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.

More Glitter in the Air: An Update
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Posted on August 8, 2013 by

Many of you have asked for an update on the trio of posts I did in late May and early June: Glitter in the Air, I’m a Nonprofit Girl at Heart, and Change Happens in Threes. These were the posts … Continue reading →

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Taking Your Imagination Seriously
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Posted on August 6, 2013 by

Welcome to another Tuesday with TED. This week we are listening to Janet Echelman on “Taking Imagination Seriously.” Janet found her true voice as an artist when her paints went missing. A transporting ten minutes of pure creativity. Do you … Continue reading →

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Sometimes Shit Just Happens
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Posted on August 1, 2013 by

It’s summer, and if you are the parent of an autistic child that means you worry about drowning. Even without an autistic child, I’d probably fret about drowning. My aunt drowned as a toddler, and since then, drowning has been … Continue reading →

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There Are No Mistakes With Creativity
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Posted on July 30, 2013 by

Welcome to another Tuesday with TED. This week we have jazz musician Stefon Harris who explains why “There Are No Mistakes on the Bandstand.” This video includes some incredible jazz music, so sit back with the beverage of your choice … Continue reading →

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Stealth Grief
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Posted on July 25, 2013 by

I’ve been rather sad, on and off, the past several weeks—and not because summer school ended much too soon this year (as in, today). No, this was a reappearance of something I call “stealth grief.” This is how stealth grief … Continue reading →

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Four Lessons in Creativity
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Posted on July 23, 2013 by

Welcome to another Tuesday with TED. Today we have Julie Burstein, the author of Spark: How Creativity Works, speaking on “Four Lessons in Creativity.” Remember, embrace your experiences, challenges, limitations, and losses to be more creative — in any profession. … Continue reading →

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Making a Fuss About Jenny McCarthy–For All the Wrong Reasons
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Posted on July 20, 2013 by

As you may or may not know, Jenny McCarthy will be replacing Joy Behar on the daytime talk show “The View.” This doesn’t sound like big news to me, but the internet has been ablaze with folks screaming about how … Continue reading →

Posted in Autism, Commentary, My Life | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

A Picture Is Worth a Thousand Words, Take 2
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Posted on July 18, 2013 by

Two weeks ago I wrote about a photograph. It’s a standard class photo that shows a boy in a wheelchair seated off to the side, leaning over to get closer to his classmates. In a word, the photo says exclusion. … Continue reading →

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Building Your Creative Confidence
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Posted on July 16, 2013 by

Welcome to another Tuesday with TED. Today we have David Kelley talking about “How To Build Your Creative Confidence.” Everyone, including all you so-called “non-creative” types, should watch this. So what do you think about the idea that everyone can … Continue reading →

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Comments That Drive Me Crazy #6
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Posted on July 11, 2013 by

Sometimes people just don’t know what to say when they learn my daughter Katie has autism. This is the sixth and final installment of insensitive comments that people have said. You can find the first list here, the second one … Continue reading →

Posted in Autism, My Life | Tagged , | 8 Comments