#bookmarked / * developmental piece .

[pinejay]

i have another theory that the popularity of garbage big industry rehashed media like the mcu + constant disney reboots + pixar recycling of the same structured story with specifically timed emotional moments, and the internet's endless formulaic fanfiction and AUs of the same characters that fans are already familiar with in slightly different scenarios, feed into each other in a regurgitative creativity-killing cycle.

the disney industrial complex needs u to keep taking the easy thoughtless feel good path in media consumption so u keep buying into their next spiderman movie number 4 (the 5th). and fans love watching beloved characters interacting with the safety net of already know each other from 6 previous movies so they can shove them into a "found family" trope despite the lack of actual emotional chemistry on screen.

[synrgetic-blog]

[XX0629] BREAKING: “Remember this face”  Wen, Not Just a Godly Visual. This Industry’s Ares. 

 CELEBRITY NEWS || HERO NEWS || BREAKING 

“The next time you see this face, it’ll be your last.” Visuals that shocked the nation, Synergy’s Wen reveals identity through a hot-blooded declaration. 

Knightwatch’s aired their June 29th broadcast with a live footage of Synergy’s latest domestic operation. Hitting phenomenal ratings, Knightwatch peaked at their highest viewer count last night as a spontaneous identity reveal left viewers in shock at the latest face to bless the hero industry. SYNERGY’S WEN (23) opens up to the public through blood, sweat, and staggering determination. 

Since it’s broadcast, Wen has become the hottest topic in pop media. “Wen Reveal” “Synergy’s Wen” “Yeo Minhwan” “Knightwatch” “Yeo family” “Hero Broadcast” have all become trending topics since the reveal of Synergy’s Wen (real name: Yeo Minhwan) was released live. Hitting top searches on sites and online portals like Naver, Twitter, Dispatch, JG Heroics, and foreign sites such as Weibo. Not even an hour after it was aired, clips of Wen’s reveal skyrocketed to the millions. “A refreshing visual to the hero industry”, “Not only good proportions, handsome and brave as well”, “A cool oppa/hyung, no longer an innocent bird” Wen’s reveal was met with many positive reactions. 

However, is Wen’s reveal a secret double-ended blade? Along with Wen predominately topping searches, “Nero” “Archvillain Nero” “Yeo Minjun” “Nero Attacks” “Boy 16″ “DOH Erasure” and “Neo-Villain Movement” searches have steadily begun to rise up the search rankings. Wen’s declaration of revengence towards Nero and the rest of his previously presumed disbanded league has drawn concern to both the Department of Heroes and civilians alike. Despite the implications of danger lurking near, hero fanatics remain optimistic. 

‘Synergy and Wen are going to change the game for sure,” one fan reports, “If the speculation is true that the Department of Heroes is covering up for villains to fabricate peace among civilians, then I’m glad that a hero is finally speaking out and determined to serve proper justice.”

Synergy and other leagues are  rumored to meet with the Department of Heroes for a conference on July 3rd to converse about the current climate of the hero industry and, assumingly, the speculation and prevention of a new villain movement rising. 

RELATED ARTICLES.

> “Nearly a decade of trauma” Synergy’s Wen, the Forthbringer of Justice > “The Industry’s Savior” Justice and Dastardly Vengeance, Wen Comes Forth > “Rages War on Nero” Chilling Declaration, Wen Quakes the Industry > “Finally, a Hero” No longer playing around, Wen Rises to Duty 

[hellojeffreyjames]

Developmental Adversity

After reading about developmental trauma, and the findings of the Adverse Childhood Experience study (or ACE, and I’m a 6), I have kind of pieced together something: I keep building structures and gathering resources that serve my passions and interests. I do this automatically all the time. I buy equipment. I bookmark design resources. I scan for good deals on music creation software. I scan very deftly at thrift stores for anything that will serve my needs. I research what the “best” in terms of value for cost. I will look at every protein powder on Amazon and hold it against my current understanding of nutrition and pair down the list until I find the one that is perfect. I often do this with people in trying to help them be better people, people that would better suit the environment I’d like to live in. I notice that, in spite of all self judgment that I have no motivation, there is a substantial energetic force that is functioning strongly and continuing to perfect structures and systems in hopes that the environment is made functional, I will be able to function within the environment. Ernest Becker is inspiring me to accept that the environment will never be truly manageable in that sense and we build myths to cope with that fact. Fictions to help us achieve a kind of heroism that allows us to keep our existential fears at bay. 

My stress response (amygdala?) has me feeling frozen most of the time. For all these systems I spend the majority of my energy on to perfect, I do not engage with them. I am building fictions to someday exist in, that are perpetually incomplete, because completion is the antithesis of the the environment (and even nature itself). I am not frozen because I have no energy. My energy is displaced and spent gathering the right ingredients to cook up an idea of safety, that will only exist in conditions that are impossible. My mind will always think of one more thing, or I’ll run into a problem of maintenance where even parts of the construction will require attention, much like the parlor trick of spinning plates. I see all the energy I spend in this domain; to cultivate and maintain structures that are ultimately empty. 

My critical mission is how to place that energy where I can see it is most useful, rather than the futile environmental perfection that will never come to fruition. All I know about that process currently has to do with immersion and sustained focus. I can try to focus, but immersion will be more difficult because this task of categorically shifting energy from preparation and planning to action oriented motivation is one I haven’t seen much literature about. Perhaps I’ll be the one to write about it, years from now. 

[wellinformedmama-blog]

Wait, what? (Vol. I)

One of the most confusing parts of parenthood is that we have to navigate several professional worlds outside our own to gain access to what our children may need: educational, medical, health, legal... it’s enough to make you go home and crack open a Bota Box.

Here’s a handy primer of jargon and acronyms (we special ed teachers especially LOVE jargon, and I apologize on my people’s behalf). Bookmark this one and remember that language should NEVER be a barrier in your involvement in decision making for your child. An additional rule of thumb: please never be afraid to ask what something means. You don’t look dumb and you aren’t bothering anyone; you sound mature and curious. Promise.

THE WELL INFORMED MAMA’S GLOSSARY, VOL. I (504 – A)

504 Plan: Section 504 is a federal law that prohibits discrimination and provides for accommodations for any documented disability which affects a life function. Sometimes this is a very good idea, indeed; sometimes, it’s a consolation prize when a Team decides against an IEP. It does not have the “specialized instruction required” piece of an IEP. As in: “Johnny’s 504 gives him extended time on assessments because of his processing speed.”

AAC: Augmentative and Alternative Communication – This includes any alternative means to oral communication, namely speech devices (aligning visuals to “speak” from a computer, often handheld) and PECS (picture communication – more to follow on that one for sure). We see this most often in autism and in apraxia. This is a huge topic but please remember that taking away someone’s “talker” (speech device) is the same as covering a speaking person’s mouth with tape. Not OK. As in: “My son used his AAC device to request he stay home from school and watch Octonauts.”

ABA: Applied Behavior Analysis - An evidence based, systematic, frequent therapy that individuals with autism (or anyone who wants to modify behavior or increase communication) may access. The “client” is exposed to programs that build tolerance, add desirable behaviors, or decrease unsafe or nonfunctional behaviors, for example. It’s the only recognized “treatment” for autism and is mandated by law to be covered by insurance (thanks, Autism Speaks). As in: “Sorry I can’t make it to playgroup, we have ABA today. And tomorrow. And the next day.”

ABS: Adaptive Behavior Scale - aka “The Vineland” - This is the assessment your Early Intervention specialist busts out to rank and file your baby; a necessary evil I suppose. They use observation, interaction using specifically mapped out questions/tasks, and talking to mom and dad to score your little one in four “domains” (skill areas): Communication, Daily Living Skills, Socialization, and Motor Skills. As in: “Bobby didn’t qualify for EI this year because her scores on the ABS were typical.”

Accommodations: A change in the way something is presented (presentation, time or setting, response) that does not change the intention of what is being taught. In other words, it changes how we teach, not what we teach. Good accommodations level the playing field and are NOT an advantage. Some are universal (or should be) and some need to be in an IEP or 504 plan. As in: “If these gen ed teachers don’t give Sally her accommodations on her quiz again, I’m going to lose my shit.” 

Advocate: 1. One who does her homework in order to be the voice of someone she loves. 2. Someone we pay when we are too exhausted or enraged to carry on effectively. As in: “That girl advocates like a mother.”

ADHD: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder – this used to be either ADD or ADHD; now it’s all officially ADHD and then you get a “type” as a bonus prize – hyperactive, inattentive, or combined. In Massachusetts, for example, ADHD is actually listed under health impairment on the IEP as a disability category, and you really want a pediatrician or psychologist to deliver this diagnosis even with school-based testing (more on that later). Kids with ADHD are among my favorite humans: buzzy, busy, dreamy, kinetic, original. They need help. That’s fine, but you’ll often find they’re brilliant, too. As in: “That kid with ADHD in Sally’s class sits on a yoga ball instead of a chair.”

APE: Adapted Physical Education – Adapted or modified PE/gym, including the use of assistive equipment or a different curriculum, so that a student with a gross motor disability or a developmental delay can take PE. There are different levels of qualifications to teach APE and how it all works varies from state to state. I’m learning more about this myself right now. As in: “We may need to put APE in his IEP.”

Apraxia: Apraxia of Speech – This is a disorder in which the brain sends incomplete signals to the mechanical parts of the body that “do the talking.” Apraxia has no bearing on cognitive capacity (intelligence) so always assume competence when interacting with a person with apraxia. Some will move on from apraxia with intensive speech therapy; some will not. Many will end up seeking AAC. As in: “A child with apraxia still has something to say.”

Articulation: aka “artic” – The understandability or clarity of speech. Completely separate from receptive language. May include consonant confusion, dropped syllables, lisps, or mumbling. Many kids with speech delays who learn to speak later than is typical, and kids with frequent ear infections, have artic issues. As in: “Henry’s articulation is a mess, but his vocab is on point.”

ASD: Autism Spectrum Disorder(s) - This the formal name for an autism diagnosis in the official medical handbook DSM-5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition), which saw big changes in 2013. (For the record, I take issue with “disorder,” but I’ll get into that later.) It covers a wide range of presentations of autism, a developmental and neurological difference, that used to be differentiated into categories like PDD-NOS (Pervasive Developmental Delay - Not Otherwise Specified in very young children) and Asperger’s (now classified as “high functioning autism” - also problematic, but that’s that). Side note – autistic is not a dirty word or dehumanizing descriptor, and one instance where people-first language is not a must. As in: “My ASD/autistic kiddo ate a vegetable this one time.” Now, importantly, in education, autism does not apply as a disability category if a child’s educational performance is adversely affected primarily because the child has an emotional disturbance, but a mental illness can be co-morbid with autism. (Confused? That’s OK. I got you. Stay tuned.)

ASL: American Sign Language - its own language and culture for a subset of deaf Americans; the signs are also used by some in the nonverbal community to communicate, and sometimes simplified for little ones. Signing in infancy and toddlerhood can help prompt language later on. As in: “Noah signs ‘more’ when we tickle him because he is an adorable baby-god.”

Asperger’s Syndrome: The name for a specific type of autism that medical professionals now call “high functioning autism.” This one is chock full of problematic assumptions about really cool, deeply neurodiverse and aware individuals. Many are verbal, but not all, and many feel challenged by social nuances or other communication demands. It may also encompass sensory sensitivities or executive functioning deficits. Or not. Many proudly call themselves “Aspies” and were diagnosed prior to the 2013 DSM-5 update. As in: “Will Big Bang Theory ever tell us outright if Sheldon has Asperger’s?”

AT: Assistive Technology - Any tool, electronic device or hardware, or any software, that helps a student access learning by removing barriers to access. Assistive tech includes communication devices, speech to text and text to speech programs, word prediction software, simply using a Chromebook to type, using an iPad or other tablet to submit work, audiobooks from Learning Ally, and much more. The possibilities are exciting, and can be a little tricky, too. You can request an AT evaluation from a public school just like any other assessment (tip: say eval and not consult). As in: “Hank’s plan has assistive tech. He needs to turn in his worksheets digitally or no one can read his handwriting.”

Auditory Processing Disorder: FYI, nobody really says “APD,” they say “auditory processing.” May also be called “Central Auditory Processing Disorder,” and then we do frequently use CAPD as an acronym. Anyhoo, this is a hearing issue that affects the way kids experience the world and learn, because it makes processing auditory information very challenging. They can hear, but have trouble telling the difference between sounds. Requires speech therapy and sometimes seeing an audiologist for medical intervention. Can frequently be mislabeled as ADHD. As in: “Billy’s not being fresh; he’s not following the conversation because he has auditory processing disorder.”

To be continued…

[synrgetic-blog]

please die.

please die. please die. please die.  years of compulsory catholicism bred a repugnance in him against all things divine, yet in this instance did keon find himself begging to god on behalf of one dire wish. fingers entwined, planted outside the operating room could he only plea and pray for an outcome less than gruesome. selfish, he repeated the phrase like a mantra, knuckles white and tongue pasty– please die, please die, daehwan, please. numb lips pressed together, the rate his heart palpitated made his head feint. ba-dum, ba-dum, ba-dum, the symphony of his demise, of wretched realization as his bones began to rattle and his breath quickened. ba-dum, ba-dum, the sound tiptoed between counts of him alive and well to a threatening clock that overlooked his fall.

“daehwan, please,” the breath fell hushed from him, a yearning detected as perhaps something heartfelt to those around them, cruelly oblivious to the fiend that built up inside him. it’ll be easier for the both of us, please. please die.

but he didn’t.

for some reason, daehwan fought. he fought and he fought and he fought.

                                             ooc. incomplete work, abandoned.