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‘Tis the season for compilations, and TCMW is no exception. Since I am a relatively new blog, I feel it only fair to offer my best/worst take on events of the past year, loosely based on disability and parenting related issues, however as you will see, some other topics surely crept in uninvited. I’ve also kept the best/worst verdict somewhat loose, since that is ultimately up to anyone’s interpretation on any given day. So put on your scissor brakes, pump up you Roho’s and strap your little ones in as I present the 1st annual…

Best and/or Worst of 2009 (in no particular order whatsoever)

1. Tiger Woods does not make this list.

2. Hit TV show Glee has one ass-kicking paraplegic singer in the cast. But wait, he’s not really paralyzed? Oh, and he was actually a lead singer in a boy band (NLT)? I’m sure disabled actor rights lobbyists are off the charts on this one, as am I, since why couldn’t it be a real para? I know plenty who can sing. But one positive feature is we get to at least appreciate the notion of a talented wheelie out there as a major cast member among the cheerleaders, drama queens and alpha jocks. Perhaps next time we’ll get the real thing..

   http://this.org/blog/2009/11/24/glee-disability/

3. Reality Show parents (aka Balloon Boy Dad, John & Kate, et al): are your kids living in reality reality, or reality show reality, and if they know the difference, how on Earth did you explain it to them?

4. Speaking of, the White House party crashers will not be allowed to take up any space here, either.

5. President Obama not only mentions the word “Paralympics” in speech, but goes one step further and creates the Office of Olympic, Paralympic and Youth Sports. Whether or not you’re a fan of big government or not, you’ve got to admit it will be refreshing not to have the Paralympics confused with the Special Olympics for a change!

   http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/President-Obama-Announces-New-White-House-Office-of-Olympic-Paralympic-and-Youth-Sport/

6. Michael Jackson! (Aw what the heck, he’s on everybody else’s lists…)

7. Susan Boyle shows the world that an ugly person can sound just as good as a beautiful person. The question is: would she have gotten the record deal if she had had merely average, or fair-to-good looks?

8. (Speaking of Karaoke contests…) Blind Guy does pretty darn well on American Idol. Might have stood a chance at winning too, if only he had been from Alabama.

   http://blogs.villagevoice.com/music
   /archives/2009/03/american_idol_p_1.php

9. SCI cure: Paralyzed rats regain ability to walk in UCLA study through a combination of medication, exercize and Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES). Spinal Cord Injured to Insurance Companies: do you think that the inventors of FES were on to something after all?

   http://www.physorg.com/news172672409.html

10. Avatar features lead character who is a paraplegic Marine (albeit, another able-bodied actor playing one though!) in the year 2154, which is again pretty cool all things considered. The only bummer is: 150 years later and still no SCI cure?

    http://www.chacha.com/question/is-the-star-of-avatar-a-paraplegic