February 2019

Walt Disney World is one of my favorite places on the planet, and more specifically I really love Magic Kingdom. Sure, it is the more kid-friendly of the four theme parks at Walt Disney World, but it's also the most accessible in my opinion.

The words we use in everyday conversation have the undeniable ability to either empower or oppress others. If we use positive words to describe people, we can help to foster their sense of pride, identity, and purpose. But if we use derogatory words, like ableist slurs, we can cause the opposite effect even if we do not mean to.

"Meg..." Ally said as she rolled into my room. "So, I set us up on a blind date tonight..."

I could tell by the look on her face that there was more to the story. "Annnd?" I asked. Her smirk grew into the biggest smile and she almost shouted in excitement, "I didn't tell them we are in wheelchairs!" she said as she clapped her hands and laughed.

One day while browsing Facebook I saw that a martial arts coach who worked with Michael named James Reid had posted an advertisement for an arm wrestling tournament in Syracuse. Due to years of using crutches and various Quickie wheelchairs throughout the years, I have always had very strong arms and felt that I would excel in arm wrestling.