Avengers Assemble

Disability Aides for Reading and Writing

May is both Mental Health Awareness Month and EDS Awareness Month. So it is only fitting that now that the month is ending, I talk about both of them. If nothing else, I am consistent. (See: Last year)

I’m lucky that my special interest months overlap. Special interest is not the right word, but I’m not really sure what is. I have both a Mental Illness and EDS. They make it easier for me by being spotlit during the same month. Fittingly, I celebrated by: going to my rheumatologist! (Yay weird joints) Getting a new psychiatrist! (Yay weird brain) Not writing anything here last week because the weather was wreaking havoc on my system! (Who knows what’s to blame there, but Yay rest)

I have an odd relationship to the word disability. By the technical definition, I am disabled. But I don’t necessarily feel it; what I imagine as being disabled and my own lived experience are two different things. This is a combination of both my own internalized ableism, and the very real fact that I am pretty privileged: I have good medical care, and I am able to take care of myself and manage just fine on a day to day basis. Though my anxiety are EDS are real and impact me in real ways, it could be a lot worse. Though, every disabled person thinks that, so I guess I’m right on target.

Anyways, I mention this to offer some accommodations I’ve made and use while I’m reading and writing. No, I don’t think disabled writers need AI to write, (or whatever NaNoWriMo was blathering on about last year) but I do use a few devices on a day to day basis to help mitigate my wonky joints and brain. Some are low tech and easy investments, some are high tech and expensive. I offer them to you as options if any of them might make your reading or writing (or general sitting activities) any easier.

1. Ergonomic Setup

   This is technically my work desk, but I will often times write here, too. I have an affinity for long tables, and one day I hope to turn this standing desk into my full time writing desk.

   

   Screens off for state secrets. We’re not going to talk about the stuff in the background.

   This is a standing desk, motorized with programmable settings, and an ergonomic chair. When I started going to a chiropractor years ago, the first thing she said to me was that I needed a standing desk and that she’d fill out whatever paperwork necessary to make that happen. At the time, Oracle had 1 (one, uno, une, ein) person as their ergonomics department. That dude was an absolute delight to work with; I only wanted the desk, but he insisted I get a chair, too. I got to pick the length of the desk, the stain of the wood, the color of the chair, the whole nine yards. We’ll ignore the part about how it took Oracle forever to deliver it to me and I had to threaten workman’s comp (they asked me if I wanted to assemble it myself? No??????), but otherwise, they have served me well.
   
   My EDS diagnosis also necessitates that I don’t stay in any one position for a long period of time, so moving between sitting and standing is ideal for me. I’ll give you the advice that was given to me: only an hour in each position. I also have a mat for my feet when I’m standing, to make it a little easier on my knees. My desk and chair were custom ordered, but standing desk are thankfully much more common now, and there are a bunch available at places like Costco.

2. Wrist Rest
   What a tongue twister that is. Say that five times fast. Wrist rest, wrist rest, wrist rest, wrist rest… I use this when typing. It does double duty as both my work and personal wrist rest. Not only is it ergonomically better, but it also provides support if I can’t hold my wrists up while I type.

   

   Further included in this package (which you probably noted in the photo above) is a separate keyboard and computer stand. The separate keyboard is so that I don’t have to keep my hands at an (extra) awkward angle while typing, and the computer stand helps keep my computer at eye level so I don’t have to hunch over.¹ Overall, correct posture and skeleton alignment means less angst for me. The separate keyboard, mouse, and wrist rest were all acquired at an old job, and were therefore paid for on someone else’s dime. I got laid off from that job, and part of my severance package was that I got to keep the computer and the accessories. So I did not pay for them, but the links are here and here.

3. Reading Glasses
   While most folks need reading glasses in their 40s, I’ve been making them look cool since I was 12. My parents are eye doctors, and I am very nearsighted. The irony is not lost on me. The hope was that using reading glasses would help make me *not* so near sighted. That didn’t really work out (I am still too blind for LASIK) but reading glasses are still not a half bad idea. They make the words on the screen/page bigger, and can also come with blue light filtering lenses. While the studies are still new, there is some evidence to show that excessive blue light exposure can disrupt your circadian rhythm.

   Sit down, shut up and read the chart

   

   Stylin’ in Swarovski readers.

   Glasses aren’t technically a province of anxiety or EDS, but I’ve been wearing some sort of eye aid since I was 3. I never thought of them as a disability aid, they were just…my glasses. Also, as I said, my parents are eye doctors. Eye discussions were very normalized in my household growing up. But when someone referred to glasses as disability aids, my mind was blown. They are! I wouldn’t be able to see and function without them! So thus, glasses get added to the list. It’s amazing what a perspective shift can give you. These are, again, custom ordered from my optometrist (aka my father), but reading glasses are also quite readily available. If nothing else, you can buy a pair of cheaters at CVS.

4. eReader
   I own an iPad, not a Kindle, but there are many eReaders available. eReaders are great for a few reasons: overall, they’re more cost effective than buying 85 thousand books, you can add apps for your local library to borrow books, and you can buy digital copies of books that are all stored in one space. Most of the time, eReaders are lighter, too. This means they’re easier to transport, and not as much stress on your joints. The font size can be adjusted, which is great for easing eye strain. I don’t own one, but I have friends who really enjoy their Kindles and Kobos. My iPad still fulfills the same purpose, even if it’s bigger than a Kindle or Kobo. It’s a smaller thing to transport than a computer or 5 books when I’m traveling. Does this stop me? No, no it does not but the option is still there.

   

   Whomst could I possibly be referring to about buying too many books?? (Me. It’s me.)

5. Book stand

   

   If eReaders are not your thing, and you’re still into physical books, then there are book stands! I’ve got two varieties, and they were both given as gifts. The first, this silver Page Anchor, is great for my French books. It holds books open to certain pages, so you don’t have to keep them open yourself, which makes my life so much easier when I’m going back and forth trying to find words in dictionaries. The second is for the actual book itself. Instead of having to hold the book open, it is propped up using The Bookseat. It works for tablets, too. For me, it’s great when I’m having bad joint days, but I can also imagine this is good for anyone with arthritis or any kind of joint pain. You don’t have to hold things! Make objects do the work for you.

6. Portable lamps

   

   This is my emotional support lamp, her cousin, emotional support neck light, and their older sister, SAD lamp. Look, I hate overhead lighting. There is no logical reason for it, I just do. So there’s a lot of lamps around my house. I have a need for well lit areas! Also, it eases up on the eye strain! (Like I said, child of eye doctors) Emotional support lamp is from Staples of all places. It can be charged, and because of its size, can be easily moved. It also has a variety of different light settings. The neck lamp is great for reading on my couch, as there’s not a lot of light in that corner. And the SAD lamp…well I got told by a doctor I needed one so there she is. It’s from Verilux, and while there are other companies out there, I do enjoy this one. Once again, a variety of different light settings, etc. I honestly can’t say if it’s made a difference or helped my mood, but I do enjoy the extra light.

Now, the next two I do not own, so I cannot speak to. However, a few of the ladies in my book club use them and swear by them. Behold:

• ereader stand
  I gave you a few options here to choose from. I don’t personally have one as I cannot read in bed; I won’t sleep otherwise. And if I’m on my couch…then I don’t need a stand, do I? This is just personal preference, though. Much like the physical book stand I already own, it’s good for helping ease pain and pressure on joints. By now, I’m sure you’re sensing a theme.

• and remote
  Truly, the height of luxury. What technology was really built for. You don’t need to move to turn the pages of your digital book.

A note on links: a few of these are from Amazon. I’ve made a concerted effort not to buy anything from Amazon since the beginning of the year, but I do want to be transparent about where I bought things from. If you can find any of these products from smaller, local businesses, I’d encourage you to do so. I’m also not judging - you do you. I’ve personally moved away from purchasing things there because Amazon is now Skynet, and I’m not interested in supporting that.

This is by no means an exhaustive list. If you’ve got other tools you use to help make your reading and writing easier, I’d love to hear about them!

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No New Books™️ Challenge

The one down side to not posting last week was that I didn’t get to brag about making it a full two weeks without buying books. Of course that already ended; I had special editions to buy today. May the odds be ever in my favor come June.

• Longest streak: 38 days (January 1st - February 6th)

• Last streak: 14 days (May 7th -20th)

• Current streak: 0 days (🥲)

Mug Moment of the Week

It’s a day ending in -y and I have a new mug to show you! I’m quite committed to going through all of my loose leaf tea, so I’ve been enjoying mugs that come with the built in infusers. Also, real talk: I hate doing dishes. So having more mugs with infusers means that I don’t have to wash my other ones as quickly. *maniacal laughter*

There’s a story behind this Tea Forte mug, too. There’s a tea and spice shop near me, and you know how I love supporting local businesses. And tea. I went to go get some more of their Jasmine Tea, and whoops I ended up getting a mug. So silly of me.

When I brought it to the counter, the man (who I believe is one of the owners) pointed out that this mug came with not one, but two ceramic toppers. I thought this was odd, and suggested that maybe one of them belonged to the other mugs on display? He said nope and now I have two ceramic mug toppers. I truly don’t think this mug came with two, but who am I to contradict the proprietor? Anyways now I have extra tea caddies.

The list I had started for last week will be here next week, where you’ll learn how to read in French! (Or in any other language you so choose.) Ta-ta-for-now.

1. You are still free to hunch over.