First Few Days Back at School 2014

Before going back to school I packed up, scooped Peter’s litter box, and sorted some of Cam’s recycling. Then my dad picked me up and we stopped by Walgreen’s to get me some Zyrtec for my allergies and some lotion for my hands. We went to Crazy Dog’s getting Snapple for my drink with a new Snapple cap for my collection with it. We got to school, and I unpacked. After that I made another from a straw and worked on one of my lampshades made from straws. I also got an e-mail from my Film Appreciation instructor and learned that the class will be done on Blackboard. After that I ate dinner with Maria, Thad, Matt, John, and few other students from the hall, many of whom are new and I met a lot of them, which Maria invited us all to do. I took out my recycling and sorted a lot of recycling during which time I found a new shelf, which I used to put a lot of my recyclables, my yarn paintings, and my stamp collection. I talked to Granddad, who told me that he went to their friends Mr. and Mrs. North’s wedding reception where he saw Mrs. Kennedy, my high school principal who said that I was an inspiration to the students at Horizon who came after me. I talked to my dad who said I’d left my Zyrtec and lotion in his car but he agreed to send them to me along with some bottle caps, a Buddhist magazine someone gave him, and a crafts board he meant to bring this morning. I then made thirteen more flowers, using some of the excess straw to make beads.  While I was running on the treadmill, I worked on my handbag made from snack wrappers and saw the King of the Hill episode where Luanne struggles with finding herself while she and Lucky take care of their newborn baby.  I started feeling like having a child, who needs you so constantly, with no ability to be certain about their welfare all the time would really put strain on a relationship, but when I got back I remembered how I once read about a twentieth century Indian guru Hazrat Inayat Khan, who brought his teachings to the U.S. and met an American woman, who he married and had four kids with, and in a picture of his wife, she looked so happy, as if overjoyed to be with the one she loves.

                The next day I found another bottle cap for my collection while taking out my trash and recycling, before going down to the OAS Office to schedule an appointment with Dr. Mayfield about the UCM Autism Spectrum Support Group and scheduling my tests in the Testing Center.  I got there and saw Laci, who looked somewhat morose before she saw me, scheduled an appointment for Wednesday at 12, and gave her my name and phone number in case they needed to reach me. 

                “I’ll see you around, Laci,” I said as I left.

                “Bye,” she said to me.

                After that I e-mailed all the members and prospective peer mentors telling them I was working on getting a meeting going for the Autism Spectrum Support Group. I also found out one of the Prospective peer mentors, John, e-mailed me asking if I would like to come speak to his organization, the Psychology Club about my group on the 27th, and I obliged. Later I confirmed registration for my Film Appreciation class and my Modern Sub-Saharan Africa class. Then I did the first assignment for my Film Appreciation class, read all the readings and watched all the videos for now in my Modern Sub-Saharan Africa class. I learned that for this class, we would have to do a book report on an African novel. I finished the first assignment for that class, a map of Africa where we labeled each country, and only needed to look on-line for maybe three or four of them. I got back and had dinner with Oscar, Connor, David, Jess, Mary, Josh, and Kriti. I went to the hardware store and got a file for my belt buckle, and along the way I picked up some recyclables. I looked at my Lonely Planet West Africa book while running, looking for some novels to do my book report on. I also looked up ways to write a song and found, in wikihow.com a suggestion to write just some random rhyming words to find the rhythm, saying the song Yesterday started by going “Scrambled eggs. Lady, you’ve got such lovely legs.”  I also thought of a perfect rhythm for a song based off my poem Autistic Pride Day Sonnet and thought Maja Toudal may be a great one to sing it. I worked on my handbag when I got back, and then I went to Late Night where I saw on amazon.com a flute solo book for the first Hobbit movie, and told myself, If I take a risk and love someone who will love me the way I deserve to be loved, I will get myself that book as a reward. I also thought I’d just use my bottle caps to make some signs with them glued to a piece of wood saying words such as “Love” and “Breathe.”

                I went to my Early American Literature class the next day, where I found out we needed to read some pages of The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin for our next class period. I didn’t have it yet and I asked my instructor where he could find it, and he said I could get it at the UCM library. Later I got the idea to make some bottle cap signs in the future saying, “Look” and “Now,” all words from pieces of Buddhist calligraphy. I also was told in my World Archaeology class that we would be doing a book report on a book called The Goddess and the Bull, which dealt with an ancient prehistoric site in present-day Turkey. After that I sorted some recycling afterwards during which time I found another bottle cap and stamp for my collections. I ate dinner with Philip while I made twelve more flowers, and Philip told me he couldn’t go to school this semester as he lost his financial aid due to him failing bowling last semester so he’s trying to get a job and apartment in Warrensburg.

 “Well I’m sorry to hear that,” I said.

 “Eh, it’s ok.”

I called Erin and talked to her after that. Later I checked out the book for my Early American Literature class at the library while I realized that in The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King film, Aragorn not having his sword Anduril at Dunharrow or his Elven and Dunedain kin, as well as Denethor being insane, unwilling to light the beacons, and being driven to over the edge and asking his men to flee their posts during the Siege of Gondor, and the lack of the mustering of Gondor, Imrahil, Beregond, and others, made the looming threat of Gondor’s destruction more palpable, as well as justified Elrond’s lack of faith in men, Arwen’s struggle to remain loyal to Aragorn and thus the elves at Helm’s Deep, and Aragorn’s self-doubt, which also helped Arwen to be supportive of him like a good lover is supposed to do. On my way back I realized that Smaug’s weakness being a loose scale in the second Hobbit movie helped introduce Bard as the heir to Dale, and when I got back and realized that I could stimulate dragon fire on stage if I made light shine and wind blow in the same direction simultaneously. I layed out my crown bottle caps in my collection in rows and columns and saw how beautiful it looked with all colors, sort of like the people of the world. I also realized that in The Return of the King movie, all those factors Peter Jackson added that made Gondor’s threat more compelling also did that with Aragorn’s destiny to become king of Gondor, that The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers movie, Treebeard and the Ents deciding initially not to go to war with Isengard makes Saruman’s threat seem more serious, all of which seemed like a very great love story, or rather, a great way to show the love between Aragorn and Arwen in The Lord of the Rings films. 

                The next morning, I realized that the Elves at Helm’s Deep did sort of fit with them being a symbol of hope. Then I read a lot of the reading for my Early American Literature class. After that I made five more flowers and some separator beads from the excess straw. I also worked on priest, drummer, and Inuit sorcerer figurines made from plastic bottle caps and realized I could use pipe cleaners to support them and hold them together and make the arms of the Inuit sorcerer by cutting off the edges of milk bottle caps and twisting them into spirals and connecting the edges. I went to the OAS Office at to meet with Barbara, but they told me my meeting was at twelve o’ clock on Thursday. That was weird, I thought. 

Later I posted a response to a classmate’s favorite movies for my Film Appreciation class. I got back and I turned forty-eight straws into beads realizing I could stop my legs from falling asleep if I got up and stretched them every fifteen minutes and I did the Celtic vine meditation as I worked on the straws. I told my granddad about my appointment mix-up and realized my Early American Literature class is at the time I was scheduled to meet Barbara, and I would have to reschedule it. I later saw Philip in the cafeteria, and I read more of the reading for The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin. I read some more while I ran and told myself to read one sentence at a time and the result was that I read faster and down to the last thirty pages. After that I read about plastic bottle cap signs on my phone. I got back and I got my Modern Sub-Saharan Africa textbook in the mail. During Late Night I had two hot dogs, not to mention root beer floats and read about how Dr. King Jr. opposed the Vietnam War partly as it diverted funds needed for the integration of the black community but exploited people in the Third World without benefiting them at all, which the War in Iraq does to the people of Iraq while causing the government to neglect people with autism and others. I also got the idea to use some plastic bottle caps to make signs on our property in Colorado, which is full of trees, and thought that could be done in the Himalayas and other parts of the Third World, where plastic bags thrown away by tourists are a major environmental issue.

The next day I got more of my textbooks in the mail. Then I went the OAS Office and rescheduled my appointment for 9:00 on Tuesday and when I asked Laci, who was working there if she needed me to write down my name and number she said she didn’t because she had it from the schedule on the computer. After that I finished the rest of the reading for my Early American Literature class. 

I felt a little stressed trying to write one whole notebook pages worth of writing for an in-class writing assignment for my that class, only managing to fill most of the page. After my World Archaeology class I saw Laci as I was taking some bottles and cans from the trash can to the recycling bin. I said, “Oh hi, Laci.”

“Hi,” she said smiling, her eyes on a level with mine.

"How are you?"

“Good, how are you?"

"I'm good."

“So, are you going to keep doing the Anthropology Club this year?” I asked.

“Yeah, when I can make it.”

“That’s cool. Are you going to volunteer on Martin Luther King Day?”

“No, I don’t think I’ll be able to make it.”

“Yeah, well good to talk to you.”

“Good to talk to you too.” She said smiling.

As I walked to my dorm, I took another photo of some bare trees that I thought would look good for UCM Photo of the Week and sorted some recycling. I got back and I worked on my four pendant lamps. Then I made several more flowers, using the excess straws from some of them to make separator beads for malas. I also took out my trash and recycling and called Jamie to wish him a happy birthday.

I got a text the next morning from Hillary asking me if I could help one of her friends, John, study for his history class. Remembering my trouble with that class and wanting to help, I agreed. During lunch time I saw Oscar, Connor from THRIVE, Mr. B, and a THRIVE volunteer sitting at a table and I sat with them. After that I worked on my handbags, turned some straws into beads, and made another flower. I also ordered Anthills of the Savanah by Chinua Achebe on Amazon for my novel for the book report for my Modern Sub-Saharan Africa class at the Union computer lab. When I got back to my dorm, I added several flowers to my vase full of them and then went to dinner and read a lot of the reading for my Modern Sub-Saharan Africa class. Later I went to my mailbox and found out I got another one of my textbooks. When I got back to my dorm, determined to make my room less full of trash, I resolved to make ten straws into beads each day, twenty on weekends, until the straws in one of my bags were gone. 

The next day I jolted as I realized I had not turned in the map assignment for my Modern Sub-Saharan Africa class, even though I had finished it. I had breakfast with Alex, Tasha, and another THRIVE student, who I forgot the name of. Then after working on my handbag some more, I felt a little stressed about the work I had to do in a short amount of time, but with that stress I felt more motivation to do what Teresa had said and love someone who will love me the way I deserve to be loved. 

I walked down to Hasting’s later, trying to clear my mind. I saw Philip driving by and he told me he was going to live temporarily in the fraternity complex while he looked for a job and place in Warrensburg, since he is a fraternity member. I walked by Walgreen’s and saw smoke coming from the trash can and went inside to tell an employee, who said he would take care of it. When I got down to Hasting’s where I realized that Tauriel defying Thranduil to go save Kili and getting Legolas to join her makes her a strong woman and a genuine female presence in the story and I got National Geographic’s Beyond Our Galaxy: Exploring Our Universe, issue 85 Winter 2014 issue of Sufi magazine, issue 115 of Circle magazine, the February 2014 issue of Mindful magazine, the January/ February 2014 issue of Poets and Writers, and issue eighty-seven of SciFiNow magazine, which had an article about the second Hobbit movie, and I went to Bi-Lo Mart where I got the February/March 2014 issue of National Geographic Traveler. I picked up several recyclables and things to repurpose on the way back, which overfilled a bag I brought, and struggled to hold onto the rest along with my magazines. I was amazed at how much people litter and don’t recycle. 

I saw Hillary and Philip at the dining hall just as they were about to leave. Then I read in SciFiNow about how the Lake-Town was made to be an obstacle in the movie and how the Master was “greedy and cowardly” sort of like Tolkien described him, and a quote by Martin Freeman who plays Bilbo saying, “A hero who doesn’t self-doubt, or a person who doesn’t self-doubt I think is a lie anyway, and I don’t think lying is ever useful or entertaining to the audience. I think anything in real life that we genuinely call heroism is done by us. A hero is someone who looks like us, who feels like us, who is as stupid as we are and who is as scared as we are.” I read more of The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin while I ran on the treadmill. Then I got back and made twenty more flowers. I only turned ten straws into beads, however, and decided to make two more straws into beads from Monday to Friday to make up for it. 

I had always been able to meditation on my own mortality but had cringed at the thought of meditating on that of those I love, especially if she were say someone I dated or loved romantically. However, before I went to sleep, I decided my meditations on death could also focus on the people I love, not just myself, because in doing so I would be able to appreciate having them much more. I read the rest of the reading for my Modern Sub-Saharan Africa class at breakfast before Tyler called and I talked to him. After that I thought about taking the risk Teresa had asked me and remembered my “Unable/You enable” mantra. I also realized I just needed to be confident when I ask anyone out, even though I had not done it for nearly two years.  I did some laundry later and collected my stuffing as usual to make into paper, similar to the way discarded cloth is often made into paper in India, as many do not believe in cutting down trees, and thought I’d buy a lot of that when I go there as an alternative to traditional paper to save trees.  I ate dinner with Oscar that night and after he left thought to also visit, in addition to India, Turkey, to bear witness to the Armenian Genocide, and also see what other sites the country has to offer. After running on the treadmill, I felt so hungry and went down to a gas station and got some food. After I left, I saw Coke rings and tore them apart. As I walked farther along, I saw an enormous, long-necked goose, who I realized could have choked on those rings, and also was amazed by it, realizing all the different sorts of birds I could see when I travel to Africa, India, and elsewhere after finding a job after college and being able to make the money. I drank my Snapple when I got back, getting another cap, and then worked more on my handbag.

The next morning, I went down to the shopping center in Warrensburg with the barbershop and Hasting’s and got my hair cut, and an issue of SciFi that also featured an article on the Hobbit movie, though it didn’t have any Bilbo courage quotes I could have used. On my way to Walgreen’s to get some supplies I got the idea to cut off the sides of Coke cans and flatten them to make shelves for my toilet paper roll dioramas and replace my old one made from fruit snack boxes and construction paper, which I would keep having buy and take time to add rows and generate a lot of waste from the fruit snack packs. I got to Walgreen’s and bought some toothpaste, shampoo, and Altoids. When I got back, I worked more on my handbags. Later on, I jolted, thinking I had missed the Psychology Club meeting I was supposed to go to, but then realizing it was the next Monday. I called John, Hillary’s friend, who I learned had my same History professor as I did, Dr. Crews, and we agreed for me to find some time for me to help him. Then after finding some cans, worked on my shelf for to toilet paper roll dioramas, cutting my finger in the process, at which I decided to cover them with packing tape. I went down to Crazy Dog’s and got a new bottle cap for my beer and I got the idea to make coasters from Styrofoam for the UCM Autism Spectrum Support Group door prizes rather than bottle cap magnets, which take a lot of finesse and glue. While running I finished the section of The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin we were reading. I also wrote three things I was grateful for in a journal, remembering how I read people who practice gratitude regularly deal with stress better.

I got to my appointment at nine and Barbara and I agreed to get a meeting set up where people could say what times for meetings worked best for them and what activities they would enjoy. I filled out a request form for a room before working more on my shelf. During my World Archaeology class, Dr. Yelton told us that the Anthropology Club met the next day at 6. I got back and finished my shelf before making another flower. Then I ate dinner with Maria, a few other people from my hall, and a UCM student named Antwon, and later we got together at the Rec Center and played some basketball with a few other people on the hall. I turned twelve more straws into beads when I got back and then talked to Tyler on the phone.

 

Winter Break at Home 2013

On my first day of the winter break I got favorable e-mails from the heads of the psychology, social work, and communications department who said they could put the message about peer mentors on Blackboard and their department’s organization websites. I called Hen House and found out they couldn’t put me on the schedule but call me each day that they had a shift available. I told my mom, and she said I ought to go down to the Prairie Village Hen House and tell Phil what was going on and see if I could get some hours at that store, also suggesting it might prompt Phil to call Rick and help him put me down. I realized though that I also probably wouldn’t get many more hours at the Prairie Village Hen House than I would at my own store. I learned the fingering for the Lord of the Rings book CDFGAB by developing a pneumonic that goes Cute Darling Female Gives a Bounty of Hope-which doesn’t exactly follow the pneumonic rules but was catchy to me and just felt right for some reason-and I improved my playing. After that I worked on scrapbooks with covers made from snack wrappers and my bag woven from Hen House produce bags. Then I worked on my bowl made from teabag wrappers and made some rosettes made from teabag wrappers. I tested out my coaster made from receipts on my beer, and it worked perfectly and took a picture to post on Facebook. I also talked to Tyler and agreed we might see the next Hobbit movie tomorrow night.

I talked to Tyler, and we agreed to go see the Hobbit movie that night. Then I finished two tambourines made from bottle caps and helped Mom pack for Colorado. After that I went to see the Hobbit movie with Tyler. I found it to be very action packed compared to the first one, noticing Gandalf getting taken prisoner, and I loved the dragon but was also surprised by the ending, which had a very cliffhanger feeling. Later I realized that I could repaint the letters on that stone with some lacquer paint from the hardware store, realizing I do need to take a risk in loving someone who will love me the way I deserve to be loved. As I was getting into Tyler’s dad’s car, I found a dollar on the ground and took it as a good sign.

The next day I found several more Snapple caps for Tyler. Then I worked on some more bottle cap tambourines, which my mom loved. I also remembered how I promised Teresa I would take a risk loving someone who loves me the way I deserve to be loved and do it even if I get hurt. The next day I grinded up and put leaves in the flower bed for fifteen dollars an hour for three hours. I did some laundry after that. Then I worked on my bottle cap tambourines, flower photo frames for my grandmom and Aunt Laura, which I also decided to make for my mom. Later I also drove to and back from Taco Republic, getting fifteen more minutes of driving and night driving. While we were there, I had some delicious roast chicken tacos, while Dave, an avid Tolkien fan, and I talked about Jackson’s movies, both of us thinking Jackson did a fairly good job of sticking to the story, myself saying that some of the changes simply helped make the movie more cinematic.

“I mean Lurtz wasn’t in the book, but he helps give the Uruk-hai a face.”

My mom shook her head in disbelief.

“Ben, you are just…brilliant!”

We talked about The Hobbit and Bard the Bowman, who Dave said was from the Lake-town of Esgaroth.

“Actually,” I said, “Bard was from Dale.”

“But the Lake-town was part of Dale, wasn’t it?”

“Well, no they were both their own little separate city-states, but the Lake-town becomes part of Dale.”

“Dave, I think Ben’s out-knowledged you on Lord of the Rings,” said my mom nudging Dave in the arm. 

I drove back getting another fifteen minutes of driving. When I got back my granddad called and asked if I would like to help him move things at his church to make some money and I told him I would do that. 

The next day I went to St. Anne’s and did some work for Granddad during which time I realized I could use the broken strap from my old Drawing I notebook to make bottle cap finger cymbals. My granddad paid me twenty-five dollars and then we ate lunch together. When I got back to the house my mom paid me for the work I did the day before. Then I went down into the basement to get some wire from my old journals in one of my boxes and recycle all the paper I didn’t use, and I found in that box my Scythian gold griffin and my Japanese gilded panel. After that I looked at my grades for the semester on my MyCentral account and found out I had gotten all Bs. While I did that, I tore out all the unused paper in my old notebooks from junior college and recycled it. Then I worked on my presents for my mom, grandmom, and Aunt Laura. After that I made my present for my granddad, a pair of finger cymbals made from flattened bottle caps to help him with meditation. I also saw on my Facebook page that Caitlin Samuels had invited me to see Frozen with her. 

The next day I got a new bottle cap from my drink at Better Cheddar and some wood for my tambourines at the hardware store. I got back and finished another tambourine and nearly finished another one. Then I cuddled with Peter thinking of how I would feel warmth doing the same thing with a girl who I loved and loved me the way Teresa talked about. After that I got a call from Hen House saying I’m working from 12-8 on Sunday, 8-4:30 on Monday, and 12-8 on Tuesday. I also went to Winstead’s with Granddad, then Barnes and Noble where I got the January 2014 issue of Shambhala Sun, the January/February 2014 issue of Afar, and a Moleskin Hobbit journal for my travels to India realizing that they may sort of be like Bilbo expanding his own horizons. Then we went to the Pathless Land where I meditated and did the closing. Afterwards I realized Granddad seemed to be telling me all along to keep my mind open to all the possible girlfriends who would come into my life.

               

The next morning Ian called, and we arranged a ride home from the reunion. Then I heard Caitlin say she could see the movie on the 26th. Later I grinded up some more leaves and spread them over the flower beds in the back yard. I drove to the Horizon Academy reunion getting ten more minutes of driving and night driving, while my mom talked to Dave on her cellphone, making me incredibly nervous, but I drove well all the same. She got there and said, “See I wasn’t there to give you instructions and you did fine.”

As I stepped out of the car, a strange feeling was upon me like I had just entered another world. At the reunion I saw several old friends of mine from school: Ian for one, then Matt Gauer. I saw my former high school teacher, Vicki Asher, looking exactly the same as when I saw her years ago. She hugged me and told me that they took the Horizon students to visit UCM.

“And we were all like ‘Where’s Ben? Where’s Ben?’”

I laughed.

After some pizza, Mrs. Kennedy our former school principal took us on a tour of the school. During that time, I heard Matt say that Ian was pursuing a career in some kind of international social work. I saw another familiar face next to me, a girl by the name of Adriana Godsey, with a tall dark young man standing next to her. I learned she was working at KU Medical Center and that the man, her fiancé, had finished school at Pittsburgh University with a degree in broadcasting. I, of course, gave Adriana my sincerest congratulations on her engagement.

We went to the downstairs floor, which had many renovations done to it even since I saw it last year. On the right side of the hall through a door, I saw a room with a dark carpet and a short shiny black stage.

“What is that room?” I asked Mrs. Altman, a teacher who was standing next to me.

“That is our new Blackbox Theater where we have some new drama classes.”

“Really?” I said. “Well, it sounds like it would be a great job, being a drama teacher.”

             “You should come back here and do that some time,” said Mrs. Altman.

“Why I would love that,” I said.

“Well, we have these cards in our reception room, and you could take one and write on the back that you love to come back and do that.”

“Definitely.”

We went back to the reception room, and I did indeed get one of those cards. Then I went with the others into the multipurpose room where there would be a performance of the nutcracker. I saw Sean Swindler there, whose son goes to Horizon. We said hello and I told him about how soon we would need the right paperwork for the peer mentors. He said he would get that to me sometime and would be sure to come down to Warrensburg sometime and help the UCM Autism Spectrum Support Group get more members. During the performance I put down on the card what was going on in my life which there was a section for and indeed mentioned my desire to come back and be a drama teacher. 

After the performance we went back into the reception room. I saw my old middle school teacher Bob Fritch. He said to me, “You were always the professorly one I remember.” 

He asked me what I was studying, and I told him my major was in Cultural Studies.

 “Do you think you’ll teach that some day?” I explained to him that I was planning on starting a film making career but sometime after school, in order to support myself, help in archaeological digs and hands-on cultural projects for kids with Down syndrome.

            “Well, you ought to come and teach here,” said Mr. Fritch.

“Well, yeah that would be great. Mrs. Altman said I ought to come back here and be a drama teacher and I thought that would be great.”

“Definitely.”

I later saw another familiar face, a dark-haired girl Jordan. I learned she was at Johnson County Community College and planned to get a degree in Occupational Therapy.

 “That’s cool,” I said.

 “Yeah,” she smiled brightly at me, and I smiled back. Then I met the new intern for my old school counselor, a woman with short blonde hair and a very kind face who said she knew both my dad and my grandmom, the former Dean of Education at the University of Kansas City, Missouri. I saw another old friend Riccardo Rossi, who earlier told me he had planned on being a counselor. I asked him if he still wanted to do that.

“I don’t know, just because it can be kind of stressful.”

“Well, any job can be stressful.”

“That’s true. What do you do about stress?”

“Well, I exercise regularly, have some hobbies, make time for friends…"

“I mean at work?”

“Well, I just take a deep breath and remind myself that there’s no moment to be in other than this one.”

“Yeah,” he said nodding slowly. 

After that I saw Mr. Epstein and got a chance to tell him about school and my blog Ben’s Blog, which he asked if any of the students might find interesting. I told him they might as they or someone they know might be on the spectrum and it deals with college, relationships, and independent living. I then went home with Ian Sneid and another one of my fellow students, Jacob Rasmussen, who told me that another one of my fellow students, Austin Oerkhe, was going to UCM. I got home and told my mom, dad, and granddad about tonight and about how they said I ought to be a drama teacher there and they were all really excited for me. My granddad told me that he also believed I would do a lot for the autism community. Then I worked on my bag woven from Walmart bags and organized my stash of plastic bags to repurpose up in my room. 

I drove to my psychiatrist appointment the next morning, getting ten more minutes of driving, to the post office, getting another ten minutes, to Bruce Smith getting another five minutes, then home, getting another five minutes, and got much better at turning hand-over-hand. I got a call from work asking me if I could come in on an emergency shift and I took it. I drove to work getting another ten minutes of driving. I also got a new Snapple cap on my break. I drove back home getting ten more minutes of driving and night driving. Then I watched the extended version of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey with Mom, Dave, and Brenda while I thought about how Tyler is able to contribute to society even while on disability benefits and remembered a quote Dr. Mayfield told me from Einstein about how everyone is brilliant, and you can’t judge a fish by the standards of animals that climb trees. 

The next day I worked on a basket made from some of my plastic bags. Later I practiced my flute for half an hour, getting the fingering used in my Lord of the Rings flute solo book, getting better at it. Then I worked on making a foil statue of a panda bear. The next day at work I sang every now and then to pass time an old song I heard on King of the Hill:

Blue moon on Kentucky, keep on shining. Shine on the one that’s gone and left me blue.

Blue moon on Kentucky, keep on shining. Shine on the one that’s gone and left me blue.

It turned out my voice was much better than I thought. During lunch I got a new Snapple cap for my collection. While I sang, Angela, one of the cashiers said, “Ben, I’ve never seen you like this before. You’re normally so quiet. I love it!” After I got home, I realized that it was perfectly possible for the right services to be universally provided to autistic people as thirty-three states had already mandated that autism be covered by insurance. 

The next day I went to work, during which time I realized that the orcs pursuing the dwarves in the Hobbit movies is very true to the book as the orcs killed and tortured Thrain in Dol Guldur. I also got three new Nantucket caps for my collection on my breaks and lunch. I went to Abby’s birthday celebration after that. I also read that the orcs did march towards Erebor in the second Hobbit movie like I thought. I realized that the Kili and Tauriel romance really did help show the tension between the elves and dwarves in Middle Earth. I also read on lotr.wikia.com (Lord of the Rings Wikia) that during the War of Dwarves and Orcs, Azog tried to claim all the mansions of Durin as his own and many of the orcs fled to the High Pass near Rivendell so the orc chase in the first Hobbit movie kind of made sense. I told Dave this and he said, “Yeah…” sounding somewhat impressed.       

On Christmas day, not having anything for Jamie, Cam, Abby, and Eric, realized I could just give them all five dollars, which would easily make in tips in that day’s work. I drove to work doing well with speed and hand-over-hand turning even though Mom was on the phone, getting ten more minutes of driving. I also got a new Nantucket cap on my break. After I got home, I finished my picture frames made from bottle caps. Then I had Christmas Eve dinner with Jamie, Cam, Graham, my mom, and Dave. I also completed some more of the challenges in my book The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Activity Book. 

I gave Jamie, Cam, Graham, my mom, and Dave, their presents and they all loved them. I got a December 2013 issue of Wired magazine with a cover article on Bill Gates and Bill Clinton and using technology to help the Third World, mouthwash, gum, chocolate, a paint tube shaped pin from the Indianapolis Museum of Art, a craft knife, Stamp Collecting for Dummies, Postal Service Guide to 2013 Stamps 40th Edition, The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien, and a monk dashboard figurine for when I get my driver’s license from my mom and Dave. I also told Dave how I thought the expansion of Arwen’s role in The Lord of the Rings movie and Tauriel in The Hobbit films would have been supported by Tolkien because he meant to give females a greater role in the story, which is why he added Eowyn, and Dave agreed. On the way to my grandparent’s house, I got more of a feeling for American culture from the Postal Service Guide. I gave my dad, my granddad, my grandmom, Uncle Todd, Aunt Laura, Abby, and Eric their presents and they all loved them. I got a Tibetan victory banner and a Lego Architecture Big Ben set from Uncle Todd, Aunt Laura, Abby, and Eric, a $100 debit card and a shirt with a Chinese peace sign from Grandmom and Granddad, and a bird whistle, wooden Indian block printing textile stamp, Beer Crafts: Making the Most of Your Cans, Bottle Caps, and Labels, and Lonely Planet books on Tibet, Bhutan, and Mongolia from my dad. I learned some more of what I wanted to do in Tibet, Bhutan, and Mongolia from my travel books. I also realized that I could draw attention away from autism organizations that spend more on their executives than services for people with autism when I tell people what I’ve done as a person with autism. I went on the annual Christmas walk with Jamie, Cam, Dad, Granddad, Uncle Todd, Aunt Laura Abby, and Eric where I took several great pictures and walked to the edge of the forest with Uncle Todd and Aunt Laura. I got back and built the Lego Big Ben set. I ate dinner with Jamie, Cam, Abby, and Eric afterwards. Then I learned more of how my travel plans to Tibet, Bhutan, and Mongolia will go. I later realized that Azog being resurrected by Sauron and Bolg working as an interrogator at Dol Guldur makes sense because Gandalf came to Erebor with the news that the orcs led by Bolg were coming to attack after being in Dol Guldur, that the orc pursuit made sense because of Thrain having one of the dwarf rings, so therefore the orcs being hunted down by Legolas and Tauriel and the romance between Tauriel and Kili made since, and that the third Hobbit movie might open up with Gandalf talking to Thrain in Dol Guldur. When I got back, I talked to Tyler, and I told Dave how I thought the third Hobbit movie might open up with Gandalf meeting Thrain in Dol Guldur and he said he heard that would happen. I also saw that Caitlin had messaged me on Facebook asking if I could go see Frozen tomorrow. Since my brothers, dad, grandmom, aunt, uncle, and cousins were all planning on us going to see a movie that day I asked her if she was available the day after that.

The next day I told Caitlin through Facebook messaging that I could meet her anytime between 12-6 tomorrow and asked her to name a time and place. Then I got to my grandparent’s house before my dad, Jamie, Cam, grandmom, Uncle Todd, Aunt Laura, Abby, Eric, and I went to see The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug. I realized that my popcorn bag had a poster of the movie and decided to frame it, and after the movie was over to make the other’s bags into beads. During the movie I watched the movie, during which time I realized the way Peter Jackson told the conflict of the Elves and the Dwarves as being over jewels was true to the story as those jewels were what the Mirkwood elves besieged Erebor over before the Battle of Five Armies, that I am able to be valuable to a lot of people, not just with autism, for what I do for autistic people, as many have autistic loved ones and prejudice, stigma, and discrimination are self-destructive. Soon after it was over, I got the idea to make some robots out of cigarette boxes I collected for Tyler to play with, one representing the ego, another representing the id, and the other the super ego, to help teach him self-restraint. I got back and as I saw Dave with some new ice cream, I decided to eat it less nights to cut down on human waste, and I recycled all the cigarette boxes I collected except for some for beads and Tyler's robots. Then I found Caitlin said she could meet tomorrow at 10:45 at Town Center, and I said I’d meet her there. After that I gave Mom two bottle cap tambourines to give to Kyley and Hunter for Christmas and finished one for myself. I put my cousin's up on the top of a cabinet so Wally wouldn’t chew on them. 

                The next morning before I went to sleep, I realized how even though people have said that Gandhian economics wouldn’t have allowed India to become an economic superstar, it seems India’s real glory is the rich becoming richer while the poor become poorer, unlike Bhutan’s gross national happiness. After my meditation, showering, and breakfast, I drove to Town Center afterwards getting twenty more minutes of driving. Then I saw the movie with Caitlin at the movie. When it was over, we both seemed to have really liked it.  After the movie, Caitlin and I ate lunch at Panera and learned more about each other. After she gave me a ride home, I found my stone Teresa gave me. Then went to Bruce Smith where I got the December 2013 issue of National Geographic, the December 2013/January 2014 issue of Archaeology magazine, Sacred Places of the Ancient World from the editors of Archaeology magazine, and Mandela: His Life in Pictures: 1918-2013 and my medication. I then traded in a bunch of ones and quarters for fives. I also decided to take my World Archaeology tests in the Testing Center next semester. I ate dinner with the Wendland’s during which I heard Cam talk about his dorm life, with his building being largely Asian, and my mom suggested that the Chinese send their kids to America to be educated to meet the Chinese girls Americans have adopted and that their government probably became so corrupt because they were short of money. I got back and packed up for the trip to Colorado tomorrow. I also decided I would take my Early American Literature tests in the Testing Center as well.

Preparing For Finals Fall 2013

On the first day if December my dad gave me a ride back to school on which he brought me several bottle caps, from which I found three new ones for my collection. I got back and unpacked. Later I took all my wood shavings outside to the Ellis courtyard, where I found a box for a shelf for my magazines, another bottle cap for my collection, and three more pebbles. I also found another bottle cap while sorting some recycling in Ellis. I passed by the THRIVE hall, where I saw Mary and we exchanged Thanksgiving news. I got back to my dorm and turned the box into a shelf for my magazines, worked on some bike streamers and collages made from snack wrappers, and made some more flowers from straws. Down in the cafeteria, I ate dinner with Tom. Then when he left, I ate with Amanda and a first-year THRIVE student named Anna. After they left, I ate with Autrey and another first-year THRIVE student named Connor. While I ate, I worked on my bag woven from Walmart bags. After I got back from dinner, I found in a bunch of papers my mom had given me an invitation to my high school reunion on December 19 at 6. Then I worked on my bottle cap figurines. After that I talked to Erin. I read the reading for my World Masterpieces class while running on the treadmill. I talked to my mom, and she told me about Caitlin Samuels, a girl who our housekeeper Ruth cleaned the home of who was only two years older than me and like me on the autism spectrum. She had just gotten back from a veterinary tech school in Colorado and was working with animals, as was her passion. My mom and Ruth thought we would get along very well and that I ought to get to know her. Later on, I talked to Tyler.

The next day in my Drawing I class I decided that my original still-life idea would take too long and decided to make mine of Denver, Colorado, using one of the beer bottle caps my dad brought me for a brewery sign. Later I ate lunch with Anna, Amanda, David, Logan, Oscar, Mary (the other Mary), Kinsey (another THRIVE student), and Connor. During my World Masterpieces class, I found out I got a C on the last exam. Later I worked on my snack wrapper collages of Maja Toudal and Thomas Jefferson. Afterwards I found another Buddhist site in Rajasthan to visit though I didn’t remember seeing in in my Lonely Planet book so I wondered whether going there may endanger the site, then whether governments would be willing to protect such sites if they didn’t see tourist dollars in it. Later I met some people in the cafeteria at Late Night. I still felt all the while that I did wish I had someone to share myself with, not knowing how that would come about. 

I got done a lot of my Algebra assignment in class and after class. During my North American Indian class however, I couldn’t help but be distracted by the stress I felt taking a full course load in addition to building the UCM Autism Spectrum Support Group. As I did, I looked around the room.  Laci saw me and she smiled, and I smiled back. Suddenly I decided to just be in the present. I also realized sometimes we really don’t need to look far to find what will truly make me feel more relaxed and happier. I also decided that next semester I would go to the Anthropology Club meetings some more, having a feeling I would like something about going there. I left class feeling very relaxed and went to the next UCM Autism Spectrum Support Group meeting. Only Dr. Mayfield showed up but I still felt it was a productive meeting. She told me the names of the heads of the social work, communication disorders, psychology, and nursing departments so I could e-mail them about finding peer mentors. She told me that the THRIVE Award ceremony was tonight, and I suddenly had and told her of an idea to give the THRIVE program things I’ve made from junk as prizes for the rewards people got and she thought that was a great idea. She also told me of an environmental craft fair each Earth Day with the Student Environmental Club at UCM. Afterwards I finished my Algebra assignment and worked on my still-life. I also talked to Tyler. 

 

The next day in my Drawing I class I decided that my original still-life idea would take too long and decided to make mine of Denver, Colorado, using one of the beer bottle caps my dad brought me for a brewery sign. Later I ate lunch with Anna, Amanda, David, Logan, Oscar, Mary (the other Mary), Kinsey (another THRIVE student), and Connor. During my World Masterpieces class I found out I got a C on the last exam. Later I worked on my snack wrapper collages of Maja Toudal and Thomas Jefferson. Afterwards I found another Buddhist site in Rajasthan to visit though I didn’t remember seeing in in my Lonely Planet book so I wondered whether going there may endanger the site, then whether governments would be willing to protect such sites if they didn’t see tourist dollars in it. Later I met some people in the cafeteria at Late Night. I still felt all the while that I did wish I had someone to share myself with, not knowing how that would come about. 

I got done a lot of my Algebra assignment in class and after class. During my North American Indian class however, I couldn’t help but be distracted by the stress I felt taking a full course load in addition to building the UCM Autism Spectrum Support Group. As I did, I looked around the room. Laci saw me and she smiled, and I smiled back. Suddenly I decided to just be in the present. I also realized sometimes we really don’t need to look far to find what will truly make me feel more relaxed and happier. I also decided that next semester I would go to the Anthropology Club meetings some more, having a feeling I would like something about going there. I left class feeling very relaxed and went to the next UCM Autism Spectrum Support Group meeting. Only Dr. Mayfield showed up but I still felt it was a productive meeting. She told me the names of the heads of the social work, communication disorders, psychology, and nursing departments so I could e-mail them about finding peer mentors. She told me that the THRIVE Award ceremony was tonight, and I suddenly had and told her of an idea to give the THRIVE program things I’ve made from junk as prizes for the rewards people got and she thought that was a great idea. She also told me of an environmental craft fair each Earth Day with the Student Environmental Club at UCM. Afterwards I finished my Algebra assignment and worked on my still-life. I also talked to Tyler. 

The next morning, I found the Buddhist monastery I found was in my Lonely Planet book so it was alright to visit. During my Drawing I class I tried showing the boundaries of my still-life using the right shading. I did a lot of the reading for my World Masterpieces class though I only got a one out of five on the quiz. After class I did the course evaluations. Then I finished my Algebra homework. I walked around campus later on taking a lot of photos that I thought would look great in UCM’s Photos of the Week. Then I got back to the dorm and worked on some bike streamers, collages, and scrapbook covers made from snack wrappers, my bag woven from Walmart bags, and made some more flowers. After that I went to a mandatory checkout meeting for the hall where we just talked about checkout procedures. I did some work on my coaster made from Kool-Aid and Capri Sun pouches while I ran on the treadmill. Back at the dorm I worked on my handbag made from snack wrappers. I also talked to Tyler again.

The next morning, I passed the Algebra practice exam with a 72.2%. Later I ate lunch with Connor, Kyley, Mckenzie, and a few other students from the hall, during which Kyley offered to sell me a ticket to her sororities, Alpha Omicrom Pi’s, waffle breakfast fundraiser for arthritis. I needed to go to the bank to get some money, but I told her I could come by her dorm after that and buy them. Later I got halfway through the book report for my North American Indian class. During my that class I had an idea to use my red-and-yellow striped straws and blue-and-green striped straws to make a wreath with blue, red, yellow, and green stripes, the idea coming to me as though I had found my muse. Afterwards I sent out the e-mail to the UCM Autism Spectrum Support Group members about the movie night. Then I went to the bank and got some money, got back to Ellis and bought the tickets from Kyley and found out the breakfast was on Sunday from 11-1:30 though I first misread it and thought it started at 11:30. Then I went to dinner where I ate with Levi and Jacob, a first-year THRIVE student who was in school with me during high school. Levi asked me if I would come by the THRIVE Christmas party and I said I’d stop in and say hello. I took out my trash and recycling later and then stopped by the THRIVE Christmas party to say hello to everyone. Then I went to the Fun Before Finals Night where I took the popsicle eating challenge where if I ate a whole popsicle in under one minute I got a free Dairy Queen chip, and I won. I got back and I read the reading for my World Masterpieces class, and I worked on my handbag. 

After my Drawing I class the next morning, I did another response paper for my World Masterpieces class. I tried finishing the North American Indian book report before 3:30 to make in time for the movie night. I think I did fairly well except I forgot to proofread some, but I did get in into the instructor’s mailbox on time and got to the movie night, though no one was there. Later I made some bird puppets from straws and some tambourines from bottle caps, the latter for Christmas gifts. After running on the treadmill, I went to the Ellis carnival where I saw Logan, Kinzey, Oscar, and Mary. I also worked on my handbag and made another flower. 

The next day I worked on my travel plans to Rajasthan, where I learned several of Gandhi’s ashes are scattered so I thought I’d visit that place where they are. After that I sorted a lot of recycling in Ellis. Then I worked on my collages, beads, and scrapbook covers made from snack wrappers. Then I sorted my recyclables a little better. Later I worked on the final project for my Drawing I class during which I realized ways I could improve my drawing. While I was on the treadmill, I worked on one of my handbags. I got back later and read a review of The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug on theonering.net, which made me anxious to go see it. Then I sorted some more recycling in Ellis.

The next morning, I went over to AO-My-Eggo, taking a lot of pictures of the beautiful scenery on campus on my way. I got there and sat down at a table, enjoying some waffles (which were rather bland but still helped raise money for arthritis research), coffee, tea, and lemonade, while I sat down looking up things on my phone. A few tables away sat a bunch of guys talking amongst themselves.  One of them saw me and said, “Hey, you want to come sit with us?”

“Ok,” I said.

I sat down next to a tall dark-haired student, while a Black student of medium height sat across from me, and diagonally across from me sat one student with long dark hair. The one next to me introduced himself.

 “I’m Luis,” he said.

 “Hi, I’m Ben.”

 I shook his hand.

 “I’m Chris,” said the student sitting across from me.

 I shook his hand. Then the last of them introduced himself to me.

 “Hi, I’m Ryan.”

 I shook his hand as well.

 “So, you all know each other?” I said.

 “We’re in a fraternity together,” said Luis.

 “I see.”

 “You ever thought of joining a fraternity?” Chris asked me.

 “Well, I guess I could in the future.”

 “Well, we’d be glad to have you come to our events," Chris said. 

 “Yeah, if you give me your number, I'll text you when we have something going on,” said Luis.

 “Sure.”

I gave him my number and he gave me his. We spent the rest of the time talking about things such as where we were from, our majors, career interests, where we lived, etc. A short blonde girl wearing an Alpha Omicrom Pi shirt came over to our table.

“Are you guys enjoying everything?” she asked.

“Well, the waffles are ok, and they didn’t have the fruit which we were excited about, but we’re just here to support a good cause."

I nodded in agreement.

 “Well, let me know if I can help you with anything,” said the girl.

 “We will,” said Luis.

Over a few tables down I saw Emily from my Drawing I class sitting with a group of girls and went over to her to ask her a question.

 “Hey, Emily,” I said, and she looked over at me. “Do you know when our Drawing I final is?”

 “Wednesday at 8.”

 “Ok, thank you.”

 “As 1:30 approached we all started clearing our places to leave.

 “Well, nice to meet you, Ben,” said Luis.

 “Yeah, you too,” I said shaking his hand.

 “Yeah, we’ll call or text you whenever we have a fraternity event going on.”

 “Sure. Thank you.”

After the breakfast I got on my Facebook account I looked up Caitlin Samuels and I sent her a friend request. After that I studied for two fifty minute study blocks for my North American Indian class, with a ten minute break in between during which time I found my friend request had been accepted. Later on, I worked on my handbag while I ran on the treadmill. When I got back, I talked to Tyler some more. I also worked on my belt woven from lollipop wrappers and my tambourines made from bottle caps. 

On Monday morning I called Hen House and asked to speak to Phil.

“Phil isn’t working here anymore; he’s now working at the little hen House permanently.”

“Oh, because I’m coming home for a few weeks and I wanted to get some work over the holiday so who do I talk to about that?”

 “Our new assistant manager is Rick, and he’ll be in tomorrow at eleven.” 

 “Ok, thank you.”

After that I did my paper for my Drawing I class. I later saw an e-mail on my UCM account from my mom about finals week in which she said, “I know you’ll do great.” Then I went on Facebook and asked Caitlin how it was being back at home and how she was enjoying working at Shawnee Mission Animal Clinic. Then I did my two other response papers for my World Masterpieces class. I got back to my dorm and worked on my bag woven from Walmart bags.  Then I took out my trash and recycling during which time I saw a load of bottles and cans in a bag at the top which I opened and started taking them to the recycling bin. Philip, walking out of the dining hall from work said, “Ben you’re very brave.”

I got back to my dorm, and I made two origami boxes for Tyler, one for his bouncy ball collection and one for his marble collection and turned my popcorn box into a box for his bottle cap collection. Then I worked on my bottle cap tambourines. Then I worked on my handbag while I ran on the treadmill. I got back and worked on my picture frame made from receipts. After that I talked to Tyler while I worked on one of my trellises made from bottle rings and twist-ties.

              

The next day I called Hen House and told Rick I could work anytime from the 14th to the 27th of December except for the 19th after five and he said he’d put me on the schedule. Afterwards I finished that piece of wall art made from toilet paper rolls. Then I submitted my take-home final to SafeAssign. After that I got a text from Hillary saying Mardy and I should be roommates next year. I texted her back saying I thought that would be a good idea. I got back and I worked on my bag woven from Walmart bags and a scrapbook cover made from a snack wrapper. Then I got a text from Mardy asking me to be his roommate in Foster/Knox. I texted him back saying I would love that. He texted me asking me if I would meet him at 8:30 in the Ellis Dining Hall and I said I would. I realized I’d be living in a place with no rules on alcohol so I might find more bottle caps. Later I worked on my take-home project for my Drawing I class. After running on the treadmill for about half an hour, I went to the dining hall and met Mardy, and was shortly followed by Hillary, Philip, and a tall Black man in about his mid-thirties. He smiled at me.

“Hi, my name’s London,” he said.

“I’m Ben,” I said and shook his hand. He then explained to me that he lived near Philip in Foster/Knox. Philip told me that the university wanted to lease its apartments more to lower classmen and that people who wanted to apply for an apartment and keep living in theirs now had to apply for a raffle, and if their name was drawn, they would be chosen to live in an apartment, and Philip now worried he wouldn’t be able to stay in Foster/Knox.

“You might as well accept it. There’s nothing you can do,” said London.

I went to my Drawing I class the next day and found out I got an 85% on my last portfolio and my midterm project. Then we went around the room critiquing people’s final projects and people had some good things to say about my work as well as some helpful suggestions. I worked on my bottle cap tambourines afterwards. Then I did some sweeping. After that I took a walk to clear out my head. I went to my World Masterpieces exam later and I think I did pretty well. I got back and worked on my handbag. After that I took a nap to recover some of my strength. Then I took out my trash and recycling. I sorted some recycling afterwards. Then I signed out for tomorrow. That night I talked some more to Tyler and then sorted some recycling.

The next day I went outside my Algebra classroom and found it wasn’t meeting. Then I checked my phone and found out the final time was Tuesday from 11-1, but I could still take my final in the Math Lab until Friday. I went in and started the test, until an instructor had to restart it after I used the calculator on my phone. I started again with a graphing calculator and finished it with a 62% but I passed the class with an 86%. After that I took my North American Indian final, which I thought went pretty well. 

I finished packing up, got checked out, and my mom came and picked me up. I got all my stuff in her car and then got inside. She said to me, “I’d let you drive but I need to be somewhere after I get home and you drive a lot slower than I do, plus I bet you’re kind of tired.”

We drove for an hour until we got home. My mom decided not to go to whatever she had planned earlier and that night I had my first home-cooked meal in a while. Dave was not home at the time. Afterwards I e-mailed all the heads of departments telling them about my group and asking if they would get the word out. Then I called Erin. I also talked to my Granddad mentioning the prospect of asking out a girl, and he told me that people love to talk about themselves. I realized I could get a girl to say a bunch of things about herself, and at the end say, “I enjoyed hearing about you. I’d love to get together and hear more.” Then I went into the kitchen later to get a beer and saw Dave. He said, “Ben, welcome back.”