Here we are on December 31, 2018, and many of us reflect on the past year and make plans for the coming year. As readers know, 2018 has included all the elements of this blog since 2007 — and the cyclical nature of my life since at least junior high and…
The Autistic Me
November 23 was my last blog post, and I was sure then that I would revive the blog and podcast on a weekly basis. That didn’t happen. As the weeks became a month, my frustration increased but my free time did not. I slept less and less, trying to keep…
Happy Thanksgiving to everyone who reads this blog and follows the podcast. Unfortunately, I’m not feeling great and it is anything but a good holiday in our household. Back pain is winning and I’m not in the mood for any holiday time. I was barely able to walk on Tuesday,…
Podcast Episode 0024; Season 02, Episode 10; November 13, 2018 Daniel Sansing discusses the complications of disclosing an autism diagnosis. When do we tell friends, family, schools, and employers? What are the risks and benefits of disclosing we are autistic? My Ambivalence on Autistic Disclosure My experiences suggest coworkers, supervisors,…
Night after night, I find myself grading papers well into exhaustion. Often, well after midnight. My weekends are spent grading, too. In fact, right now I’m pausing between papers to gather my thoughts before yet more grading. Teaching this semester continues to interfere with everything that isn’t school-related. At times,…
Podcast Episode 0023; Season 02, Episode 09; November 5, 2018 Heather Conroy, the co-founder of Evolve Coaching, discusses coaching autistic individuals as they develop life and employment skills. Visit Evolve on the web at https://www.evolve-coaching.org: Evolve is committed to helping adults with autism and other developmental disabilities and differences show…
Podcast Episode 0022; Season 02, Episode 08; October 30, 2018 Do autistics have more health problems and injuries? I believe so, based on my experiences. It is difficult for me to notice warning signs that might alert neurotypical individuals. With sensory overload, new inputs are ignored or unnoticed because we…
Podcast 0021; Season 02, Episode 07; October 23, 2018 We discuss house hunting with Dayna Goldstein. For the neurodiverse, spaces need to meet our distinct needs. The wrong space can cause stress and make it difficult to decompress. Dayna mentions that we might need quiet spaces, private areas, and other…
Podcast 0020; Season 02, Episode 06; October 16, 2018 Joe Farrell discusses the Joey Travolta Film Camp, Arts for Autism, and Evolve coaching. Joe moved to Pittsburgh in 2008 to pursue his Master’s of Science in Education and Community Agency Counseling degree from Duquesne University and began working with children and young…
I wrote in my last blog post that teaching was taking a toll on my body. Friday night, I ended up in the emergency room after coughing blood for several hours. Blood is usually not a good sign. After x-rays, CT scans, and various tests, it was decided I have…