Contemplating Life with Chris Young

This week we are going to resume talking about my experiences growing up attending a special education school and how I transitioned to attending a regular high school part-time.  Links of Interest Article about Roberts School including a photo: https://livingnewdeal.org/projects/james-e-roberts-school-crippled-children-indianapolis/ Google map of Roberts School now an apartment building: https://...

This week we take a nostalgic look back at the happier times of my childhood and all of the toys and hobbies that I enjoyed. I highly recommend you check out the YouTube version of this episode because it has lots of photos and video clips embedded. Links of interest Tillery Family Dental: https://www.tilleryfamilydental.com/ Note: Even though he cheated me at Monopoly, Mike is a great guy who vol...

In this week’s episode, I talk about the reaction to my article “The Reunion” and the awards that it won. Links of interest Online version of “The Reunion” on my website cyborg5.com: https://cyborg5.com/handicap/reunion/ Article about how I wrote the feature on cyborg5.com: https://cyborg5.com/handicap/reunion/making_reunion/ Sidebar article that appeared in the magazine: https://cyborg5.com/handi...

This week I discuss how I honed my craft as a writer by writing in online discussion forums on the CompuServe Information Service in the early 1980s long before the Internet was popular. This led me to write an award-winning article for a local magazine. Links of interest: “Buck, Buck” comedy routine by Bill Cosby where he first introduced his character Fat Albert. YouTube version: https://youtu.b...

This week we continue our series of episodes on my experiences growing up in a special education school.  Links of Interest “Yesterday” by The Beatles on YouTube: https://youtu.be/NrgmdOz227I Contemplating Life Episode 11: https://contemplating-life.com/blog/2023/03/20/episode-11-secular-humanism-and-me-part-3-of-the-faith-series/ Duchenne muscular dystrophy on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/...

This week we continue our series of episodes on my experiences growing up in a special education school. We talk about my experiences moving from 5th to 6th grades and my first genuine interest in girls. Links of interest: Alabama Gov. George Wallace on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Wallace President Johnson announces he will run for reelection: https://youtu.be/kxWGg3AARnI?t=220...

This week we continue our series of episodes on my experiences growing up in a special education school. We talk about my experiences in fourth and fifth grade and how I begin to develop a passion for math and science. Links of interest: “Tom Swift and His Rocket Ship” on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Tom-Swift-His-Rocket-Ship/dp/B07QBR16HX/ref=rvi_sccl_6/143-8230070-5762064 “Danny Dunn and the A...

This week we are doing something different. Last Thursday, April 20, 2023, I made a presentation at a local assistive technology Tech Expo. I recorded my presentation and the video is currently on YouTube. An audio-only version will be available by the end of the day on Monday the 24th. Meanwhile here is a link to the podcast website which includes the video version and links to websites of intere...

This week we continue our multi-part series about my early childhood and my journey through the special education system. Geist Reservoir on Google Maps: https://tinyurl.com/yvuh9x3r Easterseals Crossroads: https://www.eastersealscrossroads.org/ Camp Riley at Bradford Woods: https://bradfordwoods.iu.edu/Programs/rectherapy/campriley/index.html Civil Defense Museum: http://www.civildefensemuseum.co...

This week we begin a multipart series recounting my school days in a special education school here in Indianapolis. Article about Roberts School including a photo: https://livingnewdeal.org/projects/james-e-roberts-school-crippled-children-indianapolis/ Google map of Roberts School now an apartment building: https://t.ly/hAnB Roberts School Flats at Apartments.com: https://www.apartments.com/rober...

This week we conclude the story of my journey back to the Catholic Church. I struggle with the question “Does God exist?” Next week, we begin a multi-part series on my travels through the special education system from kindergarten through high school.  Links related to this episode: Axioms on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Axiom Euclid on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euclid &...

This week we continue my journey back to the Catholic Church. I begin studying Scripture and learn how the Catholic approach seems much more common sense to me than the fundamentalist literalist approach we hear about so much. Next week, the last of our series on faith and then we returned to disability topics. Links related to this episode: New American Standard Revised Bible on Amazon: https://w...

In this episode, we continue the story of my faith journey. I attended the Easter Vigil in 1984 which had a profound effect on me. It was the start of my journey back to the Catholic Church. We will wrap up this section of my faith journey next week and the following week will return to disability topics. Links related to this episode: Dynamic Catholic Welcome program purchased Christ Renews His P...

In this week’s episode, we continue a multi-part series about my off-again, on-again relationship with God and the Catholic Church. This episode is about the 9 years I spent away from the Catholic Church and what led me back again. We will continue this series on faith for a few more weeks and then go back to disability-related topics as I review my history in special education. Links related to t...

This week we conclude our three-part series where I review all 10 films nominated for Best Picture Oscars. We will talk about my favorite director Steven Spielberg who directed one of the final three movies we will cover. The Oscar ceremonies are tonight March 12 on ABC. Apologies for this long episode but we had lots to talk about.  Next week will return to my faith journey stories and after...

This week we continue our three-part series where I review all 10 films nominated for Best Picture Oscars. We will cover 3 films this week – “The Banshees of Iniserin”, “All Quiet on the Western Front”, and “Triangle of Sadness”. Apologies for butchering the pronunciation of names and places in this episode. Next week we will wrap up with the final three films. NOTE: Next week’s public episode wil...

When I began the podcast, I mentioned that one of the topics I was going to cover was entertainment. This week we began a three-part series where I review all 10 films nominated for Best Picture Oscars. We will cover 4 films this week and three films each of the next two weeks. We start with “Avatar: Way of the Water”, “Top Gun: Maverick”, “Elvis”, and “Everything Everywhere All at Once”. Links re...

In this week’s episode, we continue a multi-part series about my off-again, on-again relationship with God and the Catholic Church. I’m not trying to evangelize anyone or be a preacher. I’m just here to tell my story which I hope is entertaining and informative. Links related to this episode: Supreme Court case Engel v. Vitale on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Engel_v._Vitale Weekday Rel...

In this week’s episode, we begin a multi-part series about my off-again, on-again relationship with God and the Catholic Church. I’m not trying to evangelize anyone or be a preacher. I’m just here to tell my story that I hope is entertaining and informative. Links related to this episode: History of St. Bridget Catholic Church: https://historicindianapolis.com/misc-monday-african-american-and-cath...

In this week’s episode, we discuss how the general public can take disability language and abuse it in negative ways. Links related to this episode Ben Mattlin: https://www.facebook.com/ben.mattlin Film "Mask" (1985) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0089560/ Clip from "Mask" – school registration scene: https://youtu.be/C1kZTfHldfY Urban Dictionary entry for "ride the short bus": https://www.urbandict...

In this week’s episode, we talk about the evolution of disability terminology, especially the transition from the word handicapped to disabled. Links related to this episode Shane Bucaw Video “ Things You Should NEVER Say to a Disabled Person ” “ Squirmy and Grubs ” YouTube channel by Shane and Hannah Bucaw My reaction video to Shane’s video My video of the 1983 Indiana Governor’s Conference on th...

****Note: This episode contains explicit language. Listener discretion advised**** In this week's episode, I expressed my concerns that some disability advocates go too far when labeling something ableism. They imply that anything negative about disability is ableist. Links related to this episode  Scott Manley on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@scottmanley Outerspace MMO "Eve Online": http...

In the first of a two-part series, I discussed ableism which is defined as discrimination towards or prejudiced against disabled people. Please consider supporting this podcast for just $5 per month to get early access to episodes and other benefits when I come up with them. Visit my Patreon page at https://www.patreon.com/contemplatinglife For transcripts and other information about this podcast...

Welcome to the premiere episode of my new podcast "Contemplating Life". In this podcast we will discuss a wide variety of topics including disability, religion, politics, entertainment, and whatever else I can think of. Please consider supporting this podcast for just $5 per month to get early access to episodes and other benefits when I come up with them. Visit my Patreon page at https://www.patr...