New Life at Home

After graduation day I spent the first part of the morning going down to La Provence with my mom, Dave, my grandmom, and Cam, doing a little unpacking, and refilling my medication prescriptions. Then I rode my bike, went down to Starbuck’s, and filled out a UCM Housing application. I wrote a haiku about missing Cassie but also feeling happy for her and I called work and found out I work on Saturday from 9-5:30. At dinner I got a UCM hoodie from Mom and Dave as a graduation present. I also talked to my granddad and he and I both agreed that even though I would miss Cassie, some new Cassie-like figure may soon be awaiting me who would drive out that void maybe at the UCM Autism Spectrum Support Group.

The next day my grandmom and I removed several of my books, ethnic musical instrument collection and other belongings off my old bookshelf and into Jamie’s room temporarily so I could move them onto the new bookshelves that were once cupboards bought from a local Baptist church.  She saw a book on my shelf by Greg Mortenson, author of Three Cups of Tea, and told me about how on the news she heard how they discovered he was really a fake and pocketing the money people gave him to build schools in Afghanistan and Pakistan. I was not so shocked to hear that Greg Mortenson was a fraud, in fact, that being made public felt highly welcome to me. I knew that were several big-name autism “charities” that were more in the business for themselves and if Greg Mortenson was revealed like that, it wouldn’t be long before they were to. I also spent more of the morning unpacking my stuff.

Later I fed the cats later, helped clean out our pool, and went to Cam’s high school graduation. I could not help but imagine running into a girl everywhere I went at UCM from the group and the net morning I remembered how I once read that girls with autism often take longer to outgrow things like dolls and imaginary friends but thought that might not be the case if they made real ones. The fact is that people with autism are often not prepared for the real world the way schools are supposed to prepare them because while they may get along well with others, they often don’t have certain social skills, which could decrease their self-confidence, thus their ability to form friendships, find employment, be proud of who they are, and come together to fight autism discrimination, thus exacerbating prejudice and discrimination against them. The next day I rode my bike and realized the UCM and JCCC groups might make autistic people feel better about their disability. And with that they might be more likely to challenge discrimination against them.

That evening I pulled some weeds before going doing to Barnes and Noble with my granddad before we went to the Pathless Land and I got a Lonely Planet book on East Africa, another journal for my meditation journal, a Summer 2013 issue of Parabola magazine, a Summer 2013 issue of Tricycle magazine, a May 2013 issue of Afar magazine, and an April 2013 issue of Africawatch magazine. I had pretty much used up my new debit card, but it was worth it. My granddad and I went down to the Pathless Land together and did some Dzongchen meditation with the other people there, where we did three things: sit, breathe, and be. After that my granddad and I went down to Roasterie Coffee in Brookside where I got a coffee that was very artistically done and reminded me of a Tibetan Buddhist mandala which is art that is impermanent. When I got home, Dave helped me get my internet working, and Cam gave me a box which had several graduation presents from my dad: a recycled paper beads kit, a book called Rubbish!  Reuse Your Refuse, and a book called Ideas for Creative Reuse. I later found out about a shop in Uganda selling ethnic musical instruments in my Lonely Planet book and a travel article about Zimbabwe showing a different angle about the country then the one we often hear of in the West. 

The next day I went to my art class with Jack, and I found out about a place in Uganda with several cave paintings. I also fed the cats and rode my bike for half an hour. The next day I learned I got find magnet pieces down at the hardware store for making bottle caps into magnet. I deposited my check from my grandmom and took a little bit out for myself and I got an issue of Native magazine at Corinth Hen House and some magnet pieces at the hardware store in Prairie Village shopping center. I realized that the reason I’m so relaxed at UCM is probably because I exercise every night. Then I pulled some more weeds, and I rode my bike for half an hour. I got to thinking that good health, food, moods, friends, family, encounters with nature, hobbies, vacations, travel, spirituality, self-assurance, and gratitude are probably the best things in life and I decided to try and ride my bike for an hour when I could, the same amount of time I exercised most nights at UCM. 

I went to work the next day and I realized that the UCM Autism Spectrum Support Group could help autistic people find careers by making them more comfortable to join groups, less stressed so they can get more out of their classes, and more comfortable talking about their interests with other people, and that way people will be more familiar with autistic people and less prejudiced and thus less likely to force a “cure” on them which have caused them to get injured or even killed. I got a new USDA cap from my drinks on my first break and the schedule which said I work on Sunday from 7-1:30, Monday from 8:30-1, Thursday from 10-2, and Saturday from 9-5:30. After work I made a belt loop from the letters on the beef jerky wrapper from my first break saying M-A-T-A-D-O-R. I went to work the next day, and I got two new USDA caps on my first two breaks. I also worked on a poster to put up in the Union when they had them with a sheet called Facts and Myths About Autism and I realized that my Matador belt loop reminds me that I am a warrior who is brave which the late Buddhist teacher Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche taught about.

I went to work the next day and got a new USDA cap. I also came up with two parts of the poster board called The Autism Warrior Pledge and What You Can Do to Help. I later changed the title of the first one to The Friend of Autism Pledge and I got back and found out the movie Kon-Tiki was showing at 7:05 and I called Tyler and left a message for him about it.  I also wrote the Friend of Autism Pledge. Then the next day my mom and I went to the thrift store, and I got some new shorts and some cool new button shirts there. I went down to the Hen House on Prairie Village shopping center and I got National Geographic’s: The World’s Most Beautiful Places: The World’s Unforgettable Destinations. I called my friend Erin, and I made some fries for dinner. I worked on the beads my dad gave me, and I learned he was saving several bottle caps for me.

The next day I went to work and switched my schedule for tomorrow with another courtesy clerk so Jack and I could go to art class the next day. I also got a new USDA cap on my lunch break, and I realized I can be a role model for people with autism helping them to accept themselves more and making others more likely to help them. Afterwards I went to a Half Price Books with Granddad and learned about some archaeological sites in Zimbabwe then we went to the Pathless Land. Ben Worth, the director, wasn’t there that day so at the end of the session I did for us the dedication of merit he does at the end. My granddad and I went down to Roasterie Coffee after that and I got another latte that was artistically done.

The next day I went to art class with Jack and when I got home I worked on Facts and Myths About Autism. Then at 3 I went to work and got another USDA bottle cap during my break. The next day my mom, Jack, and I went to Winstead’s before seeing an archaeological exhibit in Kansas City Later I went to my Dad’s and showed him Facts and Myths About Autism, What You Can Do to Help, and the Friend of Autism Pledge.  He liked them all and gave me a few suggestions to improve them which I took. What You Can Do to Help and the Friend of Autism Pledge ended up looking something like this: 

What You Can Do to Help

-Show empathy and support for someone with autism when you see them experiencing difficulty on account of their disability, keeping in mind not to take away the person’s dignity.

-Remember a person with autism who is suspected of something wrong may be so on account of or misunderstanding due to their disability and may have trouble presenting their side or the story on account of their autism.  When making judgments and decisions on such a case, remember to do so only on a bases that is factual and relevant to the conflict.

-Always speak of autistic people in a way that acknowledges them as people first, avoiding terms such as “disorder” or “suffers from autism” and instead using words such as “condition.”  Avoid generalizations and mentioning the fact that a person has autism if it is not relevant to the discussion taking place. 

-Do thorough research on organizations claiming to represent autistic people getting to know facts such as where their money goes, what percentage of their organization is autistic, how they portray autism and people with it, and how their actions are viewed and affect people with autism.  More autism organizations are in it for themselves than you might think.

-Get to know people with autism if you have the chance.  Under the surface, they can make excellent friends and having good friends can really make a positive impact on their social interaction with people as a whole.

-When reading material about people with autism by so-called professionals, pay attention to the tone of the material and how favorably it is towards people with autism.

-Make notes of anytime you see a person with autism manipulated or treated unfairly due to their disability.  They may come in handy later.

-Learn all the sides of autism rather than just what is shown on television.  Autistic people have many great strengths in addition to whatever challenges they may face because of their disability.

-Get opinions from people with autism on their issues and things related to them.  Showing genuine interest may help more people with autism to advocate for themselves.

Friend of Autism Pledge

I pledge:

-to never victimize, abuse, discriminate, or defame a person on account of having autism.

-to see the entire person when looking at a person with autism, rather than merely their disability.

-to be cautious of the picture today’s media paints of autistic individuals, knowing that they are often exaggerated or only half-true.

-to do thorough research on autism organizations before investing, donating, or working for them, such as learning where their money goes, how much autistic people are represented among them, and how they represent people with autism and help others do the same.

-to be aware of what people with autism may experience from other people due to their disability.

-to respect both the challenges and blessings that autistic people have on account of their disability and learn to see themselves from their own eyes.

-to honestly strive to never help a person with autism in a way that takes away their dignity.

-to help any person with I know or suspect might have autism when I see them struggling with a situation with my own discretion.

-to recognize that if a person with autism is involved in an interpersonal or social crisis or accused of something that seems unlikely to remember that they often might have trouble presenting their side of the story and to help them if I can to bring it to the people in charge of dealing with these situations.

-that when I read anything or view anything mentioning people with autism, to pay attention to the tone of the author or maker to them and see how friendly it’s treatment of them is.

-to speak the honest, entire truth to the best of my knowledge whenever I talk about autism.

-to not turn a blind eye when I see an autistic person in a crisis involving other people due to misunderstanding on account of their disability and bring the issue to the attention of someone who would be an appropriate and likely candidate to help them.

-to be aware of whatever strengths a person with autism might have due to their disability in addition to their challenges.

-to not deliberately misrepresent an autistic person’s voice on their disability for my own or someone else’s reasons, whether they be selfish reasons or otherwise.

-to reevaluate any mistaken first impression I may have of an autistic person due to behavior of theirs as a result of their disability.

-to make judgments and decisions about people with autism that are not influenced by personal biases or facts unrelated to the matter about autism.

-to find a way stand up for myself when and if I am pressured by other people into doing something reprehensible to a person with autism on account of their disability.

-to be cautious of the feelings of autistic people when responding to or talking about their disability and anything related to that.

-to value the opinions of autistic people on matters about themselves.

-to judge the ideas, actions, and other effects of people with autism by their inherent qualities, not the person’s disabilities.

-to show empathy and support for autistic people I encounter who are going through pain on account of things related to their disability.

-to talk about autistic individuals as humans first and having autism second thus avoiding terms such as “disorder,” “suffers from autism,” or using broad generalizations or mentioning an autistic person’s disability when not relevant to the discussion.  I pledge to recognize that people with autism, like everyone else, seek food, water, physical support, free self-exploration, and love.

The next day I went to work and I found out I work the next day from 7-1:30, Monday from 8:30-1, Wednesday from 10-6:30, Thursday from 10-2, and Saturday from 9-5:30. When I got back, I got a call from Jack asking me to come over to his house the next day while his dad was at a party and I agreed. I went to work the next day and got a new USDA cap. It said:

I have Asperger’s.  What’s your excuse?

                                                                        -Ben Sheldon

After that I went to the lake with my dad and grandparents and did some bird-watching. I realized bird-watching can help teach people compassion remembering how one time a woman asked the Dalai Lama how to teach children compassion in a world filled with violence and he said, “teach kids to learn about insects.” My granddad also gave me the latest issues of Mindful and Smithsonian which he finished for my collection. I read in there that Congressman Tim Ryan wanted schools to help kids reach their full potential much like my idea of schools helping people with autism be prepared for the real world. Later I ate with my dad and grandparents before my dad took me to Jack’s place.

I got to Jack’s place and we decided to first watch a movie. After sorting through some we decided to watch The Life of Pi. We ordered pizza from Minsky’s, and I found out he also liked it with no sauce. We paused the movie to eat our pizza then finished the movie. We both thought it was pretty good and afterwards shot some basketball hoops and I told Jack about my work schedule. Afterwards we took a walk around Westwood Hills.

On Monday I went to work and got another USDA bottle cap on my break. After work I called Tyler and we agreed that we, Jack, and Mary should go down to the lake together. The next day I got a new pocketknife at the hardware store then went to work after that where I got another USDA bottle cap during my break. I also read during my break on my phone a quote by Maja Toudal about how she always has to try and guess people’s intentions and I realized that can take a lot of energy out of them giving them trouble with things like homework and I realized the UCM and JCCC groups should help them with that. I went to the Pathless Land with my granddad afterwards and at the end I did the dedication of merit for them as Ben wasn’t there this time either. After that my granddad and I went to the Roasterie Coffee on Brookside together.

The next day I went to work and got a new bottle cap on my break, not a USDA or crown one, and afterwards I filled out a request form for Wednesday and Thursday. Afterwards I rode my bike for an hour, and I carved some “bullets” from sticks. The next day I practiced my flute-playing some more.

Day at Home and Graduation

On my day at home before the graduation day, my mom and I picked up my grandmother at the airport and after that, I got a haircut and a miniature bust of Abraham Lincoln at Bruce Smith Drug’s to put on my desk. I rode my bike around town afterwards and the next day before I went to graduation my grandmom gave me a fifty dollar check and she gave me a present from my Aunt Nini: a Sayings of the Buddha Journal. Then we drove down to Warrensburg for my graduation ceremony and after they had announced the THRIVE program they called my name and I went up and got my certificate. When they called up the Harmon School of Business and Technology I couldn’t stop watching and listening for when they called out Cassie’s name and she went up to get her degree, knowing I would miss her next year when she wasn’t at UCM, but when they called her name and she got her degree, I also felt happy for her knowing she was one step closer to achieving her goals. 

                After the ceremony I met up with Cassie and we congratulated each other. I met up with my dad and his parents and my grandparents gave me a hundred dollar debit card. Then I went to a graduation part for THRIVE in the Union and we each got these little wooden pens pencils with our names carved into it and enjoyed some cake. Tyler also gave me a book as a parting gift before I left. After that, my mom, Dave, and my grandmom drove back home. After we got back I pulled several weeds in our garden and patio and I went to Jack’s graduation party where I got the chance to see Jack and Oscar.

Graduation on the Horizon

         On Monday I worked on redoing my Excel Capstone project. When I got back I studied for two ten minute study blocks with a break in between to use the bathroom and get a snack. I went to the UCM Autism Spectrum Support Group again with Jack, Tyler, and Dr. Mayfield and she told me there were several girls registered with her office who might join making there more girls this time then when I started the JCCC group. Suddenly I decided to keep my mind open in dating. We came up with the idea to cook meals together using solar ovens which are environmentally friendly and I paired Tyler and Jack together and Dr. Mayfield and I and we took four minutes to each get to know three things about the other person.

I went to the graduation picture with President Ambrose and the other second year THRIVE students and during study hall I made a toilet paper roll diorama of Tashilhunpo monastery in Tibet and worked on three napkin rings made from toilet paper rolls. When I went to the Rec Center two people saw me after I put some bottles in the trash in the recycling said they thought it was very awesome how I always recycled those things. After I did it after I ran on the treadmill for about an hour, the girl swiping cards looked back at me smiling and one of the people who said it was great how I recycled those things said it made her day to see me do it and I realized I would be a lot more accepted if I was myself than if I tried to be who people want me to be. When I went up to get a snack on the first floor of Ellis I saw the TV lounge and realized what a great communal feeling it can give and how my group can have that. Later Tyler came back and gave me some chips he bought me from the vending machine and I gave him a dime and we considered him all paid back for that dollar twenty-five I lent him. I also realized potlucks can also lend to a good communal feeling.

The next day I studied for two more fifty minute study blocks and during my break I enjoyed a Mexican caramel sundae for Cinco de Mayo and after my studying. Later I went to the Union bookstore and got some more construction paper and I did my take-home exam for my Transition Planning II class. I went to Fun Before Finals while I was at the Rec Center and I enjoyed slides, rope tosses, and archery. I also promised Tyler that I’d listen to five songs from him playlist the next day. The next day I studied for another two fifty minute study breaks with a ten minute break in between where I used the bathroom and I took out the trash. 

True to my promise to Tyler I listened to five songs from his playlist and he gave me some duct tape, printer paper, Hershey’s kisses, and a picture of him and his niece as going away presents. I took out our recycling and I found another pebble. I used the duct tape Tyler gave me to fix up and decorate my binder with the Buddhist mantra Om mani padme hum in Phoenician which I written without vowels which I learned from Daniel Tammott, a man with autism, in his autobiography I Was Born on a Blue Day five years ago and I went to Rocking Entertainment with Autrey later and I agreed to go to Hasting’s with him tomorrow. I also went to Crazy Dog’s.

The next day I found another pebble and I went to Hasting’s with Autrey and I got a Lego set of Gollum’s cave from The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, a book called Screenwriting for Dummies, and a Japanese Gilded Panel Kit from the Metropolitan Museum of Art. We went to the Dollar Tree afterwards and I got two soap trays for the soap on Tyler’s and my sink and shower which I could put plastic bottle caps on to make them last longer. I added the bottle caps to my soap dishes and built my Lego set. I also started working on my Japanese Gilded Panel Kit and I got invited to a THRIVE graduation party with Jack at his home. I also learned about taking notes on people’s reactions to my screenplays and I went to Tyler’s dance performance in which he did really well.

At the dance performance in one of the dances I saw a girl from my Essential Managing Information class, Regin and after the performance I told her I thought she did really well. After that Tyler, Mary, and I, along with another student from THRIVE Oscar with Tyler’s parents to Sonic where we bought ice cream. We also all agreed to hang out during the summer and Tyler’s mom said she could take me home with Tyler and when I talked to Mom she agreed for us to do that. A little anxious about my Geology exam I saw the Disney channel show Dog with a Blog where the father tells his kid that if you’re in the present, somehow you’re prepared for anything. The next day I watched Twin Lords with Jackie Chan with Tyler and I worked on my Excel Capstone project.

 

On the first day of the next week I resubmitted my Excel Capstone project and found out it was really just a day to redo any of our projects and I didn’t end up getting a better grade on any of the projects I did (in fact on one I did worse) but I passed with a C. The next day I found a button on the bottom of the Ellis stairwell and I turned it into the lost-and-found. I also was encouraged to slow down when I was eating and in life when I saw some apple pie and I wrote a haiku about it in my poetry journal. I also heard Kriti was thinking of starting a student group for the THRIVE program and she thought I should be its president. I was flattered but with my full course load and the UCM Autism Spectrum Support Group next year I thought I might be a little busy but thought I would be able to contribute to it. I also made several flowers from soda cans and gave one of them to Tyler as a going away present. Later that night my dad said he thought I’d do fine on my exam and I took notes on people’s reactions to my screenplays. 

As I ran on the treadmill I read on my phone about a singer/songwriter with Asperger syndrome named Maja Toudal from Denmark who was quite beautiful and I realized that people with autism don’t abstain from socializing because they are withdrawn but rather due to a lack of social skills or acceptance due to their disability. Tyler and I saw Cassie and Mckinsey at late night in the cafeteria and we sat down with them and I learned that after graduation she will be going back to St. Louis. The next day I told myself an affirmative phrase before going to my exam and I went there and thought I did pretty well. When I got back Kimmie asked me if I could go to a Q&A with the governor in the Collaboration Room and I said yes. Later that day, Tyler and I signed up to check out on Thurdsay and I gave Tyler a journal I ordered on-line which I thought was too small for my meditation journal to Tyler. He showed me what he wrote about Mary and I to the two of us and Mary gushed. I said, “Now that’s going on my blog.”

The next day the governor couldn’t be there so we all went back to our rooms and I made some more of the pebbles I found into mani stones. I gave a flower to Amanda and I added another shelve to my shelf for my toilet paper roll diorama. I also returned my Geology textbook. I went to Crazy Dog’s one last time and packed up a lot of my stuff. The next day I finished packing and Tyler’s mom brought the two of us home.

Warrensburg, Missouri, April 2013

I took the exam for my Essential Managing Information class and got a 63%. Afterwards I took a nap and after that I looked at my Lonely Planet book on West Africa and found several more places in Guinea to visit. I later worked on my travel plans to Guinea and Cameroon in study hall. The next day I went down to Hasting’s and got the next issue of Ancient American and later I filled out the work sheet for a movie in my Geology class. Afterwards I made two soap trays using plastic bottle caps and I called Mom and asked her to wire fifty dollars from my account at home to my account at school.

                The next day I forwarded an e-mail from Dr. Mayfield about the meeting to the people on my list and I remembered how at JCCC we would pair up two people and we’d take about three or four minutes to get to know three things about the other person and then tell the group what we learned about them. I went to the meeting later that day and it turned out that Tyler, Dr. Mayfield, and I were the only ones there. However, Dr. Mayfield said she could get the 700# of the students on that list and we rescheduled a meeting for tomorrow at 2:30 in the Chic Filet area of the Union. I offered to walk Tyler and Mary down to Sonic for their one month anniversary dinner and I e-mailed all the students on the list about the meeting tomorrow. I worked on my travel plans to Benin that night at study hall using my book where I learned that to cross the border into Togo, seeing how arbitrary modern borders are, you just need to get your passport stamped at the police station in a border town in Benin. When I got back from the Rec Center, Tyler told me that Cassie would be working at Einstein’s on Sunday and I thought I’d get something there to say hi to her.

                The next day I went to the meeting and Tyler, Dr. Mayfield and I were still the only ones there. However, I showed Dr. Mayfield my constitution and she thought it was great. Later that day I walked down to Sonic with Tyler and Mary. The next day I sent the list of names to Dr. Mayfield and I made an appointment with Krisana West, the academic advisor for 2:30 on Monday. I did my homework for my Transition Planning II class and later I went down to Walgreen’s and bought a $25 dollar Barnes and Noble gift card. The next day I refilled two of my prescriptions.

                I went to Bi-Lo Mart and found a twenty and a one dollar bill on the way there and when I got there I got a copy of Life Magazine’s Paradise Found: 100 Places: Beautiful Beyond Belief, Time Magazine’s Thomas Edison: His Electrifying Life, and the latest copy of Archaeology magazine. Several of the works of architecture in Paradise Found made me realize that the places in there teach us what human beings are capable of, like what I’m capable of with my work for people with disabilities, environmental arts and crafts, film making, classes, and traveling, like what Pico Iyer calls ‘mindful travel.” Later I did my Power Point tutorial one and I realized it helps to know what it’s teaching me to do as I’m doing it so I’ll know what to do when I’m asked to do it later. I did the Power Point tutorial exam and I got an 86% on it. Later that night I went to Culture Night where I saw an East Asian pop music performance, a Nepali dance, Russian singing, Indian Bollywood dancing, a Japanese Mario skit, a traditional Saudi dance, a Japanese comedy performance, a Korean pop dance, a West African dance, a fashion show, and a flag show. 

                The next day I saw Cassie at Einstein’s and learned she was only preparing for the next day but she seemed happy to see me. We told each other about how we’re graduating this year though I’m coming back as a regular student next year and she said, “I’m happy for you.”

                “I’m happy for you, too,” I said.

                Later that day when Tyler got back I helped him make his bed and at night I relaxed and enjoyed a hot meal at Crazy Dog’s.

                The next day I did my Power Point tutorial two and part of my Capstone project. I worked on making flowers from straws the next day and I found some great places to see in Guinea Bissau. I also did my homework for my Transition Planning II class. The next day I worked on my travel plans to Togo and my notes for my Geology class and I e-mailed the latter to the students in my class. I went to my Geology class and I remembered what a foot fault is by connecting “walking down the other fault” to “foot” and head fault by connecting the “head” to “hitting it’s head against the other fault.”

                The next day I e-mailed the students on the list about the meeting that day and I went down to Hasting’s and bought the new issue of Shambhala Sun. I went to the group meeting and no one but Tyler and Dr. Mayfield showed up but Dr. Mayfield told me not to get discouraged because these groups often take a while to start. I found a new pebble for my collection the next day and I took out our recycling. I agreed to watch Operation Condor with Jackie Chan with Tyler the next day while we ordered from Pizza Hut and I remembered that discomformities in Geology were the result of volcanic activity since granite shows up in them and Tyler told me granite is a volcanic rock. I also made that pebble I found into a mani stone. 

                The next day I bought some more glue, white construction paper, mechanical pencils, and a lollipop as a reward for my environmental work at the Union bookstore and I did my homework for Transition Planning II class. During class we were asked to e-mail to him what happiness meant to us and how THRIVE helps us achieve it. After class I wrote, “Happiness to me is becoming wiser and more mature from our experiences and learning to build our future after we have seen it in our head.” Emily, Tyler, and I ordered from Pizza Hut (I got some hot wings) and I ate after I got back from the treadmill while Tyler and I watched Disney as we somehow thought new episodes of their shows would be on. The next day I worked on my travel plans to Sierra Leone, Guinea, Zambia, Malawi, and Namibia and I made two more flowers and arranged the three of them in Japanese Ikebana style with one tall, representing heaven, one medium height, representing earth, and one short, representing man. I also went to see The Hobbit movie with Jack and Tyler. 

                The next day I studied my Geology notes remembering that the Mesozoic Era is the middle era since Mezo, like “med” or “mid” means middle, that angular discomformities were discomformities at an odd angle, hence the name “angular,” and that biochemical has to do with life hence the term “bio.” I got familiar with the terms eons, eras, and periods and what minerals are found in what kinds of locales. I used straws for the stems of the flowers I made yesterday and covered them with green construction paper and I talked to Mom and she agreed for us to go grocery shopping after lunch before we went to my appointment with Krisana. I also made three DVD shelves from popcorn bags. I realized that the popcorn sign on them would look good in a home theater.   

                The next day I found out I was chosen to speak at the Pursuit of Happiness Day and I found two more pebbles for my collection. I went to Crazy Dog’s with my mom and we went grocery shopping and got Stewarts root beer, Snapple, Coke, bagels, pepperoni, and shredded mozzarella cheese for pizza bagels, and popsicles. I decided at my Person Centered Planning that Cultural Studies would be a good major for me and I went to my appointment with Krisana and picked out my classes for next year: Drawing I, The North American Indian, College Algebra, and World Masterpieces. My mom got a since of what direction at UCM would be like and found she didn’t need to come to any more meetings. She and I went down to the Union bookstore later and she bought me a course catalogue where I found several classes I thought looked interesting. 

                Later at my Transition Planning II class, Mr. B asked us to write down what we would do if time, money, and experience weren’t an issue and I realized I would make films, do my environmental arts and crafts, and travel to India, the Himalayas, Mongolia, Cambodia, Africa, Europe, and the U.S. When I got back, Tyler gave me a book called Paper Sculptures: 1995-2005 which they gave out in the Lovinger. The next day I ate lunch with several THRIVE students and people from the Missouri Department of Mental Health and we meet in the Collaboration Room in the Lovinger where I told them about my experience at THRIVE. Later I worked on a paper mache figurine inspired by the book Tyler gave me. The next day I went to Room 235 in the Union to speak at the Pursuit of Happiness Day where several people I knew were there, including Cassie and Keke and I said to my audience, “Happiness to me is becoming wiser and more mature from our experiences and learning to build our future after we have seen it in our heads. Coming to UCM, being in this town, going to classes, study hall, being with my roommates, and being on campus has helped me achieve that.”

                Afterwards people clapped and later a woman named Rebecca Vandergliff came up to the stand and talked about her life as a fashion model before being in a car wreck without her seatbelt, losing her ability to model, having to relearn how to walk, speak, and so many other things, then becoming an MSW and meeting her husband and having several children. Later I took my Lab Practicum for Geology Lab and afterwards I made a rudimentary table from legs made from toilet paper rolls wrapped in white construction paper and a cardboard box held together by hair bands I found on the ground. Then I went to the UCM Autism Spectrum Support Group meeting and Tyler, Dr. Mayfield, and Jack were all there. We paired up, Tyler and I and Jack and Dr. Mayfield, and we each took two minutes to learn three things about the other person. I asked Dr. Mayfield to e-mail me our plans she wrote down so I could send it to the other students and they could give their input on it and afterwards Jack told me he enjoyed it where we paired up and took two minutes to get to know three things about the other person.

                That night I wrote a summary of the movie we watched in my Geology class. The next day I took out my trash and bought a bottle opener at the Union bookstore. I developed a study plan for my final Geology exam where I would study for five days in a row for two fifty minute blocks with a ten minute break for a snack and a bathroom break. I talked to Granddad and he thought it would be a good idea especially if I studied at a regular time each day. Later I found out the quiet rooms in the library have microphones. 

The next day I worked on my presentation for my Essential Managing Information class and I found a new pebble for my collection on the Ellis courtyard. I called Hen House later and they said Phil, my boss, wasn’t in today and I should call back tomorrow and I turned the pebble I found that day and the ones I found a few days ago into mani stones. Later that night I found some glasses outside Ellis and turned them into the lost-and-found and I called Cam to congratulate him as he had recently got accepted into the University of Denver. The next day made four more glasses cases made from snack wrappers and I worked on my power point presentation and did the audio for it. I called Hen House and got to Phil and told him I would be able to work starting the 12^th of May around thirty to thirty-five hours a week. 

Later I made a glasses case from a Cheetos wrapper I found lying around and I finished the second tutorial exam getting a 71%. Then I finished the third tutorial and the exam and I got a 90% on it. The next day I made four more glasses cases from snack wrappers and I did some laundry. I also realized that Cassie of all people was probably upset by the marathon bombings. I did my capstone project for my Essential Managing Information class and I went to Crazy Dog’s. I called my mom and found out she accidentally sent something to me when she meant to send me my paychecks. I also gave one of the glasses cases I made to Tyler and I talked to my granddad and he agreed she would be particularly upset about the bombings.

The next day I did the in-class evaluations for my Essential Managing Information class and later I went down to the Union and got a ring stamped with the letters B-E-N with a bear paw next to it which I thought had a Native American feel to it and expressed my interest in wildlife.  I went down to Hasting’s and found out the newest issue of Mindful magazine was out and they sold a magazine called American Archaeology then went down to Bi-Lo Mart and found out the new National Geographic Traveler was out.  Later I realized that public school teachers might think people with autism might never go to college and as a result might not work as hard on educating them yet Ben’s Blog should help change it.  I called my mom and found out she had sent me my paychecks that day and I found another pebble for my collection.  I worked on my travel plans to Botswana in study hall and learned about these ruins left over from a lost civilization.  Then I worked on my travel plans to the Gambia.  I also realized my group should help dispel the myth that people with autism will never go to college.

The next day I agreed to make a ring for Tyler to give to Mary for their date they were going on and in my Geology class I got all the answers for the worksheet in class.  I talked to my Granddad and he agreed he could give me the new issues of Mindful magazine when he’s finished with them.  I went to a mandatory THRIVE meeting about stealing and I found a way to make a ring for Mary using tape with her name and a cross written in it covered with a strand from a pom-pom.  The next day I took the power point exam for my Essential Managing Information class and got a 75% on it.  Later I did the homework for my Transition Planning II class.

At 3 I went to the UCM Autism Spectrum Support Group meeting.  The only person there was Tyler.  Dr. Mayfield could not be there for some reason and Tyler and I talked about ideas.  Tyler came up with the idea that we should make a banner where each person puts something on there that represents them and that we should paint a window in the Union for Spirit Week.  I came up with the idea that for Disability Awareness Month we should get an article about us published in the Muleskinner and we should have our group serve as a social network.  Later that day I got my checks in the mail.

I realized that people with autism at UCM might not register with the OAS Office because of the stigma it could incur and my group could also change that.  I made a pizza bagel for Tyler and Mary for their picnic before their date and I agreed to bring their point sheets to Daniel to sign that night because they wouldn’t be back until very late.  I worked on my travel plans to the Gambia during study hall and my Transition Planning II homework.  I also found several good classes for me to take in that course catalogue.  After I came back from the Rec Center I got Tyler’s and Mary’s point sheets signed and when they got back Mary said she would watch The Hobbit with Tyler, Jack, and I.

The next day I copied my worksheet for my Geology class and learned I mixed up the time of my appointment with Krisana.  I apologized profusely when I got there and she said it was alright and that she had a few minutes to meet with me.  I sat down with her for those first few minutes and she recommended I e-mail her the list of courses I found.  I deposited my checks and I bought some more poster board at the Union bookstore.  I also got the last few answers on my Geology worksheet. 

The next day I carved a pendant from a stick based on a picture I saw on my Lonely Planet Nepal book.  I found another pebble as I was heading into town and when I got into town I got some more embroidery floss for making mala beads and friendship bracelets and some drinks for Tyler and I.  Later that day I ate at Crazy Dog’s and I made another toilet paper roll diorama of Sera monastery in Tibet.  The next day I saw several woodcarving magazines at Hasting’s each with a picture of the proper knife used to carve the things shown and I got a copy of American Archaeology.  I went to Bi-Lo Mart and I bought the new National Geographic Traveler and some pepperoni, shredded mozzarella cheese, and bagels to make pizza bagels. 

 

On my way back I realized my tool set already has all the different shapes of knifes you could need to carve anything so I don’t need to buy so many different knifes like my dad and Cam do.  I got back and watched The Hobbit with Tyler, Jack, and Mary and made the three of them and myself a pizza bagel.  Later that day I got Tyler’s playlist he made for me.  The next day Tyler and I watched the third Mysteries of the Bible tapes and I finished my paper mache monkey for my Children’s Day shrine, a holiday in the Shambhala Buddhist lineage, based off a picture of an Indian monkey, which made me keen on seeing the wildlife in Africa, India, and Nepal.  Later I realized those glow necklaces and bracelets I got at the formal could be recycled into dream catchers and I remade my table with cardboard tube legs using a box with a top, cutting holes in the bottom where I put the legs through, and making inlets on the inside which I attached the legs to with lose hair bands and once I was finished you couldn’t see inlets or hairbands and it was much bigger than my first table and more sturdy and I put a lot of the stuff on my desk on it.  I also lent Tyler a dollar twenty-five for a soda at the Rec Center as we were leaving due to thunderstorms and he paid me back fifty cents.

 

On the last Monday of the month, I finished most of my next project for my Essential Managing Information class in class and I studied for my Geology exam from 10-10:50 then took a ten minute break where I took a bathroom break and had a pizza bagel.  Then I studied from 11-11:50 then had some Starbursts and took a nap to recharge.  Later I worked on turning the Starbursts wrappers into a bracelet.  I went to my last Person Centered Planning and at the end of the session Teresa gave me a stone with the word “Risk” on it and told me to risk traveling to where I wanted to go (I once expressed to her my worries about the dangers of traveling to places such as India) and to love someone who will love me the way I deserve to be loved.  Later I went to Hasting’s and got a Scythian metalworking kit from the Metropolitan Museum of Art which inspired me to carve my own reliefs to make my own metalwork. 

Later that day I got a Barnes and Noble gift card from Walgreens and I went to Crazy Dog’s.  I also got some more drinks for Tyler and I.  During study hall I made a relief using the tools from the kit.  At first glance it did not look quite how I wanted it to but I learned to shut down my inner critic and appreciate it.  I hung it up in my dorm when I got back from the Rec Center and learned I was right to shut down my inner critic as the picture of the metalwork on the cover of the kit had also lost some paint. 

The next day I studied from 10-10:50 before taking a ten minute break where I took a bathroom break and had a pizza bagel then studied from 11-11:50 and after that I took a nap and had some Starbursts who’s wrappers I continued on my bracelet with.  During my Geology class I learned a little about what culture is during our video about evolution and it made me enjoy the idea of doing Cultural Studies as a major.  I also realized my meditation while I’m traveling might enrich my mindful travel experience.  Later that night I went to Mazzio’s for the THRIVE Award ceremony and won Awesome Attendance in Person Centered Planning, the Outstanding Accountability and Participation in Class Award,  and “The Master Craftsman” Award for the individualized award we all get.  We each got to pick out a reward for each award we got and I traded one of mine for the Wood Shop Model Kit.  I returned a lapel I found to the Ellis lost-and-found and Tyler said it was too bad he traded the Wood Shop Model Kit because he wanted to give it to his niece for a birthday present since she’s into architecture and I agreed to buy it for him since I never really got him a present for his twenty-seventh birthday and he could give it to her.  I also realized meditation could also enrich my mindful travel experiences in Europe as well.

Warrensburg, Missouri, February 2013

On the first day of February, a Friday, I e-mailed Mrs. Fahrmeier about my textbook problem and then I did my homework for my Transition Planning II class. Later I took out my trash and found two pebbles one of which II already had so I decided to give the other one to Tyler, who collects rocks. I gave Tyler that pebble and he told me it was granite, which is volcanic. Later that night, I watched Pitch Perfect, one of Tyler’s favorite movies, with him and Jack. I also finished three decorative flowers, each one containing part of a saying of the Buddha: the first, “Do good;” the second, “Do no evil;” the third, “Purify one’s mind,” and I put them on my bathroom door. The next day I worked on my Geology notes, then I went to Hasting’s where I bought an October-December issue of a magazine called BBC Focus on Africa. After I got back to the dorm, I read an article of Mindful magazine, their premier issue which I had bought days earlier, that studies confirmed that racists were more likely than non-racists to suffer from heart problems which I found interesting because about a year ago I started to believe that “ableists” (people prejudiced towards people based on their abilities or lack of thereof) would be more likely to suffer something like that to. 

                On Monday I did the first two Word tutorials for my Essential Managing Information class. The next day, remembering how last year our former THRIVE instructor Mrs. Carter volunteered to be the faculty advisor for the UCM Autism Spectrum Support Group, e-mailed her asking her if she would still like to do it. On Wednesday, after my Essential Managing Information class, I bought a mineral set to help me memorize the different minerals for my Geology Lab. Later I got an e-mail back from Mrs. Carter saying she’d be happy to be the faculty advisor but thought Dr. Mayfield was doing it. I e-mailed her back saying I was meeting with her on Friday and she and I could talk about it. Then, after my Transition Planning II class, I did my assignment that was due in that class that day and e-mailed it to Mr. B. While I was at study hall that day, I took the time to study over my minerals.

                The next day I turned the pebble I found earlier into a mani stone and the day after that I saw someone smile and wave at me in the cafeteria as I was getting ready to leave. I looked and saw that it was Cassie. I smiled and waved back and she sat down with Mckinsey just as I was leaving. Later on I went to my appointment with Dr. Mayfield and we decided we got have Mrs. Carter as a backup advisor, in case she couldn’t make it to meetings. We also decided that the most important things for me to do would be to write the group’s constitution and put a flyer out in the THRIVE hall about the group where people who were interested could put their names on.

                After my meeting, I did my Transition Planning II homework right before the class itself started and I got my last two paychecks, more medication, an Ethernet cord, and some Valentine’s Day Reese chocolates from my mom in the mail. Later that night we arranged for her to come and visit me tomorrow and go shopping afterwards. The next day she came and we went to Crazy Dog’s with Jack and Autrey then took them to Walgreen’s before we went to Bi-Lo Mart. There I got some apples, frappucinos, IBC Cherry Limeades, more cheese pepperoni, and bagels to make pizza bagels, some tea, and some fruit snacks. My mom also bought me a current issue of National Geographic Traveler. After she left and I drank an IBC Cherry Limeade, I added the bottle cap to my collection and my sign. The next day I finished the last two Word tutorials.

                Next Monday, when my Essential Managing Information class was supposed to take place in the library, I forgot the room number and missed class but I e-mailed a student to ask him what I missed then e-mailed my instructor explaining. Later I went down to Walgreens and bought a $25 Barnes and Noble gift card and also a copy of Time magazine’s 100 New Scientific Discoveries: Fascinating, Momentous, and Mind-Expanding Stories. The next day I did my Word Capstone project for my Essential Managing Information class and I went to my Geology class and took the test, which I thought went alright. On Wednesday I took a test for my Essential Managing Information class and got a 77%. I made another mani stone and I went to my Geology Lab and did the Lab Practicum, which I felt somewhat confident about. Later as I was going to my Transition Planning II class, Mrs. Fahrmeier caught up with me and said she got the book yesterday and I got it during the class. During my study hall that night, I worked on my flyer for the Autism Spectrum Support Group. On Thursday I made two more mani stones which I put in my bowl. On Friday I took out my recycling bin and on Saturday I made another toilet paper roll diorama of the Buddha meditating under the Bodhi tree and I went down to Hasting’s and got the new issue of Tricycle magazine. On Sunday I did my assignment for my Essential Managing Information class that the class went over on the Monday class that I missed.

                The next Monday during my Essential Managing Information class, we worked on our first Excel tutorial Capstone project. Later on I went to my Person Centered Planning and talked to Teresa about how I didn’t think I could ever get around to my bird-watching because I thought most birds come out in the morning but then I realized I might be thinking about this one time when I tried to watch for birds on campus later in the day and didn’t see any. That night I also agreed to go see a play called Death Trap with Tyler on Wednesday night. The next night I made up study hall to go to the play the next day and I finished the Excel Capstone project. The next morning I found out I got a 49% on the Lab Practicum but I did do a worksheet in the lab that would definitely make up for it if I got full points. I found out on Blackboard that I got a 60% on the lecture test but I had other tests and assignments to make up for it. Later I got some brown colored paper at the Union bookstore so I could make some more toilet paper roll dioramas. Then, after eating at Hong Kong Express, Tyler and I went to see Death Trap, which I thought was alright.

                The next morning after the snow cancelled classes, I made another toilet paper roll diorama of the Jokhang Temple in Tibet and started working on some wall art made from toilet paper rolls based on Buddhist geometric patterns. I started on a piece of wall art meant to resemble a pattern from the Hausa people of West Africa also made from toilet paper rolls and another piece of wall art of a Tibetan Buddhist mandala, also from toilet paper rolls. The next day I found I was missing my flash drive.  Later I worked on and studied my Geology notes and after dinner I realized that I had left my flash drive in the Lovinger computer lab as I went in there to turn in my Excel 2 Capstone project because I was hurrying to get to my Transition Planning II class and I decided I needed to stop rushing so much.  As I finished running on the treadmill, I practiced not rushing as I prepared to get back.

                Tyler (Fuches), Emily told me, wasn’t coming to UCM for some reason so I had the weekend to myself. During the rest of the night I covered my shelf for my toilet paper roll dioramas with white construction paper and the next day I worked on my Excel 1 Tutorial exam, which I did horribly on but had two more chances to retake it. The next day I retook it and got a better score and I took the Excel 2 Tutorial exam. I also got the last bottle cap I needed for my sign from my beer at Crazy Dog’s, where I tried their delicious Baja burger, and used it to complete my sign when I got back. I then stuck it to the wall in the corner beneath my Buzz Sutherland photo.

                The next Monday I worked on my Excel 2 Capstone project and afterwards I bought a new flash drive at the Union computer store. Later that day, when I was about to leave the Lovinger computer lab, I asked them if they had my flash drive and I got it from their lost-and-found. The next day class was cancelled because of the snow again so I used that time to do some laundry, work on my Tibetan Buddhist mandala made from toilet paper rolls, and practice my flute. Class was cancelled again the next day so I used that time to work on my Tibetan Buddhist mandala wall piece and read a book that I recently ordered called Somebody Else: Arthur Rimbaud in Africa 1880-91. Later I finished my flyer for the UCM Autism Spectrum Support Group. The next day, when class was finally back in session, I copied my Geology worksheet from last class period and I took a quiz in that class which I think I did alright on.

Winter Break 2012-2013

        I got home and I worked on my Lego City sets and the next day I cleaned out my room a little bit. We decorated our Christmas tree and I made three toilet paper roll dioramas by gluing pieces of paper to the inside of toilet paper rolls to make a picture. One was for Abby, my cousin, of Harry Potter riding a broomstick against the backdrop of Hogwarts Castle, and the other two were for my friend Erin for Christmas and her birthday, which was on November 22. One was of Bilbo Baggins running from Gollum with the ring from The Hobbit which was one of her favorite books, and the other was of a famous historical women’s rights advocate, Carry Nation, who I learned about in my history class last year, showing her taking an ax and chopping down a bar, for which she was famous. The latter I thought was a good idea for her since Erin was a die-hard feminist. The next day I got a call from Tyler asking me if I wanted to go see The Hobbit: an Unexpected Journey because he is an AMC employee and could go to screenings for free and bring one friend. Gladly, I said yes.

               

Later that day, my mom and I went to Barnes and Noble where I got a new journal for my meditation journal and a new bottle cap from a drink I bought at their café which I added to my sign when I got home. That night I also got an offer from my granddad to move boxes at his church for a food drive on Tuesday morning and I said yes. The next day, Tyler’s mom picked me up and took us to an Italian restaurant where I enjoyed some delicious steak before we went to see the movie. After the first few minutes of it, I was immediately hooked in, partly having loved The Lord of the Rings for most of my life, and could hardly think of anything else. It was a great movie, I thought.

                The next day I went to my granddad’s church and helped several elderly people there move boxes. I met them as well as their priest, a short, dark-haired woman, Mother Cindy. We got the boxes to a community center and my granddad paid me $20. Afterwards he took me to an ice cream shop in town where I enjoyed pumpkin flavored ice cream. We talked the whole time and then he drove me back.

                After my job for my granddad, I took to focusing on my real job and called Phil and told him I would be able to work over the break and he said he would put me on the schedule. I found the Kansas City star article about The Hobbit movie in our recycling bin and I retrieved it and hung it on my door, partly because of its significance to me as a screenwriter, and partly as a door decoration and a collector’s item. I also rode my bike for half an hour around my neighborhood, then got back and practiced my flute for half an hour. Later that night I called Erin and the next day I went to my old high school Horizon Academy in Roeland Park for a reunion and I saw my old friend Ian Sneid, who is also autistic and goes to Johnson County Community College. 

                Later that day I tidied up my room and the outside of it, which was full of Cam’s stuff, and picked up some airsoft gun pellets which I put in an origami box to use in making a cat’s ball. Later I took Wally for a walk and then my granddad picked me up and we went to the Pathless Land where I gave Ben a Buddha statue I made out of bread dough from the UCM cafeteria. He loved it and even set it on the table in the middle of our circle. The next day I made another toilet paper roll of the Buddha preaching his first sermon in Deer Park and later I read my book The Skull Mantra. The next day I made my dad’s Christmas present who is a psychologist: a toilet paper roll diorama of a quintessential therapy session with a guy sitting on a recliner. I also covered my toilet paper roll diorama with brown construction paper to make them look better.

                For the rest of the day I called Hen House and found out I work on Sunday from 9-5:30 and I cut rings from toilet paper rolls, covered them with construction paper, and glued them together to make a Christmas ornament. I also made a toilet paper roll of Punakha Dzong, a famous Buddhist monastery and Tibetan Buddhist pilgrimage site in Bhutan. The next day I went to a bookstore in Downtown Overland Park and I bought a drink, getting a new bottle cap for my collection. Later that day, Dad, Jamie, and I went to my grandparent’s house where we celebrated Abby’s birthday. I saved several paper plates we used to make into things like Frisbees and ring toss games and I poked a hole in a plastic bottle cap I saved to put a toothpick through it for Sherry for Christmas.

               

The next day I went to work where I got a new bottle cap for my collection on my first break and a USDA bottle cap where people write six-word memoirs inside during my lunch hour. On my last break I got some saltwater taffees and saved the wrappers to make into a bracelet. The next day I made a draddle for Sherry and an origami kawasawi rose for Cam for when on dates with Nora. I also made a toilet paper roll diorama of Taktsang Dzong, another famous monastery and pilgrimage site in Bhutan and I made the saltwater taffee wrappers into a bracelet.

The next day, Mom, Dave, Jamie, Cam, and I opened presents. I got some Beavis and Butthead boxers, a Buddha bar, a survival tool kit, some tweezers, a wallet to fit the shape of my pocket, a National Geographic 50 of the Last Best Places in the World, Lonely Planet’s Dream Trips 2013, a Lego Architecture Rockefeller Center, and a map showing the decline of European colonialism from Mom, a tree’s tooth from Washington from Jamie, some Nerds from Cam, a $200 check from my grandmom (my mom’s mom), and a $25 Lego gift card from my Uncle Andy and Aunt Marge. I built the Rockefeller Center and later Jamie, Cam, and I went over to our grandparent’s house with my Dad where we also met our Uncle Todd, Aunt Laura, and cousins Abby and Eric. From Uncle Todd and Aunt Laura I got a five-headed Ganesh statue that they bought in Colorado, a book called The Maya, a stamp magnifying glass and tweezers, and a Tibetan paper wall hanging from Colorado from my grandparents, and a book called Family Guy and Philosophy; Buddhas, Bouddhas, Buddas, and Boeddhas showing Buddhist sculpture throughout the ages; Good Citizens: on Creating an Enlightened Society by Thich Nhat Hanh; two Jew’s harps for my ethnic musical instrument collection from Kazakhstan and China; and a bird tweeter to attract birds from my dad. I gave each of them their presents and they all liked them as well, including my dad who got a kick out of the toilet paper roll diorama. Then we went on our walk through the park in Lee Summit, an Edwards’ family tradition, then came back and eat steak, fries, mashed potatoes, and Yorkshire pudding and I read Family Guy and Philosophy in a nock in my grandparent’s upstairs floor.

The next day I got my THRIVE progress report which said I passed all my classes, except not posting the grades for my credit courses on there, and good remarks about my internship and other areas of college life. That night my granddad and I went to the Pathless Land as usual and I got a new bottle cap from a drink I bought at the café and learned of several other books of J.R.R. Tolkien’s writing (published and edited by his son Christopher) such as The Lays of Beleriand, The Shaping of Middle Earth, and The Lost Road and Other Writings. I also bought a copy of the magazine issue Saveur: 46 Delicious Recipes from Around the World and two Lonely Planet books, one on Botswana and Namibia and one on Zambia and Malawi. The next morning I went to my art class with Jack and I got back and cut out several rings from toilet paper rolls to make Christmas ornaments. The next day I cut out pieces of construction paper to make toilet paper roll dioramas of Tango monastery, Tsonga, Cheri monastery, and Lhuentse Dzong in Bhutan and I got some more glue from Bruce Smith and a Snapple drink along with a new Snapple cap for my collection, and two sodas from Better Cheddar getting two new bottle caps for my collection and adding them to my sign.

The next day I called work and found out I worked 3:30-8:30 the next day and Monday and Saturday from 3:30-8. Later I went to see The Hobbit: an Unexpected Journey again but with Jamie, Mom, Dave, and Kate. The next day I got a call from Phil asking if I could come in that day at 12 and I said yes and I also got a new bottle cap (not a crown cap) during my break and a new USDA cap after work. The next day I got another USDA cap from my drink during my break at work and I found a new bottle cap lying around the house which I added to my sign.

As the first day of January came, I started making a toilet paper roll of Tsonga monastery in Bhutan and later my friend Erin and I got together and I gave her a present for Christmas and her birthday. She gave me presents for Christmas and my birthday as well: two DVD’s History Channels Barbarians Volume I and II. We went and ate at the Cheesecake Factory and afterwards we went to Barnes and Noble where I got a Lonely Planet book on South Africa, Lesotho, and Swaziland, and a Winter 2012-2013 issue of Parabola magazine. The next day I met up with my Granddad and he gave me several old Smithsonian magazines he had for my collection and we went to Pei Wei, where I got a new bottle cap from my drink, and Half Price Books where I bought a Lonely Planet book on West Africa, The Lays of Beleriand, and The Children of Hurin, before going to the Pathless Land. I went to my art class the next day-Jack for some reason wasn’t there-and later on I got a haircut. The next day I made a toilet paper roll diorama of Lhuentse monastery in Bhutan and the day after that Dad, Jamie, and I ate at an Asian restaurant. The next day I went to work and made a bracelet from the Hershey’s Nugget wrappers from the ones I got on my break. On Sunday I went to brunch with Dad, Cam (Jamie left for Washington), and my grandparents at a fine Mexican restaurant before I went to work again.

On the first day of the week when I woke up I felt stressed that next year I would be making the big transition to regular UCM, understanding now how certain people who were going through big transitions felt. I felt a lot better after I did my daily meditation and on Tuesday I found a new bottle cap in the Prairie Village shopping center and I realized I was glad I didn’t live in a country like Sudan or Afghanistan, which might discourage bottle cap collecting due to its connection with alcohol content. I also made a paper mache bowl for all my mani stones. The next day I went to work and later went to the Pathless Land with my granddad and during the next day also I went to work. On Friday, I rode my bike and my dad and I ate together at BRGR so we could see each other one last time before I went back to UCM. He also ordered me some stamp hinges for my collection. I went to work the next day and the day after that I got a flu vaccine, suddenly sympathizing with all those professionals I know who do a lot of tedious paperwork, then I finished packing up and my mom and I went to Target where we bought shredded Mozarella cheese, pepperoni, and plain bagels to make pizza bagels, beef jerky, and some lollipops for snack food. After that we drove back to UCM.