This is a post that’s been 20 years in the making. 20 years ago TODAY (September 17, 2001), I turned the key and locked the door for the very last time on the grocery store that I poured into for two and a half years. For those that haven’t read the first part, make sure […]
20 Years Later: Lessons Learned from My First Business Failure Read More »
Let me set the stage to give you perspective on who said these words to me and how they changed the way that I think about myself and my work. I’ve written about this before in other posts regarding the challenge that can exist for people with disabilities in finding suitable employment. There can be
I just witnessed the most beautiful thing when I was sitting in Starbucks this morning and thought I would share. A young man came in – maybe 15 to 16 years old. He brought with him an unopened package of cookies that he tore open quickly and ate as though he has never eaten before.
(NOTE: This post is an update to this post – if you want some context, read this first) Pretty exciting times around the Hyjek household yesterday! I picked up my new wheelchair and it’s pretty sweet! I bought it from a place here in London called Precision Home Medical Equipment. Totally unsolicited plug for them,
Growing up in the country and then moving to “the big city” (London,) when I was 24 years old has given me an interesting perspective on life in the country vs. life in the city. Overall, growing up in the country was AWESOME! I would not trade growing up in the country for a childhood
From the country to the big city; From hick to citiot Read More »
TODAY is my Mom’s Birthday. Happy Birthday, Mom! I started writing this a while ago and as Mom’s Birthday approached, I thought it would be fitting to post it right on the day. It’s always interesting to look back on your life because you see things that you didn’t see before. For me, one of
It seems like an honest question, posed by a waitress when we were somewhere in the Southern U.S. about 10 years ago. We walked into the restaurant and waited to be seated. The waitress came over, greeted Joy (she was standing in front of me) and then asked: “Does HE need a menu?” Apparently, I’m
From the time I was born until the time I turned 18 or 19 years old, I was involved with 2 organizations that helped me and my parents deal with the issues that having Spina Bifida brings. The first was the Thames Valley Children’s Centre in London, Ontario and the other was the Rotary Children’s
Think back to your elementary school days, kindergarten to grade 6 or 8, depending on where you went to school. There might be that one teacher who made a lasting impact on your life, or perhaps one subject that you grasped onto and learned all you could. Today, 20, 30 or 40 years later, you
Sometimes having a disability is like the elephant in the room. Everyone knows it’s there, but no one wants to say anything. It’s just awkward. Here’s a scenario that happens to everyone. You meet someone via email or telephone and you develop a mental picture of what that person looks like, or, if you’re like
It’s hard to believe that 1978 was 40 years ago, but I know firsthand because I just celebrated my 40th birthday in August. So much has changed in 40 years, including how one would go about telling their story. Back in 1978, the best way to tell a story was to find a person or group
Welcome to the blog that should have started in 1978… Read More »
