You are invited to read 12 festively original stories in the 12 days leading up to Christmas. I was eager to do some creative writing, and the holidays provided plenty of inspiration. You can find the stories posted here each day, December 13th through 24th. These tales will vary greatly in tone and topic. Hoping… Continue reading 12 Christmas stories for 12 days!
The value of seeing differently
"Anisometropia" sounds like a mythical city built out of licorice, but it's actually a vision condition that Stella has dealt with all her life in which the eyes' refractive powers differ. On Friday, however, we picked up her new eyeglasses in which the prescription is the same in both lenses. This is the first time… Continue reading The value of seeing differently
The risk and rewards of giving a flock
If you’ve ever kept chickens, you understand life’s imperfect trade-offs of risk and reward in a more intimate way than most. And if you’ve ever medicated a chicken, you understand the delicate tipping point at which fear-fueled fight-and/or-flight teeters into resignation to fate. There’s something eye-opening about caring for a living creature so different from… Continue reading The risk and rewards of giving a flock
Another education
As we look to rebuild after everything fell apart, once again, I'm struggling to find the thread that ties it all together. The entrenched feeding aversion that led to an NG tube as a newborn that brought us to a new understanding of autonomy. The terror of seeing her eyes suddenly and persistently cross, requiring… Continue reading Another education
Down time. And looking up.
The inside-out view from the fort in the woods at the end of the road. When Stella was three, she was head-over-heels into ballet. She took creative dance classes with some toe pointing and ballet basics woven in. At home, she'd wear her tutu and watch YouTube clips of internationally renowned ballet companies, memorizing the… Continue reading Down time. And looking up.
Autism as superpower: Ode to the Gretas and Stellas
Ableist people insist that Greta Thunberg is a puppet. If you ask me, after I catch my breath lost from laughing, it's not possible. Not rooted in reality. It's also deeply insulting and misguided to assume a lack of agency in this bright and courageous girl. The doubters haven't the faintest hint of a clue… Continue reading Autism as superpower: Ode to the Gretas and Stellas
I moved 3,000 miles to get stuck. Help?
Earlier this year, I lost my mom. In the wake of that enormous, indescribable loss, I re-evaluated everything. I left my job. A job that was not perfect, but one that I was skilled at performing, that provided a creative outlet and wonderful people to be around, and that I usually enjoyed. We sold our… Continue reading I moved 3,000 miles to get stuck. Help?
Autistic thinking is a creative boon
Just wanted to share an article I wrote for work with inspiration from Stella: "Autism as Advantage: The Case for Neurodiversity in Design." Let me know what you think. https://medium.com/ha-perspectives/autism-as-advantage-the-case-for-neurodiversity-in-design-c6b076cda990 Despite the stereotypes and unfair assumptions that abound, many autistic people are flourishing in creative fields from poetry to illustration to film thanks to their adeptness at… Continue reading Autistic thinking is a creative boon
Big kid years
(This post is directly from Stella. These are her own words, even her own choice of title. Out of the blue tonight, she said she wanted to update everyone on her life.) I am now nine years old, and almost ten. I play guitar now, and I love sushi. I love learning about different cultures,… Continue reading Big kid years
End the intolerable cruelty.
By the end of World War II, more than three million people had been evacuated from European cities to stay clear of German bombs. Most of the evacuees were babies and children voluntarily separated from and by their parents in an attempt to keep little ones safe. It turned out that the risk of separation… Continue reading End the intolerable cruelty.
The Life and Times of Stella 