what is starting or ending, day by day, and announcements of new shows coming down the pike. I don’t always read Rick’s detailed analysis of the biz, but it is interesting for anyone following the ins and outs of mergers and corporate shenanigans that impact the programming that is eventually on offer for us, the viewers.

Other Crip Substacks

Rolling With It by

Kelly Mack

is a thoughtful collection of essays about life with a severe disability. Like me, Kelly uses a power wheelchair, and describes her struggles with physical and attitudinal barriers to access.

Joseph Kibler writes his Substack about his life as a man, husband, father and actor who was born with multiple disabilities. I like that he writes about all of his identities, and acknowledges the impact his disabilities without making them the story.

The Tonic by Amy, who writes about life with long Covid. Her Substack glows with authenticity. She writes about her own experiences, and also provides a compilation of articles and research on the latest developments in long Covid research and treatments. She also has charming cats and a husband who sounds like a prince of a fellow.

Multi purpose Distractions

When I started thinking about this post, I was thinking of the distractions in relationship to chronic pain, which is often a collateral benefit of many disabilities, particularly age-related disabilities. Then, I realized that I am using them to tune out the clown show in Washington, too.

For the time being, I am going to embrace going afield from my “area of expertise.” I am happy to write about disabilities, but it just feels to me like everything related to the law in the United States is in unpredictable flux at the moment. Legal advice could become very geographically based, if the federal laws are unlikely to be enforced. By that I mean, getting recognition of civil rights might have a better chance in certain states and localities. Which really sucks. Which is a big reason to have federal laws to protect civil rights.