Here is a great short story of the time I actually saw the end of a rainbow! Or was it the beginning of a rainbow? Regardless it was certainly one of the two. It was when I went to pick up my Buddhist Teacher, Dzogchen Khenpo Choga Rinpoche from the Boise, Idaho airport. He was here to teach a weekend retreat in New Meadows, Idaho just past the city of McCall.

After his plane landed and we were walking out the front doors of the airport we were both stopped in our tracks at the sight we were seeing. I almost could not breathe at the absolute beauty of it all. The sight was beyond anything I have ever seen in Nature. To this day I have not seen anything to compare to its profound beauty. It was one of the more rare sights I have ever witnessed. In that moment I realized what is meant by, "the pot of gold at the end of a rainbow."

Show Notes:

I am telling a story of seeing the end (or the beginning) of a rainbow.

Resources:

Cool things about rainbow - 6 not-so-known facts about rainbows.

Dzogchen Khenpo Choga Rinpoche - AlejAndro's Buddhist teacher.

The science of rainbows - The Smithsonian Science Education Center.

Rainbow facts for kids - Some info for the young lovers of rainbows.

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How to review the podcast on iTunes

If you enjoyed, benefited or were impacted by the podcast, it would be beyond cool if you’d take a minute and write a review on iTunes. To do that, click on the iTunes link or launch the iTunes podcast app on your computer or phone. Search for One Hand Speaks, select the album art for the show, select ratings and reviews and then write your review. Big thanks and appreciation. Please spread and share if you feel others will benefit and enjoy and leave a comment or offer feedback.

Play your hand,

AlejAndro

Here is a talk I did for the Bureau of Reclamation about Disability Employment and the benefits of hiring people with Disabilities. I was asked to speak as part of National Disability Employment Awareness Month. This talk covers mostly the good side of my experiences as a one handed worker. However, I do cover some areas that were not so cool. And in all do fairness finding work with one hand was incredibly difficult at times. I found it more challenging to work with other people's perception of me, and my potential as an employee, than dealing with my own disability. My experiences looking for work in my late teens and early twenties truly had me look and myself and others. In my late twenties I was hired as a graphic designer by the Bureau of Reclamation under the Schedule A hiring practice to help hire people with disabilities.

So much can be said about the human condition. And in my standard process of sharing my one handed life with a positive overtone, humor, and life lessons I hope to bring a higher quality of being human to our condition. Please enjoy my stories and unique perspective as I take it to the job, workin' it 9-to-5.

Thanks for listening! I invite you to share this podcast, offer a comment or leave some feedback.

Show Notes:

Secret techniques for getting hired with one hand.

Talk giving offering my perspective as someone with a disability looking for a job.

Dealing with other people's discrimination.

Why I would rather not work for some people.

My first truly bad experience trying to find a job with one hand in a two handed world.

Resources

USAjobs.com - Uncle Sam hires people with disabilities. Things you need to know. 

Disability Job Exchange - Looking for work? Look Here!

OPM.ORG - Federal hiring guidelines for hiring people with disabilities.

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How to review the podcast on iTunes

If you enjoyed, benefited or were impacted by the podcast, it would be beyond cool if you’d take a minute and write a review on iTunes. To do that, click on the iTunes link or launch the iTunes podcast app on your computer or phone. Search for One Hand Speaks, select the album art for the show, select ratings and reviews and then write your review. Big thanks and appreciation. Please spread and share if you feel others will benefit and enjoy and leave a comment or offer feedback.

Play your hand,

AlejAndro

Solo international traveling with one hand has it's own flavor. Disabled traveling has an entirely different set of concerns, considerations, and contemplations. Carrying my bags, safety and security, and managing my objects are just a few of the topics I cover in this uniquely crafted podcast about one-handed traveling. One of the attributes that makes disabled travel so interesting is how different cultures perceive me and my body. I get different looks and reactions to my one-handedness based on the country and culture. Finland was a very different experience than Malaysia.

What I really want to share is all the cool things I learned about myself as a one-handed human. Not to mention learning all these great insights into the life of a disabled traveler. If you have one hand your are going to love this podcast. And if you have two or more hands I think you will find it both funny and educational.

Thanks for listening! I invite you to share this podcast, offer a comment or leave some feedback.

Show Notes:

Talking about some of the quirks and considerations about traveling with one hand.

Sharing experiences just getting on a plane.

Examining how other cultures and countries perceive me as a one handed person.

Security and safety as a disabled traveler.

Life lessons learned from one handed international solo travel.

Resources:

The Disabled Traveler -  Justin Skeesuck teaches you how to travel with limited mobility.

Zach Gowen - A one legged superstar, A World Wrestling Entertainment champion, a professional speakers and all around great guy! @zachgowen

Rebekah Marine - The Bionic Model, Rebekah Marine is a true inspiration! @rebekahmarine

Nicole Kelly - Speaker, educational lecturer, Miss Iowa 2013, mentor and advocate. @missnicolekelly

Nubability Athletes - We elevate the game of kids with limb-differences in main-streamed organized sports with encouragement, instruction and inspiration from over 70 accomplished limb-different athletes. #dontneed2

Ryan Haack - Author of "Different is Awesome!" and making true change in the world! See more at LivingOneHanded.com

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How to review the podcast on iTunes

If you enjoyed, benefited or were impacted by the podcast, it would be beyond cool if you’d take a minute and write a review on iTunes. To do that, click on the iTunes link or launch the iTunes podcast app on your computer or phone. Search for One Hand Speaks, select the album art for the show, select ratings and reviews and then write your review. Big thanks and appreciation. Please spread and share if you feel others will benefit and enjoy and leave a comment or offer feedback.

Play your hand,

AlejAndro

World Class Chili in Seattle's Pike Place Market. A chili parlor... I learned so many life lessons here. This little hole in the wall eatery was ranked top 20 in the world for chili! Who knew chili ran that deep? I did not. But I quickly learned. It was a one man show run by this guy named Joe Canavan. All I can really say about Joe is, "they do not make people like him anymore!"

I worked for Joe for over two years in the mid 90s. That was the era of the quite popular TV series called "Sienfeld." I was working for Joe when the "Soup Nazi" episode aired. The next day and every day since that episode Joe Canavan was forever know as the "Chili Nazi" or the "Soup Nazi of Chili." Everything made so much more sense after that day. If you think that episode was funny, try working for the "Chili Nazi!"

I could write a book about all the crazy, insane, and out of this world experiences I had at World Class Chili. But I will start with some podcasts. I cannot say enough good things about the lessons I learned or how deeply Joe Canavan changed my life... But I will try.

Show Notes:

Another live audience talk recorded at story story night in Boise, Idaho.

Pike Place employment at Jack's Fish Spot and Emmett Watson's Oyster Bar.

How Nancy at the Pike Place Market Creamery helped me get my job at World Class Chili... I think?!

Working for Joe Canavan at World Class Chili.

A Pike Place Market standing ovation after two years working "hard time" for Joe.

The lessons learned working at a hole in the wall chili parlor.

Resources:

Pike Place Market - World Class Chili was located in this famous Seattle open market.

Original Terlingua International Championship Chili Cookoff - Joe competed for years. Enough said!

Soup Nazi - If you know this character you know a bit about Joe Canavan and World Class Chili.

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How to review the podcast on iTunes

If you enjoyed, benefited or were impacted by the podcast, it would be beyond cool if you’d take a minute and write a review on iTunes.  To do that, just launch the iTunes podcast app on your computer or phone. Search for One Hand Speaks, select the album art for the show, select ratings and reviews and then write your review. Big thanks and appreciation. Please spread and share if you feel other will benefit and enjoy.

Play your hand,

AlejAndro

As I have lived this life I have come to realize how much of a blessing it is to have been born with one hand. This realization did not arise easily. Nor is it the perspective of all people with a disability. But right now in my life it is how I view myself. This is a story about how tying my shoes is a benefit for others, especially children and therefore myself. I have had so many interesting experiences being asked to tie my shoes and tying my shoes in public.

As a professional speaker I often speak to children and youth about the power of thinking, overcoming adversity and simply just loving who you are with what you have in this life. In most cases in the early 13 and under age my talks turn into "show and tell" sessions as kids just want to know how I do things with one hand. "How do you cook? How do you wash your back, put on a coat, and take off your watch?" Children ask the best questions! Most of the time they want to know how I tie my shoes. They want to watch me tie my shoes. Then they want me to tie their shoes. And the next thing I know the line is long and the cheers are grand.

This story is about one of the most profound and impactful moments I have had trying my shoes. This moment helped my more deeply realize the benefits and blessing to live life with one hand.

I invite you to share this podcast, offer a comment or leave some feedback. Thanks for listening!

Show Notes:

Understanding the benefits of life with one hand.

Noticing how people and children would watch me tie my shoes.

The California Aikido Association summer training talk.

The moment I deeply realized the power and benefits of tying my shoes with one hand.

What I have learned living this one handed life.

Resources:

One-Handed Aikido Monologue – My speech on teaching and practicing the martial art of Aikido with one hand.

California Aikido Association - Where I trained when I had one of the greatest experiences tying my shoes.

Sage International School - A video of me speaking about the power of thinking and the benefits of life with one hand to the 6th and 7th graders at Sage International School in Boise, Idaho.

Nubability Athletics - A great organization for people with special and unique bodies.

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How to review the podcast on iTunes

If you enjoyed, benefited or were impacted by the podcast, it would be beyond cool if you’d take a minute and write a review on iTunes. To do that, click on the iTunes link or launch the iTunes podcast app on your computer or phone. Search for One Hand Speaks, select the album art for the show, select ratings and reviews and then write your review. Big thanks and appreciation. Please spread and share if you feel others will benefit and enjoy and leave a comment or offer feedback.

Play your hand,

AlejAndro

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away... Well, it seems like that at times. I rode my bicycle from Seattle, Washington to my home town of South Bend, Indiana. Not quite an easy task overall. Especially with one hand. I went on the bike trek in solo mode. I went by myself. It took me 64 days total. I camped out each night. So many beautiful, cool, and unusual things happened to me. I will podcast about them as time unfolds.

This podcast is actually two short stories about my one handed traveling adventures. The first short story is about one of my experiences on a small speaking tour I did in the Pacific Northwest while driving my stick shift vehicle. The second story is about a very cool experience I shared with a good friend who I met up with on my solo bike trip. He and I met in Idaho as I was riding my bicycle from Seattle, Washington to my home town of South Bend, Indiana. We ended up saving someone's life. Both offer great insight to life with one hand and traveling with any kind of disability.

This was a live recording in Boise, Idaho in the Linen Building for Story Story Night. It is nice to have a live audience and makes for a great first podcast.

Show Notes:

I almost killed a baby deer on my way to see my Tibetan Buddhist teacher.

Speaking in Boise, Idaho about my traveling experiences.

Sharing more one handed traveling experiences on my solo cross country bicycle tour.

We saved the life of a river rafter just outside of Swan Valley, Idaho.

Resources:

Sports Fitness Advisor - Scientifically Backed Fitness Advice for Sport and Life.

Dzogchen Retreat Center - Dzogchen Khenpo Choga Rinpoche and the Dzogchen Lineage.

Swan Valley, Idaho - Beautiful and pleasant place to stop on a cross country tour by bicycle.

Boise Bicycle Project - I put it in here because this is a cool bicycle project in Boise, Idaho.

The Disabled Traveler -  Justin Skeesuck teaches you how to travel with limited mobility.

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How to review the podcast on iTunes

If you enjoyed, benefited or were impacted by the podcast, it would be beyond cool if you’d take a minute and write a review on iTunes.  To do that, just launch the iTunes podcast app on your computer or phone. Search for One Hand Speaks, select the album art for the show, select ratings and reviews and then write your review. Big thanks and appreciation. Please spread and share if you feel other will benefit and enjoy.

Play your hand,

AlejAndro