What do we Really Know?

My Quote

 The above quote is part of an entry in the Dover Beach blog.
  Cosmas was discussing rich and poor, a valid discussion today.  The complete quote is even in words that echo Boom's framing of the subject.

Sensory Overload & Autism

  But we know so little of each other.  When i've visited the Apple store with my mother in law, i've felt overwhelmed with the sensory input.  Especially the last time, the Saturday after Thanksgiving.  Fortunately my sister in law was there too so i could escape.
  This is a world many with autism live in daily.  We can't enter there.
  Despite the author's disclaimers, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime describes behaviors that look, to those of us familiar with autism, like those in our loved ones.

My Point

  Earlier this week, i received this link to a video preview clip about autistic sensory overload.  It lasts about two minutes.  Be sure to give it a look.

Wordless Wednesday: The Bassett Puppy

Appy Apple

Ok, last month, with the help of:

•     Boom, the telecom graduate
•     MyGuy,the 35 year+ computer pro
•     Daniel and Jeff from The PATINS Project/CIESC
•     not one, but TWO employees at the Keystone at the Crossing Apple store
•     and, again, Boom

i have installed my gift card to our iPad and loaded two apps recommended by our wonder-full speech therapist.

  Should it take so much effort?  Am i really so dense?

  Later, we had to unload & reload one of the apps because it wasn't working right.  We got the sound to work, but  it won't do everything we need it to, until i can load email on the darn iPad.  Maybe i'm blocking, but i don't want to do it, and it's not working for me.

  Last night i added another two gift cards and one app.  Max has used one with Boom, but consistently refuses to do so with me.  It's kinda cool to have a little computer for internet surfing - where have we seen this actor before? - but that is NOT why we bought it.

Something Different

  When i last posted, i shared about our upcoming Thanksgiving plans.  i suppose ya'll might want to know how they worked out.
  It was. . . .interesting.

Happy Thanksgiving - and a Helpful Holiday Link

Last Thanksgiving, i got an accidental photo of someone else's stray facial part.  Max thought it was funny and asked to be photographed so.   And here is his Maximum Smile.

 In yesterday morning's* email, i got an article from IRCA about holidays and kids with autism.  It's not a new article, though it may have been tweaked - at least, i'm sure i've seen parts of it before, and very helpful they've been.  i've adapted their Thanksgiving visual schedule for our day tomorrow* - it will be our first to have Thanksgiving dinner in a restaurant.

and an ear. 

*ok, this "yesterday" and "tomorrow" are actually the same day.  "Yesterday" because it's after midnight; "tomorrow" because i haven't gone to bed yet.

Wordless Wednesday: Indy Highway

coming home - and no, i wasn't driving

Wordless Wednesday: Dogs on the Table

For some reason, my parents kept a small chair on the big chair.

"More plate, please."

well, i thought sure one drawing would get the concept to Max.
It worked before.
But this week he is still asking for "More plate please."  Sometimes after clearly pointing and verbally indicating plate other than the "more plate" that is the subsequent choice.
i'll make another drawing and post it on the wall next to his place.  Maybe having it handy will help.  i'm told he needs work with his short-term memory.
At least there have been no plates smashed this week.

The Meaning of Indiana's Superintendent of Education Race

Not Quite Wordless Wednesday: Scrapbooking the 5Star Wilderness

  When MyGuy and i went to Michigan in August, we stayed at this cute little resort in Paradise The beach was down the bluff, just steps away from our cabin.
  The page looked a bit blank before

Teaching a Difficult Concept

  We have 3 different kinds of plates.  There's a beige set with blue border, a white set with brown border, and a white set with blue border.
  Lately Max has been trying to express preference as to which plate he eats off of.
  Well, why not? Max is having a hard time learning to advocate for himself, and plates are a good start. 
  But Max has trouble telling me which he wants.