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.
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