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...

I really do not like talking about this topic.

It is not because isolation is a deep subject that can be saddening, but it is mainly because to me it does not deliver any awareness or impactful message when there are words being typed about the topic. Like to let pictures and motion pictures tell it like it is; Let the audience think. That's the way I enjoy doing things when it comes to my work. Let the audience think. I enjoy the idea of interacting with my audience in different ways. Whether in books, video, keynote events, and so on. Never really enjoyed demanding others to think a certain way. That'll make the world boring.

To think a certain way. Seems like the foundation of my isolation. Everyone's got their reasons to be isolated; I have mine. It is a light and dark situation to me. I hate it, and I love it. During school, I much would rather have that kind of isolation because then I wouldn't unintentionally irritate anyone; Much rather do things in private and then send...

I read before I talked.

 Wasn't the best at showing that I was listening or even looking like I was paying any more attention to whatever, in reality, I observed and absorbed everything. That included books.

Many have come to me wondering how I could read even though I could not speak. Answer for that is I knew what the words were, I knew how they sound, I knew what they meant; But I could not speak the words.

There were electronics such as computers and video games nearby, but I grew up reading books. I could read them by myself silently or I would have Mom read me some books to me before going to bed. Those nights were special. I understood what I was reading with my mom; When I had the ability to speak, we would take turns reading out loud each night.

I still read today. Most of the time I would read out loud much more clearly than I would do when it comes to talking freely. Back in middle school I would use a notebook to write down what I should be saying to someone trying...

Many people with autism and other social challenges have connections with animals. Whether the animals are real or even “stuffed”, animals bring a sense of peace and calmness to a child or even adult on the spectrum. This is for several different reasons, and the reasons make sense. Think about all of the people who don’t have autism who have a love for animals! There is just a way that non-human beings make us feel secure and comforted. Here are a few reasons why a person with autism may feel very connected to our furry friends.

Communication

This is huge. Animals cannot communicate in words, and many children with autism are still working on this. Even those that can communicate still have challenges, and animals just give them a sense of comfort. Animals are great to spend time with because they are predictable (except for puppies and kittens!) in their demeanor and movements. Domesticated animals, such as older dogs and cats may be ideal for your child with...

When your child has been diagnosed with autism, many emotions clutter the mind. Emotions such as confusion, sadness, being overwhelmed, guilt (yes, guilt), and an immense amount of love are just a few. For the parent who knows nothing about this disability, it can be very daunting. For the parent who is educated on this disability, the emotions can be a little less negative, but still filled with uncertainty for the future.

One thing that can really affect you, the parent, of a child that has autism is confidence, or lack thereof. You may find yourself constantly questioning yourself, such as in the areas of care, behavior management, therapy choices, medical care, early intervention, and so much more. This is normal. Here are some ways you can boost your own confidence and know you are doing the very best you can as a parent!

Unique Needs

Only you know your child. Period. Every child with autism is different. The spectrum of autism is vast, and your child can be on one end or the...

Many children with autism have specific special interests and obsessions. These may change from week-to-week in general, but some interests stay with them for a long time. One of these interests may be a specific color, or more than one color. There is much research on colors and children with autism, and most of it points to the fact that many children with autism are very visual. When they look at something big, they may see only a part of it and focus on that, especially if it is their favorite color! Here are some ways colors influence children with autism and their daily lives.

That 64-Count Crayola Box!

I will never forget my child’s first words, besides “momma” and “dada”. One day he was in little toddler bed at the age of three, and had just woken from a nap. He was yelling out color words. I was astounded. He was not yelling out typical color words, but words from the 64-Count Crayola Box! He was yelling out Dandelion! He was yelling out...