Wednesday, October 10, 2007

New Friends

With the littlest one in the bed I was ready to post on my blog. I had something of importance to say, big news to report! I get comfortable in front of the screen and attempt to log on only to find I can't produce an @ symbol. I try again, nope, nadda. Assuming that it is just one of those things that only takes a restart of the computer to fix, that's what I do.

Computer starts back up and now I can't produce a, s, d, j, k, l, or anything that requires the shift key. OK, I try and restart again. Same thing. Crap! I am starting to get nervous about computer hijackers and key loggers. I run my anti-virus, Spybot search and destroy, and windows defender, because woe be the world if the vital information on my computer should land in the wrong hands. Nothing.


I walk downstairs in the dungeon my husband calls the library and ask his advice.
"Try another keyboard." He doesn't bother to look away from his screen.
"You have another one?"
"Yeah, just outside the door near the...."
"Near the what?"
"um..err.....just....there...by the refrigerator." Not being able to multitask it is hard for him to give me directions while banded together with nine other people to save the world of Azeroth from evil. (He is playing on multi player online game.)
"What, stuck in the Mountain Dew box that you've have used as a trash can?"
"Yeah."


Since it was only paper trash I pull out the keyboard, wipe it down and use a can of compressed air on the keys. As you can tell, that did the trick and I am saved from disappointing my devoted readers (at least 2 people anyway).


I had asked the question in my last post of how would you explain autism to someone who asked. I had started on a post but got a little lost in the things it is and is not, as it pertains to Connor. I have poured over it repeatedly and it just doesn't portray what I would like just yet. So for now the answer to "What is autism?" is "It's personal."


Oh and the big news? Well, Connor and I have been invited to join a playgroup. All of them 30 something moms and dads with 3 yr old autistic sons or daughters. We are going to the zoo this Saturday and I can't wait for Connor to get to finally see the baby elephant. I talked to one of the ladies in the group today and it helps that she has a great sense of humour and explained that if any kids have a meltdown during these outings no one is there staring at you wondering what is wrong with your kid, or wondering why you didn't have them under control.


I feel like a kid who has just met a new friend. I haven't made many since high school and had not managed to keep many of the ones from those days. One of the ones I had made since then had got divorced and I guess gave custody of our friendship to the husband. The one thing that I find a little concerning is when I was young I would be really hoping that they liked me. Now what I really hope is that I will like them.

6 comments:

Casdok said...

What is autism? Its personal.
I like that!!

merry weather said...

Ha-ha - I wish my husband would go and defend Azeroth sometimes! Sounds a good idea, save him painting anything that doesn't move and rearranging the furniture so that I crash into things unawares...!

Glad to hear about that group - and I do hope you like them, it's always good to relax with nice people who know what you're talking about - can be rare but very refreshing if you find it... Hope you tell us all about it :)

She's like the wind said...

Well said and I hope you both benefit from the group. x

Suzy said...

Sounds like it is your "playgroup" too.

Wish I could be there with you and Connor- it really does sound like fun.

Take pictures!!!

Love,
Suzy

Jeni said...

That group thing sounds like just the ticket! Wish there were something like that available here. So many people just have no clue what's going on when you are out in public with a four-year-old who looks perfectly "normal" and then starts kicking, screaming, hitting and being perfectly obnoxious -either that or she's in a cart in Wal-mart and constantly telling you "Wan see the baby, wan see the kids, wan see the peoples, wan see the mom and the dad and the whatever else she sees or wan see the pink dolls or the barbies or the bratz" and you hear this over and over and over - each time it is repeated, the decibel level of her voice goes up a notch as does the whinyness of the tone of her voice too - each indicates that a meltdown is just around oh, maybe the next aisle! Be careful what you pray for comes to mind here because a little over a year ago, we were praying for her to learn to talk and now, well ok, now there are times when we pray for her to please be quiet! Can't win 'em all huh?
But don't you wish these people who make these absurd statements, ask the really ridiculous questions about autism could spend just one shopping trip - alone -with your kid or my granddaughter - and then ask them "Now, you tell me what you think autism is?"
People -and computers today - really piss me off sometimes!

dgibbs said...

Casdok, I like it. Also thought of making him a tshirt that says "It's an autism thing...you wouldn't understand" :D

Merry, Sometimes I am glad that my husband is off defending Azeroth! hehe! Yes, this group will be a rare find if they are as nice as they sound. I will post about it soon after it happens...hopefully with pictures.

Self employeed Mum, Me too, how great would it be if Connor actually took interest in the kids!

Suzy, I will take pictures. Also I will try to get them up on the blog :)

Jeni - yeah thats another one that gets me "But he looks perfectly normal." Well yeah he doesn't have a disfiguring condition, he hasn't been in a accident, he has autism.
Connor has also been telling us what he would like to see at Walmart. It's a blessing and a pain in the rear at the same time. He tends to obsess over bicycles.