Yoga

Why did I wait nearly 42 years to find out I love yoga?  I’ve been practicing since January and I am truly in love.  It brings me peace.  It calms my mind.  It takes away those nagging worries that otherwise keep me awake at night.  And it strengthens my body as a bonus.

I have had high blood pressure since my early 30’s and started taking medication daily around 34.  So for nearly 8 years I’ve been popping pills to regulate my system and keep things as they should be.  But not any more.  I haven’t had to take my meds since March.  What is different you ask?  Yoga. My doctor is a bit puzzled as to what is happening and why I now have textbook blood pressure readings.  But he tells me to keep doing what I’m doing because it is obviously working for me.

I am starting a 6 week Mind Body Blitz on Monday and I can’t wait. Committing to practicing yoga 6 days a week is exactly what I need to keep me focused and dedicated.  I already practice 3 or 4 times a week anyway so this will just extend me that little bit more.  I’m sure I will update along the way so you can all read how I’m getting on with it.

Life is good!

Artists with Autism

This weekend was the 4th annual Artists with Autism Art Show here in my hometown Wollongong.  It was fantastic!  The weekend started with the Friday night opening, attended by about 150 people across the community. Our big draw card over the weekend is a young man named Tim Sharp.  He is the creator of  Laser Beak Man.  You can find Laser Beak Man here: www.laserbeakman.com  Tim has the most amazing talent, using his literal view of the world to create artworks like this.

Laser Beak Man and the Barbie Queue

I think it is my personal favourite.  There is also an animated series of Tim’s works that my littlest boy just loves.  It takes the still artwork and expands them into short episodes.  It was made in conjunction with Sheldon Lieberman and Igor Coric from Big Fish TV and was so successful they were the winners of Tropfest 2010 for Best Animation.  Go Laser Beak Man!

To see our kids so proud of the art they have produced brought tears to my eyes (and many others too).  The art show is primarily an awareness event, but the lovely flow on is the fundraising that helps the school and in turn our kids.

Please take a look at Tim’s website – you will be glad you did.

Parties and fear

My littlest boy went to a birthday party yesterday.  Not a huge deal for most 8 year old kids,  but it was for him.  This was the first birthday party he has ever been to.  Well actually it was more of a big deal for me than for him.  He was a bit oblivious of how momentous it was.  To see him running around, laughing and having fun was amazing.  It nearly made me cry – more than once.

Now a birthday party attended by at least 6 children on the Autism spectrum could have been an absolute disaster.  But not this one.  It was held at a gym, and had organised activities for the kids like obstacle courses, rope swings, hula hoops and a huge jumping castle.  What a fantastic venue for kids who need lots of room to run and jump and climb.  And make lots of noise. LOTS OF NOISE!  There was balloons.  And fairy bread.  What more could a kid want?

It does make me wonder though – why do moderately or severely disabled people make the general public so uncomfortable?  You can see it in their faces when you walk past.  I try not to think that it is pity.  People pitying me and my family really gives me the shits.  Go pity someone else who actually needs it.

I think it is more likely to be fear.  Fear of saying the wrong thing.  Fear of looking for too long.  Fear of being embarrassed.  Or the biggest one I think is fear that it could happen to them one day.  But you know what?  When it does happen to you or someone you love, it isn’t always as bad as you think it could be.  Sure, it is horrible sometimes and the life that you expected to live changes a lot but overall it isn’t the end of the world.  It’s the beginning of a new, different world that needs to be explored.  And exploring it we are, together.  One party at a time.

Bleach, blogging and black pants

My logical mind knows bleach is a strong cleaner.  The fact that the bottle says “strong bleach power” all over it should remind me, yes?  But what dumbass cleaned the bathroom wearing black pants this morning?  I won’t splash myself.  Not like it has ever happened before.  Right?

Now there is an ORANGE spot on my pants leg.  The thigh to be exact. Right where you can see it.  It is a very bright orange. Well it was until I coloured it in with a black Sharpie.  Now it isn’t so noticeable – from a distance anyway.  And the funniest thing?  I now have a black mark on my actual thigh that corresponds with the previously orange spot on my pants leg.

This blogging thing is growing on me.  In the very beginning I was nervous that I’d write the wrong thing.  Maybe I’d offend someone.  Make spelling mistakes or grammatical errors and seem stupid.  You know what?  I’ve decided it doesn’t really matter that much.  It is my space.  Well not Myspace – someone else already thought of that.  But it is my thought pile. My brain dump.  And I like it.  A lot.

And if you like a laugh – go read this   My Not So Fictional Life     She can tell you all about zombies.  And weddings.  On this the morning of the royal wedding media saturation overload I needed some perspective on the event. Thanks Emily!

Skin Deep

I watched an amazing documentary last night.  It aired on SBS Australia recently and I’m really glad I recorded it to watch when I had the time.  It was called Skin Deep.  The trailer below tells the story:

As a Professor and Head of Dept. Anthropology at Penn State University, Nina Jablonski presents information in a way that is easy for the average non-scientific person to understand.  She gives us the data we need to think critically about where we all came from.

Based on these findings, we all came from darker skinned people.  Lighter skinned people “are a mutation”. This makes me smile. Imagine the outrage felt by some – not only is evolution real but it shows we all came from the same source!  I love it.

The following extract is taken from:  Scientific American; New York; Oct 2002; Nina G Jablonski;George Chaplin;

“The ability of skin color to adapt over long periods to the various environments to which humans have moved reflects the importance of skin color to our survival. But its unstable nature also makes it one of the least useful characteristics in determining the evolutionary relations between human groups. Early Western scientists used skin color  to delineate human races, but the beauty of science is that it can and does correct itself. Our current knowledge of the evolution of human skin indicates that variations in skin color, like most of our physical attributes, can be explained by adaptation to the environment through natural selection. We look ahead to the day when the vestiges of old scientific mistakes will be erased and replaced by a better understanding of human origins and diversity. Our variation in skin color should be celebrated as one of the most visible manifestations of our evolution as a species.”

And don’t you love this part?

“the beauty of science is that it can and does correct itself.”

The fact that new information becomes available and changes the way in which we view the world is really important.  If we can teach our children to ask questions and to seek proof before blindly believing what they are taught, our world will surely be a better place.

Some sources:  Penn State – Nina Jablonski , SBS Australia  (there is some interesting video here and also a Q & A with the director, Franco Di Chiera)

Tooth

Tooth ache surely is one of the worst pains.  And tooth ache on an extra long Easter weekend is the pits!   I’ve never been so relieved to get to the dentist in my entire life.  Why do things like this always happen when you least want them to I wonder?

Now that the tooth is fixed (well half fixed anyway) I can actually concentrate on other things.  Like blogging.  And eating. And not wanting to knock my own tooth out with a rock……

Damn you Tivo!

I’ve got a rant.  I am sick and tired of my Tivo not recording programs as it should.  It seems nearly every tv show I’ve tried to record in the last few weeks has either started late, or finished early.  While I understand the Tivo is guided by the electronic tv guide that the tv stations produce, it shits me! Why don’t they start and finish shows on time?  Evil advertising – that’s why.  Gotta pack in more ads for stuff we don’t need and can’t afford.

And why does the Tivo decide to delete things I haven’t had a chance to watch yet?  I sat down last night to watch the last two episodes of Californication and they were gone! Bastard machine.

Ok that is somewhat better.  I’m going to go and tell my Tivo to keep EVERYTHING until I tell it to delete.  And to add 15 minutes onto the end of every program so I get to see the ends of shows.

End of rant.  For now anyway.

The War on Hair

It amazes me the current attitude to body hair.  For both males and females alike it has become a crime to have pubic hair.  How did this happen?  The hoards of teens and young adults waxing and shaving and lasering their bodies is astounding.

“Full bush!  Can’t stay!  Need ride!  Come on bro!”

“and pubic hair rears it’s ugly head again”

“I feel as if its time to shave my pubes but I should wait until before the party.  Nobody likes a sloppy drunk girl with a stubble-crotch”

“Why can’t I find a man that likes bush instead of a vagina that looks like it belongs to a prepubescent child!”

These humorous text messages are from Texts From Last Night.  It seems some young men would rather run and hide in the bathroom waiting for a friend to pick him up than touch a woman who has the audacity to have hair “down there”.  I thought the idea of hooking up with someone like that was to have meaningless sex?  Surely a bit of fluff with a bit of fluff is still ok right?  Apparently not.

Having tried the full Brazilian, I can honestly say I don’t understand the appeal.  To say it hurts is a bit of an understatement.  Yes – it hurts.  Lots. Once the torture is over,  there is an element of excitement.  And then the novelty wears off.  Fast.  Clothing doesn’t feel right.  Bits that are normally toasty warm suddenly feel cold.  And then the dreaded regrowth begins.

Ugggghhhhh.

I don’t know why there aren’t crowds of young people standing around scratching their prickling genitals.  Regrowth is a bitch.  And it starts almost immediately.  Just when the irritation of having your hair pulled out by the roots subsides, the short and curlies start their inevitable return to the surface.  Nobody warned me about ingrown hairs.  What a delight they are.

We’ve all heard it said “trim the bush – make the tree look bigger”.  Is this why guys want to strip it all away?  I’m all for a bit of manscaping, but a full sack and crack wax makes me cringe.

Young women getting their forearms waxed surely indicates how far this has gone.  I’ve seen teens with no visible hair on their arms paying to have the nonexistent hairs waxed away.  I just don’t understand where this comes from.  Is it a poor body image thing?  Is it peer pressure to conform?

All humour aside, I wonder how we went from a quick tidy up around the edges to completely bald?  And who decides what is beautiful anyway? When does it cease to be a fashion trend and start bordering on Pedophilia?

Smiling as the shit comes down?

Smiling as the shit comes down
You can tell a man from what he has to say
Everything gets turned around
And I will risk my neck again
You can take me where you will
Up the creek and through the mill
Like all the things you can’t explain
Four seasons in one day

Four Seasons in One Day by Crowded House.  Recently it was covered by Paul Kelly and Angus Stone for the album “He Will Have His Way – The Songs Of Tim & Neil Finn.”  The haunting voice of Paul Kelly speaks to me.

So what does life with Autism look like to me?  A bit like this:

 

 

And it makes me smile – well most of the time.

And so it begins…..

Having found the internet to be quite empty at the moment, I decided it was time to blog some of the things that float around in my head.

My links are all to blogs/sites that I find interesting.  I may not always agree with everything they have to say but generally if I have a link to it I like to read it.  You may find something of worth there yourself.  Go take a look.

As this is very much a work in progress, things will change and evolve as I see what works and what doesn’t.  Bear with me and come along for the ride.