The Return of Little Walter's Time Machine!

Just found out that Little Walter's Time Machine is Back to the Future.  Walter is living in New Hampshire and survived a bout with cancer.  His show is now syndicated.

Congrats, Walter!

I used to listen to him on WODS during the 1990s.  Even met him once back in 1994 after one of WODS's free concerts.  He's a nice guy.  He knows Dion and other legends of Rock'n'Roll.

To find out more about Little Walter's Time Machine: visit http://www.littlewalter.com

To e-mail and say "Hi" to Little Walter: LilWalter@comcast.net

A Trio of Adult With AS Stories

Newjersey.com has a couple of stories about Adults with Asperger's Syndrome today.  One is about a man who got his diagnosis at age 56 in 1995.  Another is about a 26 year old man who is in graduate school.  Both stories are interesting.  I had similar struggles.

The most interesting story is about the struggles that adults with Asperger's Syndrome have because most of the services go to the children with Asperger's Syndrome, but the services end when the child reaches 21 years old.

Check out this article called "Challenges For Adults with Autism."

Would You Believe...A Don Adams Tribute?

It was a year ago this week when Don Adams (Maxwell Smart of "Get Smart") passed away.  I found this tribue while surfing around YouTube this week.  It's very sentimental.

Love - AS Style

This is a wonderful love story of Rishelle Perry and Eric Fedrick.  Rishelle has Asperger's Syndrome.  They are getting married next month.

Conrats, Rishelle and Eric!

Yes, I Saw "House" Last Night

I managed to catch the last half-hour of "House," the Fox-TV drama now in Season 3.  His patient was an autistic child.  I liked the ending where one of the doctors reads the description of Asperger's Syndrome.  I'm relieved that House isn't a person with Asperger's Syndrome.  He'd be a bad representative for Aspies.

Don't get me wrong.  I love watching the show.  The reason I missed the first half-hour was that I had to go to the grocery store for cat food.  Having two hungry cats in my condo is not fun.  I had so many things to do yesterday evening before going to the store.  I had to go to the Weight Watchers meeting last night because I won't be able to attend the Saturday meeting because of the annual Asperger Association Of New England conference in Marlborough, MA.  Btw, I lost 4 pounds.

House is obnoxious, and he knows it.  Whenever I was accused of being obnoxious, I would have no idea of what they were talking about.  Sometimes, I thought they were just kidding.  I thought I was being self-confident at the time, not obnoxious.

Bill Clinton 1, Chris Wallace 0

I just saw the Clinton-Wallace exchange at YouTube.com.  I wrote this letter to Bill Clinton and sent it to his Foundation.

===================================================
Dear Former President Bill Clinton,

I just saw you and Chris Wallace on YouTube.com.  If Chris Wallace is a professional journalist (Yes, I do know that he’s Mike Wallace’s son), he should have known that you were upset over that ABC docudrama that aired last week and shouldn’t have stupidly thrown that question about Osama bin Laden in your face at the beginning of the interview because it would upset you.  I know this because I went to Emerson College, but I’m not a TV journalist right now.  I don’t blame you for getting in his face about that question.

Those Fox News people are always too conservative for me.  I never bothered watching their network, even when I had cable television.  I don’t have cable anymore because it got too expensive.  Those Fox News people don’t like you at all.  I’m not surprised because conservatives don’t like people who are different.  I know because I’ve been around lots of conservative people most of my life.  They were always quick to misjudge me on very little evidence.  Sure, I’m different, but I didn’t have a choice at being different.  It was only for 4 years ago when I was diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome, a form of autism.

The real problem with those conservatives, right-wingers and Fox News people is that they don’t want to know the real you or even try to accept you as you are.

I hope you’re feeling better after that interview.  You should get some rest and relaxation after the busy week you’ve had last week.  You’ve had two heart surgeries within the last two years, so you need the rest.  Also, if you’re near a computer, please check out my blog, Outside In, at http://journals.aol.com/yechristian/OutsideIn/ where I write about my having Asperger’s Syndrome. 

Btw, I saw you on the cover of Fortune magazine.  You look great as always, just like you did when I met you at Barnes & Noble in Boston back in July 2004 for the book signing.  My cousin Michael happens to be one of your favorite Secret Service Agents.

Stay well,


Yvonne Christian

Christian Naked in Boston

If you caught the season premiere of "Boston Legal," you saw Christian Clemison who plays Jerry, the lawyer with Asperger's Syndrome, in the nude during the episode.   Christian won an Emmy of guest starring on "Boston Legal" last year.   His character returned in this episode because he gets in trouble again with the law (this time it's over a female dummy he had in his car), and Alan Shore (James Spader) comes to his rescue and introduces him to a sex surrogate.

The enjoyable episode is the start of the third season and included the return of Michael J. Fox as the rich cancer patient and Denny Crane (William Shatner) having a lookalike Shirley Schmidt (Candice Bergen) doll hiding in his closet.

I love this show!

Support From The Church

A very touching story about a woman who is a domestic abuse survivor and her son who has Asperger's Syndrome getting help from her church.  They helped fixed their home so she could put it on the market.  The house sold in four days.  They directed her to other services for help in getting her back on her feet financially and emotionally. 

Their helping her has also helped her son who is now more expressive than before.  Now, that's inspirational and spiritual.  I remember the times that my own church has helped me out with I wasn't able to afford food for myself (and I didn't qualify for food stamps).  I was spending my money making sure that my two cats, Storm and Cap, were fed.  The other expense was my car which was breaking down a lot in 2003.

Happy Birthday, Caped Crusader!

Happy Birthday,

Adam West!
(Batman)

Getting Back In Shape

Already I'm in week two of my two workout classes that I am attending at my job.  The one I go to on Monday is called Pilates.  This is for my abdominal muscles, the core muscles.  Last week was tough because I did not have a mat.

Last night, I drove from Jamaica Plain to Quincy in search of the closest WalMart store because they have a Pilates mat.  The tough part was that the store was located in a part of Quincy that I am not familiar with.  I spent several minutes looking for the roads that lead to the WalMart.  Luckily, I did find it.  My mat has a bright purple color.  I was exhausted when I finally got back to my condo.  I haven't had the chance to do any entries since Friday night.

I showed up in class this afternoon and had a more comfortable workout doing the Pilates stretches this time around.

The other class I take is on Wednesday.  It's called "Hips, Abs, and Thighs."  This also works on the lower part of the body.  My body felt sore after that workout last week, but I feel stronger now.

I need the classes because after having that bad car accident in December 2004.  It has been difficult for me to stay in shape.  I still have problems with my right knee.  I am seeing an orthopedic doctor next week.  Hopefully, he can help me with the pain I still have in that knee.  It's been the primary cause of me going out of shape in the past year and a half.

More Than A Mom Launches Off Next Week!

Next week, Amy Baskin and Heather Fawcett will launch their new book called More Than a Mom: Living a Full and Balanced Life When Your Child has Special Needs.  The books consists of research, personal experience and feedback from 500 mothers.

Thanks for the help, Moms!

Wish Kids CLUB Was Around When I was a Kid

A speech and language-based program called Kids CLUB has been helpful with children with autism and other language disorders.  In small, safe environments, children learn how to socialize better and improve relationships with peers.  It protects them from bullying.

This is something I wish could join if it existed when I was a kid.

Hey Jools! Thanks for the Fundraising!

Jools Holland, a former member of Squeeze and a friend of the late George Harrison of the Beatles, is scheduled to host a fundraising concert for autism in Cambridge, England, this Saturday.

Check out the article, "Jools Jazzes It Up for Charity."

Thanks, Jools!

South Carolina Sets Up Pilot Program for Autism

Officials in South Carolina have developed a pilot program for in-home and community-based services for autism.  An allocation of $3 million has been applied to this program that will help 3 to 10 year olds with autism.  The BabyNet program already takes care of children up to 3 years old.

For details, please read: "Autism Advocates Hail Pilot Program" in the State.

Parents to the Rescue!

The parents of a Hamden Township boy with Asperger's Syndrome is suing the Cumberland Valley School District and four teachers in Pennsylvania for mishandling his special ed plan.   The boy was subjected to abusive teachers and children who were bullies towards him.

The Sentinel has an article about this situation called "Bullying Charged in Special Ed Suit" by Tatiana Zarnowski.

The parents pulled him out of the school and now have him in a private high school.  What I like about this story is that the parents took action against the bad treatment their son was getting.  When I was growing up and getting bullied by my fellow students, my parents would only say to me, "Just ignore it" and "What's the big deal?"  That wasn't helpful to me, and I ended up feeling truamatized by it for years.

Good luck with your lawsuit!

Interesting Autism Letter in the Fond Du Lac Reporter

A father of an autistic child in Fond Du Lac, Wisconsin, named Mark wrote a letter to the Reporter after reading the newspaper's September 1 article about Eric Thompson, who has Asperger's Syndrome.  He mentions that the newspaper should show more local stories about children with autism and raise more awarness.  I agree with that.

Eric's story was featured in this blog on September 1 under the heading "The Unsinkable Eric Thompson."

The direct link to the Eric Thompson article:

http://www.fdlreporter.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060901/FON0101/609010479/1289/FONnews

Happy 40th, Monkees!

Happy 40th Anniversary to the Monkees.  Their TV show debuted on NBC this night in 1966.

Happy 40th Anniversary,

Peter, Davey, Mickey, and Mike!

Remembering 9/11/01

I know I'm a day late writing about this, but it was best to spend yesterday remembering the tragedy that happened five years ago than just writing about.  I remember that day well.  I cried tremendously that day.  Maybe more crying than I did when my brother, Alfred, died back in 1980.

I even thought about John Lennon because I always associated New York City with him because he lived and died there.  I saw so much death that day, and I saw the politicians that night singing, "God Bless America."  I silently wished they sang "Give Peace A Chance."

We're still healing five years later.

The Enterprise Has A Report About Sleep Disorders

Not the Starship Enterprise, folks.  The Brockton Enterprise has a report about sleep disorders titled "Sleep Disorder Patients Seek Possible Dream."  It turns out that about 90% of the people who are treated at the Sleep Clinic in Brighton have Obstructive Sleep Apnea.

Boy With AS Had A Summer Job At The Camp Newsletter

A very inspiring article about a boy with AS named Paul who worked for his camp's newsletter.  It is written by the boy's  father, Patrick McNally.  Have fun reading this article called "Disability Doesn't Stop A Boy For All Seasons."

Love of Animals is a Great Thing for a Boy with AS

Michael Clair is a boy with Asperger's Syndrome who started going to school at Green Chimneys in January 2006.  Since then, his grades have improved greatly.  He also gets to work with dogs and horses too.  His world has improved significantly.

Did Dear Old Dad Make Me Autistic?

According to a recent study, fathers over the age of 40 are almost six times more likely to father an autistic child than younger fathers.

When I read this, I wondered if this were true.  When I was born, my father was 40 years old.  His birthday is in November.  He was only 40 for a month before I was born.

While I was growing up, some of the kids I was going to school with were shocked when I told them how old my father is.  It's pretty commonplace now to have an older father in the 21st Century.

3 New Studies Launched

The Space Shuttle Atlantis hasn't been able to launch this week, but the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), part of the National Institute of Health (NIH) have launched three new studies about autism.

The Institute is located in Bethesda, Maryland, which is not too far away from where I grew up in the 1970s and early 1980s.

I wonder what they'll find.  There seems to be so many different types of autism out there.  No one person with autism/Asperger's Syndrome is alike.

A Birthday & An Anniversary Today

Happy Birthday,

Peter Sellers
(September 8, 1925 - July 24, 1980)
(It's rumored that he might have had Asperger's Syndrome)

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

Happy 40th Anniversary,

Star Trek!

Happy 60th, Freddie!

Happy 60th Birthday,

Freddie Mercury!
(September 5, 1946 - November 24, 1991)


If only you were still with us...

The 3rd Type of Sleep Apnea

WebMD says that the Mayo Clinic has discovered a third type of Sleep Apnea that is the combination of Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Central Sleep Apnea.  It's called Complex Sleep Apnea.  According to the article, it looks like it only affects men.

So far, I'm using a CPAP machine for sleeping.  My sleep doctor wants me to take 1mg of Melatonin for two weeks so that I can sleep 8 hours.  I took one last night and slept only six hours.  That's my ususal sleep time.  I had to force myself to sleep the extra two hours.

Am I glad that it's a holiday today?  Yes.

Monday's a Holiday!

Happy Labor Day!

Misdiagnosis!

When I saw the title of this article, "Asperger's Frequently Confused with Other Psychiatric Disorders," it made me remember when I met my first therapist and was misdiagnosed with Intermittent Explosive Disorder in 1989.  In 2002, I learned that I really have Asperger's. 

I was surprised because during all those years I spend with my first therapist, I questioned her diagnosis.  I even told her that I wasn't capable of socializing, but she thought otherwise.  I had a lot of difficult years, despite the therapy I got.  It just didn't help me in the long run.  I had incidents of misbehaving badly towards others because I was very upset and frustrated when it came to socializing with others.  I thought others were just being unfair to me.

Colour Me Asperger!

Writer Adam Feinstein assess five different books about autism in his article "All The Colours of the Autism Spectrum."  Adam is currently writing a book of his own about autism.

The Unsinkable Eric Thompson

Eric Thompson, an 8 year old with AS, loves ships like the Titanic, but he loves the company of dogs.  His family is raising money right now so that he can have a service dog.  They are also trying to raise awareness of Asperger's Syndrome.

Check out: "Asperger's Won't Sink 8 Year Old" from the Fond Du Lac Reporter in Wisconsin.

It Was 10 Years Ago Today!

Storm, Cap and I moved into the condo that we're living in right now.  We sat through a lot of events while sitting in this condo: Princess Diana's death, President Clinton's Impeachment, and 9/11.  

Presently, I don't know how long we will be staying in this condo.  I have dreams about moving into a house, but that's not in the near future.

Here's to 10 Years!