APN Helps Out in Arizona and Beyond

The Asperger Parent Network, created six years ago in Arizona, goes to great lengths and distance to help parents and children with Asperger's Syndrome.  According to Carolyn Warden, the founder of APN, the better part of 1,000 families have been served in Arizona and as far away as Alaska.

The reason Warden formed the network was that there were no support services around to get information about treatments, special needs education, or even a place for parents to talk about everyday challenges.  Being a parent of a son called David who has Asperger's, Warden has faced her own challenges with misdiagnoses and explaining to schools and the public what Asperger's is.

Her son, David, is now a third-degree black belt in karate and a member of the Mustang club.  Warden disclosed his condition to those communities to achieve understanding and awareness.

APN has recently put together a DVD movie that features interviews with parents, children, relatives, and others that discuss their challenges with Asperger's Syndrome.

For more info, check out http://www.apn.150m.com/

Time Management - Tough Task

I have been preoccupied from one thing after the other these days.  I don't seem to have time to write entries here in my blog or at the other blog (Uncommon Bostonian).  Right now, I am planning my Thanksgiving vacation and that holiday is just around the corner.  Yes, I know I am very late in doing this.

In the past, I was able to get my travel plans done sooner, but so many other things distract me like my looking for a better paying job (no one at my present job is aware of my blogging so it's safe for me to mention my job search here).  I don't want to go into detail about a personal matter involving my family here because that's too personal for the Internet.

When I am planning a trip, I first have to make certain that my cats are taken care of.  They're both senior citizens, and one of them is diabetic and needs insulin twice daily.  Doing telephone tag with the pet sitter is always stressful, but I need her assurance that she will be there to look after them while I am away.  Once I hear from her, I'll feel more comfortable with making my travel plans.

Thanksgiving vacation is always stressful for me because I get into conflicts with my family.  I know it's supposed to be a good gathering for family, but not with mine.  There's always a battle about something.

It's hard for me to sort out the time to do things even on vacation or not.  I have so many things to read like books and articles, etc.  I never have enough time to get to them.  This is probably a side-effect of my Asperger's Syndrome or my Non-verbal Learning Disorder or both.

I just like to write for a living and get paid for it.  I wonder why so many people are able to make money writing while I can't.  I love writing, but the money hasn't followed.  Marsha Sinetar was wrong when she wrote Do What You Love and The Money Will Follow.

70 For Hotlips!

Happy Birthday,
Loretta Swit
(Margaret "Hotlips" Houlihan of M*A*S*H)

Classic Hotlips Scenes!

Outside In Song of the Week

It's raining outside heavily because Boston is getting the outskirts of Noel, the hurricane  of the week.  I went outside earlier today it was just cloudy and no rain.  In less than an hour, it started to rain lightly.  Soon, it was raining in buckets and freezing.

"Rain" by The Beatles (Ringo's favorite song)

USA Today: Rise in Autism Reports

A great big article in USA Today regarding the rise in autism reports.  More children have been diagnosed since 1990 because the doctors have been able to recognize different types of autism (i.e. autism spectrum disorders; Asperger's Syndrome).  Services in schools have increased.

The article also talks about that children were labeled as odd and difficult a few decades ago.  Nice to know that people are recognizing what is really going on, instead of labeling them something bad.

Valerie Speaks The Truth: Focus on Strengths

Valerie Paradiz, author of Elijah's Cup and co-founder of The Open Center for Autism in New York, says that people should focus on strengths that a person with Asperger's Syndrome has.  She says that autistic children become less anxious when they have a better sense of themselves.  Once they have more confidence in themselves, it is easier for them to self-advocate and make friends.

I agree with her.  More should be paid attention towards the strengths, not the weaknesses.

Employers Take Heed: You're Ignorant!

Wonderful article by Fiona MacLeod called "'Ignorant' Employers Missing Out" talks about employers discriminating against people with autism.  It says that employers are wary of hiring people with the condition because they fear the unknown.  Simply said, the employers don't know in fact that people with Asperger's Syndrome can be punctual, don't gossip and don't engage in office politics.  They can be the perfect employees.

The National Autistic Society Scotland surveyed 46 percent of employment advisers and learned from them that the employers are ignorant of the condition.