Discovering Beauty with Orbit Deen

How do the people who change our lives become family?In this episode of Discovering Beauty, Orbit Deen welcomes his longtime friend, creative partner, and chosen brother, Mista Cookie Jar, for a conversation about friendship, creativity, identity, and the unexpected ways our lives become intertwined.Together, they share the story of meeting in graduate school more than twenty years ago, the instant connection that sparked a lifelong friendship, and how that bond eventually led to music, storytelling, and the creative projects they build together today. They also explore the origins of their creative personas—Orbit Deen and Mista Cookie Jar—and how imagination, art, and storytelling can help us discover who we truly are.This episode is about chosen family, finding your people, embracing your differences, and the power of creativity to transform lives.Subscribe to Discovering Beauty with Orbit Deen for conversations about disability, creativity, resilience, music, friendship, and finding beauty in unexpected places.🎙️ Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and Substack.#DiscoveringBeauty #OrbitDeen #MistaCookieJar #ChosenFamily #Friendship #DisabilityAwareness #Creativity #Storytelling #Podcast #CerebralPalsy #MusicAndFriendship #FindingBeauty This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit orbitdeen.substack.com

In this episode of Discovering Beauty with Orbit Deen, I share the story of a moment that changed the direction of my life.In 2017, after years of working as a filmmaker, educator, speaker, and creative professional in Los Angeles, I suffered a fall that left me stranded on my living room floor for two days. What seemed like a painful setback became the beginning of a journey that would force me to rethink independence, disability, caregiving, success, and what it truly means to live a meaningful life.As someone with cerebral palsy, I had spent much of my life focused on what I could accomplish rather than the support I needed. Being unable to get up after that fall challenged the way I saw myself and became the first step toward a deeper understanding of who I was and who I wanted to become.In this episode, I explore:• The fall that changed everything• Learning to accept help and caregiving support• Living with cerebral palsy and navigating independence• Redefining success after unexpected setbacks• Recovery, resilience, and self-discovery• The questions that inspired Discovering BeautyThis podcast was born during a period of illness, recovery, and reflection. It’s an exploration of creativity, disability, identity, resilience, and the search for beauty in unexpected places.If you’ve ever had life force you to slow down, start over, or reconsider who you are, this episode is for you.🎙️ New episodes of Discovering Beauty with Orbit Deen every week.Listen and follow:🎧 Spotify🎧 Apple Podcasts📺 YouTube📖 SubstackThank you for being part of this journey.#DiscoveringBeauty #OrbitDeen #CerebralPalsy #DisabilityPride #SelfDiscovery This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit orbitdeen.substack.com

Who is Orbit Deen?In Episode 2 of Discovering Beauty, Michael C. Cooney shares the story behind the name Orbit Deen and the winding path that led to its creation.From growing up with cerebral palsy and feeling like an outsider, to becoming a filmmaker, writer, musician, activist, and storyteller, Michael reflects on the experiences that shaped his identity and creative voice. Along the way, he explores what it means to belong, how we create meaning from adversity, and why becoming yourself is often a lifelong journey.This episode is about more than a name—it’s about discovering who you are beneath the labels, expectations, and limitations placed upon you by others. It’s a conversation about authenticity, resilience, imagination, and finding beauty in the process of self-discovery.Whether you’re navigating change, searching for purpose, or simply wondering how someone becomes Orbit Deen, this episode invites you to reflect on your own story and the person you’re becoming.🎙️ Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and Substack.Topics discussed:* The origins of Orbit Deen* Growing up with cerebral palsy* Identity and belonging* Creativity as self-expression* Reinvention and resilience* The journey of becoming yourself* Discovering beauty in unexpected places This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit orbitdeen.substack.com

Labor of LoveHello everyone,I’m Michael C. Cooney, also known as Orbit Deen. I was born with cerebral palsy, and I am a filmmaker, writer, activist, and lifelong storyteller.A few years ago, I was in the midst of a successful career in Los Angeles, working in the entertainment industry and pursuing the creative life I had worked so hard to build. Then everything changed. A series of health challenges connected to my disability brought much of that life to a sudden halt.Over the past two years, I have been forced to redefine myself—to rethink what success means, what truly matters, and how to recognize beauty both within myself and in the world around me.Discovering Beauty with Orbit Deen was born from that journey.This podcast is an exploration, a celebration, and an invitation. Together, we’ll talk about creativity, resilience, disability, identity, community, and the many unexpected places where beauty can be found. Most of all, it’s about self-discovery.I’m grateful that you’re here.In the weeks ahead, I’ll be sharing stories from my life, lessons I’ve learned, conversations with remarkable people, and reflections on what it means to live fully and authentically. I also want to hear from you. I want to connect with you, learn from your experiences, and build a genuine community around these conversations.This podcast has been a lifetime in the making. It is truly a labor of love.Thank you for being here at the beginning of this journey. I’m excited to share it with you, to learn alongside you, and to discover beauty together.— Orbit Deen This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit orbitdeen.substack.com

Welcome to the very first episode of Discovering Beauty with Orbit Deen.In this deeply personal conversation, Orbit shares what it was like growing up with cerebral palsy, navigating a world that often focused on limitations rather than possibilities. From childhood experiences and societal expectations to creativity, resilience, and self-discovery, this episode explores what it means to find beauty in places others may overlook.Discovering Beauty is a podcast about identity, creativity, disability, humanity, and the often unexpected paths that lead us toward self-acceptance and empowerment.Whether you live with a disability, love someone who does, or simply want to see the world through a different lens, this conversation is for you.In this episode:• Growing up with cerebral palsy• Mainstreaming, inclusion, and belonging• Finding identity beyond labels• Creativity as a path to empowerment• Discovering beauty in ourselves and others• Why we don’t see disabilities—we see possibilitiesSubscribe for future episodes exploring creativity, community, disability, caregiving, relationships, music, storytelling, and what it means to live a beautiful life.#DiscoveringBeauty #OrbitDeen #CerebralPalsy #DisabilityAwareness #DisabilityPride #Inclusion #Accessibility #Podcast #PersonalGrowth #Possibility This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit orbitdeen.substack.com

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit orbitdeen.substack.com

Today I wanted to share a memory—one of the most important ones I have—about a friend from high school who recently passed away. I’ve talked about him before. With the winter weather settling in here in Los Angeles, I keep coming back to this moment, this tiny slice of my life that has stayed with me for decades.He was a junior when I was a freshman. I looked up to him more than he ever knew. He was popular, confident, the kind of person everyone gravitated toward. Meanwhile, I lived literally across the street from the school… and was still late almost every single morning. I racked up 27 homeroom tardies. I still remember the teacher looking at me, shaking her head: “How can you be late twenty-seven times when you live across the street?” A mystery that remains unsolved to this day.One December afternoon—it was freezing, snow drifting down even though we were so close to the holidays—I stayed after school with the older kids I admired. I told my friend I didn’t want to walk home alone, even though “home” was only a few steps away. Something about the cold, the darkening sky, the loneliness of being a freshman… I just didn’t want to walk by myself.When the final bell rang and it was time to leave, he didn’t just walk with me.He gathered a whole crew of people—maybe fifteen of them—to make the walk together.So there we were: me on my crutches, and this huge group of friends trailing down the snowy street, laughing, teasing each other, tossing little snowballs around. The snow fell steadily. It felt like something out of a movie—but it was my real life. And it was the first time in a long time that I felt safe, important, seen. As the kids would say today, I felt “seen” before I even knew what that meant.We got to my house, and I’ll never forget the look on my mother’s face as I walked in with fifteen friends behind me. The Christmas tree glowed in the corner, the house was warm, and my mom—being who she was—made spaghetti for everyone. All of us crowded around the dining room table, laughing, steaming plates in front of us, the whole place smelling like sauce and snow-damp jackets.It remains one of the best days of my life.Every year, when winter comes, I think of that day.And I think of him.I wanted to share that memory with you today because it’s been sitting with me, glowing quietly in my mind like that Christmas tree in our dining room.Thanks for reading. Stay warm. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit orbitdeen.substack.com

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about my friend who passed away recently — and the happy memories we shared. One of those memories brought me back to an unexpected night many years ago, and I wanted to share it with you all.I’m originally from Boston, and I moved out to Los Angeles to go to graduate school and get my master’s degree in creative writing. Growing up, I was a die-hard Celtics fan — my friend who passed away and I watched every game together. We were big Larry Bird guys.In the 80s, it was always Celtics versus Lakers. And while I would never say this out loud back then — deep down, I secretly admired a few Lakers players. I was a huge Magic Johnson fan, and I loved Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. But still, Celtics all the way.When I told my friends in Boston that I was moving to L.A., they said, “No matter what else you do, don’t become a Lakers fan. Please. It’ll break all of our hearts.”My friend who passed said the same thing:“Whatever you do, please, please don’t become a Lakers fan.”And I said, “Don’t worry. Never going to happen. I’m a Celtics fan through and through.”A Night in L.A.So, I moved to Los Angeles. I was living in a hotel while I went to school, and next to the hotel there was this bowling alley with a little café attached. I used to eat dinner there regularly before my night classes.One night, I showed up as usual, but the owner stopped me at the door and said, “Sorry, the bowling alley’s closed for a private party tonight.”I said, “What’s going on?”He said, “We have some of the Lakers in here bowling right now.”I didn’t know what to do — I just wanted dinner.And then, out of the shadows, walks Kobe Bryant.No entourage. No cameras. No big scene. Just Kobe.He came right up to the door and asked, “What’s going on?”The owner said, “Oh, this is Michael — he eats dinner here all the time, but I told him we’re closed for the Lakers’ private event.”Kobe looked at me and said, “When did Michael get here for dinner?”A few seconds later, the owner let me in. Suddenly, it was just me, the owner, and Kobe Bryant in the café.I sat down, got my food, still kind of stunned. And then Kobe came over, sat down at my table, and said,“I’m going to sit with you for a while. Tell me about yourself.”So I did.I told him about grad school, about writing a book, about growing up with a disability. He asked me genuine questions — about my life, my dreams — never once about basketball or fame. Not once did he say, “Do you want a picture? Do you want an autograph?” He just wanted to talk.At one point I mentioned that I was from Boston.Kobe smiled and said,“Well, your only problem is that you’re a Celtics fan.”I laughed and said, “Yeah, guilty as charged.”Then he said,“No, no — I might be a Celtics fan, but I’m a fan of you, sir.”That moment stuck with me.From Celtics to KobeThat’s how this lifelong Celtics fan became a Kobe Bryant fan too.Before he left, Kobe said,“Good luck with everything, man. You’re going to do great things.”Then he stood up, gave me a nod, and walked out the door.I went to class afterward, still processing what had just happened.That was my Kobe story.And though I’ll always be a Celtics fan at heart, a part of me will forever be a Kobe fan — not just for the player he was, but for the person he was that night: humble, kind, curious, and real.Rest easy, my friend — and thank you, Kobe. 💚💜 This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit orbitdeen.substack.com

Once Upon a KISS MiracleHey everyone — Orbit Deen here.I know I’m a little late with this one, but I wanted to talk about Ace Frehley from the band KISS, who we recently lost. He was one of my favorite musicians of all time.When I was a kid, KISS was everything. Two of their albums were among the very first records I ever bought with my own money. I can still picture walking into the record store, flipping through the bins, and picking them out—one one month, one the next. That was the beginning of my lifelong love affair with music.I’m not even sure why KISS hit me the way it did. Maybe it was the sound, maybe the larger-than-life makeup, or maybe it was because of my babysitter, Debbie. She was a KISS fan through and through, and she used to play their albums for me. Before long, I wanted my own—and that was it. I was hooked.Years later, there was a New Year’s Eve I’ll never forget. At that time, I was walking on crutches and sometimes used a walker, though that night I had my wheelchair with me. There was a guy doing face painting at the event, and I told him I wanted to be Ace Frehley. He painted my face perfectly—the silver, the lightning bolts, the whole thing.As midnight approached, the music kicked up and the energy in the room started to rise. I decided to stand up, just for a moment, to feel the rhythm of the celebration. The people around me—strangers who didn’t know I could walk a bit—gasped. They thought they were witnessing a KISS-inspired rock-and-roll miracle.That night stuck with me. Music can make people believe in magic, even for a moment.Those are my KISS memories.And I’ll always be grateful for them. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit orbitdeen.substack.com

From Harmful ‘Cures’ to True Acceptance: A #DisabilityStory #neurodivergent This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit orbitdeen.substack.com

There’s been a lot of talk lately about disabilities — about causes and cures. Everybody seems to be talking about it.It made me remember a story from my childhood, when I was at a school for students with disabilities. I had a friend who walked with crutches. One weekend, her mother took her to see a faith healer.At the end of that weekend, the faith healer told her she was “healed” — and they threw away her crutches. But of course, she still couldn’t walk. So she stumbled around after that weekend, with no crutches, because the healer had thrown them away.My mom was the one who ended up taking my friend to get new crutches — because her parents truly believed she was healed.I think about that story a lot, especially now that there’s so much talk about the “reasons” for autism, or cerebral palsy, or other disabilities. I know a lot of people with autism. I work with people with autism. They’re amazing — and people with cerebral palsy are amazing too.I just want to say this clearly: we don’t need to be cured.There’s nothing wrong with us.We’re awesome just the way we are.Thank you. 💚 This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit orbitdeen.substack.com

Hey everyone, Orbit Deen here. This story is really close to my heart. My grandfather was the one who introduced me to baseball — and his favorite player was Mookie Betts.When I moved from Boston to California, we kept talking every day — about life, sports, and especially the Dodgers. Before my grandfather passed, he said something I’ll never forget:“I can’t come to California to be with you, Michael… but I’m sending Mookie to you.”Now every time I watch Mookie play, I feel like my grandfather’s right there with me — cheering in spirit.We love baseball. ⚾💙 This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit orbitdeen.substack.com

I was moved from a school for students with disabilities into a school with non-disabled kids — mainstreamed — in sixth grade.It did not go very well at first.I was bullied a lot when I first got there because I was the “weird kid.”But eventually, after about half a year, the same kids who bullied me became my friends — and they’re still my friends to this day. Friends for life.One of the reasons we became friends was football.I realized I could play with them. I’d get down out of my wheelchair, off my crutches, and onto the ground. I’d snap the ball to the quarterback, then throw a block or make a tackle — and I was good at it.We became friends over football.That was also the same year I went to my first high school football game.I was so excited to be there that I swallowed a hot dog the wrong way and started to choke — almost died!They had to call the police to the stadium, and I was rushed to the hospital.Everyone was so nice to me on the way to the police car — I remember people handing me candy and putting it in my hands.So yeah, I almost died at that one. I didn’t — obviously.But in a way, football was responsible for the friendships I still have today. It helped me fit in with the rest of America.But it also almost killed me.So there’s that.Happy Sunday. 🏈🌭💚 This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit orbitdeen.substack.com

Hey everyone — Orbit Deen here, rocking my Superman shirt today.I wanted to take a minute to talk about cerebral palsy, which is what I have — and what millions of people around the world live with every single day.For my entire life, I’ve been trying to describe to people what cerebral palsy actually is. And honestly, I’ve been trying to understand it myself too. A lot of people don’t even know what the word means, or how to pronounce it.They’ll say, “Wait… what are you talking about? I thought that was communism.”Nope. CP is not communism. 😅🧠 My Brain and Body: The Odd CoupleHere’s the analogy I came up with.Having cerebral palsy feels like your brain and your body are roommates — but they’re not really speaking. They live together, but they’re not communicating well.My brain is the adult in the room — the responsible one.My body? The party animal.My brain’s like, “Come on, we’ve got stuff to do. Let’s focus. Let’s stay steady.”And my body’s like, “Let’s party, baby!”They love each other, but they’re not good at coordination. They’re like family who only talk on holidays — awkwardly.That’s what cerebral palsy feels like to me: my brain trying to talk my body into doing something my body doesn’t quite want to do.💚 From Shame to StrengthWhen I was younger, people used to tell me not to talk about my disability.“Don’t tell people you have it,” they’d say.Or, “You don’t even look disabled.”And for a long time, I believed them. I thought maybe I could “grow out” of it or “be cured.” I spent years trying to hide it — trying to pass.But those days?They’re over.There is no cure for cerebral palsy — and there doesn’t need to be.I’m not broken.You’re not broken.We’re just built differently.Cerebral palsy is part of who I am — part of my rhythm, my creativity, my motion. It’s the reason I see the world the way I do.✨ You’re Beautiful, Just the Way You AreThere’s no shame in having cerebral palsy.There’s no shame in moving differently.There’s beauty in the way we adapt — in the way we move anyway.As the immortal Billy Joel said (ask your parents if you’re under 30):“Don’t go changing to try and please me.I love you just the way you are.”So today, on World Cerebral Palsy Day, I just want to say to everyone out there with CP — or any disability:You are powerful.You are strong.You are beautiful.Just the way you are. 💫🎙️ About Discovering BeautyDiscovering Beauty with Orbit Deen is part of The Beautiful You Project — a creative space where we explore what it truly means to be beautiful through art, music, storytelling, and real human experience.We don’t see disabilities. We see possibilities.💌 Join the conversation: [Subscribe on Substack]📸 Follow along: [@OrbitDeen on IG/TikTok]🎧 Listen on YouTube: [https://www.youtube.com/@OrbitDeen] This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit orbitdeen.substack.com

Today I want to talk about the album Never Enough from the band Turnstile. Over the past few days and weeks, I’ve completely fallen in ❤️ with this record. It feels like the best of new music, but it also pulls me back to the old days — like stepping into the late ’90s, drifting into the 2000s.This music is dreamy — it makes you feel like you’re floating — but it’s also hard, raw, and unapologetically rock and roll. Every track hits with emotion: hopeful, sorrowful, angry, confused, beautiful, and sharp-edged. It makes you want to stand up and feel something.Back to the ’90sThis is the first record that has made me feel this way in a long, long time — not since the ’90s. It took me back to my days in the music industry, when I traveled to radio stations and record stores, talking about why people should pick up music and how powerful it could be. Back then, I worked in the marketing departments of independent labels, and at the turn of the millennium, I even made an effort to start my own.That label was called Rotten to the Core Records. My mission was to spotlight bands that played real music, with real instruments — artists who weren’t given a shot in the mainstream. I ran the label out of my house in western Massachusetts, traveling often to New York, and my home became a safe space for the so-called “weirdos” and outcasts.At Michael’s house, my house, Orbit Deen’s house — music was always blasting. And in that music, people found belonging.Falling in ❤️ with Music AgainListening to Never Enough brought me right back to those days. Back when you could put on a record and just fall in love.Music is supposed to be visceral. Within the first two seconds, you should feel something — an immediate emotional response. Somewhere along the way, the industry lost that spark. So much of what we hear today feels overly packaged, overproduced, bland, and mediocre.But this record — this band — made me fall in love with music all over again. It’s beautiful. It’s raw. It moves me so deeply it even makes me cry, because it reminds me why I loved music in the first place.Thank You, TurnstileSo thank you, Turnstile, for this record. Never Enough is more than enough. You reminded me what music can do — and why it still matters. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit orbitdeen.substack.com