Hey guys welcome back to the blog that comes with free samples of air! I have to say this week has been as busy for me as a dung beetle in an outhouse. I can safely say that after a week of fire threats and evacuations, the town of Springwood has had some good fortune come to it. Thanks to the firies volunteers, and chopper pilots the fires are dieing down and life is starting to return to normal. I just hope that those who have lost things due to the fires will be compensated and will be alright. The Aussie spirit really shines through adversity.
Anyone notice how music makes us feel? Whether it be in a romantic movie, during a scene of passion or during an epic boss battle in a video game where the music makes your blood pump and the hairs on your skin stand on end. Music is an amazing medium, it enable us to visualise scenes, actions and brings out so many emotions inside of us! Today I'll talk to you about music from different genres and if we have time, we will go into music in movies and video games.
Music in the soul can be heard by the universe. ~Lao Tzu
Music is truly a wondrous thing. It doesn't matter what song, anthem, overture or melody we hear, music can be enjoyed by anyone on any wave length. Music can touch people in ways they can't imagine, it is said to be the language of emotion. I know people who are music therapists, using music as therapy to help people with autism. Music is used to help people relax and meditate or scream and yell to heavy metal tune. People have been in awe hearing an orchestra play something as strange as the Mario theme. Lastly most of us know about buskers, the people in the world who brighten up our days just a little as we head to and from work.
So what goes in to a song that gives it it's own unique feel? Well there different types of features or structures that do this.
Firstly there is tempo, tempo is the speed of a musical piece. The different speeds can convey either happiness, anger or excitement on the fast side of the spectrum. Good examples of this include the 1812 Overture, Herb albert's 'Zorba the Greek' and the invincibility music from Super Mario. On the slower side music can convey sadness or serenity. Good examples of this tempo include the theme from Chariots of Fire, Herb Albert's 'South of the Border' or theme for Music World in Rayman Origins.
On our second part of what helps emotions through music is Mode. Music pieces have tonality to them. Modes are used to either convey joys and happiness or disappointment and sadness. Take for instance the Eurhythmics song 'Would I Lie to You' it can convey excitement and a slight bit of anger. If you listen to Gerry Rafferty's song 'Baker Street' there is a feeling to it, of sadness. Mr Rafferty mentioned in an interview that back when he was writing the song, he was leaving his old band Stealers Wheel and his everyday life was someone suing someone else. The only joy he had was from meeting his friend, sitting down and chatting while playing the guitar. I personally thought with that much sax it was about a girl, but looks like I was wrong!
On the third part of our musical adventure we have loudness. Yes loudness does count. Haven't you ever heard an orchestral version of a song and nearly fall out of your chair by its sheer amplitude? When it comes to the different variations if the sounds are intense, we can feel power or anger. If the music is more mellow or soft it can be perceived as tenderness, sadness or fear. The loudness of the music can change and may mean playfulness or pleading. On the other hand if there is little to no change it may mean peace or sadness. Geeze all this sadness in music. Did everyone who wrote music break up with their partners? If you are interested in finding out more about this, just listen to the 'William Tell Overture' it has more ups and downs than Emily Emotions bouncing on a trampoline.
As we reach the second last item, I realise this will have to be a two parter. Melody is our next item on the agenda. Melody is the range of notes that make the song. A wide range of notes can imply joy, whimsicalness or even uneasiness. On the other hand a smaller or narrower range can show us tranquility, sadness or triumph! Not only that, these harmonies can be put together. If they are complimenting we end up with feelings of happiness and serenity. We also end up forming a scene at the start of a musical piece and if the whole musical piece comes together in a complimenting way our final result is a full story of the picture we started with. When the harmonies clash, the resulting feeling conveyed can be of excitement or anger! Unlike the complimenting harmonies, the clashing harmonies can make us feel confused, by the end of the song we feel like we have been putting a jigsaw puzzle together only to be missing that last piece of the puzzle. Take for example Big Audio Dynamite's Rush, hell as the song says, it's about rhythm and melody!
Ever wondered why daft punk or dub step is so popular? I myself am a big fan of daft punk. I however don't get dub step. Any song or soundtrack will use this last item. What is that item you ask? Well I'm not going to tell you! Oh wait, sorry I was thinking about my journal, that bastard is a nosy prick! The last item is rhythm. Smooth consistent rhythms are always linked with happiness and peace. If the rhythm is rough or irregular, people can feel amusement or uneasiness. But that's not all! We also have varied rhythm which can imply joy. The reason why so many classic video games have music that we can remember, is because their rhythm is simple and uncomplicated. It is almost like being able to tell what the rhythm is going to be if you succeed or fail at a certain stage of the game. In normal everyday life if we hear a simple rhythm that is to our liking it can help us go through the day in a more confident manner. We can also hear a disagreeable rhythm that will have us on edge because we can't get it out of our heads.
Tempo, mode, loudness, melody and rhythm are all foundation bricks that go into building a wall of sound. When we mix all the above bricks together, we get a musical piece that can make us as joyous as young girl skipping in the meadows, or as sad as a fan girl missing out on meeting her dream actor. As Aspies we need music for when we are having meltdowns or when we can't concentrate. Just remember I'm not a musical archivist or a professor at university with 40 years of professional music experience. I'm just a blogging Aspie that has a fondness for music and how it brings out emotions in us.
If you have any thoughts on music and emotions, any suggestions on songs or anything about Aspergers Syndrome or Autism, pop a comment down below or email me at thomaskuzma91@gmail.com
So that brings us to the end of another blog. Tune in next week to find out who stole the holy grail, where the Bermuda Triangle is, and other stuff I have no clue about and won't answer! However you will find out more about music and the emotions and how good it is for you soul, next week on the Tommy K blog!
Sunday 27 October 2013
Sunday 20 October 2013
Social Communication Verses Social Media.
Hey folks, welcome to the nine million three hundredth and forty six thousand Seven hundred and twenty first website on the Internet!
So, life is going pretty well for my past week, things are finally turning up Kuzma! But I don't want to say things before they are set in stone. You will find out more later on. However there are some disastrous things happening as I write. In my town there is a bushfire that has so far destroyed nearly 200 homes and over 100 more cannot be lived in. My thoughts and prayers go out to those poor people.
I haven't spoken to my wife in years. I didn't want to interrupt her ~Rodney Dangerfield.
Has anyone noticed the way people are communicating these days? Wait, put down your phone, now look around. Have you noticed something? So many people today are communicating via text or messages and not noticing the person who is next to them. Am I saying that face to face conversation is better? No, because I know many Aspies do need to talk via a screen. That form of communication can be helpful because it means they don't have to worry about things like body language or eye contact. So as an Aspie who has put a lot of hard work into communication, which way do you think I prefer? Well let's find out.
First of all, let's talk about social communication before we talk about social media. Jane Austen once wrote: "My idea of good company is the company of clever, well-informed people who have a great deal of conversation; that is what I call good company." Even though that was a quote from a while back, it still has a lot of meaning today. We shouldn't judge our social life by how many friends we have but the way we talk. We should be asking each other what are our views on what it means to be accepted in today's society. Instead I hear too much conversation about how our 'bros" on how yolo it is to be planking with our shorts around our knees. If you prefer the later form of communication you are more of an annoyance than a stinky, screaming baby on an eight hour flight, next time don't feed that baby a mother milked dummy!
Something we must also remember that social communication has it's ugly side. It can be like a bad sitcom with its constant laugh track, the people of which probably died long ago! With today's emphasis on reality programs we have built ourselves a society that judges people on their physical appearance and everybody should fall within a designated expectation. What I would like to say is that there is a lot more to the make up of a person than just their physical appearance, their manner, beliefs and ethics and a whole lot of other little bricks that go to build a person. Yes there are things we need to improve but those things involve self sacrifice of ego, empathy. People must think less of themselves and be more accepting of others no matter size, shape, gender fender bender, skin colour, religious belief or mental capacity. When we stop judging others and learn to love ourselves, only then can we start to better ourselves.
Social Media is a revolutionary way of finding out more about our fellow friends. By the click of a few buttons you can find out more about someone quicker than it takes Wiley Coyote to take a leak while running down the Road Runner. Have you ever seen Wily take a leak whilst running him down? See how quick he is! to load up a DVD. Events, birthday parties and hanging out can be arranged in seconds by sending invites to hundreds of friends! Who sends invitations by mail these days? May as well send a letter by dinosaur post. Emailing and dropboxes mean we don't have to send things by mail, you can send a program or file to your friend which he can either download a file in the hour, or read an email in a second. Let's face it, most of us have taken a picture of our meals to show our mates how delicious our dinners are. Simple, fast, reliable, except when autocorrect corrects our ducking words.
Sadly with the way texting and messaging has become many of us are not like the Little River Band and 'Reminiscing', but are like one certain song and everyday be 'shuffling'. Honestly, I know I like to put pop culture references in my conversation but when does it become to much? When does wit turn into meaningless conversation. I have trouble with developing deep and meaningful conversations because when I start with my wit sometimes I don't know when to stop. There are reasons for this I guess the main one is if I can see that person is enjoying it, I don't want to stop their joy. I have spent so much time trying to make people happy, that I have neglected my own self-esteem. There is a happy middle somewhere in all of that! Like a muffin of enlightenment or a pie of delightfulness. Normal criticisms are fine but harsh judgements aren't. I guess constructive criticisms help me improve as a person but harsh judgements only lower my self esteem.
So when it comes to communication what do I choose, media or face to face? Well, I'm sorry but I can't decide. Face to face is just fine. I have spent so long working on my communication skills I get insulted when people are constantly texting in a conversation. However, I am also guilty of having done exactly that. So it is in a way hypocritical of me but now I am no longer texting during conversations. Talking on the Internet is fine when you are unable to talk to someone in person. I had a conversation with my brother last night while he is in Africa. This was a test of patience due to the delay in replies and technical mishaps. I had a deep and meaningful conversation on the net with a friend about beliefs and religion last week. It really opened my eyes! My first girlfriend started on a conversation on a status about toenails! But there are times where we need to know when we are talking and when we are really communicating.
For my foot note I was sent to Lithgow to save my Babcia (grandmother) from the fires, to show me her gratitude she dragged me, kicking and screaming to bingo. After a valiant attempt of ink bashing and numbing punching I learnt that 88 is two fat ladies and the number 69 is a table for two with a terrible view!
Farwell for another week! and remember never ask a woman if she is pregnant, even if she is pregnant!
So, life is going pretty well for my past week, things are finally turning up Kuzma! But I don't want to say things before they are set in stone. You will find out more later on. However there are some disastrous things happening as I write. In my town there is a bushfire that has so far destroyed nearly 200 homes and over 100 more cannot be lived in. My thoughts and prayers go out to those poor people.
I haven't spoken to my wife in years. I didn't want to interrupt her ~Rodney Dangerfield.
Has anyone noticed the way people are communicating these days? Wait, put down your phone, now look around. Have you noticed something? So many people today are communicating via text or messages and not noticing the person who is next to them. Am I saying that face to face conversation is better? No, because I know many Aspies do need to talk via a screen. That form of communication can be helpful because it means they don't have to worry about things like body language or eye contact. So as an Aspie who has put a lot of hard work into communication, which way do you think I prefer? Well let's find out.
First of all, let's talk about social communication before we talk about social media. Jane Austen once wrote: "My idea of good company is the company of clever, well-informed people who have a great deal of conversation; that is what I call good company." Even though that was a quote from a while back, it still has a lot of meaning today. We shouldn't judge our social life by how many friends we have but the way we talk. We should be asking each other what are our views on what it means to be accepted in today's society. Instead I hear too much conversation about how our 'bros" on how yolo it is to be planking with our shorts around our knees. If you prefer the later form of communication you are more of an annoyance than a stinky, screaming baby on an eight hour flight, next time don't feed that baby a mother milked dummy!
Something we must also remember that social communication has it's ugly side. It can be like a bad sitcom with its constant laugh track, the people of which probably died long ago! With today's emphasis on reality programs we have built ourselves a society that judges people on their physical appearance and everybody should fall within a designated expectation. What I would like to say is that there is a lot more to the make up of a person than just their physical appearance, their manner, beliefs and ethics and a whole lot of other little bricks that go to build a person. Yes there are things we need to improve but those things involve self sacrifice of ego, empathy. People must think less of themselves and be more accepting of others no matter size, shape, gender fender bender, skin colour, religious belief or mental capacity. When we stop judging others and learn to love ourselves, only then can we start to better ourselves.
Social Media is a revolutionary way of finding out more about our fellow friends. By the click of a few buttons you can find out more about someone quicker than it takes Wiley Coyote to take a leak while running down the Road Runner. Have you ever seen Wily take a leak whilst running him down? See how quick he is! to load up a DVD. Events, birthday parties and hanging out can be arranged in seconds by sending invites to hundreds of friends! Who sends invitations by mail these days? May as well send a letter by dinosaur post. Emailing and dropboxes mean we don't have to send things by mail, you can send a program or file to your friend which he can either download a file in the hour, or read an email in a second. Let's face it, most of us have taken a picture of our meals to show our mates how delicious our dinners are. Simple, fast, reliable, except when autocorrect corrects our ducking words.
Sadly with the way texting and messaging has become many of us are not like the Little River Band and 'Reminiscing', but are like one certain song and everyday be 'shuffling'. Honestly, I know I like to put pop culture references in my conversation but when does it become to much? When does wit turn into meaningless conversation. I have trouble with developing deep and meaningful conversations because when I start with my wit sometimes I don't know when to stop. There are reasons for this I guess the main one is if I can see that person is enjoying it, I don't want to stop their joy. I have spent so much time trying to make people happy, that I have neglected my own self-esteem. There is a happy middle somewhere in all of that! Like a muffin of enlightenment or a pie of delightfulness. Normal criticisms are fine but harsh judgements aren't. I guess constructive criticisms help me improve as a person but harsh judgements only lower my self esteem.
So when it comes to communication what do I choose, media or face to face? Well, I'm sorry but I can't decide. Face to face is just fine. I have spent so long working on my communication skills I get insulted when people are constantly texting in a conversation. However, I am also guilty of having done exactly that. So it is in a way hypocritical of me but now I am no longer texting during conversations. Talking on the Internet is fine when you are unable to talk to someone in person. I had a conversation with my brother last night while he is in Africa. This was a test of patience due to the delay in replies and technical mishaps. I had a deep and meaningful conversation on the net with a friend about beliefs and religion last week. It really opened my eyes! My first girlfriend started on a conversation on a status about toenails! But there are times where we need to know when we are talking and when we are really communicating.
For my foot note I was sent to Lithgow to save my Babcia (grandmother) from the fires, to show me her gratitude she dragged me, kicking and screaming to bingo. After a valiant attempt of ink bashing and numbing punching I learnt that 88 is two fat ladies and the number 69 is a table for two with a terrible view!
Farwell for another week! and remember never ask a woman if she is pregnant, even if she is pregnant!
Sunday 13 October 2013
Aspie Life and Collecting
Hey folks, welcome back to the blog with the best smell!
By god it's been so hot outside, my thermometer is drooping. I know you guys are expecting a I JUST DONT GET IT episode this week, but lets face it I spend every second week bitching and raging. I will probably be looking worse than a 'Sign Felt' regular like 'George Can't Stand Yah'. So let's take a break from things and do something an aspie would never do, break away from a structured schedule!
It's been over a month now since I started these blogs but I think we are building a closer bond. If you want, you can let that bond be what ever you would like, James Bond, Bonds underwear, funeral bond, well, maybe not funeral bond. This week I would like to talk about my habit of collecting and what I have enjoyed collecting over the years.
I know that all of you have a hobby of some sort and have probably collected something over time. I suppose this is my little confession of what makes me tick. I am sure if you know someone with Asperger's or you are an Aspie there is a passion to collect. My reasoning for collecting is that then I have things people can't take away from me and I have a place to go when reality is cruel. By me finishing to collect a whole set of items gave me a real sense of achievement. This comes down to Aspies collecting anything in that particular field that they enjoy. This could be general information, DVDs, toys, books CDs records or certain items of clothes. They could be collecting songs, trains or the ancient artefacts of the Mayan empire. I guess most collections are good, except for things like elephant dung or giraffe ear wax. Just because people collect doesn't make them Aspies.
So where did collecting begin for me? Well it all started when I was in preschool. Some of my older brother's Thomas the Tank Engine toys were passed down to me and I was playing with them. Yet when I saw that there were more of those toys on television I knew I wanted more of them. The beauty of all this was that where mum did the weekly shopping there was a toy section in the supermarket and it was right at my eye level. I knew mum couldn't leave me at home to do the shopping. I had to go with her, so you know what my performance was like every week when I couldn't get Toby, Douglas or James. I knew mum didn't like having people look at her and her screaming kid so with big Chihuahua eyes and angelic smile I conned every little rail engine I could. Yes I know the irony of me playing with 'Thomas' the Tank Engine toys. Anyway for those who don't know the trains were numbered. Whats the point of going from 8 to 10 when you haven't got 9? Then came along the Thomas the tank engine books. I Immediately memorised that they were at the end of aisle 8. As soon as mum or dad got the shopping trolly I was going like a rat up a drain pipe to the end of my favourite aisle. You know wild horses couldn't drag me away until I got the next instalment book. Boy my dad found out how loud I could really be if the book wasn't going to the checkout chick with me. This was a big thing for me because I wanted to know about all the adventures that the trains went on in the Island of Sodor.
As I was starting primary school my cousins got me into a series called 'BEAST WARS'! It was the sequel series to Transformers. This time the robots would transform into animals and dinosaurs. I remember my first toy was a blue frog called Spittor. As the show went on I wanted to know about such characters as Dinobot and Rattrap. The leader of the Maximals, Optimus Primal once became this gigantic titan of a robot and I remember desperately wanting him. I begged mum for it and come my eleventh birthday I opened up my present to see Optimus Minor. A bloody toy one eighth the size of Optimus Primal and they wanted me to jump with joy and be happy. Parents can be so cruel. I was disappointed but this more petite robot proved to be more fun than I first realised. Maybe parents aren't so cruel, but I still wanted my ten storey Robot that could transform into a jet, tank and ape.
I have gone on to collect such things as Pokemon, Harry Potter books, Ratchet and Clank and Crash Bandicoot games. They have all had their own little impact in my life. I understand that many of you here probably don't understand things like Pokemon, a game played by many Aspies, so I will make a blog about that later on. Something to show why games like Pokemon and Rayman are helping Aspies socialise and become friendlier. That way you will have a better understanding on how to have a great bond with your kid and to help them in today's world where video games have become the mainstream entertainment system.
I still do the occasional bit of collecting today. My main one is comic books. I currently read Transformers More Than Meets The Eye. This comic is about a bunch of roughians and misfits on a ship searching a mythological team of do gooders called the Knights of Cybertron. There are characters who suffer from disabilities even if they appear to be robots. You have Ultra Magnus who has OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) and can't deal with badges being at an angle, dirt or something as small as a screw being loose. There is another character called Swerve who has tendencies of Asperger's and ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) where he doesn't exactly know when to shut up and asks intrusive questions that can upset others. Personally I relate to him a lot because we both just want to make people happy and our nick names in high school were 'shut the hell up'. I'm not saying that this is a comic just for people with disabilities, More Than Meets The Eye can be enjoyed by anyone. You will laugh, cry, you will feel emotions for characters that are are either best of friends or the wackiest of insane robots. I'll stop talking about robots before you guys feed me a motherboard.
I guess we can learn a lot from the things we collect. Star Wars can teaches us to be patient, that we can't rush into things otherwise we end up with a lost hand and daddy issues. By collecting the stories of the ancient Greeks a man learn can from them how to traverse through great struggles and become someone fantastic. If you look at the family tree of Zeus, there wasn't much tragedy in a Greek Tragedy. Blues can teach us about dealing with pain when at a time of loss. Yet if we play the blues backwards our lover returns, the dog doesn't die and our favourite car is resurrected again from the bottom of the cliff.
Thing is, collecting is a good thing, if we embrace our fellow Aspies' likes, it gives us a better understanding of their identity and personality. We are the sum of our experiences, and for many of us that involves such things as collecting. We can unlock the barriers that are between the Autism and the Neurotypical world by understanding each other. All we need to do is give each other's likes a chance. The other thing I would like to say is as you can see from my little confession us Aspies do have a fantastic memory.
So what did I learn this week? I hate bugs! I have had to deal with so many blasted flies now that the heat is here! I have been feeling like a Titan fighting the Greeks on his way to Mount Olympus! I realise now I have a love for chemical warfare by spraying these infernal bugs.
This week I watched Gravity a masterpiece of visual entertainment. The story was also great I suggest you watch it!
Well that brings us to the end of another blog, may this week bring the fun kind of hot and not the fat sweaty uncle kind of hot!
By god it's been so hot outside, my thermometer is drooping. I know you guys are expecting a I JUST DONT GET IT episode this week, but lets face it I spend every second week bitching and raging. I will probably be looking worse than a 'Sign Felt' regular like 'George Can't Stand Yah'. So let's take a break from things and do something an aspie would never do, break away from a structured schedule!
It's been over a month now since I started these blogs but I think we are building a closer bond. If you want, you can let that bond be what ever you would like, James Bond, Bonds underwear, funeral bond, well, maybe not funeral bond. This week I would like to talk about my habit of collecting and what I have enjoyed collecting over the years.
I know that all of you have a hobby of some sort and have probably collected something over time. I suppose this is my little confession of what makes me tick. I am sure if you know someone with Asperger's or you are an Aspie there is a passion to collect. My reasoning for collecting is that then I have things people can't take away from me and I have a place to go when reality is cruel. By me finishing to collect a whole set of items gave me a real sense of achievement. This comes down to Aspies collecting anything in that particular field that they enjoy. This could be general information, DVDs, toys, books CDs records or certain items of clothes. They could be collecting songs, trains or the ancient artefacts of the Mayan empire. I guess most collections are good, except for things like elephant dung or giraffe ear wax. Just because people collect doesn't make them Aspies.
So where did collecting begin for me? Well it all started when I was in preschool. Some of my older brother's Thomas the Tank Engine toys were passed down to me and I was playing with them. Yet when I saw that there were more of those toys on television I knew I wanted more of them. The beauty of all this was that where mum did the weekly shopping there was a toy section in the supermarket and it was right at my eye level. I knew mum couldn't leave me at home to do the shopping. I had to go with her, so you know what my performance was like every week when I couldn't get Toby, Douglas or James. I knew mum didn't like having people look at her and her screaming kid so with big Chihuahua eyes and angelic smile I conned every little rail engine I could. Yes I know the irony of me playing with 'Thomas' the Tank Engine toys. Anyway for those who don't know the trains were numbered. Whats the point of going from 8 to 10 when you haven't got 9? Then came along the Thomas the tank engine books. I Immediately memorised that they were at the end of aisle 8. As soon as mum or dad got the shopping trolly I was going like a rat up a drain pipe to the end of my favourite aisle. You know wild horses couldn't drag me away until I got the next instalment book. Boy my dad found out how loud I could really be if the book wasn't going to the checkout chick with me. This was a big thing for me because I wanted to know about all the adventures that the trains went on in the Island of Sodor.
As I was starting primary school my cousins got me into a series called 'BEAST WARS'! It was the sequel series to Transformers. This time the robots would transform into animals and dinosaurs. I remember my first toy was a blue frog called Spittor. As the show went on I wanted to know about such characters as Dinobot and Rattrap. The leader of the Maximals, Optimus Primal once became this gigantic titan of a robot and I remember desperately wanting him. I begged mum for it and come my eleventh birthday I opened up my present to see Optimus Minor. A bloody toy one eighth the size of Optimus Primal and they wanted me to jump with joy and be happy. Parents can be so cruel. I was disappointed but this more petite robot proved to be more fun than I first realised. Maybe parents aren't so cruel, but I still wanted my ten storey Robot that could transform into a jet, tank and ape.
I have gone on to collect such things as Pokemon, Harry Potter books, Ratchet and Clank and Crash Bandicoot games. They have all had their own little impact in my life. I understand that many of you here probably don't understand things like Pokemon, a game played by many Aspies, so I will make a blog about that later on. Something to show why games like Pokemon and Rayman are helping Aspies socialise and become friendlier. That way you will have a better understanding on how to have a great bond with your kid and to help them in today's world where video games have become the mainstream entertainment system.
I still do the occasional bit of collecting today. My main one is comic books. I currently read Transformers More Than Meets The Eye. This comic is about a bunch of roughians and misfits on a ship searching a mythological team of do gooders called the Knights of Cybertron. There are characters who suffer from disabilities even if they appear to be robots. You have Ultra Magnus who has OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) and can't deal with badges being at an angle, dirt or something as small as a screw being loose. There is another character called Swerve who has tendencies of Asperger's and ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) where he doesn't exactly know when to shut up and asks intrusive questions that can upset others. Personally I relate to him a lot because we both just want to make people happy and our nick names in high school were 'shut the hell up'. I'm not saying that this is a comic just for people with disabilities, More Than Meets The Eye can be enjoyed by anyone. You will laugh, cry, you will feel emotions for characters that are are either best of friends or the wackiest of insane robots. I'll stop talking about robots before you guys feed me a motherboard.
I guess we can learn a lot from the things we collect. Star Wars can teaches us to be patient, that we can't rush into things otherwise we end up with a lost hand and daddy issues. By collecting the stories of the ancient Greeks a man learn can from them how to traverse through great struggles and become someone fantastic. If you look at the family tree of Zeus, there wasn't much tragedy in a Greek Tragedy. Blues can teach us about dealing with pain when at a time of loss. Yet if we play the blues backwards our lover returns, the dog doesn't die and our favourite car is resurrected again from the bottom of the cliff.
Thing is, collecting is a good thing, if we embrace our fellow Aspies' likes, it gives us a better understanding of their identity and personality. We are the sum of our experiences, and for many of us that involves such things as collecting. We can unlock the barriers that are between the Autism and the Neurotypical world by understanding each other. All we need to do is give each other's likes a chance. The other thing I would like to say is as you can see from my little confession us Aspies do have a fantastic memory.
So what did I learn this week? I hate bugs! I have had to deal with so many blasted flies now that the heat is here! I have been feeling like a Titan fighting the Greeks on his way to Mount Olympus! I realise now I have a love for chemical warfare by spraying these infernal bugs.
This week I watched Gravity a masterpiece of visual entertainment. The story was also great I suggest you watch it!
Well that brings us to the end of another blog, may this week bring the fun kind of hot and not the fat sweaty uncle kind of hot!
Monday 7 October 2013
An Aspie Odyssey, Episode 3 Mum's Story
Hello friends, welcome to another blog. Firstly I would like to say thank you to the great Grant Morrison for reading my blog. You have been 1 of the big 3 inspirations for me writing this blog! One more and I have hit the trifecta of awesomeness!
So many of you are probably wondering what the title is about? As you all know from my last blog, I mentor kids with Aspergers. Parents also come up to me an ask different questions relating to Aspergers and what was it like for my parents to deal with little troublesome me growing up. I decided I would do a bit of origin of my species, a story/interview with the people I know. So, here is the first of what I hope will be many interviews. Below is an interview I did with my mum on what it was like having a child growing up with Aspergers Syndrome.
Thomas
Hello mum.
Mum
Hi Thomas.
Thomas
Thanks for doing this. First question, when I was growing up, a wee little boy did you notice any differences between me and other children?
Mum
You had very high temperatures as a baby, there would be sudden changes in temperatures from normal to 41 degrees. You didn't like loud and sudden noises. I remember you having a love for your toys and they always had to be lined up in a particular order. You wouldn't make eye contact. Another thing was that you had an obsession with collecting. First it was the Thomas the Tank Engine toys then it was the Thomas books. You always seemed to love collecting. You were a little bit clumsy and your speech was late you didn't speak till you were 3 years old.
Thomas
I guess I was quite the quiet and clumsy little guy. As I was going into primary school, what made me stand out from other children?
Mum
Well you were always a happy outgoing child. I remember it took you a long time to learn colours. You found it hard to follow instructions, you would run off and do you your own thing. You didn't make a lot of eye contact but following instructions was your biggest issue. You always took things literally. If you were running late for school you would still go at the same pace. If we harassed you to hurry along you would shut down but not in a crying state.
Thomas
I see. I am sure you remember that high school was a terrible time for me, with all the bullying that happened. Tell me, how did the bullying effect you as a parent?
Mum
Tremendously, there is nothing worse than to see your own kid suffer. It was traumatic. We suffered as much if not more than you. We didn't fully know what to do. We couldn't understand the impact it had on you, not knowing how you took it, it put immense stress on all of us. We were trying to help you but we didn't understand what was going on. It wasn't until later that when we found out about your condition that things started turning out much better.
Thomas
Things did turn around when I was diagnosed at the age of 16. I know it had a huge impact on my life. How did my diagnosis help you as a parent?
Mum
Scared and Relieved! Scared because we didn't know how to deal with it and we knew it was a serious issue. We were relieved because we now could research and understand what you were going through. Understanding the issue meant we could now look for help in the right places.
Thomas
When it came to post school education and work, how did you feel about me transitioning to post school life?
Mum
I felt relieved, you were among people that wouldn't discriminate against who you are. Berinda Karp and her assistants like Christine Meredith at Mt Druitt TAFE helped you reevaluate yourself as a person of worth. You were then getting the help you needed and I saw the sparkle in your eye. I could see you becoming your own person!
Thomas
What coping mechanism's would you like to give the readers to help them with their children's situations?
Mum
First of all relaxation and meditation because a stressed out mind due to worrying about your child, needs to be brought down and unwound. It helped me relax my mind. I also would suggest cognitive and concentration training, that would help with getting your son or daughter to become better at concentration and help improve coordination.
Thomas
All good. So what would you like to say to the you of 10 years ago. Lets say something you could say to help out the mums and dads with a kid in their adolescence.
Mum
To do your research, understand it is not a life threatening issue. Talk to people, read books and understand about who your child is on the inside.
Thomas
Thanks mum, that was really insightful.
Mum
You're welcome.
Well folks this week has been as much of a roller coaster as a man getting told he's going to come into a lot of money and getting run over by an armoured truck on its way from the bank. So until next week, some bat time same bat channel!
So many of you are probably wondering what the title is about? As you all know from my last blog, I mentor kids with Aspergers. Parents also come up to me an ask different questions relating to Aspergers and what was it like for my parents to deal with little troublesome me growing up. I decided I would do a bit of origin of my species, a story/interview with the people I know. So, here is the first of what I hope will be many interviews. Below is an interview I did with my mum on what it was like having a child growing up with Aspergers Syndrome.
Thomas
Hello mum.
Mum
Hi Thomas.
Thomas
Thanks for doing this. First question, when I was growing up, a wee little boy did you notice any differences between me and other children?
Mum
You had very high temperatures as a baby, there would be sudden changes in temperatures from normal to 41 degrees. You didn't like loud and sudden noises. I remember you having a love for your toys and they always had to be lined up in a particular order. You wouldn't make eye contact. Another thing was that you had an obsession with collecting. First it was the Thomas the Tank Engine toys then it was the Thomas books. You always seemed to love collecting. You were a little bit clumsy and your speech was late you didn't speak till you were 3 years old.
Thomas
I guess I was quite the quiet and clumsy little guy. As I was going into primary school, what made me stand out from other children?
Mum
Well you were always a happy outgoing child. I remember it took you a long time to learn colours. You found it hard to follow instructions, you would run off and do you your own thing. You didn't make a lot of eye contact but following instructions was your biggest issue. You always took things literally. If you were running late for school you would still go at the same pace. If we harassed you to hurry along you would shut down but not in a crying state.
Thomas
I see. I am sure you remember that high school was a terrible time for me, with all the bullying that happened. Tell me, how did the bullying effect you as a parent?
Mum
Tremendously, there is nothing worse than to see your own kid suffer. It was traumatic. We suffered as much if not more than you. We didn't fully know what to do. We couldn't understand the impact it had on you, not knowing how you took it, it put immense stress on all of us. We were trying to help you but we didn't understand what was going on. It wasn't until later that when we found out about your condition that things started turning out much better.
Thomas
Things did turn around when I was diagnosed at the age of 16. I know it had a huge impact on my life. How did my diagnosis help you as a parent?
Mum
Scared and Relieved! Scared because we didn't know how to deal with it and we knew it was a serious issue. We were relieved because we now could research and understand what you were going through. Understanding the issue meant we could now look for help in the right places.
Thomas
When it came to post school education and work, how did you feel about me transitioning to post school life?
Mum
I felt relieved, you were among people that wouldn't discriminate against who you are. Berinda Karp and her assistants like Christine Meredith at Mt Druitt TAFE helped you reevaluate yourself as a person of worth. You were then getting the help you needed and I saw the sparkle in your eye. I could see you becoming your own person!
Thomas
What coping mechanism's would you like to give the readers to help them with their children's situations?
Mum
First of all relaxation and meditation because a stressed out mind due to worrying about your child, needs to be brought down and unwound. It helped me relax my mind. I also would suggest cognitive and concentration training, that would help with getting your son or daughter to become better at concentration and help improve coordination.
Thomas
All good. So what would you like to say to the you of 10 years ago. Lets say something you could say to help out the mums and dads with a kid in their adolescence.
Mum
To do your research, understand it is not a life threatening issue. Talk to people, read books and understand about who your child is on the inside.
Thomas
Thanks mum, that was really insightful.
Mum
You're welcome.
Well folks this week has been as much of a roller coaster as a man getting told he's going to come into a lot of money and getting run over by an armoured truck on its way from the bank. So until next week, some bat time same bat channel!
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