Piece #10 - The Routine

When I was growing up, I always thought of myself as a person who would 'fly by the seat of their pants'. Anything that changed was new and exciting for me. On some accounts, that still holds true today because I do like new things; new music, new movies, new games, etc. There are even cases where I really hope others will change and my situation as well because I hate having a talent that I'm really good in, but it can't feed my family. (That really sucks!) I will have to say that as I've gotten older, a routine is not necessarily a bad thing. It's been helpful to the point that it helps me remember certain things on a daily or weekly basis. I remember asking my students if a routine is bad and most said yes; but when I asked them how it could be beneficial, they didn't really know. I think we forget that routines can help prepare us for the day so when we have to tackle certain obstacles, we'll be ready for it. As an adult with Asperger’s, I've noticed that any real break in my routine can become really irritating; especially if it's a critical routine. An example might be when I get ready in the morning before work; there are certain things I do in order to make sure I'm completely prepared. If anything interrupts the process then I might forget something, like my school keys or a medication. (Which yes, I have forgotten in the past and paid dearly for it!)

The funny part is when a major crisis happens, I'm better at adjusting than a small routine that gets interrupted. I think the bigger the problem, the more focused I am on finding a solution rather than beating myself up over a small error. As I mentioned a couple of blogs ago, when my mother-in-law passed away, I had to 'man up' and figure a solution that would help everyone deal with the loss and keep things running at home. I still remember Jaimee asking me what should we do after the Oklahoma City bombing and I told her we might as well head home because it was just too dangerous and we really needed to head back to Kansas City. I have to give a lot of credit to my wife, especially when it came to moving from one house to another. She really had an excellent system of getting particular items organized, packed and ready for each move. (I'm not so good...nope; so don't ask me to help you move!)

When I lost my job, I remember my psychiatrist had emphasized the importance of me still having a routine and she helped me with some ideas at the time. I'm noticing that as I get older how important this has become in my life. As I have always said, change is difficult. However, a routine keeps me efficient and organized, but I also see it as a slight weakness in my eyes. I guess in some ways, I harken back to my days as a kid when anything different was an adventure.

The Song of Inspiration [Check it out on iTunes!]:

Song: “The Motions”

Artist: Matthew West

Album: Something to Say

Here's the music video to the selected song...REALLY WORTH WATCHING!

This wasn't the picture I really wanted, but as God as my witness, I will find the REAL picture I really wanted to show. Anyway, this is me at Halloween in my "Frogger" costume. I loved the video game Frogger. (I think partly because I was really good at it.) Again, I'm harking back to the days of my youth.

Piece #75 - My Directing Method

Being a director like I have for several years, there are things that I've had to deal with in this business. This isn't the professional method of directing, but this is my perspective on how to be a director in any medium. I will probably address the proper method of how to treat actors, but that is not the sole focus on what I'm going to share. As a director you will have to deal with people who think they know it all and you can't say anything that will benefit me. The problem that most amateur actors forget is that acting is an art form, but it's also an occupation. I think people tend to forget that acting is work...hard work. One of the things that I try to let the kids know is that it's a very difficult business to get into. I feel like they need to hear the truth about the world of entertainment. I tell them that they have to 'want' it very badly and do almost anything to get in. An internship is a great way to get your foot in the door, bu

Piece #103 - I.Q.

I have, in some form or fashion, addressed this topic on intelligence, but I thought I'd hit this head on. One of the big things that people with Asperger's gets tied with is having a high intelligence. I have to admit that I've had a hard time finding solid evidence on all people with Asperger's having a high intelligence. I guess this a bit of a piggy back to my earlier posting #78 No Talent Required. The difference between these two is I'm going to address the intelligence in general versus the talents from Asperger's (or Savants). When it comes to the topic of intelligence, I get a similar feeling like in high school when the class decides on 'the most successful' label. I say this because I've always questioned what is successful? In turn I would also ask in the same breath what is intelligent? Testing the intelligence of someone used to seem like either a brainiac, just an average person or an idiot...depending on the score which is reall

Piece #28 - Puzzles

I realize autism is symbolized by a puzzles piece and I've noticed that some people have taken some offense to that, but this doesn't deal directly with that topic. This is a straight observation on puzzles and how they affect me and the twins. With the new age of electronic devices, it has changed to way we do pretty much everything! In this case I want to focus on puzzles because there are lots of computer game companies that are betting on us to buy their own special puzzle game, whether it is on the iPad, iTouch or smart phone. I will say that I do own an iTouch and yes, I do love it! Unfortunately, I can get sucked into several good puzzle games. So far the top ones I love to play are Chuzzle, Bejeweled, Tiki Totems and of course...Angry Birds. To be honest, I also will go 'old school' and play Solitaire, Mahjong, Sudoku and even Tetris because they still have a place in my heart. Sometimes the simpler games I would rather play because they are quick and easier

Pressing Puzzles

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