So...me and a blog. A blog and me. Here we are. I suppose if we're going to go on this little journey together, I should tell you a bit about myself and how I came to be here. Here as in on this page, not here in an existential way. I promise not to subject you to that. At least not right away.
I'm the mom of two beautiful kids, Brandon, who is 9 and autistic, and Cady, who is 7 & 1/2 going on 17, and (mostly) NT. In the years since Brandon was diagnosed, I've been a volunteer for Autism Speaks, including three years of co-chairing the NYC Walk Now for Autism Speaks. In those years, I've heard from a lot of amazing people in the autism community, and had a lot to say of my own. So much, in fact, that "you should write a book" has become an oft heard refrain from family and friends. I'm not a book-length kind of writer, but I thought I would finally give a blog a shot. Particularly since I have been blessed with a pair of often quite funny kids, not to mention a hilarious best friend and a family that speaks sarcasm as a native language. All of who, I'm sure, will end up contributing to the source material over time. Oh, yeah, and there's a husband of almost 14 years. Hi Honey!
I'm also fairly opinionated, which might also have something to do with how much I have to say. Mom, you can stop choking from the laughter now. Just remember, apple/tree and all that.
About my volunteering for Autism Speaks: I realize that announcing this will make me a lightning rod for the self-advocacy community. If you're part of that community and actually here reading this a) I thank you for bothering in the first place and b) would ask you to keep an open mind and to trust that I'm not a typical "curbie" parent. For more on that, please see this: http://grasp.org/profiles/blogs/great-letter-from-an-autism-speaks-walk-volunteer-to-autism-speak?xg_source=activity. I think I have a lot to learn from the self-advocate community, and hope you'll keep reading and let me know (politely) when I get it wrong. My reasons for remaining involved with AS are complex, and likely to be explored here over time. Stay tuned.
About the name of this blog: Like many on the spectrum, Brandon has an area of special interest. His would be penguins. Lots and lots and lots of penguins. All 17 species of them (yes, there are 17 species.) He's added to his repetoire with other sea and polar animals (orcas are another favorite), but since the age of 3 his heart has never strayed from his beloved waddling, tux wearing, feathered friends. I suppose it could just as easily have been rhinos, or gila monsters. At least penguins are cute. Plus we're close to the NY Aquarium and the Central Park Zoo, both of which feature his buddies.
Thanks for joining me here. I hope that you'll find what I have to say of value, or at the very least periodically entertaining. I don't intend on writing every single day, but hope to be able to post at least once a week. Keep waddling!
thanx for your inspiration, i see and i hope lots of others see that even though we have children with autism and life can be very difficult, we still are humorous and enjoy the simple things in life and no one should pity us, but understand what we are doing
ReplyDeleteApples, trees, sarcasm as a native language (it really should count as a second language- SSL??), two awesome kids, a honey-husband, hilarious best friend (ahem, ahem), and penguins- of course! So when do we get to hear how you existentially got here, huh???? I bet it has to do with stuffed penguins- of the stuffed animal variety, not penguins post a large meal...
ReplyDeleteHi Michele, welcome to the blogosphere! I just found your blog because a friend of mine posted your "I found the cure!" post, and I liked it so much I started from the beginning. I LOVE Penguins too! All 17 species, the biggest is the Emperor, the smallest is the Little Blue, and the most endangered, I believe, is the Yellow-Eyed (though it's been a while since I have thought about that, so I might be off on the last one. I'll bet Brandon knows, though). Marine organisms was my special interest growing up - when I was in 3rd grade, I could tell you every species of whale and dolphin and seal, where they lived, and how big they got. :)
ReplyDeleteYou really just made me smile :) I'll check with Brandon tonight. He probably does know! We actually had a homework assignment last year that he would not complete because it called an orca a whale, when it is, of course, a dolphin. Good thing his teacher had a good sense of humor :)
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