I posted this elsewhere earlier but I wanted to put this here too and expand on it a bit.
I'm kinda new to being disabled, I've been dealing with my issues for almost two years now, but I've only recently accepted that I am disabled. I always felt like I wasn't disabled "enough" to call myself disabled, but I realized that's nonsense.
Recently I've started using a walking stick to help with my fatigue and balance and its helped quite a bit, but the thing thats been really interesting is how since starting to use it I feel more certain and like I'm more "allowed" to call myself disabled. The thing is thought its not so much because of the walking stick as it is peoples reactions to it.
My disability is invisible and I've noticed people see me with the walking stick and suddenly seem to take my issues more seriously. They notice when I'm struggling more, are more willing to offer assistance, exercise more caution around me etc. and I think those reactions kinda "legitimizes" my struggles to me.
But its also made me realize that I suspect that people unconsciously think disability aids are the disability on some level. Nothing about my struggles or issues has changed, if anything its easier because I have the walking stick, but people suddenly seem to take them more seriously. And whats more when I don't use it that seems to vanish, even in people who took things more seriously when I had it. All that changes is the presence of the walking stick.
But I think that's the thing, it turns my invisible disability visible and in doing so legitimizes it on some level in their eyes. Its really interesting how it both changes others reaction to me and has as a result changed how I view myself. I wish I had something more profound to say here and I'm sure none of this is new but really I just found this observation really interesting and I think it says a lot about how people view disability.
It also really explained something I've seen and never understood, Occasionally I'd see people who seem to get really mad that someone who uses a wheelchair or other (usually mobility) aid can sometimes walk/stand/hear/etc. seemingly "fine" without them. I never got this, to me it was obvious "Well maybe they don't always need it" (There's obviously more reasons too) but with this realization it suddenly makes sense, they see the aid AS the disability so to them if someone doesn't use the aid clearly they aren't disabled/ are lying. Still bizarre to me that people seem to think this way but now I at least have a clue why, even if its still nonsense
It’s been thirteen days since I’ve repotted this Calathea orbifolia in semi hydro, In the dead of winter. Absolutely no repot shock and has already started to
If you're wondering what happened to Nate Silver, he was into the COVID lab leak theory and got negative feedback online, including from epidemiologists and virologists and (GASP!) posters, which added to his belief that The Woke are victimizing Nate Silver. It spiraled from there. I'm not kidding. RE: bsky.app/profile/did:plc:hbpef…
WINDER, GA—In the hours following a violent rampage in Georgia in which a lone attacker killed at least four individuals and injured nine others, citizens living in the only country where this kind of mass killing routinely occurs reportedly conclude…
Raul Malo, frontman and founder of the genre-crossing roots-rock band The Mavericks passed away on Monday at the age of 60. For the last year and a half, the smooth-voiced tenor battled colon cancer that metastasized into leptomeningeal disease (wherein the cancer spreads into the fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord). Just last weekend, The Mavericks organized two celebratory concerts at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville that included more than two dozen special guests including Steve Earle, Nicole Atkins, JD McPherson, Jim Lauderdale, Joshua Ray Walker, Cimafunk, and more. The two gigs are available as livestreams via Nugs.
Malo's musical impact can't be overstated, as he blended his own Cuban-American roots wit
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Raul Malo, frontman and founder of the genre-crossing roots-rock band The Mavericks passed away on Monday at the age of 60. For the last year and a half, the smooth-voiced tenor battled colon cancer that metastasized into leptomeningeal disease (wherein the cancer spreads into the fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord). Just last weekend, The Mavericks organized two celebratory concerts at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville that included more than two dozen special guests including Steve Earle, Nicole Atkins, JD McPherson, Jim Lauderdale, Joshua Ray Walker, Cimafunk, and more. The two gigs are available as livestreams via Nugs.
Malo's musical impact can't be overstated, as he blended his own Cuban-American roots with Tex-Mex and Tejano, classic country music, jazz, and full-steam-ahead rock 'n' roll over the course of 35 years. Together, The Mavericks released 13 studio albums and as a solo artist, Malo released an additional nine.
Singer-songwriter Steve Poltz announced his 14th studio album, JoyRide, due out January 30, 2026 via Red House Records. He said the following about lead single "If It Bleeds, It Leads" in a press release:
‘If It Bleeds, It Leads’ was so much fun to record because it was challenging — and I love a good challenge,” says Steve Poltz. “I used Emmylou Harris’ rhythm section: Bryan Owings on drums and Christopher Donohue on bass. Dex Green played this weird-sounding keyboard that added to the whole vibe, along with my acoustic guitar. I wrote the song after watching the news with some people who were yelling at the TV screen. I had to leave the room and immediately write this song.
youtube.com/embed/NV5vcevXOqM?… A couple months ago, Theo Lawrence and Melissa Carper released a new single (ND story), leading up to the announce of their full LP of duets titled HAVIN’ A TALK. The album is set to come out February 6 via Warner Records. youtube.com/embed/TvJmWObudv0?… Mumford & Sons announced a new album titled Prizefighter, due out February 13, 2026 via Glassnote Records. The record arrives just months after RUSHMERE, which came out in March. The title track is available now, co-written with Justin Vernon (Bon Iver) and Aaron Dessner (The National). youtube.com/embed/LDrCfYwhGQE?… Tyler Childers released a 10-minute mini-documentary about the making of his massive new record, Snipe Hunter. Read No Depression's review here and watch the video below. youtube.com/embed/sVDiOSQuDkI?… Markéta Irglová, Icelandic singer-songwriter and one-half of The Swell Season, released a new single titled "Nameless Children." As she described in a press release:
I feel this song is an attempt to process my own difficulty with watching certain things happening in the world. It's heartbreaking to witness families everywhere being torn apart by war, senseless conflicts, and violence. I mean the song to be humanitarian. In response to these events — and perhaps out of a feeling of helplessness — we argue about the politics involved in choosing a side, and the world grows more divided in the process.
youtube.com/embed/wMGM1zZXYCw?… Finally, the Western States Center (WSC) releasedafree resource titled "Are You Ready If Immigration Enforcement Shows Up at Your Venue?"in order to try to support venues, performers, fans, and culture workers. WSC, a nonprofit organization that "envisions inclusive democratic movements and societies rooted in justice and equity," has worked with roots musicians like Ana Egge, who wrote about her experiences in one of their programs for No Depressionhere.
Although the WSC webpage is clear to note that the resource "is not legal advice," a staff member of the nonprofit confirms that, "it has been legally reviewed for accuracy. It offers concrete information, including how to identify who is at your door, what warrants mean, staff training considerations, public/private space distinctions, response protocols, and how to connect with local immigration rights partners." Additionally, WSC will be hosting a webinar on Tuesday, January 14, 2026 at 10am PST/1pm EST to review the resource. Registration is required.
Mon Rovia - Bloodline The James Hunter Six - Off The Fence John McCutcheon and Tom Paxton - Together Again Julian Lage - Scenes From Above Langhorne Slim - The Dreamin' Kind The Lowest Pair - Always As Young As We’ll Ever Be Emily Scott Robinson - Appalachia Tyler Ballgame - For the First Time, Again Lucinda Williams - World’s Gone Wrong
Kevin Davy
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