Author Archives: Cynthia J. Patton

About Cynthia J. Patton

Writer, Editor, Advocate, Speaker, Special Needs Attorney, and Autism Mom. Also the Founder and Chairperson of Autism A to Z, a nonprofit providing resources and solutions for life on the spectrum.

I’m Sorry If I Scare You
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Posted on February 26, 2015 by

I recently read a post on Brevity’s blog that was titled, “I’m Sorry You Scare Me.” Brevity, for those of you that don’t know, is a literary journal that focuses on flash (very short) nonfiction. The article was a guest … Continue reading →

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Mark Your Calendar for a Special Autism Awareness Event
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Posted on February 22, 2015 by

I am proud to announce that I will be a featured reader at the Sixth Annual Benefit for Autism Research sponsored by the Sacramento Poetry Center.  The event will take place on April 13, 2015, at the U.C. Davis MIND … Continue reading →

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Cynthia’s Yearlong 50th Birthday Bash–January/February Update
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Posted on February 19, 2015 by

As I described back in April 2014 (you can read the post here), I’m celebrating my 50th birthday with a year of activities, challenges, and FUN designed to honor this milestone. I’m calling it Cynthia’s Yearlong 50th Birthday Bash, and … Continue reading →

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The Importance of a Thumb
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Posted on February 12, 2015 by

I haven’t been here for over a month because back in December 2014, I managed to get a nasty infection in my right thumb. How? I’m not sure. Was it the crab I cracked (and scratched myself with)? Was it … Continue reading →

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Happy New Year
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Posted on January 1, 2015 by

  Katie and I wish you and yours a wonderful, relaxing holiday season filled with joy, peace, and love and an amazing, abundant 2015. An Unplanned Life will return next week.

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Holiday Greetings
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Posted on December 25, 2014 by

  Katie and I wish you and yours a wonderful, relaxing holiday season filled with joy, peace, and love. An Unplanned Life will return in January 2015.

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Storm Clouds Overhead
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Posted on December 18, 2014 by

I just finished reading Claire Bidwell Smith’s memoir, The Rules of Inheritance. I read it straight through in two days—a feat which rarely happens anymore in my hectic life. This is even more incredible because the book was not a … Continue reading →

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What I Learned From Building a Foundation for Fitness, Part 3
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Posted on December 11, 2014 by

Last year, in the spring of 2013, I took a virtual workshop called Building a Foundation for Fitness, which was taught by my friend Amy Christensen, the owner of Expand Outdoors. Since I lost weight and ran in the fun … Continue reading →

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How Writing Resembles Dating
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Posted on December 4, 2014 by

I’ve joked before that writing and dating have a lot in common. Both require a thick skin, an embracing of rejection as part of the process. For some reason I accepted this easily with respect to my writing. I send … Continue reading →

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Let’s Put the Awe Back in Awesome
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Posted on December 2, 2014 by

Welcome to another Tuesday with TED. Today we have the multi-talented Jill Shargaa. A seasoned comedian, she is also an illustrator and designer who brings a pulp sensibility to her work. Shargaa’s comedy career took off in 1979, when she … Continue reading →

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