Death

Now that I have your attention…death can be a very depressing subject. But in the English language, there are many sayings involving death. When we laugh really hard, we say we have “died laughing”. When a performer live on stage feels a bad “vibe” from their audience, they may say they “died on stage” (although I’m sure this has never happened to any of the performers I know!)

Most people I know think of death as the end of everything, but many religions consider death to be only the beginning of another stage of life.

At 52, I am probably more than halfway on the journey to my own death, unless some clever scientist invents a way to live forever, or at least for more than 104 years.

What’s “good” about bad habits?

Once, when I was younger, I thought my name had been changed. I was always changing it anyway, almost every week I ended up naming myself after the latest music star, radio DJ – even after a member of the royal family, at one stage. But this name was different.

Nikki’s Natter – Brought to heal?

One day as a young, hungry University student (well, hungry on this day anyway, as I’d forgotten my lunch), a young man happened to be selling sandwiches outside. I gratefully bought one and we got talking (he and I got talking that is, not me and the sandwich). He asked about my disability, and as I’m always open to sharing about Spina Bifida with the uninitiated, I was quite happy to explain. He was Christian and as I had similar faith, we “clicked”.

Party

To 50 and beyond

Nikki Frittmann is a notetaker and reader/writer for students with disabilities at AUT University.  She has Spina Bifida and lives in Auckland with her husband and two cats.  In this week’s guest blog, Nikki reflects on what it means to age with a disability. I’ve recently celebrated my birthday – my 49th, to be exact.…