Author Archives: Kevin Schaefer

Machines are a vital and everyday component of my existence. There’s the BiPAP machine pumping air into my lungs when I go to sleep. It sits on my nightstand above my cough assist, another device designed to help improve my respiratory function. Then there’s my Jaco robotic…

Traveling to a concert three and a half hours away requires planning, which is all the more true when my disability enters the equation. Between securing transportation, finding an accessible hotel room, and making sure the venue is accessible, some might deem a trip like this one not…

“A hero — not the hero we deserved, but the hero we needed.” This line from a Batman movie aptly describes the life and legacy of Judy Heumann. The prominent disability rights activist, who died March 4 at the age of 75, remains a hero in…

The HBO series “The Last of Us” takes place in a dystopian world where zombie-like creatures roam the Earth 20 years after a mass infection wreaked havoc on humanity. Its main characters, Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Ellie (Bella Ramsey), travel across a post-apocalyptic America in an attempt…

The 2021 Netflix movie “Awake” imagines a world in which a mysterious catastrophe wipes out all electronics and takes away humanity’s ability to sleep. Mass hysteria ensues within hours of this apocalyptic event, as people long to let their minds and bodies rest. Citizens turn against one…

When I was younger, I enjoyed the hyperactive nature of the teacup ride at Disney World. My mom hated it, but my dad was willing to accompany my siblings and me on this headache-inducing extravaganza. Spinning around inside a giant teacup from “Alice in Wonderland” was enough to entertain…

A few years ago, I started listening to comedian Chris Gethard’s podcast, “Beautiful Stories From Anonymous People.” The premise of the show is that people call in, and whoever gets through talks with Gethard about any subject they want for an hour. The only condition is that…

“Yesterday, All my troubles seemed so far away, Now it looks as though they’re here to stay, Oh, I believe in yesterday.” Among the countless hits by the Beatles, “Yesterday,” released in 1965, has stood the test of time as one of the most revered and influential songs in…

I listened to 78,978 minutes of music and podcasts in 2022. Thanks to the popular feature Spotify Wrapped, I and millions of users can look at a summary of our listening habits each year, for better or worse. Some may find my avid consumption of pop albums…

“Your 60s you’ll have a major surgery, the music is still loud but it doesn’t matter because you can’t hear it anyway. Seventies, you and the wife retire to Fort Lauderdale, you start eating dinner at 2 o’clock in the afternoon, you have lunch around 10, breakfast the night…