"C'mon, Tyler! We're going to Idaho!"

No way to negotiate involving staying at home, minds were set, and we were on our way to Idaho to see my uncle and aunt.

Traveling is one of the biggest challenges relating to autism. One of the biggest reasons why is because traveling involves the one important key word that can be a challenge:

DIFFERENT!

• Different place
• Different people
• Different location
• Different experience
• Different environment
• Different way of going from place to place

May expect some chaotic moments when it involves travel. I know it was painful whenever I would travel. Couldn't even go to the city of Seattle; Which is one thirty minute boat trip away by the way.

That is why I have identify traveling as a skill.

The more you travel, the more you get better at it. It is very possible to become a master traveler, all there is is just some practice.

I could make it easy by saying keep on traveling, but I would also like to share some strategies that can help making...

Pictured here is Marvin the Martian from Warner Bros.' Looney Tunes & Merrie Melodies. Image is free to use.

I found myself interested in a certain subject in the field of entertainment relating to the topic of fictional characters of fantasy. The characters that I have been familiar with and have seen many times whether in books, cartoons in the television, and in video games; is those that do not feature a mouth in their designs.

I used to think the popular video game character, Sonic the Hedgehog, never had a mouth because when I played a demo of the game, Sonic Adventure on the Dreamcast console, the game model didn't need to feature it while I was playing the game, even the other characters didn't feature their mouths when playing as them during that time I was playing a short demo. Caught me by complete surprise that they do have mouths all along. That has been the case a lot of the time back then with video games that have the polygons and early demonstrations of three...

Here's a question.

Would you want to have a day full of unexpected surprises or a day where everything goes your way?

Lot to think about; it's okay, you can take your time.

I took the time to take out the dictionary and look up the definition of the word: Chaos.

It reads:

"Confused unorganized state of primordial matter before the creation of distant forms."

Many people relating to the topic of autism would go through the times everyday where it can be extremely chaotic; Even for the smallest of things that would feel very out of line that children with autism would freak out!

That is why there is order. Here are some examples that are in control.

• Eating certain foods
• Going to certain places
• Playing certain games
• Watching certain movies
• Touching certain textures
• Listening to certain songs

Being familiar with what goes on; Everything becomes routine, everyone is happy and things no longer becomes chaotic. Indeed, order is very self explanatory; Simply put, don't change a thing....

You are perfect just the way you are.

It can be a common struggle for people who have autism. Wanting to escape from the diagnosis and be perfect. Possible to escape indeed and become someone else, but you still have autism. In this case, it can be very difficult to want to be perfect and to make no mistakes; Truth is, there is always going to be mistakes. Another truth to this is everyone that does not have autism also makes mistakes.

There is one thing I have always wanted to try out and see if it may work. Whenever mistakes happen and children know that they have made a mistake and beat themselves up for it, the idea that I came to mind is a series of videos of people making similar mistakes. Reason why I wanted to see how the strategy play out is so the children can understand that it it not just them that makes similar mistakes, a lot of people can relate, but one of the key parts of these videos is how do they handle these mistakes. Now that I think of it, if I...

Talking to myself. Talking for myself.

“You are the real struggle.”

No one had anything to do with the problems with autism. In fact, many of them have been there wanting to help. Already have chosen to move on from past mistakes, but I felt like it was necessary to share something like this to understand what may be a key challenge in what makes the diagnosis would feel like a struggle. The main key struggle (okay to disagree) is ourselves.

My parents always taught me to accept mistakes when things go horribly wrong, and that I know it would be my mistakes. Readers can believe me when I say that I have made many mistakes. May sound cruel when I said to myself that “you are the real struggle” as I see my reflection, but after staring at that person for a while, I had a feeling that this may be the reason why autism may be so hard for those who have it. No one had anything to do with it, to me, they are innocent.

May have limitations whether it is in speech,...

Making Peace

No one was ever the villain.

I want to make this blog post brief and to the point.

Not too long ago this month, I decided to go say hello to a schoolmate I used to go to high school with. Knew him since elementary.

I took a good gander at what I did say to him much MUCH much earlier; eight years ago to be specific, and I was not proud of myself for what I have said to him. I can't tell you the details but I will say that the main reason why I said those wrong things was because of the absence of inclusion. Abandoned, alone, and left out. Still was not right to say rude things. I still had to say something to him to say hi, and I couldn't just ignore my mistake, so I went on and said that I was a big jerk back then and that I was sorry for so many things.

The guy said no hard feelings and said that HE was a bit of a jerk too. I didn't believe him, and wanted to take all of the blame saying he and the friends were innocent and I was the villain.

Then he responded by...

Little bit of a disclaimer here; I speak for myself. I am not advertising for any products, I am sharing insight for an interest I personally find extremely fascinating and may be beneficial. The Sims is the property of Electronic Arts and the image is free to share. All rights are rightfully reserved.

The hit computer game series, The Sims.

What is The Sims?

Why did the games become huge hits?

What are a few things can we learn from The Sims?

The Sims is a franchise developed by MAXIS and produced by Electronic Arts (commonly known as EA) in which the player can take full control on the characters in the game. You can make them go to places, you can make them eat, you can make them dance, cook, sing, swim, sleep, play games, show off, play a musical instrument, become a gardener, become a detective, and just about anything else you can think of that the game provides. Not only does the games encourage the player to make these characters and make them do whatever they...

Photo by me.

Ten years old, few years after Dad left, we have moved over to a log cabin in the island. I remember the time very well. We lived normally, I went to school, Mom was a medical assistant, and things have been so very well living in the cabin. I can even remember the dancing that we would do when the music plays in the log cabin.

The one part that I remember very well, was when Mom brought home a motorcycle. A good pair of wheels like that would make parking in the city a lot easier, and it's fun to ride on. She enjoyed the two wheels and wanted me to be on the motorcycle.

I did not want to be on the motorcycle, and I was not very welcoming for the offer.

I wasn't too worried about how to balance on that thing while Mom drove it, it was primarily all about the noise it would make. It's not like a car at all because many would get used to the noise by now whenever someone goes out to the supermarket; And most would be inside the car when the engine stars. A motorcycle...

Alternative title: What I have learned from Baseball during Elementary School

Still in the topic of autism, no worries here.

Baseball has been one of my favorite sports. I used to watch Ken Griffey Jr. on the television when I was very little when he played for the Seattle Mariners. Never really was in a team during school, but I sure do loved playing that game whenever we would have recces or when the P.E. teacher lets us.

Main reason why I wanted to talk a little bit about baseball is because to me, it has become a major breakthrough. A breakthrough in understanding a number of things.

• Fun
• Communication
• Teamwork
• Friendship
• Humor

How to have fun, how to communicate, what teamwork means, how to develop a mutual friendship with others, and what does humor mean? Developing a sense of humor was made possible partially by playing baseball.

You know the old banter. "We want a batter, not a broken ladder!" Yeah, that can get a cheap chuckle, the part that made me laugh with a lot...

It used to be wanting to figure out others, now it is wanting to figure out myself.

It is strange. For the longest time, I have wanted to know more about people. Was so determined to understand all there is to know about having social skills to get to know them that I have numerous of times couldn't figure out myself. Know who I am. There was a time not too long ago in Oregon where I have mentioned about being someone else for a change and my words would come out much more fluently. One little girl asked me if I ever woke up and then became another person every time. Casually said something on the lines of whenever I feel like it, but after a question like that, it really got me thinking long and hard the next day.

Some say I may have an identity crises. Even mentioned it somewhere in the second book I believe. Part time keynote speaker, part time author, part time this, part time that. It was a lot to take in. A lot to think about even when I was typing this out. Many times I would...