Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Vanessa Smith @normalness.bsky.social · 8h

I even replied politely and educationally and I’m still the bad one 🤷‍♀️ can’t win them all, but do kinda regret now not just telling them to stfu 😂😂

It’s so frustrating that we’re expected to perform grateful when we’re given inaccurate or first result on Google suggestions

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Vanessa Smith @normalness.bsky.social · 18h

Most of what I talk about on LinkedIn is being a housebound employee.

Naturally now someone is messaging me to come to an interview person event.

No one on LinkedIn reads… that’s my conclusion.

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Vanessa Smith @normalness.bsky.social · 21h

It really does help me feel like I’m not just flailing and never doing anything. I wish I didn’t have an attachment to productivity stuff but it’s one thing to want to unlearn it and another to be able to!

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Vanessa Smith @normalness.bsky.social · 21h

Ah, when someone tells you to try yoga and you say “I’m not sure if you’re aware what a trope this comment is…” etc and explain it, and the non disableds get mad at you for rejecting useless advice. Typical. We need better disability literacy in non disabled people!

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Vanessa Smith @normalness.bsky.social · 23h

The Done List (Chronic Illness Edition)
normalness.com/2025/10/09/t...

The Done List (Chronic Illness Edition) - Normal Ness

The Done List (Chronic Illness Edition) What is a done list? The first time I came across the concept of a done list was on Twitter: I could use a “have done” list right now. Small steps are so ea...

normalness.com

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Reposted by Vanessa Smith

Jaye F.R. Coates @jfrcoates.bsky.social · 1d

I'm in the final stretch before major trans gender-affirming surgery, and any book sales will be so helpful in being able to afford this all! Direct sales through TF Publishing are best, but anything will be so beneficial. Please consider purchasing, signing up to Patreon, or sharing this thread.

Cover art for Dragon's Soul, featuring two dragonesses and a gryphon in a close, loving huddle. Art by Vurt.

Cover art of Axinstone, featuring a black dragon standing atop an arch rock formation, in front of a stylised pastel background. Art by Chromamancer.

Cover art for Reborn, which features a starat – an anthropomorphic weasel-like creature – standing upright and holding his hand out to help up a second starat, lying on his back. The starat standing is wearing work overalls, while the second is wearing military uniform. They are in a rocky environment with a dark sky. Art by Ilya Royz.

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Vanessa Smith @normalness.bsky.social · 1d

Had a shite night where one person being a jerk caused an extra trip. Which isn’t a lot for most people but is a lot for someone who can barely leave the house. Your workplace tantrum and lies have real impacts on other people.

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Reposted by Vanessa Smith

George Monbiot @georgemonbiot.bsky.social · 1d

They desperately want to be able to work, to socialise, to experience all the other joys of life. But because the condition is so poorly understood, they have been repeatedly treated as if they were “malingerers” or “hysterics”. Which suits the government just fine.

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Vanessa Smith @normalness.bsky.social · 1d

Animal Crossing New Horizons: Miranda Island. Halloween: Jack Candy
youtu.be/DuG7dTlbg_w

Animal Crossing New Horizons: Miranda Island. Halloween: Jack Candy

YouTube video by NormalNess

youtu.be

Vanessa Smith @normalness.bsky.social · 1d

I feel so ill. Had to function way way earlier than usual today.

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Vanessa Smith @normalness.bsky.social · 2d

Pay for disability consulting
normalness.com/2025/10/06/p...

Pay for disability consulting - Normal Ness

If you’ve read my post on codesign, you’ll know I have some problems with how the expertise of disability is framed. This post is a short expansion of that topic. This post calls for people to recog...

normalness.com

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Vanessa Smith @normalness.bsky.social · 2d

(If I do a submission to it I'll share it on my blog as usual so you can use it as a framework for yours. Not sure l'll be able to though.)

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Vanessa Smith @normalness.bsky.social · 2d

Came across this in my internet travels – gov wants feedback on a few things but of particular interest “Smart home appliances (for cooking, cleaning and gardening)”. Thought others would be interested in this too.

Submissions close on 9 11 2025.

consultations.health.gov.au/evidence-adv...

NDIS Evidence Advisory Committee Consultation September2025 - Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing - Citizen Space

The site lists consultations that are run by the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing. On this site you can find, share or take part in consultations.

consultations.health.gov.au

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Vanessa Smith @normalness.bsky.social · 2d

Bones: A Pups Playpen Animal Crossing: New Horizons. Happy Home Paradise DLC. youtu.be/nRQJ6qfhnHw

Happy Home Paradise: Bones: A Pups Playpen

YouTube video by NormalNess

youtu.be

Reposted by Vanessa Smith

Peter Stefanovic @peterstefanovic.bsky.social · 3d

If any Government can just snatch basic human rights away from any section of society when it pleases then none of us has rights – just privileges that can be taken away by people in power whenever they want

Peter Stefanovic @peterstefanovic.bsky.social · 5d

Prime Minister Keir Starmer plans to change how judges interpret the European Convention on Human Rights – a move that risks weakening everyone’s protections.

The ECHR has become a convenient scapegoat for challenges around migration and sovereignty.

WE MUST PROTECT IT
youtu.be/Lmad4kujRhQ?...

🚨THE EUROPEAN CONVENTION ON HUMAN RIGHTS PROTECTS US ALL. WE MUST PROTECT IT

YouTube video by Peter Stefanovic

youtu.be

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Vanessa Smith @normalness.bsky.social · 3d

Time lapses I take are mostly of clouds and sky, which means they may have flashing effects in them and be unsuitable for some people.
youtu.be/9MyugNv7Skw

3 April 2025

YouTube video by NormalNess

youtu.be

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Vanessa Smith @normalness.bsky.social · 3d

New Year must mean a new you, right? Well, I'm here in my "can't take this shit seriously" mode to offer you a sweary way to review your year and plan for the next one.
payhip.com/b/P7e9b

New-Ness

New Year must mean a new you, right? Well, I'm here in my "can't take this shit seriously" mode to offer you a sweary way to review your year and plan for the next one. New-Ness, a journal for those who hate journals. The details: It costs

payhip.com

Reposted by Vanessa Smith

Daryl Maguire’s tractor @daryltractor.bsky.social · 4d

“Labor has managed to combine two of their worst behaviours in one go here: using exemptions in FOI to refuse to release documents while secretly doubling down on a plan B for AUKUS. I don’t think treating the Australian public like mushrooms is a viable long term political strategy for Albanese.”

Senator David Shoebridge @davidshoebridge.bsky.social · 4d

Defence: “No, no we are not working on Plan B for when the AUKUS nuclear subs don’t show up.”
Public: “What about all these secret documents about a Plan B that you refuse to release?”
Defence: “Look over there, a nuclear kitten!” @mrrexpatrick.bsky.social
⁦‪‬⁩ michaelwest.com.au/a-crack-in-t...

A crack in the AUKUS public relations pressure hull! - Michael West

AUKUS is a hugely expensive Defence project facing considerable and, many argue unsurmountable, hurdles. But does Defence have a Plan B?

michaelwest.com.au

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Vanessa Smith @normalness.bsky.social · 4d

Outlanders 2 Bonus Wheat Spree Town youtu.be/etkG5QXH-GY

Outlanders 2 Bonus Wheat Spree Town

YouTube video by NormalNess

youtu.be

Vanessa Smith @normalness.bsky.social · 4d

And no one cares isn’t a sob thing. It’s a cold hard fact. You’ll see people rally around things with a name, an identifiable group. All the disabled and chronically ill people who don’t get support don’t have a name to rally around, and we are forgotten, nationally.

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Vanessa Smith @normalness.bsky.social · 4d

And now ...todays new blog post:
The state will take care of that
normalness.com/2025/10/05/t...

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Vanessa Smith @normalness.bsky.social · 4d

More people are going to become the abandoned unsupported type of disabled, like I am.

People should start fighting now, only I have no hope of that happening because already no one cares that people like me are completely unsupported.

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Vanessa Smith @normalness.bsky.social · 4d

You'll be told you're wrong for your needs.

My needs are not wrong, your service is wrong
normalness.com/2025/05/15/m...

My needs are not wrong, your service is wrong - Normal Ness

I was doing some prep reading for an interview at my job this week (you can listen to it here or the version with transcript here) on foundational supports and it had me reflecting on my attempts (in ...

normalness.com

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Vanessa Smith @normalness.bsky.social · 4d

I haven't fully read the sat paper article about ticky box alorgithming disability because depressing and this is a long weekend for me, but this is the direction things are going - so many more people are going to become the "wrong" type of disabled.

My needs are not wrong, your service is wrong - Normal Ness

I was doing some prep reading for an interview at my job this week (you can listen to it here or the version with transcript here) on foundational supports and it had me reflecting on my attempts (in ...

normalness.com

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Vanessa Smith @normalness.bsky.social · 5d

Ok so elsewhere I saw that thanking people for replying is apparently rude.

Here I am thinking that doing things like I did earlier, telling someone to fuck right off, is rude.

Maybe I was being polite, because NT’s rules never make sense 😂

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