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Tag Archives: Acceptance
The Importance of a Thumb
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
Posted in Autism, My Life
Tagged Acceptance, Anger, Autism, Blame, Letting Go, Thumb, Unplanned Life
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Storm Clouds Overhead
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
Posted in Autism, My Life, Other Writers
Tagged Acceptance, Adoption, Autism, Claire Bidwell Smith, Gratitude, Grief, Infertility, Loss, Memoir, Single Parent, The Rules of Inheritance, Unplanned Life
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How Writing Resembles Dating
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
Posted in Autism, My Life
Tagged Acceptance, Autism, Dating, Expectations, Letting Go, Rejection, Relationships, Single Parent, Unplanned Life, Writing Life
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Camp Loma Mar, Part 2
For a week Katie and I practiced showering and using a sleeping bag. We talked about camp. We practiced greeting strangers. We labeled and packed clothes. We assembled the required gear. I read her social stories. The night before camp, … Continue reading
Camp Loma Mar, Part 1
Last week my daughter Katie went to outdoor education camp with her 5th grade classmates. Such a simple statement. But for a child with autism, nothing is ever as simple as it seems, and Camp Loma Mar was no exception. … Continue reading
Posted in Autism, My Life
Tagged Acceptance, Anxiety, Autism, Behavioral Issues, Camp, Camp Loma Mar, Expectations, Fear, Letting Go, Milestones, Outdoor Education, Redwood Glen, Sensory Integration, Social skills, Speech Delay, Unplanned Life
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How The Worst Moments in Our Lives Make Us Who We Are
Welcome to another Tuesday with TED. Today we have writer Andrew Solomon. Solomon writes about politics, culture, and psychology and has spent his career telling stories of the hardships of others. His 2012 book, Far From the Tree: Parents, Children, and the … Continue reading
Posted in Autism, Other Writers, Tuesdays with TED
Tagged 50th Birthday, Acceptance, Andrew Solomon, Anger, Authenticity, Identity, Parenting, Shame, Special Needs, Story, Writing Life
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How to Stop Worrying and Love “Useless” Art
Welcome to another Tuesday with TED. Today we have art expert Luke Syson who was formerly a curator of Renaissance art, of transcendent paintings of saints and solemn Italian ladies — serious art. Then he changed jobs and inherited a … Continue reading
Posted in Creativity, Tuesdays with TED
Tagged Acceptance, Bias, Change, Creativity, Expectations, Luke Syson, Writing Life
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Summer Fun
Sometimes, I have to admit, life forces me to try something new with my daughter, and virtually every time, Katie wildly exceeds my expectations. You’d think I’d remember this by now, but I almost never do. Which is why, perhaps, … Continue reading
Posted in Autism, My Life
Tagged Acceptance, Autism, Behavioral Issues, Expectations, Gratitude, Milestones, Unplanned Life
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Should You Live For Your Resume … Or Your Eulogy?
Welcome to another Tuesday with TED. Today we have writer and New York Times columnist David Brooks. He is the author of Bobos in Paradise, On Paradise Drive, and the narrative of neuroscience, The Social Animal: The Hidden Sources of Love, Character and … Continue reading
Posted in Creativity, Other Writers, Tuesdays with TED
Tagged Acceptance, Authenticity, Creativity, David Brooks, Joseph Soloveitchik, Shame, Signature Sin, Writing Life
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Anatomy of a Meltdown, Part 2
After my daughter’s food throwing meltdown at the Vietnamese restaurant (read Part 1 here), we headed straight for the park. Katie swung hard for 20 minutes, then took off her shoes and practically rolled in the sand. Then her shoes … Continue reading
Posted in Autism, My Life
Tagged Acceptance, Autism, Behavioral Issues, Labyrinth, Parenting, Sensory Integration, Shame, Speech Delay, Unplanned Life
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