Thanksgiving Break 2014

The day after I got back for Thanksgiving Break, I worked on making some more plarn. After that, Cam, Nora, and I met my dad at Panera, and he gave me his bottle caps that he saved, from which I got two new bottle caps for my collection. Then Cam, Nora, and I went to Hen House where I met Rick, and he told me to call him on Monday about work. Soon after that I talked to Tyler.

                The next day I worked more on one of my drawings. Then I read through over half of my book for my Anthropology of Food class, pausing every so often to go to the bathroom, draw some more, and help my mom edit one of her Facebook posts, and I got better at my drawing too.

                I showed my mom and Dave my drawings based off The Lord of the Rings appendices, and they liked them. Dave and I talked a lot about the gaps Tolkien left in the appendices of The Lord of the Rings and how there’s a whole Middle Earth fan fiction based off that, which he said I might enjoy. After I told my mom about how I planned to attend ASAN’s meeting tomorrow if I don’t work, she asked if she could come, and I said she could. I had dinner with my mom and Dave after that and told them about my time at school. Later I went down to Starbuck’s, where I thought to myself, if an Autism Awareness Homecoming queen candidate, of all people, deserved to be recognized at UCM for helping the autism community, why has she not made the autistics at UCM more able to be openly autistic there?

                The next morning, I realized I realized Alpha Sigma Alpha may have put an “autism awareness candidate,” as Homecoming Queen Candidate in an effort to help my group. The next day I called Rick and found out it was too late to get me on the schedule before the 30th, but I understood and felt a little relieved to have a little bit of a break. Then I worked on my drawings some more and then some plarn, around which time I decided to maybe make Jack and Elizabeth something for Christmas, thinking of the parents they lost who are no longer around to give them presents, except perhaps in spirit. After that I went down to Starbuck’s and enjoyed their peppermint Frappuccino. Soon after that, my mom and I met Dave at Bella Napoli en route to the ASAN meeting, which my mom stayed at temporarily to check out, before we headed back home. There I saw Mrs. England, her son Cole, his girlfriend, Pam, Anna, Spencer, and Marshall. Teigan stayed at home to de-stress from her schoolwork while Spencer led the meeting, and Marshall led the chat room. During the meeting, our two main points of conversation were ASAN’s participation in the Autism Society of the Heartland’s autism walk, of which ASAN would benefit from, and National Day of Mourning on March 1, for all the disabled people this year who had lost their lives to their caregivers. As the meeting ended and I left, Marshall said, “Good to see you, Ben.”

I got back and edited a poem in my journal and then found another way to moderate my pacing: with animals, namely Peter. That night, I recited a sankalpa, a practice in Buddhism whichinvolves setting an intention for the next day, as I had done about a week ago.  The next day I worked on some plarn some more. After that I went down to Starbuck’s. I got back and had burgers with Cam, my mom, and Dave. After that I decided to one day go around America and other parts of the world and see sites associated with the Disability Rights Movement and started listing them in my little pocket journal. Then I talked to Granddad some and he assured me I do a lot more for the autism community than “Autism Awareness Homecoming Queen,” and agreed that ASA may have appointed her Homecoming Queen candidate because she wanted to help the group. I also finished another bottle cap tambourine. Once more I recited a sankalpa that night. 

                The next day I went down to the store and got some pie crusts for my mom. I also e-mailed Mrs. England and Riccardo with The Friend of Autism Pledge. My mom's dad, who we his grandchildren call Pop-pop, arrived, along with his girlfriend Sandra. I also finished reading Eat, Drink, Vote. I had Thanksgiving dinner with my mom, Dave, Jamie, Cam, Pop-Pop, and Sandra, and it was very enjoyable. Soon after that I read some of Unfinished Tales while I waited for pie and continued reading it afterwards. I also read an article on-line about dealing with grief that was very helpful, talking about ways to express it, including art and poetry, as well as reading books and poetry. Soon after that I watched American Dad! with my mom, and for a short time Jamie, who was doing it in the hopes that it would get me to watch Trailer Park Boys. Pop-Pop said goodbye to me, and I made some more plarn. I also remembered how it’s been a while since I read my Tanaina Tales of Alaska book, but also my Inspector Shan books, whose character I loved for his Sherlock Holmes type wit, though he is a much more grim and sad character. That night I once more recited a sankalpa. 

                The next day I found out Jane England sent me an e-mail agreeing to let me add her name to The Friend of Autism Pledge. Then my mom offered to pay me to mow the lawn tomorrow. After that I finished and posted my next Ben’s Blog post. I also went with my dad, Jamie, and Cam to pick up Joe’s Kansas City Barbecue and went to our grandparent’s house where we all had it for dinner, after which my grandmom offered us some of her pumpkin bread, which I still had enough room for after dinner. As we drove home, I decided I could get some signatures on The Friend of Autism Pledge by reposting it and sharing a link to my post on some of my autism groups. After I got home, I did my part of the project for my Creative Problem-Solving class. Then I reposted The Friend of Autism Pledge on Facebook and shared a link to it and put on my post that if anyone didn’t want their name to be on it on Facebook, they can message me saying “porcupine,” and I will add their name. Soon after I posted The Friend of Autism Pledge, I got nine more names to add to my list through Facebook. Again, I recited a sankalpa that night. 

                The next morning, I saw my pledge got another like on Facebook. Soon after that I worked on my book report for my Anthropology of Food class. Then I went down to Starbuck’s. I got back had Minsky’s take-out with my mom and Dave, during which time my mom asked me to ask about Sara’s tattoo. After that I put some of my clothes in the laundry. That night I also recited a sankalpa.

                The next day I saw I had gotten another like on The Friend of Autism Pledge. Then I worked more on my toilet paper roll wall art pieces. Then I packed up for UCM. After that I drove back there with my mom. When I got back, I put all the names I had gotten for The Friend of Autism Pledge earlier on there. Later I wrote some poems during dinner. After dinner I went down to Break Time I got some more beers. I got back and Josiah gave me a Twix and some pumpkin bread, and I gave him a beer, and then we hung out while I found that one of the bottle caps I got recently was new to my collection. Then I put my sheets on my bed.  After that I ran on the treadmill for about an hour, where I worked on some newspaper bag plarn. After that I got back and finished making the plarn for Jack’s, Elizabeth’s, and my god’s eye. Soon after that I made some more plarn for a homeless blanket. Then I talked to Tyler. That night I also recited a sankalpa. 



Top left, Aragorn journeys to the land of Rhun in the Far East of Middle Earth;
Top middle, Aragorn rides with King Thengel of Rohan, father of King Theoden;
Top right, Aragorn serves Ecthelion, Steward of Gondor and father of Lord Denethor;
Bottom left, Aragorn meets Gandalf in Arnor, who persuades him to guard the Shire after he learns Bilbo has a ring of power;
Bottom middle, Aragorn and his rangers guard the Shire;
Bottom right, Aragorn leads a fleet of Gondor ships against the rebellious province of Umbar, burning their ships and killing their captain.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Back to School Mule-Style

I scooped Peter’s litter box, read my Lonely Planet Turkey and Central Asia books, and cuddled Peter before my dad picked me up and took me to Warrensburg. He gave me his presents, a Native American flute and a build-your-own ocarina kit, and I opened Mom’s, a Leadville, Colorado shirt, and Uncle Todd’s, Aunt Laura’s, Abby’s, and Eric’s, a book on paper art and an ecofriendly sketchbook. Then Dad and I ate at Crazy Dog’s before he took me to UCM, and we got all unpacked. After that, I got my room all organized. Then I made another bracelet from leather, as I had promised to make every day before the silent auction for the Autistic Self-Advocacy Network of Kansas City. I also did some more of my word search from Colorado. I went to the mandatory floor meeting where we introduced ourselves, and told everyone our major, hometown, and hoe old we were. When it was my turn I said, “My name is Ben Edwards, I’m from Mission Hills, my major is Cultural Studies, and I’m twenty-five years old, which I just turned today.”

             Right away, everyone started clapping and singing, “Happy birthday to you.”

Mardy and I filled out our roommate agreement form. Then we went to the Mule Kick-off where I saw my friend from middle school and friend on the autism spectrum Ian Sneid, I talked to him and during that time I learned he was living in South Yeater hall, and I told him about the group.

             “Anyway, if you want to come, you’re welcome to,” I told him.

             “I’ll think about it,” he said.

I also met Paige there, a new THRIVE student with Down syndrome. Mardy and I then went to the THRIVE hall and met Blair, another new THRIVE student with Down syndrome, and hung out with her, Mary, her roommate, and Jade. Afterwards we went to see The Secret Life of Walter Mitty on the lawn of the Central Baptist Student Union.

The next day I had breakfast with a new student in Ellis who is getting to know new people here.  Then I read over some more of my Lonely Planet Turkey book. Afterwards I had lunch with some people from my hall. I also went to the library where I saw several birthday wishes for me on my Facebook page. To show my autistic pride, I changed my Facebook name from ‘Ben Edwards’ to ‘Ben Edwards Au’ in reference to the chemical symbol for gold, which are the first two letters in ‘autistic,’ prompting members of the autistic community to launch “Light it Up Gold,” as opposed to Autism Speaks’ medical autism model based Light it Up Blue, and for many autistics on Facebook, including several of my autistic Facebook friends to add Au to the ends of their names to.  It would take sixty days for the change to take effect. Then I ate dinner with the people on my hall including Drake, a tall dark young man with a crew cut; Alex, a tall black man; Josiah with dark spikey hair; Cameron, a short dark-haired girl; and Sara with bright shoulder-length blond hair. I got back and talked to Granddad, who liked my idea for the Facebook name, thinking it was a good idea just like my porcupine picture. Then I went to the hypnotist with people from my hall where I go to know several of them.  After I got back, I went down to Break Time and got some beers.

The next day began both my Anthropology of Food class and my American Renaissance class. Before my Creative Problem-Solving class, which started fifteen minutes after the latter of the two other classes finished, Hillary texted me saying she needed help finding her two o’clock class, which took place right across the hall from my American Renaissance class, so I waited for her near the Rec Center and took her back up to that hall to help her find her class with five minutes left until my next class started, making it there just in time. After I got out of class I got out of class and bought a new poster of Albert Einstein and a print of Andy Warhol, two individuals reputed to be autistic. I got back and spent some time with Hillary and Mardy before running on the treadmill for half an hour, trying not to start at my usual time of about an hour after three whole months without running. I got back and got a birthday card and check from my grandmother. Then I hung out with Hillary and Mardy.  Hillary left temporarily to take care of some business, during which time I made another bracelet. Hillary got back and she, Mardy, and I hung out, sharing a beer with them and going down to Break Time to get some ice cream with them, during which time we agreed to walk together for a bit of time every day, and I got some more Altoids.

The next day I went down to the Ward Edwards building and got my laptop registered with the UCM wi-fi. Then I deleted several of my old e-mails and sorted them a little bit.  Afterwards I went to help Hillary get her printer set up. Later I got two new prints, a print of Andy Warhol’s depiction of Marilyn Monroe and a print of Johnny Deep from one of his films, both of these individuals having been believed to be autistic. Then I got back and turned two of the now empty printer cartridges from Hillary’s printer into paper weights one with a Jesus drawing and the other of Muhammad Ali and started on one of Mother Teresa. After that I went to dinner with my hall where I almost think I spotted Jess checking me out. I got back and finished my paper weight depicting Mother Teresa, and then did another one depicting Gandhi. After that I ran on the treadmill for forty minutes. I got back and talked to Dad. Then I got a call from Mom saying my tuition had been paid. Afterwards I went to the library and checked out Ralph Waldo Emerson’s Nature for my America Renaissance class, and some Lonely Planet books on Kenya and Tanzania.

The next day I read a lot of Nature after my Anthropology of Food class while drinking some coffee. After my last class I went to the Union computer lab where I happened to run into Maria, who said she saw my blogs and Facebook page during the summer and thought they were very interesting. I also learned she was living in East Ellis and was no longer working as a CA. I sat next to her in the lab while I took the syllabus quiz for my Creative Problem-Solving class and e-mailed a list of textbooks I need to my dad. I got back to Ellis where I had dinner with people from my hall. After dinner I made another bracelet. Then I worked more on making Facebook pages for my blogs.  After that I ran on the treadmill for about an hour while I read more of Buddhist Boot Camp, which taught me about how power self-talk is, like when I think I cannot change the world for autistics with Autism Speaks in the way. I got back and started teaching myself Arabic from the Rumi book I got. Then I went to Break Time where I got some more beers and Doritos.

The next morning, I ate breakfast with Shay, Alex, and Anna, during which Anna asked me about the group and said she was the new THRIVE student organization president and the organization would call me about speaking to them about my group. I went to an appointment with Barbara Mayfield, the Autism Spectrum Support Group advisor from the Office of Accessibility Services. During the meeting, we thought we would ask Tom, an Autism Spectrum Support Group member and THRIVE student who was the only one to come to most of our meeting last year, to be our vice president, especially as it may attract some THRIVE students. I of course also made another bracelet. The next day I had breakfast with Anna and dinner with my hall. I also finished reading Buddhist Boot Camp.  After that I went down to Hasting’s for the first time in a while and got the current issue of Sufi magazine, Nobel: A Century of Prize Winners, a new translation of The Art of War, and Tai Chi Classics. Then I went to Walgreen’s and got some shampoo and a notebook for my Creative Problem-Solving class. After that I went to Crazy Dog’s and got a new bottle cap for my collection from my drink. 

The next morning, I had breakfast with Jess and several other people from my hall and in Ellis. After that I went down to the sheltered workshop, where I saw some hay barrels that I had never noticed before on my way, picking up several recyclables and repurposables along the way and recycling all the recyclables I brought and found two new bottle caps for my collection, and on my way back I picked up and recycled more recyclables and found more repurposables. Then I made another bracelet. I also had dinner with people from my hall. After that I went to Crazy Dog’s where I got two new bottle caps for my collection and realized twelve reasons why people at UCM might not be coming to the Autism Spectrum Support Group meetings:

1.       They aren’t willing to admit they are autistic.

2.       They’re worried how other people will react or view them if they find out they’re at an autism group.

3.       They don’t want others to know they’re autistic.

4.       They don’t like the idea of being in a group that is autism-based.

5.       They’re used to social rejection.

6.       They’re used to social isolation.

7.       They have some lack of social skills

8.       They don’t know anyone at the group.

9.       They don’t know anyone at school.

10.   They don’t have their parents for backup in this social situation.

11.   Unlike in community colleges, the people who might shun them for being in an autism group are always living near them.

12.   They’re worried about how this group may portray autistics, having seen material from various professionals and groups like Autism Speaks portraying autism as a weakness.

13.   They are so embroiled in their special interests, and don’t want to leave them behind.

After thinking of this, I realized the solution may be to pair people up in twos several times instead of one as we had done earlier at UCM, each time with different people, though I then remembered doing it with several people at JCCC. That way they could get to know people there and make friends more easily and have another reason to come to the group and meet people who share their interests. Later I got a call from Hillary asking me for some help with her Composition I homework, and she came up here and I helped her write the paper.

On Monday morning I read several more pages of The Art of War. After that I went to the bank and got some quarters. Then I found out where my Cinematography class is. After that I e-mailed my dad the name of the textbook I would need for my Cinematography class. I also went down to the Union bookstore and found out they were out of Selected Works that I needed for my American Renaissance class. I got back to the dorm and went to the front desk to get some envelopes and stamps, where I saw Anna and Brittany, but found out they didn’t have envelopes, so I went down to the packing store to get a stamp and an envelope. I got back and worked on drawing the front of a Thank You note for my grandmother for her birthday check, since I didn’t have an actual card to send. Then I drank some coffee while I read a lot of the reading for my American Renaissance class, which gave me an appreciation for nature writing myself. 

Later I went to my Cinematography class, where I learned about how in classic Cinematography, shadows will be cast in darker scenes, and powerful people might be in the center of the frame, while less powerful people might be to the left, and I thought this class could really reawaken my appreciation for film. Our first assignment was to take two photographs of an object, one from a normal angle, and one from a more unusual angle, to show how angles influenced the mood of the picture. After I got back and ate dinner, I tried frantically to get onto the Autistic Self-Advocacy Network-KC’s Google Hangout for the meeting, but after trying for over half an hour to get on, Hillary got Josh and he tried to help me get on for almost twenty minutes until we found out I hadn’t gotten the invitation to the meeting by mistake. After that I ran on the treadmill to try and relax, while reading more of The Art of War. I got back and talked to Tyler after he called until I insisted that I was exhausted and stressed, and I needed to go. I got back and helped Hillary with her Composition I homework. After that I made another bracelet. Then I got several of my textbooks in the mail, along with a birthday card from my Uncle John, Aunt Nini, and cousins Scott and Tim.

                The next day I ran into my old friend Antwon from last year as I was heading to class, and we caught up a bit and I got his number and planned to text him mine and see him later. I read more of my Creative Problem-Solving book and realized a lot of the strategies for businesses it mentioned paralleled The Art of War’s philosophy. After my last class I got back and finished my thank you note for my grandmother. Then I went to dinner with my hall and Chic Filet, where Josh assured me the difficulties I was experiencing over the conference would be resolved. After that I got some more beers (or rather hard cider) at one of the gas stations. I got back and heard back from Teigan and we got it so I was able to help out at the JCCC Autism Across the Life Span Conference. I also made another bracelet.  As I was walking to the Rec Center I ran into Sara holding a dog on a leash standing next to a short stocky man in a bright red shirt. She smiled and said, “Hey, Ben. How are you?”

                “Good, how are you?”

                “Good, just walking my dog,” she said breathing heavily.

                “That’s good,” I said. “Well, I’ll see you around.”

                “Bye,” she said smiling.

                I saw her again as I was going down the stairwell to Late Night, she was walking up. I said hello and she said, “Hey, Ben. What are you doing?”

                “Just going down to Late Night.”

                “That’s cool. Just relaxing?”

                “Yeah.”

                “That’s good. Well, have a good night.”

                The next day I met with Barbara Mayfield, the Autism Spectrum Support Group advisor from UCM’s Office of Accessibility Services about the group. I told her my theories on why people weren’t showing up to the group, and she agreed I could be right about them. During that time, we came up with the idea to plan activities for after our pair-up sessions, get together THRIVE students for activities to help get them into the group, and to meet with the THRIVE staff to help that happen and to get THRIVE students involved. I said sure, and he told me they would probably get together to practice sometime soon. I went to the Lovinger computer lab and worked on putting a presentation together for Disability Awareness Week, when I got a call from the bookstore saying they had the textbook I needed, and I could come down and get it. I went down there and got it and a fine-tipped sharpie and my arabesque origami box. Then I went down to the packing store, where I ended up getting eight new stamps for my collection along with two envelopes. As I left the Union, I ended up going back to walk with Hillary and Mardy to the bank. I got back and mailed my letter to my grandmother. Then I finished my arabesque box. After that I went to dinner with my hall, sitting next to Jess there, and got the idea to make another bottle cap sign that says “Wake up,” and to carve some of my wooden blocks into a box (for myself). I then made another bracelet for the Silent Auction. After that I talked to my granddad.

                After my first class the next day I went to the library and checked out an edition of Walden. I got to the cafeteria and read a lot of it. Later Mardy and I agreed to ride home the next day together for Labor Day weekend. I went down to Late Night again that night trying to relax and ran into Sara and her friend Cameron.

                “Hey, Ben, how are you doing?” Sara asked me.

                “I’m good, and you?”

                “Oh, I’m doing pretty good,” she said sighing and nodding her head.

                “That’s good, and how are you?” I said to Cameron.

                “I’m good,” she said.

                “Well, I’ll see you later, Ben,” said Sara.

                The next day Mardy and I drove home together. I got home and turned several straws into beads. Then I decided to turn all my straws from now on into lampshades and started doing it. Afterwards I read a little bit of my Lonely Planet Germany book while I petted Peter. Then my mom, Dave, and I went to Elsa’s and celebrated my birthday where I told them about school and looking for the right girl, and she said if I keep my mind open to all possibilities, something will happen. When we got back, I made another bracelet while waiting for everyone to be ready to celebrate my birthday dinner. We celebrated it with triple layered chocolate caramel cake with vanilla and caramel cone ice cream while I got four new shirts, including a Mount Washington shirt and a salmon Winnipesauke shirt, as well as a book called The Uprooted: The Epic Stories of Great Migrations that Made the American People.

Autistic Advocacy and Relaxation: Our Second Vacation in Colorado

On the first day of August, I finished packing my clothes before we drove off to Colorado.  As we drove there, I worked on my letter to Alpha Xi Delta about their support of Autism Speaks, then my travel plans to Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, and then my letter some more. I realized as I read my Lonely Planet books on the region about how these port cities in western India were probably how Buddhism spread to Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia, just as the Silk Road allowed Buddhism to spread to China, and at one point, the Mauryan Empire must have been the center of a global Buddhist community. I drove on the highway for about an hour we munched on McDonald’s. Then I worked on my letter, then my Art of War for the Autistic Advocate, and then my letter some more. We went to Whole Food’s where I helped with the shopping before we ate dinner from their salad bar, from which I had some delicious jerk chicken, and got a new bottle cap for my collection. Then we drove on while I continued working on my letter, until we finally arrived at our cabin.

Soon after I got up the next day I trimmed and sprayed the dandelions and grass growing between the planks on our front porch. Then Dave and I went to Safeway where I found several bottle caps to use for my snake and other projects, got a new bottle cap from my drink there, and found a new bottle cap for my collection in the front of Safeway, that is if I can get it back into the shape it was in before. I got back and messaged Teigan about the JCCC Autism Across the Life Span Conference, asking her if the Autistic Self-Advocacy Network of Kansas City would like to participate in it. I also did a few more changes to my letter to Alpha Xi Delta.

We went to the Boon Festival in Leadville where I enjoyed a delicious meal of hot wings and chips, while I heard Teigan respond that they would love to participate though they will need as much information about it as possible. Dave and I then went to a bar where we tried shots of whisky and Cowboy Coffee. We bought some kettle corn and then went to see Paula Poundstone perform in the Tabor Opera House. On the way back we saw a deer. After that I got back and added some of the finishing touches to my letter. Then I made another coaster from receipts, while I thought about Autism Speaks stranglehold over the conversation on autism, but then remembered Winston Churchill’s quote, “When you think you are going through hell, keep going.”

           The next day cut and sprayed some dandelions for my mom and Dave. Then we went to the Boon Festival where I enjoyed a brisket sandwich and chips and then bought a Peruvian flute and shaker at one stand and a hand drum at another and picked up and recycled several recyclables. I got back and made several flowers and beads from straws I found on the ground. Then I practiced my flute for half an hour and sort of invented a new slightly different fingering notation that worked better for me. 

I made three more coasters from receipts and during dinner, the subject of Autism Speaks came up between my mom and I and to my intense relief, she said she agreed with what I thought of them, though she said she thought I ought to get my message across in a way that wasn’t angry, which was fair enough. I also told her about my letter to Alpha Xi Delta and she said she thought I should do that. I then finished two more coasters. I realized I must have been quite helpful to the autistic struggle by getting all these autistic people together at JCCC; a lot of good can come about when autistic people get together; look at the Silicon Valley. I also realized that it was probably people with disabilities who first conceived the idea that racism and other sorts of inequality stem from our society's intolerance of difference, thus helping to quash racism, and helping our society to pay it forward with ethnic minorities, proving that disabled people are not simply economic burdens or charity cases as some think they are. The next day I communicated a message from Sean about the JCCC Autism Conference to Teigan. Afterwards I made three more receipt coasters and started on five more.

The next morning, I had a dream that I saw the citadel of Minas Tirith, only it looked much different in my dream than it did in real life, but I realized that. After that I wrote in my dream journal, during which time I realized that in my dreams, I’ve realized things are different than they are in reality. Then I delivered a message from Teigan to Sean. Later I started on eight more receipt coasters. I went into town and bought six more Native American postcards and a crotchet needle. I got back and finished two more receipt coasters. The next morning, I combined several receipt coasters into two more coasters afterwards. Then I sprayed some dandelions for Mom. After that I helped plant some grass.

After that I took a walk along the tracks where I took several more photos and was inspired to do more photography. I got back and worked on my letter to Alpha Xi Delta. Later I went into town and got a fish fossil to frame and hang on a wall at a mineral store and a crossword puzzle book at the bookstore. Then I went to a coffee shop and got a two-scooped cone of dark chocolate chip ice cream and an Orangina, from which I got a new non-crown bottle cap for my collection and ate and drank them while I worked on my crossword puzzle book. After that I went to the antique store and bought two more Native American postcards. Then I went to another coffee shop and had a lemon crumb bar while I did some more work on my crossword puzzle book. After that my mom, Dave, and I ate at the Grill where I got my mom to agree to send my pocketknife home in the mail. Soon after we got home, Dave’s mother and sister Brenda arrived at our cabin. The five of us went on a train ride the next day up the mountains where we were given a guided tour of the area. I got several pictures on my way back, and before we went home, we went to the taco truck, where again, I got a new bottle cap from my drink. Later I sanded the back door frame for my mom and collected some firewood, before walking down the tracks and going to the old warehouse and collecting some green, red, and gold leather, which looked almost red, yellow, and blue, to make braided leather autism awareness bracelets for the silent auction. I made one for myself and soon afterwards ate dinner with my mom, Dave, Brenda, and Mrs. Dingley. I told them all about my coasters and what they were for, and Mrs. Dingley suggested making a video showing how to make them, so people would be more likely to pay the price for them after seeing all the hard work involved in them. I also enjoyed talking to Brenda, who was a major travel enthusiast herself, about my own travel plans to places such as Tibet, Turkey, and Central Asia, and was amazed at how much she knew about the regions herself. 

                The next day, my mom took me to the shuttle car that would be my first ride on the way to the airport, giving me a bag that had a present for my upcoming birthday. My grandparents would pick me up at the airport and bring me back home. I got on the shuttle car that led to the next one, tipping the driver and getting on the next ride. I tipped the next driver after I got to the airport and tipped the driver again, before getting through security and soon learned my flight would be half an hour late. I called my grandparents to let them know. Soon afterwards, my flight boarded, and I made it to Kansas City, and was picked up by my grandparents. They took me to get a meal a Winstead’s through the drive-through, and then I made it home and made another leather bracelet. I called work to ask them when I worked next. They said I didn’t have any hours that week, but I figured that was ok, because in the next week, I would be going back to UCM.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Retreat in New Hampshire

I woke up on the last Sunday of June with my brother Cam taking me to the Kansas City airport and caught my plane to Baltimore, where I read some of Water Touching Stone to pass the time. At the Baltimore airport, I got a Rolling Stone special issue on Michael Jackson (a man I’ve heard to be autistic) and an Essence magazine special issue on Maya Angelou. I also enjoyed an Arby’s brisket sandwich for lunch. I made it to New Hampshire where I met my grandmom and my mom and we drove down to the cabin in Mirror Lake where my mom and Dave, Uncle Andy and Aunt Marge, and I would stay. I met my mom’s cousin Rich there and got two new bottle caps for my collection from the drinks we got there. Later Dave and I canoed across Mirror Lake to the house where my grandmom, Uncle John and Aunt Nin were staying, where we enjoyed some kebabs cooked in Cajun spices cooked by my Uncle John. 

                The next day I went to Sandy Beach with my mom, Dave, Uncle Andy, Aunt Marge, Uncle Kurt and Aunt Barb and their children Kyley and Hunter, who I played with on the beach. When I got back, I found in my Lonely Planet West Africa book a festival in the Gambia that commemorates the countries slave heritage with music workshops, parades, and performances, a way I felt was good for Buddhists like me (assuming they, or I, have the money) to bear witness to people’s suffering. Later we all had salmon together while I got a new bottle cap from my drink and from Uncle Kurt and Uncle Rich. Then we all went and got ice cream together while I realized I might like to do a book of quotes from famous people with autism. 

                The next day I climbed Mt. Washington four an exhausting four hours with Mom, Dave, Uncle Kurt, Uncle John, Aunt Nini, Uncle Andy, Aunt Marge, and Uncle Rich. I saw two or three different kinds of birds, one of which I got a picture of, and a unique frog, which I also got a picture of. At the top I bought some Wonka gobstoppers, of mints. Then I saw a couple kiss and thought it was a nice thing to see. After that I got a bracelet made from parachute cord. I also made some paper airplanes from hot dog trays, which I realized I could give to Kyley and Hunter. On our way to dinner, I realized I may have enough time in my life to take several trips to a lot of the different African countries and spend a week or so absorbing some of the various places like Ouagadougou, Dakar, the Adrar, and elsewhere. We ate dinner at a pizza place where I saw a girl hug a guy and remembered what it felt like to be hugged by a girl like that, which I hadn’t felt for a long time, and decided I would experience that joy once more. I was also cut short from working on my travel plans to West Africa because of the moths everywhere, during which I spilled my beer in the dark after turning off all the lights planning to go to my room.

                The next morning, I started scooping up the bugs for the windowsills. Then I went with Mom and Dave to meet Uncle Andy, Aunt Marge, Uncle Kurt, Aunt Barb, Kyley, Hunter, Uncle John, Aunt Nini, Nannie, Uncle Rich, and Aunt Dixie down at Sandy Beach where I played with Hunter and lounged in a tube with a beer from where I got a new bottle cap, and we stayed there until it started to rain. When we got back, I scooped up all the dead bugs. Then I went with Nannie, Aunt Nini, and Aunt Dixie to an antique shop. Afterwards we ate steak at Uncle Kurt and Aunt Barb’s house where Aunt Nini gave me a new bottle cap, I made two bracelets for Kyley, and played with Kyley and Hunter.

                The next morning read until I paddle- boated into the center of the lake, joined halfway by Mom and met the rest of the family including Mom’s cousin Andy and his son, Morgan. We all had dinner later at the Wolfsboro Inn, before going out to ice cream. When I got back to the house I talked to Tyler, who told me how he had gone on a date with an actress friend of his.

                “Well, that’s good,” I said. 

  “But I want to find a girl who shares my pain,” he said.

                “Do you mean has special needs?” I asked.

                “Yes!” he said.

                “Tyler, that doesn’t matter too much. A girl could be good for you regardless of whether or not she has special needs.”

                But I knew exactly how Tyler felt. We would find a girl who was a true supporter of disabled people like ourselves, who could understand our struggles. Having the most beautiful or popular girl could not possibly replace having a girl who supported me through the struggle.

             I read some more of my Lonely Planet book when I heard my mom, sitting at her computer say, “Ben, guess what?”

                “What?”

                “Your friend, Ian Sneid: he’s going to UCM next year!”

                My heart leapt. 

                “That’s great!”

                The next day I went with my mom into town where I went to the Country Book Seller and got Buddhist Boot Camp and Lonely Planet Guides to China and Germany (the former because I accidentally tore a page in it). Then I got a chocolate and caramel covered cookie in a candy store next to the bookstore. On our way back home, my mom said she thought it was a good idea for me to do my autism books and told me that the Autism Asperger Publishing Company is in the Kansas City area. 

                When I got back, I read a lot more of Buddhist Boot Camp. We went over to Aunt Nini’s and Uncle John’s house where I read it some more, found another Snapple cap, got a new bottle cap, and realized that even if we spent more on autistic people by providing them services, the fact is statistically we commit less crime so in ways, we will always spend less on autistic people. That night it rained so the Wolfsboro Fourth of July parade was postponed until the next day. 

                The next day my mom, Dave, Uncle Kurt, Aunt Barb, Kyley, and Hunter saw the fourth of July parade before going to the airport and making our way home, with Kyley giving me a small friendship bracelet before we left. At the first airport I looked on my Facebook on my phone and found out I had been invited to the Autistic Self-Advocacy Network Kansas City chapter’s July meeting at the Plaza Library on the 21^st, and thought I ought to go. On the ride back, in which Jamie drove us home, I talked to Tyler, who called earlier that day. When I got home, I called Hen House and found out I was scheduled for the next Friday from 4-7.