The Merrily Perpetuating Meme
I got this from bonorattle. Comment to this post with "When Life Hands You Lemons, Make Lemonade", and I will list 7 things I want you to talk about. Some might make sense or some may be random. Then post your answers to that list to your own journal. Others will get lists from you, and thus the meme will keep perpetuating itself.
Right. These are my answers to bonorattle's questions:
1. Which is worse? A good friend moves away or you lose touch with a good friend who lives near?
People are moving all the time, it's a part of life, so I would have to say the second one. That would be very sad. It hasn't happened to me since I was best friends with a neighbour in the last year of elementary school. We were friends since Grade One, but something happened in between Grade Eight and high school to separate us, and it always felt weird to walk past her house but have no more connection with her. I think of her often.
2. What would you do differently if you knew nobody would judge you?
I'd do/say/write/post exactly what I want, without worrying about what someone else might do or think about it. I realize I am too much of a people pleaser, but don't really want to make too drastic a change in the way I am, because then it wouldn't really be me. I hate wasting energy on stupid things, and for me there is nothing more life-sucking than trying to change myself if I don't feel I should.
3. What tries your patience most these days? Why?
I've made a list:
1) Drivers who pass on the right. It's too scary having someone come lunging up on the right-hand side of the car where I am least expecting it. You're supposed to pass on the left, ffs!
2) People who continue to hold loud, personal conversations in public on their cellphones. Have these idiots not heard of texting? Also, FYI, it has been published in medical journals that more than a half-hour a day with a cellphone stuck to your ear will cause, in 10-20 years' time, tumours to grow in your ear, eye, neck, brain, etc.
3) People who do not pay attention to things they should, i.e. their JOB, what someone is saying to them, their driving, to name three of the most important things.
4. Has reading a book ever changed your life? Which one and why?
Lots have books have done that over the years. But probably the most poignant one was The Diary of Anne Frank, which I read when I was twelve. It helped put everything into perspective. I think I stopped being a selfish, whiny spoiled brat on the exact day I finished the last page. I always wondered if I could ever have been as brave as that little girl was. May she rest forever in peace.
5. Who influences me the most?
My husband. Even though I don't want him to have the most influence on me. He is such an intense Type A at times and has much more emotional strength than I do, placing a lot of importance on things that I find tedious, that I usually let him get his way before he exhausts me. For instance, if he tells me that the house is dirty then I'll usually, against my better wishes, feel guilty and may actually pick up the vaccuum or start dusting. Shame on me.
6. What is your favourite way to waste time?
There are three: reading, watching movies, or spending time on the internet. I'm currently reading a book called 1491, about life in the Americas before Christopher Columbus arrived. It's fascinating and shoots down a lot of false beliefs. I've been watching some non-English language films as well as the Sherlock TV series. I haven't been on the internet as much as usual lately, but I'm sure that will change soon. And as soon as I finish the book, I'll review that as well as the movies.
7. Do I have a secret for maintaining patience in the face of autism?
I don't think I have a secret. In fact, I do think that Sean's autism has at times caused me to lose some of the patience I had before. For me, the best way to calm both of us down when Sean gets himself into a state, is to calm myself first by breathing deeply and remembering why he is acting like that; i.e. I will do a cognitive exercise. I will then grasp him firmly but gently by both shoulders and look into his eyes, trying to engage him. Then I'll plead with him to calm himself. Because noboby else can do it for him, he has to find that place by himself. But I can help him to realize it. After that, some hugging and speaking to him in a quiet voice will help. Also, I'll think of something to comfort him, like suggesting we have a movie night, when I'll make the popcorn while he chooses the movie (usually one of the Ice Age flicks, and making him some 'tea'. (This is mostly milk with a teabag dragged through it.) This usually works, relaxing both of us.
Right. These are my answers to bonorattle's questions:
1. Which is worse? A good friend moves away or you lose touch with a good friend who lives near?
People are moving all the time, it's a part of life, so I would have to say the second one. That would be very sad. It hasn't happened to me since I was best friends with a neighbour in the last year of elementary school. We were friends since Grade One, but something happened in between Grade Eight and high school to separate us, and it always felt weird to walk past her house but have no more connection with her. I think of her often.
2. What would you do differently if you knew nobody would judge you?
I'd do/say/write/post exactly what I want, without worrying about what someone else might do or think about it. I realize I am too much of a people pleaser, but don't really want to make too drastic a change in the way I am, because then it wouldn't really be me. I hate wasting energy on stupid things, and for me there is nothing more life-sucking than trying to change myself if I don't feel I should.
3. What tries your patience most these days? Why?
I've made a list:
1) Drivers who pass on the right. It's too scary having someone come lunging up on the right-hand side of the car where I am least expecting it. You're supposed to pass on the left, ffs!
2) People who continue to hold loud, personal conversations in public on their cellphones. Have these idiots not heard of texting? Also, FYI, it has been published in medical journals that more than a half-hour a day with a cellphone stuck to your ear will cause, in 10-20 years' time, tumours to grow in your ear, eye, neck, brain, etc.
3) People who do not pay attention to things they should, i.e. their JOB, what someone is saying to them, their driving, to name three of the most important things.
4. Has reading a book ever changed your life? Which one and why?
Lots have books have done that over the years. But probably the most poignant one was The Diary of Anne Frank, which I read when I was twelve. It helped put everything into perspective. I think I stopped being a selfish, whiny spoiled brat on the exact day I finished the last page. I always wondered if I could ever have been as brave as that little girl was. May she rest forever in peace.
5. Who influences me the most?
My husband. Even though I don't want him to have the most influence on me. He is such an intense Type A at times and has much more emotional strength than I do, placing a lot of importance on things that I find tedious, that I usually let him get his way before he exhausts me. For instance, if he tells me that the house is dirty then I'll usually, against my better wishes, feel guilty and may actually pick up the vaccuum or start dusting. Shame on me.
6. What is your favourite way to waste time?
There are three: reading, watching movies, or spending time on the internet. I'm currently reading a book called 1491, about life in the Americas before Christopher Columbus arrived. It's fascinating and shoots down a lot of false beliefs. I've been watching some non-English language films as well as the Sherlock TV series. I haven't been on the internet as much as usual lately, but I'm sure that will change soon. And as soon as I finish the book, I'll review that as well as the movies.
7. Do I have a secret for maintaining patience in the face of autism?
I don't think I have a secret. In fact, I do think that Sean's autism has at times caused me to lose some of the patience I had before. For me, the best way to calm both of us down when Sean gets himself into a state, is to calm myself first by breathing deeply and remembering why he is acting like that; i.e. I will do a cognitive exercise. I will then grasp him firmly but gently by both shoulders and look into his eyes, trying to engage him. Then I'll plead with him to calm himself. Because noboby else can do it for him, he has to find that place by himself. But I can help him to realize it. After that, some hugging and speaking to him in a quiet voice will help. Also, I'll think of something to comfort him, like suggesting we have a movie night, when I'll make the popcorn while he chooses the movie (usually one of the Ice Age flicks, and making him some 'tea'. (This is mostly milk with a teabag dragged through it.) This usually works, relaxing both of us.