My Essay on CNN Opinion: “Wheelchair Barbie — the Doll I’ve Been Waiting My Entire Life For”

Wheelchair BarbieRemember when I shared that photo of the Barbie collection that Janelle and I had growing up? You know, how we’d play with them for hours on end and give them grand, sweeping adventures? Ahh, yes, those were certainly the days — shout to the ’80s and ’90s!! But you know what? I always used to wonder why none of the dolls looked like me. Where was Wheelchair Barbie, I thought??

Well, I got to celebrate a most glorious of days recently!! One of my writing goals for 2019 is to publish an op-ed on CNN every month. I’m 2/2 so far with my latest essay about Mattel’s upcoming Barbie in a wheelchair and what this means for disability representation. And, YES, this is such a big deal when it comes to the disability community. It means that children will feel seen in their favorite toys. It means that they’ll be able to identify with the toys they play with every day. It means that they’ll feel included rather than excluded.

That. Is. Monumental. My amazing friend Emily Ladau says it perfectly. Emily is a writer and disability advocate, and like me, she wished for Wheelchair Barbie when she was young…

“To see a move toward updating and expanding disability representation in Barbie’s world isn’t just fulfilling one of my childhood wishes; it’s ensuring that other kids who play with Barbie dolls will also recognize that disability is part of who people are. While I believe there’s much more work to be done for the toy industry to truly represent diversity in a meaningful way, I think including certain types of physical disabilities indicates a long overdue step in the right direction.”

Here’s an excerpt of the piece, where I was so happy to get the chance to interview some disability advocates and get their thoughts…

“Maybe with the new Barbie in a wheelchair, future generations of children with disabilities will come to embrace what makes them different instead of feeling shame. Being disabled profoundly shapes a person’s experiences. It’s an important part of one’s identity, and like Doctor Barbie or Black Barbie, it should be represented and normalized.

And for some people with disabilities, a wheelchair even plays a key role in their personal success. It’s both a powerful symbol of freedom and independence, and a tool that helps people live a full and meaningful life.

As Barbie celebrates her 60th birthday next month, my hope is that these lessons surrounding representation, inclusivity and empathy will inspire a new generation.”

Wheelchair BarbieYou can read the full piece here and I’d love to hear your thoughts. Feel free to email me anytime at mellow1422@aol.com and let’s chat! And of course, feel free to share my essay on Facebook, Twitter or even your local refrigerator. If you share on Twitter, be sure to tag me @melissablake so we can connect! I can’t wait to hear from you! And here’s to us going home for the holidays, wherever that may be! Love you all… xoxo

That Time I Was Obsessed With Fidget Spinners

Fidget Spinners Fidget SpinnersFull disclosure: I originally wanted to use the word “addicted” in the title of this post to describe my love for fidget spinners. And then Janelle, always the one to keep me honest, reminded me that saying I was addicted might just be a bit of an exaggeration, and I could see she had a point. A very good point, actually, so obsessed it is!

But here’s the thing: I went through a phase this summer where I actually did tiptoe on the border between obsessed and addiction. I mean, I was thisclose to crossing that metaphorical line, so I suppose it very nearly was an addiction. I’m grateful to have stayed on the obsessed side, but those blasted fidget spinners almost proved far stronger than any willpower I could muster.

Maybe I’m getting ahead of myself, though. How did this obsession even start, you’re probably wondering? As with most things in my life, I blame my overly developed sense of curiosity. That curiosity always seems to get me into trouble, doesn’t it? That, and my big mouth, but we’ll just focus on the curiosity part for now.

Toward the end of the school year, my mom would come home from work and bemoan the existence of these tiny whirling toys. Fidget spinners, she called them. Apparently, they were all the rage with today’s young people — probably what slap bracelets were to my generation. She’d tell me how kids would sit in class and spin, spin, spin those things into oblivion, usually when the teacher was talking or they were supposed to be doing something other than spinning their fidget spinners.

Needless to say, I was intrigued. Very intrigued, indeed! I had never heard of these gadgets before, and I was having trouble imagining how they could be so enthralling. You just hold a toy and spin it? What’s so exciting and addicting about that?

Well, I found out the answer to those questions a couple weeks later. One afternoon, my mom comes home, breezing through the door as usual, and presents me with a treasure.

My very own FIDGET SPINNER.

Fidget SpinnersOh, wow, the thing was a piece of beauty. A true work of art. It was blue, but not just any old shade of blue — it was a deep blue, the kind that instantly soothes you.

And, all it took was one spin and I was hooked. Honestly, I was pretty surprised just how comforting that fidget spinner became. It would calm me down when I’d get a bit wound up (you know me…) and prove to be a nice distraction during the day. I’d keep it by my computer, and I found myself picking it up while I was in the middle of writing. Oddly enough, it actually helped get those creative juices flowing. Maybe all that mindless spinning jump started my own mind?

In the end, my obsession got so bad that I bought three more fidget spinners — on the same day! I just couldn’t help myself, apparently! My hands just seemed to naturally gravitate toward them. Check out two of my favorites below — a blue (again!) metallic one, which is all kinds of shiny and smooth, and a glow-in-the-dark one! Yes, it actually does glow in the dark, in case you were wondering.

Fidget SpinnersSo where am I now in my obsession? Well, I still love them, but perhaps the novelty has worn off a bit. My mom reported that her students are over them, but I plan on keeping mine close by!! After all, you never know when you’ll need a little pick-me-up!!

Are you a fan of fidget spinners, friends?? Did you give in to the craze? What was the last thing you became really, really obsessed with?? xoxo

P.S. More of my obsessions…

5 Questions For the New Ken Dolls

New Ken DollsHave you heard the news? There’s a new Ken in town. Well, 15 new Ken dolls, to be exact. And they’re out and about TODAY! Mattel just released a new line of Barbie’s boyfriend — a more diverse, hip Ken for the 2017 set, complete with three body types (slim, broad and original), seven skin tones and nine hairstyles (say hello to the “man bun”). Oh, and their fashion styles range from business corporate to athletic-chic.

“By continuing to expand our product line, we are redefining what a Barbie or Ken doll looks like to this generation,” said Lisa McKnight, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Barbie. “Evolving Ken was a natural evolution for the brand and allows girls to further personalize the role they want him to play in Barbie’s world.”

Whew! That’s a lot to take in, isn’t it? So much change at once and my head is starting to spin!! I think I’ve mentioned this before, but I’ve got a long history with the Barbie franchise. It goes all the way back to the days when my sister and I would line up all our Barbie dolls and stage elaborate fashion shows. On some level, I like to think we were even more chic than Anna Wintour sitting front row at New York Fashion Week — we were that #OnFleek… I mean, just take a look at that picture below. We were talented youngsters.

But there have always been some questions that have plagued me over the years. Honestly, I was always a bit skeptical of Ken — he was mysterious in that too-perfect way that gives off the vibe that he’s most definitely hiding something big. What exactly is his deal? Here are 5 questions I’ve always wanted to ask the plastic perfection…

What is his story?

I mean, think about it: We know virtually nothing about this guy’s backstory. What’s his history? Does he have a family? Where does he come from? For all we know, he could have mob ties. Or maybe he has ties to Russia and influenced the 2016 presidential election. Hahaha! Wouldn’t that be an interesting twist in the on-going political saga?

Does he even have a job?

Truth be told, he seems to be forever in that weird life stage where he’s still trying to find himself. He’s been everything from a surfer dude to a doctor. And this new line seems to find Ken trying on the role of a hipster millennial from Brooklyn, so what is he? Sometimes I just wish he’d pick one because the constant searching is not a pretty look; frankly, it’s just getting old.

And speaking of old…

How old is Ken?

This guy looks pretty young, if you ask me. He sort of reminds me of the dude bros you’d meet at a college fraternity bash (not that I’ve ever been to one of those parties, mind you…), so that would make him, what, in his early twenties? Nope! Guess again! Ken celebrates his — wait for it — 56th birthday this year, so obviously this guy is no spring chicken. I’m not sure whether I should hate him for that or ask him for all the secrets.

What’s up with his emotions?

This guy seems to be stuck on one emotion and, truthfully, it’s kind of a creepy one. It looks like a forced smile staring you down. Heck, add giant wig and a bright red nose and he could probably pass for a clown. That disturbs me a little.

Was Ken really Barbie’s boyfriend?

I’ve often wondered where those two stood because, frankly, their relationship could be a bit ambiguous at times. They needed to DTR as the young people say — that’s define the relationship for those not hip to the lingo. I’m definitely getting some Benson/Stabler vibes from them — you know, they’re not technically together, but there’s obviously some chemistry there. The more I think about it, maybe Ken’s emotionless expression is because he’s just as confused about things as the rest of us are.

New Ken DollsSo what will the Kens of the future look like? I’m not entirely sure, but it will be fun to watch and see, don’t you think, friends? Were you a big Barbie fan when you were young? Do you still have your collection? Any questions you’d like to ask this new Ken? xoxo

P.S. Remember Hipster Barbie??

 

 

Toys to Help Teach Kids About the Hospital

toys-to-help-teach-kids-about-the-hospitalWhen I was younger, before I really understood my disability and why I had to go to the hospital all the time and why I had all those surgeries, I remember my parents reading me a book about a little girl who was in the hospital. The hospital seemed like such a scary place, but I saw that little girl in that little book and thought, “Hmmm, this doesn’t seem so scary now.” We even went on a hospital tour before one of my surgeries, where they took us around and showed us places like the ICU, the recovery room and the operating room. That tour helped my little brain take an intangible concept like medicine and give it some context, even “normalizing” it in a way. But still, I always wished there had been some toys to help teach kids about the hospital and this scary world I was about to call home for so many years.

toys-to-help-teach-kids-about-the-hospital toys-to-help-teach-kids-about-the-hospital-2 toys-to-help-teach-kids-about-the-hospital-3Then I stumbled across these awesome wooden toys designed by Japan-based Horiuchi Woodcraft! The toy series is a first of its kind, designed to ease hospital and doctor anxiety. They cover the gamut of the hospital experience, from an MRI to surgical tools to hospital rooms and doctor bags. They’re even being used in university hospitals, pediatric hospitals, general hospitals and other medical facilities. Genius!

Have you ever had surgery, friends? Were you scared? What eased your fears? xoxo

P.S. How to pack the perfect hospital bag and 10 lessons learned from our hospital heyday!

These Are The Most Incredible Dice I’ve Ever Seen

So I was just going to include this in a Friday Link Love post, but it’s just too amazing not to share — and, I think you’d agree! My Yahtzee-obsessed heart is mesmerized by the D120 die, which, as a 120-sided die, claims the distinction of being the largest mathematically fair die possible.

“The D120 is about five centimeters across and can stop fairly quickly if you don’t roll too hard. The opposite face pairings add up to 121, and the numbering is a ‘perfect numerical balance,’ which means all sorts of combinations of number groups are consistent throughout the die. The important thing about that is the numbers are spread evenly spread out, so big numbers aren’t clumped together for example.”

I’ll let that sink in for a moment. Mind blown yet? Yeah, I know. My mind is still reeling! The even cooler news? You can order these babies online — right here, actually?

How cool is that? Who’s up for inventing a new hybrid of Yahtzee?? Oh, it could be quite a fierce game, don’t you think, friends? xoxo

P.S. A new Love Lounge is coming up shortly! 🙂

[Via Nerdist]