TempleGrandin2013
DRAFT
Subject to change without notice, as just a rough draft, too little time to do
the writing well right now, so check back often for changes,
this is a wiki not a newspaper/ print media and I have that right <grin>
Introduction/Definition/etc
Sometime during some difficult times, I saw a flyer for Temple Grandin
speaking, and paid the student rate to go see her in person,
having seen the movie
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temple_Grandin_%28film%29
, and learned a little more...
Body
Following some of the AutismLinks experience, but not currently
active in that community, I decided to get back to some of the
ideas and experiences I'd had, by going to see the notable
Temple Grandin
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temple_Grandin
http://templegrandin.com/
http://www.ted.com/talks/temple_grandin_the_world_needs_all_kinds_of_minds.html
in person...
A schedule change was noted, lunch was not provided as
was in one of the conference agendas, but there was a continental
breakfast, without yogurt and gelatin.
A notable speaker, Dr. Ted Jed Baker? I'm terrible with names,
http://www.jedbaker.com/
on the broadcast network channel took most of the
time, and like AVeteransSonLaughsAndSpitsAtMe2011
Temple was only there for a short time, about an hour
plus Q&A time afterwards, having another commitment
at UVA or somewhere nearby...
But unlike the movie
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temple_Grandin_%28film%29,
with an actor (Claire Danes) playing a disabled person,
I've seen her in person, and well, I video taped it, and
got somehow security to visit me afterwards, saying
she would like to see me. I was worried and like
FusionImprobableattheKennedyCenter
I didn't have anything prepared to ask her,
so I declined, in a awkward sort of way,
dodging the question, in a direct crowd...
Seemed like they wanted to take my accessible
copy away from me, the guard may have said or implied
after I didn't jump at the offer, and there were comments during the
presentation not to put it on the web, but thinking
that the DVD version is probably going to go up sometime,
like from Russia or something, the RT.com network
may show it <grin>... No autism in Russia?
WTF?
The material was the new DVD, the new speech and
presentation. It is available for $49 or something,
and being low on funds ,the publisher(s)
were the only other break activity in a posh
hotel downtown Richmond.
Lunch was on your own, and I didn't socialize,
but wondered and took some photos/video,
playing with my cameras and ignoring people,
as much as possible, but they wouldn't ignore moi...
There were some other disabled people there,
one guy greeting everyone waved and talked at me,
and being fairly asocial, I did my normal waved back,
saying nothing, a little early for moi.
Something like a Walmart (tm) greeter,
but there are places where that was sort of my
role (read bike coop(s))... Never did learn much
mechanics there, ended up some sales and manglement
(spelling intentional)...
Comparison to Autreat
Having been to Autreat 3 times (3 strikes and I'm out)
I noticed some of the differences.
Noteables
Autreat Autreat.com
says it's not about notables (i.e. famous autistics doing circus/
stupid human tricks), but there are many there,
though I just can't say whom due to confidentiality.
Autreat is a broad spectrum of people with (for and by the people,
though far from democratic, IMO) the Temple Grandin event,
a publisher promoted one, was mainly training providers and family members,
with a few autistics in attendance, if I can be so bold as to diagnose the attendees...
Side note, is there anything such as a closet autistic?
Like a homeless man who wants to be left alone, not really happening,
it shows, whether we want iti too or not,
yeah, "blend" [ in ], find comedy link)
Quiet areas
Very few, it was a large conference hall upstairs,
the corner and side hallway with some seating near the baby grand piano
was about the best I could find to be alone for a bit during breaks,
and pacing time(s).
Name badges
My first encounter, after following two attractive young women from the
hotel lobby to the conference area, was disappointing, not signal badges, red for leave
me alone, which the girls wanted, and I wanted to tell them they were in the wrong field,
you should be glad an autistic wants to talk to you. (later response, a child bites the therapist/
teacher/ parent, bite them back, [ it's communication ] brought a response from Dr. Baker,
he's been doing it wrong all along...
Disruptive
I was disruptive, in my usual way, pacing and getting up a lot, I could not sit in the back
of the room but needed braille seating, (reminds me of Helen Keller movies of her upbringing)
so went up front with a young mother and likely autistic son nearby, and a tattooed and
surprisingly attractive young lady I didn't get the nerve to talk to directly seated behind me...
But I was not ejected, despite my temptation to wear the Autreat Herding Cats t shirt
in protest. <grin>
Baggy
Checking bags was difficult, having other things to do that weekend, i took too much,
as usual, but didn't know what else to do, and the guys were disrespectful even with a slight
two dollar tip giving it back, caught by someone watching what was happening,
as they flashed the wad of bills they got taking tips, when I didn't have money to eat,
or spend on the $100 book/ DVD set, with the Unwritten Rules of Social Communication book,
Temple Grandin movie DVD (already have) and some other things but not that day's lecture
on alternative format, for when I woke up, my usual time shifting, having left predawn
to avoid a hotel stay I could not afford, basically asleep during most of the lecture(s)...
Warm Up Act
While Dr. Baker was entertaining, and admittedly the warm up act to Temple,
I could not get a question asked, so basically stormed off, taking a walk.
Wrong Crowd
It was a big room and full of providers and family that probably didn't care what I had
to say, unlikely an interactive dialog to take place.
It focused on kids, and autistics grow up, and still need to learn, like Asperger's
the diagnosis didn't exist when I was a kid, so catching up on stuff I didn't know,
myself, even with lots of clinical psych and substance abuse counseling training
wasn't as fun as I would have thought. It was entertainment, with some good material,
mostly comedy, with situations and examples, from his own family, his kid is autistic
and probably determined he was some too, but with a Ph.D. showing he was a success,
how does that translate to today's schools and environment?
Comedy Example Paraphrased
New Jersey is the armpit of the world but there are some good places too...
Having been on a trip to see the CSPNJ
http://cspnj.org/
[Mental Health ] Consumer organization for developing local drop in centers,
(read Knowledge Transfer) I know there is Cape May, and Long Beach/ Branch?
and other places besides "What Exit On The Turnpike...:?" or Jersey Girls...
Conclusion
Summary of experience or similar
Temple's great, publishing is a business, wish I could have afforded her new DVD,
my [ bootleg ] version is probably not worth viewing, but for accessability
I made a recording... Nothing was in the materials that said I could not, IIRC.
Many people took stills, especially in the beginning of her speech,
but I kept on with a videocam through the lecture,
as I would not be able to keep up when basically asleep due to schedule
hangover, yet to occur...
Temple was accommodating and the publisher head MC
(according to evaluation sheet, Wayne Gilpin) mentioned it was for sale.
I'm not putting that up, without her express permission,
there was also a trailer segment for the DVD Temple Grandin Movie
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temple_Grandin_%28film%29
which you can probably find online elsewhere (here?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bnI_Y8PyTHM )
"if you've lived under a rock")
It's worth seeing Temple in person, wish I had had the nerve to speak with her directly
after the talk, but I'm still somewhat shy and withdrawn, despite other appearances
in public "performance art"....
Discussion
A place for feedback on the page presented
How notable do you need to be to draw over 100 - 200+? people in a conference area,
get APA (American Psychological Association) and other CEU (Continuing Education Units)
credits and have people buy books/ DVD and other materials?
Question
The question I didn't get to ask Temple in person was:
"Why aren't there more squeeze machines?"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hug_box
Your guess?
Links
FHAutism.com
SensoryWorld.com
Future Horizons YouTube channel with Temple doing radio broadcasts
http://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PL6F7275739B1BB023&v=AuMLybIvxOo
UCTV My Experience with Autism
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2wt1IY3ffoU
The Woman Who Thinks Like a Cow (Documentary, BBC)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PtdTuZp1k5g
Page History
20131007 Jerry
20130930 Jerry
- add inline presenter's links, movie link, CSPNJ, etc
- a couple more links in a Links section, with other youtube videos to possibly check out about Temple
- fix a couple typos
- punt
20130925 Jerry
- Jerry created this page to write badly about an event I went to, for others to learn from,
- possibly...
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