I'm not sure when I learned that I needed to blend in with others for self-preservation purposes. I'm certain that I was very young though. I know for a fact that this knowledge within myself was fairly firmly in place by the time I was 7 years old. Possibly earlier. Blending and the sense that … Continue reading Blending In, Acceptance, and Disappointing Others
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Stress and Avoidance
My default response to stress is avoidance. This is often unfortunate because avoidance tends to make the stress worse and yet, I always seem to end up there again the next time a large dose of stress catches me unaware. Currently I have a lot going on. There are multiple uncertainties I have to deal … Continue reading Stress and Avoidance
Reflections on My First Autistic April
My apologies for not writing much recently. I've been recovering from April, as I'm sure many of my readers have been too. I underestimated how difficult my first Autistic April would be and have been resting this week. Of course I was Autistic all the other Aprils of my life, but this past month was the … Continue reading Reflections on My First Autistic April
Being Autistic is Everything – Autistic Acceptance
Autism is pervasive. That's the official term: pervasive : existing in... every part of something In my words, autism encompasses everything. Autism is ubiquitous, inescapable (positive or negative), total, and complete in my life. Autism is part of everything I do, think, and experience. Autism is part of everything that's me. Being Autistic affects everything. Autism … Continue reading Being Autistic is Everything – Autistic Acceptance
Internet Ads and Accessibility
In the Twitter #autchat discussion about social media accessibility this week, a topic came up that has been bothering me quite a bit lately. The issue is one of internet ads and the websites that now detect AdBlock and require that the program be turned off (i.e. the website be whitelisted) before anyone can access their … Continue reading Internet Ads and Accessibility
Autistic Parenting
I've found that being Autistic has greatly influenced my parenting style and I'd like to delve a bit more into that topic. Many Autistic adults are parents. In fact, most of the Autistic adults I know, especially in person, are mothers. Interestingly enough, those whom I know have tended to gravitate towards gentle parenting styles and … Continue reading Autistic Parenting
Representation in Fiction – On the Edge of Gone
Last week I finally got a lovely hard-bound copy of Corinne Duyvis' book On the Edge of Gone. It was a wonderful read! I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys Young Adult and/or apocalyptic-type fiction. Honestly, even if you don't like those genres, if you're allistic (non-Autistic) and close to someone who's Autistic then you would … Continue reading Representation in Fiction – On the Edge of Gone
Feeling Understood
I think that one of the best feelings in the world is the feeling of being understood by someone else. Sadly, being Autistic has meant that most people in my life have completely misunderstood me the vast majority of the time. Every time I read something written by another Autistic person, I feel understood. Someone … Continue reading Feeling Understood
Organization – Bags
I organize my life with bags. Cloth shopping bags, primarily. I started doing this after having children. I would watch the other parents on the playgrounds and I noticed that they always seemed to have the stuff that they needed every time they went to the park. I, on the other hand, had my usual … Continue reading Organization – Bags
Conversational Depth Pt. 1
I'm a logophile. I love words and their meanings. I also enjoy learning about people and why they believe the things they do. Those things sometimes make a nifty combination. When I express myself well, it can be a pretty amazing thing. When I have the time and the energy and desire, I can understand a … Continue reading Conversational Depth Pt. 1
Mamautistic 