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Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Mapping Autistic Archipelago - days 1-2 - NY, NJ


Journeying     Autistic  Archipelago   


What is Autistic Archipelago? It is us in the sea of the Neurotypical Ocean. 
Each of us is an island.
I'll be hopping...

Here is Day 1 - I'd need to type it and edit, if it's not readable, when I find time.Right now I don't, so I'll come back here.

For now just loading visuals...

This is Cape May, NJ Light House on the morning of Mar 19,13 in Cape May State Park
AND ZIP OF THE REST IS HERE (if I figure out how to do it using google) - wasted an hour trying; asked VY and got place on the abw site - will be using it for zips -  here is a link  - if it ever loads!
It didn't, and so I'm still to find the way...


OK, we are back here - Update from a Safe Haven in Albuquerque, NM on April 3
I drove from Long Beach, NY  on March 18, non-stop all the way in an intermittently drizzling windy weather to Cape May, NJ.  I was thinking to stop somewhere on a way but kept going until I got all the way to the bottom of NJ - Cape May State Park; the day was almost over, I pulled in, drove around the parking lot, stopped at the trail head. 

By the way - their trails are well maintained with large portions accessible by a wheel-chair and marked so - it's a kind of a boardwalk over a march; and even the sections that say no wheelchair access, are quite passable in dry weather. I walked a short trail, it was getting dark and I went back to figure a night spot.

There was a huge crane on a beach there and a pickup truck in a parking lot facing the beach next to a walkway to that crane. I parked next to it on inside away from the ranger station and the nature exhibit that  also included a museum that hey have there. This (having a work truck parked there) was pure luck; or in other words good medicine because it allowed me to sleep through the night in my car undisturbed, as I realized it a few days later, but knew instinctively from my previous travels. I was camouflaged by the presence of the vehicle that was not to be checked and had a legitimate reason to be there, so by parking next to it, I kind of merged with its purpose that included being parked there overnight; it worked, see details below...



The night was good! a bit cold. This sleeping bag, I've got could be warmer.
Rained and poured, and wind howled whole night. This is a good car I've got, so 
far... Just enough to sleep comfortably in the back; which what I've done, in 
Cape May State Park, facing the beach, separated from the ocean by just a thin dune with the Lighthouse shining beams of light overhead through mist and rain. It was cozy and quiet, except for the sounds of nature, still birds carrying on (I 
think oyster catchers)with their talk; and pretty dark with just 2 lights in the distance at the visitor's center. No charges, no hindrance from anybody; I consider it luck. 


THAT was NIGHT 1

MEALTIME - Breakfast in Cape May at  Uncle Bill's  -
and the menu and more to be added... (as zip)
Not a bad menu and quite decent food!

Update from NM (since it doesn't look I'll be able to do zips anywhere soon; here is this menu:







Writing AT Uncle Bill's. - on a back of a menu 
I'd need to type it, like I said, if it's any good.

Typed: Mapping Autistic Archipelago? In the sea of the Neurotypical Ocean; they are on a spectrum too, a weird spectrum,some are completely incomprehensible to 
me, other - we overlap here and there, 
i.e. there's some communication, like 
this waitress in Uncle Bill's, there wasa glimpse (of Autistic communication)...
Anyway, I'm finally on a road, it's March 19, and finishing breakfast in Uncle Bill's (recommended by a local postman; I've stopped to mail a letter and asked fora good, inexpensive place to eat breakfast, and he said "sure, just a few blocks from here") and so here I'm (hence, the mealtime).
--------------- by the way
This is Cape May, NJ and my 1st morning on a road; Raptors are flying (in a window) - my brethren, crows, and vulture(s).
----------------
The night was good! a bit cold. This sleeping bag, I've got could be warmer.
Rained and poured, and wind howled whole night. This is a good car I've got, so 
far... Just enough to sleep comfortably in the back; which what I've done, in 
Cape May State Park, facing the beach, separated from the ocean by just a thin dune with the Lighthouse shining beams of light overhead through mist and rain. It was cozy and quiet, except for the sounds of nature, still birds carrying on (I 
think oyster catchers)with their talk; and pretty dark with just 2 lights in the distance at the visitor's center. No charges, no hindrance from anybody; I consider it luck. 
Walked on the beach in the early morning, photographing, filming. They have a beautiful state park, well kept - the marshland. (See if you like).


and just three of their many and excellent displays:

                   
















Observation: Camouflage is THE BASIC in a poor's man way of travel through the 
Eastern States - they are not friendly to people with insufficient means.



My first nigh was luck - Undisturbed,I woke up at dawn and knew I should get up 
but lingered looking at it through the window - the foggy dawn. Then voices came in and I realized I was not alone any more; a few trucks and cars, people that 
were doing crane work, the early risers. I got out as they hid their curiosity; 
a nice crew of people that knew their own worth and happy to be there - a tight 
band that was privileged in some way, including a woman and a young lad probably just out of high school. They liked their work... I could see it.
I drove across the parking lot to the park office. The rangers were coming in as well - a woman and a younger man; walked across looking at me and went in for coffee, I asked as they came out, if facilities were open and they showed me where and then took my things and went and shaved and walked into their place - they kept it well and interesting. I took a few pictures and went for a walk on a beach 
and then on their trails - this was a special morning and the place is special - teaming with life, and well kept: I liked their exhibits placed at just right 
places, explaining the wildlife - they contained a lot of information consolidated right there with illustrations that you might not find if you try - some birds I knew by sight, but didn't know the names, and the plants were there with pictures; I took pix of quite a few of them - they were real good. 

It was a Good Morning. I was in Day 2, after a good night

I'll be on a way to Delaware crossing by ferry to Lewis.







Waterdrop explained

Why waterdrop and what it means? Clearly I need to explain...

I think the introduction should start with the 'rain of light', reflected by the water - you can see it if you don't focus  - it hits the water and then - an interesting thing happens, that is observable... It looks as 'real rain', the usual one.  You can see it! Why? What actually happens?

I've studed water for some 15 years, digitizing the sounds of the ocean, processing it through various algorithms, trying to see what is there, moving, making sounds.

Water is an amazing being - and so I need to explain. But not now. I'll come back to it in a few ...

Saturday, March 2, 2013

Candlelight Vigil March 1, Union Square, NYC


Candlelight Vigil 

Mar 1.

I made my way to NYC, Union Square; Candlelight vigil organized by the New York Chapter of ASAN.

And I shot some video; this is raw unedited footage shot by Canon A2200.  Some clips didn't come out. Some need editing. I'll need to get iMovie or something and learn how to use it. But for now this would have to  do.

I've also written this - ("Learning Autistic Words") - inspired by Nick Walker's essay in Loud Hands.
and handed it to some of our people and to people who stopped and asked



Learning Autistic words: 

Neurons - cells in a brain. You got a few, me got more. You need less time to learn to use it; me need more time to use mine.

You are neuromajority, me neurominority. 
You are neurotypical (NT), Me neurodivergent (ND) 
You like yourself, I like myself. 
You call me disorder (ASD), I call me different 
You call me abnormal, I call me Autistic (AC) 
Your neuropathology is a not a Pathology 
My neuropathology is Psychiatric Pathology 
You have rights, I have therapy 
You live in your home, I live in controlled environment 
You control your life, I don't control mine 
You call yourself caregiver, I'm trying to survive 
You don't speak my language, I don't speak yours 

Today - is Autistic Mourning Day - March 1 Mourning for those of us whose life was interrupted by "caregivers" of our civilized society, a mercy killing you may have heard. 

We need to develop a cross-neurotype competence, so that we can communicate, and become competent in each other ways, and do no such mercy to each other

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And here is my amateur footage:


Clip MVI_0215 - Gathering (Autistic Mourning Day - Union Square, New York, NY)
the beginning, getting together, signing photo release form, and ..   http://youtu.be/uMjrW5AfqiI

Clip MVI_0216 - Connecting (Autistic Mourning Day - Union Square, New York, NY)
Lights lit, Gandhi walking, ... together we ...  http://youtu.be/jFer5iiO6YA

Clip MVI_0218 - Jennifer speaking (Autistic Mourning Day - Union Square, New York, NY)
Listening to Jennifer speaking quetly (Krishnas chanting in the background; they are regulars)  http://youtu.be/yYjRXzXcsqw

Clip MVI_0219 - Zoe speaking (Autistic Mourning Day - Union Square, New York, NY)   http://youtu.be/MHg3o08GchE

Clip MVI_0221 - Sam reading names (Autistic Mourning Day - Union Square, New York, NY)  http://youtu.be/P9RVm5cnpyk

Clip MVI_0224 - Speaking (Autistic Mourning Day - Union Square, New York, NY)    http://youtu.be/WWUA2tM-m7A

Clip MVI_0225 - Candlelight (Autistic Mourning Day - Union Square, New York, NY)
Candlelight vigil; chanting.   http://youtu.be/tM_0N6EXIPM

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Next week driving down south.