First Book Review

For what it's worth, I've just posted my first book review which you can find  ... under the Book Reviews tab, of cousre!

It's a book written by a sibling of a person with disability.  And it's written not just for other adult sublings, but also for parents and others who work with families with disabilities. 

The book, itself, can be found both on amazon.ca and at the offices of the Halifax Association for Community Living.

So check out the book review.  Then check out the book.

Christmas in August

It was a warm Sunday afternoon when I sat at my computer, having just completed another blawg post. When what to my wondering eyes did I see but that as part of Blogger's update to their design options, I can now add pages to the blawg with just a click of a button.  It's true - Christmas really has come early!

So now you will see an "About Me" tab on the top of every blawg page.  Click on the link to find out more than you ever wanted to know about your humble scribe. 

And stay tune for more new "pages" to follow - I am hopeful that when the time comes I just might be able to use this new page option as a way of offering the Legal Guardianship Kit for purchase to those who are interested without having to deal with creating an entirely new website. 

For now, I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

My Two Cents

Many thanks for the various suggested blawg topics.

First up will be a post (or more likely a series of posts) concerning options for parents who don't have anyone to succeed them in caring for their child with a disability. Options, both financial and otherwise.

Much of which I believe I have at least touched upon before but this will (hopefully) put it all in one place.

Now all I have to do is get my act together and start writing.

So stay tuned.

By the by, yes, I have updated the blawg's look. And given the variety of different backgrounds now offered by Blogger, I might well keep shaking things up a bit before I decide to settle down again.

Just remember - new look, same content.

A Penny For Your Thoughts

Yes, it's been a mite bit quiet around here lately.

And, no, I have neither forgotten nor lost track of the Legal Guardianship Kit.

It is, in fact, dare I say it ... complete.

But. I both want another lawyer to review it and to submit a copyright application before I let the not-so-little critter venture out on its own into the big wide world. So, for that, I'm afraid, you will have to wait just a little bit longer.

But I was wondering whether this might be a good time (since I seem to be a little less than inspired when it comes to ideas for blawg posts at the moment) to solicit ideas from the readership.

So here we go again.

If there is any topic in particular you would care to know more about, either in general or with a particular question ... speak now or forever hold your peace. Or, at least, until the next time my Blogging Muse goes AWOL and I solicit suggestions.

Just joking - feel free to suggest topics or ask questions any time. I was just trying to ... motivate you.

You can use the comment feature at the bottom of this post or drop me an email by following the profile link on the top sidebar.

And if not, I will just keep busy with other things. Until inspiration strikes again.

Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.

Blawg in a Box

The word "blog" is a shortened version of the term "web log". And much like the word google, it can now be used as either a noun or a verb.

The cutesy term "blawg" (which is what I call this gem of a site you are reading) was apparently coined by some lawyer to mean "a web log written by lawyers and/or concerned primarily with legal affairs".

So now I have this b-law-g (I warned you it was cutesy) on which I sometimes wonder what to write about. Oh sure, stuff comes up, either in my own life or a news item that grabs my attention and gives me blogging fodder. But sometimes it's hard to know what to write about next. Hard to know what you, dear reader, have a burning need to know more about.

I've asked on a couple of occasions in the past for reader input although, in all fairness, it has been a while. But come on, people, how often do you have your own personal legal person of whom you can ask a (reasonably generic) question free of charge?

So, fire away ... what subject to do with the law and special needs would you like to know more about? Perhaps it's a topic I've already covered but you still have a question on. Or you could always check out the labels at the bottom of the sidebar on the right hand side of the page to see if that helps with some inspiration.

In the meantime, I'm thinking that my next few posts might well be a little less legal related and a little more parent to parent. This past weekend, with my trip to the NBACL Conference preceded by a visit to the HACL library has left me with some interesting thoughts (and book recommendations) to share.

But, hey, if you don't fancy that, feel free to use the comment box or the e-mail link to suggest some more 'legalesque' topics. In the meantime, I think I might just entitle my next few posts something along the lines of 'Lessons Learned On The Road'...

** Although in all fairness, it did recently occur to me that one subject I have failed to blog about on this site is Nova Scotia's own Hyde Inquiry [which has been covered in some detail bit on the Schizophrenia Society of NS Weblog] and the whole issue of the police use of tasers on individuals with disabilities.

Which, in my defence, I blogged so much on the taser issue last year on my personal blog that, quite frankly, I think I got a bit tasered out. Still, it is a subject that I should (and, no doubt, will at some point) discuss here.

Voila

Ever wonder what this blawg is really all about?
Well, at least recently and according to Wordle...

... it's this!

H/T to Neptunus Lex

Second Request for a Guest Post

A second request for a guest post this week.

And since both can be, in their own ways, somewhat controversial for the disability community, I have decided to post the second and come back later with some commentary on each.

Just A Little Guilty ...

Feeling just a little guilty for not yet having posted the promised information on the prenatal screening campaign. But unfortunately life is short with only so many hours in the day. And numerous other responsibilities beckon.

However, never fear, I haven't forgotten ... I plan to get back to this topic over the Easter weekend. So please hang in and keep checking back.

Blogging Bleg

We've discussed a wide variety of topics on this blawg, from special education to RDSPs to guardianship to access to various programs offered by the Department of Community Services. Now I would like to know, once again, what YOU want to hear about. What's happening in your life? What's important to you?

How often do you get the opportunity to pick the legal topic?

What subject would you like to know more about? Here's your chance, for a limited time only. Drop a comment in the comment box (if you experience trouble posting a comment, there are some helpful hints in the sidebar) or use the profile button to drop me an email.

I'm all ears. Waiting for you.

Update: Unexpected company this week has resulted in a dearth of posting, but I am still here. And when the dust settles , we will be back with a new post. Thanks for your patience.

So This Is Christmas

Merry Christmas!

I just wanted to take a moment to wish you and your families a Very Merry Christmas.

Take this time to catch your breath, relax, behold and appreciate your children's happiness, however they may show it. And hold your children and these memories tight. That they may they help sustain you in the days ahead.

May you and your family have a peaceful holiday filled with joy and love.

Foundations in British Columbia

I am trying to get more information as to exactly what kind of help this family is looking for but on the off chance one of my readers can help, please either leave a comment or click on the Profile link and send me an email. Thank you.

Question too all. Are there any foundations in Canada that can help a family out whose child has a very rare from of epilepsy. The child is 14 months old and has Dravet's Syndrome.
Kelowna, BC, Canada

I Know ... I Know...

Never fear, I haven't forgotten.
How could I?!

The material from the Disability and Estate Planning Seminar I was gushing about will be next up. I just wanted to finish up our look at the Services for Persons with Disabilities program first.

Done!

So give me a couple of days to catch my breath and it will be onward and upward. I am thinking early next week ... Sunday or Monday.

Welcome ... and Thanks to NSACL

Many thanks to the Nova Scotia Association for Community Living for mentioning the blog in their latest Newsletter. And to those of you who have dropped by over the last coupla to "check it out", Welcome.

As noted below, two of the things I am working on at the moment are setting out the process a parent must go through to obtain guardianship of their young adult (as well as information on why you would want to do this) and information on the various programs available through the Province's Services for Persons with Disabilities Program. So please keep checking back in. I hope to have something up on at least one of these topics over the next couple of days.

But I also wanted to let people know that I am more than open to suggestions for topics. So please tell me what issues concern you, what you want to hear about. And feel free to drop comments in the comment box on any topic that grabs your fancy. Who knows, we might just get an actual conversation going.

Oh yeah, one more thing. Please, pass it on. If you find the site useful to you, or think it might be in the future, then please tell others who you think might benefit. I think its really important that we get information out there to parents. After all, we can only advocate properly for our children if we know their and our rights.

Services for Persons with Disabilities Program... Posting Update

I know I promised more detailed posts on the programs available under the Province's Services for Persons with Disabilities Program and I haven't forgotten. At the moment I am just waiting to tie up some loose ends before hitting "Publish".

I also haven't forgotten my promise concerning the process to obtain guardianship of your young adult.

So Stay Tuned, it's all a'comin'!