THE Cerebral Podcast

Episode 32: Caregiver Stress and Caregiver Dyads

I start with a grappling joke. Then I give a thought about gravity. Next, I talk about exceptional caregiving. I give the definition of physical stress, according to Merriam-Webster. Then, I talk about extra vulnerabilities of caregiver stress. I mention the HALT acronym. I talk about caregiver stress strategies from the Mayo Clinic and other sources. I then talk about the Caregiver Dyad as a way to equalize and collaborate.
    
In this week's Rite of Passage Experiences (ROPE), I talk about the caregiver challenges I had with my parents. I swallowed fear, like the P!NK song says. Then I talk about some of the stressful situations growing up.     

Episode 31: World Prematurity Day, The March of Dimes, Mark Hamill, and My 1980s Rodney Dangerfield Birthday Present

I started with a prematurity joke. November 17 is World Prematurity Day. The March of Dimes was started by FDR because of polio. Mark Hamill from Star Wars did a PSA in 1977. The Virginia I'm Determined program now helps parents and kids with disabilities with different elements of independence. 

In this week's Rite of Passage Experiences (ROPE), The 1970s attitudes were different with different with the Willowbrook institution. Through using my crutches, I was able to decrease my some of my medical fragility physically and navigate some of the challenges mentally in my own Rodney Dangerfield way. I provided some personal reflections and ramblings. I then provided some CDC resources here.      

Episode 30: Maternal Health and the Life-Course Theory

Because my birthday is in November, I will be talking about maternal health issues this month. After a joke and a thought of the day, I talked about the Life-Course Theory and liminality. I then talked talked about key human development areas of trajectories, transitions, and turning points.

In this week's Rite of Passage Experiences (ROPE), I talked about some of the early experiences around my prematurity in the 1970s. I also talked about how my crutches and my disability helped me lead a more memorable life. 

Episode 29: Hallowed/Halo Myths, Existentialism and the Disabled God Theory

With today being Halloween, I started out with a joke about evil. I then used a quote from Rene Decartes. I went on to talk about disability stigmas in religion and the negative halo phenomenon. It's more commonly known as the halo or horn effect. Following that, I talked about cognitive dissonance, the Good Samaritan and the Disabled God Theory, and the power of existentialism.

In this week's Rite of Passage Experiences, (ROPE), I talked the crippling impact of negative thoughts, my exposure to existentialism with Shakespeare, and how Decartes helped me to better understand the power of my thoughts and innate ideas.

30. Episode 28: More KSAs in the Nickelodeon Blabbatorium

In a continuation of October as National Disability Employment Awareness Month, the episode starts wit a Nickelodeon slime joke. Then with another quote from First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt. I talk about the KSA framework. 

In this week's Rite of Passage Experiences, (ROPE), I talked about some of my challenges with the Nickelodeon Blabbatorium. I got some advice from my supervisor to not use proper language with kids. I built rapport using Mad Libs, and twisted some words to make my language more approachable. I also had a problems keeping up with the conversation. Over time, I talked to the kids about shows like Rugrats. That led to different discussions about problems at school. Finally, I helped to conversation trades in the community chat room. 

29. Episode 27: The KSA Framework and Nickelodeon Goes Online with AOL in 1995

In a continuation of October as National Disability Employment Awareness Month, ththe episode starts with a knowledge joke and has another quote from First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt. I talk about the KSA framework. Knowledge, Skills, Abilities framework helps people fulfill their job responsibilities. I then talk about why I developed some observational skills from school.

In this week's Rite of Passage Experiences, (ROPE), I talk about my training as NickOp4 on AOL. I then talk about online bulletin boards. Because the platform was new to so many people, there was some spam and junk messages. I also talk about messages on the Dick Van Dyke and Mary Tyler Moore message boards. I then talk about a how a mistake led to a deeper understanding of different audience segments.  

28. Episode 26: The SOAR Framework and The Nickelodeon Job Interview

In a continuation of October as National Disability Employment Awareness Month, the episode starts with a quote from First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt. He talks about the SOAR stories method in the interview for an AOL online system operator. He talks about monitoring and defuse situations with forest ranger training mentality as a resident assistant at Marist College. The ranger approach fit well with the mentoring and learning culture Nickelodeon had.

In this week's Rite of Passage Experiences, (ROPE), Rob talks about a college radio public service assignment that involved MTV's Beavis and Butthead promoting fire safety. He also got encouragement after showing the PSA during his college internship at a radio station.  

27. Episode 25: The SLAM Technique, Disability Employment Awareness Month, and Traversing Transportation

Rob starts out with a stuttering joke. Thought of the day comes from Eleanor Roosevelt. She references being aware of fear and working through it. Rob mentions the SLAM technique. According to the Library of Congress,

October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month. Rob talks about Just One Break which was a disability employment agency founded by Eleanor Roosevelt, Howard Rusk and Orin Lehman. He met the recruiter who also grew up in the same area in Rockland County, NY. He did interviews with media companies, including Nickelodeon, thanks to Just One Break. He knew about the syndicated game show Double Dare and quickly learned about AOL.

In this week's Rite of Passage Experiences (ROPE), Rob talks about the SLAM technique. He also talks about how his mom was in his zone of proximal development as he traveled to Port Authority and Times Square for the his Nickelodeon interview.

26. Episode 24: National Situational Awareness Day, Bruce Lee, Autism, Martial Arts and Disability Defense

September 26 is National Situational Awareness Day. Rob uses a quote from comedian Alonzo Bodden. He then uses a quote from martial arts expert and philosopher Bruce Lee. Rob talks about growing up and having to be vigilant of his environment. He then talks about how fighting back was sometimes risky. He once got in trouble with the principal in elementary school after he felt threatened. It was sometimes tricky for him to figure out when to comply and when to speak up.

He talks about the importance of learning about dignity and respect and the power statement from Virginia Commonwealth University. He also talks about the bystander effect, the IMPACT:Ability program for self-advocacy and self-defense. Next, he talks about executive functioning and how martial arts can help people with autism using the zone of proximal development.

In this week's Rite Of Passage Experiences (ROPE), Rob talks about the Karate Kid movie and its connection to Happy Days, LA Law and the Bruce Lee video game. He also talks about the different self-defense he learned at the YWCA in NYC, and situational awareness techniques tips he later learned. Finally, he ends the episode with a clip from Shannon Lee talking about her father's struggle.

Extras: Bruce Lee Foundation - Honoring Bruce Lee's Life and Philosophy

Bruce Lee jazz video of quotes

25. Episode 23: From Disability Waves of Grief to Discovering Gratefulness and New Meanings

In this week's episode, Rob uses a quote from Ruth Bader Ginsburg. He also talks about the loss of his uncle after September 11. He then talks about the family history of strokes and talks about spastic cerebral palsy and some historical misconceptions about disabilities. Rob then talks about some aspects of disability grief, including double mourning. He also talks about the different layers of family and societal stress factors. Finally he discusses the pivotal turning points parents often experience to find new meaning, greater purpose, and disability lessons. Rob also found some humor, closure and a deeper KEY connections with his uncle after listening to psychic medium John Edward.