Piece # 33 - Science Fiction

Other than superheroes, the one thing that has stuck with me my entire life has been Science Fiction. You've probably noticed me making different references to many different Sci-Fi shows in my previous blogs. The earliest thing I can remember that first captivated my love of science fiction has to be Doctor Who. It was one of the first shows I got to see on television...aside from Star Trek (original). Tom Baker was the actor who played the title role at the time and he was so quirky and funny, I naturally got sucked in. I guess in many ways, I could identify with the Doctor because he seemed to be a lot like me. (The Doctor with Asperger's? That might explain a lot!) Growing up, I would join in on fan clubs from America and Canada; then every once in a while, I'd get to go to a convention. I have to tip my cap to Doctor Who because it was that series that got me reading books. I was never a big fan of all-print books, but when I found out that they had printed Dr. Who books; I really started reading...a lot! I'm not saying this sealed the deal with my wife, but she did watch Dr. Who as well and that really impressed me. (I thought...'Oh yeah, I marrying this chick now!')

Of course, other science fiction stories came rolling in, but nothing prepared me for the most magical one of all...Star Wars. There was something very special about that movie. I seemed like it captivated me in a way I've never experienced before. Let me tell you something, I was about eight years old when I saw this movie and with a kid that has OCD, I dove in head first. I bought everything from the shirts, toys...ey-humm, I mean action figures, lunch boxes, cards, cups...if it had Star Wars on it...I owned it! I remember watching all three of the movies and strangely, I happen to remember an interview that George Lucas had given where he told everyone that he had written the first three movies, but he wasn't able to do them. He even said that he had more episodes after the Return of the Jedi. Of course everyone knows he did in fact make those first three films, but I still wonder what more he had in store. [I know what you're thinking; Yes...I did think Carrie Fisher looked really hot in her slave outfit!] I still have most of my original Star Wars things today...most of it is in storage however. *[Okay, as I'm writing this, the news came out that Star Wars was sold to Disney! I'm not sure about the move.]*

As an avid writer, when I was young, I would come up with a lot of different stories for both Dr. Who and Star Wars. I think I still would love to write a story, but I'm quite feeling the motivation like I used to. I tried the drawing angle, but I had a hard time struggling with it. My problem as a child with OCD, I had a bad habit of jumping from one thing to another in a matter of weeks or days. My mom had a really rough time trying to keep up with me, especially during my birthday and Christmas. There were several other Science Fiction shows I did get into like The Six Million Dollar Man and Star Trek. I think for Star Trek, it started a lot later for me. I think I liked it more when the Next Generation series came on the air.

SPACEBALLS...now where do I start with this? When you grow up on Star Wars and Star Trek, the jokes in this Mel Brook's classic just make me want to laugh until I barf (get it?...No? Go see the movie!) There have been several parodies of science fiction movies, but none can hold a candle to Spaceballs. I actually write a book called: "Life is like Spaceballs." I'm not sure how Mel Brooks would feel, but it would work. Let me just say when Spaceball One goes to Ludicrous Speed, truly a classic moment. "May the Schwartz Be With You!"

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

Song: "Galaxies"

Artist: Owl City

Album: All Things Bright and Beautiful

Here's a picture of me, my daughter Christen, my bro, his wife and Kaden. This will probably be the only time I get the Sci-Fi experience. Ooooo.

Piece #111 - First Impressions

"You already know that making a good first impression can go a long way. But forget all the advice you've received about dressing to impress or putting on a cheesy smile. Turns out, the true secret to building a lasting connection reaches much deeper than what you wear." "According to Amy Cuddy, a Harvard Business School professor who has researched first impressions for more than 15 years, everyone (consciously or subconsciously) asks two questions when they meeting someone new: Can I trust this person? And can I respect this person?" This quote comes from Reader's Digest and I actually found this rather compelling because I never really heard of this before. I've addressed this topic of first impressions in the past but, I have to admit that this idea is interesting. I guess since you hear a lot of things from a smile, the outfit or what you say make the difference; however these two questions have me a little perplexed. I think it depends on the ...

Piece #1 - The Beginning

I guess like embarking on any puzzle, it must always starts with the first piece. So to begin, I have Asperger's Syndrome, in other words I'm Autistic, and so this literature will be about my struggles with this disorder as an adult. I was first diagnosed back in the summer of 2004. If it wasn't for my twin daughters, I might not have ever known all the questions I have ever had in life; to them, I will always be in their debt. Growing up, you are never really aware of any differences until the judgment years...6th thru 12th grade of school. A time when one always tests their own humanity against others; meaning, how will I measure up against other students. In my eyes I seemed to be just like them; two arms and legs, ten fingers and toes, head and body...nothing unusual. Yet, for some reason, I was treated a little different than everyone else. That's one of those things that you can't quite put your finger on, but I observed on many occasions how kids would talk...

Broken Piece #2 - Susan Boyle

For those of you who are not sure who is Susan Boyle, she was the second place winner to the show "Britain's Got Talent" in 2009. She sang the famous song from Les Misérables "I Dreamed the Dream". Since the show, Susan had been making guest appearances on a variety of shows and recorded several albums. Susan's first album alone broke several chart-records and was very well received around the world. I believe why she had such incredible appeal was because she was a perfect representative of all the 'regular people' in the world. She didn't come in flashy or striking but, modest and humble. When a person like Susan is thrown into the whirlwind of concerts, parties, media, and money, it's very difficult to stay grounded and not having your own personal world torn apart. Sadly for Susan Boyle, her tiny universe is crumbling. First, she did have a health scare when she was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes that prompted her to lose weight. Se...

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