After having a beautiful delivery with my new baby my thoughts were telling me that the worst was over. All I would have to do is concentrate on raising my child, going back to school, being a wife, and achieving my dreams of advocating for the disabled community. Sounds easy-peasy right?

Well, just a couple of weeks ago I was invited to an old friend’s baby shower. My cousin and I went together. Unlike other siblings of mine, I love to take Mathew with me everywhere I go. I don’t want to leave him for someone else to watch him while I party.  So we arrived and walked in and say hi to people.

A Baby Shower Invitation

This baby shower was not like most baby showers. They have all kinds of beer and liquor and food, and people dancing and stuff. My cousin and I decided to sit down and eat. While we were eating Mathew got hungry. I got the bottle out and start feeding him. Immediately people started to ask my cousin if that was her baby and say how adorable he was; but my cousin said “No, he is her baby” while pointing to me.

After she said that to them they gave me this look like they are surprised. Once I saw them give me that look, people started to talk amongst each other and started saying “Oh, that’s her baby?” I felt like I was being displayed with my son at a museum. I have never felt more hurt and embarrassed.  When I got home I began to think, and said to myself that I definitely would have to do something about bringing awareness to the community this upcoming October. I am tired of people here in Miami not being respectful of the disabled community. I need to make a change. Of course, I would need the help of my fellow members. One voice can be powerful, but imagine what 5 or 6 can do?

-Cinthia

Well 2009 was a very big year for me. I’ve gained and lost, learned and forgotten things, and I’ve accomplished the impossible. To me 2009 was the year of proving people wrong.

I got my drivers license when everyone counted me out, I got an award for community service at an animal shelter, and I finally have chosen a career path and feel happy with myself. My resolution this upcoming year is to overshadow 2009 and to do even more to make a difference and show that being visually impaired isn’t a limitation but a bump in the road that can be overcome if worked on hard enough.

-Josue

ipod touch

I got an iPod touch for Christmas this year. It’s amazing! I love it! The device has everything a teenager could possibly want: Phone, internet, music and many more features I have not figured out how to use yet. With the touch of a button I have access to all the music I want at my finger tips. Believe me when I say this, “I take music very seriously.” So if you by any chance are as big of a music lover as me I recommend getting an iPod touch as soon as possible.

-Megan

So, since it’s the holiday season, gifts are a big deal. I’ve discovered an easy way to make cheap gifts! Okay, so knitting may sound really tough, but with a Knifty Knitter Loom, anyone can do it! I bought my loom at Walmart, but you can find them at any craft store! The kit comes with easy directions and is quite simple!  

Kitting a Scarf

After getting the kit, all you have to do is buy some yarn! It can be fairly cheap and one thing of yarn for $5 can make two hats! I’ve already made five hats and everybody loves them. They are homemade and if you get your hair caught in them they are really from the heart!       

And no two hats are the same! You can change the color or the design. From stripes to blending two or three colors together, it’s all fun!!      

It’s a great and easy gift! And I’d be happy to help anyone out!

-Whitney

A tradition that has special meaning for my family and me is Thanksgiving. From the time I was a little girl, I always loved Thanksgiving; however, this year was not as exciting because one of my brothers was not there, nor was our family friend for years. However, delicious side dishes, time together, and its background are the three reasons why Thanksgiving is special to us no matter what.

Thanksgiving Feast

First, Thanksgiving has always had amazing dishes. Every year, every family member makes his or her famous dish-a Pot-Luck. With over twenty people in our family, there is always enough food to go around. Everyone’s favorite side is my mom’s spinach pie-nutritious and delicious. One must not forget my aunt’s homemade scarlet-seasoned mashed potatoes drowned in luscious turkey gravy, and the traditional side Cesar salad. Turkey is meaningless without these sides; therefore, this is one reason why Thanksgiving is meaningful.

Second, Thanksgiving is a special time to assemble ourselves among our families and friends. Our family is fairly a large size, and we all have our own schedules; moreover, we love this holiday because this is one of the very few times of the year that we all can spend time together. I always loved being around a lot of people, especially on holidays. My oldest brother got engaged a couple months ago, so that’s an additional fifteen members to our family! I think we will have to do our Thanksgiving outside next year because in total, it’s going to be about thirty people. The more the merrier! This is another reason why we cherish this holiday.

Most importantly, regardless too how many attend, it is the story behind Thanksgiving that will always stay the same and special. Many years ago, there was a group of Indians and pilgrims. They wanted the same land; consequently, they fought each other. Eventually someone from one of the two parties got tired of it and wanted peace. Both groups agreed to share the land. Everyone sat around a huge table and share a meal and gave thanks. This is what Thanksgiving is all about. This is the root reason why Thanksgiving is a meaningful holiday for us.

The First Thanksgiving

Ultimately, Thanksgiving is the celebration of thanks. This holiday is perfect for scrumptious dishes, time with loved ones, and reflecting back to this history of this holiday; moreover, these are the main reasons why we hold this holiday close to our hearts. 

 -Sara

This past Thanksgiving, my Dad went to a swap meet called “Turkey Rod Run” at Daytona Beach for the whole week-end, which left my Mom and I to do something different for the Thanksgiving holiday. My dad is the craziest car nut you will ever meet. He is much of a car enthusiast and I may be the second car nut in the family.

Chineses Food

With no turkey cooking at home, I suggested that we do something “non-traditional”, like go to a Chinese restaurant instead of eating turkey. As it turned out, I very much enjoyed my non-traditional Thanksgiving Turkey Day. Maybe more people would try this little switch as a delight.

-Matthew Boselli

Over my life time I have collected lots things. Little things like Pokemon, Dragonball Z and Yu-Gi-Oh cards. I have even collected NASCAR model cars. Even today I still collect a few things. The two items that I most actively look for and purchase are dragon statues and Pez dispensers.

I first started colleting dragon statues at a place the Bradley Country Fair. The Bradley Country Fair is a collection of vendors selling random things. I went to Bradley’s one year and a vendor happened to be selling dragon figures made of sawdust and glue. I have always liked dragons, so when I saw this I knew that I had to buy one. I did and my collection began. I have since bought or been given about 15 other dragon figures. Most of them are made of sawdust and glue, but a few are made of other materials. The one that I like the most is a dragon clinging to the trunk of a tree. It stands about a foot high.

Sawdust Dragons

As much as I like my dragon collection, I have to say that I more actively pursue and collect Pez dispensers. I have hundred of Pez dispensers. I have Star Wars Pez dispensers, and NASCAR Pez dispensers. That is part of the reason I started collecting Pez dispensers. Almost any type of iconic film, or toy, or movie, or cartoon has had a Pez dispenser created after it. Whenever any new Pixar movie comes out I can go and buy Pez dispensers based on the movie. This makes Pez dispensers relevant even as things change.

A Wall of Pez Dispensers

As I move forwards, I am sure that I will find other things to collect. That is part of who I am, but think I will always collect Pez dispensers and dragon statues.

-Alex

Recently my friend with a disability lost his job and he came to me and asked for advice on what to do and where to go from here. I told him to never give up and not let anyone tell him that he can’t do something. Also, being on the FYC has taught me to be more compassionate about peoples’ feelings. At the end of the conversation he thanked me for the great advice I gave him.

-Matt

One thing I have particularly enjoyed this year is my English Comp II class. We were assigned to read a book called The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon at the beginning of the semester and I have just finished it. I really enjoyed the book. Not only did I like the book because of the story and writing style; I enjoyed the feeling of having the story to look forward to reading when I had nothing else to do. I had forgotten how wonderful it is to be deep in a good story. My mind was always thinking about what would happen next and how the characters would handle the situation they were in when I had left them.

The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon

I just want to take this time to tell everyone who reads this that they should find a good novel and settle into it. It’s a nice way to spend time, and it will always keep you busy and learning new words and concepts. I am sad that my book is done now and that there is no more of that story to look forward to, but I am excited to find another interesting story and sink my teeth into it. I have even recently taken up storytelling myself. It’s fun to let your imagination wander as you create a plot out of nothing. Everyone should definitely try to create a story sometime, the freedom is endless, and you can weave as many stories into the story as you want. But at the least, go out and find a good book to read!

-Mason

Today at school I was roaming around the internet for the latest technology and I stumbled across a really cool article. As some of you know I am a web designer and now I am taking web programming. Anything that deals with computers catches my eye. Ok back to my story. I was on computerworld.com and there was a computer designed especially for the blind. It’s a futuristic computer and will be available in 2015. The Siafu concept notebook was designed by Jonathan Lucas and omits a display altogether. Images from applications and Web sites are converted into corresponding 3-D shapes on the Siafu’s surface.

Because the blind can’t see what’s on the screen, the Siafu converts images into corresponding 3-D shapes that are created with Magneclay, an oil-based synthetic material that instantly forms shapes in response to electrical fields. In such hands-on computing, you interact with the Siafu with your fingers to feel the bumps and protrusions that pop up. The Magneclay surface could be used for reading a Braille newspaper, feeling the shape of someone’s face or going over a tactile representation of a blueprint.

It’s just so amazing to me that there are inventors that come up with such creative technology that could allow an individual that could never see the screen on the computer to feel the images. When I see things like this it makes me feel good that this is the field I’m in.

The Siafu concept notebook

-Lizzy