Piece #107 - "Sharp Dressed Man"

I wanted to start this post by inferring that the title does not mean men alone. Since I have daughters as well, I will be addressing both sides of the human gender. [The title comes from a ZZ Tops song.] One of the main things that Jaimee and I are trying to instill in one of our twin daughters is having a sense of cleanliness. I always hear that a woman loves a 'bad boy', but I seriously thought they would love a 'stinky, smelly boy'. There is a really good reason why the saying 'Cleanliness is next to Godliness' is rather important, if there is any guy or gal out there who is still looking for that special someone then you might serious think about what I'm trying to say. Being 'Sharp Dressed' can really impress someone special and say a lot about you as a potential mate.

One thing I've actually had to learn recently is to be well dressed for an interview. Having to go a job interview isn't something I've had to do for a long time so I had to re-learn a few tricks to make myself more professional and appealing...yes - I said 'appealing'. I'm not trying to get a date with the interviewer, I'm trying to look like a person who would 'look good' in their business. For those of us who have Asperger's, I realize certain tactical clothing can be an issue. Dr. Temple Grandin only wears that cowboy button up shirts; for her, they feel the best on her skin. I will admit that I even have certain clothing that will bother me a little, but I try to find something close to the best sensation. The best example I can give is socks. I hate dress socks; it feels like I'm putting on patty hose! I've tried to find socks that are made more like sport socks, but I haven't had a lot of luck. I used to enjoy wearing neck ties, but lately I've had a hard time with buttoning to top button of my dress shirt. I feel like I'm choking to death! I've been looking for shirts with a wider top since my neck has...grown a little. The best advice I got before I had to put together my 'dress up' outfit; that was to always start with your dress shoes and match up the rest of the outfit with the shoe color.

What I going to say next may sound silly and juvenile, but I have learned being a teacher that we assume children already know how to be 'clean' and 'clean looking'...but, that in not the case. Before you put on any article of clothing there are a few things that will need to be addressed. A shower or bath; this is something that needs to happen on a regular basis. Shaving, I leave to your digression because I shave my face every other night, but that depends on the look you're going for. Brushing the teeth every day and putting on deodorant - you would be surprised at how many people don't do this! Because of my Asperger's, this is a route for me and rather helpful so I don't forget to do everything to make myself presentable. If you are married like me or have a partner in your life, there is no reason to stop keeping yourself clean and neat.

Anyone who says they have Asperger's and does not keep themselves clean because of the disorder is full of nonsense. I know that one of my twin daughters prides herself on cleanliness and I'm not too fond of dirt myself. I don't even like my finger nails growing long! I realize there can be other psychological factors that can come into play when it comes to proper hygiene. If you look at the people who are hoarders, the lack on cleanliness is blatantly obvious. This doesn't mean that hoarders all have Asperger's, but OCD has to be at least a part of the psychological issue. I have a real hard time watching those television shows that deal with this condition because I get frustrated listening to their illogical reason s to try to keep all of the junk. I believe trying to keep yourself clean gives you a better feeling about yourself, almost like a reset button. Sometimes you just have to 'wash' away the grind on the day and feel refreshed.

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

Song: "Sharp Dressed Man"

Artist: ZZ Top

Album: Eliminator

I'm going Back to the Future for this song and the video! (1983):

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...

Piece #12 - "Temper, Temper."

Anger is a learned behavior. When we come into this world, we comprehend how to react to things by watching others. One of my many...many weaknesses has always been my anger. As you can tell I enjoy writing and whenever I've written in my characters for a story, at least one would have an anger issue. The story I'm currently writing now called Horizon, the main character Miko has problems with her rage. It's something she'll have to deal with throughout the entire story. I guess in many ways it's a reflection on how I've had to handle it. Early in our marriage, I had warned my wife that I would need her help in making sure I wouldn’t let the anger get ahold of me, for the main reason...the kids. I love my girls way too much for them to pick up the same bad habit. Yes, I obviously understand that we all get angry from time to time. ( Even Jesus got angry when merchants were selling their items in the temple .) I'm talking about an extreme anger when in many ...

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