the exact shoes I have are the Harvester (I've worn those out because my gait rolls very far through my foot, so I'm trying out a different style with higher rubber on heel and toe—but I will be repairing the harvester) and the waterproof half mukluk!

I swear by Manitobah—Canadian Native founded, feeds back into Indigenous communities, features a ton of Indigenous artisans, and the shoes are built on traditional principles of staying in contact with the earth. the only shoes that don't give me Instant pain

I know I'm privileged to be able to buy these things to participate in society to a level a lot of disabled people can't. but man when I compare my "barebones able to function in society" budget to my non-disabled friends, I have a lot more expenses

it sucks

like... I try not to spend a lot of money. but in order to function in day to day life I had to drop a very pretty penny on a weighted blanket, otherwise I couldn't sleep and everything got worse. I try to buy local, small, and/or marginalized-owned, but. it adds up

(has to be natural because synthetics make me break out in a rash or hives and I once got severe acne in my ears and back of jaw for months wearing silicone earbuds too much. I'd really rather not repeat the experience with elastic in my mask)

I love stories, I love telling them, and I tended to crush at any irl story-based situation. but getting words on a page was an exercise in frustration, and the only reason I learned was dictation software couldn't pick up my voice and I didn't want my mom to know everything I wrote lol