#slp thoughts

[esperantoauthor]

There is a very particular sort of satisfaction that an educator experiences when they are able to pull their class back from the very brink of total nuclear meltdown. Today was one of those days and I don't know why, but I want to write about it.

I have this one class that is very small, they've been in school together so long that they relate more like siblings than classmates, and they all struggle with regulating their emotions. I always say they are like dominoes; if one falls, they all fall (i.e. if one gets upset, the others will soon follow suit until all three are yelling/crying/taking a break outside/furiously sitting in the corner).

Today I walked in and was warned that one student had just returned from the Dean's office and the morning had not gone well. The second comes in late and immediately begs to use the bathroom, when he came back was begging to eat his snack (which we don't allow during this time, they can snack right after) and when he was told "no" immediately got frustrated and soon was in tears.

We managed to get him calmed down (the teacher talked to him outside) and I try to present the activity with as much enthusiasm as I can muster after the already shaky start. One, then the other, complain that this isn't what they want to do today and that we should take a vote. This happens somewhat regularly but thankfully they are pretty easy to redirect. They also get ruder and ruder, which then leads to further redirection from the adults, such as me telling my student not to call me "little girl." The teacher ends up reviewing the expectations and that I get to pick the activity for our speech group. I remind them that in the past they have complained whenever the activity is something they haven't tried before but that they nearly always end up liking it. One of them complains, "I don't like sentences!" and I reassure him that I won't ask him to read. This is a group for whom reading is incredibly, incredibly difficult.

Then...through some type of magic, when I pull up the activity the students immediately start volunteering to read. In fact, they are practically crawling over one another to read. "I want to do this sentence" "No it's my turn!" and me having to remind them to take turns and let the other one try. It was the most unexpected turnaround I've seen in quite some time. I felt so happy at the end of the lesson. The students were beaming and proud of themselves, they not only completed the activity I'd planned but they went above and beyond. It was the best reading I'd seen from either of them.

Today was a good day.

[leafcabbage]

i do think its funny that i thought healthcare was my calling, then hated the stuff i had to do for the cert i got so much that i turned and ran into educations arms

[paradox-insanity]

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

-inhales-

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

[anaranjadanaranja]

Really out here today experiencing first hand the situation of "Are you being attacked right now or is a woman with more experience and knowledge than you being direct and specific?"

[holydramon]

how do you stop having new project ideas ughhh

[clownrecess]

It makes me upset that a lot of the conversation around nonspeaking and/or semispeaking people is run by fully speaking people, or speaking people who loose speech.

Neither have any right in those discussions.

I am partially referring to teachers, SLPs and other people who work with disabled people, but I am also referring to the autistic community online.

"I'm not nonspeaking/nonverbal but I think--"

"I am speaking, but I think that AAC--"

I am sorry, but I don't particularly care too much. If you are going to criticize, or gatekeep anything about AAC or being nonspeaking AS A SPEAKING PERSON, stop.

You are fully welcome to reblog from our community, or to encourage us, etc.

But you absolutely can not criticize or gatekeep anything about our community. You are not a part of this.

I have seen far to many polls lately, made by speaking people, gatekeeping parts of our community. I have also seen speaking people try to criticize, or advocate for the term "nonverbal" (if you are nonverbal, you are more than welcome to use that word! And you are valid! But if you are speaking, do not. Do not.)

Listen to us. LISTEN TO US.

We have thoughts, and opinions. Our voices matter more than anyone's when in the conversation about us.

[pixierainbows]

From NWACS ( nwacs.info )

The NWACS blog is a vital part of our AAC community. We want to take a moment to thank everyone who has contributed to the NWACS blog this year! Thank you for sharing your ideas, experiences, and knowledge with our AAC community. We love having your perspectives represented on our blog. What an amazing gift!

Are you an AAC user, parent/guardian or caregiver of an AAC user, SLP, OT, PT, teacher, educational assistant, or someone else interested in AAC? We would love to amplify your ideas, experiences, and thoughts on our blog.

Reach out to us with your questions or to let us know you are interested in contributing to the NWACS blog!

#NWACSblog #NWACS #AAC #gratitude

[Image 1 text: Thank you, blog authors!

Image 2 text: Contribute to the NWACS blog! The NWACS blog is a vital part of our community. You can help by sharing your experience, perspective, and knowledge. We want to elevate more voices! If you, or someone you know, have a unique perspective or want a platform for sharing your experience with AAC, we would love to support that effort.]

[propertyofkylar]

“ok i know i say this all the time but i really do wanna write more pleaseeee send me requests i will write whatever you want (within reason)”

alright, here’s a scenario: pc is hanging out with kylar at the park, they’ve been sitting in comfortable silence for a while, kylar’s drawing smth, his eyes focused on his notebook, when he feels a sudden pressure on his shoulder. pc has dozed off and leaned their head on his shoulder.

IF NOBODY GOT ME I KNOW SLP ANON GOT ME

The only sounds in the park were the scratch of Kylar’s pencil on paper, birds chirping, and faint distant chatter.

It was one of those warm late spring days that made everything feel cozy. The two of you had been sitting for silence for some time. Kylar wasn’t sure how long it had been. But it was nice. There was something about you that felt so safe. He didn’t feel the need to fill the air with unnecessary conversation. You were there because you wanted to be near him. That thought alone made his heart swell.

He was about to turn to ask your opinion on something he wanted to add to his drawing when he felt a sudden pressure on his shoulder. Kylar froze. Ever so slowly, he turned his head to the side. Your eyes were closed, your breathing steady.

You were fast asleep.

Instantly, Kylar’s mind began racing. He felt as though his heart might beat out of his chest. What should he do? Wait, what was he thinking? He shouldn’t do anything. He shouldn’t move a muscle. You looked so peaceful. He couldn’t bear the thought of possibly waking you up.

Kylar took the opportunity to look closer at your face. You looked different when you were sleeping. The stress you carried had melted away. No furrowed brow or slight frown was present. Just a beautiful, calm face.

Warmth spread through Kylar’s chest as he stared at you. The fact that you felt safe enough around him to fall asleep on his shoulder had him giddy. The feeling made him want to get up and jump around. As it was, he was practically vibrating in his seat. But he didn’t dare move and risk waking up.

Gently, he pressed a kiss to the top of your head. The sunlight made your hair feel warm. With a smile, he rested his cheek on the top of your head. You murmured something in your sleep and shifted. Kylar was afraid you had woken up but when he whispered your name, you didn’t respond.

“I love you,” he said quietly. “I love you so, so much.”

Kylar squeezed his own eyes shut, trying to commit everything about this fleeting moment to memory. When he reopened them he flipped to a blank page in his sketchbook and quickly began to draw, hoping to capture every last detail.

[autisticadvocacy]

“AAC doesn’t restrict my ability to have conversations; it enhances it. That extra time forces us all to take a moment and find ourselves – and gives me the ability to be intentional in thought.”

[five-thousand-loaves-of-bread]

think right now hardest thing emotionally for me is cognitive stuff.

from theoretical perspective if have any accommodation & aid & help can get. physical disability can get better wheelchair get PCA/carer n other aids. nonverbal use AAC. autism get PCA/ carer & other things to brain blurry explain but in general have no problem be visibly autistic. like all things already exist in real world. won't make self magically function like nondisabled but will get me place where. "yeah. feel like can use my full ability show my full ability full potential now." all those can think of way do stuff with modification. but cognitive. really don't know how do about it.

if can be anything want. ignoring realistic or not, abilities n stuff. want be SLP AAC specialist. work in schools help children with AAC. or PhD researcher n professor at university research AAC teach AAC n maybe also have private practice or clinic or anything work directly with AAC user children. be full time wheelchair user be nonverbal full time AAC user high support needs need carer those can stay want those stay will not feel like same person if those gone. but want cognitive things gone so bad. cant be that with cognitive things. n dont know to laugh or cry about how too cognitive issue to fully comprehend that like. it probably impossible do it with amount cognitive issues.

see friends talk about doing phd get so jealous! see people be AAC specialists work with children for better AAC access get so jealous. so unhealthily jealous.

want go back take classes so bad. but right now. not know any way make it possible other than. complete & utter fundamental alteration of like. college n classes. even with that there high doubt of if can do it. but without it it pretty much not going happen.

can’t think can’t understand can’t remember can’t memorize can’t learn. limited ability which make me upset n frustrate n struggle. which then cause resentment give mental block. n now can’t do those things even more

like how do you even accommodate these cognitive issues. had or thought about pretty much any sort of college level accommodation n none of those cut it

know have potential have so much ability n want do so many things have invaluable perspective n experience. but CANT DO IT. feel trapped. forced into jar with tight lid n can’t get out

[esperantoauthor]

Nothing makes you feel like an Adult (tm) like teenagers finding you deeply uncool.

[modernperplexity]

Mine Ch. 1: Homecoming

Chapter Rating: E (18+) Minors DNI, mention of alcohol, substance abuse, suggestive language, abandonment.

Word Count: 4K

A/N: Ahh the day is here and Chapter 1 is finally posted! I apologize for the delay. I had originally planned for this to be up sooner but life happened and my week became more busy than expected. You guys, this first chapter is kind of massive as I am introducing characters and setting up the plot. As I mentioned in my previous post, this is my very first fic so please be kind and bear with me. My asks are open to suggestions, questions, comments, etc. I definitely want to grow and improve as a writer <3

Again, special thanks to @ssuperficialspacecadett, your advice on fic writing was truly helpful! <3 Please, please, please be sure to check out her writing! She is SO very talented!

If you'd like to join the tag list click here :)

Happy Frankie Friday y'all!

Mine Masterlist

Mine Chapter 1: Homecoming

It felt like the billionth-mile marker you had passed on the way to your new apartment. “Almost home, just three more hours to go.” you quietly encouraged your tired self after 18 hrs on the road. You miss the warm kiss of the Florida sun and the palm trees gently swaying in the cool breeze of the beach. The open road ahead was brimming with new possibilities but the closer you came to home, the more daunting it all became. Your hands nervously gripped the steering wheel as you took a deep breath in and slowly out. “It’s the right choice, new job, new era, just with familiar people...It was the right call.” You muttered to yourself, doing your best to quiet the insecure thoughts with your favorite podcast.

You had loved Seattle- absolutely adored it. Your job was amazing, and your apartment beautiful, but tainted. So you pushed through an extra six months after calling off the engagement in an attempt to make the city your own, only to realize you had outgrown it. You had outgrown that relationship too, gave him so many damn chances to fess up about his dubious behavior but drew the line when you serendipitously found a red lacey thong under his bed.

*RINGGG* your phone blared through your train of thought, consequently yanking you back to earth. “Hey, girl! How’s the road?” Michele had been ecstatic at the recent news of your return and proud that you had split with Sam. He was what she often referred to as a “pinche cabron” (fucking idiot). After all, Michele was not the type of person to keep her thoughts to herself. She was always intuitive and strong. Her shoulder being the one you’d lean on time and time again.

“It’s…long” you laughed nervously, “Can’t wait to get my hands on a Cubano and some Tostones.”

“Oh my god! That’s right, you’ve been deprived! I’ll pick some up for us and swing by your new place. Just send me your new address and ETA.”

“You’re an angel! Thank you!” you chirped, your voice betraying your efforts to mask the anxiety boiling up in your chest.

“Hey… you okay?” 

Nothing gets past this woman.

A deep sigh relieves the tension in your body while you shift in your seat, stretching your aching back. “Yeah, just getting in my head. Coming home is the right call…right?”. You almost felt defeated, like you moved across the country and came back with nothing to show for it.

“Absolutely! Honestly, after everything that happened. I don’t blame you. I would’ve done the same thing. You know what? I know just what you need. We’re going out.” 

The next few days were a blur. The moving boxes in your living room were now nearly gone thanks to Michele and a couple of other friends and family that had stopped by to welcome you back home. Thank goodness for their help, your body was so tired from the trip, it didn’t dawn on you until last night that you’d start your new Speech Language Pathologist Assistant (SLPA) job at the speech clinic the next day. 

The clinic had more Speech Language Pathologists (SLPs) and SLPAs than you were used to but that was a blessing honestly. After a day of orientation and introductions, you really felt like you had landed on your feet. The sense of familiarity eased your new job jitters. The lead therapist showed you to your office and you began setting your room up with materials and games for the patients you’d be seeing that day. Lindsay, the sweet SLPA whose office was across from yours, briefly introduced herself and gave you a heads-up about the patients on your schedule. She passed along her notes on the patients who she had seen previously. Their preferences in toys, games, and their progress toward their goals.

“Thank you so much, Lindsay. This is a huge help!” 

“No problem, who’s first on your schedule?”

Your hands scrambled through your notes. “Umm…Camila Morales. Have you done therapy with her before?”

“Nope, must be an initial visit. She’s a little one too, says she’s only 3 years old on her evaluation.”

“Oh, okay. Thanks!” You said as you turned on your heel and continued preparing for the session.

Should be fine. Just interviewing the parent, going over goals, letting the patient get to know me… I got this.

You grabbed your patient’s chart at the front desk as the 9 o’clock patients signed in. Lindsay nudged your side and nodded in the direction of the reception desk as a handsome man in a cap grabbed a pen and a clipboard. “I think that’s your patient being signed in”. With a slight nod, you made your way to meet your first patient of the day. 

“Camila Morales” you called into the waiting room.

Camila slowly and carefully climbed off the waiting room chair as she heard her name. Her dark chocolate curls gathered into two ponytails bouncing as she made her way to greet you.

 “You must be Camila! I’m your speech teacher, it’s so nice to meet you. I’m so excited to show you all the toys we will use for your therapy session today.” You chirped sweetly as you crouched down to her eye level. The corners of her lips slightly curved into a sheepish smile as she held her father’s hand and a light blue stuffed bunny in the other.  

“Morning, Miss. Sorry about Bunzy, she refuses to go just about anywhere without him” he explained. 

Your gaze met the deep brown eyes of the man in the cap. His gaze was strong but warm, his smile immediately charming. “Good morning! Oh please don’t worry, it won’t be a bother.” You give him your name and stretch out your hand “You must be Mr. Morales.” 

“Oh, no. I’m not, uh… I’m Santiago…Santiago Garcia, Cami’s godfather. Fish asked me to bring Cami to her first appointment. He got caught up at work but he’ll be here for the next session.” He breathed. He settled in the chair in your office, watching as Cami eagerly darted to the Dollhouse you brought out for her, already making herself comfortable much to his content.

It took you a moment to register what Santiago said. “Oh, I’m so sorry! I assumed you were her father. Um…did you say Fish?” You said as you grinned at the odd pet name and looked over Camila’s file.

He let out a slight chuckle “I did… My apologies, I meant Mr. Morales...old habits, I guess” he shrugged in awe at himself using a prefix before his best friend’s last name. The way it rolled off his tongue, was unnatural, like a fish out of water.

“Ah,” you smiled, “Got it. Well, today is going to be a pretty easygoing session. I just want to get to know her, let her get to know me, and we will go over her speech goals” You took a packet of speech delay information that you usually handed out to parents and handed them to Santiago. “Please pass along this information to Mr. Morales.. Can you tell me more about Camila?”

Santiago filled you in on Cami’s favorite games, songs, books, and toys. He knew her first words and how frustrated she would get when she could not communicate her wants and needs. He knew Cami quite well and talked about her as if she was his own. She was so comfortable with him, it was easy to see that they had a strong bond. As predicted, the session was a breeze and soon enough Cami was waving goodbye to you as Santiago carried a giggling Cami down the hall, praising her for earning a glittery unicorn sticker. You swear you could hear his smile as he said “Te portaste muy bien preciosa” (You behaved so well, lovely girl).

It was the 5th attempt at coming up with an outfit tonight. The clock was ticking and you knew you were behind schedule. Michele was on her way and she was never one to be late. The room was a mess and your clothes were everywhere. You glanced at your phone which read 8:50 pm. The time pressuring you to settle on a pair of black distressed wide-leg jeans, block-heeled sandals, and a cowl neck camisole. 

Oh my god! Michele is going to kill me. I haven't even done my makeup!

You went for an easy look, foundation, blush, mascara, light shadow, and eyeliner. Not trying to impress anyone tonight, It was a girl's night after all. As you applied the finishing touches to your make-up, you heard the front door that you had left unlocked anticipating Michele’s arrival, creak open. Soon after, her steps echoed down the hall leading to your bathroom.

Shit, out of time. 

“G’damn, mujer, you’re not ready?” She leaned, arms crossed against the door frame.

Your makeup brush hit the vanity and your hands swung up at the sound of her voice, “I’m ready, I swear... I’m ready” You giggled.

“Okay, Slothy McSlothson. I hope you stocked up your fridge with Pedialite cause we’re probably gonna need it later” she chided “I’ll put in the Lyft request and let the other girls know we’ll be heading out soon”

“You sneaky girl! I’ve been rushing thinking it was pre-scheduled!” a playful scoff leaving your mouth.

“What? I know you! I knew you were gonna run late, so I figured I’d get the Lyft when I got to your place.” She shrugged and reached for the bottle of Gin she brought for you and mixed it with mango juice. 

“Here, I thought we’d pregame before the Lyft gets here. I know you can get a little nervous going out sometimes.”

A small gasp left you, “My little Cuban hero, thanks!” eagerly taking the cup and taking a sip, “Where are we going anyway?”

“Oh, you’ll see.”

You heard excited squeals as you walked into the lively Cuban bar, the upbeat Salsa filling the space, almost drowning out their enthusiastic embraces. The friends you hadn’t seen in a few years, Crystal, Lexi, and Naomi, ran up to hug you and Michele. After ordering your drinks you sat at a table near the folding window of the bar. They caught you up on their love lives, work, and family. You tried hard to keep the attention on them and not on your failed engagement but it was only a matter of time before it came up.

“Wait, why are we the only ones talking… what happened with Sam?” Crystal asked.

In an instant Michele looked up at you after taking a sip of her drink, attempting to read your expression to know if she needed to change the subject or not. She could read you like a book. 

Your gaze met hers, “It’s fine” you waived her off “Things with Sam are done, turns out he wasn’t as committed to me or the idea of spending the rest of his life with one person.” 

“Awe shit” Lexi added, “so that means..”

“Yep, found a little souvenir his girl left behind” They all groaned, almost in unison.

“It’s okay, I think I’m better off. I’m relieved I found out before I gave up my apartment or started making any deposits on venues.”

“And you’re back now… who knows, maybe you were meant to course correct and come back home.” Crystal chimed in.

“Either way, you seem like you’re doing great. We’re glad to have you back” Michele smiled and squeezed your hand to reassure you.

The night continued as your group bar hopped from place to place. The warm summer breeze enveloped you as you walked arm linked with your friends. Michele led your group to the last stop of the night. You all but stopped in your tracks when you saw the buzzing neon Live Karaoke sign. 

Well, this is going to be fun.

Frankie couldn’t help his fidgeting tonight, consistently checking his phone for updates on Cami. He wondered if she finished her dinner if she struggled during bath time, or if she gave his mom trouble when it was time to go to bed. He leaned on his mom for support if he absolutely needed to. Only letting her babysit when he was at work or when he ran errands. He was so hell-bent on being a good father and staying out of trouble that he hardly let himself relax. He reasoned he owed Cami that much, especially after Ashley decided to leave. After her frustration with his decision to go on that mission, after he came back distraught by the loss of Tom and the wreck of a mission that he was part of, only to fall into the familiar comfort of his vice. Fed up and devastated, Ashley decided to take Cami to Frankie’s mother’s house after saying she was going out for groceries only to never return. That was the day that changed everything. It was that moment that snapped him back into reality. He needed to do better, be better, for Cami. That was all that mattered.

There was no way in hell Santiago would let him cancel. Not after he, Ben, and Will had planned this night for weeks. It had only been a couple of days since Santiago’s return from traveling around the world. This night was a big deal, it was the first time in a long time they were finally all in one place. Frankie would not hear the end of it if he bailed, especially since Pope was currently staying at Frankie’s until he found a place of his own. Frankie loved his daughter but It did sound nice to let loose with the boys. He had worked so hard to be who he was now.

“Fish, you good?” Santi asked, as he gave him a solid pat on the back “Seemed like you were somewhere else for a sec.”

“Just worried about Cami” he breathed before raising his glass to his lips.

“She’s in safe hands, it’s your mom. She raised YOU, she can handle Cami” Will chimed in and took a sip of his beer.

“You guys have been going on about how you’ve been planning this for weeks and you settled… on a karaoke bar?” Frankie chuckled.

“It was Ben’s idea,” Will and Santiago said in unison.

Ben rolled his eyes, “What? It was an honest mistake, we failed to notice one little detail.” 

“The bar we wanted to go to turns into a club on Saturday nights, and we all know clubbing is not your scene or mine” Will added.

“...and remind me what was wrong with our usual spot?” Frankie pressed.

“C’mon man, It’s a great bar! Brought a date out here last week. Just give it a chance. The live band is great!” 

“As long as you don’t sign me up” Ben gave Frankie a devilish grin and stood up “Ben...Benny…don’t you fucking dare!” Frankie’s grip became tighter around the beer he was nursing.

“C’mon old man, it’s all in good fun! You boys make sure he gets a couple more drinks in him, I’ll be right back” Ben winked as he walked away.

Santiago laughed as Frankie dragged his hands over his face “Tranquilo, I’m sure he just went to the bathroom or somethin’ he’s just busting your balls.” Frankie sighs “He’s right though, you gotta chill... I’ll get us another round”

A group of girls walked by and caught Santiago’s eye as he made it to the bar. Particularly one of the girls. She was pretty- very pretty. He could’ve sworn he’d seen her somewhere. It bothered Santiago for all of two minutes until he decided he’d let it go and focus on the boys. He rounded up the beers he ordered and turned to walk back to the group when he heard you. He recognized your voice. He hardly recognized you without your scrubs on. “Oh shit! That’s Cami’s speech teacher!” he muttered under his breath. He thought it best to keep this to himself, for that moment at least. He returned to the table when his mouth dropped. “No.. way! Is that-”

“Ben. Fucking. Miller…who knew he had it in him!?” Frankie interrupted. His suspicions were half correct. Ben had made his way to sign someone up to the karaoke list- himself. 

Ben taps the mic half haphazardly and clears his throat “Is everyone having a good time!?” the crowd cheers “I said.. Is everyone having a good time!!?” the crowd cheers even louder, “M’names Ben…Ben Miller and I’m about to make it even better.” he chuckled to himself “Alright ‘nuff talk, this one’s for my boys!” he turned to the band drink in hand as they continued the chord progressions to The Boys are Back In Town by Thin Lizzy. 

“That boy…always loved the limelight. He’s eating this shit up” Will chuckled as he shook his head.

“Holy shit” Santiago nodded to the music “not bad either”. He laughed and turned to see a more relaxed Frankie who had his sight set somewhere other than the stage. It seemed that Santiago wasn’t the only one who had noticed you.

The live karaoke bar had the feel of a big theatre with two levels. Each table had a great view of the stage that had a full live band that had an expansive repertoire of songs available for those brave enough to sign up. The stage was impressive and lively, the stage lights changed colors and moved depending on the song of choice.

After getting your drinks, you and the girls decided on a table close to the stage when a guy named Ben went up to sing. He was really into the song- holding on to the mic stand and swinging it around while he sang. The lights turned blue and yellow around him, highlighting his strong features. 

“Wooo Ben!” Lexi cheered,“he’s hot.. definitely your type, Michele”

“Ooh, she’s not wrong Meesh, he’s right up your alley” you added “Wha- oh… okay” you laughed as you realized you and Lexi hadn’t even noticed that Michele had left the table. “Could’ve sworn she was right next to me” you shrugged.

Ben’s song came to a close and the crowd cheered. He definitely was a crowd favorite, from what you had seen, at least. There was a lull for a few minutes while the live band played an 80’s song in the background when the lights turned down and the stage lights turned red. You heard what you thought was the intro to a Queen song and you knew immediately who’d be up there. A sweet and slightly buzzed Michele appeared on stage. “Hi, I’m Michele and this song goes out to my best friend who just moved back to Florida- put your hands together for her!” the spotlight shone on you and the crowd cheered. Your eyes went wide, and your body stiffened. You tried your best not to cower in the heat of the light. All you could manage was a shy smile and wave. After what felt like an eternity, the spotlight shifted back to the stage, as you heard Michele start to sing and dance to the melody of Don’t Stop Me Now by Queen. The stress of being the center of attention left your mouth dry. You needed a drink- desperately. 

Frankie’s gaze followed you as you walked to the bar. He was almost mesmerized, maybe this could be a good night but there was no way he could talk to you. He couldn’t even remember the last time he flirted. His whole world had been consumed by NA meetings, work, and taking care of his little girl. 

“Wow, Fish, she’s gorgeous! At least go buy her a drink. If you don’t, I will, and we both know I’ll go home with more than just her number” Ben breathed.

*smack!* Without hesitation Will slapped Benny upside the head

“Shut up Ben!” Santiago retorted, pausing to look at Frankie. “He’s right, you gotta get back out there. It’s been a while since…just…let yourself have some fun. I’ve seen how you've been gawking at her for the last 5 minutes. If you don’t go, I’ll beat Benny to the bar and we all know. it will be over for you then” he winks.

Frankie turns to Will, who had consistently been the voice of reason. “Pope’s right, at least go talk to her. What have you got to lose?”

“I’ll give you a head start” Benny started counting down with a shit-eating grin “Three…two”

Frankie jerked up and out of his seat, beer in hand almost spilling some on his shirt from the sheer force of the movement “You know what?...Fuck all of you!” he said with a wide smirk and middle finger in the air. He started toward the bar, the men’s laughter fading in the background.

His pace slowed down when he saw you sitting at the bar. He could tell you were kind by the way your eyes sparkled and smiled along with your curving lips when you talked to the bartender. You looked so pretty, so sweet, so…unattainable. There was no way he could talk to you. Frankie started to panic. His mind started to race and think of the many ways he would ruin it. What was the point of even trying to talk to someone new? He had ruined his previous relationship and basically tore his family apart. Why run the risk of going through something like that again? He was more than halfway to the bar when you caught him looking at you.

Fuck, there’s no turning back now. 

Frankie groaned at the thought of the plaguing questions he’d receive from Ben and Pope. He thought it best to bring back a round of beers to ease the embarrassment. 

“I’ll have four Blue Moons,” He said, his body tense as he took a seat on the red stool. 

“You wanna close the tab or leave it open?” 

“You can go ahead and close it..thanks.” He said as he shifted in his seat, reaching for his wallet in the back pocket of his jeans. The bartender placed the beers on the bar and placed the customer's receipt and a pen in front of him. Frankie was about to sign when he noticed something.

Tequila Sunrise………$6.45

His gaze lifted to look for the bartender, “Uh.. this isn’t my-”

“I think he mixed up our receipts” a kind voice sweetly interrupted. 

“I couldn’t toss back four bottles in one sitting if I tried” You shrugged, and smiled at the handsome stranger, “Do you mind?” 

“Not at all” he motioned to the seat next to him.

“Rough night, I take it?”

“Oh uh…nah these aren’t all for me but if I was having a rough night, this would be the part where it starts to get better” he flashed you a half smile before taking a sip of his beer. That was the moment when you really noticed his features. The hook of his nose, how his locks curled and peaked under his hat, the small target tattoo on the hand that held his beer.

God, he’s gorgeous.

“So.. tequila, huh,” he said as he handed you your receipts.

“Yeah... I uh, needed something a bit stronger after my friend’s shout-out. It was sweet, but If I’m being honest don’t like being the center of attention.”

“I get that. Well..welcome back. I’m Frankie by the way” he stretched out his hand and shook yours. Your heartbeat reacted to the way his touch felt on your skin. 

You both watched the following performances, giggling as you created silly backstories for each person and why they selected the song they were belting out on stage. This was nice, definitely a breath of fresh air in comparison to the handful of dates you had recently been on- your attempt at getting “back out there”. This wasn’t even a date but you couldn’t help but notice how effortless and natural it felt. You talked about your childhood and your favorite beaches to visit. How you used to love stargazing while listening to the sound of the crashing waves, it was your favorite thing to do especially on a bad day. Frankie shared what brought him to Florida, how he enlisted with his best friend, and what prompted him to begin his career as a pilot. His eyes lit up when he talked about flying, his passion and pride on full display. The beers he had ordered stood forgotten, highlighting the time that had passed.

“Oh wow, I uh.. should get back to my group, and by the looks of it your friends might be needing their beers chilled” you chuckled “But it was really nice talking to you, Frankie,” You said hopping off the barstool.

“I had a great time talking to you too, Hermosa. I hope you have a great rest of your night” His deep chocolate-brown eyes scanned yours. “You too,” You said as you smiled and turned, ready to head back to your group.

“Wait!” he reached out, his fingers gently curling around your wrist, “I didn’t get your name”. The pen the bartender left out came in handy as you reached for it with one hand and held his with the other. Frankie couldn’t help but stare as you bit your lip while you wrote down your name and number on his palm, carefully drawing a small heart next to your name. 

“Call me sometime.”

  “Aaand he’s back! Pope and I thought we were gonna have to go over there and remind you that tonight was for the boys!” Ben teased as Frankie shook his head as he handed the beers to the men.

“So, how’d it go?” Santi prodded.

“She’s great, we hit it off..” 

“You get her number or is my beer dangerously close to being lukewarm for nothin’?” Will chided with a sly grin.

“Awe shit..” Frankie’s brows furrowed at the sight of ink smeared on his palm, “the fuckin beers” His eyes desperately searched the venue, but you were nowhere in sight.

“The hell happened Fish…OH, damn that sucks.” Ben rubbed the back of his neck “Well.. uh..did ya at least get her name?” 

Frankie dragged his hand against his face cursing himself for not being more careful.

Pope padded him on the back “Well who knows.. if it’s fate” he shrugged with a half smile, “you’ll see her again”.

You had spent part of your weekend awaiting a text or a call from Frankie. To your dismay, the only notifications causing your screen to glow were Instagram notifications, promotion e-mails, and texts from Michele, who had been eagerly awaiting an update on your situation. By the time Monday rolled around you had given up hope that the brown-eyed pilot you had met that weekend had any interest. You chalked up your connection to him being overly friendly. It wasn’t like he really initiated. Maybe he wouldn’t have talked to you at all had it not been for the bartender’s mistake. You shrugged and shook it off, there wasn’t much you could do about it.

Monday morning’s alarm came a lot faster than you had hoped. You put on your scrubs and grabbed a piece of toast and a cup of coffee before rushing out the door. You were determined to have a great morning. Listened to your upbeat playlist in the car singing your little heart all the way to work. 

You made your way down the clinic hall, excited to meet your first patient of the day. Opening the door to see a sweet little curly-haired girl swaying her legs in her seat.

“Cam- Oof!” Little Cami crashed into you as her little arms wrapped around your legs, “Hello to you too Cami!” you smiled at her as you heard footsteps approaching.

“Hermosa?” Your eyes went wide at the sound of the voice, his voice.

Chapter 2

Taglist:

@ssuperficialspacecadett @spookyjamie333

[the-qalankhais-sweetheart]

To all my fellow AuDHD, ADHD, and Autistic mutuals and anyone out there.

If anyone tells you "you can't have sensory accommodations in the real world, you gotta suck it up buttercup," tell them that an AuDHD SLP-Intern you know was allowed to borrow the kids' sensory wiggle cushion to sit on in order to correct understimulation and be able to freaking focus enough to make progress on an assessment report. And you know what?

It worked.

The OT I work with suggested it, and I couldn't believe I never thought to ask...but it's because even I, a very out-and-proud ND who often openly stims, still has protective masking mechanisms and a tendency to self-gaslight that "I don't really need that".

Therefore, you tell them that an SLP-Intern, one of the people that is supposed to help treat communication disorders and help their fellow autistic, ADHD, and AuDHD people develop stronger communication skills and method that work for them needs sensory breaks, sensory accommodations, and written and visual directions to function.

And she may not be perfect, or the Best SLP Ever™, but no one is.

And she's highly valued by her employer.

You tell them it's doable. There's a reason for the phrase "reasonable accommodations", because plenty of them ARE. Sure, your employer may not be able to give you an extra month to turn in a report (though depending on your field and the procedures involved, perhaps they CAN - this is very field specific, of course) but they sure as shit can let you turn down lights, sit on sensory cushions and use sound filtering earplugs to do what you need to do. It's not obtrusive.

If my company can do it, other companies have no excuse.

Don't let anyone tell you common sense accommodations are a hassle, needless, or "distracting".

Your needs matter, they are valid, and they are NOT a hindrance to your employer.

[holydramon]

once again falling into the textile craft pit hole of being like “I need to learn how to sew right fucking now or I’ll explode”

[illarian-rambling]

Sending hugs always!

💧 What is something from your OC’s past they’re the most ashamed of and why? What is something they’re really proud of? And lastly what is something in their past that could make them shake with dread?

For the characters of your choice, please and thank you!

I feel like answering for my silly guy Elsind! (From this ask game)

For a spy, Elsind really hates lying, and she's lied to a lot of people. Another thing is kidnapping people to take their places for missions. Such acts can be crucial for the SLP's success in liberating Salis, but Elsind hates the idea of holding anyone against their will, even temporarily and knowing they'll be treated well. Another large source of shame is never contacting his mom since escaping from his enslavement to the Marquis Sunflight. Elsind doesn't know how to reconcile the person they are now with the person they were then, so they're terrified of what their mom will think of them as they are.

A moment of pride for Elsind is joining the SLP. Even if he doesn't always agree with their methods, he understands the need for a liberated Salis. As someone who's always thought of themself as a coward, Elsind is always surprised and a little proud when they remember that they're doing their part to free their people. Every time they see a neighborhood come together to receive much-needed handouts of stolen food, they walk a little taller.

Something in their past that fills them with dead is any memory of the Marquis Sunflight and their time as his court freak. Elsind can't stand the scent or taste of alcohol because she was forced to drink herself sick for the entertainment of Sunflight's guests, since they thought a drunken changeling incapable of keeping up a face was hilarious. They're very jumpy around physical contact as well, always on guard for a slap or a grope or worse. Much of their character arc is focused around their goal of overcoming this trauma... by assassinating the Archduke of Salis, of course.

Thanks for the ask!

[bad-k0mpany]

When I was 10 years old, my grandpa brought home a brand new 6 speed SS Camaro, with SLP performance upgrades, a Hurst shifter, etc etc. I thought it was the coolest thing ever. I used to always say “Hey Buck, when you gonna give me that car?” Mind you I was just a little kid that couldn’t drive yet anyway.. but he’d always say the same thing: “Nobody gave it to me.”

That mindset stuck with me through the years. No one owes you anything, work hard for the things you want.

The last few months have been especially rough for many reasons, including the fact that we lost my grandma very unexpectedly the week of my birthday. I can tell that was a real eye opener for him in terms of mortality and such. Ultimately it came about that, god forbid something happens to him, I would get the Camaro. But instead I told him if the day ever came that he wanted to sell it, all I ask is for the opportunity to buy it first, so that he could enjoy the money and buy something he really wanted.

Well, yesterday was that day. I drove it home and immediately got to work washing it up lol. After 21 years it’s finally mine.

And nobody gave it to me.