Monthly Archives: October 2020

#CPChatNow Recap- 10-21-2020

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Participants in the weekly cerebral palsy Twitter chat #CPChatNow enjoyed a timely conversation Wednesday, October 21st, 2020. To tell you more, I am chat co-host Zachary Fenell. Welcome to your weekly recap!

The dialogue October 21st proved timely in multiple ways. For instance, individuals discussed Halloween.

Tonia and Zachary discuss the movie Hocus Pocus.

Admittedly, I initiated the Halloween chatter. In-part I mentioned recently seeing Hocus Pocus for the first time. This led to Tonia and I sharing our favorite lines from the movie. Plus, segued to further Halloween movie discussion.

#CPChatNow participants share their favorite Halloween movies.

When I asked others in our community to name their favorite Halloween themed movie, long-time chat regular Blemi replied naming Halloweentown and Double Double Toil and Trouble. What about you? Answer as the week’s extend-the-conversation question, “What is your favorite Halloween themed movie?” Leave your answer in the “Comments” section.

Another occasion participants showed anticipation for begins the day after Halloween.

Tonia and Zachary chat in anticipation for NaNoWriMo.

In the writing community November has the distinction as NaNoWriMo, National Novel Writing Month. Throughout the month writers task themselves to write 1,667 words a day. If successful, a writer will end up with a completed novel. Tonia and I both reminisced about partaking in NaNoWriMo previously.

Personally, I in past years commemorated NaNoWriMo by writing in the window at Appletree Books. The “Writer in the Window” program serving as an annual NaNoWriMo tradition for the local bookstore. Although, due to the COVID pandemic such in-person NaNoWriMo events will not take place this year.

COVID actually represents a third way the conversation October 21st proved timely as members talked life in a pandemic.

#CPChatNow participants discuss life in a pandemic,.

Regarding COVID, Blemi and I contemplated why some people remain dismissive of mask laws. Within our conversation Blemi theorized we with disabilities are use to not having much control over our bodies and as result are more accepting to listen to health authorities. A sentiment my co-host Devin Axtman completely agreed with.

Let us not end the recap on such a serious topic though. Rather, I remind you to answer the week’s extend-the-conversation question. “What is your favorite Halloween themed movie?”

This week's extend-the-conversation question asks "What is your favorite Halloween themed movie?"

Answer below! Then plan to join us each and every Wednesday on Twitter, starting at 8pm ET.

Until then, remember. Don’t blend in. Blend out!

-Zachary

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#CPChatNow Recap- 10-14-2020

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This past week in #CPChatNow was busy as always. Members discussed writing memoirs, other people addressing their limitations, and their voting plans. This is #CPChatNow co-host, Devin Axtman, taking you along for the ride on this week’s recap. All aboard!

Many members of #CPChatNow have a hobby of writing. Chris shared that he was starting his memoir and Zach shared some tips.

chris tweeted he is struggling with his memoir and bought a book memoir writing for dummies, zach asked what he is struggling with, chris tweeted he is having a hard time including enough details and struggling with vivid memories
zach suggests using things like photos, videos, or music to refresh his memory, or speaking with other relatives,

Next, talk turned to other people asking about your limitations in a helpful way. Zach shared a positive interaction that happened at work:

zach tweeted about subbing at a branch of a library and someone asked if he had any limitations. zach tweeted he liked her asking him directly. i tweeted i would like people treating me as competent, zach tweeted he does see how it could be awkward for the other person because they don't want to offend

Finally, talk turned to a common and important topic lately, making a plan to vote. Members discussed their voting plans and why they were choosing their voting method. You can make your own plan to vote at https://iwillvote.com/. As one of the leaders of disability rights movement, Justin Dart, said, “Vote as if your life depends on it! Because it does!”:

i tweeted and asked about people's voting plan, jen tweeted she did not change her voter registration, chris tweeted he mailed in his ballot, edith miller tweeted she voted yesterday at the county courthouse dropbox
i tweeted i will vote in person by doing the curbside pickup option, zach tweeted he went absentee for convenience in case he picks up extra shifts and can research candidates, i tweet i trusted my vote will be counted more in person and texas makes it hard to vote by mail, zach tweeted issues with mail in voting crossed his mind, but he is trusting the system

Finally, Veronica shared a picture of her mail in ballot. Great job Veronica!:

veronica shared a picture of her mail in ballot, there is an image that says VOTING INSTRUCTIONS, INSTRUCCIONES PARA VOTAR with a sticker of a ballot with glasses, a yellow and black BALLOT hat and I VOTED below the ballot

This brings us to our Extend-The-Conversation Question: What is your plan for voting?

extend-the-conversation in green above with an orange, blue, and green #CPChatNow logo. what is your plan for voting? in black, a graphic of the word vote with the o being a picture of a wheelchair user in motion

Thanks for reading and be sure to join us each Wednesday at 8 Eastern on Twitter at #CPChatNow.

-Devin

#CPChatNow Recap- 10-07-2020

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Every Wednesday, starting at 8pm ET, our weekly cerebral palsy Twitter chat #CPChatNow takes place. Yet an extra excitement surrounded the chat Wednesday, October 7th, 2020. To tell you more, I am chat co-host Zachary Fenell. Welcome to your weekly recap!

Now the extra excitement referenced above sparked from the week proving a big one for cerebral palsy advocacy. The previous day (Tuesday, October 6th) individuals around the world commemorated World CP Day. Appropriate for us given our community’s worldwide reach.

#CPChatNow participants discuss how the COVID pandemic continues to impact civil liberties in Australia.

That worldwide reach including AcquiDis, who calls Australia home. We discussed how the COVID19 pandemic continues to impact Australians’ civil liberties. Just in case you remain fatigued over talking about the pandemic, I will avoid delving into details.

Instead let us refocus on World CP Day. I asked how participants commemorated the occasion.

#CPChatNow participants discuss how they spent World CP Day.

Personally, I posted to social media using the hashtags designated for World CP Day (#WorldCPDay and #CPMakeYourMark). Chris also did the same. Initially he was going to do more, but Eddie Van Halen’s death left him feeling too shocked.

Nonetheless, Chris did play a big role in another cerebral palsy event hosted that week.

Chris talks preparing for his Cerebral Palsy Conference breakout session.

New England’s fifth annual Cerebral Palsy Conference happened virtually Thursday, October 8th and Friday, October 9th. Chris remained on the schedule to give a breakout session for Thursday, October 8th. He shared a bit with us about how he prepared for the presentation.

Did you attend any of the Cerebral Palsy Conference? Do let us know by commenting below. While discussing attendance, my co-host Devin Axtman and I would love to have you attend our weekly Twitter chat. #CPChatNow happens every Wednesday, 8pm ET.

Until then, remember. Don’t blend in. Blend out!

-Zachary

#CPChatNow Recap- 9-30-2020

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The last #CPChatNow of September was busy as always! Members discussed things such as their art, podcasts, and keeping themselves on track with what they needed to do. This is #CPChatNow co-host, Devin Axtman, taking you along for the ride on this week’s recap. All aboard!

First, #CPChatNow mama bear, Erin, talked about her art. Erin would like to use her art to inspire people.

erin tweets she is doing paintings to build an etsy store. erin tweets she is mainly doing landscapes and has backgrounds for be yourself; everyone else is taken and happy fall.
erin shares last week's painting, a painting with a sky at sunset. there is a brown path with dark green landscapes on both sides

Next, talk turned to Chris’s upcoming talk at a CP conference about his podcast, a podcast about his favorite musician, Prince.

chris tweets he is talking about how he is recording and editing his podcast while sharing stories of his favorite guests and episodes, zach asks who his audience is and states that can be helpful in deciding what to share. chris tweets his audience is people with cp, friends and families and healthcare professionals
chris explains his podcast is on his favorite musician, prince. he is going to explain how prince inspired him to put his voice out there and talk about what he loves. i shared i felt prince would love that and that's what he is all about.

Finally, talk turned to something that is a struggle for many, especially during quarantine, staying on track.

erin tweets staying on task is her biggest struggle, zach tweets he has a similar issue due to him jumping from task to task, he needs to remind himself to focus on one thing, erin tweets she makes daily goals and tries to remove distractions, zach tweets he is working at the library to remove distractions

This brings us to our Extend-The-Conversation Question inspired by Chris’s podcast: What is your favorite Prince song? Share your answers in the comments!

Thanks for reading! Join us each Wednesday at 8 Eastern on Twitter at #CPChatNow!

-Devin