Feeling--blank
Reading-- The Mermaid's Purse by Dorothy Keddington
Listening to-- nothing

I've several entries lined up and each one is relatively interesting to me, but I didn't know which one to do first, so I played the child's game of "Eenie, Meenie, Miny, Moe" to solve the tiny conundrum. My entry for the next Disability Blog Carnival came out the winner. The next hostess for it, over at Disability Studies, chose the theme Milestones. At first, I had no clue on what I would write; I didn't know if I would even participate this time. But then a couple of days ago when I was in Boise, an idea came to me as I witnessed yet another example of a pet peeve of mine: a senior citizen--who walked just fine--get into a vehicle parked in the wheelchair space next to ours. (I was in the van waiting for Mom to finish her errand.) It was the closest space to the store's entrance in our row. It just burns me up when I see senior citizens, who really have no major mobility problems, use the spaces meant for the disabled!

What does this have to do with milestones? you may be asking. Well, isn't being or reaching your "sunset years" a milestone? This is the time where you're--for many--a grandparent, even a great-grandparent, where you've been married 50 or more years, where you're retired or semi-retired. And of course, where you've got years of experience and wisdom under your belt. And plenty of good or wonderful memories to boot. But, alas, along with these fun or good things comes the inevitable reality of growing older, often with the unfun infirmities that come with old age: dimming vision, hearing loss, senility, arthritis, loss of balance and others.

Growing older is a fact of life, yes, but because you've reached the milestone of "old age," whether you're 70 or 80 or however else old you are, that doesn't mean you can (or rather, should) take unfair advantage of it! I don't know exactly how many elderly people I've seen come out of restaurants or stores that walk just fine to nice cars or pickup trucks parked in spaces for accessible vehicles, get in and drive away. But it's been enough that it's risen high on my pet peeve list. And it's more times than I've seen younger able-bodied people park in those spaces!

Just because you're old, doesn't mean you have to or need to apply for those wheelchair parking permits! If you move just fine in your sunset years, then be happy and grateful you're able to and let those of us who do need those spaces for parking use them! And if you have a spouse or other relative who uses a wheelchair or has trouble walking and getting around and they're not with you at the time you're out and about, then don't use the designated parking space! If they're not with you, there's no reason for you to use it. It's just pure laziness on your part.

*********On a happier note, here's a milestone for the disability community: the resolution to make October "Disability History Month" has passed in both the House and Senate in Idaho!! At first, it was only going to be the third week of this month, but legislators felt it would be better if it was the whole month, so before each voted and passed it they changed the duration. I'm hoping many of the schools will use this opportunity to teach about the disability movement and raise awareness in their students.

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Soul Stories
12-21-2011 Elk Stuns Idaho Zookeepers
12-22-2011 2012 End-of-the-World Countdown Started Yesterday
01-05-2012 JANUARY
01-06-2012 Monthly Acrostics
01-07-2012 A Picture of My Biggest(?) Insecurity

moon phase