iPad

It’s been 9 months since I moved out of the group home and in with my good friend Laura. It does not feel like I am living there, it feels like I am staying with her for a while. All my stuff is over at her place but it still feels like I am living at the group home. But I love living with Laura! I got back my independence and I go out with friends whenever I want to go and whoever I want to go with. That is the best part! It feels like I am a normal girl who has her life back and it feels wonderful.

I have more money to do more stuff and buy more stuff. I have a Mac Book laptop; I got the laptop while I was still in school and still living at the group home. I also have an iPod that I use for music. I was looking at iPads because when I get home I have to take out and set up my laptop. I don’t always feel like taking it all out and setting it up because it’s with me everyday and I’m on it all day at work. I wanted the iPad to keep at home and use in the evenings and not need all the software that I use at work. A month ago I finally got an iPad! I love having an iPad because I don't have to take out my laptop and put it back in my wheelchair bag. I use my laptop for work and my web design stuff and sometimes I use my laptop for writing. During the day I use my iPod to listen to music and write blog entries. When I’m home I use my iPad for email, Facebook, and sometimes I watch shows on it. 

Portfolio

I'm looking at my life as 30 years with having a disability. I've accomplished a lot in my life but sometimes I wonder where I would be if I was normal young lady. I know in my heart that I am a normal girl but when I meet people they only see a girl who have a disability. And know what? That kind of hurts my feelings. Maybe if they can't see beyond my disability to see what I can do. Sometime they talk about me to family and friends as if I can't understand them, it makes me mad. But I can't change anything about my disability. I always think about where I would be if I didn't have a disability. I am happy and proud of my life so far but I want do more with my life. 

I am a Junior Web Developer at Westsphere Systems I've been there for over a year and in July of 2011 I started being a Freelance Web Designer. I've created a couple websites for people. In school I had to create a web portfolio for my last assignment and put all my assignments for school in that web portfolio. So now I've created a new web portfolio of what I have accomplished since graduation. I will see if I get more work for web design because I enjoy what I am doing in my life. 

AISH

Hey did you hear about AISH? AISH is a low monthly income for people who have a disability. It stands for Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped. Right now we can make up to 400 per month by working, any more and they'll start to take money off our AISH amount. On April 1st of this year we can make up to another 400 so that means we can receive 800 per month for work. I am happy for that opportunity to earn another 400. I am working and I am making 200 every two weeks so I am getting 400 per month. This is a big step forward in the right direction for those of us who have a disability and want to get off AISH. For right now I can live with making 800 per month and then I will see what's in my future and make up my mind if and when I want to get off of AISH.