Third and Fourth Week of the Autism Group

         

On the first day of the month, I took my exam for my North American Indian class, and I thought I did pretty well on it. After that I went to the UCM Autism Spectrum Support Group Game Night, where I saw Tom and met a new person named Matt. After introductions we paired up into groups of two, Matt and I, and Tom and Dr. Mayfield. I learned that Matt was from England and had an interest in Japanese culture and anime. After we shared what we learned with the group, we all played a game that Matt had brought, a Japanese anime card game which was rather complex but fun all the same.

When I got back to Ellis I found my mom had sent me a cutter and some toilet paper rolls from home to make some decorated cable holders for the group. I made two more of them then talked to Tyler a bit. I also started cutting out pieces of snack wrappers to make collages. Later I went to a mandatory alcohol program in the Union which was basically a violence and substance abuse trivia night. On my way I realized I am probably running the only autism group in all of Warrensburg. Then later back in Ellis, I sat at Late Night with several people from my hall including John and Kyley, while I worked on my handbag made from snack wrappers, which I thought I’d give to my mom for her birthday sometime and make another one for the next girl I date. That night I also found my phone charger wasn’t working while my phone was out of batteries and I gave up trying to charge it after much frustration.

Thankfully I woke up in time to meditate, shower, and eat breakfast before my Drawing I class even though I didn’t have my alarm. After my Drawing I class the next day, I read a lot of the reading for my World Masterpieces class. After that class I found a new non-crown bottle cap for my collection while sorting some recycling. Then I finished my Algebra practice quiz for about an hour and a half before I passed with one hundred percent necessary to move on, then a review. After that I worked on some planning drawings for my snack wrapper collages, to be of history’s great people on the spectrum.

I then got a haircut at ProCuts, and then went to the Verizon store to get my phone and charger figured out. While a woman at the counter looked at it, I saw Tom and Jerry playing on the TV, thinking about how Monica loved to watch that show. Finally, after the woman came to the conclusion my charger wasn’t working, I got a new one for $34. When I got back to my dorm, I talked to Tyler some more and I heard him say he knew Monica, from a dance troop, which did make since as I remembered her saying she was in a dance troupe in high school. I also recharged my phone with my new charger, and it worked.

Before my Algebra class the next day, I read some of the reading for my North American Indian class. Then during my Algebra class, I passed the test with 100%. I later finished reading the reading for my North American Indian class. I also realized how for girls with autism, coming to a group like the one at UCM may be harder for them as they may not know how to assert their own boundaries and are in groups surrounded by males as females often get the diagnosis very late in their lives if at all, not because of a lack of females on the spectrum, but of them often being able to blend in with their non-autistic peers. I started writing a letter to Sharon daVanport of the Autism Women’s Network, asking questions about how groups like mine could make a more comfortable environment for females and what kind of unique struggles they experienced.

I talked to my granddad who thought it was a good idea to write that letter seeing what I could learn. I also ate dinner with Levi and Mary while I worked on my scrap pieces from snack wrappers and Levi thought my letter was good idea and was also doubted there were necessarily less girls on the spectrum. Later I worked on some flowers made from straws and my new wall art piece made from toilet paper rolls. I also talked to my mom and dad who liked my letter idea and my dad said one of the biggest questions people in his field of psychology are faced with is how to get females on the spectrum to be comfortable getting support.

The next day I started on some beads made from cigarette boxes after my Drawing I class. I also read the reading for my World Masterpieces class. I sent out e-mails to the group members about the bowling night the next week and then I worked on my poster board for Disability Awareness Week, but I found out none of the printers on campus would print color which I needed for several things on the board. Then I went to the Grinstead Building for the next Print Club meeting but got there and learned that I missed it and it was an hour earlier. However, one of the members, Stacy, stayed behind for a few minutes and told me and wrote down what they discussed. I learned we were making designs for cards for the next meeting and would all try and go to a junk antique store in Warrensburg called Those Were the Days, buy something there and make something from it. After I thanked Stacy for going over all this with me, I went to Crazy Dog’s and got myself some ice cream as a reward for one of my days of studying. I later worked on my wall art made from toilet paper rolls.

The next morning, I ate breakfast with Chris and John then Oscar and Mary after they left. After that I worked on two pairs of Oriental stress balls. Later I found out I could not print using the cords I had to my computer and printer, but I texted Hillary asking her if I could use her printer for to print these off and she said I could when she got back from Lee Summit that night. I worked on some flowers then talked to Tyler, who still seemed to pine over Mary and after talking to him for about an hour, I felt fairly stressed with my school work and finishing the poster board for Disability Awareness Week, doing my laundry, reading my World Masterpieces reading, and finishing my card for the Print Club before the weekend ended. I talked to my mom, which felt like it didn’t do too much good-she told me I need to take breaks sometimes with being a regular student-and I soon felt ready to explode, but I felt better after running on the treadmill. After that I got some flaming hot Cheetos, Hershey’s, pepperoni, Altoids, shampoo, and soap. I got back and talked to Tyler and told him I loved talking to him but couldn’t hear him talk about Mary all the time because I have a lot of work with the group and my school work. After words I took a short nap to recover my strength and then I got a text from Hillary saying she had gotten back, and I went and printed some stuff off. Early the next day I finished my poster board, then did some laundry. Later I read more of the reading for my North American Indian class and during my exercise I read a lot of the reading for my World Masterpieces class.

I woke up at 6:30 on Monday so I could do my meditation, take a shower, and eat breakfast before going to the Union to set up the poster board at 8. I learned later that it was Cam’s birthday on Facebook and posted a happy birthday message. Later as I was cleaning up my student e-mail account I found an e-mail from last year from a student named Caleb who said he was on the autism spectrum and saw the group flyers and wanted to know about the group. I responded apologizing for not noticing his e-mail until now and telling him about the Bowling Night. Then I worked on my drawing for a card for the Print Club. During my Drawing I class I worked on the midterm assignment-letters made from anything we could find that spelled a word from mythology. Mine said “Xeinos,” a Greek term I learned during my World Masterpieces class discussion of The Odyssey, which meant reciprocity, cut out from the paper package my mom sent those cardboard tubes in, which I twisted to make look 3-dimensional.

I got back and worked on some Oriental stress balls made from straw wrappers. Then I read a lot of the reading for my North American Indian class. I also texted Cam to wish him a happy birthday. Then read the reading for my World Masterpieces class. After that I finished my Algebra assignment. I ate lunch with Connor, Richard, Ro, and Mckenzie. Then I went down to the Union and got myself a strawberry smoothie as a reward for finishing the poster board and drink it while I made another coaster from receipts. I got back and talked to Tyler while I worked on my lampshade made from straws.

          

The next day I got one hundred percent on my Algebra practice quiz, and then I got one hundred percent on the quiz. I also realized more of how I’d make my lampshade made from straws. When I got back, I finished my card for the Print Club then worked on my lampshade. I also got a text from Mom saying my friend Erin’s grandmother had died. Then I read the rest of the reading for my North American Indian class. After that I worked on my snack wrapper collages a little bit. During my North American Indian class, I found out I got an 89% on the exam.

After class I went to the bowling alley. Tom was there and soon Matt arrived. Then James got to the alley and said Monica might be coming. After waiting a few minutes, we got shoes and set up the game. After that Monica got there and we added her name. After I bowled well on my turn I told Monica, “It’s a lot like fighting a dementor. You got to think of something happy.”

She laughed and said, “I love Harry Potter. I once watched all the movies in a row.” By the end of the game, Monica had the highest score. Afterwards she asked when the next meeting was, and I said I’d send everyone an e-mail about it.

I got back and worked on my sign for my Drawing I class. Then I saw Connor, Thad, and Mckenzie all walking to dinner, and they asked me to join them, and I said I would. I saw Alex, Oscar, and several other THRIVE students sitting at a table, and they invited me, though I explained I was already eating with some other people and would catch them next time. After dinner I made some more flowers from straws. I talked to Tyler after I ran on the treadmill, and I got my medication.

The next day in my Drawing I class I learned to draw by moving my elbow rather than my wrist. After class I remembered something my former THRIVE counselor asked me to do: take a risk loving someone who will love me the way I deserve to be loved. Then I called Erin and wished her my condolences. I also got myself a mango smoothie at the coffee shop as a reward for being willing to take a risk in love. When I got back my mom called and asked if I wanted to come home this weekend and I thought that would be nice and said I would. I talked to Tyler that night and we agreed for me, him, and Jack if he was able to, to get together this weekend.

          

The next morning in my Algebra class I got all the homework for that class done. After class I read the reading for my North American Indian class. Then I realized more of how I’d make some beads made from cigarette boxes and worked on the when I got back. After dinner I talked to my Granddad and found out he was taking me home the next day. Later I made forty more flowers from straws and worked on my snack wrappers collages.

I went to the Print Club later and met several people there and while we went to another room to work on computer editing the cards Stacy saw me haul a bunch of paper from a trash can into a recycling bin and said she respected me respected my recycling, having seen me put a bottle from the trash into the recycling bin last time she saw me and I told her and a few others about my environmental crafts which they thought sounded great. Then I finished computer editing the card and got my design on some wax paper so it could be used to make prints. Afterwards I got back and talked to Tyler some more. Then I read some more of Sahara, took a nap, and worked on my wall art made from toilet paper rolls.