Thursday, September 3, 2009

Party with DJ KIRKBY!

Party! Actually I feel like doing the conga line again, but dance to the music that you like. This party rocks! This is the first time ever this type of thing has been done on a blog and like Woodstock, you can say you were here when it happened. Everyone is invited, welcomed, and I mean everyone! Jump in...and let's rock this day!

Cathy won Karl's new book yesterday. Congratulations! Way to go! I'll send your address to Karl.


DJ Kirkby (UK) is a writer I met the first day of this blog party. Glyn Pope (France) introduced us and I think it is only fitting that our last guest writer at the party is the one I met the first day. Not only that, but DJ and I are living with 'invisible disabilities' and we write! Oh boy, do we do that.

When you look at either of us, we look like you. But when we look at you, we know we are different and must translate from our world into yours, so we can interact in your 'typical' world. (DJ says, 'typical' - I say, 'normal')

When DJ said to me that, "School was soul destroying," it was the first time someone has named the experience I had too. Both DJ and I feel strongly about being open with her Autistic spectrum 'disability' (Aspergers) and my dyslexia. Neither of us want sympathy, goodness, this stuff doesn't hurt, it is just harder some days than others. There are a lot worse things we could have.

In her words, "I am determined that my disability will be used to raise autism awareness, to show that a disability does not mean I am incapable just that I have to do things differently to achieve the same outcome."

When we talked about the slant I was going to use today, DJ said, "Yes please champion us and our abilities as disabled people. I still do not know how to interpret facial expressions. I describe attending work as trying to act out a play in a 'forgeign language', so I have to translate it to my aspie language before I can perform in the foreign language of neurotypical people." I said that same foreign language thing here: http://nadinelaman.blogspot.com/2009/04/demystifying-dyslexia-dys-ing-my.html

We can both overload with too much 'too much' from your world. For me it can be the blinking cursor on my monitor, all that bloody input on facebook, those horrible flashing ads on websites, the ceiling fan that my husband loves (I hate) -- all are like a stun gun to my thoughts, jumbling them more, so they don't come out right on my keyboard. For DJ it can be an unexpected tone of voice or a smile that doesn't fit the words when they are naked and without emotion. It is forgetting the expectation of greetings or enquiries to one's well being. "I struggle every day, some days all day. I won't pretend it is easy but I do want people to know that anything is possible if you work hard enough at it." - DJ Kirkby. Learn more about DJ here: http://wildhippiechild.blogspot.com/ and here: http://djkirkby.blogspot.com/

Emailing with DJ has been like finding one of my own kind...a bit different, but finally, I'm not trying to explain what it is like to be on the outside of an inside joke. DJ labours to understand the subtle non-verbal communications and social pleasantries, I labor to be understood by using social pleasantries. We are two sides of the same coin and I think that is just perfect for the makings of a friendship. (Thank you, Glyn!)

Oddly as it may seem, we both found written language to be a bridge between our world and yours. DJ's memoir of her life as a hippy child in Canada, then UK, and her (OMG! finally at age 40) diagnosis with Aspergers is titled, From Zaftig to Aspie.

See DJ's YouTube:


THIS is DJ reading from her book!



Party Game: DJ is giving away two signed copies of From Zaftig to Aspie. To fit with the 'foreign language' concept, create an anagram of your name like this: For example, DJ Kirkby - 'J irk'd by K'. Does that make sense? OR write something you had to overcome to reach a goal (remember this is on the internet, think twice what you want to put on the net). 1 - 2 - 3 GO!

Party music from my friend, Marsha Stewart!




Music suggestion from Cathy Marley...another fine Phoenix woman, Anne Moscow, singing to all of you...from us here in Arizona USA.




This is the place to party without worrying about typos in the comments (who cares?) -- this is after all, only the FIRST DRAFT.

**If you need help navigating blogger, here are some basic instructions: http://nadinelaman.blogspot.com/2009/08/just-few-basics.html
The comment section is below this line. Click on the word "comments." That's where you can leave a note. eMail me if you have trouble with this...NadineLaman(at)aol.com

95 comments:

  1. Good morning World! I'll be right back. I have to restart my computer - thank you very much for all those untimely download updates to IE! Jeepers! Who times those things?

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  2. Hi and thanks for hosting me Nadine. I am very excited to have my own party here after reading everyone else's and leavign a comment when I felt I had something intelligent to say! I have t leave for work in a few minutes and won't be able to comment here for about 8 hours. Have lots of fun while I am gone everyone! xo

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  3. Hi DJ, we will make sure there are lots of posts for you when you return home. See ya later!

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  4. I cheated, used an anagram generator. My favourite anagram of Carrie Sheppard so far is:

    Scrapheap Rider

    :-)

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  5. A Scrappier Herd

    A Draper Ciphers

    If I try Carolyn instead of Carrie:

    'Halo scrappy nerd'

    But for Nadine, the best is

    'Damn! An alien.'

    This IS fun...

    Carrie

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  6. I like that one Carrie, thanks. I can't do this suff. It might as well be Cuniform or Sanskrit.

    Since I didn't do the other one, let's see...a challange? Hummm. Well, I love to fly, but not over the open ocean. However, I have so many friends I want to see and some to meet on the other side of the Atlantic, and it is silly (though I did consider it) to fly across the 10 miles of water west of Alaska and backwards across to England. I guess I will have to overcome that one.

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  7. Glyn, I know you are here, you emailed me hours ago. I want to say thank you again for introducing DJ.

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  8. Side note, this party has been visited by people from 52 countries now. Simply amazing!

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  9. I'm going to have to shut down my com and do a few things...be back in an hour. Keep commenting.

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  10. *waves Hi to DJ*

    I have just spent a lovely weekend with the fabulous DJ and have a signed book already so please don't enter me into the draw...I just couldn't resist having a go at the anagram thing...the best I could come up with was

    Carol Burns = Acorns Blur :-)

    C x

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  11. Super post :)
    From Zaftig to Aspie here: http://whenthedogsbite.blogspot.com/2009/08/review-in-senryu_29.html

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  12. Hi DJ. I've been freezing tomatoes and trying to think of an anagram for Nadine Leman. Its difficult for a man to do two things at the same time. So I am now exhausted.

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  13. Good morning, Carol! Glad you came. You can try making one from her title.

    Sorry to respond so late. I fell asleep at my desk, you should see the red mark on my forehead! heh heh heh

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  14. Hello LD, and welcome. Thanks for the link, I'm following you now. Post more?

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  15. Hello Glyn, darling. That is so sweet of you.

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  16. Marsha Stewart, my friend from Arizona now living in England emailed a YouTube for DJ's party! Ah sweet, thank you. Posting it now.

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  17. 109 people (veeeery quiet people) have visited this blog so far. Go ahead, leave DJ a note here. You don't HAVE TO play the game, just say hello.

    We have been visited (in 4 weeks) from 53 countries.

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  18. The country list has been updated. http://nadinelaman.blogspot.com/2009/08/weekend-intermission_29.html

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  19. The amount of interest is very amazing.
    For some reason better known to children's brains it used to amuse my children, perhaps it still does, that my name backwards was Epop Nylg

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  20. Good Morning! It's 6:33AM in New Hampshire...and a bit chilly outside.

    Wow...DJ...how appropriate that I (we) meet you today. My 17 year old stepson is undergoing extensive testing to include testing for Aspergers. As a full time stepmom to a very challenging young man, I write extensively for stepmoms on my other blog, http://thestepmomstoolbox.com. Of all the challenges remarried families have, stepmoms particular, my biggest challenge is Junior.

    I could go on and on....but it's probably better for me to get your book and find out what it's like to have Aspergers. Trying to connect with Junior is like trying to pound a square peg into a round hole. I don't want to give up but I'm out of ideas.

    I look forward to reading your website while I'm at work latter today!

    Peggy

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  21. Oh funny, Glyn. I bet you amused your children quite a bit. My kids rolled their eyes at me more than once. I'd tell them it could be worse and listed off possible substitute moms they could have. They just laughed. Kids!

    DJ and I both have 3 sons each. Isn't that cool?

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  22. Good morning, Peggy. Getting DJ's book is a good idea.

    I've never really made an issue out of my dyslexia (as an adult) unless I was backed into a corner and had to admit it to save the moment. So when I announced it officially 6 months ago on First Draft, writers in particular whom I know have expressed how helpful it has been to them to know this.

    We try to teach our kids about acceptance of physically disabled people, other races and cultures, but the subtle disabilities aren't mentioned. I have to say comments about typos and spelling have deminished. They were never meant to be hurtful and I know these people would not mean to hurt, but there were days...

    Good for you! Mom or stepmom, you are the best-est.

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  23. So...onto the Anagram challenge:

    I used my proper name: Margaret Nolan and I used the anagram generator. This one made me giggle:

    Maternal Groan


    I'd choose this one for my SciFi name:

    Galena Rat Norm

    This would be my Office Space name:

    Manager Rant Lo

    When I'm angry with Junior, I'm sure he'd want to call me this:

    Maternal Rag On

    My WWF Smackdown name:

    Arena Gnarl Mot

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  24. Using Peggy Nolan

    This would be my Porn Star name:

    Gag Penny Lo

    hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

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  25. Those are funny, Peggy. It was DJ's husband who came up with the game for today.

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  26. DJ will be home from work after 10 AM my time, so for you, Peggy, I think that is about 1PM. Maybe you can ask some questions. DJ's youngest son also has Aspergers.

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  27. Thanks Nadine! I'll think of some questions and see if I can post them before I go to work.

    There's a reason for everything and I've connected with some really great people at this party. Having DJ as the guest of honor today is the cherry on top for me.

    Even though I can't post while I'm at work, I will be reading!

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  28. Have a good day at work, Peggy. Email your firends and send them this direction. You never know who might be looking for answers.

    It is 4 am here on the west coast of the USA. I'm going to catch a few zzzz. Leave messages. Still 20 hrs to go!

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  29. Hi folks

    I used an online anagram-finder for this task. Is that cheating?

    Anyway, for Nick Daws, the best sounding one was Dick Swan. All the others sounded rather unpleasant. I'm not sure I'd want to be called Sack Wind, for example, although some people might think it was rather appropriate!

    Great idea for a contest, by the way!

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  30. Like Nick anagram finder)
    I've turned Chinese, I'm now
    Yelp Pong

    With best wishes
    Mr Pong

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  31. Sack Wind is FUNNY.

    Mr. Pong, I wish you a very happy day!

    xo
    Gag Penny Lo...aka Arena Gnarl Mot (depending on which name I feel like using!)

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  32. Hi Peggy

    I've just put your prize book from 'my' day in the mail to you. Hope it reaches you soon!

    Nick Daws aka Sack Wind

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  33. I've read DJ's book. It's brilliant!

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  34. Hello Rachel, Helly Peggy, Hello Glyn, Hello Nadine, Hello Carol, Hello Nick (Sack Wind.. nice one!), hello Nitebyrd.

    Great to see this party is still rocking!

    This is COOL! Go on, try some more anagrams you shy old things you!

    Carrie

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  35. Hi everyone. Wow thanks for playing along! My collegues have gone to the canteen for lunch and I am hiding at my desk. I need the break, we've been in a meeting all morning, my worst of worst work nightmares. And, in this one they all tend to talk at once, arrrggghhh. So nice to come on here and read your comments in an orderly queue.

    Glad to see Glyn arrived, I was wondering where you were. I should have known you'd be sorting your garden harvest

    Carrie (a.k. scrapheap rider) nice to meet you.

    Nadine
    If you get brave enough to fly over open water then there is a warm welcome for you at my home.

    Carol and Rachel
    My very dear friends, thank you so much for joining in today. Carol that is a cute little anagram.

    Marsha, thanks for the party music, I wondered why that had appeared on the post.

    Peggy (a.k.a. maternal groan),
    How great to meet you. I'll be checking out your blog later. Please post all the questions you have or email me. djkirkby *at* gmail.com

    Nick
    I clicked over to your blog, it looks interesting. I quite liked your Dick Swan anagram, N1S favourite saying at the moment is 'swan swan' for no apparent reason.

    Hope I havent missed anyone. I'll check back in after work. So if i missed you give me another holler and I'll comment back. xo

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  36. Ah Nitebyrd, you snuck in there! Hello lovely, thanks for stopping by.x

    Hi Complete Trainer...are you the same person as Scrapheap Rider?

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  37. Hi Dirk by kj

    Yes, Scrapheap Rider is also...

    'I'm tolerant creep'

    Oh, and Karl Moore is

    'Arm looker'

    Carrie :-)

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  38. Hello All !
    The anagram for my name is:
    Ashram Stewrat
    I LOVE IT !!

    Darn - now I've just spelled my name this way when trying to post my comment - arrrgghhh !

    I think that everyone who popped on this blog party - all 53 countries -should meet for a party in person. Start planning Nadine ! BYOB - bring your own beer. The Riviera sounds nice.

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  39. Hi Carrie, big lols at your last two anagrams, esp the one for Karlo's.

    Hi Marsha, if you mean the Italian Riviera then count Chez Aspie in!

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  40. Ashram Stewrat - now that is a totally believalbe name!

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  41. My REAL, proper, legal name (including middle name) comes out as

    Jaunty croon as clean

    Leaving out the middle name is even better:

    'Or a consultancy'

    How appropriate!

    *sigh* end of lunch break (such as it was), back to my new and interesting task of account managing some extremely interesting Diversity and Inclusion work for a senior colleague.

    Rock on folks.

    Was thinking about putting up a new song on my myspace - it's a bit rough - but... well. Maybe.

    www.myspace.com/carolynsheppard

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  42. Good morning - again! (I'm starting to get confused on which time zone I'm in.)

    Wow! Hello everyone. What game players you are! No - nothing is cheating: use your resources. (double negative intended)

    Karl Moore's winner is posted - Cathy! Yea!

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  43. By the way DJ - I do a nice line in 'How to Manage Meetings' on my commercial website! LOL..

    Carrie

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  44. Carrie, great resource for DJ (and the rest of us) post the link, please.

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  45. Wow...I read the post notices in my email, but now I don't see the posts. Carrie did my whole family and it is gone, so is the notice. Is that weird or what?

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  46. Hello, people!

    DJ, nice to meet you! I have a cousin with Autism and her mother has Asperger. I read a book by Valerie Paradiz few weeks ago, and blogged about it, even my background was Autism Awareness themed! I find it fascinating to read books written by people with Asperger, to hear an authentic voice. Your You Tube is wonderful!

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  47. Hi Ivy. DJ should be home soon. We are up to visitors from 55 countries. Whoo-hoo!

    I have to go for a min. I signed back into facebook last night to find an author and now my comp is all wacky. I knew better than to do that...BRB

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  48. Hi everyone, I'm back.

    Carrie, is your how to manage meetings specific to Autism? I couldn't find it on your website.

    Hi Ivanna, welcome! Thank you for the compliment. I look forward to having a look round your website soon.

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  49. Carrie, I like the way you cheat! I figured since I did the same thing, I should challenge myself to come up with some comments, so Cathy Marley =

    First, the anagrams took me right to the writing world:
    Arty Alchemy – what writers do every day!
    My Chat Relay – First Draft parties!
    My Early Chat – U.S. – European blogging ala Nadine

    My Lacy Heart - hmmm, a potential book title?
    My Clay Heart – another book title?
    Ah Cry My Tale – still one more book title?

    And then, things took a walk on the wild side:
    The Lacy Army – don’t ask, don’t tell?
    My Racy Lathe – porn for machinists!
    Thy Racy Male – porn for Quakers!
    Racy La Thyme – porn for French chefs!
    Try A May Lech – something a little different
    Arty May Lech – narrowing the field

    Plus a couple more just for fun:
    My Real Yacht – our 1949 Chris Craft
    Try A Lacy Hem – instructions for couture designers

    This was fun! Thank you DJ.

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  50. Hey Cathy...you are getting back your writing bug!

    DJ, I talked with Carrie as she was leaving work. She'll come online from home (later) and post or email the link (I forgot to ask).

    My best guess on how it would help is that it would help you manage the input and thus, better control the situation. Although, everyone talking at once is just plain rude and you don't have to have a disability to find that annoying.

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  51. I think I choose Racy LaThyme as my new stage name! This is just TOO much fun!
    Hugs with a bump and a grind,
    Racy

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  52. OMGosh, Cathy, you are rocking today. Thanks for the music suggestion...posted it. From us Phoenix writers (Cathy, Joy, me) to all of you!

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  53. Yep, Nadine, the muse has given up on whispering. Now she is starting to shout. I guess that means it's time to start paying attnetion. I know her well. If I don't start writing again pretty soon, she'll be waking me up in the middle of the night. Actually, that's how my book title, Writing Naked at 4 a.m., came about.

    Oh, and Nick, I also like Sack Wind. It has a bit of a naughty feel to it. Would you like to star alongside Racy LaThyme in my new film, The Lacy Army?

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  54. Well...party on. I'm going to make some lunch, and I'll be back soon.

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  55. Hi everyone, just to let you know I'm here and reading the comments.

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  56. Hello, Glyn darling. I saw your 'well, well' post on the other page. How are the tomatoes going?

    For those who have asked, yes Carolyn Howard-Johnson, one of our guests is near, but not threatened, by the fires in LA. Guess I'd better ck my family, they live near there too.

    I'll be back after lunch. I'll rescue you Glyn if the women get to be a handful.

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  57. DJ & Nadine, I cannot begin to imagine the challenges you have both faced in you lifetimes. You have my deepest admiration for succeeding so brilliantly in what you have chosen to do. Thank God you did not let your "invisible" disabilites keep you from writing. Your success is a gift to any of us who love to read!

    Nadine, I had not thought to say anything before, but I have a grandson who is severely dyslexic and I have seen him struggle his whole life. It's reassuring to know there is hope for him.

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  58. Yes too often dyslexic, aspergus (spelling?) are just judged by people/teachers as awkward lazy children. A physical disability (I've just had to remove the second biggest spider I've seen in a house)a physical disabilty just gets the sympathy it deserves because its obvious. My father was dyslexic but considered the dim member of the family whilst his brothers were whizz kids. My mother recognised what was wrong with him when she started teaching. He was in his forties. Only once did I see him write anything. A letter to my mother when she was in hospital. His hand went straight over it when he saw me looking. I'm sure now not because it was full of passion but because he was ashamed of his standard of writing and spelling. He was an intelligent man. He enjoyed reading. I think his dyslexia was a problem with writing and particularly spelling.

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  59. Cathy those were priceless!

    Two can play at that game!

    Here we go...

    A Cardsharp Jenny Pole - my secret is discovered!

    A Placard Spree Johnny - 'Couldn't help myself, your honour'

    A Japan Lynchers Roped - ah.. I'm not explaining that one in case they catch me

    A Dancer Reapply Johns - his what? I'm not telling!

    A Scarred Apple Johnny - too much cider, sorry

    A Rancher Jalopy Spend - it only cost me two hundred bucks and she goes like the wind!

    A Palace Nerd John Spry - Methinks we be related

    A Carnal Deep John Spry - nope, maybe not!

    Arch A Prolapsed Jenny - noooooooo!


    ... I quit! The machine found over 52,000 anagrams for my full name!

    Carrie

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  60. I completely understand what you mean, Glyn. People tend to expect more of my grandson who has dyslexia, and act as thought he has failed when he is unable to meet their expectations. They make exceptional allowances, however, for the grandson who lost a leg in an accident. One, they say, is the victim of a tragedy. The other lives down to people's expectations of him and is just considered wild and uncontrollale when he does. And yet, both have suffered life-altering disabilities. Is there really any difference between the two?

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  61. Excellent riposte, Carrie! God forbid any of us should ever suffer a prolapsed Jenny! Isn't a Jenny a female donkey? Now a prolapse could make one most ill tempered indeed! I think I would arch too!

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  62. Well, don't think it is hard-hard for me. I type fast enough that all the back spacing I do isn't too much of a problem. (No paint on the backspace button now). Like DJ said, we just go at things in a different route.

    Cathy, tell your 'slow' grandson that statiscally speaking, dyslexic people have a higher IQ than the mass population, and there are a few people with it who he might have heard of, like that very successful actress, Whoopie Goldberg, and that bad hair day guy, Albert Einstein...you know, such loosers to hang with, eh? Show them/him my books.

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  63. Ah, donkeys again. They make an appearance every day.

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  64. My main worry, as an adult, about coming out of the closet about dylexia was that people would redefine me by the diagnosis, not as the character that I am.

    It is sort of like when you text msg and the wrong word is assumed. That moment of *oh crap* it did it again and I sent it that way. So what, resend the right message or let it go.

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  65. DJ gave that theatre example in the main post. I think the thing is to get an idea of how it is, but not always fix Nadine+dyslexia when you think of me. I'd rather, Nadine+writer or Nadine+firend.

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  66. Okay, DJ, I'm shutting up, come talk about you. How is being a writer for you?

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  67. Yes, Glyn and you started it, as I recall...

    heh heh heh I do love you still.

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  68. Funny, Nadine, I don't think I have ever thought Nadine+dyslexia. I just consider they dyslexia a non-issue, something your deal with very well. Frankly, I don't think you give yourself enough credit for how few errors ever actually come out in your writing. To me, that shows a remarkable level of discipline and talent. To me, you will always be Nadine+writer+friend!

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  69. Sorry I've been absent everyone. N3S isn't happy abotu going back to schol tomorrow and needed lots of mum time.

    Cathy those were great. There isn't one for DJ Kirkby, my husband made up the one for mine in the post. That's cool you are going to start writing again. My muse shouts too.

    Hey, there are fires in LA? There are fires in the Okanagent oo where my mum lives. Scary.

    Hey Cathy (and Glyn)
    Thanks. I was saying to Nadine this morning that I was taught a little abouu how the dyslexic mind processes information and it is proof that dyslexics are some of the most clever, unbelieveably complex people on Earth.

    Hi Nadine
    Yes rude and hard to cope with. I just gave up abotu 5 minutes into it. I can't possibly match expression to words and interpret for more than oen person at a time never mind everyone at once for the whole day. Unreal. Anyway I told them they were confusing me and stayed silent for the rest of the meeting, they're used to me.

    Hi again Nadine,
    Writing is a bit of a release for me. Could be becaase I have a shouty muse though. I use it to work my way through what neurotypical (NT)people really mean. I can put scenarios to the test then, if an NT said such and such but did this then it might mean...and so on. It is also my attempt to expalin myself to others, well on my blog anyway. I've yet to write a novel with an apsie as the main charecter.

    I've got to appologise to you all as I will need to shut this computer down soon and go to bed, I am way too overloaded, my brain is jittery and my skin hurts. Imagien your skin being rubbed with sandpaper, you'll get the idea. That is sort of what sensory overload is like. I blame work :)

    I will be back on in the morning to respond to you all again and also I will choose two winners and email Nadine with their names.

    Oh and Peggy I got your email and I will answer you tomorrow morning. xo

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  70. Goodnight DJ. Sweet dreams. Ignore the email I just sent, you answered here. Thanks for doing this. I think it would be cool to write with an Aspri MC.

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  71. I'm still here! Personally, I have to tell you DJ and I are trading books - can't wait to read hers. So, if you don't win tomorrow (for today) then I think you should get out there and buy her book to see what an 'invisible disabled' writer can do. That should kick everyone's muse in the butt!

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  72. DJ is my last guest writer, however...you gotta come back tomorrow to see who wins!

    Plus, it is only 1 PM here in the west states, so we have 11 more hours to party today!

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  73. Two things
    1. You could include 'donkey' in your search engines
    2. I've been up since the crack of dawn and am also off to bed
    Cu all in the morning
    Love to all Glynx

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  74. Cathy, Group Hug (It might just be the two of us, but hey we are fiction writer, right? We will imagine the rest of them are with us.)

    Thanks for the kind remarks. Back when we met, I don't recall if I was copping to being dyslexic. I did put it on my newsletter to get people to give me a break on that. My web designer proofs my newsletter, but she isn't responsible for changes I make when I'm supposed to be fixing goofs or sometimes I elect to leave them and just get the newsletter up. (BTW it is late this month!)

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  75. It's all attitude. See what Susan Gabriel posted on her blog today. I love Maya Angelou. Watch the YouTube there. Quite the treat, that Maya. http://www.susangabriel.com/blog/writers-and-writing/and-still-i-rise/

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  76. Hi Nadine. I'm here. A bit late since everybody left. Those anagrams were great. People had so much fun. Great idea!

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  77. Hello Ivy, I'm here. Cathy must still be around, it isn't that late in Phoenix - 2 PM.

    How is your writing coming along?

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  78. Poorly these days. When I can't get to the cmputer, I write in notebooks. God knows how I'm going to decipher what's written there. I need to read Frankenstein again so this will put it off a bit too.

    I finished HT. I laughed at the driving lesson. That was hilarious! Just started Sara Summers. I'm in love with it already!

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  79. Oh goodness. Glyn and/or I will beta read for you. It doesn't need to be polished for the first beta read. Pick one of us and save the other for the next time after you have done rewrites.

    HT is heavy, just had to do that Sr. Theresa thing - couldn't help myself.

    Seeaking Sara Summers does read like butter on freshed baked warm bread.

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  80. I will dedicate more to that in about two weeks, then I'll have few weeks before the lectures start and finally finish the first draft. Right now it's about staying in college or not :(

    I should go now. Sorry I wasn't around more today, life got in the way so...See you in the morning before the next post.
    xo,
    Ivy

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  81. Good night, Ivy! Sweet dreams. I'm sending good wishes on the winds of change.

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  82. Back from work! I've so enjoyed reading everyone's posts even though I couldn't comment...LOVE the anagrams :-)

    I'm truly grateful that Carolyn's tweet led me here... besides the book bounty I seem to have collected, I've met some fabulous writers! I hope to continue building upon the new friendships.

    I'm off to kickboxing class and then some down time with my sweetie. See you all tomorrow

    xxoo

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  83. I'm seriously romancing the idea of a nap. One thing about all of us, we each have 24 hrs in a day. What we do with those hours defines us. So if there is a handicap, it is of our own making. Hopefully, I'm back to being a writer in everyone's thinking, because:

    Writers are alchemists with the ability to suspend time, to transport others to another world or reality, to make mortal a figment of our imaginations. Nadine Laman, 2007

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  84. Uh-oh, I had a call from a client (imagine!) and got sidetracked. I was glad to finally talk to her since I wanted to tell her all about Nadine's blog party. Now we are talking about setting up a blog for her staffing business. Thanks, Nadine. I suspect I will really be picking your brain now!

    Looks like while I was gone I missed getting to say good night to everyone on the other side of the world. Darn! If anyone is still awake out there, I'm sending visions of cotton candy dreams to sweeten your rest.

    Ivy, I just started Sara Summers too. I especially love Susan's always-creative use of similies. I think that's what I mean; I always get those technical terms mixed up. Imagine comparing a failing marriage to a dead body lying on a kitchen floor or silence as a drug of choice! I'm already making notes for a glowing review!

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  85. Ladies, yes- do write reviews. There are the usual places like amazon et al, and a new kid in town that I really like, filedby.com. Here is Susan's page. You have to register to post, but it is painless. http://filedby.com/author/susan_gabriel/3491434

    "Pick my brain?" says she. "It will cost you - I really like Panda Bowl. 59th Ave and Beardsley Eastbound off the 101 north loop. Tell me when!"

    Seriously, Cathy, if you start a blog, you will know everything you need in no time. Also look at the instructions I posted. Follow the link above in green font. I like Blogger best, but that isn't your only choice.

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  86. To date the Google Analytics for the party are: Since 10 August to 3 September, there have been 1,915 visits to the blog party with a bounce rate of 37.91%. There have been 8,556 page views, and the average time on the blog is 00:14:18 with 29.24% New Visitors, and all visitors are from 55 countries. All traffic sources sent 1,915 visits via 110 sources and mediums.

    I know you twitter people are going to ask, twitter routed 53 visitors to the blog party. Blogger routed 786 visitors. Facebook, 47.

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  87. Yes you did, and that was good. Glad you came.

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  88. please see what Peggy wrote today:
    http://thestepmomstoolbox.com/mom-said-thered-be-days-like-this/comment-page-1/#comment-461

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  89. Mornign everyone.

    Glyn all your retorts about donkeys are so hilarious

    Nadine, Cathy, Ivy, Peggy, thanks fro keeping the party rocking all night/day - depending on where you live.

    Peggy thanks for the post on your blog today. I've linked to you from mine and I will read it regularly with interest. Nadine you are linked too of course, I look forward to what you'll be post next week after the party decorations come down. I also found Nick's and Ivy's blogs interesting. So loads of new reading for me to do on weekends. I'll leave a comment when I've got something clever to say otherwise I will just lurk in the background of your blogs.

    I hope i didn't miss anyone in the comment box, if I did please understand it wasn't intentional. I appreciate all of your comments and thank you so much for joining in the fun. xo

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  90. It was a great party! Now to cruise today's...

    Carrie

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  91. Welcome aborad, DJ. I have a medical background but not real familiar with Aspergers. The video of your book is beautiful.

    I have also started Sara Summers, too. It is so wonderfully written. It is true by gosh, we all are excellent writers and I am blessed to have gotten to meet you all in a blog sort of way. I just wish I'd been in and out more each day. Have fun and DJ, enjoy.

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