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Category Archives: Autism
Waiting
We are in limbo. Everything is on hold as we wait to see what happens with my daughter’s placement. School started in our district on Monday, August 22nd, and the following week, on August 29th, at Open Mind School (OMS). … Continue reading
A Life of Quiet Desperation
For years, my brother Tom lived a life of quiet desperation. I saw it and recognized it in myself, recognized what I had seen years earlier in my father’s father. I think Mom saw it too, must have at least … Continue reading
Posted in Autism, My Life
Tagged Acceptance, Authenticity, Autism, Divorce, Family, Happiness, Marriage, Parenting, Quiet Desperation, Remarriage, Settling, Social skills, Speech Delay, Unplanned Life
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Playing Chicken
The school district and I are playing a high stakes (at least for my daughter) game of chicken. They want me to sign an Individualized Education Plan (IEP)—read annual contract—committing my daughter Katie to the generic, for-profit, non-public school (NPS) … Continue reading
Running Out of Time and Options
I am now in a place that I’d hoped at all cost to avoid. There is no available space in any of the five non-public schools (NPS) focused on autism spectrum disorder that I visited. Nothing. We have been waiting … Continue reading
What Happens at Camp Arroyo, Stays at Camp Arroyo, Year 2
This year, my daughter didn’t just survive, but truly thrived at summer camp. Once again, Katie attended Camp Arroyo, which is where the Exceptional Needs Network (ENN) holds its summer camp for special needs children in conjunction with the Taylor … Continue reading
Katie’s at Camp Arroyo!
Yesterday I dropped Katie off at Camp Arroyo. This is her second time at the Exceptional Needs Network’s summer camp for children with special needs. To say she was excited would be an understatement. I was pretty excited too. (Still … Continue reading
Summer School Surprise
Summer school. What can I say about summer school? In a word: amazing. I’m serious. After three agonizing months of what can only be described as a horrible in-home “school” experience, summer school has blown my mind. Quite possibly, it … Continue reading
Essay Selected For Modern Dating Anthology
My essay, “Pick Ups at the Dog Park,” was selected last summer for publication in an anthology entitled, Rendezvous in the Rough: Essays from the 21st Century Dating Trenches. Six weeks later, my poetry manuscript was accepted for publication, and to … Continue reading
Posted in Autism, My Life, News, Publications
Tagged 21st Century Dating, Autism, Dating, Rendezvous in the Rough, Single Parent, Speech Delay, Unplanned Life, Writing Life
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Just When I Thought It Couldn’t Get Worse, Part 6
You thought I forgot about this story, didn’t you? Life (and death) intervened, but I’m back to finish this crazy tale. You can find the previous installments here: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, and Part 5. The … Continue reading
Posted in Autism, My Life
Tagged Autism, Behavioral Issues, Child Protective Services, Fear, Single Parent, Unplanned Life
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Galleys for Across An Aqueous Moon Are Here!
The galleys for Across An Aqueous Moon: Travels in Autism have arrived!! For those of you that don’t know, galleys are the publisher’s layout of a forthcoming book. It’s kind of like the publishing version of a first draft. This … Continue reading
