The Autism Paradox

Reading something like this helps me realize that Ben is not alone in this world...

The Autism Paradox
by Jene Aviram, http://www.nlconcepts.com/

1. It's easy to recite an entire book but difficult to make up a story.
2. It's easy to line up toys but difficult to stay in line.
3. It makes perfect sense to climb on the sofa but little sense to sit on it.
4. Memorizing the Presidents in order - 10 minutes. Packing a school bag - 10 hours
5. Family pictures on the wall are boring but that speck of dust next to it, now that's fascinating!
6. Talking about weather patterns - piece of cake. Talking about my day… impossible!
7. Ability to focus on spinning objects - timeless, ability to focus on homework - 3 seconds
8. Being called by name, can't hear it. Some owl hooting in the distance - clear as a bell
9. How to operate the remote control - zero instruction. How to button up pants - intensive instruction
10. Navigating social rules - poorly skilled, Navigating from the back seat of the car - highly skilled

Irony in the Media

I get a real kick out of conflicting articles in the daily newspaper. It's my cynical self shining through. For example, a day during the wall street crash where the devastating financial crisis headline was alongside a report that Johnny Depp will be paid $56 million dollars for his role in the next Pirates of the Caribbean movie.

Today's was striking as well. These two articles were side by side on the front page of the Contra Costa Times.

Proposition to Legalize Prostitution strikes chord in San Francisco
http://www.contracostatimes.com/ci_10770854?nclick_check=1
On the plus side (and shocking side), Gavin Newsom actually opposes the proposition.

Big One: It's zero hour
http://www.contracostatimes.com/ci_10770865

Maybe we'd better get out of here.

Soccer

Today was the last day of soccer for Benjamin. The last two weeks he has been very participatory -- following most exercises and drills with very little need for persuasion (or bribery). We think it is because he found a bigger black and white soccer ball in our backyard. I guess the mini all-white soccer balls were just "not right." Here is Ben doing his favorite drill -- knocking down the cones with a good solid kick of the right kind of ball:

Ethan has one more Saturday soccer game, but I had to post the picture now because I love this one. Somehow the ball went the wrong direction (see it on the left edge of the picture). But you can tell that Ethan is just happy as can be anyway.... just kickin'.

A Wolf in our Midst

After 6 months of diligent work with his Dad, Ethan received his Wolf cub scout badge at pack meeting this month. He is very proud and would rather have left the paint on to demonstrate his wolf pride. We discussed how the face paint might be distraction for the other students in his school classroom so he reluctantly washed it off in the shower that night.

The Economy Ate the Circus Animals

SAN JOSE, Calif. -- Some 250 workers across Northern California are losing their jobs because the company that makes Mother's Cookies has filed for bankruptcy.

Workers at the Mother's Cookies distribution center in San Jose told KTVU that they got notices last weekend. They said they were told not to come to work on Monday.

Mother's Cookies was founded in Oakland in 1914. In the early 1990s it was sold and has changed hands several times since then.

An international congolmerate closed the Oakland Bakery in 2006.

The current owner says it plans to cease all operations(!) in the United States. It cited rising food and fuel prices in the chapter eleven bankruptcy filing.

If Ben Wrote the Laws

Why title this blog "Our Smith-ocracy"? I don't know. But it has made me think about what our Smith-ocracy would be like if our family laws were written by 6yo Benjamin. I've started a list below; and, believe me, this is only the beginning. Ben's independent temperament blended with the rigidities and inflexibilities of his autism makes for quite an -ocracy. Thankfully, only some of these rules does he attempt to enforce on the rest of us. Mostly these are (some of) the rules for the little world of Ben.

1. The driver's side of a vehicle is the only side worthy of entering or exiting. Do not EVER enter or exit through the passenger side.

2. Names are irritating. Do not address anyone by any name.

3. There are four kinds of sentences: commands, questions, statements and exclamations. Commands are to be disobeyed and questions unanswered. Exclamations work in the form of yelling or screaming. Statements, well, these are okay, as long as I agree with them.

4. All family members will wear short sleeves and shorts 365 days a year, no matter the outdoor temperature. This includes sleepwear.

5. Shoelaces are unnecessary. Remove them from your shoes immediately.

6. Mondays will be called Tuesdays and Tuesdays will be called Wednesdays and on and on. The result is that Sundays and Mondays there is no school and Saturday is spirit day.

7. Milk will only be served in clear glasses and orange juice in orange cups.

8. All hand-written words will be written in CAPITAL LETTERS. Lower case letters no longer exist.

I changed the ASD link on Links About Us

I just changed the Autism Spectrum Disorder link over to the right there. I initially used the Autism Research Institute website but I just don't like their site so much. Maybe it's Jenny McCarthy as the poster person that I have a problem with. Anyways, if you want to look at the new one, I think it's a gentler approach than the ARI's. I'll probably change this several more times, actually. I guess I haven't found a resource site for autism yet that I completely identify with.

Milestones

Well, it's big girl time for Eliza. I think (dare I type this?) that she is officially done with diapers. Another week will prove this true, I believe. Wow. This is definitely cause for a party, but who would really want to receive such an invitation to such a party? What would it say? Any ideas?


We also took down the crib and set up a big girl bed (thanks cousin Maddie!) for our big girl. Since it's likely (hopefully) the last time we'll be taking the crib down and storing it away, I had to take a picture of the three kids sitting on the crib for the last time. Ahhhhhhhhh ... a sentimental moment.