The Caffeinated Advocate

Maybe I need to speak up for those in back of the room or those who, with all due respect to my fellow badasses, truly believe autism awareness is a fruitless effort. Someone hand me a megaphone. Please.  A really big, obnoxious one that magnifies my voice for miles upon miles, from mountain top to mountain top, from sea to shining sea. We are not ... I repeat, for the 103,572,968th time since 2001, we are NOT. AWARE. ENOUGH. We are most certainly not aware enough and not demonstrating enough respect, empathy, or compassion to youth in transition and to adults. And we aren't exercising a shred of common sense (and in some cases, common decency). Why yes, I am bitter af today. Here's the deal: you mess with my son, you're messing with me, you're messing with my global autism tribe of activists, advocates and their loved ones and I almost feel sorry for you.  Actually, I don't.  It's nearly the end of 2018, and in the past year and half, my family - sp...

Dear 40, Hey, how YOU doin'?! You know, I wasn't sure I was quite ready to meet you. Most days I still feel like I'm still the young single mama flailing in my 20's trying to figure out this whole life thing out. Then again, there's other days that I feel and look like I'm approaching 50 (you know, like this morning ... no pics needed, this not so fresh face wouldn't be pretty). Eh, whatev. Here I am, and here you are, and here we are, and, here we go. Being 40 in 2018 isn't easy. I shared a picture on Facebook yesterday that ignited this post that has been brewing in my head for weeks now upon entering this new decade and entering into "Self-Care September." Brene Brown, a favorite author and speaker of mine posted a picture that said, "it takes courage to rest and play in a culture where exhaustion is seen as a status symbol." It sure does. Because in 2018, you're not supposed to actually to rest and act upon self-care, ri...

Overdue. Way overdue. Yes, I know. I've seen a quite a few friends and acquaintances whose blogs I follow take somewhat of a hiatus for a few months. I fell into that category, too. However, I'm unapologetically me and I know that I have nothing to say I'm sorry for. I'm far from perfect. I'm not so perfectly imperfect, and I'm grateful for being so. *** As many of you have seen from my social media posts over the last two weeks, I'm in the midst of another professional transition. I've shed tears, I've had many laughs, and my heart is bursting with gratitude for what lies ahead as I honestly and wholeheartedly " achieve my truest self ." More on that another day and another time. That's not the purpose of this blog. I've taken on a lot (a loooooooooooooot) this past month, maybe a little much, but these are callings I have chosen to answer just the same. If you follow or have friended me on Facebook, you'll see that I...

Tomorrow is "the anniversary." Seventeen years have passed. To this day, I still remember each every moment that occurred on April 19, 2001 (and the entire weekend that followed). I remember wearing an orange polo shirt, khakis, brown suede boots and a matching jacket from Wilsons Leather where at the time, I worked as an assistant manager. I was due to report to my Century III store at 5pm that evening after Christian’s appointment with his endocrinologist and grabbing a quick bite to eat before dropping everyone off and heading to my shift. This day by no means played out as it was “supposed to.” At the appointment, I was told that my son “wasn’t normal” and that something was “wrong … very wrong.” The day didn’t go as it was “supposed to.” Or … did it? As promised, for the first time on The Caffeinated Advocate, I am sharing the excerpts from my 2008 speech delivered at a walk kickoff luncheon at Heinz Field in front of over 700 people. *** Ralph Waldo Emerson tells us, ...

Have any of you seen that meme on social media yet? Apparently, it's the term that was created to indicate that you're "too tired to give a shit."  It gave me a good laugh, and it kind of speaks to how I've felt these past several weeks. Ok, so maybe I don't completely not give a shit, but I would say I'm giving less of a shit out of sheer exhaustion. I haven't done much with my book outline, I never picked a logo for a future web home for this blog (and whatever else may come down the pipeline), and I just haven't felt like blogging. Blogging for likes and loves and follows and numbers after ending your post with 70 hashtags isn't healthy, isn't productive, and honestly ... I would challenge that many people DON'T give a shit about posts like that. You blog when you have something to say that is of value to an audience or provides you with some sort of release. Tonight's post I'm pretty sure will serve both purposes, becaus...

I have many friends, acquaintances, colleagues who will agree with people whom I've never met or will ever meet, that say "we don't need autism awareness for April, we need action! We need acceptance! Stop the awareness!" Hmph. Mmm-kay. Stop what you're doing. Stop talking. Pull up a chair, grab some coffee (and if you would be so kind, share some with me because I need plenty more after the next dip in our roller coaster), and just ... LISTEN. Oh, and bring me some cream and sugar, because I don't take mine black. Awareness, by definition, is "the state or condition of being aware; having knowledge; consciousness." For hundreds of thousands of people, their awareness of conditions and causes ends with being in a state of consciousness. STOP TELLING ME WE DON'T NEED AWARENESS . Just stop. I will confidently, completely and unapologetically call bullshit. Our world and its communities are NOT fully aware. They do not understand the ful...

I am so grateful to the  Autism Connection of Pennsylvania  for including "Preparing for When the Bus Stops Coming" in their Spring 2018 Newsletter! A full and unedited version of this article, including some personal content that shares a touch more of more of my "why" (along with a powerful photo) and a bit more about the curriculum I promote in my role at Wesley Family Services is being shared this evening on my blog. I am truly blessed to serve in a role  that allows me to continue to contribute to creating and encouraging positive change in our community to transform lives.  There is incredible content throughout the newsletter, including the importance of donating locally and not jumping to national charities (and if you know me well, you know exactly who I am referring to and why) without doing your homework. Don't miss your chance to read about their exciting happenings. The women at Autism Connection of PA never cease to motivate and inspire me. Rea...