Simply Robert

A Case of the Jibblies

crysnrob@mac.com — 2009-02-16T22:46:22-05:00

I cannot stand velvet. It makes my skin crawl. Even writing about velvet is causing goosebumps to stand up on my flesh. It’s an aberration of nature and an emblem of all that is wrong with this world. Put succinctly, I wouldn’t touch the love of my life if she was wearing velvet. Fortunately, velvet is easy to avoid. Except for a few years as a child, when my parents owned a green Buick Century with velvet seats, I’ve found few settings where contact with velvet is mandatory.

Another sensory issue has been tougher to avoid – that of chalk and chalkboards. I associate the two materials so closely, they are inseparable in my mind. I’m sure my reaction is specifically to the chalk texture, but the whole experience does me in. The sound of chalk touching the board, the inevitable dust, the sound of the eraser rubbing the chalk off – it all gives me a case of the jibblies.

Needless to say, this was quite the obstacle as a student – particularly in elementary and middle school before marker boards became more commonplace. “We’re going to do board races,” I can hear Teacher saying,” or, “Get out your slates to practice spelling words.” Who would be last done? Could it be the one who would refuse to touch his chalk?

image by S. Schleicher on stock.xchng

To this day, if I have to help in a classroom with a chalkboard, I will avoid using it at all costs. Even if the classroom teacher has one of those metal grips around the chalk, it is off-limits. It’s hard enough controlling autistic behaviors in a school environment without adding such a strong sensory trigger to the mix.

A child with similar issues will have greater challenges. This is not merely a get-over-it issue. He or she is not being defiant or seeking attention. That texture (or other sensory input) is stressful to him or her. It may even hurt. Fortunately, the solution is simple. Provide alternatives. Lay a towel of different material on the car seat. Allow the student to write on paper instead. Allow for pen instead of pencil when it can be an option. Be flexible in a place where your autistic child can’t. Perhaps time will change things. When pressure is low, attempt positive experiences with the undesirable materials, but be aware of how the child is responding.

You can wear velvet all you want. I’ll even sit next to you. Just try not to rub up against me.

Links 02/14/2009 (Post-Hugs Edition)

crysnrob@mac.com — 2009-02-14T23:01:09-05:00

Ars Technica: Why a cold winter doesn't mean climate change is behind us

2008 was pretty chilly, so that means climate change is over, right? Ars Technica takes a good look at the data and concludes that one year does not a trend make.

The facts are that 2008 was cooler than the last few years, but warmer than most in recent history, which lends itself to spin based on the predilections of the person talking about it. But some of that spin specifically plays upon the widespread innumeracy of the public, which isn't well prepared to separate trends from short-term variability, or recognize when certain figures are selectively chosen. We'll try to separate out some of these in a way that will hopefully help readers make a bit of sense out of the conflicting noise.

Ars Technica: Court sides with science, says no vaccine-autism link

Another good piece from Ars looks at a recent court case regarding the purported link between MMR and autism. THe article also takes a look at other vaccine-ASD correlations and finds such connections lacking. Unfortunately, autism (like global climate change) is an issue that involves punditry, politics, and emotion to such an extent as to obscure objectivity in analyzing the facts.

In other words, I doubt this is the last we’ll hear of vaccines causing autism, even if the correlation is weak and the study upon which the claims are based is fundamentally flawed.

Daring Fireball: ‘Word Count’ Script for ThisService

This is an article on Daring Fireball from two years ago, but I think it’s insanely useful if you happen to be a Mac user. I don’t think I’ve shared it before, so I’m correcting that now.

What Inspires You?

crysnrob@mac.com — 2009-01-30T00:17:55-05:00

Sir Ken Robinson (one of my favorite educators) speaks about events that changed the direction in his life and inspired his work in education.

While I seldom write about it, I think my own brush with cancer was a turning point in my life. At twenty-two, I was undergoing major surgery and the strenuous treatments that accompany a cancer diagnosis. I had it easier than many, but my time with cancer was by no means fun. It shook my view of the world and the way I prioritize my life.

So many things that seemed important to me before cancer suddenly became irrelevant. I started noticing people around me more – their lives, how I affect them, how they affect me. I remember one of my managers at the bookstore for whom I worked criticizing me for spending more time talking with coworkers and customers rather than shelving. What I didn’t know how to express then was that, for the first time ever, those people were suddenly more important to me than the objects I was shelving. I never returned to retail after leaving a month later.

Cancer had a humbling affect on my life, and it inspired me to see such a large number of people come together to help one person. Some of my fellow patients awaiting daily treatments were constant discouragements, but others were an inspiration. They looked to each day as a new day full of opportunity for recovery. They helped me see what a blessing life is, what it means to be thankful for every new day – even if that day brings a barrage of needles, radiation, and hair loss.

While I would never wish my experiences on anyone, I do think I came out the other side a better person.

A New Home

crysnrob@mac.com — 2009-02-23T23:54:53-05:00

After nearly five years on Apple’s MobileMe (née [dot] Mac) servers, this site is moving. You will be able to see new updates at http://simplyrobert.wordpress.com/. It wasn’t an easy decision to migrate the site, and I reserve the right to change my mind at any time. This site will stay live for quite a while, so it gives me some time to try things out before I commit. The move comes down to a couple of issues:

The URL for my site is just unfriendly, and I don’t want to pay for a domain on top of the cost of an annual MobileMe subscription. It just adds up to a lot of money for a site that I don’t use as a revenue source.
iDisk has been very flaky these last few months when copying images for use on my site.
Changing anything about the sidebar would require the entire site to re-upload due to Apple’s lack of PHP support on MobileMe. The larger my site has become (as well as Simply Presentation and Simply Gospel), the more of a deal-breaker this was becoming.

Unfortunately, I won’t be able to use RapidWeaver anymore, and this move will kill my Google page ranking. Still, I think it will be best for my online projects in the long run.

This incarnation of Simply Presentation will stay right here for the next several months until my MobileMe subscription finally expires. This should give you, my kind readers, time to update bookmarks and RSS feeds. The other portions of this site will also be getting new homes on WordPress in the coming months.

It will take time to move all of the old content over. I’m reconstructing many of the old posts and checking links, but all new content will appear only at the new address. Thanks for your continued support of my efforts here, and I look forward to seeing you at my new WordPress home!