Happy Birthday, James Coburn!

Happy Birthday,
James Coburn
(August 31, 1928 - November 18, 2002)

Very talented actor!  Looked very cool in shades!

"The President's Analyst" 1967 (Dr. Sidney Schaefer [Coburn] escapes from the White House)

Outside In Song of the Week

Recently, I bought the Traveling Wilburys box set.  It features two CDs, a booklet, and a DVD that contains a documentary about the creation of the Traveling Wilburys and their videos.  The box set is a treat.  Go out and get it.

The Traveling Wilburys: George Harrison, Jeff Lynne, Tom Petty, Bob Dylan, and Roy Orbison.

"Handle with Care" by the Traveling Wilburys

Another UB Entry Published in Yesterday's Boston Now

Good news once again!  My Monkees entry in my Uncommon Bostonian blog was printed in yesterday's Boston Now.  Radio station WODS-FM was honoring them all week in their 20 Anniversary Hall of Fame, so I made mention about that.  I also wrote about the petition to get the Monkees into the Rock Hall of Fame in Cleveland.

http://www.bostonnow.com/print_edition/ (Download of PDF file of the newspaper)

It's great to be in the paper twice in one week.  Will I be able to do that next week?

Don't Drive while Sleeping!

An article called "Labor Day Weekend Drivers: Don't Doze Off" points out that people with undiagnosed sleep apnea are twice as likely to be in a car crash.  Before I was diagnosed with sleep apnea, I would rarely drive to places far away from my condo.  I usually drive for an hour at most and then take a break.  There were a few occasions when I drove long distance to see concert, but other people were with me to keep me awake.

I kept my long-distance driving to a minimum because I remembered before I got my driver's license that I would always fall asleep in the passenger seat during very long car trips.  I didn't drive my car whenever I felt drowsy and wanted to sleep.

When I was diagnosed with sleep apnea in 2005, I was glad that I kept my long-distance driving to a minimum.

The Taylor Crowe Success Story

Great article about Taylor Crowe, a 26-year-old who has autism.  With the help of his parents and other kids, he grew up learning strategies on how to make eye contact and how to handle himself in social situations.  The results of their work created a program called "Growing up with Autism."  It is one of four speeches that Taylor does to educate others about autism and how to interact with people who have that condition.

Taylor also is working on a book called My Friend with Autism.  It's about a boy named Alex who has autism.  Taylor plans on writing a series of books featuring Alex as he grows up.

Thanks for the help, Taylor!

Remembering Princess Diana

Ten years ago, I was cleaning up my condo.  I had been living there for a year and I wanted to rearrange things in my condo.  I took a break from my task to go to the drug store.  On the way back home, I heard on the car radio that Princess Diana was in a car accident that killed her boyfriend.  I was stunned.

A little bit later that night, I was watching a rerun of "Saturday Night Live" when the news interrupted announcing that Princess Diana was dying in a hospital as result of being injured in a car accident.  It was eerie that the whole world was watching her die on the air.

I couldn't help but remember when I was teenager watching her wedding to Prince Charles back in 1981.  That seemed like a century ago.  It was sad to see that she ended up divorcing Charles, but it seemed like her love life was going to get better.  Then, the car accident happened.  The whole tragedy seems bizarre.  She was very young.

Elton John pays tribute at Princess Diana's Funeral with a revised version of "Candle in the Wind"

Pee Wee 55

Happy Birthday,
Paul Reubens!
(aka Pee Wee Herman)

Pee Wee dances to "Tequila" by the Champs from the movie "Pee Wee's Big Adventrure"

My New Blog's 2 Entries are Published in Today's Boston Now!

My new blog, Uncommon Bostonian, has two of its entries published in today's Boston Now daily newspaper (pages 9 and 18).  They are also in the Blog Roundup for today.  The two entries are "How I Helped a Fellow Red Line Passenger" and "Caddyshack 3?".

Check out the links:
http://www.bostonnow.com/community/blogs/blogroundup
http://www.bostonnow.com/print_edition for a PDF of today's Boston Now (8/27)
http://bostonnow.com/community/blogs/uncommonbostonian/

I'm thrilled.

The Spy Who Has a Birthday Today

Happy 60th Birthday,
Barbara Bach!
(Former James Bond Girl and Mrs. Ringo Starr!)

"The Cooler" starring Barbara Bach, Ringo Starr, Paul McCartney and Linda McCartney (a mini-film that features Ringo's songs: "Private Property," "Sure to Fall," and "Attention."

Ten Year Old's Goal is Fitting In at School

A young girl named Azrael Dubose in Savannah, Georgia, has one goal in mind before starting the 5th Grade: Fitting In.  Azrael has Asperger's Syndrome and dreads that she might be bullied when she returns to school.

She and her parents are determined to let her teacher and fellow students understand what Asperger's Syndrome is so that Azrael can make friends and prevent bullying from happening to her.

Ann Hart, a columnist for the Savannah Morning News, writes about Azrael's situation in her article, "A girl with Autism Longs to Fit In."

I like this article a lot because I faced a lot of teasing in school while I was Azrael's age.  It was difficult to be in social situations in school.

My New Gather Article

I just wrote a new article for Gather, the writer's forum that I am a member of.  The title of the new article is called "Some Artwork and Writing I did on Sunday, August 12, 2007."


If you want to check out my previous work at Gather, check the link in the banner below.

Keep informed on Gather.com! Content ranges from politics to cooking, and we earn Gather Points™ or cash for using the site!View my content here: yechristian
yechristian.gather.com

                       

Outside In Song of the Week

Happy Birthday,
Rick Springfield
(Dr. Noah Drake of "General Hospital")

Tomorrow afternoon (8/24/07), Rick will be singing on "General Hospital."  Check it out.

I watched Rick on GH back in the 1980s while I was a college student.  I had pictures of Rick all over my dorm room wall next to my bed.  It was heaven.

"Jessie's Girl" by Rick Springfield



Also, Happy Birthday to Shelly Long and Barbara Eden!

My Second Blog, Uncommon Bostonian

Tonight, I signed up with the local newspaper Boston Now and started my second blog called Uncommon Bostonian.  I'm going to do some writing over there to get attention about Asperger's Syndrome and my talent as a writer.

Does that mean I'm abandoning this blog?  Not at all.  Expect more the same here and something different over there.

Link to my second blog: http://bostonnow.com/community/blogs/uncommonbostonian/

Please, check it out.  I've already made a first entry.

20 Years Later...

I can't help but recall that it was 20 years ago today that I joined the Internal  Revenue Service as a telephone representative.  It was the most frustrating and stressful experience of my life.  I was stuck there for 12 1/2 years.

I went to a therapist in August 1989 two years after I joined the IRS because I was having severe meltdowns and temper tantrums on the telephone.  Believe it or not, going to a therapist was my idea, not my employer's.  They didn't think for a minute that I was suffering from depression. 

The bigger problem was that neither the IRS or my therapist suspected that I really was a person with Asperger's Syndrome.  In the 1980s no one knew what Asperger's was.  When I started seeing a therapist in 1989, she and another doctor misdiagnosed me with Intermittent Explosive Disorder (IED).  Asperger's wasn't in the medical books at the time. 

It was until 1994 when Asperger's Syndrome was in the medical books for the first time ever in the United States.  However, no one suspected that I had Asperger's Syndrome.

The previous job I had before IRS was a cashier's job at Filene's Basement at Downtown Crossing.  It was very stressful and draining to me.  I was crying a lot at that job and couldn't get through the day there.  I got sick often with bad colds.  I was only there for eight months (January-August 1987).  I was so glad to join the IRS at that time.

The IRS job nearly killed me.  I was getting sick often and couldn't last a week without feeling too sick to work.  I was only working two or three days a week in the final months of my job.  My sick leave time dwindled to almost nothing.  I was getting constipated and suffered from insomnia.   During the whole time I was there, they would never move me to another job.  I sometimes did details (temporary job assignments) in other IRS offices, but I always ended up back at the phone site.

I was glad to leave the IRS in April 2000.  I jumped for joy when I called my mean manager up and told him that I was quitting.

Now, in 2007, the IRS phone site is no more.  It closed down at the end of September 2005.  The phone site is now in Cincinnatti, Ohio.  My former co-workers work in different parts of the IRS.

Filene's Basement is closing after Labor Day for renovations.  It will re-open in 2009.

Endeavour Successful!

Space Shuttle Endeavour landed successfully on Tuesday, a day earlier than scheduled.  NASA decided to let the damaged space shuttle land a day early because of Hurricane Dean.  The crew including teacher-in-space Barbara Morgan were safe, despite the tile damage at the bottom of the shuttle when it lifted off almost two weeks ago.

Congrats, Endeavour!

Belgium Can Put You to Sleep

A new surgical procedure for  Obstructive Sleep Apnea has been done in Belgium at Antwerp University Hospital.  The first 10 patients have shown improvement.  The procedure is called The Advance System, which is an implant that is placed in the tongue and lower jaw to prevent upper airway collapse during sleep.

Dr. Evert Hamans headed a team to do this procedure for the first time worldwide earlier this year in Belgium.  The results of the follow-up exams of the 10 patients just became available.

Anorexia = Female Asperger's?

Professor Jane Treasure wrote in her article "Is Anorexia The Female Asperger's?" in The Times Online that in her studies people with eating disorders find it difficult to change self-set rules and learned behavior once fixed in the brain.  She describes that cognitive processing problem as a similar link to autism spectrum disorder. 

It sounds interesting that Professor Treasure believes that anorexics have difficulty with change and problem solving.  She claims that anorexics show rigid thinking like a person with autism/Asperger's.  She even believes that anorexia is genetic.

Check out this article and think about it.

Bill The Birthday Boy!

Happy Birthday,
Bill Clinton!
(Senator Hillary Clinton's husband and the former President of the United States)

A look back at President Bill Clinton during his final days in office

Everyone's The Same Camp

Two 11 year olds in Pennsylvania put their heads together and developed a camp for kids with and without Asperger's Syndrome.  Everyone was roughly the same age, height, and wore identical t-shirts.  The two creators of this five-day camp are Teddy Willis and Christian Zastavny.  Teddy has Asperger's while Christian doesn't.

The goal of Everyone's The Same Camp is understanding.

Check out their story of success.  Congrats, boys!

Teens & NYSUT Come Together for Disability Awareness Newsletter

The 2007 edition of the Disability Awareness Newsletter is becoming a reality, thanks to the efforts of a group of teens and New York State United Teachers (NYSUT).  Funding had been cut because two state agencies merged, and it looked like that there would be no longer be any more annual newsletters.  NYSUT stepped in and provided funding.

Michell Goliber, a teen who has Asperger's Syndrome, got involved in the teen group because the mission of the newsletter is to bring together teens with and without disabilities.  He and his mother attended NYSUT's three-day writers workshop.

Outside In Song of the Week

Hard to believe that 30 years has passed since Elvis Presley died at the age of 42.  I was 12 years old when I was watching a rerun of the Monkees when the newsman interrupted the episode and announced that Elvis Presley had died in his home in Memphis, TN.

At first, I almost laughed because I thought it was a joke.  Unfortunately, it wasn't.  Elvis had died of a heart attack.  I was in shock.

Now, 30 years later I am 42 years old.  I managed to lose a lot of weight in the past year and feel more energetic than ever.  It's a good thing I found the right doctor to help me with my weight and emotional problems.  If only Elvis had found the right doctor to help him...

Long Live the King!

Heartbreak Hotel by Elvis Presley

Picture This: A Filene's Basement Documentary

Boston Magazine recently interviewed the two producers, Michael Bavaro and Susan Edbril, who are doing a documentary about Boston's Filene's Basement called "Voices From The Basement."  The film is scheduled to be released in late 2008 which is the 100th anniversary of the legendary bargain department store.

Susan's grandmother was an employee at Filene's Basement.  When the documentary is released, Susan plans to host a big event and give the proceeds to the Corwin-Russell School, a school for students with Asperger's Syndrome and other related conditions.

Next month, Filene's Basement is closing for a two-year renovation project.  I can't help but remember that back in 1987 I was a cashier at the Basement from January to August.  Those were rough months for me because the work was very stressful and draining emotionally.  All I wanted was to work in broadcasting (radio and television), but I was stuck working at a job that had a salary which couldn't cover all my cost of living expenses.

I was glad to leave that job behind.  Unfortunately, the job I went to was with the IRS which turned out to be more stressful and draining that working at the Basement.  In fact, working for the IRS almost cost me my life.

No Wonder I Was Clumsy Back Then!

Tony Attwood's article "Motor Clumsiness" is an eye-opener for me.  I had so many problems during recess and physical education class while I was growing up.  What was easy for the other kids was difficult for me.

I always ended up falling down hurting my knee or some other part of my body.  Playing dodgeball and kickball were hellish experiences.  A lot of the other kids laughed out loud at me while others yelled at me for being clumsy.

Those were emotionally scarring experiences.

Congrats to David for Making it to 66

Happy Birthday,
David Crosby
(member of The Byrds/Crosby, Stills & Nash/Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young)

And get well soon from the stomach flu.

"Mr. Tambourine Man" by The Byrds

Well Said, Jake!

A sixteen-year-old named Jake Hammerquist would like his fellow students would understand him better.  In the article "'I'm Not Weird, Ok': Teen Suffering from Asperger's Wishes Other Students Saw Him Instead as Smart, Funny" the soon-to-be high school junior details in a poem he wrote last spring about the difficulties he encounters at school in Illinois.

Being a teen with Asperger's in high school is tough.  I remember how hellish it was for me when I was in high school.  Back then, I didn't know I had Asperger's.  People picked on me and laughed at me intensely.  I got upset very often and wondered why couldn't they see that I was intelligent.  Socializing was hard.

Please, read this article.  It provides great depth about being a teenager with Asperger's.

Wild & Crazy Guy's B-Day

Birthday Wishes to my favorite funny guy,
Steve Martin! 

He always cracks me up, no matter what.  Also, congrats to your recent marriage!

Steve & Dave's Gay Vacation

Happy Birthday, Hitch!

Happy Birthday, Alfred Hitchcock!
(August 13, 1899 - April 29, 1980)

One of the best movie directors ever!

The Trailer for "Psycho"

RIP Merv Griffin

TV talk show host and creator of "Jeopardy" and "The Wheel Of Fortune" Merv Griffin has passed away from prostate cancer.  Mostly known for hosting "The Merv Griffin," he was one of the legendary TV talk show hosts for people who grew up in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s.  He was 82 years old.

After retiring from TV in 1986, he went into real estate and was a success at that too.

Sad to hear that Merv has passed.  We've lost Steve Allen, Jack Paar, Johnny Carson, Mike Douglas, and Tom Snyder within the space of several years.

RIP Merv!

Merv interviews Debbie Harry and Chris Stein of Blondie in 1981

Outside In Song of The Week

Tonight, I am going to see the Beach Boys do a free concert on the Esplanade in Boston, Massachusetts.  Back in the early 1980s, the Beach Boys did free concerts on the Mall in Washington, DC, for the 4th of July celebration.  My parents would never let me go see them.  To this day, I don't know why.

Up here in Boston, I can go to free concerts whenever I want to.  This past Wednesday, I saw the 5th Dimension and met Florence LaRue, one of the original members of that group.  It's wonder to go these free concerts in Boston.

The Beach Boys will be coming on to play at 7 PM tonight.  It is the final concert of the Summer Free Concert Series hosted by WODS-FM, Oldies 103.3.

"California Girls" by The Beach Boys (Introduction by Jack Benny)

Sightless Guitar Aspie

Sixteen year old Daniel Price was diagnosed with Sticker Syndrome, a genetic disorder, at two months old.  The condition produces a flattened face appearance, eye and vision problems, hearing loss and joint problems.   Detached retinas caused Daniel to go blind at age 1.  Daniel also has Asperger's Syndrome and is a very talented guitarist.  He has been playing since he was six.

Check out his amazing story: "Sightless Prodigy Just Plays What He Hears"

Christian Clemenson Interview

Buddytv.com has an exclusive interview with Christian Clemenson of "Boston Legal."  Christian plays Jerry "Hands" Espenson, a lawyer with Asperger's Syndrome.  He won an Emmy last year for the role and is nominated again.  Recently, he has been upgraded to series regular.

Good Luck, Christian!

Here's another interview with Christian by CanMag.com

Doyle Calls on Legislature

Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle has put out a call to the Legislature to side with families that have children with autism and not the insurance companies.  Doyle explained that the autistic children need care and support from the insurance companies.

Jim Doyle, you're one of the good guys.

The 2 Jays

Jay Black, the former lead singer of Jay & the Americans, is very upset that the original members of the band bought the rights to the name of the band for their own use.  Then, they hired a new Jay to sing lead for them. 

Sounds like a soap opera here.  Last year, Jay Black (the Old Jay) lost the rights to the name "Jay & the Americans" when he went into bankruptcy last year, thanks to his gambling addiction.  Jay wasn't the original Jay when the band started, but he sang on nine of their top hit songs.

The new Jay is Jay Reincke who was singing in his own "Jay & the Americans" tribute band before the original Americans hired him.

"Come a Little Bit Closer" by Jay & The Americans

Happy Birthday, Vicki Lord Riley Burke Riley Buchanan Buchanan Carpenter Davidson!

Happy Birthday,
Erika Slezak
(Vicki of "One Life to Live")

6 Time Emmy Winner for playing Vicki (Yes, she does have all those last names).  Also, she is Nikki Smith, Jean Randolph, Tori, Princess, Tommy, and Victor (her alters because she suffers from Multiple Personality Disorder as known as Disassociation Identity Disorder).

Also, she is the daughter of actor Walter Slezak (Clock King on "Batman")

"Trading Places" episode (July 4, 2001) of "One Life to Live" part 1



"Trading Places" part 2



"Trading Places" part 3

"Trading Places" part 4

"Trading Places" part 5

"Trading Places" part 6

Asperger's is NOT a Girl's Best Friend

Why are there fewer females diagnosed with Autism/Asperger's than males?  The article called "What Autistic Girls Are Made Of" explores theories about why there is a 1 in 4 ratio.  Also, the article focuses on two young autistic girls named Caitlyn and Marguerite who are attending Hawks Camp in Park City, Utah, with boys ranging from ages 10 to 18 years old.  Caitlyn is 13 while Marguerite is 16.  They talk about what their lives are like at school.

The article made me remember how tough is was for me to engage in conversations during lunch break.  I also sometimes encountered anxiety while attending school.  I felt very nervous when I was done with an assignment or test in class and had to walk to the teacher's desk all by myself while other students were still working.

Art class for me was difficult for me to talk to other students because I was so busy working on my project.  I didn't have the energy to engage in small talk like the other students.  Also, it was a distraction for me to talk to someone and work on an art project at the same time.

Remembering MM

It was 45 years ago today that Marilyn Monroe died and was reborn into a Pop Culture Icon.  Everyone wonders what really happened to her that night.  There's been so many theories about her death.  Even "Saturday Night Live" did a skit about what happened to her that night (Madonna was playing Marilyn).

Marilyn Monroe
(born Norma Jean Mortensen)
June 1, 1926 - August 5, 1962

Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend By Marilyn Monroe (from  the movie "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes")

Outside In Song of the Week!

I've always been a fan of Joan Jett since the early 1980s.  When I was a disc jockey at Emerson College, I played her records often.  I was so thrilled to learn that she grew up in Rockville, Maryland, which is a stone's throw away from where I grew up.  She went to Wheaton High School.

Back in 2000, Joan Jett did a free concert on Boston Common and I got to meet her in person afterwards.  I was so thrilled.

"Bad Reputation" by Joan Jett and the Blackhearts

The Summer of Love Generation

The music from the Summer of Love gets discussed in a recent Boston Globe article called "A New Generation is Plugged into the Summer of Love."  It features quotes from Pete Falconi, Program Director of WODS-FM in Boston, and Ken West, Music Director of WROR-FM in Boston (and also a fellow Emerson College Alumni).

Check it out.

White Matter Matters!

A link has been found between white brain matter and poor motor skills in children with autism, according to researchers in Baltimore, Maryland.  The Kennedy Krieger Institute conducted a study involving 76 children in the age range of 8 - 12 years old.  20 of them were high-functioning autistic children.  36 were typically developing children while the third group were 20 children with ADHD. 

The children's brain functions were measured using anatomic magnetic resonance imaging (aMRI).  An increase of white matter was found in the children with autism.