I am a 32 year-old Melbournian, from Australia! I'm the oldest of four children and an aunty of two gorgeous boys Declan and Quinn and a baby girl Eve! They are my life and I believe as their Aunty it's my job to spoil them rotten!
I was born with severe Athetoid Cerebral Palsy which is a physical disability, but intellectually I'm like any other 32 year-old. Click here for a definition of Cerebral Palsy.
I went to both a mainstream primary and secondary schools. In 1997 I completed my VCE and three years later I completed my Diploma in Arts of Professional Writing and Editing.
Due to my disability I’m unable to verbally speak so I communicate by using my computers. Actually people say I talk more than some verbal people! When I'm out 'n about I use a laptop which has voice output so I do have a voice. After years of having an American voice which was quite horrible to think of it, I found an Aussie voice!!
Until 2008 I was using my laptop and desktop computers with a program called E Z Keys from Words+ via a headswitch. This was very slow and fatiguing and I just had enough of feeling like rubbish from typing all the time. After trialling an eyegaze system and experiencing no headaches and fatigue, I began my hunt for a better way to type.
After months of searching I looked up at my webcam, wondering.
One day after continuing to search for about a year, I discovered a FREE program called Camera Mouse program from here. This program with the onscreen keyboard program called Grid Keys have changed my life! The Camera Mouse program lets you move the mouse cusor with head movements, so I select the key by moving my head and dwelling on it. I still use E Z Keys especially on my laptop, (unfortunately the screen isn't big enough to accommodate all these programs, plus taking a webcam out 'n about isn't really practical) but I'm so thankful to the guys who developed Camera Mouse. It's awesome!
Since finishing my Diploma I've had articles and poetry published in several magazines and newspapers. In March 2008 I was accepted by Orble to start my own music blog at www.gigsnreviews.com. These days I review and sometimes interview mostly artists and bands who aren't well-known, giving them some free publicity. I'm really enjoying it as I had always wanted to be a music journalist!
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