Second Week of the Autism Group

On Monday I saw Jessica walking by and we said hi as my art class and I drew Lovinger hall using one-point perspective. I also thought of how when Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. organized a one million man march, it would be hard to break up a force which would be so formidable, again seeing the power of non-violent resistance. Later at my World Masterpieces class I got a four out of five on the quiz. I sorted some recycling after class, during which time I found a new Snapple cap. Then I did my Algebra homework.

                I finished my flowers made from straws at dinner. Afterwards I talked to Granddad who said that feelings of doubting Emily’s and my relationship were perfectly normal and I didn’t have to decide what to do now. He also told me Victor from the Pathless Land and his girlfriend were getting married. Then while running I learned about newspaper being used to make coasters and flowers for hairpins and I decided to do that with receipts. When I got back I worked on my handbag and I talked to Tyler.

                I was able to understand the material I was being shown online fairly well in my Algebra class the next day and I got one hundred percent on the quiz. After class and sorting some more recycling I got back to my dorm and worked more on a bust of Thomas Jefferson made from tin foil. Then I edited my paper and read the reading for that class. Before going down there I wrote down what Joe and Lavender put on their interest surveys. On my way to class I also found a plastic Quik Trip lid to make into a coaster.

                After class I rushed over to the Union and asked at the front desk where Union Room 219 was. The girl at the desk pointed me there and I went over to it. Dr. Mayfield entered the room, followed by a tall dark-haired man about thirty. 

                “Hi, what’s your name?”

                “My name's James,” he said.

                “Well nice to meet you, James,” I said and wrote his name down.

                Another person came in, this time a girl with shoulder-length dark hair, a calm smile, and very peaceful eyes.

                “Hi, your name is?”

                “Monica,” she said smiling.

                “Nice to meet you,” I said, writing her name down. 

                Another young man came in with coiled straw-colored hair. I asked him his name.

                “Thomas,” he said.

                “Nice to meet you, Tom.”

                Dr. Mayfield came up to me and said, “Ben, Lavender is in the hospital and her sister Joe is with her, so they won’t be here today.”

                “Oh!” I said, “Then in that case I guess we’ll move Game Night to next week.”

                I gave James, Monica, and Tom interest surveys and they all filled them out. I gathered them, noticing on Monica’s, which lay at the top, she checked Photography. After that I started with introducing myself and we all went around the room introducing ourselves. Monica, I learned, was from Lee Summit, majoring in Biology and thinking of changing it to Aviation. James, I learned, was very much into music recording. Tom said his name but didn’t say much else. 

                After we got done introducing ourselves I told them that we would go over some rules of the group, pair up and take four minutes to get to know three things about another person, and then we would vote on what activity to do the week after next week. James looked excited, Tom a little nervous, while Monica looked up at me smiling. Suddenly I just felt ready to lead like I knew what to do. I reminded them of some simple group guidelines such as avoiding put-downs, sharing too personal information, and that anyone at the group could talk to a peer mentor if they felt it necessary. 

                Next, we paired up into groups of two. Since there was an odd number of people, Dr. Mayfield offered to sit this one out, while James paired up with Tom, and I paired up with Monica. I set the alarm on my phone for four minutes and then started talking to her. I told her about my pets-my two cats, three miniature doxens, and Wallie who was part Border Colly, part Golden Retriever.

                “I love Golden Retrievers!” said Monica. 

                I told her about how I ran on the treadmill every night and she said she also liked to work out.

                “Oh, cool,” I said. “Do you go to the Rec Center?”

                “No, I work out in my apartment building.  I live in this apartment called Campus Evolution.”

                “Cool.”

                She told me how she loved to watch movies on Netflix and loved Spongebob, Adventure Time, and Tom and Jerry.

                “It’s just so classic,” she said.

                I told her about my favorite shows such as Family Guy, American Dad, The Cleveland Show, Bob’s Burgers, and King of the Hill.

                “I love King of the Hill,” she said. I felt so connected in a way I hadn’t this close to someone in a while. Suddenly, my timer went off and we went around the room to share what we learned. 

                Next, I brought up some possibilities for things for us to do next week, including a Music Night and a Bowling Night.

                “Bowling sounds good,” said Monica. “Pretty safe.”

                Everyone else agreed.

                “Alright, then it’s settled the week after next week will be Bowling Night,” I said. “We’ve gotten through with everything for today so if you guys want to stay here and talk amongst yourselves or go back to doing other things you can.”

                “I think it would be cool if we took a walk around campus,” said James.

                “Ok,” I said. "I know this really cool place upstairs in the Union I could show you.” 

                I took them upstairs and showed them the artifacts in a glass case all brought by the international students and how I’m a bit into arts and crafts myself.

                “Me too!” said James. “I’ve got so much junk at home that I plan on doing something with later.”

                I showed them my beads made from straws and the lid in my backpack and told them how I planned to make it into a coaster and also the different prizes I planned to make and about the Friend of Autism Pledge, explaining what it was about. We all parted afterwards and later on I found a penny on the ground, which put in my shoe. I guess people find the group helpful as when last I had heard the JCCC group had eighty members.

                I rewarded myself that night with a smoothie from Jazzman’s in the Union where I saw James and showed him a coaster I was making from receipts, which he thought was neat. He also said he knew Monica and told me a little bit about her. I e-mailed Sean to tell him how the group went on the treadmill. I told my dad, mom, and grandparents about the group and they were all happy for me. My granddad also told me that I didn’t need to worry about formally breaking up with Emily, as long-distances relationships sometimes end on their own. I also talked to Tyler.

                The next day I perfected my two-point perspective drawing technique some more. Then after class I made some copies of the World Masterpieces study guide for Philip. I sat with him and Hillary at lunch and told them about how Emily and I were all but broken up. Philip said, “Yeah the thing about long-distance relationships is, they suck.”

                “You know what,” I said. “It’s ok.”

                Philip and I walked to my World Masterpieces class together after that. Class got out early and as I was sorting some recycling, Philip said, “Ben I’m proud of you. People just throw that stuff away, but you have the integrity to go through trash.”

                I got back and worked on my Thomas Jefferson bust made from foil. Then I made another coaster from receipts while I drank a Jazzman’s smoothie. After that I went to the Filmmakers and Actors Coalition in the Union, where I learned that they actually make films. When I got back I worked on one of my bags woven from bags, some Oriental stress balls made from straw wrappers, and some magnets for the group.

                I heard a knock on my door and saw Maria. She told me there was a karaoke night in the lounge and I was welcome to come if I wanted to. I did and enjoyed some popsicles. I sang Amazing Just the Way You Are and Dynamite. I also met a guy named Chris who was in my Drawing I class. I talked to Tyler, who talked about spending the weekend with me in Warrensburg, then his mom got on the phone and she asked if Tyler could stay this weekend. I hastily said yes if that was ok with Connor.  When Connor got back I said, “Hey, Connor, I was going to have someone stay this weekend, he’d just sleep on the floor, is that alright with you?”

                “Yeah sure,” he said. "I’m going to be gone Friday night so he can use my bed if he wants.”

                “Ok, thanks.”

                The next day I got one hundred percent on my Algebra quiz and started the next assignment. After my North American Indian class, a girl saw me recycling and said, “Are you recycling?”

                “Yeah,” I said.

                “You’re a good person!” she exclaimed.

                As I sorted some more recycling outside a guy asked me, “Are you recycling?”

                “Yeah,” I said.

                “Thank you. I wish more people would do that.”

                I got back and worked on one of my shopping after that. After dinner I went down to Walgreen’s and filled my prescription Dr. Mays wrote. While I was there I bought the current issue of National Geographic, the Photo issue, National Geographic’s 100 Mysteries Revealed: Secrets of the Supernatural Explained, Ancient Civilizations Unearthed, Conundrums of Science Exposed, along with several Altoids boxes to make into dioramas. When I got back from the treadmill later I felt kind of stressed, wondering how I would be able to study for my next two exams, one in my World Masterpieces class on Monday, and one in my North American Indian class on Tuesday. I told my Granddad about it, and he said it would probably be good idea if I called Tyler and told him I couldn’t have anyone stay overnight that weekend and I did. He was rather upset, but I knew he was just trying to make me feel sorry for him so I would change my mind and would forget about it very quickly. Later I started my meditation journal but decided to finish the rest the next day.

                The next day I got an A in my portfolio for my Drawing I class and saw Mrs. Carter passing by in the Rec Center where we worked on our drawing, who said hi. At lunch I ate with Connor, Kyley, Chris, John, and Aaron. After my World Masterpieces class I got a new Ethernet cord at the Union computer store and some chapstick at the Union bookstore. Then I studied for two fifty minute study blocks in the Union, two for my World Masterpieces class, and two for my North American Indian class. After fifty minutes I took a break to use the bathroom and water fountain and I set an alarm on my phone. 

                After studying I sent friend requests to Monica, James, and Tom then I changed my Facebook status to single. I rewarded my studying with dinner at Crazy Dog’s where I got another bottle cap for my collection and after having so much trouble making a snack wrapper into a coaster, decided to give up on that project. I found another bottle cap on my way to the hardware store where I got some magnet pieces for the magnets for the group, then went down to Hasting’s. While running I started working on another scrapbook. When I got back I worked on some more pairs of Oriental stress balls. Then I talked to my granddad, who thought it might be a good idea to change my Facebook status back to single. After that I worked on a bracelet made from Kool-Aid pouches and finished some of my magnets. 

                The next morning I talked to Tyler, who seemed to have gotten over his disappointment. Then I worked on my travel plans to Kenya. I did my same study plan that day at the same time in the same place, taking ten minute breaks after every fifteen minutes to use the bathroom and get a drink. Afterwards I went to Hasting’s and got the current issues of American Archaeology, Circle, and Total Film. Then I ate at Sonic as a reward for my studying. I did the same study pattern the next day and ate at Sonic for a reward, while I recorded what people put down for their interest surveys.

                On Monday I learned about snack wrapper collages and I worked on my bird woodcarving, finding a way to put a log under its feet. I also took some more photos. Then I took my exam for my World Masterpieces class and thought I did pretty well on it. After that I finished my Algebra assignment that was due the next day and the study guide that was due on Thursday. I also found out Monica, James, and Tom had all accepted my friend requests. Later I submitted my World Masterpieces take-home exam to SafeAssign. Afterwards I worked on my Oriental stress balls. When I got back from the Rec Center I worked on my handbag, not totally sure what I would do with it in the future.