People Pics

Eye See You

Irony

The Dark Side

Dogzzzz

Bragging

I loved this post so much that I am re-blogging it!

A Serious Conversation

Through the years I have learned to keep serious conversations with my son to the point and short. Longer conversations equal frustration on his part because I do not get it and he does not get why I do not get it. I have also learned to ask questions the right way and using the right words. Today we had one of those serious conversations. It went something like this;
“What is the hardest part of having Aspergers Syndrome?”
Darious responds,”Doing School. It is really hard for me. I know I can do it. I just don’t.”
I think first and then I respond, “Maybe you do not want to do school work because you are just being lazy or it could be a teenager thing. Lots of kids with Aspergers do very well in school. So, it probably has nothing to do with that.” (This is the way I have to speak to him in order to find out what is really going on. I am really not being mean…promise.)
Then, Darious quickly says,”No I am not lazy and the work is really easy for me. Today, I really wanted to get my work done so I could go do what I wanted to, but, I sat there staring at the screen biting my nails. I just had to bite them, I could not stop, and that is my Aspergers doing that.”
You see this is what I find amazing about him. He has it all straight in his mind and I am trying to catch up.

A thousand mile journey begins with one step.

I adore this quote! It makes me ponder my own journeys through life. The short ones and the long ones alike. Many potholes have been hit, several detours have been made, and even some pit stops that led to total distraction along the way but, the journey is to just stay the course. Even after that first step, there may be restart steps here and there. No matter how many restarts are required put that head down and push onward! Walk that thousand mile journey and finish it even if it takes a life time.

Don Charisma

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«A thousand mile journey begins with one step.»

— Lao Tsu

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Charisma quotes are sponsored by DonCharisma.com – you dream it we built it … because – “anything is possible with Charisma”

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Just Listen

My son was diagnosed in a year when the statistics were 1 out of every 100 children had an Autism Spectrum Disorder. Today, the estimate is 1 in 68 will present with an Autism Spectrum Disorder. Every day we are bombarded by statistics, percentages, and numbers. There is nothing personal in any of these three forms. We hear 1 in 68 and we say, “WOW, that is a lot.” Then we sip our cup of tea or coffee and the conversation changes to the current weather conditions and then into whatever the moment calls for. Others do not have anything to say. After all, it is only a number. There are no faces of children next to each number. There are no families next to the children next to each number. Certainly, there are no educational requirements next to each child that is next to a number. We do our part by donating money to the cause, buying key-chains, and we even walk to raise awareness. We do our part, do we not? The money does go where it is supposed to, right? Really, though, how much money does go to the cause?

Autism does not mean every child will sit in a corner, covering their ears, humming, and rocking. Yes, some do. Many do not. Each child diagnosed is similar but, very different from the next. There is no perfect approach to Autism. Frustration is the word that comes to mind. It runs deep for families who have children on the spectrum. Sadly, not every parent knows what to do. Even worse, not every educator can speak freely about the matter. Money, of course there is never enough. Families hear, “We need more funding, we do not have the equipment your child needs to deal with their sensory issues, their Autism is not educationally relevant, they are not autistic while in school, blah, blah, blah..” Oh, I almost forgot this one, “You only have one child and no siblings to compare him to.” How is it possible that the people who are supposed to help you as a parent of a recently diagnosed child with Autism Spectrum Disorder are verbalizing this rhetoric from the front of their faces? Are the children really just acting Autistic for their parents? Oh yes that makes perfect sense. They are only Autistic at home and definitely not while in school. Surely they know how to turn that one on and off to get what they want. Yes, it has now been proven by school personnel who have been to medical school in their own minds that mothers of only children are insane. Finally, part of the Autism mystery has been solved.

Seriously, we have a problem in our healthcare system, with our educational system, and with in our society. I do not know what will help relieve some of the stress and frustration families feel. I do know that everyone’s opinion does not matter when a family has to deal with a recent diagnosis. Sometimes in order to help we just need to shut our mouth and listen.

D’s Pics

From the window of an airplane, the window of a train, and a very brown dog that visits our green house.

Short Story

In the year 2514, on March 15th, in cold New York City (NYC), there was an invasion of dogs– hundreds. They were led by their leaders Queen Sugar and Princess Stella. The army of dogs was led by General Gunner and 1st Lt Dixie. They were searching for this capsule that had the brown Biscuit Bone recipe. They were obsessed with brown Biscuit Bones.

It was the first day of the attack on New York City. They ran out of the woods and onto the streets, eating all the hot dogs at the hot dog stands in central park. The attack was on the news, “Breaking news, hundreds of dogs ran out of the woods and started eating everything! WAIT WHAT! HEY THAT’S MY LUNCH HEY!!”——Channel quickly cuts out. Tyler,” Hey Noah I bet we can get out of school for this.” Noah, “Nah man they’ll catch us! Running with our lunches and out of the school.” Tyler,” Well I’m going, see ya!” Noah,” Wait! Fine I’m coming…” As Tyler and Noah quickly run out of school down the street they don’t know the dogs are following them using their food detectors, A.K.A., Noses.

Tyler and Noah run into an ally way and trip over a big capsule. Tyler,” Hey what’s this?” Noah,” I don’t know, it looks like a capsule, an old one, hmmmmmm.” Tyler and Noah slowly dig the rest of it up and open it. Noah,” It’s a recipe! For brown dog bones? Hey look there’s a brown dog bone in it!” Noah eats it. Tyler,” YOU IDIOT THAT’S LIKE….LIKE….500 YEARS OLD!” Noah,” EW gross. It tastes like dog poo….” As Tyler puts his face into his palm (Facepalm) Noah reads the recipe. It shows that the creator of the dog bones has died 500 years ago. Tyler,” Hey I think the dogs are after this!” Noah,” Yea lets go give it to them!” Tyler,” Ok!” Tyler and Noah walk out of the ally with the recipe to give it to Queen Sugar. (A happy brown lab)

Tyler and Noah get to central park where the brown dog, Queen Sugar is at. 1st Lt Dixie (a yellow lab puppy), “HALT!” Tyler,” O move out of the way you mutt.” Noah,” Hey that’s mean Tyler! Hey there little puppy, how are you?” Dixie pees on Noah’s shoe. Noah,” HEY! THOSE WERE NEW HIGH TOPS!” Tyler,” Hahahaha I told you.” General Gunner (a yellow lab puppy),” Do you have the recipe? Because if you do, you may quickly pass.” Tyler,” Yes we have it. “ General Gunner,” Good, follow me.” As General Gunner leads the two boys down the hallway to the left down another hall way to the right then right and up some steps and around a corner and then to a big room where Queen Sugar and Princess Stella are. Queen Sugar,” GIMMIE THE RECIPE THEN WE WILL LEAVE YOU DUMB HUMANS ALONE AND WE WILL GO BACKZ TO OUR WOODY WOODZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzz, AHH I studddddderrrrzzzz.” Tyler hands the capsule over. Princess Stella,” Thank you.”

As our two hero’s leave Central Park, all of the dogs run quickly back into the woods howling and barking. They are never seen again. Tyler and Noah walk back to school as everyone cheers at them for saving all of the food. Everyone realizing that war is not the answer.

Island Sunset

Darious snapped off this photo of an amazing sunset here in Florida. His words to us, a familiar quote,”If you love something set it free, if it comes back, it is yours, if it does not it never was.”

Sydney In Mourning After Terror Attack

I remember the terrorist attacks on 9/11/01. I was not in New York but, I was in a government building that went on lockdown. Unable to leave or contact my family members I too was very frightened. I had friends/family members working in the Baltimore, DC, and Virginia area. Some were government workers, some first responders, and others were police officers. Desperate to find out what was happening, I watched a news broadcast from the building I was in. On live television, I watched a plane fly into one of the twin towers. I witnessed innocent people jump to their deaths so they would not burn in the flames. A decision that I can not fathom. Then, in horror I saw the buildings come down. Someone I know was there at the Pentagon and watched a plane descend right into the side of that building. My son was exactly 2 months old. I remember thinking what was his life going to be like coming up in such a hateful world. I went to New York and saw for myself the site where the towers fell. I thought I could handle it. Needless to say a serious breakdown is what I had there. There are no words to describe what I saw there.
My thoughts go out to everyone in Sydney. I hope that the hostages, the injured, the bystanders, the family members of the slain, and all of those who saw things that will never be erased from their memory can at some point heal. Sadly, life will never be the same for any of them. As I sit here writing this I cry for them.
I am so sorry to everyone that we must continue to experience these horrors. In such an advanced world with so many freedoms, there are many who want to take these freedoms away. People persevere in the face of opposition and the terrorists hate that. They will continue to cause heartache but they will never break our spirit.

Don Charisma

I’m not a journalist, and the story has been widely covered in the media. So I’m not going to go over the details of the terror attack in Sydney, Australia.

A friend from Sydney sent me some photos which reflect the feeling in Sydney at the moment, I’m posting to share with our readers.

All of us at DonCharisma.org would like to wish our deepest sympathies to the family and friends of the victims in Sydney.

I absolutely condemn the murder of unprepared and unarmed men, women and children, there’s not much I find more abhorrent. Only men (or women) who are cowards with extreme pettiness in their hearts would behave like this. Real men fight like men against worthy prepared and armed adversaries.

To call such actions ‘holy war’ is a total violation of anything holy. There’s nothing ‘holy’ about cowards murdering defenceless men, women and children. Never has…

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