Podcast 0111; Season 07, Episode 04; 4 December 2023 Our family is tired — exhausted — but we are well. The first half of this school year has gone smoothly, though everyone is extremely busy. We’re so busy that the blog and podcast had to be set aside, much as…
The Autistic Me
November 19, 2023, everything came crashing down on The Autistic Me… and our other web projects. What was meant to be a minor clean-up of our web server became a complete reset. We’re back online now. Things aren’t perfect — but they were far from perfect anyway. I am so far…
Podcast 0110; Season 7, Episode 3; 25 October 2023 David Villec is the neurodiverse father of Tiger, a 10-year-old autistic savant. Dave discusses his personal challenges and those of Tiger. The Autistic Tiger is 10-year-old Tiger Villec and his namesake character, also known as “TAT.” Tiger is a world-renowned artist…
As we approach the last week of September 2023, I can reflect on the return to school for the girls and me, declaring that survival mode exhausts the entire family. Yes, we’re in survival mode, and it’s a lot like hanging on to a rope suspended above a dark, bottomless…
Podcast 0109; Season 7, Episode 2; 29 August 2023 How can parents support their disabled children into adulthood? Will our children find meaningful places in society? Sadly, workplaces don’t always accommodate differences. Mark Lyons and his wife Sally are former teachers. With their son Samuel, they operate SammySocksEtc, an online…
Podcast 0108; Season 7, Episode 1; 15 August 2023 As we start a new academic year and a new podcast season, I am trying to balance my health and my desire to be productive. At the end of every night, I complain that I haven’t done enough. I feel like…
I am honored to be joining the faculty at Texas A&M University for the 2023-24 academic year as a full-time lecturer. The COVID-19 pandemic had, in theory, marked the end of my teaching career. However, friends and colleagues persisted in sending me academic job listings. One friend, in particular, persuaded…
Podcast Episode 0107; Season 6, Episode 17; 25 July 2023 Dr. Bibi Pirayesh is an educational therapist and learning rights advocate based in Los Angeles, CA. She has spent the last 15 years working with hundreds of children, parents, teachers, and schools to enhance the lives of children with learning…
Podcast 0106, Season 6, Episode 16; 11 July 2023 Elizabeth Bennett, Life Coach for Families With over 35 years of teaching, administration, and coaching experience, Elizabeth offers a unique blend of leadership, vision, and vast knowledge background. She is a retired award-winning school principal with a relentless passion for empowering…
Podcast 0105, Season 6, Episode 15; 20 June 2023 Loss, and its accompanying trauma, alter our minds. The neurodiversity of PTSD, post-traumatic stress disorder, illustrates how stress alters us. For autistics who rely on stability and routines, losing friends and family results in multiple traumas. In this episode, Marinda Dennis…