Remember all that shit I was talking in my other entry about football?  Yea, well I SUCKED this week.  Right now I only have 14 correct out of a possible 37.  There are two more games I'm waiting on.  Thankfully the Rams are kicking some major booty right now.  No $48 for me this week.  Hopefully I won't be knocked back too far in the standings though.  Keep your fingers crossed for me!

I ran into this link on the forum I go to.  It's a test researchers at Cambridge University developed to measure autistic traits in adults.  Of course I took the test.  The average score for women is 15, men 17.  Most people with Asperger Syndrome or HFA score a 35.  I scored 37.  What???????  Now, what do I do?  I guess I need to talk to my family doctor.  I was really hoping the test was flawed.  I had PIC and my cousin take it.  PIC scored about an 8 or so.  My cousin had a 15.  Nope, not me. 

Oddly, ever since DJ was dx'd, I 've read DOZENS of books on the subject and am still reading.  I know they say alot of autism might come from certain aspects of the parents.  I did see many of the traits in me but I am extremely functioning.  Trust me on this.  I don't do well in social situations though.  I never know what to say.  Online is so easy.  But face to face I usually don't talk.  I mean, I talk to PIC and DJ and stuff.  I do talk to my co-workers, but I have to reach a comfort level.  If there is someone new working at my job, I won't talk.  I figured he got a few things from me, but me having Aspergers...no way!  Now I need to rethink this whole thing.  So far, I've only shared this with PIC.

The Walk For Autism went really really well!  DJ had a good time.  One of his school friends was there and his mother was the girl I was knew in high school.  She has 3 kids, every one of them cuties!  Three of my cousins also came along with Mommy Dearest.  PIC couldn't attend because she had class yesterday and actually she has been MIA since Friday.  Answer your phone!

Anthony Edwards (former ER doc) was one of the celebrites at the walk and I was pleasantly surprised he wasn't kept “hidden” in the back.  He was out mingling with everyone.  He graciously took pictures, gave hugs and autographed everything.  I thought that was really cool.  Unfotunately NONE of us brought a camera, so no pics.  I didn't go up to him but Mommy Dearest did and one of my cousins did as well.  They brought my son and his friend up with them to have an “excuse”:)  He also did the walk and was talking to people during it.  Definitely “just one of the guys”.

Many goodies received!  We all received t-shirts that were actually sized properly.  Unfotunately I couldn't wear mine becuase I had put on a black bra that morning:(  DJ wore his proudly.  They also handed out a bag containg a book for the kids.  All different titles, but good books.  Plenty of resource tables.  I picked up so much information.  I had brought my backpack with me.  It was filled so I had to grab a bag and start filling that up.  My shoulders were aching last night.  I purchased a hat and a calendar.  I also picked up a car magnet but for some reason falls off my car.  I must be doing something wrong.

DJ and I completed about 2m of the walk.  He wasn't tired.  He was just moseying along and stopping and looking at things climbing up on things, things like that.  The one time I thought he was right next to me and he was about 10 people behind me!  Scared the bejeezus out of me.  I decided then and there that were finished.  We stopped at an opening with some benches and such along with DJ'ds friend from school and his fam.  The kids played until Mommy Dearest finished her last laps.  Then we went and checked out the resource tables.

All in all...a very nice day.  Fresh air and exercise.  DJ had fun which means I had fun.  There were lots of things set up inside for the kids to play with while we walked around.

This very morning, I am walking to benefit Autism.  As most of you know my son was diagnosed with Asperger's Disorder at the beginning of this year.  To date, I have raised close to $1000.  (I have some checks that haven't been credited yet.)  If you feel like donating to this worthy cause, I'd really appreciate it.  It is a tax credit:) 

I think this is the first time in my life I'm closely watching a presidential race.  This is the first time I will vote on who I think should be leading our country.  This is the first time I feel strongly on issues.  This is the first time an election might possibly effect my life. 

I have always stood by our president.  Always, 100%.  When Bill Clinton was in office and the whole Monica affair came about.  I thought to myself, so what, what he does in private is his business.  I know it's morally reprehensible.  I also felt IMHO that he did a damned good job of running the country.  Fast forward to the 2000 election.  I would have voted for Al Gore.  I liked Al Gore.  Unfortunately I STILL did not receive my voter's registration card in the mail.  I have honestly been trying to vote since I was 18.  It is my right as a citizen.  I believe everyone should vote.

I am a single parent.  I receive no child support from my son's father nor have I ever.  Nor will I ever seek support.  I do not receive ANY government services.  I cannot get food stamps, I cannot get welfare, I cannot get subsidized housing, I cannot get WIC.  Everything I pay for depends on my salary and my salary alone.  Do I think I should get these services?  No.  I know you are wondering then why I am bitching.  In 4 years my taxes have gone up a little over 10%.  I bring home less now then I did 4 years ago, even though I have received raises and make more money.  The Child Tax Credit is a joke.  I get a few hundred at tax time but the government takes a couple thousand from me during the year.  I am not eligible for the Earned Income Credit anymore (since Bush took office.) 

My rent alone is almost 50% of my take home pay.  My average electric bill is $200/month.  Unfortunately noone looks at my net pay, they look at my gross.  I suppose I'm considered middle class/upper middle class.  I was recently told that daycare for my son for the summer in my neighborhood would cost me $200/week.  That is $800/month.  That's approximately what I pay for rent!  I could get subsidized day care if I made $18000 a year.  If I made $18000 a year, how could I afford to live?  I can barely afford it now!

The number one question in this presidential electon (in my opinion only) is where the hell is Bin Laden?  He is the one who massacred our brothers and sisters.  What happened to him?  Where is he?  Why hasn't HE been brought to justice?

We turned to focus to Iraq.  Don't get me wrong, I do agree Hussein should have been removed from power.  I don't believe war was the best way to go.  Our brothers and sisters are dying over there every day.  Why?  Noone, not even the President, can tell me why!  I support our troops one hundred percent, but they should not be there. 

Why weren't our troops in Afghanistan hunting down Bin Laden?  They were able to hunt and find Hussein.  More effort was put into Iraq than the man responsible for all of those lives lost.  My President cannot tell me why.  Days after 9/11 I thirsted for blood.  I wanted Bin Laden and the Taliban wiped out, destroyed.  Instead I kept turning on the news hearing how we're not going to sit by and watch this happen.  Yet, noone seems to realize...it did.  I don't like smoke covers. 

Since the day we went after Saddam Hussein instead of Osama Bin Laden, my vote has been for the democratic candidate.  My vote has not wavered since.  Luckily, I agree with many of Senator Kerry's policies and ideas and hope they can get implemented. 

I thought the debate was great.  I did feel Kerry came out on top, thought that could be I am biased.  I thought George Bush had too many pauses, too many pat responses “It's hard work”, repeated many of the same things over and over and over again and blew alot of smoke instead of directly answering the questions I NEEDED answered. 

The following conversation happened right before bedtime...

DJ:  I don’t want to go to school.  Teach is mean.

ME:  Why is Teach mean?

DJ:  Teach does mean things.

ME:  What does Teach do?

DJ:  Teach stuck her tongue out at me.

ME:  Why did Teach stick her tongue out at you?

DJ:  Because I stuck my tongue out at her

I always get him, everytime!  I do rapid questioning.  I’d make a great attorney!

I know I talk alot about my kid.  I really try hard not to but I can't help it.  Sometimes he's the highlight of my day.  The things he says just have me laughing...constantly.  Who needs a comedy show?  In all I really do want to remember alot of the funny stuff he says.  Trust me, he says alot more than I post.  This is just the stuff I remember.

I did forget to mention the other day I was driving into my complex and I picked up a box that was left for me at the office.  I saw one of the maintenance guys.  I've been here a year so I know all of them because they are here everyday and I think they all live here too.  So this one maintenance guy is talking to me as I'm coming out of the office.  I see him everyday when I pick up DJ from the bus stop. 

He asked me if I had a pen.  I dug out a pen to give him.  He told me to write this down.  He proceeds to give me a phone number and tells me to write after 5.  Of course, it was his.  Unfortunately I don't find him attractive but I did think it was kind of cute the way he gave me the number.  I saw him today and he told me his phone hasn't rang yet.  I told him I was really busy between work and college.  It sounded really lame but I didn't want to hurt his feelings.  Now if it was the OTHER maintenance guy....

This just in:

When DJ came home from school, he does homework right away.  I pulled out his communication book to read what his teacher wrote for the day.  The communication book is the book for his teacher and I to write about his day/night daily.  This is what today's communication said:

“DJ told me 'My mom said you should apologize to me.'  After I had a talk with him about telling the truth he said, 'Maybe the apologize wasn't such a good idea.'”

Yes he did really say that.  He does really talk like that:)

This was written earlier in the day but I never posted .....

BTSN wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be.  Thought I am going to kill my child:)  Evidently he invited all his classmates over to our house for a sleepover.  What the...  Their moms shared it all with me.  And I find out another little boy invited all the kids to a rave party at his house.  The things kids say!

When I picked up DJ up from the bus, he told me he hated school and he didn't want to go back and he didn't like his teacher anymore.  I asked why.  He told me because she was mean to him.  I said how was she mean to you.  He told me she's just mean and I don't like her and I don't want her to be my teacher anymore!  And that's final! 

I hate this.  I hate sitting in an auditorium for an hour listening to the principal drone on and on about how wonderful the school is.  I send my kid there, of course I know these things!  His teacher is so wonderful, I doubt you will need to tell me something I don't already know. 

Alls I want to do is meet with the teacher.  That's it.  No more, no less.  It'll be nice to talk to the other mothers as well.  I might have forgotten to mention this, but this girl I used to hang with in high school is going to be there.  It turns out her son was diagnosed with an ASD (Autsim Spectrum Disorder) and he is in DJ's classroom.  I just messaged her.  I really hope she is going so I have someone to talk to while I'm there. 

Hiya!  I stole this from Dawn:)

You know the deal, copy/paste bold the things that true for YOU!

01.  Bought everyone in the pub a drink

02. Swam with wild dolphins
03. Climbed a mountain
04. Taken a Ferrari for a test drive
05. Been inside the Great Pyramid
06. Held a tarantula (no fucking way)
07. Taken a candlelit bath with someone
08. Said ‘I love you’ and meant it
09. Hugged a tree
10. Done a striptease (comically)
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Stayed up all night long, and watched the sun rise
15. Seen the Northern Lights
16. Gone to a huge sports game
17. Walked the stairs to the top of the leaning Tower of Pisa
18. Grown and eaten your own vegetables
19. Touched an iceberg
20. Slept under the stars

22. Taken a trip in a hot air balloon
23. Watched a meteor shower
24. Gotten drunk on champagne
25. Given more than you can afford to charity
26. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope
27. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment
28. Had a food fight
29. Bet on a winning horse
30. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
31. Asked out a stranger
32. Had a snowball fight
33. Photocopied your bottom on the office photocopier
34. Screamed as loudly as you possibly can

35. Held a lamb
36. Enacted a favorite fantasy
37. Taken a midnight skinny dip
38. Taken an ice cold bath
39. Had a meaningful conversation with a beggar
40. Seen a total eclipse
41. Ridden a roller coaster
42. Hit a home run
43. Fit three weeks miraculously into three days
44. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking

45. Adopted an accent for an entire day
46. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
47. Actually felt happy about your life, even for just a moment
48. Had two hard drives for your computer
49. Visited all 50 states
50. Loved your job for all accounts
51. Taken care of someone who was shit faced
52. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
53. Had amazing friends
54. Danced with a stranger in a foreign country
55. Watched wild whales
56. Stolen a sign
57. Backpacked in Europe
58. Taken a road-trip
59. Rock climbing
60. Lied to foreign government’s official in that country to avoid notice
61. Midnight walk on the beach
62. Sky diving
63. Visited Ireland
64. Been heartbroken longer then you were actually in love
65. In a restaurant, sat at a stranger’s table and had a meal with them
66. Visited Japan
67. Benchpressed your own weight
68. Milked a cow
69. Alphabetized your records

70. Pretended to be a superhero (Wonder Woman!)
71. Sung karaoke
72. Lounged around in bed all day
73. Posed nude in front of strangers
74. Scuba diving
75. Got it on to "Let’s Get It On" by Marvin Gaye
76. Kissed in the rain
77. Played in the mud
78. Played in the rain
79. Been to a drive-in theatre(so sad about this)
80. Done something you should regret, but don’t regret it

81. Visited the Great Wall of China
82. Discovered that someone who’s not supposed to have known about your blog has discovered your blog
83. Dropped Windows in favor of something better
84. Started a business (Does my lemonade stand count?)
85. Fallen in love and not had your heart broken
86. Toured ancient sites
87. Taken a martial arts class
88. Swordfought for the honor of a woman (ha!)
89. Played D&D for more than 6 hours straight
90. Gotten married
91. Been in a movie
92. Crashed a party
93. Loved someone you shouldn’t have
94. Kissed someone so passionately it made them dizzy
95. Gotten divorced
96. Had sex at the office
97. Gone without food for 5 days
98. Made cookies from scratch
99. Won first prize in a costume contest
100. Ridden a gondola in Venice
101. Gotten a tattoo
102. Found that the texture of some materials can turn you on
103. Rafted the Snake River
104. Been on television news programs as an "expert"
105. Got flowers for no reason
106. Masturbated in a public place
107. Got so drunk you don’t remember anything
108. Been addicted to some form of illegal drug
109. Performed on stage
110. Been to Las Vegas
111. Recorded music
112. Eaten shark
113. Had a one-night stand
114. Gone to Thailand
115. Seen Siouxsie live
116. Bought a house (next year!)
117. Been in a combat zone

118. Buried one/both of your parents (they would NOT appreciate it if I did that)
119. Shaved or waxed your pubic hair off

120. Been on a cruise ship
121. Spoken more than one language fluently (I used to speak Italian fluently)
122. Gotten into a fight while attempting to defend someone
123. Bounced a check
124. Performed in Rocky Horror
125. Read - and understood - your credit report
126. Raised children (Do they EVER grow up???)
127. Recently bought and played with a favorite childhood toy (I love having kids!)
128. Followed your favorite band/singer on tour
129. Created and named your own constellation of stars
130. Taken an exotic bicycle tour in a foreign country
131. Found out something significant that your ancestors did
132. Called or written your Congress person
133. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over
134. More than once? - More than thrice?
135. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge
136. Sang loudly in the car, and didn’t stop when you knew someone was looking
137. Had an abortion or your partner did
138. Had plastic surgery
139. Survived an accident that you shouldn’t have survived
140. Wrote articles for a large publication
141. Lost over 100 pounds
142. Held someone while they were having a flashback (Huh?)
143. Piloted an airplane
144. Petted a stingray
145. Broken someone’s heart
146. Helped an animal give birth
147. Been fired or laid off from a job
148. Won money on a T.V. game show
149. Broken a bone
150. Killed a human being (so far, so good on this one)
151. Gone on an African photo safari
152. Ridden a motorcycle
153. Driven any land vehicle at a speed of greater than 100mph (hoping no law enforcement read this)
154. Had a body part of yours below the neck pierced
155. Fired a rifle, shotgun, or pistol(Ughhh)
156. Eaten mushrooms that were gathered in the wild
157. Ridden a horse
158. Had major surgery
159. Had sex on a moving train
160. Had a snake as a pet
161. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon
162. Slept through an entire flight: takeoff, flight, and landing
163. Slept for more than 30 hours over the course of 48 hours
164. Visited more foreign countries than U.S. states
165. Visited all 7 continents
166. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days
167. Eaten kangaroo meat
168. Fallen in love at an ancient Mayan burial ground (does this happen a lot?)
169. Been a sperm or egg donor
170. Eaten sushi
171. Had your picture in the newspaper

172. Had 2 (or more) healthy romantic relationships for over a year in your lifetime
173. Changed someone’s mind about something you care deeply about
174. Gotten someone fired for their actions
175. Gone back to school
176. Parasailed
177. Changed your name
178. Petted a cockroach (ewwwww)
179. Eaten fried green tomatoes
180. Read The Iliad
181. Selected one "important" author who you missed in school, and read
182. Dined in a restaurant and stolen silverware, plates, cups because your apartment needed them
183. and gotten 86'ed from the restaurant because you did it so many times, they figured out it was you
184. Taught yourself an art from scratch
185. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
186. Apologized to someone years after inflicting the hurt
187. Skipped all your school reunions
188. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language (My sonJ)
189. Been elected to public office
190. Written your own computer language
191. Thought to yourself that you’re living your dream (If this is my dream, WAKE ME UP!)
192. Had to put someone you love into hospice care
193. Built your own PC from parts
194. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn’t know you
195. Had a booth at a street fair
196: Dyed your hair
197: Been a DJ
198: Found out someone was going to dump you via LiveJournal
199: Written your own role playing game
200: Been arrested