Chewing the authenticity

I may be one of the few people in this country who is not excited about McDonald's serving breakfast all day. It seems to be The Wire of fast food. It's also been years since I've been inside one, and that was to reassess the Shamrock Shake.



And it sucked. The food I've avoided since reading Fast Food Nation so it has been at least ten years since I've had a quarter pounder. Sure I go to Wendy's, a company with their own challenges with their practices and White Castle a couple of times a year whether I need to or not. And they do plenty for autism awareness even if it is with autism speaks.

Of course that would change if my son gave a shit about happy meals, but that has not happened.

The teenager has recently lost his joy in swimming, which makes me sad. I'm also not sure how the horseback riding is really going since he's cut the last two sessions short. Maybe he does not like the saddle, they're going to leave it off this week.

An extra hour to bounce off the wall

My son swims on Saturday mornings. I was getting his things ready, bag packed, then I put his shoes on about fifteen minutes before we were going to leave.

As soon as I put his shoes on he kept saying, "Time to go," over and over.

After the 75th time I asked him where we were going.

"Swimming," he said.

It was time to go.

Poem and pictures, with the boy

My son still swims, and enjoys the water. Took some pictures last Saturday. Thought I'd put an old poem with the pictures and cover a couple of topics this month; National Poetry Month and Autism Awareness Month. A couple of years ago, I did thirty poems about autism for National Poetry Month, to mixed results.

This was one of the better ones.


Swings Inside the White Fence

This little boy I see, at the playground where I take my Grandson
He seems shy
He waits his turn, patiently, to go down the slide
Sometimes he likes to climb it, from the bottom

A lot of kids do that, even my Grandson
I've never seen him speak to anyone, not even his Mother or Father
They watch him close
He walks along the fence that encircles the play area,
but does not leave
My Grandson asked me about him, he tried to talk to the boy -
he walked right past him

This boy, he makes a sound like a motor cycle, or a boat
I'm not sure why he does that
I told my Grandson that he is the captain of a ship
on an ocean that is more important
than the ground he is walking on

Write about it, jinx it

Shared custody means alternating weekends, and this one is mine. He's been a pleasure to be around. Sleeping well, listening, getting out some new (to me, at least) words.

Friday afternoon he turned the light in the dining room on, sat at the table and said, "Hungry." This is a rarity. He ate everything without much dawdling too. In the evening he looked at me, said "Cereal" and went to the table. A definite plus when he shows interest in eating, anything.

Saturday morning I gave him his fruit while I mixed up his cereal. He usually has plenty left before I get it to him. Not so this time, he was done with it. After he ate he ran around the house in an agitated state. Not sure what this boded for his swimming lesson later in the morning.

He's been getting out of the pool early the past few weeks, coming up to us and saying "all done." And he is. You can't get him back in the pool.

This week his instructor used a ball as a motivator, and N. took to it. He followed it all over the pool. What was amazing is that he took it with him when he got out of the pool by the diving boards. He got on the board, threw the ball in and followed it. He had never jumped in the pool from that end without any pushing or prompting. He repeated this quite a few times. So many that I had a chance to shoot this.



He was great at the grocery, grouchy and screamy when I took the iPad from him. Interaction's been tough, but I've been a couch potato most of the weekend anyway. Too much interesting sports on the big screen tv!

Been following some distressing threads on Facebook about a few racial and sexual concerns. Conversations and confrontation that should be had, but it's dangerous seeing the mob enter the scene with their electronic pitchforks and torches. Been tough to watch that this weekend.

I love to watch him swim

He has had very little fear of the water since he was first in the pool, over two years now. Flotation devices were quickly discarded as his ability to tread water on his own was determined.

He's still hesitant to jump in on his own, but he does love being thrown in.

Swimming underwater is his new fun, he's even trying to sit on the bottom (of the shallow end) for a few moments. He's still not interested in being on his back in the water though.

It's a passion, confidence and strength he has developed on his own. He shouts with joy when he's in the water. I'm proud of him.

Bring Me Your Higher Jump

Today was my son's last swimming lesson for the summer. The last few weeks he's climbed onto the board in the deep end, stood there, then sat there. Last week he got tossed in from a sitting position. This week they took it to the next step.



He does like being tossed around in the pool, and being in twelve and a half feet of water does not faze him either. He is a very good swimmer and can tread water very well. They're cleaning the pool and fixing it up for a few weeks. Next time in is September 10th.



After his lesson he and I went to a event. A few weeks ago we received an invitation from one of his classmates to his birthday party. This was the first time he has been invited to a birthday party. I was a bit nervous myself, meeting new people is not activity I seek out, but I sucked it up and we went.

As it turned out, he was the only one of his classmates who attended. We were around people who understand special needs children and while my son sat next to me most of the time, we had a good time batting balloons around the living room with everyone. They own a couple of nice, smallish dogs that he was a bit vary of, but they did not really bother him, or anyone else. One child though, is afraid of dogs and was very uncomfortable with the dogs barking in a shut room so they had to leave early.

When the cake was cut I had some yogurt and pudding ready for him, and a splendid time was had by everyone. Very glad I crossed my own comfort zone to do this for him.

He's been in OT for his eating issues for a month and a half now. He's getting on with his therapist but she's not able to break through. He does great, follows along with her, until it's time to eat. You put a couple crumbs of graham cracker, or any thickener into his food he notices and completely shuts down. It's going to be tough.

Avoiding the Vitriol

Alright May, you're just like April with the rain. Knock it off!

Already knew this but it became magnified yesterday that this country is not over 9/11. I have no idea what it's going to take for this country to move ahead but it was not the death of Bin Laden. Even his death kept the divide going. I'm not sad the guy's been killed, but I'm not wrapping myself in the flag and jumping into Mirror Lake over it either.

Been thinking, writing, goofing off the last few days. After a conversation in a bar I'm wondering what poets in this town say about me behind my back. Still processing that part of the weekend.

Been in contact with my high school graduating class on the Facebook. There's a group forming for the 30th anniversary reunion later this year. A lot of pictures. I put one up of my fifth grade class, the only class picture I think I own. There were comments praising the teacher. The guy made my life a living hell for a year so I kept quiet. I'm not going to be the one to harsh others reflective buzz.

In good news my first college roommate found me through Facebook. Been trying to find him for years so it's been good to be catching up.

In very sad news a good friend's mother died. A sudden diagnosis of cancer and it stinks being so far away.

The little guy is good. Fell asleep at nine last night and slept through the night. Must have been tired. Swimming has been going great. He's going underwater a lot, opening his eyes up big. He's going to be swimming underwater any time now. Time to make sure he's finishing breakfast.

All in all, all is well. Now about that sun. Time to make an appearance, sometime this month.

A New Thing

Took some video with the new toy. Takes a decent enough picture. Captured the kid doing something brand new today.



They've been trying to get him to jump in the pool for a long time. Today he finally did it!

Water All Over Me

We were invited to a cook out at a friend's house. There is a pool.



Last year we received an invite, but it was about twenty five degrees cooler and raining. Today it was in the upper eighties and quite humid. We got a bit of rain, but that did not damper any of the fun.



He zipped around the pool better than I could. I followed him around, relaxing with a noodle while he went into the deep end (8 1/2 feet) and back. For nostalgia, I did manage to fit a dive in. Even my Scottish Wife managed to put a suit on and cool off.



I'm also putting sunglasses on him while we ride in the car. It will get him used to wearing glasses for the upcoming vision therapy.



He does not seem to mind.

Cese Fabergas Changed the Complexion of the Match

Yesterday was my parents 39th wedding anniversary. Mom was in the hospital earlier this month so I'm happy she was home for it. The frustration continues, being so far away from them. Airfare is ridiculous right now, and for the foreseeable future.

Just did the math, had I stayed married the first time, the end of this month would have marked twenty five years. A tarnished hunk of silver for sure.

I was asked Friday what I'd do if my first wife showed up at the radio reunion in October. I honestly did not have a good answer. She's the one who tried to interfere in my second marriage. Called me a sociopath after lying to my face. She's very bitter. This is not the time for bon mots.

My son has been making improvement in the pool. He's been going underwater on his own. Swimming along, putting his head under, very cute. I'll post video when I get time to upload it.

Fun night of music and poetry on Saturday at a friend's place. They have a cool music room in their house. Piano and drums, people were playing some very pleasant blues. A bunch of us read a few poems. I ended up playing Words of Love to an empty room. Then we got home in time to watch Doctor Who. We follow on BBC America so we're still two weeks behind everyone who watches on the torrents.

The World Cup has ended. Kudos to South Africa for putting up a great event. No love for vuvuzelas and even less love for FIFA and some wretched officiating. Much love to Spain for finally winning the whole thing. I called it! Cese set up the goal!

EPL starts next month. Celtic are playing Man U. on Friday in Toronto. I should be going to a Crew game on Wednesday night. Good things are happening for my wife at her job. It's a busy life.

No Sports Mentioned

Did a decent job of hosting First Draft on Friday night. It was my first time on a mic in a prominent position in I don't remember how long, and this was without a script. I've always needed direction, it's tough for me to wing it. No one asked for their three bucks back, probably because Vernell did such a great feature that was worth far more than three dollars.

Something I really noticed, and it's been mentioned before by others before so it's far from a new concern, is poets who leave after reading their work. Friday was a two hour show. A feature then fourteen poets. I know people have other commitments on a Friday night, or get tired. There's also the poet who bring a few friends and family with them then they all leave once the poet has read. Still, it became apparent to me that there are poets who leave right after they go on stage. It's really not fair to the other poets who heard your work, and are waiting do to their work. Not anything that is going to be solved, but something I needed to say.



That's from the Upper Arlington Arts Fest slam. The one I won. Just downloaded a bunch of pictures last night.

Got to start cramming for IWPS soon. Am most likely reading off paper. There's a difficult connection between my brain, my arm, and the paper that is not encouraging memorization. Still time to donate to the cause also. Poets need food.



My son is back at swimming lessons. His instructors are trying to get him to jump in but he's psyching them out by sitting at the moment he should be leaping into the water. So they were tossing him in, and he loved that!

We're taking him in for evaluation at the Nisonger Center at OSU on the first for reevaluation. Maybe we can hear some new things. We've been waiting over a year for this appointment.



Scottish Wife with the Weiner Mobile.



Blogger with the same.

My sweet ride has a first name
It's W-E-I-N-E-R
My sweet ride has a second name
It's M-O-B-I-L-E
I love to drive it everyday
and hear the passersby all say
HOLY %^&$ IT"S THE WEINER MOBILE!

Have a good day averyone.