The Uncommentary - What is it?

I should explain what The Uncommentary website is that I have listed in the Favorite Sites section.  This site used to be my blog.  When I started it in December 2002 with the Uncommon Bostonian website, AOL didn't have blogs.  They started those in 2003.

When I started with the two websites, I called the first one, Uncommon Bostonian, because that is the working title of my memoir.  The second one I had no idea what to do with it.  The webhost, Unim, suggested that I make it into an online shopping mall.  I did and named it Uncommon Collectables featuring The Uncommentary, but I didn't get any sales.  So I made the mall disappear and renamed it just The Uncommentary.

So I have been using that at an irregulat basis as a blog for the last couple of years until I started this blog.  It's hard to edit the two websites because the software is not compatable to my eMac.  I usually have to go to the Boston Public Library to do the fancy editing changes on the two.

So the big question here is: Do I still use Uncommentary as a blog?  No, but I'll use it as my own online magazine.  So I have to do some major changes there.

Stay tuned.

Another Hard Day's Sleep Study

Last Saturday night, I went over to the Sleep Clinic at B.I. Hospital for my scheduled sleep study.  I called ahead and asked if I could come in a half hour early, and they didn't mind at all.  When I got there, I was surprised that they had me in a different room this time around.  I was even more surprised when the technologist asked if I brought my nasal pillow and CPAP with me. 

"But it wasn't mentioned to me," I said back.  Ron, the technologist, did find a duplicate of my nasal pillow with the proper head gear.  I used the CPAP that was already in the room.

After being hooked up with the electrodes all over my body, it took awhile for me to fall asleep.  Then again, who would fall asleep early on a Saturday night?  I watched the Saturday Night Live rerun with Will Farrell as the guest host.  The real coincedence is that the last time I did a sleep study was back in May when that show was done live.  The new season starts next Saturday, October 1.

The room was very cold.  I had to wake up in the middle of the night and ask for an extra blanket and turn up the heat.  I had been feeling sick that whole weekend and being in that cold room made me feel worse the next day.  Ron, the technologist, was nice enough to give me some toothpaste and a toothbrush because I forgot mine this time around.

I felt well rested when I woke despite feeling a little congested from my slight cold.  I filled out the survey sheet, shampooed and dried my hair, and left for home.

Now I have to wait and see what my sleep doctor says about this sleep study.

Would You Believe...Don Adams Has Died at age 82

I figured that Secret Agent 86, Maxwell Smart, would make it to the age of 86 before dying.  Unfortunately, his real life alter ego, Don Adams, missed it by that much.  He was 82 years old last Sunday night when he passed away from a lung infection.  Last year, he broke his hip and had been ill health ever since.

Don Adams was born Donald James Yarmey in 1923.  He took the last name Adams from his first wife's stage name.  He rose to fame back in 1965 portraying Maxwell Smart on the TV series, "Get Smart."  He won three Emmys for acting.

I grew up watching the reruns of "Get Smart."  He made me laugh every time.  I never found the show to be repetitious at all.  I loved hearing the jokes again and again.  I remember seeing Don Adams appear on game shows and other variety shows during the 70s.  I remember his "Don Adams' Screen Test" show fondly.  I even loved his cartoon characters: Tennessee Tuxedo and Inspector Gadget.  Back in the 1980s, I loved watching his syndicated TV series, "Check It Out," where he played Howard Bannister who was the manager of a grocery store.

He was a big part of my childhood.  He'll be deeply missed by this loyal fan.

RIP Don Adams.  Say "Hi" to the Chief (Ed Platt).
:-(

A New Honor For Me: Nicest Person at the JBF

This week, I was awarded with a new honor as the Nicest Person on The Board at the John Byrne Forum.

Thanks, Everybody! :-)

Life Interference

I've been busy with personal stuff for the last few days that I haven't had much of the chance to write about AS, NLD and SA.  In fact, I haven't had much time to look over any recent news articles about those topics.  I also have been feeling under the weather.  Nothing severe, but it's distracting.

I have done some rewriting on the query letter for my memoir, Uncommon Bostonian.  I am thinking of how to clarify what I've written so far in Chapter 1 and the following chapters.  I did rework my chapter outline a bit last Saturday night.  At least, I am staying focus on that creative project.

Coming up this weekend, I have to go back to the sleep clinic for another sleep study.  My doctor needs to determine how I am doing since I started using a CPAP machine.  Last week, the company that gave me the CPAP sent me the wrong nasal mask by mistake.  Fortunately, they mailed me my new nasal pillow mask as soon as I told them about the mistake.  They even gave me a return address label to mail back the other mask.  

Next Monday, I see my primary care doctor who wants to test me for diabetes because I looked out of shape when she saw me in July.  I am trying to get back in shape with walking around outdoors whenever I can.  That car accident I had back in December 2004 put a big dent in my health.

AHA! John's With WBOS!

I went to Boston Radio Watch and learned about John Laurenti's new job.  It's an afternoon shift at WBOS-FM in Boston.  That means he doesn't have to work at the Rhode Island radio station during the week anymore.


Good Luck, John! 

Try to sneak in as many Beatles songs as you like during your new show!

What A Shock! John's Leaving The Beatles!

I was listening to "Breakfast With The Beatles" this morning on WZLX-FM in Boston when the host, John Laurenti, announced that this was his last show.  He said something about an opportunity came up (my guess is a radio job offer at another station).  He played his favorite Beatles songs as well as his favorite John Lennon and Paul McCartney solo songs during the show.  He did a long speech.

I was stunned.  I wonder what's going to happen with "Breakfast With The Beatles" now.  Will they get a new host?  Or will Cha-Chi, the original host, come back?  Or will they dump the show? 

Don't touch that dial!

Coming Soon! The Annual AANE Conference

On October 1, 2005, Asperger Association of New England (AANE) is having their annual conference in Marlborough, Massachusetts, at the Best Western Royal Plaza Hotel.  AANE is also celebrating their 10th anniversary.  The conference title is Asperger Syndrome Connections 2005: Celebrating a Decade of Discovery and Growth.

The keynote speaker is Dr. Oliver Sacks, writer of An Anthropologist on Mars and other books.

For more details, check out www.aane.org or aane.administrator@rcn.com.  Phone number is 617-393-3824.

Telephone Line

I've having trouble getting online in the last couple of weeks.  For the last couple of days I was constantly restarting my computer and switching AOL access numbers just to get online.  Last night I couldn't even stay online for even a minute without the modem quitting on me.

I called the telephone company this afternoon from work.  They tested the line and found the problem.  I've always had telephone line problems since I've moved into this condo nine years ago.  Lately the line had static, but it wasn't causing problems with my getting online until recently.

Seems to be working okay now.  So far, so good.

It's Great To Be Noticed!

I got an e-mail last Thursday, September 8, from Kelly Gilpin of Future Horizons Publishing.  Yes, I did send her a reply with my info.  This is an honor.  She's refering to the Forget Letterman/Top Ten List entry that I made a few days back about Ellen Notbohm's article.  Kelly told me that Ellen loved my comments.

Thank you very much, Kelly and Ellen.  Visit my blog often.


=====================

Hello!

My name is Kelly Gilpin and I am the Editorial Coordinator at Future Horizons, a publishing company that publishes materials concerning autism and Asperger’s Syndrome.

I am writing in regards to the very positive review you wrote on AOL Journals of Ellen Notbohm’s “Ten Things” article.  We are in the process of publishing an extended version of the article in book format, to be released this fall.  Since the article has been so well-received, we know that the book will benefit countless children on the spectrum.

Ellen Notbohm read your review and is very flattered by it.  She brought it to my attention this morning, actually.  We are interested in using your quote for the back cover of the book.  I would need your name, of course, and how you are connected to the autism community. 

Would you be interested in this?  Please let me know as soon as possible as we are on a deadline.  Thank you for your time, and we hope to hear from you soon!

All the best,

Kelly Gilpin
Editorial Coordinator, Future Horizons
800.489.0727
kelly@futurehorizons-autism.com

We Lost Another TV Icon

First Scotty.  Now this.

I saw the sad news tonight about Bob Denver who played Maynard G. Krebs on "Dobie Gillis" and Gilligan on "Gilligan's Island."  He passed away last Friday due to cancer.  He had been ill in recent years.

Rest In Peace, Little Buddy.  You're with the Skipper and the Howells now in Heaven.

Laboring Away

My proposal for Uncommon Bostonian, my memoir, is keeping me busy right now.   I have someone looking at my rough drafts right now, and I'm getting her comments in order to fix things up.  Thanks, Maia.

Not much of a three-day weekend for me.  I didn't do much, but I did see a couple of movies on the big screen: "Broken Flowers" and "2001: A Space Odyssey."  On my DVD machine, I watched the Hitchcock movie, "Spellbound."  Interesting movie there.  I've seen that one before and it was great seeing it again.  The audio commentary was very thought provoking as was the other special features on the DVD.

Desperately Seeking Gas!

Thursday night (September 1) was hectic.  First I was watching the latest news about New Orleans and its citizens.  I was already in tears in a matter of moments.  That's been a ritual for me every night this week.

I went online to saw the news about Fats Domino being missing.  That created more tears because I am a fan of his music ("Ain't That A Shame" "Blueberry Hill" "I'm Walking" and so many others).  After surfing the 'Net for awhile I remembered that I had to get some groceries and gas.  Also I had my free energy healing appointment at Open Doors in Brighton.

As I drove I saw a lot of cars out and was shocked to see a line of cars at one gas station.  The price of regular gas was $2.99!  I wanted to put my car in line but I had my appointment at 8:30 so I headed towards the grocery store.

I saw so many gas stations with the prices going over $3 made my head spin.  Seeing cars in line made think about the 1970s when Nixon and Carter were Presidents and had their own energy crises.  Never thought I see cars in line again at the gas stations.

I had such a busy night because I also had to get something to eat because I didn't bother to make myself dinner before going out.  I was too distracted by the TV news.

When I got back over to the gas station that had the $2.99 regular gas, the price went up to $3.10.  Then I saw the hand-written sign on the pump I pulled up next to.  It said "Out of Regular Gas."  I had to drive some other station that had a larger price for regular gas.

Eventually I got some gas into my car, but I didn't fill it all the way.  I am starting to have visions of my car sitting somewhere with an empty gas tank that I won't able to pay for because of the high costs. 

Btw, I got home by 10:30 pm.  Better late than never.

After I woke up the next morning, I heard good news.  Fats Domino was rescued from his flooded house in New Orleans.  I cried tears of relief.