Getting Back Out There: Green Day’s American Idiot: A Review

  This blog is the second installment in the Getting Back Out There series. Today, we will review a play I attended on June 12^th at the Gainesville Community Playhouse. The show was entitled Green Day’s American Idiot. It chronicled a year in the life of the American rock band Green Day, as they were developing their identity as a band. I was turned onto the play by my friend, Kyle. I was immediately enthusiastic about seeing the show as the band was huge throughout my formative years. I won’t say I was their biggest fan, but I enjoyed their music tremendously.

  When the day finally arrived, I was unsure what to expect. I should’ve assumed it would be a musical, but I did not. However, it was a surprise. My girlfriend and I got to the theater right as the opening number was concluded. Immediately I knew that this show would be good. As the show progressed, my expectations were exceeded. The actors and actresses who put on the show were highly talented. You could tell they had put a lot of work into the play. The show consisted of three or four main characters representing the band members. There was also a choral group that provided the backup for many songs. As some of you may know, I have a degree in theater. While I do like straight plays, I’m particularly fond of musicals. This musical did not disappoint.

  As a final thought, I feel it is appropriate to mention the accessibility of The Gainesville Community Playhouse, seeing as this is a blog about disability-related issues. One will find a spacious lobby, allowing one to move around quickly. Once you enter the performance space, the seating is arranged so that even the “handicap” seats are at a perfect angle. Indeed, there is not a bad seat in the entire theater. The only negative I saw was the lack of multiple wheelchair-accessible seats right next to each other. Luckily, my girlfriend can transfer out of her chair. So, we were able to sit next to one another. As a message to those who built The Gainesville Community Playhouse, I commend you for your efforts to make everything accessible. If at any point you are doing a remodel of the theater, might I suggest you add sections for multiple wheelchair seating. Overall, I would rate the performance a 4 out of 5. And the theater itself, a 4 out of 5 for accessibility.

  I can’t wait to take in the venue's next show, continue to enjoy life, and “get back out there.”

Until next time.Your friendly neighborhood gimp,

- Jay. 

Gettin' Back Out There: Nothin' Fancy: A Review

 

  Anyone who hasn't lived under a rock for the last two years knows that most concert venues are just now beginning to reopen. If one looks hard enough, you will find that the music scene is slowly coming to life again. Whether you like rock, country, hip-hop, or a mixture of these genres of music, it does not take long to find a local show. While the big stadium tours are great, local venues will start to breathe life into the music scene first. Often ticket prices at these venues are lower. Economically, people are hurting now more than ever before. Small venues like the Riley Performing Arts Center in Ocala, Florida, host monthly summer concerts to satisfy the public's desire to get back out there and support the music industry.

  The Riley Performing Arts Center has teamed up with WindFM to present "WindFM Rock's The Riley," a monthly concert series that will see different classic rock tribute bands. It will include everything from Lynard Skynard to ACDC & Def Leopard. The June show was held on the 4^th and featured Nothin' Fancy. Nothin' Fancy's the ultimate Lynard Skynard tribute. You could tell there was pent-up energy from the start of the show. There was barely any time in the show where the audience was not engaged. I have seen many other tribute bands who don't have as much stage presence as this group. Combining the band's tremendous stage presence with the venue's intimacy almost feels like every seat is a front-row seat.

  Riley does a great job taking into account the needs of all its patrons. Every seat is positioned to have the best view of the stage. The seats are so good that even the handicap seats where I sat could see the back of the stage where the keyboardist played. Another highlight of the evening was during intermission of the show when I got to chat with the keyboardist at random. The conversation only lasted a few minutes, but it reinforced that it was worth the $60 I spent on tickets.

  Overall, I would give the night an 8.5 out of 10. I did not bring cash with me because I did not know whether they had merchandise available. All well, there's always next month when the Motley Crue tribute comes to town. As a final thought, it is time that we get out there and start living life again. Hopefully, this blog will inspire and reassure those who are hesitant.

Thank You, Judy Heumann

 

  Those that know me know that I love to read. I even go as far as creating book lists of authors that I want to read. I follow up by reading all of their work. I usually stick to the mainstream authors such as James Patterson, John Grisham, and Dan Brown, to name a few. I also enjoy biographies and memoirs. Recently, I finished a book titled Being Human by Judith Heumann. This book was not only a good read, but it was relatable.

  Ms. Heumann is a disability advocate who is a disability superstar. Not only does the book document her life within the disability community, but it also highlights key events that took place in the disability rights movement. Ms. Heumann was involved in the sit-in that took over the San Fransisco federal building to get the regulations that give power to section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 signed. This law laid the foundation for the Americans with Disabilities Act, signed into law on July 26^th, 1991, by George H.W. Bush. While I was familiar on a surface level with all the events mentioned in the book, I learned much more than expected from Ms. Heumann. She made the book relatable on a personal level.

  Before starting the book, I was aware of Ms. Heumann’s involvement in the Disability Rights movement; I was unaware how much her story parallels my own. Ms. Heumann had the intention to be a teacher. However, unlike me, she pushed her case through the court system. I do not mention this here because I am reliving the past and dreading my decision. Everything happens for a reason. I only bring this up to highlight the similarities between us.

  Reading her book has re-energized my passion for bettering the lives of all disabled people, no matter the degree of disability. While much has changed since the passage of the ADA, one has to question whether or not it is time to become more forceful and stage more effective protests once again to draw attention to the plights of the disability community. Although our lives have significantly improved, there is still work to be done so we can live up to a common disability rights mantra. “Nothing about us without us.”

 

 

Counting My Blessings

 As a writer, you never know where the inspiration for a blog or story will come from. I had the idea for this blog after a conversation with a fellow disability advocate. My colleague was interviewing me for a story about transitioning from using your family to care for your physical needs when you are disabled to using outside caregivers. When the article is finished, I will post the link here.
We got off topic and started talking about our living arrangements at some point in the conversation. It came out that my colleague still lived with her parents in their tiny house. Sometimes it takes a kick in the ass to make you appreciate what you have, even if it isn't exactly what you want. Life still has its ups and downs. Yes, I still have trouble finding help, but my situation is pretty plush. Recently I have been presented with the opportunity to work with Florida Self-Advocacy Central again after nearly three years. I was presented with the opportunity to join a fellowship program. The program lasts for five months, with the option to renew the fellowship in August. As a part of this fellowship, I will be writing more articles for Florida Self-Advocacy Central. I will also be conducting training to help other people with disabilities become powerful voices for change. However, as excellent as the fellowship is, that is not the only reason I am thankful.

While writing for the fellowship, I have developed a great relationship with my uncle Tom. We have always loved each other like family, but now he serves as my primary editor for most of my written work. Our relationship built on love has grown into a much deeper love and respect for each other. He will even be editing this post before it is published. With that being said, this message is for you, Uncle Tom. Thank you for being the wonderful uncle and friend that you are. I am so blessed to have the connection I do with you.

There is one more blessing that I want to address. As I mentioned earlier, my friend still lives with her parents. I, on the other hand, am blessed with my apartment. Yes, I live on the same property as my parents, which can have its drawbacks, but for the most part, I could not have a better setup. Most people who require as much physical assistance to function as I do are forced to live in a group home. As a disability advocate, I am grateful that group homes exist in place of their predecessors' institutions, such as Willowbrook. These facilities were not even fit for prisoners, much less for people with disabilities. I say all that to acknowledge how grateful I am. My parents are going above and beyond for me. They are moving out of their current residence because they are tired of the homeowners association and its over-the-top amounts of rules. I am blessed with the opportunity to go with them. While I do want to live elsewhere, I am grateful for the opportunity to be involved with the planning and building of a new house. As much as I wish to be independent and perhaps live in a different area, I understand that they need to be close by if I encounter issues with my caregivers. Until I had the conversation mentioned above, I still wanted to move out of state. After having the conversation, I finally realized that things are the way they are meant to be. I need to stop living in an imaginary world and accept and start living my perfect and extraordinary life.