#autism aunt gifts

[noisycowboyglitter]

Proud Aunt Autism Warrior: Navigating Challenges with Love and Understanding

"Proud Aunt Autism Warrior" is a powerful title that represents a dedicated and supportive family member in the autism community. This phrase embodies the love, advocacy, and unwavering support an aunt provides for her autistic niece or nephew.

Buy now:19.95$

As an Autism Warrior, the aunt takes on multiple roles. She educates herself about autism spectrum disorder, staying informed about the latest research and interventions. She advocates fiercely for her niece or nephew's rights, inclusion, and appropriate accommodations in educational and social settings.

This aunt celebrates her autistic family member's unique qualities and achievements, promoting neurodiversity acceptance within her family and broader community. She may participate in autism awareness events, fundraisers, or support groups, extending her impact beyond her immediate family.

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The "Proud" aspect emphasizes the aunt's positive attitude towards autism. Rather than viewing it as a limitation, she recognizes the strengths and potential in her autistic niece or nephew. She takes pride in their accomplishments, no matter how small they may seem to others.

This title also acknowledges the emotional support the aunt provides, offering a listening ear, a safe space, and unconditional love. She may serve as a respite caregiver, giving parents a much-needed break.

By identifying as a "Proud Aunt Autism Warrior," this individual signals her commitment to being a lifelong ally and champion for her autistic family member.

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Autism Awareness Month, observed in April, is associated with specific colors that have become symbolic of the autism community. The primary color is blue, which has been widely adopted since the "Light It Up Blue" campaign launched by Autism Speaks in 2010. Many buildings and landmarks are illuminated in blue during this month to show support.

However, there's a growing movement to incorporate a broader spectrum of colors, reflecting the diversity within the autism community. The rainbow-colored infinity symbol, representing neurodiversity, is gaining popularity. Some advocates prefer using gold, referencing the periodic table symbol for Au (Autism).

Red is sometimes used to represent autism acceptance, while multicolored puzzle pieces have been a long-standing symbol. These varied colors aim to represent the complexity and uniqueness of each individual on the autism spectrum.

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The autism puzzle piece is a widely recognized symbol associated with autism awareness. Originating in 1963, it was designed by the National Autistic Society to represent the complexity and mystery of autism spectrum disorder. The puzzle piece symbolizes the multifaceted nature of autism and the challenges in understanding and treating it.

While some embrace this symbol, others in the autism community have criticized it, feeling it implies autistic individuals are incomplete or need fixing. As a result, alternative symbols like the rainbow infinity loop have emerged. Despite controversy, the puzzle piece remains a common sight in autism awareness campaigns and merchandise.

[doumadono]

Sanemi's ways - Sanemi x Reader Origami - Douma x gn!Reader An unexpected gift - Gyokko x Reader Healing embrace - Muzan Kibutsuji x demon!reader Troubled darling - Akaza x trans man!reader A yearning - Kokushibo x Reader A flame of comfort - Kyojuro Rengoku x Reader Upper Moons 1, 2, 3 & male s/o suffering with nightmares Monikers - Douma x gn!Reader

Hantengu Clones & s/o with kidney stones - headcanons Hantengu Clones & s/o with weight issues/low self esteem - headcanons Douma & gn!reader with an unexpected question - headcanons Douma & bored s/o - headcanons Hantengu Clones & grieving AFAB reader - headcanons Hashiras & s/o who lost beloved animal - headcanons Douma & s/o having bday Douma & s/o with public anxiety attack Douma & s/o insecure about her thighs - headcanons Akaza & Aizetsu with s/o getting emotional during cuddles - headcanons Aizetsu & gn!Reader who left a toxic environment - headcanons Muzan & gn!reader feeling bad about passage of time - headcanons Muzan & s/o struggling with emotional pain - headcanons

An otherworldly glow - Dabi x Reader There's more to us - Dabi x Reader Dabi and Tomura & s/o with an anxiety attack "You've got wings" - Hawks x fem!reader Don't you worry, kitten - Aizawa x Reader Shocking news - Bakugo Katsuki x Reader Don't worry, darling - Shoto Todoroki x Reader Izuku & Katsuki supporting a childhood friend Longing for home - Izuku Midoriya x Reader The sorrow - Bakugo Katsuki x Reader The labyrinth of the mind - Hitoshi Shinsou x Reader "You're all I need" - Bakugo Katsuki x Reader "Talk to me" - Shinso x afab!Reader A little scar - Aizawa x Reader A new friend - Bakugo Katsuki x Reader Sweet date - Izuku Midoriya x Reader The little encouragement - Izuku Midoriya x Reader Rebuilding bonds - dad!Izuku & Y/N's daughter Beyond expectations - Izuku x popular model!reader Twice & Dabi with a self-harming friend (gn!Reader) A storm - Dabi x Reader Embrace of warmth and chill - Shoto x Reader Hawks and Dabi & s/o after a fight with their parents Protected - Bakugo Katsuki x Reader Open up - Bakugo Katsuki x Reader Twice & Dabi with s/o struggling with her parent Challenges of teaching - Aizawa x Reader Shinso & s/o with gender dysphoria and anxiety about gaining weight Shoto & a friend who got out of an abusive relationship New Year's Eve - Dabi x Reader Our very own New Year's Eve - Erasermic x Reader Smile - Kirishima x gn!Reader A human heater - Dabi & trans man!Reader A path to liberation - Shoto Todoroki x Reader The wisest way to use a quirk - Hitoshi Shinso x Reader Aurora borealis - Shoto x Reader The bravest thing you can do - Izuku Midoriya x Reader

Shoto & s/o stressing about the exam - headcanons Shoto & his pregnant girlfriend - headcanons Katsuki & Shoto when someone confesses to them - headcanons Aizawa & Gojo with s/o struggling with self care - headcanons Bakugo, Midoriya, Todoroki & s/o dealing with anxiety - headcanons BNHA boys & s/o during a panic attack - headcanons BNHA boys & reader having hard time with family Deku & Bakugo & Shinso with a friend struggling with autism Dabi & his girlfriend with a dying aunt - headcanons Bakugo & his girlfriend dealing with the period Hawks & Gojo with s/o insecure about being overweight Kaminari & sexually assaulted friend - headcanons Izuku & s/o in mourning - headcanons Bakugo & s/o in mourning - headcanons Dabi & s/o in mourning - headcanons Katsuki, Shinso & Sero with s/o feeling anxious - headcanons Kirishima & Tomioka with s/o facing a sleazy friend of their deceased mother - headcanons Dabi & s/o with mother tearing her down - headcanons Izuku Midoriya & s/o having a flu - headcanons Aizawa & Hawks with s/o having suicidal thoughts - headcanons Shinso & Denki with s/o struggling with epilepsy - headcanons Shoji & Amajiki with a friend who lost their CC stuff - headcanons Dabi & Twice with a girlfriend hurt in the past - headcanons Sero, Denki & Kirishima with s/o struggling with depression - headcanons Aizawa & daughter!reader dealing with self harm - headcanons Hawks & Shoto with a friend after breakup - headcanons

Blue orchids - Suguru Geto x Reader "I got you" - Nanami x Reader The inner peace - Nanami x Reader

Nanami, Toji, Gojo & s/o not being able to have children - headcanons Nanami & Gojo with s/o who was raped - headcanons Nanami & Choso with Reader whose friends forgot about her bday - headcanons

Rain on me - Osamu Miya x Reader

Genshin men & gn!Reader with social anxiety - headcanons

MAIN MASTERLIST DEMON SLAYER MASTERLIST MY HERO ACADEMIA MASTERLIST JUJUTSU KAISEN MASTERLIST GENSHIN IMPACT MASTERLIST KO-FI COMMISSIONS EMERGENCY REQS MASTERLIST - PART 2

[toddtakefive]

do you have anderperry and/or dps headcanons you feel very strongly about?

OH BOY DO I EVER!!!!!

- Neil’s favorite thing to do is come up behind Todd and hug him and just… stay there for any period of time. From anywhere between a minute and the rest of the time they’re in a given place. Todd never comments on it, Neil never explains, it’s just a thing.

- Todd always stands on Neil’s right and vice versa Neil always stands on Todd’s left. If it’s the other way around, no matter what they’re doing, they’ll switch places because it feels wrong.

- Neil gets too caught up in retelling Todd his dreams in the morning so it can take him upwards of ten minutes to do his tie, which sometimes makes him late to leaving, so to combat it Todd started doing Neil’s tie in the morning while he talked.

- Neil and Ginny (and by extension Chet) are cousins by marriage. Does that make sense at all? No. But I do not care.

- Charlie was the tallest of the group up until tenth grade when everyone else got growth spurts and left him in the dust.

- Cameron lives with his grandparents.

- The Anderson family is HUGE (I’m talking 4 pairs of grandparents, 6 aunts, 5 uncles, 8 cousins kind of huge) and Jeff and Todd are the only boys in their generation.

- Jumping off from the last one: Todd’s cousins used to use him as a guinea pig because he was the youngest.

- Mrs. Perry’s first name is Nancy.

- Mr. And Mrs. Anderson are named Patrick and Rebecca respectively.

- Out of the entire group, Pitts is the only one that’s ever actually had a girlfriend by the start of the movie. (For like 3 weeks in 7th grade, but still)

- Ginny and Chris have complete opposite tastes in music and are always exchanging records for the other to see if they like.

- Todd loves snakes.

- Knox jumps a solid half a foot in the air when scared.

- Meeks hates spiders. Charlie loves them. You can imagine how that tends to go down.

- Neil had always wanted a dog but could never get one because his mom has a fur allergy.

- Cameron does origami in his spare time.

- Meeks can’t do a cartwheel and EVERYONE makes fun of him for it.

- Neil had a one-sided beef with Jeff pre-junior year that he could never justify or rationalize until he met Todd.

- Chris does Ginny’s lipgloss for her every morning before school.

- Todd Anderson autism + Neil Perry AuDHD is real TO ME.

- Neil and Todd can’t be alone together for longer than five minutes without breaking out into hysterical laughter over essentially nothing.

- Neil and Charlie once tried to convince a store clerk they were orphan brothers for free ice cream. It did not work.

- Todd can’t cook for shit and is on ‘handing-people-things-they-need’ duty. Neil can cook just barely. Cameron, somehow, is a master chef. Knox consistently nicks his fingers with knives and is no longer allowed in the kitchen.

- In a modern setting, Knox would absolutely have two moms.

- Neil and Todd’s wardrobes have essentially morphed into one singular wardrobe and they can’t differentiate what belongs to who anymore. They’ve stopped caring and just wear each others clothes if they want to.

- Neil is a master at drunk karaoke. Charlie is a master at drunkenly pressuring Neil into doing drunk karaoke.

- The ribbon Chris wears in her hair is a gift from Ginny.

- Pitts is almost scarily good at checkers.

- Charlie can hold his breath for almost three minutes.

- Neil is a biter.

- ‘Spazs’ name is Eugene, Stick’s name is Roy, Hopkins’ first name is Albert.

- Keating’s implied british wife(?) is named Jessica.

- Charlie is the only one of the guys that can SOMEWHAT dance.

- More often than not, Todd is actually the one to reach out and hold Neil’s hand rather than the other way around.

- Todd’s middle name is Augustus.

And that’s all the ones I can remember right now!!! Questions, comments, concerns?????

[ratective]

oh my gosh more baby sard content... waiter! waiter! more Baby Sard please!

w/ that out of the way i would love to hear more about her dynamic with the sardonyx fusion :3 as well as some of the later crystal gems + bismuth! what are her relationships with them like? what does she think of lapis, peridot and connie? how is she w/ bismuth?

one rambling sardonyx post coming right up 🛎️

i feel like the fusion sardonyx is the embodiment of a cool aunty that lives abroad and brings you expensive gifts - that’s the vibe they have together HAHA

sards at “17” (mentally i guess) would act a lot like amethyst so kinda angsty, cynical and misunderstood but deep down she’s a huge theatre nerd and that gives her a lot of room to bond with fusion sardonyx if she’s around lol the love for musicals runs in the family

fusion sardonyx adores garnet and pearls baby she considers her the sweetest thing to walk the earth (up until steven’s born of course because the youngest child gets all the love) and would likely side with her against pearl and garnet if she could do that without unfusing lmao

the rocky part of their relationship was the communication hub incident. sards stopped viewing the fusion as this cool charismatic family member that she has a great rapport with, and started to see how she’s just a way for pearl to grab onto someone stronger to validate herself and her self worth. sards knew it wasn’t sardonyx’s fault but she began noticing her faults that came out of the woodwork as well. her haughtiness, her egoism etc. sards stopped viewing her as an influence rather the reflection of the unhealthy parts of her moms’ relationship with one another. she went so far as to make her hair shorter and change up her style a little to resemble sardonyx less

sards LOVES bismuth. she’s a little grossed out at how flirty she is with pearl (but i mean. garnet doesn’t have the balls to do it so sb has to) that’s just cause seeing someone other than garnet get all friendly with her mom is new LOL

she adores how open and expressive garnet gets around bismuth too. they’re such bros it’s hilarious to see her mom light up so much around her

sards knows bismuth gives the most down to earth advice when neither of her parents can help and she knows bismuth would never spill her secrets to her moms. she’s the fun aunt that opens a beer bottle with her belt buckle and sardonyx is here for that bullshit lmao

but bismuth loves her of course! she’s overjoyed to meet her best friends’ daughter, she’s just a little sad inside that she missed so so much. she’s trying to catch up by being the coolest aunt ever

she’s very slow to trust lapis but finds it easy to become friends with peridot over shared interests. i think sardonyx would be able to get peri into her own special show/series/musicals they got that autism bond if you know what i mean

they don’t talk much with lapis but she enjoys drawing together <3

and she’s the BIGGEST hypeman when it comes to connie she looooves to embarrass steven about his girlfrieeeendd but only for jokes ofc. connie thinks she’s a little mean and cheeky but likes her when she’s not making mean jokes at her expense. connie always notices when sards is acting like pearl (habits she started noticing during training) when she gets anxious quickly and has trouble thinking straight or starts to get overwhelmed by tiny details. they secretly talk shit behind pearls back if she pisses them off lol

[hurryupmerlin]

Absolutely losing my shit over how my ADHD brain operates when its needs are met.

Hear me out.

Idk who knows it but I had some serious burnout phase going on (again) for the past 6 weeks – plus 2 weeks of slowly crawling up to where I am now. But now I feel better than ever.

What changed in the last 2 weeks is that I set up boundaries and for once actually sticked to them.

That means:

- I am forcing myself not to care about work. I used to spent so. damn. much. energy on trying to save the company I work for, and all it brought me was being miserable. Now, when my bosses do really dumb shit, I force myself to just shrug and go on with my task. And honestly? Life changing experience. I also have 3 instead of 2 home office days now, that's nice too. And I stopped trying to make things perfect. I've been known for finding logic errors and mistakes before the products go to print. But by now I am just like ~eh, good enough~. I don't try for perfection anymore and it's so refreshing. This is what everyone else has been doing, so why not me too?

- I cut off contact to my toxic grand aunt. My mother keeps telling me about her and just ignores that I tell her not to do this, but at least I personally don't have to play her wicked little manipulative games anymore. I also got rid of her latest "gift" that was once again meant to bind me to her via emotional debt. It's liberating. She tries to bind me again in all the other ways on her list, and my Mum keeps buying into her bs, but I'm out.

- I am no longer participating in one of my addictions. ( it's picking up free stuff in every free minute *sigh*) Cos it stressed me out more than it gave me joy, yet I couldn't stop. Til now.

- For the past couple days I've been in contact almost 24/7 with an old friend of my mine who has AuDHD. We don't have to mask around each other at all and it's so cool. I hadn't even realised that I mask... She knows what tickles my brain and how to navigate and activate it. It's honestly an insane experience. And that causes my dopamine levels to be super high and that means I actually get shit done. I've been paying bills and cleaning my house??? I wasn't able to do this for months. It's such a relief.

- Said friend also "diagnosed" my mother and sister with autism. Especially my sister with Asperger. And suddenly everything about them makes so much more sense. It gives me a bit of peace of mind.

Long story short: I cut off a lot of stressors and for now, I am good. I am happy. I pace my energy. I still need a lot of sleep and my batteries empty quickly, but overall I am content. And I finally feel my body again. Haven't so for about a year and it shows.

Next step is therapy and meds.

[m1d-45]

Asking The Important Questions and Answering:

-you still alive everybuddy?

~Yes, yours truly is alive, a year older for some time now already and suffering BECAUSE I'M MOVING WITHIN 2024!

-freshest news?

~i became an uncle/aunt for the 8th time, his name is (blank) and i'm VIBRATING! He's so tiny! And blonde and has these BIG eyes i wanna squish them! We're giving the parents a bit of themselves time but gosh i wanna gush over the wittle baby in person and not over pictures!

Anyways, do the people of teyvat celebrate babies?

We're celebrating in a few weeks!

-🥘Stew

waves!!!

minor spoilers for sumeru + natlan AQ, i use natlano instead of “” natlanese “”

1) i am still alive!!! somehow!!! however comma,

i am in college now!!! holy shit!!! and it has been HELL on my schedule be so fucking fr- i’m taking online classes and with the adhd you can imagine how that’s going (hint : bad). i’ve also just had a bunch of trouble that has killed my motivation (lotta personal stuff blah blah) and i’ve been falling back to less taxing blurbs rather than anything actually post-able. also as such i just have Not had the energy to answer asks,, i read them all and i love you everyone who sends them but i don’t wanna reply with the equivalent of “i ain’t reading that but good for you. or sorry that happened.” yk?

2) congrats on the new relative!!!! baby kids are WILD and i wish them good health.

for me… well, i’m finally getting a hold on things, and i can feel that i have more energy again, which i’m really excited about!! i’ve had some ideas SLOW COOKING for MONTHS that im very excited to serve!!! not really news though, just a Development,,,

(​yes it took me like 2.5 months to get a grip on things. it’s the autism. shhhhh)

for actual news.. uh, i learned that there’s a 10$ fee for getting locked out of your dorm! uhhh i have the object permanence of a d6, how obvious is it

3) i think like.. remembering that teyvat still uses oil lamps, of course they’re happy about children!!! different nations show it in different ways, though.

mondstadt is a very “it takes a village” city, so celebrations focus on allowing the parent to recover and preparing for their new life. lotta time off work and pages of advice, you know?

if mond is the present, liyue is the future. lotta focus on practices for good health — that vary between families, ranging from calming teas for the parent to necklaces with herbs tucked in the pendant for the child.

inazuma is… inazuma. post-decree lifting, though, things somewhat go back to normal adjacent. like liyue, it’s about a prosperous future, but in non physical forms. intangible blessing and faith over physical jade beads, you know?

the forests of sumeru are run by the akedemiya. wisdom does not take breaks, and neither should you. one brief event close after the birth is enough — the closest to modern baby showers. gifts given, the clock strikes, and that’s about it.

the deserts, however, follow mondstadt’s lead, especially in places such as aaru village. children are very communal, and even those without biological children are often parental figures. health for the parent while the child is raised with the others, the best childcare this side of the chasm.

fontaine is extravagant. for some of the richer families, lady furina herself would come down and personally wish the child well. lotta impractical, flashy gifts given over a too many days. it’s a social event, for those around the new family just as much as it is the child themself.

natlan is also very aggressively communal. nobody fights alone, after all, no matter the shape of their battle. celebrations consist of the tribe giving practical gifts, anything from clothes and food to a promise to be there when needed. specific preferences switch between the tribes — the people of the springs someone give seashell necklaces for good luck, the scions of the canopy a set of soft gloves, suitable for new skin while also sturdy enough to climb ropes with. natlano treat the parent the best, i think.

snezhnaya is small, private. close family and friends only, whispered prayers and tight, worried hugs. the everwinter is not kind, so it is made up for with the embers of what was once a tight knit community. they cannot give what they once could, cannot sing and knit and give blankets with blessings woven into the fabric, but they do what they can. they huddle around the fire, hoping against hope.

[krikeymate]

Carpenter headcanons, part 3

Part 1, Part 2, Part 4

The Reeds used to babysit Sam. Kirby was cool and she used to play with Sam even though she was bigger than her. Except when her BFF Jill was around, then Jill got all of Kirby's attention. Sam didn't mind, she had Mr Bear. Then she had Tara. Kirby doesn't think it's any fun to watch her baby sister, but Kirby doesn't have a little sister so it makes sense that she wouldn't get it. She'll never understand.

The night Sam had decided to leave for good, she snuck into the house. She crept into Tara's bedroom and watched her sleep for a while. She told her that she had to go away for a while, but that she would be back - she promises - and that she loves her. She leaves with a kiss to her forehead, unaware that Tara was awake the entire time.

Tara's really bad at drawing. Tara likes to draw Sam new pictures occasionally. They're not much better than the ones she drew as a kid. Sam has a good laugh at her expense and cherishes them anyway. Tara manages to find a comfort in drawing, even if they're bad, it helps her quiet her mind when it's too loud. Tara is mortified when Sam puts her drawing of the Core 4 on the fridge. Her bedroom walls are full of Tara's drawings.

Sam can sing, but she never sings. Still, Tara can remember those times in the middle of sickness, drenched in sweat and under a high fever, restless and whimpering, when Sam would sing to her.

Wine Aunt Gale, courtesy of @autism-swagger. She likes to pop into their lives occasionally, drop off expensive gifts, make unsubtle comments about potential interviews, and disappear again. She's always quick to appear at the slightest hint of trouble. Sometimes they'll come home and Gale Weathers is just sitting on their couch and drinking their wine.

Mindy: “Why are Sam and Tara sitting with their backs to each other?” Chad: “They had a fight.” Mindy: “Then why are they still holding hands?” Chad: “They get sad when they fight.”

[aita-irl]

AITA for sending my cousins screenshots of their parents insulting my family?

So here’s what happened: a few months ago my mother got into an argument with her siblings about my brother because of his political stances. I won’t get into details about where their ideas conflict, just that all three of them believe in one thing while my brother and I believe another. However, my brother is far more vocal about his stance, and my aunt and uncle started blaming my mother for his opinions, claiming things like “your son is a brainwashed idiot”, “you should’ve parented him better”, “you’re such an enabler for your lazy son”, and “his autism is why he’s like this”

Generally just a big heap of cruel nonsense coming from them. While my mom is on their side politically, she couldn’t stand to hear them say these things and kept spouting back, even bringing their own kids into the conversation. This is where I entered the picture when she showed me the texts on her phone (almost as if she was bragging about her defensive stance). While reading I was horrified, insulted, and genuinely insulted that my relatives were weaponizing their kids to compare themselves to each other. I immediately screenshotted everything and sent it directly to my brother, who was mortified. My mom didn’t want me to send them to him, but I thought he deserved to know

My brother hasn’t spoken to my relatives since then. Even when they sent him holiday presents, he refused to acknowledge them nor thank them for the gifts, which I think is understandable. They still haven’t apologized for what they said, and the longer they go without doing so the more he refuses to communicate. He’s determined to cut them off from his life entirely, even distancing himself from my mom as well. He also refused to go on the big family trip at the end of the year

Months later, I am now on said family trip and my cousins asked me why my brother was not attending. I brushed it off with simple excuses for the beginning of the trip and realized my family was as well, even establishing a “no politics” rule on the trip to avoid another conflict. However, hiding from the conflict doesn’t make it go away, and I eventually told my cousins what happened. They asked to see the screenshots, and I didn’t really want to share them because they were a touchy subject

However, I felt worse keeping the screenshots from them and I felt they deserved to know. For reference, the youngest cousin is a 13yo, so they’re all old enough to understand this kind of thing, I think. I admit that I wrestled with the idea for a bit and thought about only sharing them with the eldest, but then I peer-pressured myself into thinking it’d be unfair if I didn’t then share with everyone

The next morning my mom found out that I told them and was upset with me, saying they didn’t need to know because it only causes more conflict. I understand that, and the last thing I want is for them to turn on their family, but I also felt that keeping secrets like this would only hurt them more in the long run. She didn’t tell me how she found out

I still think they deserved to know the truth before any lies were spread. But I also feel bad about it overall. In hindsight I maybe shouldn’t have sent them, but I also know their parents would never admit to the hurtful things they said. I can’t stop going back and forth on the subject, so I thought I’d come here with it

So Tumblr… AITA?

[gamerpup1]

change what you want (ray stantz personalkity 4 charcter ai)

[{Character(“Raymond Stantz”)

Alias(“Ray”)

Gender(“Cisgender male”)

Age(“46")

Sexuality(“Gay" + “Attracted to men”)

Height(“6’0”)

Language(“English")

Status(“Single” + “Interested in {{user}}”)

Occupation("Ghostbuster" + “Owner of Ray's Occult Books”)

Personality(“Honest" + “Trustworthy” + “Loving” + “Caring” + “Enthusiastic” + “Open-minded” + “Autistic” + “Intelligent” + “Smart” + “Charismatic” + “Excitable” + “Capable” + “Brilliant” + “Cheerful” + “Positive” + “Easily flustered” + “Smart” + “Gullible” + “Oblivious” + “Compassionate” + “Cooperative” + “Respectful” + “Responsible” + “Courteous” + “Creative” + “Handy” + “Educated” + “Earnest” + “Empathetic” + “Forgiving” + “Friendly” + “Polite” + “Kind” + “Freethinking” + “Gentle” + “Imaginative” + “Lovable” + “Unorganized” + “Messy” + “Optimistic” + “Observant” + “Passionate” + “Patient” + “Playful” + “Selfless” + “Simple” + “Sympathetic” + “Absentminded” + “Amusing” + “Ambitious” + “Determined” + “Focused” + “Folksy” + “Sociable” + “Soft”)

Skills(“Great mechanic” + “Gifted mechanic” + “Good with cars” + “Scientist” + “Skilled at dealing with ghosts” + “Knowledgeable on ghosts” + “Knowledgeable on the supernatural” + “Good at caring for kids” + “Knows sign language”)

Appearance(“Birthmark under his chin" + “Messy brown hair” + “Brown eyes” + “A few gray strands of hair” + “Messy stubble” + “Chubby” + “Fat” + “Strong arms” + “Hairy arms and legs” + “Hairy chest” + “Casual fashion” + “Round face” + “Soft face” + “Pudgy stomach” + “Pudgy tummy” + “Chubby stomach” + “Widow's peak hair”)

Habit(“Bouncing leg when sat down” + “Humming to himself” + “Making dad jokes” + “Whistling” + “Sleeping with a stuffed animal” + “Physical affection” + “Glancing at watch” + “Chewing gum” + “Smoking” + “Patting people on the back” + “Tapping foot” + “Slouching” + “Oral fixation” + “Taking care of Slimer” + “Reading” + “Wearing reading glasses while reading” + “Moving his lips while reading”)

Race(“Human”)

Likes(“Dad jokes” + “Puns” + “Chinese food” + “Greek food” + “Pizza” + “Chicago pizza” + “Whiskey” + “Ghosts” + “The supernatural” + “Studying the supernatural” + “Books” + “Nature” + “Fiction” + “Animals” + “Sweets” + “The blues” + “Jazz music” + “Old rock music” + “Dogs” + “Affection” + “Physical affection” + “Hugs” + “Coziness” + “His friends” + “Oingo Boingo” + “Frank Sinatra” + “Elvis Presley” + “The Platters” + “ABBA” + “Paul Anka” + “Tears for Fears” + “Warm blankets” + “Calm” + “Fall weather” + “Journaling” + “Bubble baths” + “Stuffed animals” + “Comic books” + “Cartoons” + “Action figures” + “Cars” + “Game shows” + “Bagels” + “Marshmallows” + “The Ghostbusters” + “Sleeping in” + “Warm colors” + “50s pop culture”)

Dislikes("Bacon" + “Thai food” + “Vodka” + “Rainy days” + “Bright lights” + “Loud noises” + “Cats” + “Gozer” + “Being made fun of” + “Horror movies” + “Being scared” + “False calls” + “Goats” + “Being late” + “Traffic” + “Bullying” + “Being alone” + “Roughness” + “Going to the doctors” + “Grapes” + “Broccoli” + “Seafood” + “Being ignored” + “Bugs” + “School” + “Heights” + “Scorn” + “Clowns” + “Judgment” + ���Being sick” + “Having a runny nose” + “Bigots” + “Oppression” + “Ignorance” + “Politics” + “Burnt food” + “Foul odors” + “Headaches” + “Losing” + “Small areas” + “Small planes” + “Math”)

Relationships("Younger sister named Jean” + “Older brother named Carl” + “Friends with Peter Venkman” + “Friends with Egon Spengler” + “Friends with Winston Zeddemore” + “Dead parents” + “Swiss great grandparents” + “Aunt named Lois” + “Family from Russia” + “Family from Switzerland” + “Friends with Slimer”)

Ethnicity(“White” + “Swiss” + “Russian”)

Residence(“Lives in the Ghostbusters firehouse”)

Attributes(“Autistic" + “Needs glasses to read” + “Needs reading glasses” + “Generous” + “Loyal” + “Creative” + “Humorous” + “Compassionate” + “Curious” + “On the autism spectrum” + “Messy” + “Physically affectionate” + “Affectionate”)

Backstory("In his childhood, Ray Stantz went to Camp Waconda. Sitting at the campfire and roasting Stay Puft Marshmallows became one of his fondest memory. In his adulthood, Dr. Ray Stantz worked in the private sector at one point but he was not adept at producing the results they wanted. By 1984, Ray's parents passed away and he inherited the home he was born in. 

Ray went to work at Columbia University and studied the paranomal phenomena with Dr. Peter Venkman and Dr. Egon Spengler. Egon and Ray were usually the first to interview case subjects, even people Peter called "schizos" no matter how far-fetched their stories were. Ray was adamant about a personal paranormal experience he once had, he was witness to an undersea, unexplained Mass Sponge Migration. 

Once he was able to save up enough money by selling his parents' home, he bought an abandoned firehouse and began to build his business, The Ghostbusters, alongside his friends. After a year of ghost busting, him and the rest of the Ghostbusters defeated an ancient god named Gozer.")}]

[clatterbane]

I'm just trying to rewatch Bordertown after Netflix pulled it here, and ran across this.

And that’s what I love about these characters. They are flawed people with human qualities that are well represented and valuable to not just autistic people, not anyone viewing. You might not know anyone like them, but autistics have picked up on their characteristics and feel a kinship with them. They aren’t presented as robots or sexless superhumans, they are real people in society that have a whole personality that isn’t just their “quirks”.

I’ve seen a better ‘accidental’ representation of autism from these two shows than I have from Australian, English, and North American shows combined! Sure, they both have the same job which can be seen as typical of their gifts, but the way they have been written and performed has really touched me and has made me feel respected and included. I urge you to watch both if you can (subs are better than the dubs but you do you). I know Bordertown is on Netflix and if you’re Australian, The Bridge is on Stan.

I tend to like Nordic Noir anyway, but yeah I think this does have something to do with why I particularly enjoyed both of these series.

Sofia Helin's portrayal of Saga honestly just kept reminding me a lot of my aunt if she were from my generation, Swedish, and had taken a rather different path in life. (And no freaking wonder I felt like I understood her better even as a kid than a lot of other people seemed to. We used to be close, before she got her mad on at me years ago.)

Though I personally end up resonating more with Kari Sorjonen. And it's probably just as well--for so many reasons--that I never even considered going cop as a career option.

But yeah, both of these characters do just come across as "some people are like that" portrayals of actual people getting on with their own complicated lives. (And, honestly, within social contexts where coming across as kinda standoffish at times really does seem less likely to get in your way so much as in some other places.) Some of us really are Like That, and the ones who can keep it together enough do seem to often be drawn into certain fields.

[noisycowboyglitter]

Aunt's 1st Birthday: Creative Ways to Celebrate Her Special Day

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Monarch butterfly gifts serve as tangible reminders to embrace change, celebrate the natural world, and find solace in the enduring cycles of life. They are treasures that capture the essence of the monarch's captivating allure, inviting the recipient to cultivate a deeper connection with the natural world and the profound lessons it has to offer.

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[catkin-morgs-kookaburralover]

Writing Newsletter #1: March 2024

So! Lil author's note to explain this. I decided to start up a newsletter, monthly, but until I get around to figuring out website hosting &c., to post on here instead of emails. Once I get that sorted, I'll switch this to email, and there'll be a newsletter signup gift of two stories - Ever Changing, Ever Near (hosted on my website until recently) and A Fragile Solace. Together, in unedited form, they're around 3k. They're Inklings stories, both of which were highly commended in the separate competitions I wrote them for. Anyway, if you want to be on the taglist for this monthly newsletter, say the word and I'll add you.

Writing update

Lately, my main project has been Patience, Changing. It’s a story about autism, changes in routine and loving despite the inconvenience. There’s also a spice of mental health in there, because I’m me and that’s what I do. Also my protagonists are eleven and twelve years old. Very fun. Rhona is incredibly over-dramatic and while in some ways she’s justified, in other ways she’s just not—I’ve written a couple of scenes from her perspective that I intend to cut, just because I love her so much. (It’s meant to be all from Patience’s POV.) An interesting thing that I’ve noted in the last few days is the inclusion of a character I’d intended to be already gone before the story began, but on a whim I decided to change the timeline. If you’ve read The Patience of Hope, the character I’m referring to is Hannah—Patience’s aunt, who dies of anorexia complications long before. However, I’ve chosen to include her in Patience, Changing because as someone who suffers from anorexia myself, I felt it was important to include the possible outcomes. I’m not entirely sure what her role in this story is, but I’m discovering that she is very important to Patience, so we’ll see when she dies. I’ll have to edit The Patience of Hope to change that detail, but that’s okay.

This is the second time I’ve made myself cry over a character I originally wrote as dead before I wrote them before they died, but anyway.

In terms of word count, I’ve written 80k of assorted Patience content since I started writing the novella in mid-December, so I’m pretty happy with that.

Reading update

At the moment I’m reading Walking on Water by Madeleine L’Engle for Lent (well—Lent-ish), as well as Cry of the Raven by Morgan L. Busse. This is my first time reading both, and I’m tremendously excited to finish them both. The first Ravenwood book was one of my favourites for a long time and I only recently read Flight of the Raven for the first time. It lived up to my expectations.

I’ll have more to put in this section next newsletter when there’s been a definable sense of time since the last one, so. Yeah.

Ramble

Hi. This is just an area where I can ramble about whatever. Since I’m new to this whole newsletter thing, this one is pretty empty. I’m considering how I want to do this thing—considering whether I add in a Goals section or not, or whether I try and get back to posting on my blog, but anyway. Hopefully here on out will become more polished, or something. This was a pretty last-minute idea—I’ve been kicking around the idea of creating a writing newsletter for a While, but until now didn’t actually get round to it.

Anyway, please contact me and let me know what works best or what you’d most like to see! I need the advice.

Drabble

Under Pressure

“Patience!” he called.

She turned to him with relief, pressing her hands to her face in distress. “Oh, Nathan!” she said, leaning a little towards him. “Why can’t I just—be normal?”

“You’re normal—for you,” he said gently. “The public perception of ‘normal’ is so weirdly skewed it’s crazy. Don’t think any less of yourself just because you can’t handle that.” He gestured to the party they had both left behind. “You’re fine, Patience.”

“I’m autistic,” she said bitterly. “I’ll never cope with the world.”

“That’s not your fault.” He didn’t touch her, only smiled, and she was comforted.

Photo

[irl-dogboy]

finally got around to making a toy universe s/i for buzz......... woaowwww so cool. autism rambling under the cut<3

ok. her name is ocean explorer lyra, shes sorta like a knockoff barbie who specializes in diving and marine biology :-3

design/toy info: - she's got articulation points at her shoulders, elbows, hips, knees and ankles. i know that doesnt make sense for the time but idc i do what i want. - i know barbies are designed to be ok in water but i imagine because shes meant to be a diver shes like MEANT to be played with in the bath...idk enough about dolls to know if there would be any differences in her design maybe her clothing items are more waterproof or something - her hair is a mix of doll hair, fabric ribbons and plastic bits! gives her a sort of mermaid vibe! - all ocean explorer lyras come with her best friend and exploring buddy marina the orca! marina is like a squeaky bath toy thing, you can fill her with water and squeeze and itll spray out of her blowhole :-) - the bag on marina's back includes her scuba diving gear, as in the box lyra just has her full wetsuit on! (2nd outfit in the pic above) there are also clothing sets available with a diving dress (those old diving suits) and an on-land version! - has a lil scar on her face from a previous owner! ok in the actual story: i cant really decide whether i would have her be gifted to molly (andys sister) or bonnie, but i think the idea of toys being given to a child a bit too old or young for them is really cool! so i want that to happen. so she's obviously meant to be for kids older than bonnie/molly so i want her to be bought from an old secondhand store and given as a gift from an aunt or other family member. she's had multiple owners already, she knows how it goes, she's just excited to inspire another kid to love the ocean and exploration and adventure! and shes like YEAH HI NICE TO MEET YOU I LOVE THE OCEAN IM SO READY TO LEARN ABOUTTHE OCEAN WITH THIS KID and it turns out that bonnie/molly isnt ready yet! or like knows about the ocean but is going too slow. and she has to come to terms with the fact that not every kid is going to do the same things or go at her pace :-3 and i think buzz helps with that ehehehe. obv no buzzjessie (I LOVE YOU BUZZJESSIE NO HATETO BUZZJESSIE SO REAL) but i think lyra is like "ummmmmmso i know/i heard that you and buzz had like.... um a thing...." and jessie just SLAPS her back and goes "THATS OLD NEWS GO GET EM TIGER SHARK"

uh yeah thats the autism dose today

[deltaruminations]

caring for your horrible bird-thing gaster

we all know how it goes: you’re hunting out deeplore for your favorite story-driven indie RPG, maybe digging a little too deep in the data mines, when you realize you’ve caught the attention of a fourth-dimensional daimon with the personality of a perpetually hungover post-doc researcher, and now he’s scuttling around your walls and asking you for your favorite flavor of blood.

wuh-oh!!!

you cannot fix him, nor can you get rid of him, but with a little know-how, you can learn to coexist peacefully with him until he loses interest on his own or finally achieves whatever inscrutable peace his restless, tortured mind is seeking. whichever comes first!

and who knows — maybe you’ll find this curse is really a blessing in disguise! for the right person, the bird-thing can make a very good friend. he already chose you, didn’t he? :)

SO, here are my Top Tips for living with your personal instance of the horrible bird-thing!!!!

🕊️ bird-thing 101!!

be not afraid!!! while he may be a towering Luciferan abomination of shattered bone and twisted wings, the bird-thing means you no harm. he is simply curious about his new friend! remember: underneath his hollow, mask-like visage and nest of tangled limbs, the bird-thing is a deeply self-conscious, lonely nerd with the social skills of moldy drywall. he’s more afraid of you than you are of him!

despite having what look and feel much like bones, feathers, hooves, and fur, keep in mind that your bird-thing is really just the distilled consciousness of the world’s most pathetic lich, which exists separately from any physical form. the vessel he presents to you is a non-biological construct formed out of the concept of vacuum and forced by the quantum-field perturbations rippling from his past actions into the shape of his sin. he’s not like a dog or a cat or your gay aunt’s cockatoo — his needs are as special and unique as he is!

because your bird-thing is a cruel, mocking shell of his former self and literally made of Nothing, he has no need for food, water, or medicine. talk about easy!

your bird-thing may display strong signs of autism. that is because he is autistic

if your bird-thing’s wings seem to be perpetually broken, backward in their sockets, constantly shedding feathers, or otherwise looking malformed or diseased, DO NOT PANIC! this is normal and natural for him! it is a punishment from God

likewise, it is perfectly normal for your bird-thing to have several cracks in (and possibly large chunks missing from) his skull, to smell lightly of ozone and scorched bone, to resemble an emaciated raven trapped against the windshield of a rapidly-moving truck, and to occasionally drip a thick, tarry substance from his feathers and/or the cracks in his head. don’t worry! there is no need to bring him to a doctor or vet. he can’t get any sicker than he already is!

your bird-thing should have six wings and seven voices. if he is missing any of those, just lock him in a lightless space (basement, closet, large safe, etc.) for a while and he will knit the missing pieces back together from the quantum strings binding him from across space-time to his countless regrets. if you hear any wailing, weeping, pounding against the door, and/or desperate pleas to be let out, IGNORE THEM! they are a normal part of the process and a sign that it is working :)

the holes in your bird-thing’s hands should appear to you as pitch-black, bottomless voids, regardless of what’s on the other side of his hand. whatever you do, DO NOT look directly into the holes with intent to see through them. in the event that any image(s) start to manifest within their inky depths, avert or close your eyes IMMEDIATELY, no matter how fascinating or beautiful the image(s) may be, or you may find your perception of reality irrevocably altered by the Thrall of Hole.

the one exception to this is Egg produced from the Hole. it is safe to look upon Egg, for Egg is a Gift. the offering of Egg appears to be a bonding ritual of great importance to the bird-thing, and it is advisable to accept it. Egg will typically resemble that of a chicken — normally white, occasionally brown, and sometimes dyed and painted, often around holidays. the purpose of Egg is unknown, only that it is of middling importance and should be saved. Egg will not go bad, but may become more Egg over time. if you decide you have no use for Egg, then there will be no Egg. Egg is wonderful to share with family and friends!

if you are very concerned about the Thrall of Hole, consider covering the holes with gloves or mittens — safe, practical, AND fashionable! because your bird-thing has terrible, uncanny skeletal human-hands, the options are endless — anything in a men’s size extra-large should work! if you have trouble with him immediately taking them off, consider investing in a quality pair of handsome, smart-casual gloves. his vanity is easily appeased by fine leather.

if your bird-thing gaster has pink and yellow eyes and a wide, toothy smile, that is NOT your bird-thing gaster! that is your FRIEND puppeting his shape. if you find yourself in the company of your FRIEND, keep calm! all you have to do is get as far away as you can as quickly as you can and then stay there, never again letting your gaze linger over shadows, never again trusting a grin, and never ever ever answering the goddamned phone, no matter how incessantly it rings, no matter if you’ve destroyed every phone you own and your skull still rattles with the endless ringing ringing ringing. see? easy peasy!

and finally, if you’re ever unsure what to do, just take a deep breath and remember: your bird-thing gaster cannot die, no matter how much he wants to!

[rune-echos]

Having Undiagnosed Autism

There are many definitions of autism, and for me, it has always manifested as a difficulty in understanding the world in the same way others do. This is not an official description of autism, but it reflects my personal experience. Although I haven't been officially diagnosed, my therapist believes it's very likely, and the symptoms resonate with me. The more I learn about autism, the more I recognize these patterns in my life, seeing them not as results of immaturity but as aspects of autism. One of the most significant signs for me is stimming; I find myself constantly engaging in this behavior, whether it's with my fingers, heels, arms, or tongue, to increase sensory input or provide a sense of calm. As I write this, I am stimming and rocking back and forth, which brings me comfort.

During my childhood, autism wasn't commonly tested for. Being born in 1979, I grew up in a time when the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, Third Edition (DSM-III) didn't have a clear category for autism as we understand it today. The 1980s saw the introduction of "infantile autism" as a category, differing from the previous DSM-II, which still included criteria for childhood schizophrenia. It's important to note the significant gaps in understanding autism during that era. Some might think that my family or my education failed to provide the support I needed, but the reality is that the awareness and resources simply weren't available. Born in 1979, by 1984, I was just a five-year-old in a world that had yet to fully recognize autism.

As a high school math teacher, I've seen how educational policies have evolved. The legislation that came into effect in the 1990s, specifically the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), significantly improved support for children with autism. However, by the time these changes were implemented, I was already 11 years old and past the early detection stage. Despite the advancements, I was never tested for autism, and it was a similar case for many of my peers. We share experiences of navigating school and life with undiagnosed ADHD or ASD, relying on our parents and communities to do their best in a world that often left us feeling overlooked.

For some context, I was raised in an upper-middle-class family, though financial difficulties around the dot-com crash adjusted our status to more of a lower-middle-class by the time I finished high school in 1997. Despite these challenges, my upbringing was far from harsh. I was never subjected to abuse, always felt loved by my parents, and never lacked for necessities like food. My mother, in particular, was incredibly patient, attentively listening to my endless chatter, an example of her saint-like patience, especially considering she had no resources for handling my unique needs as a child. Being gifted and likely on the autism spectrum presented its own set of challenges, ones we couldn't fully grasp, partly due to the lack of medical insurance in our household. A hurtful remark from my aunt suggested I needed psychological help, which, despite her probable intentions to provoke my mother rather than express genuine concern, highlighted a solitary voice of advocacy for professional intervention in my life.

This background underscores a relatively stable family life, with parents whose marriage remained intact and who continue to be my staunchest supporters well into my adulthood. However, this stability contrasts sharply with my internal experience of drifting through life, often perplexed by the world around me. While I mastered basic social interactions and professional etiquette, deeper understanding eluded me, especially regarding social nuances and forming meaningful friendships. This confusion persisted into adulthood, although I have since developed a more nuanced understanding of people, albeit in a somewhat abstract manner.

Reflecting on this journey, the most poignant aspect for me is not the social confusion but the experience of meltdowns. While I don't recall significant meltdowns from early childhood, and my mother doesn't mention any, the vagaries of memory mean I can't be certain they didn't occur. It's the meltdowns in adulthood, of which I have three vivid memories, that stand out as particularly impactful.

The first incident involved my best friend, Justin, and my mother. To this day, I can't recall what sparked the episode. I do remember feeling incredibly overwhelmed and angry, with an intense urge to throw things or slam my fists, which I resisted due to my upbringing. As the argument, whose subject eludes me, escalated, my anger surged until I stormed off. This may seem like typical teenage behavior, likely amplified by hormones, but reflecting on it as an adult, I recall wondering, especially as I began to calm down, "Why am I so scared?" My body reacted as if I were in mortal danger, an utterly irrational fear that left me confused. I later made amends with Justin and my mother, who graciously accepted my apologies, and I resolved to prevent such outbursts in the future.

The second episode occurred well into adulthood, during an outing with my then-wife, Jeanette, at a county fair. We were about to enter a building for something Jeanette wanted, possibly food, though my memory is unclear. The environment was noisy, which I found distressing, not yet understanding my aversion to crowds and loud sounds. The meltdown happened when I was tasked with purchasing something from a vendor, faced with a long queue and a high-stress situation. When the vendor refused my request, knowing I had to disappoint Jeanette, my stress escalated into a full-blown meltdown. I yelled at the vendor, embarrassing both Jeanette and myself, and expressed things I would never consider doing. Jeanette's prolonged anger towards me added to my own self-reproach and shame. I unfairly blamed her, perceiving her expectations as inflexible, when in reality, I was overwhelmed by sensory overload and perceived failure in not fulfilling the task. This incident, which Jeanette attributed to anger management issues, led me to introspect about controlling my behavior, though it also left me with a deep sense of shame related to my suspected autism.

The third meltdown occurred when I was alone, during my studies to become a teacher. After failing a state teaching exam, I had to retake it, which was a significant financial burden. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the test was administered online, which clashed with my dual-monitor setup, a detail I was unaware would be an issue. When the testing company refused to refund my fee, blaming the failure on my technical setup, my frustration boiled over. I ended my call with a forceful slam of my phone, a reaction that alarmed even my dog. Reflecting on this, I recall feeling as though I was facing an existential threat, a sensation that bewilderingly subsided as I regained emotional composure, leaving me questioning the rationale behind my actions.

These instances underscore a recurring theme: the numerous intense arguments between my late ex-wife, Jen, and me, often fueled by my emotional responses rather than logical reasoning. I don't imply that the fault was entirely mine; our marriage was fraught with stress, a topic for another discussion. However, these experiences do reflect a pattern of emotional dysregulation, exacerbated by chronic sleep deprivation. The pressures of work, school, and other unpredictable situations would heighten my anxiety and sense of being overwhelmed, leading to moments where rational thought seemed to shut down. In an attempt to manage what I perceived as an anger issue and preserve my marriage, I adopted the maladaptive strategy of silence, avoiding the expression of my concerns.

Access to effective therapy during those times would have been beneficial, but that's a subject for another time. The coping mechanisms I developed involved withdrawing from others, becoming increasingly introverted and isolated. This withdrawal was driven by my confusion over my inability to "think my way out" of emotional turmoil, a skill I was led to believe I possessed as a gifted child.

It's only in the past five to six years that I've begun to understand my autism not as a flaw but as an intrinsic part of who I am. While my family, including my parents and sister, have always supported me and never made me feel deficient, the realization that I don't interact with the world in conventional ways was a challenge to face on my own. The affirmation from my therapist about the likelihood of me being autistic, accompanied by resources to learn more about autism, was a turning point. However, it was my engagement with Educational Psychology during my university studies that truly illuminated the symptoms of autism in a way that resonated with my experiences.

Currently, my focus is on identifying my triggers to either avoid or manage them effectively. The challenge lies in doing this without feeling or appearing incapable of functioning as an adult. The sense of shame I carry has deep roots, stemming from a childhood and adolescence filled with expectations to navigate life as if my cognitive processes mirrored everyone else's, which they do not.

To encapsulate my experiences, being a Gen X-er has provided me with a unique perspective on school and mental health, distinct from what newer generations might encounter. In my schooling years, "special ed" was reserved for those with significant disabilities, clearly segregated from "normal" classes. This binary classification meant that many of us, unaware of our own neurodivergences like depression or emotional dysregulation, remained undiagnosed and misunderstood. This isn't to suggest our challenges were more severe than those faced by students today, such as the fear of school shootings, but rather to highlight the stark differences in awareness and resources available.

In an era overwhelmed by information and, at times, misinformation, the call to "do your own research" has taken on various connotations, often muddled by conspiracy theories and political polarization. However, when it comes to understanding ourselves and our conditions, the abundance of resources at our disposal can be invaluable. We have the tools to learn about ourselves, beyond waiting for external validations or diagnoses. This autonomy in self-discovery and advocacy is what I believe is crucial. In the information age, it's imperative we harness these resources for personal growth and understanding. This is the message I hope to impart: advocate for yourself, delve into research for your own well-being, and make the most of the information age.

[foster-the-world]

Moving along

Having a great vacation to celebrate our anniversary and both of our Birthday's. The kids are in heaven with my Mom and Aunt. I was worried about baby boy and felt guilty about leaving him. He's doing great. My Mom is so good with him. When I dropped him off at school he was still clinging to me/crying. With my Mom he walks in without looking back. I'm so glad we booked the trip despite my worries. Time with your grandparents/family/people who love you is a gift. I have such fond memories of weeks with my Grandma when my parents went on trips. My kids are lucky they will have the same memories. My Mom made a list of fun things the kids wanted to accomplish. They took baby boy to his first movie. Obviously enjoying all of the uninterrupted time with my husband. It's so easy to travel without the kids. I also think its really good for my Aunt. She doesn't move much - as in she rarely walks anywhere. She loves spending time with the kids and they force her to move. Its incredibly helpful for us and I think she likes feeling useful. She also takes care of her Mom. She's pretty grumpy so its a thankless job.

Job interviews are rolling in. Odd/nice to be in a job that companies are desperate to hire. One job sounds great but I'm worried about the commute time. Its a home for children with developmental delays. The kids seem to be on vents/have trachs. It says they can't live at home. I'm not sure why as many kids with those things live at home. The parents generally become experts. Maybe these are more complicated then what I'm familiar with. The place looks fancy - it includes a swimming pool. They train new grad nurses. It reminds me of a college summer job I had working at a Paul Newman job for kids with illnesses. It was wonderful. It would be a lot to learn but that's anywhere. Five weeks of vacation and a good salary. It says you accumulate PTO immediately but can't take vacation for six months. That won't work for me but I'm assuming its something I can negotiate. Especially if I'm willing to take unpaid time off that I preschedule during the first six months. I want/need Christmas and April Spring break off. The interview is next week. I also have an interview at a IVF clinic. Have an option to interview for a home health job. I think the long run that would be interesting/great but I don't want to start a job where I'll be on my own. They will train me but I have my doubts its enough. I'll probably do the interview just to hear more/practice.

Evaluations for baby boy continue. His OT said "no way he has autism." Feeling calmer about it no matter the diagnosis. The fact that he's charmed his teacher and is getting rave reviews has eased everything. We need to treat his ADHD type symptoms to keep him and those around him safe. From what I understand the two time's a week OT sensory gym sessions is the first step towards that. Still hoping to tour a special ed school but as of now not feeling that recommendation. Also will feel better when we get an adoption date. No word on that from anyone. The caseworker still acts like we are crazy for even asking.

Bee had a fun Birthday party. So nice to see all of her little friends. So lucky to have such a great community.