Freedom of the Open Road

On the first day after I got my driver’s license, I drove to my art class, withstanding the torrents of rain that I had not yet practiced, and to work, where I again got another USDA cap. I also talked to my granddad, telling him the news of my driver’s test, of which he was really excited. The next day, with no more errands to run for my mom not that I had my license, pulled a lot of acorn trees and weeds, spread some mulch over my mom’s garden, put cushions on the outdoor seats, and moved some bricks to the pile in near the back fence for Mom. Then I had an idea to turn Tyler’s bottle caps into a sign saying “Jesus,” and I talked to Tyler, who loved the idea, before I watched Regular Show. After that I went into the Prairie Village shopping center where I got a new bottle cap for my collection from my drink at Better Cheddar. Afterwards I mowed the lawn, and then I got two more bottle caps from my drinks at Better Cheddar while I found out about some great places to shop in my Lonely Planet Turkey book, including a shop where unemployed women make handbags and jewelry from recycled material. In one week, we would go to our vacation home in Leadville, Colorado. 

The next day I had lunch with Cam, Nora, and Dad, and I made a heart-shaped pin from the straws there. I got back and I went to Starbuck’s. Then I made another coaster from receipts. The next day I pulled some more acorn tree for Mom. After that I went to the small Hen House and got a People Magazine special issue on Michael Jackson, who was said to have autism. Then I went to Starbuck’s before I got back and worked on my Lord of the Rings card boxes. The next day I went to Starbuck’s and talked to Tyler on my way back before driving down to work. When I got back, I talked to Tyler some more. The next day I cleaned out my minifridge where I found my last Smirnoff and took a shelf from the garage down to the basement as well as my stuff for school to put on it, and I took my school bookshelf downstairs and put all my plastic bottle caps there. Then I emptied the dishwasher before I went down to Better Cheddar and got a new bottle cap from my drink. I went to Hen House and got a National Geographic issue on famous women in history, and then I went to Starbuck’s. Later I drove down to Elsa’s Ethiopian Restaurant, which I was very comfortable going to, and ate there with Mom and Dave, who came there from their yoga class. On Wednesday I also got a Facebook message from Elizabeth saying she was volunteering at a youth camp for people on the spectrum and served on a panel of adults on the spectrum to help answer questions for the kids, and a good friend of hers asked if she knew anyone who would be good for serving on the panel and she told her about me and asked me if she could introduce me through e-mail, which I said she could. I did my usual drink at Better Cheddar, from which I got a new bottle cap, and going to Starbuck’s. I got back and later I went to Winstead’s with Granddad. Then we went to Barnes and Noble where I got the Lonely Planet guide to Istanbul and a songwriter’s journal. After that we went to the Pathless Land where I meditated and realized I find the same block with seeing old friends that I did with driving, which is trying to get my mind off my “special interests” long enough. When that was over we went to Roasterie in Brookside. The next day I worked on my snack wrapper collages before going to work and then getting back and packing up to get up the next morning to go to our vacation home in Leadville, Colorado.

     

Preparing for My Driver's Test

The day after I had gotten my grades for the last semester while mowing the lawn, I realized that as a person with Asperger syndrome, it may have been harder for me to learn to drive due to my tendency to retreat to my "special interests" during stressful especially from having suffered bullying and discrimination.  The next day I got a call from work asking if I could come in and work from 4-9, and I told them I would love to, so I drove to and back from work where I got another USDA cap for my collection.  Two days later I went to the bird store in Corinth Square where Hen House is located, and helped her shop there, and also got a new bottle cap from the drinks we bought there.  The next day I went to my art class and enjoyed doing my painting there. I drove to my art class and enjoyed doing my painting there as well as telling the women there about my recent love life story.  I drove to Einstein’s afterwards and home and when I got home I watched good videos on parking and parallel parking that.  I later looked at my Time magazine bookazine on Thomas Edison and found out he proposed to his own wife in Morse code, which struck me as interesting, as if he like one of the other autistics I have read about on Autism Myth Busters, seemed to prefer non-verbal communication over verbal communication, even if with the woman he loved enough to be his own wife.   I drove to Einstein’s afterwards and home and when I got home I watched good videos on parking and parallel parking that.  I later looked at my Time magazine bookazine on Thomas Edison and found out he proposed to his own wife in Morse code, which struck me as interesting, as if he like one of the other autistics I have read about on Autism Myth Busters, seemed to prefer non-verbal communication over verbal communication, even if with the woman he loved enough to be his own wife.  I went down to Prairie Village where I read about one of the first music therapy institutes still in existence and functioning as a museum in Turkey at the height of its glory in the 16th century.  As I got back from Starbuck’s I thought the gay rights, women’s rights, and Tibetan freedom posts I share also have their merit to the autistic struggle as it was the struggle of woman and ethnic and sexual minorities that has in fact inspired the disability rights movement. 

                The next day I called Hen House and learned I work on Sunday from 4-7 and Wednesday from 4-8.  Later I did a wood burning of a silhouette of the Fellowship of the Ring with the quote “Not all who wander are lost.”  I had dinner and chocolate cake dessert with Mom, Dave, and the Wendlands.  The next morning I realized Thomas Edison could have invented the light bulb because he had special interests as a person with Asperger syndrome and couldn’t sleep some nights and needed the light bulb to allow him to engage in his interests after sunset.  I went with Dad to meet my grandparents at the King Tut exhibit.  The next day I realized that special interests appear to be for people with Asperger syndrome what stimming is for people with “Kanner” syndrome, not that I believed these distinctions had any validity.  Later I drove to Michael’s before work, during which time I got better at parking, and I got frames for my Tibetan paper tapestry and my THRIVE certificate.  I drove to Hen House and got better at parking along the way.  There saw my old middle school classmate Marina Singleton, who is now working at Hen House.  After work I got the schedule and found out the only other time I work this week is on Wednesday from 4-8.  I got a new USDA cap from my drink afterwards, I realized that one thing that may have caused stress that complicated driving while I was at JCCC for the first few years was being surrounded by all these people after six years of only knowing a small,non-threatening environment like Horizon, and on my way home I realized I may do well in an autism-related field seeing how Dr. Roy Richard Grinker was ableto lead a groundbreaking study of autism in Korea with training inanthropology, while I am making my way towards a degree in Cultural Studies, that Einstein having Aspergers appears to corroborate with the fact that he played the violin, his life-long passion, before his speeches, considering how even for me public speaking is stressful, and I realized that some of the things that may have caused Einstein particular stress in his life are fleeing Nazi persecution, his divorce, giving up his first daughter for adoption, and the misuse of his invention the atomic bomb, and from the time I was sixteen until eighteen, the source of stress that could have complicated me driving may have been being a self-hating autistic.  I got back and starting turning part of a discarded t-shirt into a coffee sleeve, while I talked to my dad, who mentioned my Horizon Academy story being on their Facebook page in a link sent by my grandmom from our family friend Mrs. North, and he was very complimentary about it, as was my granddad.  Seeing my determination to be a translator, I realized that I like Einstein and other reputedly autistic people have an undying resolve at pursuing my passion.

The next day I worked on my toilet paper roll wall art some more.  Then I found one of my post cards that Mom sent me that I plan to frame as wall art and my ring that I had made at UCM.  I also stitched together a coffee sleeve.  Later I started on and got very far on a snack wrapper collage of Michelangelo.  The next day I pulled some weeds for my mom before watching her do her bee-keeping, and then pulling weeds some more.  Then we drove down to Rimann’s liquor near the Starbuck’s where we got some boxes for my recyclables.  I realized I can get so caught up in doing these things that I forget about things like learning to drive.  I got back and learned about several different types of Tibetan literature that have yet to be translated into English such as collections of songs by revered lamas and stories for conquering Tibet’s malevolent demons to allow the introduction of Buddhism.  After going to Starbuck’s and eating dinner I posted an Autist Dharma post on the recent Santa Barbara shootings.  The next day I got a lot of my recyclables sorted into boxes and on shelves, while working on my plastic bag mandalas.  Then I did some highway driving, which my mom said was really good and where I really improved on my lane-changing, before I went to work.  I got a new USDA cap on my break and I got another bottle cap from the drinks Mom got at Hen House and she gave me a new lanyard that extends and makes it less awkward to unlock my door at school.  Then I talked to my dad before going to Rimann’s and getting a new bottle cap from my drinks.  I got back and found a page on Pinterest that has given me good ideas for simple woodworking projects and it gave me the idea to make my own self for a lot of my books, some candles, perhaps for a candle light dinner with a girl, which I think would be really romantic, and some signs.  Later I read about how “being patient” with “the 10th request in five minutes from Tibetans to see your Lonely Planet book” “because it may be their only chance to see the Dalai Lama or other parts of the country” “can open locked doors (literally) to the monastery,” and I realized that may be my chance to access some of these Tibetan texts that I might love to translate into English.  The next day I drove to my art class, during which time my mom said she let her guard down with me driving, and got there and finished my painting.  I drove back taking Mom to the Wendland’s to return something Mrs. Wendland left at our house.  Then with my mom’s encouragement I unpacked all my stuff from the garage, and then started building my new bookshelf for my Lonely Planet books.  After that I talked to Tyler for an hour, and then went to Starbuck’s.  The next day I watched a show on beavers that Mom recorded and learned how they can help fertilize landscapes, and make their homes and live their lives, and it was pretty cute how this one beaver family “only objected to one visitor in their hotel-like homes: the filmmakers with their cameras.”  Later I got two new bottle caps from my drinks at Better Cheddar and one from around the glass recycling before I helped a guy who saw me and asked me to steer his car with a dead battery into a certain position before technicians could come to revive it, and he seemed pretty grateful, and I knew he would remember it like my granddad said people remember about my help.  I got back and mowed the backyard which my mom started on and the backyard.  Then I went to the Prairie Village art fair, where I saw Jack and Dan from work, before I enjoyed my Lonely Planet book at Starbuck’s.  I got back and finished my bookshelf, which looked great.  Then I called work and found out I work on Sunday from 3-8, Wednesday from 3-8, and Thursday from 4-8. 

On the first day of June while I was driving to Hen House, my mom heard they only go around the area of the DMV and the instructor was really nice from someone who recently got there driver’s license, and Mom said she wouldn’t have me do this and go out and drive on my own if she didn’t think I was ready.  She also confessed that when I first started learning that she doubted I would ever learn to drive.  I perfected my parking before I got back and got a new bottle cap from the sodas we got at Hen House.  Later I drove down to get our pizza order from a restaurant, where I saw Beer Garden next to where we parked.  The next day my mom said we should go take my test the next day.  Then we drove to work where I got a new USDA bottle cap again.  I also drew a Thomas Jefferson portraiture.  The next day however, my mom ended up deciding it would be better to get my driver’s test the next day, so that day I drove my mom to Shawnee Mission East high school’s glass recycling, then to Target, and then to Brookside.  Later I spent the whole night fighting nerves.  My dad told me he thought I could pass, and my granddad told me it didn’t make a difference whether I passed or not.  Then Mom, Dave, and I spent the night watching The Italian Job. 

 

The next day I had my usual café expresso at Starbuck’s before driving down with my mom to the DVM.  The wait turned out to be much shorter than I expected, and finally a short blonde woman, the examiner, approached me, beckoning me to take the test.  She appeared very friendly and we had some casual conversation as I drove, and, to my amazement, I drove at the right speed, obeyed all the traffic signals, turned well, and didn’t even need to change lanes.  Afterwards I parked in a lot perfectly and the examiner said, “Alright, you passed.”

“R…really?” I asked, pinching myself to make sure I wasn’t dreaming.  I went in and a license was printed off on a sheet of carbon paper until such time as I got my permanent license.  I drove home with my mom one more time and made my old permit into a mirror hanging with my name, picture, Kansas state capitol building, and the name of my state and put my Buddha dashboard figuring in the front before I drove on my own to work.  My brother Cam got home that night and congratulated me.  I also called Tyler and told him the news. 

 

 

The Beginning of Summer

On the first day back, I spent some time pulling weeds in our garden and patio. As I emptied out my trash can, which I had used to carry a lot of my stuff home, I found a new bottle cap for my collection, which Sinho must have thrown away in there, as well as one from a coffee soda at Better Cheddar (which tasted awful), and from my Deschutes beer I bought at Crazy Dog’s, which didn’t care so much for the taste of either. I also found out Maria had accepted my friend request, as of course I thought she would.  I went down to Better Cheddar and got a new bottle cap from my drink I got there. I also got an e-mail from Horizon’s public relations coordinator asking for a ten-twelve sentence article telling what I had done since leaving Horizon, what I missed most about or benefited most from the school, and what I looked forward to doing this summer and to see if I could get it to them by May 13. I told her I would be happy to and typed up the article. Unfortunately, a virus on my computer prevented me from sending it that day. I also talked to Tyler again.

On Sunday I went with Mom and Dave to Café Provence for Mother’s Day. After that we drove up to Hen House where several of my fellow employees were happy to see me and one of the managers said she would let Rick, the assistant manager know I stopped by and that I was now able to work, and I would be on the schedule by the twenty-fifth. On Monday I went on Amazon and ordered myself The Divine Madman as my reward for doing that one day’s reading for my Early American Literature class, as well as a Lonely Planet Turkey book to help myself plan a trip to Catalhoyuk, which I had learned about in my World Archaeology class, and perhaps to bear witness to the Armenian genocide. The next day I unfortunately had to retype my piece for Horizon, but I did it, making it pretty much the same as I had before, and I e-mailed it to Mrs. Campbell from Horizon. I also drove to and back from Hen House with my mom and there I filled out a W2 form so I could get back on the schedule. I also got a new bottle cap from the drinks we got there. Later I went with my granddad to Winstead’s before going to Barnes and Noble as we always do afterwards, where I got a new edition to Lonely Planet’s West Africa, and then went to the Pathless Land for the first time in a while. On Thursday I went to my art class with Donna for the first time this summer, driving there and back. I also went to BE Tech to look at a new laptop. The next day my mom and I went down there again and got my new computer. I did also go down to Better Cheddar and get two more bottle caps from my drinks and my Lonely Planet Turkey book in the mail, and the day after the next day I got The Divine Madman. The over the next two days I also got two new bottle caps both days from my drinks at Better Cheddar and on the latter of the two days I checked my grades and found out I had gotten B’s in my Film Appreciation, Modern Sub-Saharan Africa, and Early American Literature class, and an A in my World Archaeology class. 

*Stay tuned for soon on this post I will provide a link to my school alumni article on my other blog autistdharma.blogspot.com

Preparing for More Finals

On the first day after the rush of Autism Acceptance Month, I spent a lot of time tweaking my research paper and managed to get it to at least two full pages. After my Early American Literature class and my World Archaeology class, I finished my Film Appreciation paper at least six hours before it was due at midnight, so I could go to the Fun Before Finals Night, which Hillary, Philip, and Mardy had invited me to. I went there where we met Ryan and I agreed to come visit him the next day for the last day of his internship at the Salvation Army in Warrensburg. After that Hillary, Mardy, Ryan, and I went to the Oxygen Bar, and I got a t-shirt. I got back to Ellis and went to Late Night with Mardy, who told me, “I didn’t know you were coming back this year. If I did, I would have asked you to be my roommate for this year.”

                The next day I went down the Salvation Army in Pine Street, finding a new bottle cap for my collection on the street along the way, where I did indeed see Ryan and I brought along several shirts, which I had found in trash cans in the laundry room and gave them to the Salvation Army, which Ryan really appreciated. He also invited me to see a movie out on the lawn of the Quad called Monuments Men, and I agreed to go. I also bought a Geography textbook called Regions Near and Far, which had some good sheet music and only cost me fifty cents. Then I went down to Those Were the Days and bought some vintage postcards, which I would frame a bunch of together to make wall art. I got eight new postcards, four of them of rock formations to frame together, two of waterfalls to frame with similar postcards, and one of a site in India and one of the Jefferson Memorial to frame with two other postcards. On my way back I also picked up some trash.

                When I got back I worked on another coaster made from Styrofoam. Later I went to Chic Filet with Mardy, David, and Alex before we went to see The Lego Movie. While we waited for the movie to start, the three of them were all really impressed by the wallet I showed them that I made from Kool Aid packs. After enjoying the movie, I went back to my dorm, got a blanket, and went out to the lawn of the Quad, where I saw Monuments Men, and was joined up by Ryan, Mardy, David, and Alex. It was really peaceful and I forgotten the vigil that had taken place here only two months earlier. 

                 The next morning I tried to study but felt too tired to do so, though I still understood the material better. Later I worked on a coaster made from the receipts from Sinho’s Spring Break vacation. Then I worked on a poem for theonering.net. After that I made some more heart-shaped pins from straws. I took a walk around campus later and got some pictures of the scenery. Later I went down to Break Time, and got a Snapple drink along with a new cap. Then I made some more heart-shaped pins and flowers from straws and turned some more plastic bags into yarn. While I watched TV in the Ellis TV Lounge, I saw Maria walk by and come in. She asked, not unkindly, “What are you doing here?”

                “Just relaxing.”

                “Are you bored?”

                “No.”

                “Ok, well just coming to say hi.”

                The next morning as I took a shower, I forgot about any problems I was having as I looked forward to going to New Hampshire and seeing my family there this summer. Later I studied for my World Archaeology exam for two fifty minute study breaks with a ten minute break in between to use the bathroom and get a drink. I ate dinner with Alex, David, Oscar, Ryan, and Mardy afterwards while I made twenty more heart-shaped pins from straws. I then went down to Walgreen’s and bought some glue, a National Geographic issue, and some Altoids. On my way back I picked up several recyclables. After running I made several more flowers and pins from straws. Then I did some laundry before working on some toilet paper roll wall art in the Ellis TV Lounge. 

                The next day I scheduled my tests in the Testing Center and while I had my letters sent out to all my instructors next year. I went to Those Were the Days and bought nine new post cards to turn into wall art. I got back and I took my Modern Sub-Saharan Africa test and submitted it before 3:00 when it was due. After that I studied for my World Archaeology final and realized that I can use this time to see how well I’m learning the material. I also realized whatever happens in my love life will mean more to me if I keep my mind open. After that I finished another piece of wall art made from toilet paper rolls. Afterwards I went on Facebook to my high school’s Facebook page and gave them a good review with five out of five stars. I got back and made some more flowers and heart-shaped pins from straws and talked to Dad, who agreed about keeping my mind open. I went to Late Night where I made some more plarn. After that I made another heart-shaped pin from a straw. I worked on another toilet paper roll wall piece after that. I also wrote in my meditation journal for the last time I would do it in for at least a while.

                The next day I looked on Horizon’s Facebook page and saw they wrote back saying, “Thank you so much for sharing this with us Ben! The things you have learned over the years are inspirational and these are some wonderful words of wisdom to share with others as well. We are so proud of you!” While at the library to study when I got the urge for a snack, so I went to the vending machine to get one and while I did, I found a penny on the ground, which I put in my shoe. Then a voice inside my head said, “Go to the OAS Office and see if your World Archaeology test is in fact scheduled for Thursday at 2 like you asked it to be.” I rushed down, but when I got there I saw an unfamiliar face at the desk, though she told me my test wasn’t yet scheduled for Thursday at 2 because I needed to fill out a form and deliver it to me instructor. I did that, but then came back to the Union, got a coffee drink, and sat down feeling a little disappointed. I remembered how my granddad said true love comes when you least expect it. Well, I least expected it now.

                I tried studying for my test, feeling very distracted, and quizzing myself here and there on the information in my textbook. Then I saw Maria walk by.

                “Hi,” she said.

                “Hi,”

                She turned to exit the Union, then stopped and walked back to me. She said, “Ben, I’ve heard some people complain that you neighbors have been making noise. Have you heard any of that?”

                “No, not that I remember.”

                “Ok, because they’re not supposed to be making noise right now.”

                Afterwards I signed the check-out sheet for 5:50 on Thursday. Then I finished two more toilet paper roll wall art pieces, and gave one to Sinho, Jay, and Kim Ryan as goodbye presents, and Sinho agreed to send my his address via e-mail, so I could send three others to his house, which he could send Kim, Jacob, and Wonyang. Later when I went down to Late Night with bags to make into plarn, in the line to get a hot dog, I saw Maria again, and sat down with her and a friend of hers. Maria asked me about what I was doing with my plastic bags and I told her about how I was making yarn from them, and she sounded rather impressed by it. Later she got up to leave.

                “Bye,” she said to her friend, then wave at me.

                “Chow,” she said.

                The next day I went on Blackboard and found out I got a 90% on my Modern Sub-Saharan Africa test. I also saw Horizon had written on their Facebook page asking if I could write about my experience at the school and how I’ve done since then for their Alumni Spotlight of their monthly newsletter, and I said I would love to. Then I studied for my World Archaeology class for two fifty minute study blocks with a ten minute break in between to use the bathroom and get a drink. I did also decide to go to Crazy Dog’s before I left and did get a new bottle cap with my drink and bought another drink that had a new one for later. Then at seven I worked on the final project for my Early American Literature class-taking two of our weekly writings and expanding them to at least two pages, which, if everyone made them well-written and the required length, got an A+. After that I did a lot of tweaking on my research paper.

                The next day after a coffee from Einstein’s, I went down to the Testing Center, where I saw Dr. Yelton had put my book report with my test, and it got forty-seven points out of fifty. Then I took my test, answering every question to the best of my knowledge and going over and taking care of things I had missed, and then turned it in. I ate at Crazy Dog’s while I waited for my mom and indeed got a new bottle cap from my drink. I got back to my dorm and Maria was there and told me she wouldn’t be able to check me out at 5:50, so I asked if she could do that at 5:30. She said yes, her round face lighting up with delight. Unfortunately, my mom had not gotten there yet so she could not check me out then as I had not emptied the room of all my stuff, but she agreed to do it at 7. My mom got here, and with the help of Sinho, Kim, and Kim Ryan, I got all my stuff loaded into the car. Maria wasn’t there by 7, so I went down to ask for her at the front desk. The girl there looked at the list of CAs to find Maria’s number, and while she did, I was able to get her last name. Maria got to my room and checked me out, before I rode home with my mom. 

                After unpacking, went upstairs and found The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey flute solo book had come, and Mom had a new bottle cap for me from hers and Dave’s recent trip to Italy. Afterwards I talked to my dad, granddad, and Erin, and then I practiced one of the solos from my book for half an hour and improved my flute-playing dramatically. Then I went down to the new Starbuck’s in Prairie Village, and while I was there, I found Maria on Facebook on my phone and sent her a friend request. 

*Stay tuned for later I shall provide a link to my review of Horizon Academy on my other blog autistdharma.blogspot.com on this post.