Dude Walker Found!

Dude Walker, a disc jockey I listened to when I was a teen-ager in Washington, DC, wrote "Where's Dude?" - an interesting article about mobile disc jockeys.  It's very informative if any of you out there want to be a mobile disc jockey.

The radio station that I first heard Dude's voice on was Q107-FM.  It was a great station back in the 1980s.

Please, check out the Q107 Reunion Website.  If you have Real Player, you'll be able to hear Dude's sexy voice!

To Get Sleep Early or Not To Get To Sleep Early

I've been told once again to get to bed early by the sleep doctor.  He says it will help me a lot.  I'll be able to have a sharper mind and be more energetic when doing my workouts at the gym.  It'll help me lose weight.

Of course, going to bed early cuts short my time on the Internet searching for stuff for me to write about in my blog.  I also belong to a few forums that I like to visit too.  Going to bed early will reduce my visiting time at those places.

The good side is my health will improve a great deal as long as I go to bed early. 

Decisions, decisions, decisions.

A New Book on the Parenting Spectrum

A new book to help parents with autistic children is called Parenting Across The Autism Spectrum by Maureen Morrell and Ann Palmer.  Both parents have sons with autism.  They share their experiences in order to help others. 

They mention that autism/Asperger's is different in every child.  That is very true.  People with autism/Asperger's like me are very unique individuals.  Cherish the gift of being unique.

Get Well Soon, Barbara!

Barbara Bach, Ex-Beatle Ringo Starr's wife, was injured yesterday while riding a horse.  Her leg was broken and required surgery.  Bach is also a former James Bond girl.  She starred with Roger Moore in "The Spy Who Loved Me."

Get well soon, Barbara!  Sorry to hear this happen to you.

Summer Reading Update!

I've been spending most of this summer reading Alan Alda's memoir whenever I have the free time.  A couple of weeks ago, I got an e-mail from Kelly Gilpin from Future Horizons publishing telling me that they want to send me Ellen Nothbohm's new book, Ten Things Your Student With Autism Wishes You Knew.  I immediately sent her my mailing address and got the book two days later.  Inside the book on the cover page is a sticker that says "Advanced Copy."  Thanks!

I'm enjoying this book tremendously.  I just finished Chapter 5 and had to comment about the three minefields of social communication that a student with autism encounters at school:

Vocalic: Not understanding sarcasm, puns, idioms, hints, slang, abstraction.  May talk in a montone voice.  May speak too loudly, too softly, too quickly or too slowly.

Kinesthetic: Not understanding body language, facial expressions, emotional responses.  May even gesture or posture inappriopriately.  Doesn't understand eye contact.

Proxemic: Not understanding physical space communication, the subtile territorial norms of personal boundaries.

These three types of social communication didn't even exist to me when I was a child.  Being at school was a land of confusion and frustration every day.  I thought some of the other students were making up the social rules that I was violating.  I wonder why they assumed I knew what they were talking when I told them repeatedly that I didn't believe a word they said to me.  I thought they were nuts.

Before I was diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome, I had realized for years that I was having difficult with vocalic and kinesthetic communication.  I was totally unfamiliar with proxemic communication when I was diagnosed.  Hard to tell what is the appropriate physical space when I'm among people.

Don't Call Us Stupid!

The Times article called "Don't Call Me Stupid" profiles two people with Asperger's Syndrome: Wendy Lawson and Kamran Nazeer.  Their stories are very interesting about how they coped with their struggles growing up and how they overcame them.

A very positive story about Asperger's.

Stuck In Between Chris Isaak and Steve Miller

I had a great time at the Chris Isaak concert Wednesday night at the Bank of America Pavilion.  Chris and his band put on a great rock and roll show.  At 50 years old, Chris looks great.  He first wore a glittery blue suit at the start of the show.  Later on, he came out with a suit made of bicycle reflector material.  He was very shiney. 

Obviously, Elvis Presley was a huge influence on Chris Isaak as well as Roy Orbison.  In fact, Chris mentioned that he worked with Roy a few years before he died in 1988. 

Now, I am eager to return to the Pavilion again tomorrow night to see Steve Miller perform in concert.  That's on my mind right now.

TR Kelly - Another Musician with AS

A great article in an Oregon newspaper tells the story of TR Kelly, who was in the group called Babes with Axes, who has Asperger's Syndrome.  She was diagnosed three years ago at age 41.  It has helped her grow and develop personally.  She has become an avocate.

Thanks for spreading the word, TR!

Sleep Apnea Causes Bad Grades

It turns out that children are being diagnosed with Sleep Apnea.  It is causing problems with their abiltiy to learn.  As a result, they are getting bad grades.  One possible cause is obesity.

I remember that I always had trouble sleeping when I was growing up and attending school.  I was under a lot of stress from being teased at school and concentrating on getting good grades.  It was a struggle.  It was when I decided just to only focus on good grades that my grade point average improved tremendously.  Social relationships during those years were difficult and distracting to me.

Mike Douglas Tribute

Famous talk show host Mike Douglas passed away recently back on August 10.  My former radio mentor, Joe Martelle wrote a tribute to him last week.  As we all know, Mike's talk show was on for many years (1960s to early 1980s).  This is a great tribute.

Say It Isn't So, Chuck!

Recently, I learned the sad new that Charles Laquidara is pulling the plug on his Back Spin radio show on WBOS.  He is citing that things were not working out with the coroporate owners of the rock station in Boston. 

Check out the story from Charles in his blog under the heading: Good-bye 'BOS.

Bill Turns 60!

Happy 60th Birthday,
Bill Clinton! 






The 42nd President of the United States is celebrating the Big 6-0 today.  Many Happy Returns, Bill!  Hope your birthday wish comes true as long as all the fire from the candles on the cake don't set off the smoke detector.

Love,

Yvonne

Finding Numan

The San Francisco Chronicle has a great article called "Numan Finding His Way" about Gary Numan, a musician who has Asperger's Syndrome.  Gary is currently touring the US right now.  Gary is best known for his 1980 hit record, "Cars."

A friend of mine called Alison managed to see Gary Numan in concert at the Paradise Club in Boston back on June 6.  She also had the chance to meet him and get his autograph after the concert.  Way to go, Alison!

Christian Takes It All Off!

No, not me.  Actor Christian Clemison who plays the character with Asperger's Syndrome on "Boston Legal" is coming back to the ABC show next year for his first nude scene.  Christian is up for a Emmy this year for his role on "Boston Legal."

Check out this article in the Daily News under the heading "Taking it All Off."

From one Christian to another, Good Luck!

I Was Almost Runned Over 3 Times Last Night!

Last night after the Darlene Love concert at City Hall Plaza, my friend and I walked over to Park Street Station to catch the subway, which is called the "T" in Boston.  My friend told me that he was almost runned over by a bicycle messenger earlier in the day.  I told him that I was once knocked over by a guy on a bike back in 1985 when I was a student at Emerson College.

My friend got on the Red Line while I got on the Green Line.  I got off at Copley because I wanted to shop at the 24 hour CVS and the Shaw's supermarket that were near that stop.  I decided to use the escalator because my right knee was still a little sore and the steps at that subway stop are very steep.  At the corner of Darmouth Street and Boylston Street, I looked both ways and saw that I had enough time to cross Dartmouth Street before the traffic would change to green.

After I was more than half way across, I had only three more steps to go before reaching the sidewalk.  Suddenly, a guy on a bicycle came up from behind me and cut me off.  He almost knocked me over.  I jumped backwards to get my bearings, but a second guy on a bicycle was coming at me.  I tried to reach the sidewalk, but he got in front of me.  That made me go backwards again into the middle of the street.  I tried to move again, but the second bicycle blocked me.  I kept moving further back instead of forward.

Suddenly, I heard the sound of engines.  I looked and saw a white car speeding fast towards me.  I screamed at the top of my lungs becaus I was in a panic at that point and couldn't think.  I thought I was a goner for a second.

Fortunately, the car stopped before it could hit me.

Relieved, I got to the other side of the street.  A man at the sidewalk and asked if I was all right.  While breathing heavily, I said I was.  He told me that he saw what happened and it was the two guys on the bicycles fault for putting me in danger like that.

I managed to calm myself down before walking over to CVS.

I am bothered that people don't know the traffic laws in Massachusetts.  It's no wonder that so many people here are either injured and/or killed because no one takes in consideration the people in the crosswalk.

29 Years Ago Today...

We lost the King of Rock 'n' Roll.

Elvis Presley died on this day back in 1977.  A very long time ago.  He's still missed by millions.

Busy, Busy, Busy!

I haven't had time to visit my own blog for the last few days.  It was No Sales Tax Weekend in Massachusetts.  I just had to shop, and I got exhausted.

Also, I have been two big concerts in the last few days.  Last Thursday night, I went to the Bank of America Pavilion in Boston's Waterfront District and caught the "We Are The 80s" concert featuring Scandal with Patty Smyth, Loverboy, Eddie Money and Rick Springfield.  I had a great time, despite that my right knee was still feeling sore.  I had re-injured my knee Tuesday afternoon.  My right knee is still recovering from the car accident I had in December 2004.  I have been going to the gym trying to strenghten the knee's muscles, but it's hard.  I did have a doctor look at it Wednesday night.  I have to keep putting it on ice.

Saturday night I went to the Hatch Shell on the Esplanade in Boston and saw the Tramps and the Temptations in concert.  It was the final free summer concert that WODS was hosting this year.  I had a good time there, despite it got cold after sunset.

I bought a couple of CDs during the No Sales Tax Weekend: Lennon Legend and Huey Lewis and the News Greatest Hits.  I bought three new DVDs: "Goodnight and Good Luck," "The Aviator," and "Saw" the Uncut Version.  Good stuff.

Tomorrow night, I will be going out again to see another free concert.  Darlene Love is going to perform at City Hall Plaza.  I always wanted to see her.

Meet Two Kids From GA!

In the article called Alone in Autism, we are introduced to two that are on the autism spectrum: Blake Dees, who has severe autism, and Mary Grace Mauney, who has Asperger's Syndrome.

Blake has up to 10 caretakers as well as his parents, Claire and Mark, who help him out during the week.  In Mary's case, her autism wasn't obvious at first, but her mother noticed that she wasn't making friends.  Mary loves using the swings at home to help with her thinking.

A very interesting article from a website called Creative Loafing.

Donna Shows The Common Modes of Thinking

Donna Williams, an autistic author, writes a new article called "The Common Modes of Thinking; It's Broader Than You Think."  She discusses that there are other types of thinking besides visual and auditory.

Donna has her own website: http://www.donnawilliams.net

Also, check out www.auties.org, the first international self-employment website for people on the autism spectrum.

Thanks, Donna, for informing the world about autism.

Happy Birthday, Dustin!

Big Happy Birthday,

Dustin Hoffman!

Star of so many movies that are classics:  The Graduate, Kramer Vs. Kramer, Marathon Man, Tootsie, Rain Main, etc.

100 Interesting Things This Writer With Asperger's Syndrome Wishes You Knew

Recently, I wrote an article about 100 interesting things about myself, a person with Asperger's Syndrome.  It was too big for this blog, but it's in the writer's forum I am part of called Gather.

It's located in this link: http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.jsp?articleId=281474976771243

Please, check it out!

Alfred in the year 1975!

Here's another picture I found at Mr. Ed Mullaney's website: http://www.jdland.com/bccslides/

This one has my late older brother Alfred (July 13, 1961 - June 19, 1980) sitting with his friend.

Picture of Joey!

Since I mentioned him often on this blog in the last few weeks, it's time to show what Joe Martelle looks like.

Not a bad sight!

Yvonne at 15

This is what I looked at 15 years old back on June 15, 1980.  I was at Assateague Beach on a school trip while I was in high school.  I was in 10th grade.

It was a great day, but it turned tragic for me after I got home from that beach trip and learned that my older brother, Alfred, was in a terrible car accident.  He died a few days later from his head injury.

I'm amazed to realize something after seeing this picture again after 26 years.  That yellow bikini did look good on me.

I found this picture of me from a website by an old school teacher of mine, Ed Mullaney.  Thanks, Mr. M!

Check out Mr. M's website:

http://www.jdland.com/bccslides/

Unlocking the Secrets of File Sharing Online

Find out what Bram Cohen, a person with Asperger's Syndrome and the founder of BitTorrent, is up to these days regarding online file sharing.  It's very interesting.

Different Genes!

According to the article called Different Genes May Cause Autism in Girls, scientists believe that girls who have autism or Asperger's Syndrome have different genes than boys.  This is probably why it's hard to pin down the cause of the disorder with just one gene.  At least, the scientists are working hard to find the cause so that they can do early interventions.

Car Fixed Again!

This seems to be the summer of car repairs for me.  First in June was the left front stut broke while I was driving away from the office location of AANE.  Then almost a week later, the left rear tire went flat.  Next in July, I had the air conditioner fixed so it would not blow hot air during a heatwave.

This week, the inner tire alignment for the right and left sides of the car had to be fixed because the car was getting harder to steer when I was going at 60 mph or higher when I am driving on the highway.  At least, I can drive the car better now.

Now, I wonder what September will bring when I get my car's oil filter changed.

HEATWAVE!

I grew up in Washington, DC, but this is too hot for me up here in Boston.  I had to wait this late at night to get on my computer.  It gets very hot in this tiny part of my condo.  The air conditioner's cool air doesn't reach this place.  My eMac is too heavy for me to carry.  I'm so afraid that I will drop it or break my back.

The weather people expect the temperature to go over 100 degrees tomorrow (Wednesday).  So I know it will be too hot for my computer to be on.  That means that I will have to wait until Thursday to check my e-mails and check out my favorite sites.

Stay cool!