Image credit: Photo by Nena B. on Flickr Licensed under Creative Commons A few months ago, Mark and I took the kids to a "sensory friendly" movie showing. Autistic individuals, and others with sensory processing difficulties, can find a typical movie going experience overwhelming. Movies are loud. Theaters are dark and often crowded. The screen [...]
Posts under ‘gratitude’
Giving Thanks
Image credit: Photo by Alex E. Proimos Licensed under Creative Commons On Thanksgiving morning, I needed to run out to the grocery store for a few last minute items, and if the parking lot of my local store was any indication, I was far from the only one. As I weaved my way slowly through [...]
Al-Anon: The Made-for-TV Movie
A few days ago, The Junky's Wife sent me an e-mail with the subject line "Lois Movie!" (Yes, I am shamelessly piggybacking on JW's superior recovery research skills and pop culture knowledge.) Now for most people, that might imply that a new Superman film is coming out. After all, in spite of the fact that [...]
Looking Back
Image credit: Art by jeloid on Flickr Licensed under Creative Commons I started keeping a journal semi-regularly when I was in middle school. My very earliest journal entries are a thrilling roller coaster ride through the life of a suburban tween: from the heartbreaking lows of the cancellation of my favorite TV show to the [...]
What Autism Is Supposed to Look Like
Image credit: Photo by cproppe on Flickr Licensed under Creative Commons We took the kids to a pool party at the home of some friends of mine recently. The hosts, as well as several guests, moved a fair drive away from us several years ago, and several more guests were visiting from out of town. [...]
Blocks and Straps
Image credit: Photo by rachel a. k. on Flickr Licensed under Creative Commons An Al-Anon friend and I were talking the other day about how frustrating it can be as we progress on our journeys, to see what that next healthier behavior looks like (just a step beyond where we are currently), but not be [...]
The Man in the Mirror
I roll my eyes as a cluster of neon clad girls buzz, "The way the sidewalk lights up as he walks is so cool! I love that song." Michael Jackson and that stupid Billie Jean video. Cool? Whatever. He's so overrated. I mean, if you wanted to talk about enduring cool, who could really compete [...]
Recovery is Sexy
Image credit: Photo by Eternal ☼ Sunshine on Flickr Licensed under Creative Commons It was raining the night I first kissed my husband. The wind was hissing and howling through the bare branches of the trees, rattling the last of the dead leaves still clinging to their posts. Before we kissed, we twined our hands [...]
In Which I Wish Addiction (and Recovery) on the World
Image credit: Photo by JustinLowery.com on Flickr Licensed under Creative Commons This weekend, for the first time in my life, I had the opportunity to hear a sex addict from my husband's recovery group speaking about his experiences. I know my husband's story, about as intimately as anyone else can; in a way, it's my [...]
The Wisdom to Know the Difference
Image credit: Photo by Ron Layters on Flickr Licensed under Creative Commons A month or so ago, I did something I dread and despise: I took a trip on an airplane. When I fly, the joy is entirely in the destination and not at all in the journey. The flight fills me with terror: terror [...]
