Winter Break Before Vacation 2014

The day after I got back from UCM I finished a drawing I had started the day before: on one side was the face of Mahatma Gandhi; on the other Thorin Oakenshield, the dwarf leader from The Hobbit. While Gandhi was an ascetic who freed India through peaceful means and had a tendency towards forgiveness, Thorin was vengeful, whether towards Smaug or Azog, and sought to reclaim his people’s treasure horde, but the way I saw it, the yin-yang was present: both loved the people, and were willing to fight, even die for them. I finished the picture and posted it on Facebook.

                Later I saw Kelly Green, autistic activist and moderator of the Facebook page and website Artists and Autism, left a comment asking me if she could put it on Artists and Autism’s page, to which I said I would love that. Later I went down to Better Cheddar, where I got a new bottle cap for my collection from my drink and found another one near the tenant’s recycling bins.  

                The next day I found another bottle cap for my collecting near the tenant’s recycling bins. Then I went to Starbuck’s where I read more of Water Touching Stone. I got back and made another coaster from receipts and worked on some more plastic bag yarn, or “plarn.” My mom and Dave paid me to drive them to and back from Homestead Country Club and when I got back, I made some more plarn and worked on some more receipt coasters. I soon saw my picture that was shared on Artists and Autism got over six hundred likes on Facebook. 

                The next day I read more of Water Touching Stone at Starbuck’s before I went to Hen House to work. After that I got another bottle cap from a drink I got there. I got back and talked to Tyler. I went to work the next day and got a different bottle cap from my drinks that I got afterwards. On Friday Erin and I got together at the Cheesecake Factory, and I gave her the drawing for a birthday/Christmas present, and she gave me a documentary The Tibetan Book of the Dead. The next day I did a drawing of Peter, which I showed to my mom and Dave it and they loved it. Then I did a drawing of Hook and started one of Reeder. I showed my mom them and my drawing of Elsa from Frozen, and she loved them. On Sunday, I chipped in with Cam and Jamie for a present for my mom and Dave and decided to give Aunt Laura one of my toilet paper roll wall pieces. I also went to work and got a new bottle cap from my drinks after that. After that I went to work again and got a different bottle cap at the CVS in the shopping square after I got off work. On Wednesday I got together with Tyler and we saw The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, which we both particularly enjoyed. My family and I had Christmas Eve dinner of steak followed by Andres matterhorn and pastries for dessert. That night, Jamie saw my toilet paper roll wall piece, which he took a picture of and shared it with Artists and Autism, writing:

My 25 year old (older) brother with Asperger's Syndrome made this out of toilet paper roll cardboard. He makes recycled artwork and his name is Ben Edwards.

                After that I opened my stocking getting a beer magnet bottle opener, some chocolates, two packs of Orbit gum, some “Hello Titty” condoms, an eraser, a dream catcher, and a Tequila Worm lollipop from my mom and Dave. Then I gave my presents of paracord bracelets to Jamie, Cam, Kate, and Graham. I also got The Promise of a Pencil: How Ordinary People Can Do Extraordinary Things, a beer mug from my mom’s and Dave’s trip to Germany, a photo of an endangered duckling from New Hampshire, the Lego Architecture Imperial Hotel from my mom and Dave, a completed theme song for Cheap Charlie, a mock reality show idea I had for my mom’s dad, who was known to be extremely cheap, from Jamie, and some gummy bears and bottle caps from Cam. Then we had bacon, eggs, and mimosas for breakfast along with some cinnamon rolls. Then my dad picked us up and we went to our grandparent’s house. I gave everyone their gifts and they loved them. My grandparents gave each of us grandchildren one hundred dollars, my dad and Sherry gave me National Geographic’s Backyard Guide to Birds of North America, The Tao of Leadership: Lao Tzu’s Tao Te Ching Adapted for a New Age, and a Buddhist mudra candle holder, while Todd, Laura, Abby, and Eric gave me the Lego Villa Savoye and The Gallery of the Celestial Buddhas. My aunt, of course, loved my wall piece. Then we went on our annual Christmas walk around the neighborhood. I got back and built the Villa Savoye. Then we had Christmas dinner and cookies. After that we played Pictionary. I also saw my toilet paper roll wall piece had gotten over three thousand likes on Artists and Autism.

                I got a call from Hen House asking if I could work tomorrow from 11-7:30, and I said I could. Then I finished my drawing of Reeder. After that I went down to work where I got a non-crown bottle cap and a USDA bottle cap from my drinks on my break. I also realized that that if UCM’s Autism Awareness” Homecoming queen Caitlin Stauffer really has done more for the autistics at UCM than me, why are they still unwilling to come out of the autism closet, and why have I never seen a poster by her on autism in the Union, or a blog by her? I got back and asked my mom to deposit my paycheck and my one-hundred-dollar bill from my grandparents, and she said she would.

 

Princess Anna, top middle; Peter, top right; Erin; bottom left; Jennifer, bottom middle

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Labor Day Weekend 2014

On the first day of Labor Day weekend, I went to Mickey Surplus’s army surplus store with my dad, Cam, and Nora, where I ended up getting a paracord bracelet making kit, a length of nearly one hundred feet of paracord, and a military can opener, which I assumed could also be used as a bottle opener when I didn’t have my pocketknife due to going through airport security to get home from Colorado. While I was there, I also got four calls from the same number. When I got home, I returned the call and found out they were from Paige, the new THRIVE student, who called me to wish me a happy Labor Day. Later on, I went to Starbuck’s as I had done so often before the summer started and read more of Water Touching Stone. I also found some time to talk to my friend Tyler. I also make another one of my leather braided bracelets for the Autistic Self-Advocacy Network of Kansas City’s silent auction to be held in November. I did that again the next day and got a soda from Better Cheddar, from which I got a new bottle cap for my collection. I also ate dinner at the Hereford House with my dad, Cam, and my grandparents. The next day I went back to UCM and continued one with my life as a student.

The Beginning of Summer

On the first day back, I spent some time pulling weeds in our garden and patio. As I emptied out my trash can, which I had used to carry a lot of my stuff home, I found a new bottle cap for my collection, which Sinho must have thrown away in there, as well as one from a coffee soda at Better Cheddar (which tasted awful), and from my Deschutes beer I bought at Crazy Dog’s, which didn’t care so much for the taste of either. I also found out Maria had accepted my friend request, as of course I thought she would. I went down to Better Cheddar and got a new bottle cap from my drink I got there. I also got an e-mail from Horizon’s public relations coordinator asking for a ten-twelve sentence article telling what I had done since leaving Horizon, what I missed most about or benefited most from the school, and what I looked forward to doing this summer and to see if I could get it to them by May 13. I told her I would be happy to and typed up the article. Unfortunately, a virus on my computer prevented me from sending it that day. I also talked to Tyler again.

On Sunday I went with Mom and Dave to Café Provence for Mother’s Day. After that we drove up to Hen House where several of my fellow employees were happy to see me and one of the managers said she would let Rick, the assistant manager know I stopped by and that I was now able to work, and I would be on the schedule by the twenty-fifth. On Monday I went on Amazon and ordered myself The Divine Madman as my reward for doing that one day’s reading for my Early American Literature class, as well as a Lonely Planet Turkey book to help myself plan a trip to Catalhoyuk, which I had learned about in my World Archaeology class, and perhaps to bear witness to the Armenian genocide. The next day I unfortunately had to retype my piece for Horizon, but I did it, making it pretty much the same as I had before, and I e-mailed it to Mrs. Campbell from Horizon. I also drove to and back from Hen House with my mom and there I filled out a W2 form so I could get back on the schedule. I also got a new bottle cap from the drinks we got there. Later I went with my granddad to Winstead’s before going to Barnes and Noble as we always do afterwards, where I got a new edition to Lonely Planet’s West Africa, and then went to the Pathless Land for the first time in a while. On Thursday I went to my art class with Donna for the first time this summer, driving there and back. I also went to BE Tech to look at a new laptop. The next day my mom and I went down there again and got my new computer. I did also go down to Better Cheddar and get two more bottle caps from my drinks and my Lonely Planet Turkey book in the mail, and the day after the next day I got The Divine Madman. The over the next two days I also got two new bottle caps both days from my drinks at Better Cheddar and on the latter of the two days I checked my grades and found out I had gotten B’s in my Film Appreciation, Modern Sub-Saharan Africa, and Early American Literature class, and an A in my World Archaeology class. 

*Stay tuned for soon on this post I will provide a link to my school alumni article on my other blog autistdharma.blogspot.com

Spring Break 2014

I saw an e-mail about how condolences for the loss can be sent to the address of the ASA president Ellen Whit, whose name I recognized from the Friend of Autism Pledge, and I decided to send her an e-mail after break saying I recognized her name in the e-mail from the pledge and wanted to wish my condolences to her. I put up a Facebook post that said, “Three types of girls I will never date:/-Girls who don’t wear their seatbelts, or ride with people who do/-Girls who smoke/-Girls who support autism organizations that pay more to their executives than supporting individuals and families/All three of those thing could cut my time short with her.” I saw Dr. Downing, Jamie, Kurt, Britney, and one other person liked it. I also wrote “Three of the worst things you can do while driving:/-drink/-text/-support charities that don’t pay most of their money to the causes they claim to represent/When you do any of these things your car can kill.” Brittany liked that. I shared a link to Hook’s obituary on Ryan, Philip’s, Hillary’s, and Mardy’s page and saw that they liked it, and Hillary liked my comment on her page about how I reacted to these girls' deaths.  Brittany also liked several other things on my page. I shared a link about the vigil on THRIVE’s Facebook page, commenting on what the girls did for THRIVE and how I thought the link deserved to be on there, and Dr. Downing approved. I shared a Buddhist link with people at the Pathless Land, and several of them, including Steve, liked it, and Steve said, “Awesome Ben Edwards.” I realized I can reach out to and gain respect of people like that. I talked to Tyler who said he knew of the girl’s deaths and knew one of the girls. I realized there are times when college students lose their lies like this, like the fall semester before last, when a twenty-three-year-old UCM male student died in a car wreck not wearing his seatbelt, from seeing it in the Muleskinner while working there.

The next morning I felt pretty good though a little frustrated as I had a nosebleed while I had just undressed to take a shower and Dad texted me to call him and I wanted to call Elizabeth to make plans for tomorrow, but I called Dad, and I called Elizabeth and she offered to pick me up and take me to Panera tomorrow, which I accepted as I was feeling still quite overwhelmed by the loss of the girls. When Elizabeth pulled up in my driveway however, we ended up going to Minsky’s in downtown Prairie Village instead of Panera. Elizabeth and I started getting caught up on each other’s lives and she told me there was an Autistic Self-Advocacy Network chapter opening up in Kansas City. I started telling her about the group and she was excited to hear that it was getting ready and understood that it was taking a while to get off the ground.

“The thing about the autism community is that we’ve always sought friendship,” she also told me, “I’m your friend in the autism community.”

Finally, I also told her about the loss of Hook and Reeder.

“I’m sorry,” she said, very sincerely.

“It’s just, sometimes I still feel some pain, but then it just subsides.”

“That’s called grief and it’s perfectly natural. It means something was important to you.” 

I smiled. Elizabeth was being very empathetic just as I had expected she would.

“These kind of things just seem to happen, and I guess, ultimately, there’s really no point in trying to figure out why.”

Elizabeth looked at me with such kind eyes. Eventually we got off the subject of Hook and Reeder, which was really a relief to me. She asked me about my bottle cap necklace, and I told her about it and showed her my belt made from plastic bags. She looked amazed.

“It’s really strong,” I said.

“I believe you!"

I learned her brother had had cancer for the last year, although she did tell me not to make any negative assumption about it too quickly as she said he was getting better. She also gave me a business card for her work as a music therapist, which she had recently been licensed to do after finishing her practicum for it last year. As I got out of her car and said goodbye, I realized I truly did have one friend in the autism community.

Later that day I went with my dad to our family house at Lake Lotawana where I indeed also found twenty-three new pebbles near our garden. Then we went to have a beer at the Canoe Club while we waited for my grandparents to come and eat with us. In the meantime, he asked what I planned to do after college. I mentioned selling some environmental crafts on Etsy, being a drama teacher at Horizon, and maybe publishing a book on my experiences at UCM and other parts of my life, before, hopefully, getting a career in filmmaking. He thought those were all good ideas. Then he asked me, “Ben, have you ever thought of having a career as an autism specialist? It’s just that none of the autism specialists I’ve ever known of have had autism.”

“I don’t know," I said. "I mean I thought either way I would do some stuff involving autism.” 

Soon my grandparents arrived. My granddad started telling us about how Bob from the Pathless Land was told by his doctor that he absolutely needed to quit smoking. He had “had his last smoke” with my granddad, though there had been slips since then. I had hoped he would quit as he was a great man who I had known for the last two years at the Pathless Land. 

The next day I drove to my appointment with Dr. Mays, then to the post office, and then home getting twenty-five more minutes of driving. I made twelve more flowers, seven more heart-shaped pins, a rose, and then seventeen more heart-shaped pins from straws, and decided to use the heart-shaped pins in making prints. I went to Better Cheddar and got two new bottle caps for my collection and drank the drinks while I ate a Mars Bar and read Mckinsey’s blog post on world hunger statistics, which I commented on favorably. I went to the hardware store and got a saw to cut my board at school apart and some wood to cut into rectangles for wood burning. I then cut apart the board and turned that coaster project Mom started into two coasters, which she was pretty impressed by. I also got the idea for when I find “a one” to glue the letters of my old computers to two of those boards and give each of us one of them on our anniversary where we can write a word or phrase next to each other about how we feel about each other. I drove to Bella Napoli, getting ten more minutes of driving. There I also got a new bottle cap from my beer. I also realized how interesting it is that I drink two sodas and eat a Mars Bar while reading a post on world hunger statistics. 

The next day I called Jack and left a message to see if he could sleep over with Tyler and I this spring break. Afterwards I grinded up leaves and spread them in my mom’s garden for fifteen dollars an hour for three hours. I also felt comforted knowing Elizabeth could understand how I felt about those girls. I made one of my coasters for Aunt Laura from receipts. I went down to Better Cheddar and got two new bottle caps for my collection from my drinks. On my way back I picked up and sorted some recyclables. On my way back I found a good walking stick to carve. I also worked on my coasters made from paper plates and Styrofoam.

I was able to slow down and take a breath while I enjoyed some Welsh rarebit for dinner tonight. I then talked to Jack who said he couldn’t sleep over this spring break because he has a lot going on, but he did say he could do it over the summer. I also told him about the girls, which he was shocked about, but glad I told him about, and about how Emily and I broke up. I talked to Dad and he and I agreed to eat dinner together tomorrow night and I sent him the links to my blogs. I wrote another post Autism and Olympics: Not So Special After All and posted it. I also saw another one of my Facebook friends accepted my invitations to like Tania Marshall and Little People of America. I remembered how great it feels to wake up and get a text asking saying, “I love you.”

The next day I realized more of how I would organize my stamp collection before I went to BRGR with Dad and he gave me dozens of bottle caps, which I found five new ones in, two Buddhist magazines, which I already had but could make some DIY colleges with, and a craft board. The next day I drove to get my blood tested and got ten minutes of driving on the way, then to a garden shop, then Dunkin Donuts, where I had a jelly donut, then Bruce Smith, and then the hardware store, getting another twenty minutes of driving. Afterwards I got two new bottle caps from my drinks at Better Cheddar. I also got some bread and turkey at Hen House along with the current issue of National Geographic. I arranged to get together with Erin tomorrow at eleven, and then I wrote in my dream journal. I also made another rose from straws. Tyler got here and I gave him those bottle caps I’d saved for him. We ate burgers and fries and then watched Epic. 

The next day Tyler met Erin before she and I went to the Cheesecake Factory, and I gave her presents and she gave me mine: a book called Empires of the Silk Road: A History of Central Eurasia from the Bronze Age to the Present. I got home and then went to my dentist appointment. I got back and rested from the cavity filling. I also agreed to go with Mom and her family to New Hampshire over the fourth of July, as I don’t see her family very often. I swung in our backyard while I read a lot of Erin’s book. Later I got Tyler to resend the link to the Down Syndrome Dance form when I couldn’t get to the page via the link I was sent. 

The next morning, I worked on my revised research paper for my Early American Literature class. I moved some soil, mulch, and compost into my mom’s new garden bed, during which time I realized that Beorn attacking the dwarves as a bear in the second Hobbit movie was a good idea as that way the audience gets the see Beorn as a bear before the third movie comes out, and Beorn being at Dol Guldur doesn’t seem like such a bad idea as Beorn was close to Radagast, who was a member of the White Council, and lived near there. Later I saw some good miksang photos and got inspired to take some more, which I did. I saw that the Autism Women’s Network liked my review of them before I took another photo. I also got together some bottle caps for my rainbow fish wall fish.

A Weekend at Home

On Friday my granddad came to my dorm to pick me up and I showed him some of my environmental crafts, which he enjoyed seeing. I got my stuff together and he brought me home. Once I was there, I found one of my paperweights that said “Wisdom” so I could bring it back to school and put it with the other paperweight I meant to go with it that said, “Compassion.” Later I talked to Tyler and we agreed to go see Captain Philip the next day. I called Jack but I didn’t hear back from him. The next day my mom and I decided to see the movie at 2:30. We went to pick up Tyler and on my way I heard my mom say my Facebook status said I was still in a relationship and suggested I change it, and I thought she was right. We got Tyler and went to the movie, which was full of suspense throughout the whole thing. All in all, I thought the movie was pretty good.

Tyler and I got home and watched some television. Later we decided on him staying for dinner and then for the night. Tyler, Dave, my mom, and I had some juicy steaks and Tyler said he enjoyed having a home-cooked meal, which he hadn’t done since all his siblings left the house and his mom started taking care of his grandfather. He also said he loved having a sleepover, which he had never done before.

After dinner I deleted that post saying I was in a relationship. Then Tyler and I shared some stories that night and I learned about a friend he had in middle school named Jennifer Johnson who had bipolar disorder, scoliosis, was in a wheelchair, and couldn’t speak except with a machine, and died around the time he was in middle school. We also watched a show on the Disney Channel called Wolf Blood about some underground maligned werewolves in rural Wales experiencing bullying at their school and banding together to help each other and it reminded us of the way people with various disabilities, such as Asperger syndrome, bipolar disorder, and Down syndrome, have been forced to live for decades. I also questioned him about Monica to see if it was really her he knew. I asked him if she had shoulder-length black hair and he said yes. I asked if she had blue eyes and he said yes. Then I asked him if she had a wide open smile and he said yes. That sounded like her. Before I went to bed, I read a post about women with Asperger syndrome on a blog by a women named Tania Marshall, an expert in women with Asperger syndrome, and learned they can have mood swings or be diagnosed or misdiagnosed with AD/HD, bipolar disorder, OCD, and other conditions, and can also have a lot of artistic or creative ability, as well as great empathy. I also read on Wrong Planet how some people with Asperger syndrome deny that have it and instead say they have bipolar disorder.

The next day when I woke up Tyler joined me in my meditation, following what it appeared to him to be going on at least. After breakfast we went to Starbuck’s and on our way back his dad saw us and gave us a ride home and I said goodbye to Tyler, and he left. For the rest of the day before I went back, I made some flowers and roses from straws and straw wrappers and redid the ones I did for my cousins Kyley and Hunter, which they left at our house, worked on my planning drawings for my snack wrapper collages, and helped Dave get some stuff ready to take to the second home in Colorado they bought last summer. Then Mom gave me some clean clothes and my train ticket and Dave took me to the station.

I got on the train and read a lot of the World Masterpieces reading Don Quixote, quite a funny book, until the train pulled into the station, and I got off. I got back and had dinner with Mary and Autrey, presuming not to bring up Tyler to Mary. After that I worked on some earrings made from the tops of bread bags. While I ran on the treadmill, I read some more of the reading for my World Masterpieces class. I got back and worked on one of my snack wrapper collages some more. Then I talked to my granddad who I told I thought my snack wrapper collages would look very life-like and he said if anyone could make them look professional, it was me, as he said when he saw some of my environmental crafts that they looked very manufactured, as if they hadn’t been made from trash.

Labor Day Weekend 2013

On Friday before Labor Day, I read more of the assigned reading of The Odyssey before my Drawing I class started. Then at class I perfected some more of my lines in drawing and learned to make lines heavier where there is space between two objects. After class I read more of The Odyssey and I saw Paige and new student in THRIVE, Candy, in the cafeteria. I also sat with Ryan, David, Mardy, and Ryan’s new roommate Connor. Afterwards I went to my World Masterpieces class where I got a three out of five on a quiz. Then I rode home with Alex Place and his mom. When I got home, I worked on one of my bags woven from bags and my Algebra homework. The next day after I did my meditation, I read a little more of my book Sahara: A Natural History and worked on my Algebra homework some more. Then I read some more of Sahara at Starbucks.

On the first day of the month, I went down to Bruce Smith and got the most recent issue of National Geographic. Then I went and ate at Starbuck’s while I read an article in my magazine about artists in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which was pretty interesting I thought. When I got back, I worked on my Algebra homework some more before taking some photos. Then Emily and I texted each other back and forth. Before we left, she said, “Love u,” and I said, “I love you to. Then I talked to Tyler some.

The next day before I got out of bed, Emily and I talked on the phone, and we wished each other a happy Labor Day. Before we hung up, I said, “I love you,” and she said, “I love you to.” Later I got a call from my granddad saying he and my grandmom would pick me up at three then get Alex before taking me back to UCM. I called Alex and told him the plan. Later I struggled some with the practice quiz for my Algebra class, but I did learn how to do the problems better.

My grandparents came and got me, and we picked up Alex. Driving back, I hoped to get there at four, have dinner, finish my quiz at the library as I was having trouble with my Ethernet cord, but on our way back, after we had driven for twenty minutes, I realized I had forgotten my key, and we drove back for it. Alex and my grandparents thankfully were very good about it. As I got my key, I also brought some watercolor pencils thinking I would make more mani stones, and a Buddhist crossword puzzle, just in case I was ever looking for something to do. On my way back I also realized more of how to make my bird carved from wood, my handbag for Emily, and I thought, some penguins from snack wrappers. Finally, at about 4:40 we got back. I said goodbye to my grandparents and put my things away then headed for the library, only to find it closed. On my way back I still couldn’t help but take pictures. But I got back and consistently could not get my internet to work and had trouble getting onto Mathxl on my phone. After I ate dinner, I tried some more to get my internet to work, desperate to finish the quiz. I talked to one of my neighbors from across the hall, but she had nothing. Then I talked to Maria, and she said I would have to go to the Ward Edwards building tomorrow. Then I got back to my room trying to get my internet to work, experimenting with plugging the cord into a different outlet, and, finally, it worked.

I ate dinner, trying to hurry and get my quiz done, until I saw some apple pie and was encouraged to slow down. I got back and texted Emily back and forth a little bit. Finally, I told her I had to get back to my math homework. She sent me a text with a frown face and told her I know, but I have to do it. She said, “Love u,” and I said, “I love you to.” I attempted the quiz so many times without getting one hundred percent needed to move on, each time getting so close and I even chose to stay behind from the Rec Center. Finally, literally after hours, I got one hundred percent.

Feeling triumphant over passing, I sort of made three penguins from snack wrappers then I texted Tyler, Jack, Oscar, and Elizabeth wishing them all a happy Labor Day. Oscar texted me back saying, “Thanks. You too man.” Elizabeth texted me back wishing me a happy Labor Day too and asked me how I was enjoying UCM. I told her I was loving it and asked her what she was doing. She said she was living at home and working and number of part-time jobs and asked me when I would be home again. I told her I didn’t know but would let her know when I did and said perhaps we could meet then. She said that would be great and told me to enjoy UCM. Finally, I called my mom telling her how I got back ok and how I finished the Algebra quiz. She said that was great and reminded me not to forget to take breaks and have time for myself and I said I would do that.

 

 

       

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.

Home for the Down Syndrome Dance

I got home and went with my brothers and Nora to eat with my dad and his friend Jennifer and her son Jack, who I knew a long time ago at Jack’s Stack where I enjoyed some delicious ribs. I got to my dad’s house after that and called Erin then spent the night at my dad’s house. The next day my dad, Cam, and I ate brunch in Downtown Overland Park. I then went home to my mom’s and got dressed up for the Down Syndrome Dance.

                At the dance I met up with Tyler and Mary and saw several old familiar faces including an etiquette teacher I know from JCCC, Amy Billingsley and a student from Horizon named Ryan (who doesn’t have Down syndrome) while dancing and watching several "gypsy" dancers. I also read some good pamphlets talking about Down syndrome and people-first language which states you should never say things like “suffers from” or “afflicted by” Down syndrome, something I hate when people do with autism. On the way home I looked forward to having Tyler and Mary over during the summer.  When I got home, I watched Jesse, so accustomed to doing so from living with Tyler, and during the episode, Emma was upset that her rich parents wouldn’t be at her science fair, but Jesse explained that like the planets, even though they weren’t physically close, they react to what going on with the other ones because they have the same gravitational pull, before they showed up because of Jesse insisting on it the day before, which resonated in me strongly. The next day I ate brunch at an Italian buffet with Cam, my dad, and my grandmom. My granddad wasn’t there because he had bronchitis. Later I packed up and went back to school with Jack and his dad.

Kansas City, Kansas, March 21-23, 2013

We got home at around seven in the morning and I went back to bed after I got home.  Later that day I bought Nation Geographic 125 Years of Great Explorations: Adventures and Discoveries that Changed the World and Life Magazine’s 100 People Who Changed the World which included Mahatma Gandhi and the Buddha for my magazine collection and The Hobbit: an Unexpected Journey Activity Book at Bruce Smith’s. Later that day I fed the cats and called Erin. The next day I filled out a state and federal tax return before eating at Salty Iguana with Jamie and my dad before I went back to Warrensburg. When I got back I got an e-mail advising us students got back to school tomorrow because of the impending snow. I told my mom and she agreed. The next day I packed some laundry and went back with my dad

Kansas City, Missouri, March 8-10, 2013

I got home for the weekend on Friday and called my friend Erin. On Saturday, I didn’t do much besides go to Bruce Smith and pick up my prescription and buy a copy of Archeology magazine and ride my bike. The next day I did my laundry and rode my bike again. On the way back to UCM, my mom and I bought some shredded mozzarella cheese, pepperoni, and plain mini bagels, some beef jerky, fruit snacks, and some Snapple tea for the rest of the year before the break and when we got back I discovered I didn’t have my key. Luckily, a Public Safety officer was walking through the hall at the time and opened it with her master key.  In the meantime, my mom would send my key tomorrow and I’d just depend on Tyler to get in until my key arrived in the mail.

Warrensburg, Missouri, March 1-8, 2013

On the first day of March I went to my Geology class and took a quiz, which I thought I did pretty well on.  The next day I went down to Hastings and bought the new Buddhadharma magazine, which had a cover article called Confessions of a Zen Novelist which interested me being a Buddhist screenwriter. Later that night I watched one of Tyler’s movies, The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, about a young sorcerer whose life is changed when he learns it is his destiny to defeat the evil witch Morgana, with Tyler and Mary, a very short first-year THRIVE student with Down Syndrome, who recently became very close together. The next day I heard that Tyler’s grandmother had died and I promised him I would go to the funeral next Sunday so I called my mom to tell her I would be coming home next weekend, the weekend before Spring Break. I also asked her to wire one hundred dollars from my account at home to my account at school.

                Later I finished my Excel 2 Capstone project and my Excel 3 tutorial and exam even later in the day I worked on the outline to one of my screenplays. I figured that maybe I’m feeling more inspired to write them after I’ve done a lot of things to help other people. Then that night after I finished running on the treadmill, I watched another one of Tyler’s movies, Take the Lead, about several troubled teenagers who are taught dance by a mysterious Spanish gentleman to help improve their behaviors, with Tyler, Jack, Mary, and Ryan, another first-year THRIVE students. Late morning to early afternoon the next day I watched another one of Tyler’s DVDs with him, Mysteries of the Bible, Part One. Afterwards, Nathan asked us if we, the THRIVE students, would stand out in the hall outside his room and ask Jena, his girlfriend, when she came out, “Will you go to the THRIVE formal with Nathan?” We did, and she said yes, if he would buy her a dress. I also worked on my Geology notes and understood the material better.

               

                The next day I worked on the Excel 3 Capstone project in my Essential Managing Information class with the rest of the class and found some more pebbles outside which I turned into mani stones. During my Person Centered Planning I realized that if my inspiration to write comes from helping people, then I’ll probably get a lot of inspiration from leading the UCM Autism Spectrum Support Group. Later I did my Transition Planning II homework and I found out on Blackboard that I got a four out of five on my Geology quiz. I printed off my flyer for the UCM Autism Spectrum Support Group and I made another toilet paper roll diorama of Palkhor monastery in Tibet. After study hall I went to Phillip’s apartment in Foster/Naux with Hillary and a few other THRIVE students, to see his new hamster, leaving myself about twenty minutes to run on the treadmill.

                The next day Tyler put his name on the flyer and I got a better understanding of my Geology material when we did a review for the next exam. I realized I still needed to go over chemical and mechanical weathering, what percent of soil it’s different parts are, the qualities of poorly drained and well-drained soil, and the different factors in climate change and their effect on it. The next day I got the hundred dollars my mom sent me and I worked on my Excel 3 Capstone project. When I went to my Geology lab, I got full points on the last assignment and after the lab I ordered refills of two of my medications.  During study hall, I came up with a pneumonic for the order of the letters for each level of soil (O, A, E, B, C), “Ocean and Evening Beer’s Cool.”

                The next day I made an appointment with Dr. Mayfield about the group for three o’ clock the next day and I kept understanding the material well in my Geology class and took another quiz, which I thought I did pretty well on. I realized that these autism groups form a good bastion of solidarity for autistic people and later that night, Tyler came to me with the flyer which was full of names which he had gotten himself. The next day I learned that Tyler’s grandmother’s funeral was a private affair and his mom would tell my mom. Later I did my homework for my Transition Planning II class and I went to my appointment with Dr. Mayfield where I told her about the flyer and she decided she could e-mail her students about the meetings so they could know what was going on without giving away their private information and she made a copy of the flyer to give to people who would be interested so she could send them updates. After class, I found out my mom hadn’t gotten the message about Tyler’s grandmother’s funeral and was already at UCM, so I decided to just pack a few things for the weekend and go home, even though I would be going home the next weekend for Spring Break.