Did it! 1st draft of my 2nd novel is done! When I started my second book, I wanted to do this narrative as a twenty-one-year-old who is looking back on the time when she was sixteen. For the narrator, I draw upon my own experiences of having cerebral palsy, using a communication device, power wheelchair,… Continue reading Done!
I am now an official Minnesotan – not only born here but finally have gone to First Avenue! Thanks so much to the Current for the invite and tickets for their 15th Anniversary bash. I got to see a bunch of bands including 26 BATS!, MaLLy, Seratones, The Bad Man, and Grammy-nominated Black Pumas. It was… Continue reading First Time @ First Ave
On Monday, I went to the Legislative Forum sponsored by the Minnesota Council on Disability. Governor Walz and Lt. Governor Flanagan were both there - the first time that a Governor or Lt. Governor has come to this Legislative Forum. It was also great to hear from the legislators who were there to talk about… Continue reading Seat at the table in #OneMinnesota
I don’t do resolutions for the New Year, but I do have a ritual where I write the goals of what I know that I can accomplish. Politics I am extremely excited for this election season because we get to choose who our elected officials are – from my local representatives to state and US… Continue reading 2020 Goals
This is not an easy list. So many things happened that could have been the most memorable of the decade. Well, there are the DBS surgeries, I think they’ve had a huge impact on not just me, but my whole family. But, I want to focus on non-medical, non-traumatic moments. April 14th, 2016 My first… Continue reading Top Moments of the Decade
I’m feeling fantastic about how the novel I'm writing is panning out and the characters…OMG! Awesome! I’ve set a deadline for the first draft and it’s literally on Valentine’s Day. Might finish it sooner than that, but my goal is Valentine’s. The reason why I picked that date is because my book is a romance,… Continue reading The novel
Fine Line accessibility report I went to the Delta Rae concert at the Fine Line last week. Accessibility, like at most venues, was a mixed bag. There is no information on their web page about accessibility. I emailed them to ask about wheelchair accessibility or accessible tickets. They replied pretty quickly and informed me to… Continue reading I want to dance in the graveyards
I am extremely excited that my friend, Justin Stofferahn, is running to be my State Senator (SD 38). I met Justin at a Walz event in 2017 and got to know him through the caucus, district convention, State DFL Convention, and in volunteering for Governor Walz and my State Representative Ami Wazlawik. I know Justin… Continue reading Another Justin
What is that? Are you making up words? Happy NaNoWriMo and what am I talking about? November is National Novel Writing Month in which people attempt to write fifty thousand words in a month. Thanks to my friend, Annie, who let me know about this. We’ve been friends/writing buddies ever since going to Nerdcon in… Continue reading NaNoWriMo and More
Wait, what? Ok, this was a big awesome week! Unbelievably big and awesome! Who knew when I wrote my last post about seeing Maggie Rogers and accessibility at the Armory, that Mary Lucia from Minnesota Public Radio’s The Current would reach out and ask to interview me? Of course, I said yes – anything to… Continue reading Talking Accessibility @ The Current
Justin Smith Writes 