Changes on Wonder-full

 Well, it's been awhile since i've been here.  Thanks to all who have continued to read.

  The changes to Feedburner concern me. And this no more free photos thing has me flummoxed.  i do not do online payments, but i will continue to need my images. This is my primary way of sharing my work, not to mention that some posts wouldn't work without the illustrations.  

 Maybe that needs to change.

  i'm amused by the way the contributors here are listed alphabetically.  Either Mark or Boom are welcome to contribute as they wish, but they don't.  Mark would handle any payments, and both are my technical consultants.

  At the moment, i'm looking into other blogging platforms. Maybe i'll need to expand my online presence.  

  Right now, i don't see that what i've already published will need to go away, but i may need another platform if i'm to continue.  Will keep you posted, and any comments or suggestions on this would be welcome!

 

On Wednesday, Inaugeration Day

 

Holiday article from the Indiana Resource Center for Autism, and a Max update

  As usual, Max is looking forward to Christmas this year.  Hopefully MyGuy and i can  prep ourselves mentally to put up our living room tree - tt means so much to Max, but the most initiative he'll take in getting it up is to wish us "Merry Christmas" out of the blue.

  However, he has two small trees up in his room.  One is a new, 4' prelit one, which he is enjoying.

  It seems in a sense especially important to keep this tradition in this year of universally lowered expectations.

The IRCA has prepared their usual article

of tips to help us help our children on the spectrum cope with the upcoming holidays.  https://www.iidc.indiana.edu/irca/articles/making-the-most-of-the-holidays-for-your-family-and-your-son-daughter.html

  Here's a short quote listing some items to be sure to mention:

Where and How Christmas Dinner Will Occur

Who Will Be Present at Christmas this Year

How Family Will Meet Virtually This Year

Where the Family May or May Not Be Going This Year: In other words, what family traditions cannot happen.

If Others Come Over, Rules about Wearing Masks, and Other Safety Precautions.  


 

At the end of the article are links to specific tips,  including social stories about home and visiting, and a fill=in calendar.

Helping your kid (or you) get used to a mask

This article came in my IN*Source newsletter.  With schools starting up, not to mention the autistic 3 year old & family removed from airplane, this seems like help you could use.
https://adayinourshoes.com/my-child-wont-wear-a-mask-school-and-iep-accommodations-ideas/

Midweek Photos: Remembering Normal Walking

  When i was in my mid-twenties, i enjoyed the swings on the playgrounds.  Once, i realized i was late for work while doing this, and came to a sudden, feet hard on the ground stop, from high speed.
  It hurt a lot then, but took awhile to catch up to me. 
  Last fall, i had one total knee replacement (TKR), and last month, i had the other.

Not Quite Wordless Wednesday: Reviewing my Derwent Pencils

   My favorite brand of colored pencils these days is the Faber Castell Polychromos, but there's one thing the Prismacolors offer that Faber Castell doesn't: a fabulous color selection.
  So i find i am trying

New Post on my other blog

i don't use my other blog very much, but i did just make a post.
It's more of a Christian and Bible emphasis blog.  You might want to check it out.
https://judges2.blogspot.com/2020/07/waiting.html

Also from IN*Source: Recovery and Compensatory Services for those still in school

This is also from the Indiana Department of Education, via the above-mentioned IN*Source newsletter:

From IN*Source: Survey for family caregivers re dental health

IN*Source's newsletter arrived in my inbox today.  One of the items it included is a survey for family caregivers of adult or child individuals with disabilities, regarding their dental care. 

i have heard of many disabled individuals with difficulties regarding dental care. Max is blessed that we are able to keep him with his nonMedicaid dentist.  The comfort the two have together is one of the biggest factors in his terrific dental health.

Here's the notice:

Calling Family Caregivers of Individuals with a Disability

Quaranitine Life with Max

  This is, as everyone knows and is indeed saying, a totally weird time.

  In March,

How are you getting along during COVID?

 One of my special needs resources sent me the link for this UCON survey.  It's designed to help

 figure out where the gaps are in caring for our special needs families in this crisis. It is NOT specific to Indiana.                                                                                                                     
The researchers have titled it, “The knowledge, attitudes and behaviors of parents of children with disabilities in response to COVID-19.”
Below is their introductory letter, though i've not copied their invitation to share. If you find a question difficult, skip it.  You should be finished in about 15 minutes; i don't think it took me any longer and i was bouncing around other windows at the time!

Dear Colleague:

We are writing to ask your help to find out how families and caregivers with children, youth or adults with disabilities are doing during this unprecedented crisis with COVID-19, and what issues they are facing.

The survey

Autism Help and Suggestions from my Inbox

From my latest Autism Society e-newsletter:

The Autism Society is proud to present our State Advocacy Toolkit detailing Covid-19 policies that relate to the autism community, and how you can take action now! Check out this month's Ignite! Autism Society Policy Newsletter to download now, as well as an update on the Autism Society's advocacy efforts surrounding the COVID-19 public health crisis.

 Alert Reader Matthew made a suggestion for a helpful autism link:

https://www.wizcase.com/blog/internet-safety-guide-for-people-with-autism-spectrum-disorders/#8 

I've read a lot of similar guides before, but this one is quite thorough and opened my eyes to risks I never even previously considered.

 Thanks, Matthew.  As they keep reminding us these days, we're all in this together, and you're one of the people helping to make that true.

Staying at Home, and a new IRCA article

 We've started getting requests from Max's providers about online contact with him.  The first was today, and it went well.
  What a new world.  Isolation is one thing, and i thoroughly appreciate the online and other tech connections we can maintain nowadays.*
  A new IRCA (Indiana Resource Center for Autism) article arrived in my inbox.  There's advice about getting assessment and diagnosis for children with autism and mental disorders, followed by a LIST of providers in the state of Indiana & neighboring states whom you might approach for help. If you're in a small town, don't despair.  Most providers are in Indianapolis or Carmel, but several are in small towns and there are some throughout the state.

* You might find these interesting as you enjoy - or not - your self-quarantine.
https://msu.edu/~raezlers/pioneer.html     Not sure why this essay was written, the sort of assignment given, but the writer says about what i might say.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prairie_madness
http://plainshumanities.unl.edu/encyclopedia/doc/egp.ii.041

getting a picture onto my computer

Loading my Pictures, Step 1

  With my actual cameras, i upload my pics with a cable.  i haven't been able to do that with my no longer quite so new phone, so i email the pictures to myself.
  From my gmail, which is on the phone, to my older, Ameritech account, which isn't.  i've not been able to figure out how to upload from a draft email, though the gmail account shows up on the phone and the laptop.

Scanning to File, Before and After

 When i was getting used to the new scanner/printer, i could simply scan to file, on the computer, directly from the printer/scanner.  But then, in one of my genius, complicating, unnoticed actions, i messed that up. Can't do that any more.
  But, hey, no problem, MyGuy showed me how to scan to file by entering from the computer: left click on the Start menu, scroll through the alphabetical listing of programs, then choose the one Epson listing (NOT the other, which looked to me like it should do the same thing).  That would give me a preview scan window, and i could do my scan onto the computer that way.
  But.  A few weeks back, i somehow broke the left click functionality from the start menu.  Not from other places, just there.  But no problem - again, MyGuy showed me how to sign out ,just a right click on start.
  i thought.
  Uh oh.  Problem.  i can't get to Epson from there. My plan had been for this week to scan some kids growing up scrapbook pages, but that will have to wait until either i lug those books to a photo kiosk, or decide to take the pages out & photograph then  email them. 
  Always something, here on the Computer Farm.
  
 
You might enjoy the quotes here.  Funny ones earlier, thought-provoking toward the end.
https://www.thebalancesmb.com/funny-technology-quotes-2892767

The Y2K "Joke"

Big scare, nothing happened, right?   

  Well, not exactly.  The expected problem, though exaggerated, was real.  But programmers worked hard to make sure WE, the average user, didn't experience it.

Not Quite Wordness Wednesday: Out with the Old, In with the New

Wordless Wednesday: Following Doctor's Orders

Feet over Heart: Laundry Basket, foam wedge belted to basket, 2 pillows.Not for comfort, but decreasing swelling

Below, a couple of post op incision photos - NOT pretty!

October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM)

Information from the Autism Society of America via their enewsletter

Not Quite Wordless Wednesday: Last Week

i thought i had things arranged to publish a photo last week - sorry!

Saturday Sisters: Daughters Helping Daddy

  Shallum's daughters worked beside their father on the wall. But women couldn't do that, right?