Amanda Shortman - she/her
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aspiraldance.bsky.social
Amanda Shortman - she/her
@aspiraldance.bsky.social
700 followers 550 following 2.4K posts
Queer (Pan Ace) 🏳️‍🌈
Disabled* ♿️ & Neurodiverse ♾️
Christian Pagan ✝️
Writer & Blogger 👩‍💻
www.aspiraldance.com

*ME/CFS, Fibro, hEDS, Migraine, Dysautonomia, Endo, Asthma, Anxiety, OCD... the list goes on.
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aspiraldance.bsky.social
In brighter news, look what we bought from Aldi 😃

(Ignore the mess - we're behind on laundry & just got back from shopping!)

Video description: a reindeer dressed in a Santa suit is dancing on a kitchen table as music plays. He has quite the hip wiggle going on.
November 26, 2025 at 11:59 AM
aspiraldance.bsky.social
Okay friends, I need ideas!

Thea asked what I want for Christmas, and I really want cute clothing & accessories that reflect my identity.

I'd particularly like to support disabled & spoonie run small businesses here in the UK, so feel free to tag your favourites (self recs are more than welcome).
An illustration of a silver spoon with a red ribbon wrapped arpund it on a dark blue background. There is white text below it which says "I need some spoonie friendly gift ideas".
November 24, 2025 at 5:16 PM
aspiraldance.bsky.social
And now I'm watching this... anyone recognise it?

I need more recs of older Christmas movies. Because after this and It's A Wonderful Life, I'll have run out. And I do love these older ones 🥰
A scene fron The Bishop's Wife, just after Dudley arrives and is introduces to Julia.
November 23, 2025 at 3:49 PM
aspiraldance.bsky.social
Watching White Christmas whilst making an angel for the Christmas tree. It doesn't get much better than this 🥰

(This scene always gets me 🥹)
The scene in White Christmas where the army division comes to the General's inn is playing on a portable DVD player. In front of it there is a crochet magazine with a pattern for an angel, and a partially crocheted angel sits on top of it.
November 23, 2025 at 3:04 PM
aspiraldance.bsky.social
Today we remember all those who have died due to anti-trans violence. Please spend time today learning about them, and the damage caused by the anti-trans rhetoric that is so rife.

To my trans friends & family - my heart hurts for you, and I promise to fight for your rights with everything I have.
Black text on a pink and blue pastel background, with transgender ribbons in 2 corners. The text says "Transgender Day of Remembrance"
November 20, 2025 at 4:55 PM
aspiraldance.bsky.social
We haven't had a TV licence since 2013. Suddenly we have to declare every year. *Why* do they change the wording part way through? I'm not sure whether to click "yes" or "no" to the "can you confirm" ones - "yes I confirm" but "no we never watch". Is this purposefully made to catch people out?
Screenshot of the declaration about not needing a TV licence. There are several questions which say "do you or does anyone in your household watch..." with a list of channels and live services. But at the bottom there are two questions which say "can you confirm that you and your household never watch..." and it lists BBC iPlayer and cable TV channels. There are yes or no check boxes beside each question.
November 20, 2025 at 11:38 AM
aspiraldance.bsky.social
I just spotted this in the German newspaper Die Zeit, and thought I would share the main points so that my ME/CFS and LC friends could also celebrate this news.

I don't have the energy to translate the whole article, but here are the key points (a thread):

#MECFS #LongCovid
A screenshot of a German news article with English translation of the headline and subheading. It says "German Government wants to increase funding for ME/CFS research. The number of people with ME/CFS and LC has rapidly increased since the pandemic. Because of this, 500 million Euros will be invested in research.
November 14, 2025 at 9:34 AM
aspiraldance.bsky.social
EVERYONE ON THIS APP DROP A SELFIE NOW... AND I MEAN RIGHT NOW!!!

(In my natural habitat - propped up in bed).
Amands, a white woman with long dark auburn hair and dark brown eyes is wearing a pink vest top and sitting propled up against a grey wedge pillow.
November 13, 2025 at 7:04 PM
aspiraldance.bsky.social
Over on Threads, SkyTV posted this. The comment section is full of people protecting trans rights and saying, "absolutely not" 🏳️‍⚧️

And I love it so much! What I don't love as much is the number of times people said it was "tone deaf" 😢

Ableist language shows up everywhere.
A Thread post by SkyTV that says, "can we all agree that watching the Harry Potter movies is a non-negotiable at this time of year? ⚡️
November 12, 2025 at 4:54 PM
aspiraldance.bsky.social
Going with @theajane.bsky.social for her boudoir photo shoot today (that she won!!!)

Didn't want to feel frumpy next to her after she's had her hair and make-up done, so tried to make myself look good.

Ugh, I can never get blush etc right. But I shall keep trying.
Amanda, a white woman with dark brown eyes and long dark auburn hair is wearing brown eye shadow, a peachy blush, and bright red lipstick.
November 12, 2025 at 8:57 AM
aspiraldance.bsky.social
Managed to make 3 baby hats to send to Gaza - 2 newborn, and a preemie.

Would have been more, but I had to frog 2 hats before I figured out the best stitch & hook combo to get the right size with this yarn. Plus health stuff got in the way too.

But I hope these help someone know they are loved.
3 crocheted baby hats made with a simple half double crochet stitch and ribbed brim. There is a pastel pink one, a pastel yellow one, and the preemie one is in lilac with pastel pink brim.
November 10, 2025 at 3:50 PM
aspiraldance.bsky.social
How to tell I am particularly stressed:

- I start listening to Tamora Pierce books
- I start watching As Time Goes By

Both of these soothe my nervous system, and I can pretty much quote them both in full at this point 😂
Screenshot of the Audible app shiwing the Full Cast Audio production of Wild Magic by Tamora Pierce A DVD of the BBC series As Time Goes By with Geoffrey Palmer and Judi Dench on the cover.
November 8, 2025 at 11:00 PM
aspiraldance.bsky.social
Looking for gifts? This might be the post for you! 👀

Small business owners: share a bit about what you sell, along with your link, in the comments ❤️

Everyone else: check through the comments and find your new favourites ☺️
A graphic with a dark green background and illustrations of Chrisymas trees, candy canes, and gifts around the border. There is white text thstbsays, "this holiday season support small businesses".
November 7, 2025 at 9:51 PM
aspiraldance.bsky.social
Looking into optiions and have been reninded that my local NHS Trust does not fund wheelchairs for outdoor use only.

Because ambulatory wheelchair users can't possibly exist, and disabled people don't deserve to go outside 🙄
Screenshot of a document that says: This service is not funded for the provision of powered wheelchairs for outdoor use only. This includes scooters and attendant powered wheelchairs and power packs.
November 6, 2025 at 7:59 AM
aspiraldance.bsky.social
Any mutuals fancy being Pokemon Go friends? ☺️ I need one more, and Thea needs 3, to complete some field research.

DM me your Friend Code if so (mutuals only please) and let me know if you're happy for @theajane.bsky.social to add you too.
Screenshot from the Pokemon Go app showing a field research task to make 3 new friends.
November 4, 2025 at 8:03 PM
aspiraldance.bsky.social
Yay! This is my teenage main character, Bethia, and her Guardian (mentor) Carew. This gorgeous piece was drawn by @iliibra.bsky.social, whose art I adore. So, of course, I had to save up for a picture of them. It really captures their mutual passion for discussing their work together 😊
An illustration of two characters deep in discussion. On the left is Bethia, a teenage white girl with long blond hair in a plait and blue eyes. She is wearing a pale green dress with brown hood, wrist guards, and belt, with a golden leaf clasp. On the right is Carew, a white man with shoulder length brown hair, moustache, and beard, and brown eyes. He is wearing a cream coloured loose top held at the waist by a brown belt. He is also wearing brown trousers and a dark green cloak, held with a golden leaf clasp too.
November 3, 2025 at 6:06 PM
aspiraldance.bsky.social
O came in this morning and asked if I felt well enough to go for a walk. No, not really 😢 but there was NO WAY I was saying no when he wanted to add more steps to his total.

We did 4,327 steps today (well he did, I rolled in my wheelchair 😉). 1/2
O, a white teen boy with short dark hair is wearing a dark red hoodie and standing behind Amanda, a white woman with long, dark auburn hair, who is sitting in her wheelchair wearing an orange coat and sunglasses.
November 2, 2025 at 12:35 PM
aspiraldance.bsky.social
Oh, I missed an image.

CEX do 5 year warranties, hence looking there first.
November 1, 2025 at 10:58 PM
aspiraldance.bsky.social
Oh, boo!

Here it is.
November 1, 2025 at 10:57 PM
aspiraldance.bsky.social
Welp @theajane.bsky.social has sent me to bed for my own good.

Absolutely gutted. She is right, of course. But damn it.
Amanda, a white woman with dark brown eyes, a cobweb painted in her cheek, and red lips. She is laying in bed, still wearing a black top and crocheted shawl from her witch costume.
October 31, 2025 at 5:15 PM
aspiraldance.bsky.social
I am *BEYOND EXHAUSTED*. I'm at almost 50 pace points and we've only had one trick or treater so far. But I will be damned if I miss the one night in tbe year I get to feel like a part of this community.

So, Witch Amanda it is. And I shall collapse and pay for this for days 😫 A hex, a hex upon me!
Amanda, a white woman wearing a witches hat, black top, and crocheted shawl. She has a cobweb painted on her cheek, and red lipstick and caudlron earrings. She is standing in front of some inflatable punpkins outside her bungalow. Amanda, a white wkman wearing a witch'a hate, black top, and crocheted shawl, with a cobweb drawn on her cheek. She is standing in her entrance hall which has a haunted house picture, an unflatable ghost, a black cat kack o lantern, and an orange tub of treat bags. A bungalow window with a Happy Halloween sign, a light up trick or treat sign, and a spiders cobweb.
October 31, 2025 at 5:07 PM
aspiraldance.bsky.social
Here's a great example of how basic tasks can totally floor a person with ME/CFS.

The budgie's cage needing cleaning. It also needed the perches & toys changing, because they get bored otherwise.

1/2
A screenshot from the Visible Plus app showing a huge chunk of red with the heart rate ranging ftom 120-140 beats per minute for almost an hour. The whole day's total is 14.4 pace points, 13.9 of which were cleaning the budgie's cage.
October 31, 2025 at 12:07 PM
aspiraldance.bsky.social
A black and white horse with mud in its mane. Amanda is beside a fence, where a white horse is grazing in the field beyond. A black and white horse. Amanda, Thea, and Oscar. Amanda is in her wheelchair, Thea is wearing a blue dress with witches and full moons on it, and Oscar is holding two fingers above Thea's head like antennae.
October 30, 2025 at 5:31 PM
aspiraldance.bsky.social
We went to the local horse rescue. I've never been, which is ridiculous as it's only about 20 mins drive away!

Saw lots of lovely horses 🥰 (more photos in comments).
A white horse wearing a green coat, facing the camera. A dark brown and white horse by a fence. Thea is stroking its nose. A brown horse that is missing an eeye is being stroked by Oscar. A brown pony is sticking its head through a fence to be stroked by Oscar.
October 30, 2025 at 5:31 PM
aspiraldance.bsky.social
Making up treat bags ready for the Trick or Treaters 🎃

We live opposite the village shops, so get decent footfall. Last year we had just over 100 kids, so we're making up 100 treat bags, plus some spare sweets and stickers for any late comers.

We LOVE Halloween in this house ☺️
A small plastic Halloween decorsted bag with a balloon, 3 stickers, and 3 sweets, ready to be put together. There are 2 tubs of bags already made up. Gilmore Girls us playing on a tab computer.
October 29, 2025 at 9:57 AM