::mearatime::

I am normally really tough on religion, but I defend Mormons and Mormonism to an absolutely illogical degree. I'm not really sure why this is, probably just because they were all so damned nice to me, but I am fully aware that it doesn't make any sense.

I have similar warm feelings about Jehovah's Witnesses. A co-worker I was good friends with (I even dated her nephew for a time) was a very active JW but never got proselytize-y with me. She said it was frowned upon unless you were actively doing mission work. First evangelists I ever met with an off-switch. Gotta respect that.

The man was close to bleeding to death but managed to call police. His life was saved but he remains a eunuch for life.

Pretty sure they can give him hormones nowadays. Sorry, folks, no eunuchs here.

You know, had it been real.

When I had a street entrance in Astoria I use to get Mormon missionaries a fair amount. Usually a pair of sweet-faced blond boys with short-sleeved button-down shirts and a name tag saying Elder Whatever. They always looked a little overwhelmed -- NY has to be a rough beat. Poor little things, working so hard to be elder... I'd usually offer them a glass of water. Sometimes they'd accept. We'd chat for a moment and they'd go on their way.

My friend Miriam has a coworker from the Philippines. Her co-worker was amazed that Miriam was Jewish. She was all, "You celebrate Christmas, right? You still believe in Jesus, right?" Apparently, co-worker had never met a non-Christian before.

Suburban New Jersey, 1989, her first year of High School (and first year of non-parochial school) my friend T kept grilling one Jewish friend "But WHY don't you have a Manger scene? They're so PRETTY!" Heh.

Lo these many years later her world has changed greatly and I'm sure her girlfriend of ten years is tired of the story...

I have discovered, over the years, that the more eccentric I look, the less likely people are to talk to me about religion. I guess the evangelical types figure there's no hope for me anyway, so why expend the effort.

I was all killjoyed out for a show and (much to my disappointment) people on the platform at Penn Station were STARING at me. C'mon people, I don't care if I have blue hair and a makeup mask it's NYC and you should be able to DEAL. I felt like the Hasidic guy was really out of line with the staring - you're dressed like a Polish person in the 1500s. I don't think you get to judge!

Home, for me, is right where I'm sitting now and nowhere else, and this is the first time since I moved out for college that that has been entirely true.

That is wonderful. Congratulations, Zen.

Tonight he bowled his first 300. And called CJ as the first person to tell.

Whoa! That's impressive.

Dynavoxes are the AAC devices that are similar to what Stephen Hawking uses. [link]

At school, Grace can answer questions. During the IEP/conference, Leslie asked Grace what that morning's story was about and Grace knew to push the button that said Reindeer. They also have lowtech PICS folders for the kids. So she can create folders that say things like I like _______. Or I want to do ______. And the blanks are filled with little pictures of activities.

We need a PICS box for her at home to communicate.

Or, if I could afford it I'd get her an iPad with this software: [link]

There was just a sweet Buffy reference on the Daily Show.

There was just a sweet Buffy reference on the Daily Show.

What was it?

It was basically a bit about Gov't oversight of toy safety that compared the gov't big brother to various TV big brothers, none of which are any good. The punch line was, maybe we need a big sister? And they showed a clip of Buffy protecting Dawn from Glory, and totally kicking ass.

The whole audience cheered like crazy.

Well there was more detail than that...but it would be more boring and complicated to explain.

We need a PICS box for her at home to communicate.

Owen LOVES Board Maker! He still makes social stories in his special ed class, even though we don't really use them at home anymore. Say, I have three social stories books with CDs for printables if you think you might want them. They're basic, preschool and behavior stuff.

I have a mild autistic spectrum condition. I use pictures and bits of British Sign Language when I'm stressed and to follow some instructions. I only learnt the systems as an adult, though, so I'm trying to practice more. It works. I was a classroom assistant with kids with learning disabilities some years ago, and we used lots of picture systems. Lots of the kids really seemed to benefit.

Oh, that's fascinating, Kat. Is it easier for her than signing?

Cashmere, we'd LOVE it!

ita, yes! Much easier than signing because she lacks some of the fine motor control necessary to make signs. She does know a fair number of signs -- for example, she knows how to sign Merry Christmas but her sign for Merry looks more like her doing the Chicken Dance. It's like the physical version of learning to talk.

Seska, the AAC stuff is super interesting. I think the iPad is the way to go for schools because Dynavox systems often cot $5000+. So an iPad + software is less than a $1000.

Trying to unlock what Grace knows will continue to be a challenge.