#CPChatNow Recap- 12-28-2016

Posted on December 31, 2016 by zacharyfenell

Wednesday, December 28th closed out our third complete year filled with Twitter chats. I am co-host Zachary Fenell, here to recap our final 2016 Twitter chat. Long-time regulars enjoyed seeing a familiar face surface once again.

Susanne‘s humor remained a missed entity from #CPChatNow. Even those on the receiving end to her sarcasm enjoyed Susanne’s presence.

The warm reception Susanne received represents our community’s overall welcoming attitude. Life could keep you away. However, say the opportunity arises for you to stop in. Prepare for exclamation marks, joyous GIFs, and maybe even happy emojis! 😛

On a personal note, I am pleased to see #CPChatNow adopt such an attitude. As an original co-founder I witnessed much transition the last three-plus years. Yet we continue to remember and respect our past. For example, take the praise given Wednesday to former co-host and #CPChatNow co-founder John W. Quinn.

Fittingly enough #CPChatNow stands at another transition point. My current co-host Blake Henry will spend the first half to 2017 studying abroad in Spain. Consequently the time difference will limit Blake’s ability to participate in the Twitter chats. Hence last week’s announcement promoting chat regular Devin to interim co-host.

Suspecting individuals might possess questions about his upcoming adventure, Blake made himself available to chat December 28th.

Meanwhile I asked a question designed to encourage others to think about their 2017.

Although I am obviously bias, I think my question supplies a lot to contemplate heading into the new year. So let the thoughts flow! Answer for the week’s extend-the-conversation question, “Is anyone setting New Year resolutions? If so, what are they?”

Leave your reply in the “Comments” section below.

Finally, let me take a moment to thank you. With your help #CPChatNow enjoyed a second straight banner year! Besides 11 focus chats and monthly Google Hangouts this year saw new members join the community, our website launch, and #CPChatNow apparel created. The latter you can still purchase during our “#CPChatNow T-Shirt and Winter Apparel” sale.

Profits from our shirt sales go to the non-profit Keep On Keeping On Foundation. To date our summer and winter sale raised nearly $158.00. Enable us to add to that total and go ahead buy your own #CPChatNow t-shirt or winter apparel. First, before you go shop #CPChatNow apparel answer the extend-the-conversation question.

“Is anyone setting New Year resolutions? If so, what are they?”

Answers go in the “Comments” section. Talk with you in 2017!

Sincerely,

-Zachary

#CPChatNow Recap- 12-21-2016

Posted on December 28, 2016 by zacharyfenell

Excitement resonated throughout #CPChatNow Wednesday, December 21st. I am co-host Zachary Fenell, tasked with compacting all that enthusiastic energy down into your weekly recap. Hype for a big announcement sparked the initial anticipation.

Multiple community members expressed their excitement for my co-host Blake Henry as he prepares for his next adventure.

Summarizing in my own words the details to Blake’s upcoming opportunity feels underwhelming. Rather I recommend you check out his post for yourself. Read “Blake Henry’s Next Adventure.”

While time ticked away until the interim co-host announcement, our dialogue transitioned to the previous week’s extend-the-conversation question. Special guest Heaven Ramsey asked the question during her “Strength Through Community” focus chat. “Did you feel alone before social media?”

This triggered discussion on the differences various social media platforms provide.

In some ways my explanation echoed sentiments I shared at our “Strength Through Community” focus chat December 14th.

For me chatting with the #CPChatNow regulars week after week I almost feel I know them as persons and not online connections.

The individual Blake and I chose as interim co-host falls into said category. Blake revealed the interim co-host’s identity around 8:30pm ET.

Congratulations to Devin! He deserves the opportunity based off seniority in #CPChatNow, his passion for the community, and more. Certainly though, a community needs more than co-hosts to thrive. Your participation keeps us going strong. Decisions we make as co-hosts aim to best serve you. Therefore your feedback proves vital. You will possess the opportunity to share feedback tomorrow Thursday, December 29th at our year end Google Hangout.

Whether you can make the Hangout or not, please reach out and share your feedback about #CPChatNow. Contact Blake, Devin, or myself. Give your input on how #CPChatNow runs. Plus offer any new suggestions.

Beyond all our exciting community activities, regular Jen turned our attention to holiday festivities. She asked about what you hoped to find under the Christmas tree.

Although Christmas passed, let us maintain the holiday theme with the week’s extend-the-conversation question. This time we concentrate on the giving aspect to the season. Answer “What is a gift you gave this holiday season?”

Leave your response in the “Comments” section below.

Additionally note, #CPChatNow apparel still remains available. At your request we extended the #CPChatNow t-shirt and winter apparel sale to Monday, January 2nd, 2017. A #CPChatNow shirt could make a great belated holiday gift. Or, perhaps you feel like buying yourself a present. Proceeds from the sale go to the non-profit Keep On Keeping On Foundation. So, essentially you still end up giving to someone else!

Go ahead and order your #CPChatNow shirt. Too attend our Google Hangout Thursday, December 29th and share your feedback on our community. Finally, remember to answer the week’s extend-the-conversation question “What is a gift you gave this holiday season?”

Comment away!

-Zachary

#CPChatNow Recap- Community Through Strength Focus Chat

Posted on December 21, 2016 by zacharyfenell

Special guest Heaven Ramsey joined #CPChatNow Wednesday, December 14th to lead our “Strength Through Community” focus chat. I am co-host Zachary Fenell, ready to compile chat highlights into your weekly recap. Enjoy!

Heaven’s credentials as a community leader begins with her Facebook page, “A Stairway to the Stars: Heaven’s Journey with CP.” Over 8,000 people like the page. More importantly, the page provides an active and supportive community. Support proved a key concept discussed throughout the evening.

Most participants seemed to empathize with Heaven’s alone sentiment. Although others enjoyed a belonging feeling. What about you? Allow me to rephrase Heaven’s question for the week’s extend-the-conversation question. Answer “Did you feel alone before social media?”

Leave your response in the “Comments” section. First though, let us continue with the recap. My answer to Heaven’s question spurred dialogue revealing a valuable aspect community supplies.

The understanding you find in a community helps relieve the previously mentioned loneliness. Also regarding understanding, #CPChatNow regular Devin sought to better understand Heaven’s goal with her Facebook page.

A mentoring program like Heaven aspires to create could reduce loneliness even more. Plus build certain expectations so kids with cerebral palsy growing up can feel increasingly confident towards their futures. Such a demand already exists too. In fact returning participant Sarah demonstrated as much in a tweet.

By offering encouraging feedback and practical advice, #CPChatNow empowers participants to better build in-person relationships and communities. Maybe that explains why participants continually profess their admiration for our community.

Additionally our guest Heaven Ramsey spoke highly about her experiences with us.

Come revel in the positive community one Wednesday yourself. #CPChatNow happens every Wednesday from 8pm ET-10pm ET. Tonight we will make a big announcement related to what my co-host Blake Henry posted on the website earlier in the month (read here).

Before then remember to answer the week’s extend-the-conversation question. The question gives those not on Twitter a chance to still participate in our community. The week’s question rephrases a question Heaven asked.

“Did you feel alone before social media?”

Respond in the “Comments” section below. As always thanks for your interest in our community. You allow us to thrive.

Until next time!

-Zachary

#CPChatNow Recap- 12-07-2016

Posted on December 14, 2016 by zacharyfenell

The first #CPChatNow was a special event with Handicap This' Tim Wambach, John W. Quinn, and Zachary Fenell. Your enthusiasm turned the chat into a weekly deal!

The first #CPChatNow happened back in 2013 during the first week of December.

Wednesday, December 7th, 2016 marked three years since the first #CPChatNow Twitter chat. I am co-host Zachary Fenell, grateful for you all. You turned a special event with Handicap This‘ Tim Wambach, John W. Quinn, and myself into a weekly chat. Thanks to your participation #CPChatNow blossomed into the awesome community we know today.

Ironically, I failed to acknowledge the three-year anniversary during the December 7th chat. My mind instead focused elsewhere. A subject we fittingly enough discussed later on in the evening. First though, the night started with a tease for our December focus chat.

While the minutes ticked away until the focus chat announcement, weather emerged as a popular topic.

Given the colder temperatures, dressing warmly remains paramount. So ready those long sleeve shirts, hoodies, hats, and scarves. If you need such apparel, checkout the #CPChatNow t-shirt and winter apparel sale. The sale goes through Friday, December 23rd. Proceeds from the sale benefit the non-profit Keep On Keeping On Foundation. Devin showed off his new #CPChatNow long sleeve shirt.

Again you can shop the #CPChatNow t-shirt and winter apparel sale until Friday, December 23rd. Order up your apparel soon!

Dialogue about weather and #CPChatNow apparel kept the night progressing. Eventually the time for the focus chat announcement arrived.

Since I am posting this recap last minute, that means our focus chat begins in mere minutes! Hopefully you can join us when we welcome Heaven Ramsey. In case you can’t, I recommend looking around Heaven’s Facebook page, A Stairway to the Stars: Heaven’s Journey with CP.

Confirming the Heaven Ramsey “Strength Through Community” focus chat stood one task personally keeping me busy. Another task accounts for me not mentioning our three-year anniversary amidst the December 7th chat. I spent the day preparing for a presentation I gave on Friday, December 9th. Now I bring up not to gloat, but because others took an interest in my presentation.

Seeking to provide a universal presentation about cerebral palsy and disabilities, I asked others for their insights.

Although I already made my presentation, I think people’s answers still could interest others. Therefore let us make the inquiry the week’s extend-the-conversation question.

“When you were in second grade, what would you have wanted your peers to know about CP?”

Comment below with your response! Then make sure to check into Twitter at 8pm ET for our “Strength Through Community” focus chat with guest Heaven Ramsey.

Tweet you soon!

-Zachary

Blake Henrys’ Next Adventure

Posted on December 8, 2016 by blakehenry1

¡Bienvenid@s #CPChatNow,

Greetings from your co-host Blake Henry!

I first want to apologize that I have not been actively participating in our weekly Twitter Chat as much as I would like too. I have been busy trying to find the balance between school, work, and a social life. I’m really no less busy today than when I last posted on the website or attended a Twitter Chat. Today, I have some exciting news to share about furthering my education.

I will be studying at the Universidad de Deusto in Bilbao, Spain in January. I have traveled to many places throughout my life like Mexico, Panama, and Aruba for brief visits. From these experiences I gained an appreciation and interest in language and culture. The opportunity to study abroad in Spain will allow me to follow my dreams and fully immerse myself in a unique culture I have always wanted to be a part of.

University of Deusto, Bizkaia, Spain

I have been learning Spanish since I can remember, practically preschool as my mom jokes. I was required to take a language class as a prerequisite in order to receive the Advanced Studies Diploma after graduating high school. This is when I took the intricacies of the Spanish language seriously.

I remember walking into class and not knowing what to expect. Would I be good or bad at the language? I also remember that I had very basic knowledge about what nouns, verbs and adjectives were, things that seem so simple today. The first day of class, my professor introduced herself and taught us some very basic words. As the year progressed, we gradually learned more and more words until I was able to achieve an extremely basic and limited vocabulary.

Flash forward to today, where I am only a few weeks from being in a completely different country and culture than my home country. I am enrolled in upper level Spanish courses and have an internship in an Economic firm to practice my business Spanish.

The opportunity to study abroad brings up an important leadership concern with my involvement in the #CPChatNow community. Zachary and myself have had extensive conversations about selecting an interim co-host to serve the community in my absence. We feel this will be best to cause minimal disruption to our community at large.

If you have any questions about how my plans will affect the community you can ask me on December 28^th at the Twitter Chat or December 29^th at the year-end Google Hangout.

Thanks, Blake

#CPChatNow Recap- 11-30-2016

Posted on December 8, 2016 by zacharyfenell

Activity within our #CPChatNow community enjoyed the spotlight during the November 30th, 2016 Twitter chat. Although, we still discussed consequential cerebral palsy issues. Both subject types I, co-host Zachary Fenell, plan to highlight in the following recap.

First though, allow me to apologize for the delayed recap. Other timely tasks prevented me from completing this before our December 7th, 2016 chat. Expect to see that recap early next week. For now we concentrate on the happenings from November 30th.

The internal focus started with our December 2016 Google Hangout announcement.

In 2014 and 2015 we used the December Hangout as a year end reflection. The tradition returns this year. Think about our growth as a community and what you might want to see from us in the future.

2016 stands out arguably as our best year yet. #CPChatNow shirts going from idea to tangible product proving a main highlight. My co-host Blake Henry and I want to show that off too.

Besides showing off our shirts, the new promotional imagery will emphasize what makes the #CPChatNow community thrive. You! Please send me your photo via direct message on Twitter. Or, send in a message to the Facebook fan page.

Continuing on, the above dialogue branched off to discuss our current shirt sale.

As the aforementioned shows, our current sale offers many options. Make sure to visit the #CPChatNow T-Shirt and Winter Apparel sales page to checkout what you like best. The sale ends Friday, December 23rd. Remember shirt profits go to non-profit Keep On Keeping On Foundation.

Eventually the chatter expanded beyond announcements and #CPChatNow apparel. Shira Sadiky sparked the transition with an intriguing question.

How about we keep the answers coming? Let us make Shira’s question the day’s extend-the-conversation question. Answer “What are the worst and best times your body has treated you to?”

Leave your response in the “Comments” section below.

Thank you for reading and for your continued interest in #CPChatNow. I will return in the coming days with the recap for December 7th. Until then!

-Zachary

#CPChatNow Recap- Maximizing Productivity Focus Chat

Posted on December 1, 2016 by zacharyfenell

Maximizing productivity stood #CPChatNow’s objective Wednesday, November 23rd, 2016. I am co-host Zachary Fenell, back at long last with our weekly recaps. The day before Thanksgiving our own Hamda Jamal led us in a focus chat about maximizing productivity.

Hamda’s first question set the tone for an informed conversation. Informative dialogue begins with understanding the topic at hand. That requires defining key concepts.

Perhaps the most precise definition came from Maysoon Zayid.

Follow-up questions from Hamda allowed us to recognize varying factors which impact productivity levels. Different community members identified different factors. This created a comprehensive overview.

Later in the evening Hamda asked a question relating cerebral palsy to maximizing productivity. Participants found various connections between the two.

In general answers to Hamda’s questions revealed many insights into maximizing productivity. Her last question for the night directly invited participants to share their own productivity tips.

Should we keep the advice coming? Let us designate Hamda’s last question as the week’s extend-the-conversation question. Answer “Do you have any productivity tip you would like to share?”

Leave your reply in the “Comments” section. In addition to the advice shared in question eight answers, my co-host Blake Henry stimulated useful chatter. Specifically, Blake sought advice on performing a task you might not exactly want to perform.

Another question Blake asked involved naming obstacles to maximizing productivity.

All in all our Twitter chat Wednesday, November 23rd proved a success. Hopefully today’s recap continues the trend. By reading you picked up some tips for maximizing your productivity. Remember to leave a tip too! Answer the extend-the-conversation question.

Answer the extend-the-conversation question in the “Comments” section.

“Do you have any productivity tip you would like to share?”

Comment below to respond. Thank you for reading and for your maintained interest in #CPChatNow. Consider showing your support for #CPChatNow by wearing #CPChatNow apparel. Recently we launched a t-shirt and winter apparel sale at Custom Cat. Sale proceeds will benefit the non-profit Keep On Keeping On (KOKO) Foundation. Checkout the sale and learn more about KOKO.

Tweet you soon!

-Zachary

#CPChatNow

Online community for those with cerebral palsy!

Monthly Archives: December 2016

#CPChatNow Recap- 12-28-2016

#CPChatNow Recap- Community Through Strength Focus Chat

#CPChatNow Recap- 12-07-2016

Blake Henrys’ Next Adventure

#CPChatNow Recap- 11-30-2016

#CPChatNow Recap- Maximizing Productivity Focus Chat