Uncategorized – Manual Transmission: Shifting Gears as an Adult with Autism

Revolutionary Thinking – First Year

Hi, I’m Bart, and I have autism. Sound like an AA meeting? Well, it took some humility and self-admission on my part to say anything about autism to anyone. I’ve written before about my feelings at the time of my diagnosis; one of the self-imposed scripts that began to haunt me was, “Tell no one.” Continue reading “Revolutionary Thinking – First Year”

Connections Make Community – Part 2

A few posts ago, I wrote about a mall that went under several years ago. This week, coincidentally, I visited two other malls in RVA in one day! Are malls making a comeback? Or did they only serve me and my family’s purposes that day? The mall from the past that is now non-existent hadContinue reading “Connections Make Community – Part 2”

Viscosity, Efficacy and Hesitancy – Which Oil Should I Use?

Like my info pages state, this is NOT medical advice. These are just my testimonies – get with a health practitioner about any health concern you may have. Oil. The big word I often hear with motor oil performance is viscosity: “n. the state of being thick, sticky, and semifluid in consistency, due to internalContinue reading “Viscosity, Efficacy and Hesitancy – Which Oil Should I Use?”

Driving, Delivering, Deodorizing

The Mini is getting a lot more highway miles than it used to. I changed jobs about three months ago, and my commute went from about 14 miles of weaving through Richmond, to 55 miles of highway driving. My average MPG has gone up, but I’m spending more on gas. Neither the extra miles norContinue reading “Driving, Delivering, Deodorizing”

Mall Life, Mall Danger, Mall Death

The shopping mall where I spent some of my youth is gone. Razed to the ground for newer strip-style and free-standing stores and an apartment complex, that mall had been a huge part of my young life. We always wanted to go the mall as kids. I can remember a huge bike ride a fewContinue reading “Mall Life, Mall Danger, Mall Death”

Weddings Keep Me Engaged

I look forward to retirement in about 10 years, but I don’t want to stop being active, engaged, and a contributor to my family’s needs. Working has also given me an activity to keep me connected to other people. I enjoy being involved with people, and don’t want to lose that “muscle.” One of theContinue reading “Weddings Keep Me Engaged”

Transportation Decisions

While I was at my Transportation Officer Basic Course at Fort Eustis, Virginia, it was the prime of my life. 22 years old – wearing the country’s uniform every day – training with other young hopefuls. I enjoyed Army training (most of you are looking at me now with that “He does need therapy” look)Continue reading “Transportation Decisions”

Beef Wellington with a Side of Trepidation

Cooking is fun to me, but I am usually too distracted by my hunger to spend a lot of time with it. I’ll heat some pasta sauce, add some extra spices, throw it on some chickpea pasta and I’m in my happy place. Fortunately, my wife’s cooking skills, bound with love for her family, haveContinue reading “Beef Wellington with a Side of Trepidation”

Important Stuff

Some people have trouble getting rid of their stuff. We’ve done a lot over the last few years to downsize and de-accumulate. Life is so much easier with less to manage. Some people on the spectrum obsess over certain possessions, but anyone can suffer from a little separation anxiety with something. Part of my jobContinue reading “Important Stuff”

Did I Check My Pockets?

All three of my children had become adults before we knew that I was on the autism spectrum. All I wanted when they were born – even before they were born – was to be a good dad. I wanted to spend time with my children, teach them the ways of faith and life, seeContinue reading “Did I Check My Pockets?”