2019-04-11 - 10:28 p.m.

Now it just might be too confusing to keep editing the prior entry so for this new commentary I will start anew.

The prior entry mentions (now after an edit) a couple of ADHD moments of the week.

The event I went to , screening of movie "This Business of Autism" was really lovely, but the whole experience of doing something out of my norm was- well,
surprisingly challenging for me,
or NOT surprising at all in neurotypical ADHD fashion depending on how one looks at it.

So for the ADHD moments of THIS Week:

1. Got lost on way to take public transportation to work in morn,
as
I needed gas (tank on empty)

and exited the highway, expressway, whatever it is called.... Main thoroughfare from my small town to DC...
to get gas, just a couple towns from home,

but when got back on the road after filling the tank, My brain on autopilot headed BACK HOME.

Not that doesn't seem like a huge mistake however,

I live in one of the areas with some of the worst rush hour traffic.

So it was a time sucking mistake.

Ok, not quite getting lost... but moreso wrong turn. I KNEW where I was just was not thinking for a moment.

#2 Then did turn into the wrong turn at the parking garage for the metro. ( The ride to the metro to go into city was a good hour and a half from my home that morn.)

So had to turn around and circle back to then make the correct turn into parking garage (and not the place for "Valet" parking I entered before in error.)

#3 Driving in a parking garage for an ADHD person is our own special kind of purgatory. It feels like what I imagine it would if someone did just kill me and wanted to punish me. Circles of going around and around to no avail, reading all these signs that say things like "Gold Parking Only" or "Platinum Reserved" , "No Commuter Parking" "Retail Parking Only" Why the hell is there a parking garage with a big sign "Metro" and an arrow next to it as if it is for the commuters taking metro but then when you circle around it for a half hour touring it all find there is not any spot for commuter parking and it is a maze initiating confusion? I imagine an evil mastermind like the Wizard of Oz laughing as he watches befuddled drivers get sucked into the whirl of insanity.... OH what strange pleasure is someone getting from such a twisted space?? Realize I must just be in the wrong garage and this is for the shops, but there MUST be another for commuters. So try to leave but when put ticket in exit it shows owe the whole day cost of parking! Hell No I am not now going to PAY To get out of your evil maze! I now become resolute I WILL find a spot in this godawful doomed place no matter how hard you have made it evil overlord of the parking garage! I find a lone available spot and take it. Then , oh yes then on top of that mayhem there is this god awful JACK HAMMER as there is adjacent construction next the the one open spot I took a gamble on. Signage at the spot said "Platinum Reserved from 7-10AM. YES it was nearly 10 AM in my mind ( shortly after 9... I am estimating..."ten not far away... about 40 min only of a gamble) as I left my car there near the other sign "TOWING STRICTLY ENFORCED" . I met another suit clad befuddled business person wandering looking for a way out. He clutched his briefcase with consternation and when I commented "This is the most awful parking garage" he said " Yeah, I got towed on Thursday- but have no idea where to park" So he was taking a gamble AGAIN it seems as the cost one takes to get to a job! So we wished each other luck that our cars would be there when we return as we both emerged from the elevator we eventually found that take one up to metro level. I was sure to pay careful attention to where I parked, knowing that when returning I could not just listen for the jackhammer as a guide. I

#4 Navigated metro (subway system) to get to my office. After a productive ( albeit shorter than expected day- I skipped lunch), I left on time to enjoy the walk to The White House. I even enjoyed chatting with the peace nix who have been carrying on free speech initiative of protest there for years. Enjoyed a stroll to see what groups were there proselytizing to anyone who would listen. Figure these are passionate people with great dedication and commitment that they deserve someone to respectfully listen to what it is they think so important that they camp out in front of The White House to get attention on their cause. One sign was about Syria , one sign.... OK I have no idea. don't even remember. Apparently I didn't pay ENOUGH attention to the few kinda random signed Other than the peace nix who had some of the standard images, like one of Rachel Corrie, and spoke of de-nuclarizatation. The lady I greeted and listened to was surprisingly sound of argument, but didn't seem so sound of mind. Everything she said made perfect sense to me, but the WAY she delivered it indicated something else... as did the bottle of meds she had sitting on floor between her crossed legs. When I said "What you say makes sense" , at that affirmation she took it as an invitation to start yelling. Fascinating! She then said something like " I will let everyone know , they have to all hear! Even if I have to shout- I need a bullhorn to get everyones attention" or something like that,
to which the activist next to her who was conversing with another lady said "Hey you need to be respectful and quiet down as we deserve the ability to talk to folks without disruption"

Hmm... quite a moment, at which I thanked them both and moved onto my destination.
Detour over...

Went on to find my way to the White House Visitor's Center.

#5 Get to the White House Visitor's Center, which has a sign saying it closed at 4 or 4:30pm (I forget which)- It was just past 4:30 and I expected someone to be there to let folks in for the event. No such luck.

It was then I realized it possible I made a mistake. I pulled out the Evite for the event, which I had printed, to confirm
YES I was in the WRONG PLACE.

The event was being held at the Capital Visitor's Center. I hailed a cab there. By that time blisters had formed on my feet.

https://thisbusinessofautism.com/?fbclid=IwAR3fgXT4nCwuT6ECPytE1-87z7mZwnjcjf0La7hzLRbCbPAMTTeak_GMXAA

It was a good event. Met some local folks I networked with, and it was also very neat to meet some of the LI folks who were there whom this film is actually featuring.

I grew up not far from the town it takes place in. I worked in the town it was filmed in actually! I used to take a bus to get there for work. I volunteered with my mom at a school which at the time was called Abilities.

Then I went on to work with autistic individuals, first in a schools programs, then group homes.

So ten plus years of my life, well professional speaking that is, were working with autistic individuals- but really my exposure was from day one of my life as it is very clear now my one brother (the one that lives with my parents! ) is actually undiagnosed autistic.

He is brilliant, absolutely brilliant, with the knickname "Brain" when a kid- but with few social skills. OR very non neurotypical social skills! Things like eye contact, or actually greeting a person or even acknowledging one when they enter a room do not come naturally to him. Those are skills learned to a degree, as he navigated a job with NY Dept of labor for five years til it ended (for reasons not clear to us. Or rather not SHARED with us, but pretty clear we presume, or assume... He has few typical social skills.)

Brain , I might as well just refer to him by that knickname, is doing alright in life however, even if he does live with the folks.
He obsesses about the NY METS, and enjoys golf, and gets insanely obsessed about politics during election years. He will talk to you , as typical of many autistic persons, with gusto and nearly ad nauseam long after you tire of the subject of obsession. The thing is, his intelligence is clear so what he says is often spot on.

Damn wish he would obsess over stocks...

OH wait...he did. He lived off day trading for a while after leaving Dept of Labor. He was kind a hermit. Our older bro did an intervention to go and convinced him to go on a trip and then also to just move to be with the folks.

I think I likely wrote all about this already.

So Yeah

I enjoyed the movie.

Think everyone should see it. It does help some understand who didn't grow up with an autistic family member or have anyone in their world "on the spectrum".

Think "Spectrum Designs" is such a great company name!

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