You Know You’re Famous When You Share Anything with Shakespeare

Dear Beloved Blog Readers,

I am delighted to let you know that Bernie Sanders wasn’t the only Vermonter on the minds of folks in Michigan last week.

My movie “I am in here.” was shown by VSA Michigan in the Cinema Detroit.

Here are the words I wrote to precede the screening:

I am so excited you are about to see a movie I brought to life 3 years ago on March 13th. I am a big Shakespeare fan so I steered my premiere away from the “Ides of March” which is today, the 15th.  It was an auspicious day; especially for Caesar.

On this day, I hope, for you, that your eyes and/or ears will be opened to the idea that a person may have a lot more going on in his head than you think. I was walking around for years having people talk to me like I was a child. This truly drove me mad. It’s not anger that lives in me, but a desire to bring people together to communicate.

You come from so many backgrounds. People with autism and their families. People who make cider like we do in Vermont. People who are blind and visually impaired. And people who just took a chance to check out this Indie movie.

Thank you for being here. I really hope you’ll enjoy it.

Then they saw the movie and heard more of my thoughts:

I am so thankful you saw my movie.

There are copies available here to benefit VSA Michigan and more at my web site to benefit my business.

Please go there and learn more about me and sign up for my blog. Heads up - I’ll be writing about this gig in my next posting and would love to share comments you send me about your experience tonight.

Thank you and have a wonderful night.

Here are a few of the comments I received:

• A person on a board of an Agency for Developmental Services said her “eyes had been opened.” she said “We need to rethink some of our policies.”
• A woman who is blind said “I connect with your movie’s message that people get stuck looking at what’s on the outside instead of really finding out who a person is on the inside. Often, I feel people treat me like I’m stupid.”
• I love that several people commented that the actor playing my “Intelligent Mind” was costumed as I’d really like to look.  That’s true. 
• Susan Fitzmaurice, our host at VSA Michigan and organizer of the event, said "We consider this screening to be very successful. Change will happen on account of it. Bravo!: 

*****************************************************************

Long projects are growing. I have registered my business, Utter Communication Strategies, with the state and my business account at Opportunities Credit Union has been opened.

Oh, in the hopes of the growing light I wish you the best luck for all endeavors.

Fondly,

Mark

Working for Change, Like Bernie

The Water of Change is Flowing

Dear Beloved Blog Readers,

I am so happy to be writing you and I have so much to tell you.

I was one of the people who testified at the Vermont State Budget Hearings on February 15th and then again as part of the Vermont Care Partners on the 25th for their press conference at the Vermont Statehouse in the hectic Cedar Creek Room.

What we are interested in, is fixing an agreement that has been broken. The state is not funding things that it’s obligated to run. I know there was an agreement made when the state closed down the Brandon Training School and committed itself to the task of creating centers that support people with disabilities to access their communities.

I have grown up in this era as someone who relies on the services these centers provide. I am therefore an imbedded reporter.

Now that I attend the State Standing Program Committee on Developmental Services I see how hard people work to make things happen with not very much money. And those people have to make tough decisions that result in the people who work with me, a highly intelligent but difficult to access man, getting paid low wages.

I was astounded at the Vermont State Budget Hearings to hear how many other state programs had to get down on their knees and beg for money to adequately fund their work to make life possible and fruitful.

I have two really easy requests.

Please read my speech.

Please go see Michael Moore’s movie “Where to Invade Next?” I’m so glad I saw it. In it you see life in other countries where hot topic items like “Prison”, “Sex Education”, “Paid Vacation” and “Hitler” get handled with less focus on the money spent than the outcomes of good learning experiences and happy, well-adjusted people. But, you know what?  In the end, that costs less too.

I hope some of you are happily returned from vacation.

I trust others of you are planning yours.

Hope your dreams are moving you upward.

Fondly,

Mark

The Utter Advocate for a Good Life for All

My Big Epiphany About My Rights

Dear Beloved Blog Readers,

I am really excited about a topic that came up at the most recent State Program Standing Committee for Developmental Services. Oh, it’s big, so please sit down.

I am not my own guardian and I want to change this.

I have as many rights in this predicament as a convicted prisoner in jail. Please picture what this must feel like. It kind of doesn’t make sense to many of you who have only met my mind.

I do have a body that doesn’t always follow good directions. So I’d need to practice using Supported Decision Making skills and using my typed words versus my often misleading vocal words would be mandatory.

Roy Gerstenberger

I want to thank Roy Gerstenberger, our new Director of Developmental Disabilities for the State of Vermont, for putting this idea in my head.

Barbara Prine, a lawyer from Vermont Legal Aid described how she works with her clients and their guardians to slowly shift the power of autonomy into the hands of the formerly guarded one. I know Green Mountain Self Advocates will cheer my process on.

Joyfully send good energy my way and I’ll let you know where I am on this in a few months.

On a different note, I want to celebrate the fact that the groundhog did not see its shadow, so spring will come soon. After we get some joyful snowstorms, of course.

I hope you’re getting plenty of rest this winter.

I also hope you keep writing your thoughts to me at utterlymark@yahoo.com

Oh, keep smelling the flowers in your heart's dooryard.

Fondly,

Mark

The Kindly Mover of Personal Change