Public Ponder

Autism and Valentine’s Day: An Exhausting Love Ritual

It’s no exaggeration to say my 27-year-old autistic son lives for holidays and birthdays. He’s already talking about turning 28 and he turned 27 less than a month ago.When Diego began nagging me to help...Read More →

Running Motivation: Why Running Is Better Than Sex

Running is orders of magnitude better than many things I find awesome. I just chose sex as the comparison because sex is the quintessential point of reference when judging the awesomeness of human...Read More →

Right and Wrong: Seven Quotes to Help You Do the Right Thing

Before you ask, “Who does this lady think she is to be preaching about right and wrong?” I’d like you to know I wrote these quotes down because they apply to ME. I've been guilty of all the wicked moral...Read More →

Parenting and Death: What I Fear Most about Being a Parent

Parenting brings such joy sometimes the euphoria makes you want to explode into a million sparkles. Other times, though, the pain’s so great you’d like the whole world to collapse into a dark hole. You...Read More →

Why 27 Could Be Your Most Epic Birthday

Have you noticed I’ve been absent lately? Not replying to emails, texts, WhatsApps and phone calls? Always rushed? Well, it’s because my son’s 27th birthday consumed me for a while there. I attribute ...Read More →

Privilege Vs Merit: Confessions of A Spoiled Brat

If like me, you grew up with substantial privilege, you don’t go around bragging about it, am I right? That would be in bad taste. It also wouldn't reflect well on you that there was almost NO statistical...Read More →

What My Autistic Son’s Fear of Cycling Taught Me about Guilt and Blame

Two summers ago, my husband and I caused Diego, my 26-year-old autistic son, to fear biking. It didn't take much, which shows that you can never know who or what might turn something you actually like...Read More →

Prepare to Live the Most in 2021 by Taking Stock of 2020

Do you want 2021 to be the best year possible? I sure do. That’s why I’ve been pondering 2020 like crazy, to understand what lessons it taught me. This year brought me, you, and practically every human...Read More →

Am I Glad My Son’s Autistic?

Had someone asked me twenty years ago, “Are you glad your son's the way he is, I mean, autistic and all?” I’d have thought the person crazy. If she’d followed up with “Well, I’m glad mine is,” I’d have...Read More →

Gratitude: How to Show the Perfect Amount

“People are programmed to desire, not to appreciate.” Matt Ridley, in The Rational Optimist My autistic son Diego sure is great at many things most people never learn how to do well, including saying ...Read More →