Seven Days of Summer

The day after I got back from Colorado, I scooped up Peter’s litter box before eating dinner with my dad and Cam. I showed them the bracelet I made, and they both said they should sell really well.  When I got back, I worked on my bottle cap snake before going down to Starbuck’s, as I had so much this summer. I made another bracelet when I got home, making it my resolution to make one bracelet a day before the silent auction. I told my granddad about the bracelets, and he too said they should sell really well.

                The next day I went to Starbuck’s and read more of Water Touching Stone. After that I found out Build-a-Bear Workshop ended their partnership with Autism Speaks. Then I made another autism awareness leather bracelet. My dad met us to take us to the lake and I gave him the belt I made in Colorado for Father’s Day. We got to the lake house and then went to the market and got some beers, from which I got three new bottle caps to repurpose. We met my grandparents, and they liked my belt, snake, and bracelets, and Cam said he had some bottle caps for me. Then I worked on my letter to Alpha Xi Delta asking them to end their partnership with Autism Speaks too. 

                My granddad suggested that they could be sold for ten dollars apiece, which my dad agreed with. My granddad and I also agreed to go to a labyrinth on Thursday with my grandmom in place of the Pathless Land on Wednesday, as well as Winstead’s and then Barnes and Noble. Then we went to the Canoe Club. I got back and found the bottle caps Cam had for me, as well as two new Snapple caps for my collection. Then I worked on my bottle cap snake. After that, I drove Cam around the block so he could show me how his car worked, as I had not driven it before.

                The next day I went to my art class where I was fairly satisfied with my progress on Mom and Dave’s painting of Leadville, and Donna asked me to e-mail her to keep in touch. I went into the village and saw Nick from my old high school who I learned is taking CLEAR classes at JCCC and has a girlfriend, and we exchanged numbers. Then I went to Starbuck’s, where I got an idea for how to stitch my Kool Aid pouch wallet together and read more of Water Touching Stone. I got back and spent the rest of the day stitching my wallet together, taking a break to make another bracelet.

                I continued stitching it together until nearly two in the morning. After meditating, eating, and showering, I finished stitching my wallet in the next seven hours. Afterwards I made two more coasters from receipts for the silent auction. Then I went down to Starbuck’s and read more of Water Touching Stone. I got back and talked to my granddad who suggested I pick out $50 worth of things from Barnes and Noble, and I got the idea while talking to him to make a coffee sleeve from old t-shit scraps tonight to see how much I could make when I’m away at school. I also made another bracelet.

                The next day I made another bracelet, as was my pledge, and later got a new bottle cap for my collection from my drink I got at Better Cheddar. Soon after that I went to see a glass labyrinth at the Nelson Atkins Museum of Art. My grandmom was sick that day, and unable to make it. We walked through the Nelson, and then got outside and found the labyrinth. As I walked through it, it felt so uplifting and mesmerizing, and I came out feeling almost completely different than before. My granddad was amazed that I didn’t run into walls as he and my grandmom had before. Later we went to Winstead’s, and then to Barnes and Noble, where he gave me fifty dollars to get anything I wanted there. As I was going in, I got a call from Tyler and told him I would have to call him back later as I was celebrating my birthday. I ended up getting a book called Rumi: 53 Secrets from the Tavern of Love and a CD by Nigerian artist/revolutionary Fela Kuti called Fela: The Best of the Black President 2. Afterwards I felt incredibly tired.

                “It’s partially from working on my letter to Alpha Xi Delta,” I said.

                “Well, you poured your heart out,” said my granddad.

                “When I get home,” I said. “I’m just gonna rest.”

                “What about calling Tyler?” my granddad asked.

                Sure enough I called Tyler when I got home before getting some rest that I very much needed. The next day I went to my art class for one last time for a while before going to Starbuck’s and reading more of Water Touching Stone. I also got another new bottle cap I got from a drink I bought at Better Cheddar. Again, I made another bracelet. The next day went very much the same, getting two new bottle caps, making a bracelet, going to Starbuck’s and reading Water Touching Stone. So did the next day except that day I had dinner with my dad at Minsky’s before going down to Better Cheddar again, and then finding a new bottle cap near the glass recycling bin in Prairie Village. Then I got home and packed up my stuff for the next day.

 

Thanksgiving Break 2013

        On the day I went home for the Thanksgiving break, we started brainstorming for our final project, to be worked on in class and outside, for my Drawing I class: a drawing of a still-life. I got the idea to make dancing and drumming Africans from plastic bottles caps with wire for the arms, Easter egg shells for beehive huts, clay cross graves with straw flowers suggesting the dead died recently, deacons made from plastic bags and wire carrying a body, and the dancers and drummers to show life goes on for the still life, inspired by a story I read in one of my Lonely Planet books of Africa about a man who lived in an African village for years, and saw a funeral a day due to AIDS, the theme of my drawing to be that life goes on. My teacher thought that sounded like a good idea. Later I read a lot of the reading for my World Masterpieces class. Afterwards I sorted some recycling in Ellis and put my recyclables in my closet. I also called work I found out I work on Sunday from 10:30-7, Monday from 12-6, Tuesday from 10-6:30, Wednesday from 8-4:30, and Friday from 10-6:30. I checked out and drove home for about forty minutes before my mom and I stopped at an antique shop, where I had a good time petting the owner’s cats, though realizing that I would soon be home with one of my own cat’s dead body and I got a pocket knife. I got home and found my Lord of the Rings flute book lying on my bed. After that I worked on my bags woven from Walmart bags. I also talked to Tyler who I learned is starting a bottle cap collection. I decided to give him some of my duplicates and make him a box to store them. I went to see Jim Gaffigan afterwards and thought he was very funny.

                The next morning before I went to bed, I sorted out some bottle caps for Tyler during which I found a new one for my collection. After I had breakfast, I went into town and got a haircut. After I got back, I talked to my friend Erin on the phone. Then I practiced my flute for half an hour playing The Prophecy from my Lord of the Rings flute book, though it used a different fingering system than I was used to and had to adjust to it. Later I worked on my figurines from bottle caps. Then I watched World’s End with Mom and Dave. 

                The next day I went to work. I got a new Snapple cap for my collection from my drink at lunch and afterwards I got the December 2013 issue of National Geographic and the Historical Collector’s Edition Obama. I also got the idea to make my bottle cap fish look sort of like Rainbow Fish, from a story book from when I was younger. After I got home, I watched a YouTube video of a scene from The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Extended Version, which I thought was pretty funny, and would love to see, even though I didn’t think there would be much to add. I showed it to Dave, and he thought it was funny too.

                I went to work the next day, getting another Snapple cap during my break. After I drove home with Dave, I realized that it’s good I do my job as many people might love help out after tiresome exhausting jobs, like, as I learned last year, a social worker in a house with thirty screaming kids. Later I worked more on my figurines made from plastic bottle caps and Cam got home. 

I went to work the next day and got a new Snapple cap on my lunch. I also learned about the children’s book that inspired my bottle cap fish idea called Rainbow Fish about a fish with beautiful scales which he was so proud of and one day a fish asked for one of his scales and he rudely refused and after that none of the fish wanted to play with him so he went to the Mysterious Octopus who told him that he should share because it would make him happy and he did and it made him happy, which I guess is sort of like the message of Buddhism. I thought that it could inspire me to write a screenplay where a guy is rejected by his community after he refuses to share his great wealth and is rejected by his community and tries to find a place where he isn’t asked to share what he has only to learn to give back to the community he belonged to. I also realized that Gandhi and his followers living with few possessions may have made them more humble and less likely to be violent and more likely to die for their cause as they had nothing to lose like for that matter suicide bombers or people who commit self-immolation in Tibet, and if Gandhi and his followers had used violence, as opposed to non-violence, the British may have not been able to fight the Nazis as they may have been too overtaxed fighting the Indians and other rebellions throughout their empire and many people on the spectrum lagging behind in basic motor skills and having selective mutism may just be a more extreme version of trying to escape reality.

                While I was at work, I saw the Shawnee Mission East choir working, playing, and begging for money at the store and realized this was the effects of the budget cuts. By the end of work, I made $39.50 in tips. I got home and I realized that part of diversity is about the context in which we talk about different groups. I also worked on my bag woven from Hen House produce bags.

                The next day I walked to work, seeing some gangly-looking crows on my way to work. At work I got three new Snapple caps on my breaks and lunch. I also saw a girl from the Shawnee Mission East choir look really upset as she forgot to bag a customer’s groceries and couldn’t get them to her in time. 

                “Don’t worry. It happens,” I told her. She seemed to feel better. Then after buying a two-liter bottle of Pepsi I realized I could put the top over my Buddha statue with the wrapping as light switch plates and covering the bottom with foil to make an incense burner. I asked Cam if he still wanted his old bottle caps, and he said no, so I got twenty-nine more bottle caps for my collection. I also went to Winstead’s and the Pathless Land with Granddad, the latter where I got the December 2013/January 2014 issue of National Geographic Traveler, the Winter 2013 issue of Parabola, the November/December 2013 issue of Afar, the Winter 2013 issue of Buddhadharma, and the December 2013 issue of Saveur.  I learned about National Geographic Traveler’s Photo contest winners in their magazine and thought I’d check out their photos and submit some one day. I also went to the Pathless Land where I meditated thinking of changing the world while going over the Padmasambhava mantra in my head and I did the dedication of merit. I got home and heard Mom say the budget cut’s support would end in 2014. I fed Peter after that. Then I started working on my vase and incense burner made from a bottle

                The next morning, I found I got my Lonely Planet Mozambique book in the mail. I also found some places to visit in my book. Then I went to my grandmom and granddad’s house and worked on my bottle cap figurine. Then we had Thanksgiving dinner while I said a grace by Thich Nhat Hanh. After dinner we talked to Uncle Todd, Aunt Laura, Abby, and Eric over Skype. We also had Thanksgiving pie. I also decided to make Buddha wall art from bottle caps. I got home and called Erin and wished her a happy Thanksgiving. Then I worked on my bottle cap figurine. 

                I went to work, and I decided to make a wind chime out of bottle caps in my collection. During my breaks I got a new Snapple cap for my collection. I got back and found a new bottle cap for my collection in the stash Cam gave me. After dinner I buried Polly in our backyard, and I said a few words about what she meant to me. The next day I went to Chipotle with Dad and Cam and found out Dad’s giving me a ride back to school tomorrow. Then Dad and I went to Half Price books and got a Lonely Planet book on Rajasthan, Delhi, and Agra, where I learned about some Buddhist caves in southern Rajasthan, and The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug Visual Companion. Later I worked on my bag woven from Walmart bags. I also learned autistic girls may compensate for their lack of non-verbal social understanding by a “sixth sense.”

Lessons in Autism

 On Monday after I got back I worked on my drawing for my Drawing I class some more. During that class we sat and discussed each person’s drawing and when mine was discussed I got a lot of positive comments as well as some good suggestions. I also thought of my bird woodcarving and decided to make my bird the Eastern Bluebird, the state bird of Missouri, where I had all these adventures. Before class got out, I agreed to pay five dollars for gas to Emily in that class, who I was getting a ride with to or field trip to the Nelson Atkins Museum of Art. After class, I went down to the Union and took down the poster board for the UCM Autism Spectrum Support Group.

        When I got back to Ellis, I read most of the reading for my World Masterpieces class. During that class I got a five out of five on the quiz. After class and sorting some recycling, I did my Algebra homework. Then I got some more board for my snack wrapper collages at the Union bookstore. When I got back to the dorm and worked on blocking out the colors for them.
        I later finished my abstract for my North American Indian class but I accidentally forgot to save it. However I knew everything I said on it so I could retype it. I read most of the reading for my North American Indian class on the treadmill. Afterwards I got back and talked to Tyler. I also realized I had one more day than I thought I did to go get something from Those Were the Days to make something for the Print Club.
        The next morning during my Algebra class I got one hundred percent on the quiz. After I got back to my dorm I worked on some beads made from cigarette boxes and then I reorganized my recyclables. After that I finished the reading for my North American Indian class. After my North American Indian class I went to the UCM Autism Spectrum Support Group.
        Only Tom and Matt showed up to the group. We didn’t really do introductions, go over our rules, or pair up two people and take four minutes to get to know three things about the other person as we already knew each other and I suggested two ideas for or next meeting: getting together at a coffee shop, or a music night where we each picked a song that we secretly wrote down on a piece of paper, played it, and everyone would then try to get who picked the song. No one really seemed to care to much either way so they just agreed to have a music night. Tom and Matt left early but I stayed behind until 4:30 to see if anyone showed up to ask about the meeting, which they didn’t. While I did I read on my phone an article talking about how many people with bipolar disorder withdraw from social relationships and I thought perhaps women with autism are often undiagnosed with the condition as autistic traits can overlap with traits of other conditions they may have, such as bipolar disorder or ADHD. I also thought that it may have taken the Buddhist saint Padmasambhava years to subdue the wrathful demons of Tibet to help bring Buddhism to the country.
        I got back to my dorm later and made twenty more flowers from straws. Later I talked to my Granddad and he told me to have some patience with starting the group. Later on I worked on my snack wrapper collage of Maja Toudal some more and I thought it was becoming very satisfying. I also talked to my Granddad some more later on and told him about how I thought my snack wrapper collage of Maja Toudal was coming along great and how I thought all my collages would look very realistic and he said if anyone could make it look like a professional, I could and said that looking at my scrapbooks he couldn’t tell the covers were made from Cheetos wrappers. I talked to Tyler some more after that telling him I would talk to him for twenty minutes then had to go because there was other things I had to do but when he started getting upset over his breakup I agreed to talk to him for five more minutes.
        The next day in my Drawing I class we learned about how to shade a drawing and also how to make lines better. I thought while learning this that I might really enjoy woodburning with all I learned in the class. After my Drawing I class I read most of the reading for my World Masterpieces class. Then I went to that class and found out I got 81% on the exam. On my way to Those Were the Days I found three new bottle caps for my collection and I went to the store and got a jar full of Bubble Up bottle caps with bent edges and insides lined with cork thinking I could make something from them for the Print Club and I remembered how I once read that collections can often stem from memories of or past. I also got a postcard of Craters of the Moon National Park, which I would try and frame and hang on a wall as rock formations kind of have a spiritual feeling for me. After I got back to UCM I took a walk around campus and found another bottle cap for my collection. I also realized just how big this campus really was.
        When I got back I read about how girls with Asperger syndrome will often try to blend in with others and get very exhausted from doing it, and also causing them to go undiagnosed and their apparently unknown fits of exhaustion cold cause them to be misdiagnose as bipolar. During dinner I realized I could make a necklace from one of the bottle caps I got at Those Were the Days, using the knife my dad got me. I also figured out how to shorten my North American Indian abstract to make it two hundred fifty words or less and learned on-line how to put a word count on my paper. While I ran on the treadmill I found the perfect image for my bottle cap necklace: calligraphy done by the Vietnamese Zen Buddhist master Thich Nhat Hanh saying, “Peace within oneself, peace within the world,” inside a Zen brush painted circle. I got back and I took strips of board leftover from the sheets I cut out for my collages to make a yarn painting. I talked to my dad, a professional PhD psychologist, who agreed that coexisting conditions may make it harder for girls with autism to get the diagnosis. I also talked to Tyler, who didn’t talk so much about his break up this time. However that night I did not get any sleep at all.

        The next morning I found I couldn’t find the sheet I had for the UCM Autism Spectrum Support Group with the list of times and places for or meetings so I e-mailed Presley Wehrle from the Office of Student Activities asking for her to resend it. I later went to my Algebra class and got back a four out of five on my study guide though partly because of a grading error and I showed it to the instructor and got back a five out of five. I also got one hundred percent on the quiz. I also read an article on Wrong Planet about how many people told their friends they had Asperger syndrome and it caused those friends to stop being friends with them.
        Later on I finished my abstract. During my North American Indian class, when I was ready to take a nap afterwards from exhaustion, the instructor told us about Saudi Arabia Day in that library at 3:30Shortly after my North American Indian class I went to Saudi Arabia Day where there was an exhibition in the museum of traditional Saudi arts and handicrafts and I stepped out of my finicky eating habits and tried some delicious Saudi food. Saudi Arabia I knew was a country somewhat involved in a conflict between Buddhists and Muslims in Bangladesh where Bengali settlers were evicting the predominantly Buddhist hill tribes of eastern Bangladesh off their lands while the Bengali army and the Saudi-funded Islamist missionary group al-Rabat joined in trying “civilize the heathens.” Eastern Bangladesh and Northeastern India were as far east as the ancient Arab-Islamic empire spread as the jungles of that area prevented Arab-Islamic conquerors from moving into there and cut them off from peninsular Southeast Asia. Yet here at Saudi Arabia Day these things hardly seemed to have any importance to myself or others.
        I got back to my dorm and talked to Tyler whose older brother he told me was having another baby and I told Tyler I was happy for him. I also made two of those necklaces from the bottle caps in the jar I got, including one for myself. Then I took a nap to make up for my loss of sleep. After I got back from the Rec Center I took out my recycling, and then made five more roses from straws. I also talked to Tyler some more.
        The next day I rode with Emily and Kiera from my Drawing I class to the Nelson and paid Emily the $5. When we got there, we went on a scavenger hunt to find certain kinds of paintings listed on a sheet of paper. After we were done I heard Kiera telling our instructor that she was thinking of doing art therapy for children with Down syndrome and told her and Emily as we were leaving the museum about Tyler and some unforgettable experiences I had with him. I told them about some environmental crafts I did and they thought that sounded great. We went to Spin Pizza afterwards where I also got a new non-crown bottle cap from my drink.
       Later I started thinking some people with autism may go misdiagnosed with AD/HD as they are particularly sensitive and thus prone to distraction by certain sensory experiences. Later I sent out an e-mail to the UCM Autism Spectrum Support Group about the next meeting. I got back and I made a flower from receipts to decorate a hairpin. I also went to the Print Club where our faculty advisor told us to bring any sort of artistic creation we felt like bringing to sell at our booth at Those Were the Days that we were going to set up. After the meeting I made another coaster from receipts and I talked to Tyler.
        The next morning I refilled one of my medication prescriptions and did some laundry. I also called my mom asking her to send fifty dollars from my account at home to my account at school which she said she would do. Then I read some reading for my World Masterpieces class. Later I called my mom again and I told her about my medication and she said she would try and have her friend Mrs. Wendland sent it up as she and Dave were in our vacation house in Colorado for about a week longer. She also suggested trying to get people to come to the autism group by sending out personal invitations to those who had already come.
        Later I made one hundred sixty dreidels from plastic bottle caps and toothpicks and after dinner I made twenty-seven beads from cigarette boxes. I used some gum boxes to store those beads, hair bands, paper clips, and teabag strings so I wouldn’t need to store them in cigarette boxes and could make more beads from them. Then I worked on some trellises made from bottle rings and twist-ties. After I got back from the Rec Center I worked on an outline for my yarn painting, depicting Mahatma Gandhi. Then I talked to Tyler for a few minutes.
        After talking to Tyler, I started cutting apart a leather belt I had that was too small for me to make bracelets using the knife my dad got me but as I was cutting apart strips to make strings, I got an awful cut on my thumb and quickly wrapped it in paper towels to stop the blood from flowing out. Then I took a little nap before writing in my meditation journal and while I did, I read on a website about Shambhala arts (contemplative arts in the Shambhala Buddhist community) I learned about the Heaven principle, the principle of the unknown. Then I read about the Earth principle, the principle of one’s inspiration. Then I read about the Human principle, the principle of bringing one’s heart and awareness into the process. I also watched a video of a Shambhala arts class where they were making collages and were supposed to learn about their subjects in the process. Then I watched another Shambhala arts video of a man making music and thought maybe I could inspire myself to play my flute some more if I found some new music to play and get out of my routine. I also sent a picture of my collage to my mom who said she liked it and couldn’t wait to see the final product.

        The next morning, I found three new bottle caps for my collection while sorting some recycling in Ellis after I saw a guy throw away a cardboard pack of beers loaded with cans, found some new pebbles outside when I recycled the cardboard, cleaned my bathroom, and swept my floors. Then I worked on some earrings made from bread tops and my bags woven from bags. Then I read some most of the reading for the past few days and that day for my World Masterpieces class, taking ten minute breaks after each hour where I sorted some recycling and took some photos. After I got back to Ellis I sorted some more recycling on my floor. Later I worked on my yarn painting of Gandhi, made some dreidels from bottle caps, and a little after running on the treadmill for an hour I talked to Tyler.

        On Monday in my Drawing I class I continued to improve my drawing ability. After class I read the rest of the reading for my World Masterpieces class. Later I realized I could stop the inside of my bottle cap necklaces from smearing or smudging by putting some tape over them and I did that after I finished my Algebra homework. I ate dinner with Mary and I worked on my yarn painting some more after that as well as my bag woven from bags. After I got back from the Rec Center I worked on the design for a mandala made from plastic bags while I talked to Tyler.
        The next morning during my Algebra class I tried to pass the practice test a few times but couldn’t do it though I still had until 12 the next night. Later I read the reading for my World Masterpieces class. After my North American Indian class I went to Music Night where Tom and Dr. Mayfield showed up to and I had them both write down a song on a piece of receipt paper. Then first we played Radioactive, then Amazing, Just the Way You Are, then Here Comes the Sun. We guessed soon that Brian picked the first, I played the second, and Dr. Mayfield picked the third.
        After the meeting I saw Monica about to sign up to volunteer with the Special Olympics, and she seemed fairly happy to see me and said she mixed up the time of the meeting. I worked on that bag woven from bags when I got to dinner and Mary passed by my table admiring the project. I realized after I got back from the Rec Center that I could make my mandala smoother if I covered it with packing tape and I made a necklace from a plastic bottle cap and straws. I sent a picture of my plastic bag mandala, my Gandhi yarn painting, and my straw necklace to my dad and he loved them. I also talked to Tyler and thought, while you could say looking after someone with a disability like him can be an emotional burden, other things in my life become less so from learning to deal with him and the same could be so with educators and health care professionals and even if it costs more to provide autistic and others support, in doing so it would cost less to make our educators and medical professionals more productive.
        The next morning during my Drawing I class I continued improving my drawing skills. Afterwards I read most of the reading for Friday in my World Masterpieces class. During that class we talked about how societies coddle girls and ask boys not to show any emotion and wondered if that could have any effect on how girls on the spectrum show their emotions more than boys and be mis/diagnosed with bipolar disorder. After class I passed the practice test. Then I e-mailed Dr. Mayfield asking her if I should start looking to enroll in classes for next semester and she e-mailed me back saying yes. I also sent out a group e-mail and individual e-mails to all the students in the group.
        Afterwards I got some packing tape, magnetic tape, board, and super glue at the Union bookstore. On my way back I thought of how people in inclusive classroom settings have been demonstrated in studies to have more sensitivity, problem-solving skills, and leadership skills and that if future politicians were more like that our government would do things that were more beneficial to people and “paying it forward,” like providing Head Start programs. When I got back I worked on my Gandhi yarn painting and decided to put the Indian flag in the background with the wheel Gandhi and his people used to help themselves achieve their independence. While I ran on the treadmill I did a planning drawing for a snack wrapper collage of Pablo Picasso, also on the autism spectrum. When I got back to my dorm, I worked on that bag woven from bags while I talked to Tyler. I also got a new quarter for my collection when I went down to get a snack from the vending machine.
        The next morning during my Algebra class I got a 94.12% on my test and then I finished the study guide and started on the next homework assignment. When I got back to Ellis, I read the reading for my North American Indian class and started on the role-playing assignment. During that class I got a call on my cellphone, and I later found out it was from the Office of Academic Advising, and I called them back and scheduled a meeting for next Thursday at 10:30. Then I bought some more super glue at the Union bookstore. When I got back, I took the box my mom sent my coat in into the recycling bin outside. Then I went to Walgreen’s and got some Altoids to make dioramas, floss, some packing tape, and a new quarter from my change, then I went to Hasting’s and got the November/December 2013 issue of Poets and Writers, the November 2013 issue of Shambhala Sun, Volume 17, Issue 100 of Ancient American, the November/December 2013 issue of Archaeology magazine, and National Geographic’s The World’s Greatest Empires: A History of Power. When I got back, I worked on my yarn painting of Gandhi some more. Then I talked to Tyler while I worked on some beads made from cigarette boxes. I also sorted some more recycling in Ellis.
        On Friday I didn’t have my Drawing I class so I used a lot of that time to read the reading for my World Masterpieces class. During the class I got four out of five on the quiz. After class I got a new flash drive as I lost my old one, again. I got back and reorganized my recyclables. Then I went down to Hasting’s and got a November 2013 issue of Total Film magazine with an article on the next two Hobbit movies, and Issue 105, Volume 20 of MovieMaking magazine, with screenwriting exercises and I realized now that I have plenty of screenplay ideas, I might try using some of the exercises in one of my books that I could use before because I didn’t have them. I got back and watched Spongebob during dinner, remembering how Monica watches the show. Then I worked on my Gandhi yarn painting and some Oriental stress balls made from straw wrappers. I also decided that in order to not procrastinate on the book report on the book for my North American Indian class Cahokia to try and read ten pages every night. I read eighteen while I was on the treadmill and loved it. I got back and worked on a scrapbook with a snack wrapper for a cover and made a dream catcher from a glow necklace.

        The next morning before I went to bed I made some more beads from cigarette boxes. Then I read an article on girls with Asperger syndrome, about how Asperger syndrome can culminate in depression, how Marilyn Monroe is suspected to have had Asperger syndrome, greatly contributing to her depression, how Lisa Simpson is thought of as a girl with Asperger syndrome, and how many girls with Asperger syndrome become obsessed with looks, dress, and dieting. After breakfast I went down to Hasting’s and got the Historical Collector’s Edition JKF Assassination: the 50th Anniversary Edition as well as an illustrated children’s version of a great classic The Epic of Sundiata, a West African epic called Sundiata: The Lion-King of Mali. Then I went to Bi-Lo Mart and got the current issue of National Geographic Traveler. I picked up and recycled several bottles and cans on my way back.
        Shortly after I got back, I got back I did some laundry. Then I sorted some recycling and found another non-crown bottle cap for my collection. Then I worked on that bag woven from bags and the role-playing assignment for my North American Indian class. I sorted some more recycling and made a stamp from a plastic bottle cap and some Styrofoam. I also read Sundiata at dinner during which I read that the warrior-king of Mali who freed his country from enemy invasion, was, in addition to being born unable to walk, also unable to speak. He was also driven into exile by rivals in the court of Mali shortly before Mali was invaded. Later while I ran on the treadmill, I read fifteen more pages of Cahokia. After I finished running, I saw an ad for an event on campus the next Friday at 7 called Experience Africa hosted by the UCM African Student Organization which would feature music, dancing, poetry, and fashion shows. I got back and read about half of the next day’s reading for my World Masterpieces class. I also realized that maybe, since so many girls with autism find a way to “blend in,” those who would have trouble with speech mimic speaking the way parrots, who don’t actually speak, but manipulate the muscles in their body to stimulate sound, say things.

        The next morning, I woke up earlier than usual to try and get ahead of my workload, thinking my World Masterpieces take-home exam was due on Friday when it was actually due next Monday. I used that time to work on some bike streamers made from snack wrappers. On my way back to the dorm from my Drawing I class I found another pebble for my collection. I finished reading all the reading for my World Masterpieces class and I got a four out of five on the day’s quiz. Afterwards I tried to finish all of the assignment for the next day for my College Algebra class but there were some problems I had a lot of trouble with and couldn’t focus so well on all of the sudden. I got some help in the Student Success Center though some of the tutors took a while to get to me and figure out what to do. I got done all I could before taking a break to eat dinner, which I did with Autrey and Amanda while I worked on that bag, then worked until the Union computer lab closed at eight, realizing that I was really exhausted from hearing Tyler with his problems with Mary. I started understanding how many girls on the spectrum can get tired from trying to blend in with others and wondered if all the work they put into physical appearance was to help them feel respected by their peers and thought I needed one of my medications to do this in the future. I didn’t go to the Rec Center that night but read twelve more pages of Cahokia. I later called my mom and reminded her to wire one hundred fifty dollars from home to my account at school. I also talked to Tyler a little bit. I also wondered if Marilyn Monroe never put so much work into her looks to get respect.
        The next morning, I finished my Algebra homework and only got less than half a percent off for lateness. After class I worked on my North American Indian role-playing paper. Despite feeling limited energy, I managed to go to the UCM Autism Spectrum Support Group meeting and Tom and Dr. Mayfield were still the only ones who showed up. However, when I suggested several activities for next week, such as bingo, trivia, or ice breakers, Tom said, “Bingo,” this time with a lot more enthusiasm and Dr. Mayfield said she thought that would be great and said she would bring prizes to. When I got back to my dorm, I read some more of the blog post on women with Asperger syndrome by Tania Marshall and saw it also included a great sense of humor. After that I made another stamp from a plastic bottle cap and Styrofoam and I ate dinner with Connor, John, and a few other people from my hall. I worked on some Oriental stress balls afterwards and some earrings made from bread tops. I read twelve more pages of Cahokia on the treadmill and shortly after I got back, I talked to Tyler some more explaining how I felt about always listening to his problems about Mary and he agreed to talk about them less.
        The next day during my Drawing I class I learned how to do better wrist movement by balancing my hand on the paper. Later I got an idea to make a Green Man face from plastic bottle caps and wire. I finished my Algebra practice quiz after my World Masterpieces class got out, and then I worked on and edited the role-playing paper for my North American Indian class. I got back to my dorm and worked on my mandala made from plastic bags and started on my Green Man made from bottle caps. I covered my giraffe sculpture made from snack wrappers with packing tape to make it sturdier and have a nicer texture and realized that like a giraffe, I have my head high even when there’s trouble. Later on, I went to a SexEd trivia on my floor and then I read another twelve pages of Cahokia. I also talked to Tyler some more while I made five more stamps made from plastic bottle caps and Styrofoam. I also realized how I’m sort of like a giraffe in that I’m very independent.

 

        The next morning, I went to my academic advising meeting with Krisana and enrolled for Modern Sub-Saharan Africa on-line, Early American Literature, World Archaeology, and Film Appreciation, also on-line. Then I went to my Algebra class where I got one hundred percent on the quiz and got more than halfway through the study guide. I read most of the reading for my North American Indian class afterwards while I sat with Alex at lunch. After class I finished that paper and e-mailed to my instructor before the deadline at 12. I also got a call from the Office of Student Financial Services and found out I needed to fill out a tax registration form and went over to their office and got one. After fixing some of my flowers made from straws and my giraffe sculpture, I ate dinner with Oscar, Logan, and a first-year THRIVE student whose name I forgot and found out from Logan that Ryan collects bottle caps like I do by going onto Coca-Cola’s website and winning bottle caps as prizes. I later saw Ryan at the THRIVE Halloween party and he said he’d sometime show me how to do that. Later I ran on the treadmill while I read ten more pages of Cahokia. I got back and talked to Tyler some more. I also talked to my mom who I found out had sent the money she said she would.

Last Few Days to Finish My Summer Plans

        On the first day of August, I went to work, and my mom returned my Lonely Planet Mongolia book to the library. After work I got a copy of the new National Geographic issue, and I filled out a request form for Thursday and Sunday. I got home and I called Erin in response to her calling me yesterday while I was at work, and she asked if I could get together the next day. I told her how I wouldn’t be available then and we decided to get together another time. I called my granddad and told him about how Emily hadn’t responded to any of my calls or texts recently. He thought it could be due to her ADHD or that she could be on vacation. My mom and I also talked about The United States of Autism and I told her how maddening it is that people buy into “autism charities” that do things like pay more to their executives then they do for autism services, and she said I could definitely help counterbalance that.

                The next day I practiced my flute for half an hour. I also talked to Tyler, and he said Mary said the breakup was about the fact that she was stressed and wasn’t herself and she didn’t want a long-distance relationship. Later I made a few roses out of straws and gave one to Kyley and one to Hunter.  I also talked to my granddad some more and he thought Emily could need some space. I talked to my dad, and he thought her not responding to my texts or calls could be due to her ADHD or her being on vacation. I also called work and found out I work on Monday from 3-10 the next week. 

                The next day while I was at work I decided to slow down in my life and enjoy my relatives being here. After work I talked to Tyler and comforted him after his attempt to get Mary back didn’t go so well. I realized Emily could not be responding to my calls or texts because she was depressed from missing me so much. The next day I worked on my travel plans to Tanzania and Madagascar and a bag woven from bags that morning and had dinner with my relatives and I realized that Emily could have possibly gotten a job taking care of children, as was her passion, and could come home too tired to talk. I also practiced my flute for another half an hour. Hunter came into the sunroom where I was and began asking a lot of questions which made me see how Emily could get tired from working with kids for so long. I later talked to Tyler on the phone for so long that I didn’t get around to telling my dad or granddad what I figured out about Emily, but I figured that was ok as his problems were worse than mine. 

On Monday I realized the next morning that providing services for autism is really a lot better for everyone because it would cut so many costs associated with not doing it. Before I went to bed, I read a lot of a novel called Water Touching Stone. Then after I woke up, my mom, Dave, aunt, uncle, and cousins all went to Powell Garden’s the next day and I found out I had been enrolled in my classes. I also thought it is one thing to make budget cuts, but to not include people with disabilities in them is another. When I got home, I deposited my paycheck and got a new bottle cap from a drink I got at Better Cheddar and later I talked to Tyler. 

As I was deleting several old e-mails, I saw a quote in one of them that said, “What lies before you and what lies behind you is nothing compared to what lies within you.” I also signed a petition to end tax-subsidized CEO bonuses saying I was an autistic person, and I find it unbelievable that the government can afford that but not to provide for us. I added myself as anonymous, but I figured that would make a more powerful statement about society’s treatment of autistics seeing how I chose not to share my name. I later had dinner with my mom, Dave, brothers, aunt, uncle, and cousins. That night I called Erin and found out she couldn’t get together on Thursday and I decided I would try next Monday and then I texted Oscar to see if he wanted to get together on Thursday with Jack and Tyler.  He said that would be great and we agreed to pick him up after my art class. I also found out Emily is on Facebook and changed my status to “in a relationship with Emily Webb.” I thought with us both on Facebook, I could show her I was able to give her some space.

                The next day I got my haircut before I went to work. Then I got home and talked to Tyler who said Mary said she wanted to date him but couldn’t find the time. The next morning, I started to see that autistic people may be driven to commit crime, so they don’t have to feel so invisible.  I also rode my bike for about an hour and I left Mary a message telling her the things Tyler said about how he feels about her.  Later I fixed some of my flowers made from straws and I deleted several e-mails.  While I did, I saw Autrey said, “Great,” in response to my new relationship status. 

                I talked to Erin, and we agreed to get together on Friday at the Cheesecake Factory then go to the Frida Kalho Diego Rivera exhibit at the Nelson. Afterwards on my way to Winstead’s with my Granddad, we agreed that while it may cost health insurance companies money to provide for autistic people, it would save them money on providing for health crises otherwise connected to autism, such as bladder problems, diabetes, and obesity. We ate at Winstead’s again where I got a picture of a moth on the glass window. After we left, I realized people with Down syndrome once had to fight hard to get things like group homes and other services. 

My granddad and I went to Barnes and Noble where I got the October 2013 issue of Mindful magazine, a September/October 2013 issue of Buddhadharma, National Geographic’s 100 Secret Journeys: The World’s Best Hidden Adventures, a September /October 2013 issue of Archaeology magazine, and an August 2013 issue of Empire magazine with an article on the upcoming Hobbit movie The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug. Then we went to the Pathless Land where we did the Chakra meditation again. After the class was over, my granddad said while we were in the car that Tyler probably finds it very liberating that I listen to him, which probably no one else has ever done. At Roasterie Coffee, I got a good picture of my muffin before my granddad took me home.

I got home and saw on the cover of the latest issue of Mindful, it said 3 Ways to Take Better Pictures. I got a text from Emily, and we texted back and forth. I said, “I love you,” and she said, “I love you to.” Then I said, “I can’t wait to see you again,” and she said, “Yeah,” and “I have miss talking to you.” I also talked to Tyler and listened to him about Mary. Then I realized I could make windmills from my super glue bottles, one of which I would give to Erin, who’s always dreamed of traveling to Europe, when I saw her next. That night I dreamt that I got a job offer in Taiwan so I could be there to help its people with their skewed relationship with China and Emily asked if I wanted to get married there.

The next day I drove Jack and I to art class again, getting twenty more minutes of driving. I almost finished another painting, and I learned block in shapes using different shades. Then I drove to Oscar’s house and took him, Jack, and I to my house getting another twenty minutes of driving. We had lunch then swam and tossed a Nerf football and played Marco Polo then my brother’s old version Merde Schiza. I drove Jack and Oscar home getting another twenty-five minutes of driving.

When I got back home, I read Mindful’s article on photography where I learned that three different aspects of it are color, texture, and people. Then I went down to Starbucks and wrote some poetry. Later I took several pictures like they suggested in Mindful and I talked to my dad who asked me what I would like for my birthday. I said something like The Little Book of Contemplative Photography or a book on whittling. He told me had gotten me a great pocketknife and a great piece of wood to carve a ball-in-a-cage. After I was done talking to him, I made two windmills, one of which I would give to Erin the next day.

On Friday afternoon I took several more pictures using the advice they wrote in Mindful then I was picked up by Erin and her mom. I gave her the windmill I made her which she thought was very clever and then we went to the Cheesecake Factory. After our main meal we enjoy some of their cheesecake which filled me up so much I could not finish the whole thing and had to get a to-go box. We went to the Nelson where I gave a dollar to help support their work and saw the Frida Kahlo Diego Rivera exhibit. While I was there, I saw several great photographs which demonstrated that, like the philosophy of contemplative photography, we don’t need great scenery to make great photographs. I also saw how Frida Kahlo’s work had a lot of color to it just like contemplative photos.

When I got home, I realized that substance abuse can really arise from low self-esteem among autistics. I also saw a girl from Tennessee in Good Luck, Charlie, who really reminded me of Emily, while I worked on my bag woven from bags. Then I called work and found out I work Monday from 3-7 Tuesday from 4-8, and Saturday from 11-7:30. The next morning, I cuddled an old teddy bear of mine pretending it was Emily getting a taste of what it would be like if it really was. After I got up and did my meditation, I refilled my prescription and then went to work.

While at work I got my employee birthday slip for a free pie and took some pictures of my M&Ms on my break. I realized that miksang photography is really just a philosophy of how great photography arises. I also realized that even if autism services cost us money, we would reimburse as they create jobs. After I got home, I realized that dream I had about Emily asking if I wanted to get married in Taiwan meant she always values my opinion about matters concerning our relationship. As I watched a Family Guy cut-away with Scarlett Johansson, her resemblance to Emily was just striking.

The next day I went to La Peep with my brothers, dad, and grandparents where my granddad gave me the latest issue of Smithsonian magazine and I took several pictures. I also realized that if parents of autistic children didn’t have to struggle to pay for their children’s services, they could buy more things that would really stimulate our economy. When I got home, I took several more photos and realized the elements of color and texture are in the environmental crafts I make like toilet paper roll dioramas and snack wrapper handbags. I also started to appreciate painting more. Later I helped Dave and Graham set up a studio downstairs in our old basement storage room.

After helping Dave I made another one of my bracelets from Hershey’s nugget wrapper. Then I saved more of Emily’s and my texts, and we texted back and forth.  I told her, “I love you,” and she said, “I love you too.” Then I told her she was really beautiful, and I cuddled with a teddy bear pretending it was her. She said, “Aww,” and I could hear her voice in the texts like she was right next to me.  Emily then said, “I miss you.” 

The next morning, I realized Emily, Jack, and Tyler were all capable of leading normal lives, especially with new college programs available for them. Then I drove to my art class with Jack getting twenty more minutes of driving. While I painted, I saw more of what Donna meant when she said to block in your big shapes and mix the colors on your pallet. I took several pictures of things around the studio and realized contemplative photography helps you to slow down and notice colors like you would when doing a painting. I also drove Jack home and my mom and I to Bruce Smith, then home getting another twenty-five minutes of driving. 

Emily and I texted each other back and forth some more before I went to work. I said, “I love you,” and she said, “Love u too.” I went to work and told Phil I would call him before the breaks started to tell him I would be available to work then, and he said that would be great. After work, my mom, Dave, Jamie, Cam, Graham, and I ate at a restaurant/movie theater called Standees in the Prairie Village shopping center. While we waited for our food, I talked to Tyler outside, who had called me while I was at work, and he said he got me several birthday presents.  I told him that was really thoughtful. Then we talked about Mary, and I told him I knew exactly how he felt from all my past break-ups.

After dinner, my mom, Dave, and I watched the movie Way, Way Back. When I got home, I found a bag inside my home with gummy worms, beef jerky, several chocolates, three ten-dollar Barnes and Noble gift cards, all with a card from Tyler. I talked to him some more on the phone and heard him talk about his break-up. The next day I took several pictures before I went to work. After work, I got Life magazine’s Remembering John Lennon, who was believed to be autistic. I realized how many autistic people can be afraid to speak out against discrimination for fear of the government based on abuse they’ve suffered in schools and health care institutions like I had in my life. I worked on my handbag for Emily a little more then I e-mailed my new roommate Connor, telling him about myself and asking him if he was bringing either a refrigerator or a microwave. I also realized that if I talked about some of my passions to Emily, she might not know how to say what she thinks, but that doesn’t mean she isn’t interested in what I’m saying.

The next day I found out Connor had e-mailed me back and I learned he was from Jacksonville, North Carolina, is a sophomore, and that his interests are church, military, firearms, history, and travel. He told me he would probably be moving into a fraternity house sometime this year and didn’t know how long we’d be rooming together. He also said he was not bringing a fridge or a microwave. Later I went down to the bank and deposited my last paycheck and got a new bottle cap from my drink I got at Better Cheddar. I got home and worked on my handbag for Emily and a lampshade made from straws.

Emily and I texted each other back and forth. She said, “I miss you so bad,” and I said, “I know.  I feel the same way about you.” She said, “Aww youre so sweet Ben.” I said, “Well I love you,” and she said, “I want to cuddle you.” I said, “Me too.” I also realized that contemplative photography is also about being aware of things while you photograph them, and I worked more on my bags woven from bags.

My granddad took me to Winstead’s and when I got in, I saw, sitting at a far table, my grandmom, there to see me for my birthday before I went off to school. I opened my card from them and opened my present from them: a fifty-dollar debit card. I also went to Barnes and Noble where I got the new issue of Tricycle magazine. I went to the Pathless Land for the last time for a while meditating with the others sitting, breathing, and being. After the Pathless Land, my granddad and I skipped going to Roasterie Coffee since Emily had just texted me.

We texted back and forth when I got home, and she asked me what I missed about her. I said I missed practically everything about her, and she said, “Aww that’s so sweet Ben.” It felt good to see that Emily didn’t think of me as someone with something wrong with them because I had autism. She texted me goodnight and I texted her goodnight back. I also realized how politicians just don’t seem to want to help us because they have this notion of “picking yourself up by your bootstraps.”

I drove Jack and I to art class the next day, getting twenty more minutes of driving. While I was there, I got several more pictures, including one of Jack break dancing. I drove Jack home and then to an estate sale, getting twenty more minutes of driving. While at the sale, I found a beautiful pink scarf which I bought for Emily. When she texted me, I told her I got her something at an estate sale.” She said, “Thanks babe that’s so sweet.” 

I drove to another estate sale, getting another ten minutes of driving. I bought Life Pictorial Atlas of the World, and Time-Life’s Ancient America, Barbarian Europe, Early Japan, Classical Greece, Early Islam, Imperial Rome, Age of Exploration, Ancient China, Historic India, Cradle of Civilization, Byzantium, and Renaissance for only thirty dollars. Then I drove to Target, getting myself another fifteen minutes of driving. I got hygiene supplies, snack food, tea, and a mini-fridge. Then I drove back home, getting myself another fifteen minutes of driving.

Back at home Emily and I texted each other back and forth. I said, “I love you,” and she said, “Love u too.” I asked her how work went, and she said she didn’t go because she had pink-eye. I said, “I’m sorry about that,” and that I hope she feels better soon. She said, “Thank you,” and I said, “Sure.  I love you.” She said, “You too.”

I whittled a sword and a knife and worked on whittling a fish and made a bird beak to replace one that broke off my mom’s bird statue. She was pretty happy with it. Then I texted Emily back and forth some more. She asked if she was able to be there for my birthday would I want her there and I said, “Of course I would.” She said, “Aww.” I said, “Of course. I love you,” and she said, “I love you too.”

She asked me why I got her something at an estate sale and I said it was because I thought it would be romantic and look good on her. She said, “Aww Ben,” and, “I miss you,” and I said, “I miss you too.”  We texted later and she said, “Cuddle.” I said, “I’d love to.” She said, “Really,” and I said, “Cuddle you?  Of course.” She said, “Aww.” Then I said, “Youre really beautiful Emily.” She said, “Thank you,” and I said, “Of course.  I love you.” She said, “I love you too.” I also talked to Tyler and told him to resist the temptation to e-mail Mary.

The next morning Emily and I texted each other some more. I told her, “I love you.” She said, I want to cuddle you,” and I said, “I know.  Me to.” She asked me, “And will you hold my hand wherever we go?” And I said, “Definitely.” She asked if I could call her and I said certainly. She said, “Thanks babe love you.”

I called her and we talked on the phone. She asked me what I wanted for my birthday, and I said she didn’t have to get me anything. She insisted though and I told her she could just give me a Barnes and Noble gift card. She also said she wanted to cuddle me, that there was a special app called Tango I could download for free and we could video chat, that she wished she could come back to UCM and see me every day, and that she missed me. I told her I was cuddling a bear pretending it was her and “I love you,” and she said, “I love you to.” 

I called her back after my meditation, and she asked me if I would give her a hug and kiss when she got to school and when she left. I said I would and then I found out for her and told her that Homecoming Week was from October 25^th-27^th. She said she would miss me even more after that. Later she told me she missed me again and I told her I would love to cuddle her. I told her, “I love you,” and she said, “I love you to.”

After we hung up, I got Tango. Once we figured out how it worked, we talked to each other on it and I saw her house and her cat Fuzzy. I showed her my mom, Jamie, the dogs, Peter, the rose I made her, and the scarf I got her and she liked them both. I told her, face-to-face, “I love you,” and she said, “I love you to.” I started packing up and we texted while I did. She said the rose and the scarf were really beautiful and I said I thought of her when I got the scarf. She said, “Aww.” I said I to my mom from her and said hi to Emily back. Later I glued some more origami hearts together and worked on a bag woven from bags and whittling a fish.

I went over to my dad’s later that night and I opened my birthday presents. I got a Swedish-made knife, very sharp and great for whittling, two books on whittling-Old-Time Whittling: Easy Techniques for Classic Projects and The Art of Whittling, a block of wood from which to carve a ball-in-a-cage, and some finger guards. My dad read an excerpt from The Art of Whittling, a historical reprint, in a Hank Hillish voice, “The love of tools seems to have been a natural trait among youth of all ages. This is especially true of the pocket-knife. What normal boy does not love to whittle?” After opening presents we went and ate at Jack Stack Barbeque. When I got home, I finished my fish, talked to Tyler some more, wrote in my gratitude journal, and packed some more.

The next day I drove to work once more getting ten more minutes of driving, where I thanked Phil for all the hours he had given me, and he told me thanks for all the hard work and to call him to let him know when I’m coming home for breaks. After work was over, I changed into some clothes my mom had brought me and drove to Elsa’s Ethiopian Restaurant getting myself another twenty minutes of driving.  Erin and Tyler called to wish me a happy birthday and my mom, Dave, Jamie, Cam, and I enjoyed a bounty of doro watt, doro tibbs lentils, injera, and other foods of Ethiopian cuisine. Hillary texted me to wish me a happy birthday and I drove home getting another ten minutes of driving. Once at home we ate some birthday cake and I opened my presents: a CD called The Gyuto Monks Tantric Choir, two books-The Lego Idea Book: Unblocking Your Imagination and The Lego Book, two really neat shirts, a Buddha woodcarving, and a mug with the statue of the Thinker on it thinking a huge bubble of thoughts which disappeared when filled with hot water left saying only coffee. I’d say it was a pretty good haul this year. Then I packed up some more for the big day tomorrow and signed up for the access meal plan.

 

The United States of Autism Movie

On Monday I drove to and back from art class, which was cancelled, getting thirty more minutes of driving. Then I talked to Tyler and comforted him, telling him what I thought yesterday. I called Emily, though I didn’t hear back, then I tried to call my granddad to tell him about Tyler and Mary, but he wasn’t there. My grandmom answered, and I told her about Tyler and Mary and what I thought was going on and she thought that could be the case. My mom asked me if I wanted go with her to see a movie at Town Center called The United States of Autism. I said sure and remembered that I had heard of that movie one time years ago from the Autism Women’s Network. Later I drove to my doctor’s appointment getting thirty-five more minutes of driving. After I got back, I realized my flowers would look nicer if the taller ones were closer together. 

Later my mom, Dave, Jamie, and I went to see The United States of Autism. There I saw an autism camp, which I donated a dollar to, and an old high school friend and fellow autistic named Ian Sneid. The camp told us about their mission and then the movie started. The filmmaker went across the country talking to families and individuals about trying to get the right resources they needed. Interviewees came from several different states in forty places across the country and included Sharon daVanport, co-founder of the Autism Women’s Network, Alex Plank, the founder of the Wrong Planet website, and Raun Kaufman, a man who claims that his parents' homegrown autism therapies cured him of his autism allowing him to go to a prestigious university. An Oklahoman father talked about his attempts to get a piece of autism legislation passed, which he claimed was very fiscally conservative, yet had been shot down by Oklahoman politicians regardless of their political party. He asked the question, “How can one be pro-life and not want to provide for autism. It’s as if they think they’ll only care for someone until they come out of the womb.” A mother talked about how unreliable the services providers are at ABA organizations and told one of their representatives on a high up floor, “If you don’t get me your director, I will throw myself out this window.” He later got the director to come speak to her. One mother said she hears stories of so-called “recoveries” and feels guilty wondering why she can’t do the same for her kid. Mom watched Alex Plank speak about neurodiversity and found him to be very impressive. After the movie ended, people from the camp spoke some more and my mom and Dave were begging Jamie and I to let us all leave and reluctantly, Jamie and I agreed.

After the movie we ate dinner at Blue Koi. Then I got home and talked to Granddad about Tyler and Mary, and he thought what I thought. He also thought that Emily might not be returning my calls due to something related to her ADHD. The next morning, I dreamt Emily, another THRIVE student I didn’t know, and myself were all walking together in the town of Warrensburg. After I woke up, I emptied and reloaded the dishwasher, took some pictures of some dying flowers, representing death, and some Russian dolls behind the glass in one of our cabinets. I drove to work adding another ten minutes of driving to my time adding ten more minutes of driving to my time. I realized that Raun Kaufman couldn’t possibly be autistic because I had seen the back of his book Son-Rise say that before he was cured, he was an empty shell, yet if he really were autistic, he’d know autistic people aren’t that way at all. I thought him saying the Son-Rise Program cured his autism is no more valid than Tom Cruise saying Scientology cured his dyslexia. I realized though while he gives “hope” for a cure, I give people hope that they can amount to great things with their present neurological differences. I also thought of an idea to show so: a talent night, much like the Culture Night last year at UCM.

After work I got the newest edition of Saveur magazine. Then the next day I went to work again and got a picture of my M&Ms during my break. On my way back I took some more pictures of flowers, trees, and weeds that looked like ikebana arrangements. When I got back, I found out my mom had cleaned out my closet. I unpacked a little bit in effort to help clean out my room for my Uncle Kurt Aunt Barb, and cousins Kyley and Hunter who were coming to visit. I put some sticks I found into an old tea can like an ikebana arrangement and I glued some origami hearts made from receipts together.

Later I went to Winstead’s with my granddad where I felt it was kind of scary the violence that goes on towards autistic people in this country when I realized that like a tool, I have a specific purpose, and until I find that purpose, I might just be staying on a shelf. I went to Barnes and Noble with him where I got a July/August 2013 issue of Poets and Writers and the September 2013 issue of Bicycling magazine. Then we went to the Pathless Land where I meditated with the others just sitting, breathing, and being. Then I realized that the mother who threatened to throw herself out the window like so many other parents would be right behind me in my cause to give autistics full access to society. I realized and told the group that while I could feel scared about the way people with autism are often treated in this country, I felt comforted by the love of Emily and realized I would rather have a long-distance relationship now than a short-distance one later. Ben said that trying to change our past would be like the movie Back to the Future, where it creates a ripple effect that changes our entire lives. I did the closing for the Pathless Land then my granddad and I went to Roasterie Coffee. I got back and I rearranged my room and realized that might be right in thinking I’d like to do Chinese painting because it’s often of the stuff I take pictures of.

An Unexpected Journey of My Own

On the first day of the next week, I drove to art class getting ten more minutes of driving time and after art class I drove to Einstein’s for lunch and the shoe store where I got some new shoes. We walked over to Barnes and Noble afterwards and I got Woodcarving magazine’s Whittling and Time magazine’s The Rise of Robots: How Smart Machines are Changing Our Lives and learned that robots can help us explore the deep sea and while robots may take some jobs, they will create new ones and save us money with robo cops both meaning we’ll have more money in our budget and the government can no longer use that as an excuse to discriminate against autistics. When I got home, I made some beads from straws, and I practiced my flute for half an hour and then took some pictures of some of my mom’s flowers. Then I talked to my granddad, and he seemed to think that making autism legislation would help autistic people and I talked to Tyler again and he said he was doing well and he talked to Hillary and found out she was doing well.

                The next day I drove my mom to the glass recycling bin adding ten more minutes to my driving time, the library where I got a Lonely Planet book on Rajasthan, Delhi, and Agra, adding ten more minutes to my driving times, then to the post office where I got a free periodical on stamp collecting, adding another ten minutes, then home, adding another five minutes. I worked on gluing my origami hearts made from receipts together, rode my bike for an hour, and wrote some poems while I sipped some macchiato at the Starbuck’s. As I got home, I realized that sacking involves space and can be a way to appreciate the hierarchy of heaven, earth, and man. I took some more pictures of my mom’s flowers then started working on turning beads into straws and I realized that while some may think that providing autistic people the right services would cost us money, it would also save us money that the problems autistic people not having the right services costs.

                I kept working on my beads made from straws and then I got a text. It said, “Hi Ben.  It’s Emily.” I texted her back saying, “Hi how are you?” She said, “Good and you?” I said, “Good.  What are you doing?” She said, “Just working.  What are you doing?” I said, “Working, arts and crafts, flute-playing, photography.” Then she sent a text saying, “I like you Ben.”

                I said, “Do you mean friendwise or otherwise?” She said, “Like I want you to be my bf or something you want at school but I wasn’t sure if you wanted the same thing.” Suddenly I just couldn’t think straight. Then I got a text from Hillary saying, “Emily Webb wants to date you.” Afterwards she sent me a text saying, “I think you should.  David Stillman [THRIVE student] thinks youd make a great couple.”

                I still wasn’t sure, and I texted Emily saying I thought she was beautiful, and I liked her friendship, but I didn’t want to rush into it and that maybe we should talk and grow closer first. Then I talked to my dad and told him I liked Emily, but I wanted to keep my options open. He said, "Well Ben you’re getting ahead of yourself. You should hit that bridge when you come to it, and it might not work out how you expected.”

                I said, “So if I want to date Emily, I should?”

                “Yes,” he said.

                Emily sent me a text later saying, “I’m going to bed.” Then I sent her a text saying, “Emily, screw taking it slowly. I think we should live for the moment and date. I want to date you and if you still want to date me tomorrow when I get off work, text me and let me know.” The next day on the way to work I realized like certain ikebana arrangements, the flowers may be far apart, but like Emily and I, they can come together to make something beautiful. When I got back home, I renewed my Lonely Planet Mongolia book and I saw a text from Emily saying, “I want to date you.” I said, “Me too.

                We called each other and talked. It felt very romantic, and I just felt so excited. I told her, “I love you.” 

She said, “I love you to.”  She also said that she would come down to UCM for Homecoming Weekend and sometimes comes down to Kansas City to see family members. 

                I told my granddad about Emily when he got to my house, and he was very excited for me and said he knew all along I’d find a relationship when I least expected it. He gave me the June 2013 issue of Smithsonian and we went to Winstead’s. Granddad said he was sure Emily was truly into me since a beautiful girl like her could probably get her pick of guys. We went to Barnes and Noble afterwards and I got Time magazine’s The 100 Most Influential People Who Never Lived with characters like Homer Simpson on the front cover, and a 2013 issue of Sacred Hoop magazine which had an article about a pilgrimage to Kathmandu and Celtic and Tibetan spirituality. Then we went to the Pathless Land and did the Chakra meditation with the others and at the end I did the dedication of merit. I thought someone who loves me like Emily really was encouraging. I felt that on the issue of autism, people might say we’ve come a long way, but I feel we’ve only gone through the gates of Mt. Kilimanjaro National Park. We have yet to climb the mountain. My granddad and I went to Roasterie Coffee afterwards and I took a picture of my cookie and my espresso.

                The next day I drove to art class getting ten more minutes of driving and I worked on my painting. I drove back getting ten more minutes of driving and then I called Emily. I told her, “I love you.

                She said, “I love you to.”

                I rode my bike for about an hour then got back and glued some of my origami hearts together. Then after writing in my dream journal, I worked on a tree commemorating Emily’s and my relationship by covering cardboard tubes with brown construction paper where I’d insert branches to hang my origami hearts. I refilled my medication and when I got it at Bruce Smith, I got a new bottle cap from my drink which I got for free due to a stocking and pricing error and being the first one to get it. Then I got back and called Emily and told her, “I love you.”

                She said, “I love you to.”

                Before I went to sleep that night, I got a call from my mom asking me to come with her to Village Presbyterian Church where she used to teach preschool for several years before she retired this summer to show and tell the kids about some of my Lego sets. The next day when I woke up, I got a call from Emily and I said, “I love you.”

                She said, “I love you to.”

                That morning, I realized Emily and I being in a long-distance relationship would be good for when my mom’s dad comes over because she wouldn’t have to worry about him hitting on her. Then I went to Village Church to tell the kids about Legos and brought a few of my sets. They all really enjoyed it.  I drove home getting another ten minutes of driving.

                I went home and made a bracelet made from Hershey’s nugget wrappers and I realized that Emily had tilted her head in the photos I have of her which I’ve heard is a clear sign that a girl likes a guy. My mom and Dave left for Colorado that day and I ended up feeding the dogs. I went on a bike ride and took several pictures of houses in my neighborhood, a tree that looked like a Japanese floral arrangement which made me realize nature can be a really good source of creativity, and of a dead squirrel which teaches the fact of death and impermanence and I found several golf balls realizing I could use them to make oriental stress balls and those things where several balls hang next to each other on string and the one at the end hits the one next to it causing one at the other end to move which demonstrates how like Emily and I, even though the balls have several things in between them, their energy, like Emily’s and my love, goes through them and impacts the ball at the end. I talked to Emily that night and I told her, “I love you.

                She said, “I love you to.” I also learned she was born on October 17, 1991, and she has no biological siblings. I realized that she’s taught me so much in only four days and she’s also shown other signs of interest around me in the past like the way she was all giggly, and I like learning things about her. 

                The next day I went to work, and I got the schedule and found out I work on Wednesday from 7-3:30, and Saturday from 1:30-10.  I also got my paycheck and The Historical Collector’s Edition Civil Rights: The 50th Anniversary and The Media Source’s Drones: Are They Watching You. I learned that drones can save us money by replacing real cops and that made it seem like we should have the money to provide services for autistic people. I also realized that sending Emily a list I found on-line a while ago on activities for long-distance couples would be a great way to consult her on our relationship.

The next day I went to Bruce Smith and picked up a prescription and bought a new wooden yo-yo which worked better than any I’d bought in the last year. I got a picture of some flowers hanging on our door and helped Jamie and Dave move some stuff into the new studio in our basement and practiced the Sleeper yo-yo while I waited for them to be ready to move things. I rode my bike for about an hour and I took several pictures of houses in my neighborhood along my way. I got home and practiced my flute. I also talked to Tyler who said he talked to Mary, and she said she thinks Emily and I would make a great couple. 

The next Monday I drove with my mom to the library where I returned my Lonely Planet China book, getting ten more minutes of driving time, and to Whole Foods and back getting forty more minutes of driving. During the day, Emily and I texted each other back and forth.  I showed her the rose I made her, and she liked it. I also told her I was making her something, though I didn’t tell her what it was, and she said, “Youre such a sweet heart Ben.” I also called her during which I told her, “I love you,” and she said, “I love you to.”

We started texting afterwards. She asked what I was doing, and I said I was sitting on the couch with a blanket and a Bud Lite. Then she told me she wished she was there, and I told her I did to. She asked me what we would do, and I said we could sit on the couch and watch TV or a movie, while I cook a meal, and we could cuddle on the couch, and I could kiss her until the night dies. She said, “Aww,” then asked, “Would I get a hug?” Then I said, “Of course.  Like I said I could hug you for hours doing nothing else.”

The next day I rode my bike for about an hour and took some pictures including some of some flowers which reminded me of Emily. I bought some lemonade at a lemonade sale where I saw my old friend from high school Curtis Wells, and we said hi and chatted a little. Then I went down to the bank and deposited my paycheck and then went to Bruce Smith and bought a 2013 edition of Magbook which was about close-up photos on a digital camera and the August/September 2013 issue of Afar. When I got back Emily asked me if I’d like to cuddle her, and I said I’d love to. She also said she’d love to lie on me while I hug her from behind.

She asked me if I wanted to be with her for a long time and I said I’d love to be with her as long as possible, maybe even forever and that I’d love to hug her from behind and kiss her lips and neck. She said, “Youre so sweet Ben.” I told her when we’re texting, I sometimes find it hard to find something to say and that I do that because when I talk to her my mind just races and I can’t think straight and I realized if we really learn to communicate, our relationship can always be exciting. Then we called during which I told her, “I love you,” and she said, “I love you to.” After that we decided to just text each other. I said I was sitting on the couch like I would if we were cuddling like we talked about. She said, “Aww.” Then I said I would give a lot to cuddle her, and she said, “Aww.” I also said, “I love you,” and she said, “I love you too."

The next day I went to work, and I realized I could dye some cotton balls yellow with food coloring to help me make my straw flowers and I bought some food coloring and cotton balls after work. I took several pictures on the way home and I worked on my present for Emily. We texted before I went to Winstead’s with my granddad where I got a picture of some birds on top of a dumpster then to Barnes and Noble. While I was there, I saw a man begging and thought about how so many people became homeless when Ronald Reagan cut funding for mental hospitals, proving that budget cuts are not good for our economy. Then we went to the Pathless Land, and I took a picture of some flowers by the basement door. 

I showed several people at the Pathless Land a picture of Emily and they thought she was really cute. I meditated with them sitting, breathing, and being, then scanning my Chakras and suddenly I could just see Emily in my mind’s eye very vividly. I thought the Chakra meditation could help me have lucid dreams where I saw Emily. Then I heard a woman there who talked about her complicated relationship with her deceased mother say she realized her mother loved her when she found all the letters she wrote to her mother saved and I realized that’s what I try to do with Emily’s and my texts. I also did the dedication of merit for the Pathless Land.

After class was over I realized how much Emily seemed to care about me like when I lost my yo-yo during my first year at UCM, that she may have hung around and went on vacation with Jack because she wanted to find out things about me from Jack, and when she once asked for my help on a Transition Planning II assignment she may have really been trying to hang around me. My granddad and I decided to skip going to Roasterie Coffee so I could talk to Emily, and she asked me where I would kiss her. I said I’d love to kiss her lips and mix it up and kiss her face and around her neck and shoulders. She asked me if she could touch me, and I said yes. I realized she would never just date me because she’s bored because she’s a very good friend. I also called Tyler, and we agreed to swim with Jack tomorrow at my house from 1:30 to 6. 

The next day I drove Jack and I to art class getting twenty more minutes of driving and worked on a painting. I took some pictures of some flowers and plants in the studio then drove Jack and I back to my house getting twenty more minutes of driving and we met up with Tyler. We made lunch and then we swam. Afterwards we watched TV and talked to Emily on the phone. She had to call back later because she needed to do something but before we hung up, she said, “I love you,” and I said, “I love you to.”

She called back and when we were done, I said to her, “I love you,” and she said, “I love you to.” After Jack and Tyler left Emily and I texted back and forth. I told her, “Youre my Southern delight,” and she said, “Aww.” I realized if we were to communicate better then all I have to do is just say whatever it is I’m thinking. Then Emily asked if I thought she was pretty and I said, “Of course.  I think youre gorgeous.” She said, “Thank you,” and I said I love her blonde hair and could run my fingers through it while I cuddle her. 

I called her and found out her mom would be driving her to UCM on the way to Kansas City, and she asked me if I wanted her to come on Friday or Saturday and I said Friday so we could spend as much time together as possible. Before we hung up, I said, “I love you,” and she said, “I love you to.” She texted me later asking me if I would sit next to her at the game and hold her hand and I said, “Of course.” Then she asked me if she would get a kiss and I said, “Of course.  I love you.” I thought Emily seems to say, “Aww,” a lot, just as I say, “Of course.” Suddenly at will I could just see Emily very vividly standing next to me like in a lucid dream.

The next morning before I went to bed, I realized that a long-distance relationship has some advantages like not having to worry what you look like, and I took a test on-line called “Is Your Long-distance Relationship Rocking or in the Rocks” and I found out it was rocking. I bookmarked the results and then I went to sleep. I took several pictures in my backyard including one of the gravestone of my old dog Beau as reflection of our own mortality and I went on a bike ride taking several more pictures. Later I sorted my beads made from straws by color and size to help me make some more Buddhist malas. I called work and found out I work on Sunday from 7-3:30, Wednesday from 7-3:30, Thursday from 10-6:30, and Saturday from 1:30-10. I also packed to go to my dad’s. I went to his house, and we ate dinner at Maui’s. I also took a quiz on Emily’s and my long-distance relationship and found out our’s is in a good place and I read an article on the keys to a successful long-distance relationship and found out Emily and I have all those things.

             I went to work the next day, and I realized that Emily and I being a long-distance couple spares us the need to balance me time with we time. She started looking more beautiful in my eyes and I realized that if we had more services for autism, less couples with an autistic spouse would end up getting divorced and we wouldn’t have to spend the money we do on legal procedures. After work I got another issue of Bicycle magazine. The next day before I went to bed, I realized that Ronald Reagan’s budget cuts were probably just to help pay for the Cold War so he could use the Soviets as a scapegoat. I went to work later that day, and I got home and texted Emily back and forth.

Before I went to bed the next morning, I thought the Cold War really only allowed the Soviets to stay in power by making themselves look like to their citizens that they were protecting them from a big enemy like the United States. After work that day Emily and I did some more texting back and forth. I told her, “Youre really beautiful Emily.” She said, “Thank you.” Then I said, “Of course.  Youre sweet and I love you.” She said, “Aww.”

I guess sometimes worrying about a relationship lasting can just take the enjoyment away from it. I took some more pictures and then Jamie, Cam, my dad, and I went to Sweet Tomatoes with my grandparents. When I got back, I realized that Reagan may have just been against the Soviet turning the Third World communist so capitalist countries would no longer be able to use them for cheap labor. I also thought about how people always said Emily is very talkative, but I remembered how when she was around me and when we talk on the phone, she seems much different. It was almost as tough she was shyer around me.

The next week I drove to my doctor’s appointment, getting twenty more minutes of driving, and got my blood drawn. When I got back, Emily and I texted each other back and forth a little more. I also found out I got a C in Essential Managing Information and Geology though I got all fours on my internship evaluation and some great comments. I drove to the bank and to Dr. May’s office to do some paperwork, getting another twenty minutes of driving, and saw an old high school friend who I agreed to get in touch with on Facebook. I drove to Village Pediatrics afterwards and turned in a form. I learned their how forms can often take so much time to process sowing me part of why American bureaucracy makes it so hard for many people with autism to get the services they need. Then I drove us to Corinth Square where we went to a bird store, Hen House, and the Hardware Store. I drove back getting ten more minutes of driving. 

When I got back Emily and I texted each other back and forth. I told her, “I love you Emily,” though she didn’t get it because she had to go to dinner. Then I got a call from Hen House asking if I could trade my 10-6:30 shift on Thursday for her shift tomorrow from 1:30-10 and I agreed. Emily texted me after dinner around nine and I told her I would text back in five minutes before Dave asked Jamie, Cam, and I to move some iron-wrought tables and chairs back into our neighbor’s backyard. I finished this task in five minutes time by moving the table on my own while Jamie and cam took two chairs. When I got back though, Emily texted me saying she was going to bed.

The next day Emily and I texted each other back and forth after I got up. I told her again, “Youre really beautiful Emily.” She said, “Aww Thank you.” I said, “No problem.  I love you.” She said, “Love you to.”

I told her, “I can’t wait to see you again.” She said, “Me too.” I said, “I’d love to cuddle you then.” She said, “We will.” She asked if I wanted to talk on the phone and I told her to give me twenty minutes so I could get dressed and take a shower. After that I called her though she said she had to get back to work because her lunch break just ended. I told her I would call her during my lunch break.  I washed my work clothes before going to work.

During my first break I called UCM Housing and told them I couldn’t find out about my housing situation. They told me I had to go to my MyCentral account and disable the pop-ups. I thought some more about wildlife-watching, knowing there’s a wildlife group and UCM, thinking that could really help autistic people since animals don’t judge you by whether you’re autistic, neurotypical, ADD, or whatever. Soon my lunch break came, and I called Emily, but she wasn’t there, so I just enjoyed the rest of my lunch break to myself. After work I got a Fall 2013 issue of Do It Yourself magazine.

I went to work the next day, and I filled out a request form for my doctor’s appointment next Monday. After work I took pictures of some trees, inspired by the baobob trees in my Lonely Planet Madagascar book and I worked on my flowers made from straws. I texted Emily back and forth and I went to my dad’s. Emily told me to say hi to Jamie and my dad for her and I did. Then we went to Five Guy’s where I brought the rose I made for Emily in my pocket and when I got back Emily and I kept texting each other back and forth. I told her, “I love you Emily.” She said, “I love you to.” I told her, “I cant believe its been two weeks since we started dating.” She said, “Aww.” I told her, “Im glad we met each other.” She said, “Me too.” Then I said, “I love texting you.  Its like Im earing your voice in the same room.” She said, “Aww.” I said, “Your such a beautiful girl Emily.” She said, “Thank you Youre such a handsome guy.” I said, “Thank you,” and she said, “Your welcome.”

As I was getting ready to go back to my mom’s however, I noticed the rose wasn’t in my pocket.  I asked my dad for the keys to his car and noticed they weren’t in there. I realized it must have fallen out at the restaurant and felt crushed. But then I thought it was alright because Emily always cared about me when I was upset like this and someone else might find it, thinking about how the Buddha once said, a candle can light a thousand candles without its flame being extinguished. Happiness and love do not become smaller by sharing them with others. I got home and made another rose for Emily. We said goodnight to each other before she went to bed, and I realized more how in each one of her texts she sounds just like herself.

The next morning, I dreamt that the friend I saw at Dr. May’s office and his girlfriend were on a double date with Emily and me. After waking up, doing my meditation, showering, dressing, and eating, I drove to art class getting ten more minutes of driving. This time I got most of my canvas blocked in and I took some pictures of some knick-knacks at the studio. After I got home, I rode my bike for about fifteen minutes and took pictures of some things I saw on the ride. I came back because it looked like it was about to start raining and I texted Emily, thinking it would be romantic to text her in the rain, though she accidentally sent me a wrong text. Later that night I realized some more of how I could arrange my ikebana flowers so they look great.

The next day I rode my bike for about an hour and took several more pictures. I realized that hanging origami hearts from a stick is kind of like ikebana since the hearts are kind of like buds. I went to the bank and deposited my last paycheck. On the way back I took even more pictures. I called work and found out I work on Sunday from 7-3:30, Tuesday from 3-10, and Thursday from 10-6:30. I also called Erin, and we agreed to get together on Friday. 

I went to work the next day and found out Phil added me to the schedule for Saturday from 11-7:30. I texted Emily during my break though she didn’t text back. I did however remember this article on girls with autism and how even if they like a guy, they might not necessarily respond to their attempts to stay in touch and thought that could be true for her to. I thought if we provided the right services for people with autism, they might be less likely to use drugs and abuse alcohol, and we wouldn’t need to spend so much money locking them up for that. I saw Jack and his dad come in later, and it was a nice surprise, and I realized this must be what surprising a long-distance partner feels like. After work I realized I could use those stencils from my Scythian metal-working kit to make foil statues and I took a quiz on Emily’s and my long-distance relationship and got an 18.0 out of 20.0.

The next day I went to work and realized that if people think integrated education would mean their abled child wouldn’t get enough attention, ten it would seem odd that they could be in favor of budget cuts in education which are causing class sizes to be much larger. To me, I realized, it doesn’t matter whether Emily isn’t someone with autism or not because my world is beyond labels. After work I took some more pictures of things like flowers and trees and I thought Emily’s pone might be too full to receive any more texts and while she and I might like doing different things but I guess the reason we both do our things is because we both want to relax like how I read in Relax, You’re Already Home: Taoist Habits for a Richer Life says to find activities in your life that help you relax. I also heard Mary broke up with Tyler which I guess was because she’s so focused on going back to school.