Working Things Out with a Little Help from My Friends

Dear Beloved Blog Readers,

I hope you are enjoying spring's arrival.

I am always happy when people write me and connect with me about what I share in my blogs. I have a great friend who is the director of Disability Rights Vermont. His name is Ed Paquin. Here is the exchange we just had:

Dear Mark,

I just read your latest blog post and would like to know more about what plans you are making and whether this is an entirely new direction for you. Depending on what your ideas are, I may be able to suggest venues for presentation.

 I also wondered about how things are going with your efforts to find new communication support as Emily takes on other projects. That was a big issue when you presented at Disability Awareness Day and I hope that you are making progress! 

All My Best! Ed

Dear Ed 

Thanks so much for your email.

I want to clarify that the workshops I do will continue to contain humor but I will be more intentional with it. Do want to get your thoughts about possible venues.

As for the shift caused by Emily starting to fade her level of support there has been a necessary addition added to her life. She is going to become a trained coach that can be working directly with staff learning to communicate with me.

I am able to pay her for the time she is with me but need to find $600 for training her. So if you know of a source let me know.

I am thankful for our friendship.

 

Fondly 

Mark

I just had a meeting today with Thomas with whom I want to collaborate on making and delivering this workshop. We’re a great team. Oh, I should say a super team as our carefully tailored coats will soon show.

I want you all to think of something you want to find and get serious about stooping low and looking high to find it.

Want the best for all of you.

Fondly,

Mark                                                                   The Super Advocate

I'm So Excited

Dear Beloved Blog Readers,

I am totally excited to share with you some great new stuff brewing in my life that gives me some hope for the future.

One is a long wished for project at the Generator Maker Space in Burlington. I am excited that Brian now is wanting to help it move forward.

I want to unveil the nature of the project after we tidy it up and have a clear plan to 'love it into place.' You can get in touch with me directly if you want more details now.

I am totally excited about a meeting I just had with a fellow public speaker named Colin Ryan who is also a comedian. He gave me some hearty advice about how to get a great workshop together.

He also wanted me to start thinking about the groups I’d like to reach with my hilarious workshop about communication and greeting difference with a smile. I have wishes for an audience at NRG and Dealer.com.

I am interested in your thoughts about some venues as I get my feet wet doing this fun presentation.

Feeling excited for spring?  Then ready yourself for the showers that will be erasing snow and bringing flowers.

The really exciting thing it brings is the growth of dreams.

Please know that mine will be growing along with yours.

Oh, I so send you the best.

 Fondly,

 Mark Utter                                                                The Comedian of Communication

The Cat Comes Out of the Bag

Dear Beloved Blog Readers,

I am happy that the days are getting lighter and that spring is around the corner. I am happy to say that I made it to Disability Awareness Day at the Vermont Statehouse this year and there are so many good things to say about it. 

A highlight for me was graduating from the leadership series with Thomas Caswell.  

Then in the evening I was on a panel where I delivered this presentation on the topic of what barriers have I overcome and which ones do I still have. Here you see your friend give you his big news:

Hello everyone.

I hope you all had a great day and am happy that you are here with us this evening.

I am Mark Utter. I live in Colchester, Vermont.

I am someone who types to communicate with the assistance of a trained facilitator.

 When I speak I don't often say what I really mean.

I also do not accurately show my thoughts with my gestures. I really need my thinking to be accessed through my typing.

I made a movie about this called 'I am in here; a view of my daily life with suggestions for improvement from my intelligent mind' that illustrates that well. Was really happy to use it as a way to tell people that I am intelligent. Up until then they thought I had the mind of a child.

 I am so happy I am able to now share this movie with people and talk with them afterwards. I also have a blog that I use to communicate with an audience of about 400 longtime loyal readers of mine.

 I am a somewhat hopeful worker for change in my life.

 The existing barriers I have are not having a good circle of communication in my life and trained facilitators in it. I am unable to rise up to my potential without it.

 Up until now artist and educator Emily Anderson has been a dedicated facilitator of my typing. It is time for her to move forward with some projects so she will be phasing out her work with me.

 Joyful I am for her and completely frightful I am about finding new sources of communication support. I know this is a test of my ability to say what I need.

 The challenge with that, as you see, is that I not only get up the gumption to say what I need but also that I have trained facilitators with which to say it.

 I am thankful to have an opportunity to share my experience with you and look forward to taking my questions after this panel finishes presenting.

 Thank you.

Hope you are wildly excited for me. I am going to grow.

I’m thinking of the seeds in the ground. I will grow with them as this slow change goes into effect just as summer starts.

Please send good thoughts.

Fondly,

Mark

The Growing Flower