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.

What Makes a Word “Real?”
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Posted on June 10, 2014 by

Welcome to another Tuesday with TED. Today we have English professor and linguist Anne Curzan who asks: what makes a word real? Curzan is a collector of slang words, a dissector of colloquialisms and a charter of language evolution. To put … Continue reading →

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Farewell to Hoofprints on the Heart
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Posted on June 5, 2014 by

Those that know my daughter Katie’s story know that Katie said her first words when she was two years and eight months. After more than six months of intensive speech therapy, the breakthrough finally came the first time she rode … Continue reading →

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An Ode to Envy
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Posted on June 3, 2014 by

Welcome to another Tuesday with TED. Today we have literary critic Parul Sehgal who asks: what is jealousy? What drives it, and why do we secretly love it? No study has ever been able to capture its “loneliness, longevity, grim … Continue reading →

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Cynthia’s Yearlong 50th Birthday Bash–May Update
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Posted on May 29, 2014 by

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

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The Museum of You
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Posted on May 27, 2014 by

Welcome to another Tuesday with TED. Today we have designer Jake Barton, Principal of the New York media design firm, Local Projects. Jake creates interactive and digital exhibits for the likes of the 9/11 Memorial Museum, Cleveland Museum of Art, … Continue reading →

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A Boy Named Jared
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Posted on May 22, 2014 by

Another thing that happened during my blog absence was Jared. No, he’s not a new boyfriend. Jared is an 18-year-old who is the son of Michael 2.0’s best friend’s fiancé, Laura. When Michael 2.0 went to Boston in December 2013, … Continue reading →

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Everyday Moments, Caught in Time
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Posted on May 20, 2014 by

Welcome to another Tuesday with TED. Today we have two-term U.S. Poet Laureate Billy Collins. He is an English professor at City University of New York, where he has taught for more than 40 years. Accessibility is not a word … Continue reading →

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Shop Cynthia’s Closet on June 14th
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Posted on May 15, 2014 by

As a result of Isagenix and the IsaBody Challenge, I’ve lost 40 pounds. I want to lose a few more, but I took a break for my birthday celebrations, and as I tend to do, a couple weeks turned into … Continue reading →

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The Link Between Vulnerabilty and Creativity
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Posted on May 13, 2014 by

Welcome to another Tuesday with TED. Today we have Dr. Brené Brown, a research professor at the University of Houston Graduate College of Social Work where she has spent the past ten years studying courage, shame, and authenticity. Brené states that … Continue reading →

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The Wreckage of the Past
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Posted on May 8, 2014 by

Lately I’ve been making a big push to clean up the chaos that lingers from my separation and divorce. Michael 1.0 left in a hurry, and the house was not in the best condition at the time of his departure. … Continue reading →

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