Books by Autistic Authors; Reviewed by Kimberly Gerry Tucker

BECOMING VULNERABLE by Joshua Corwin. My review of this poetry book here: https://the-art-of-autism.com/joshua-corwins-becoming-vulnerable-book-review-and-participate-in-book-launch/ My review of Jude Morrow’s book “Why Does Daddy Always Look So Sad?” Review here: https://the-art-of-autism.com/a-memoir-by-an-autistic-dad-why-does-daddy-always-look-so-sad/ Here I have reviewed Siena Castellon’s book The Spectrum Girl’s Survival Guide: https://the-art-of-autism.com/book-review-the-spectrum-girls-survival-guide/

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Diversity Represented in Dolls (a positive step toward eradicating Stepfordian world-views)

By Kimberly Gerry Tucker The word ‘tomboy’ was never in my vocabulary. I adored climbing boulders, collecting rocks, studying insects, and sitting in mud puddles rolling mud meatballs. I liked dolls too. I was no stereotype. I used to cringe when I was called tomboy. I was being a kid. No specific gender, just being […]

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Short Howie video

For those of you who have read the book, you know it is about my husband who had ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or Lou Gehrigs). In this very short video clip (I’m working on converting the hi-8 cassettes to DVD) you will see a daily occurrence: me brushing his teeth. Howie was fairly mobile here, […]

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Disconnecting Through Connection

Reposted from my ravenambitionWordpress site In reading Jim Sterba’s ‘Frankie’s Place’, Jim refers to reading material that one brings into the bathroom to read as “toi lit.” People still do that, right? This term amuses me. I’ve always been a voracious reader; that hasn’t changed. But I used to enjoy reading ‘the newspaper.’ That was […]

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You Never See It Coming

September sneaked up on me. I just had a few mini vacations: Vermont, NY, Massachusetts. And I got to walk on the beach this past summer. Now I understand that this is the last Autumn my Maple will drop leaves. It’s marked for murder. Every day the treecutters are closer and closer. September and February […]

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A Poem

I had meant to post a new original poem for every day in April which was poetry month I believe. Better late than not at all. There’s a poem toward the end of this entry, not an original one. It’s one I came across on my laptop.  There are lots of things “I meant to […]

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Disconnecting Through Connection

In a book I read a few weeks ago (author Jim Sterba’s ‘Frankie’s Place’), Jim refers to reading material that one brings into the bathroom to read as “toi lit.” This term stayed with me-I found it way too amusing. It can be seen as a reflection of times that have changed. Think about it. I’ve […]

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Back Off Pigweed OR: Just Enough On The Plate

Deserted houses, forgotten outbuildings, abandoned vehicles, long vacant parking lots, and sunken ships. They’ve all got something in common. Nature gobbles them up. Underground roots (rhizomes) undermine the integrity of foundations. Ivy creeps stealthily into cracks. Temperature extremes, dampness, insects and various wild animals- all play a role in reclaiming structures. In the sea, artificial reefs […]

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Easter Schmeester

Ever hear a voice and it reminds you of someone else’s voice? Someone long departed or otherwise gone from your life? You don’t realize it, it’s an involuntary thing, but when people speak… And in particular when that voice is familiar and heard often- their voice imprints on you; not unlike fossil indents on rock. I […]

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Recalling Pistachios and Toy Vacuums, Funny Neural Pathways-won’t you send lasers?

TRIGGER warning. Do not read if you’re sensitive to descriptions of pain. That said, I was sitting at work earlier; at lunch…eyes downcast and peeling thready white pith from tangerine segments (my hands will be citrus-smelling all day-lovely!:)My view: a carpet (this one’s taupe) which has the type of pile (the kind of plush style […]

Read More Recalling Pistachios and Toy Vacuums, Funny Neural Pathways-won’t you send lasers?

Searching for shadows

I was always a “hang-upside-down” person. Well into my 40s. I would be at the track for a walk (with the playground nearby,) or enjoying the swings with the grandkid(s) and I’d spot that “jungle gym” bar. It was irresistible. Within minutes I’d be hanging upside down, arms akimbo, legs creased over the bar; batty […]

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Feed Sacks are Cool and other Updates

My grandson likes to think he resembles Brick Heck (Atticis Finch) in mannerisms and looks. He does. Kinda. I identified with the recent episode of The Middle (as defined by Wiki: an American sitcom about a working-class family living in Indiana and facing the day-to-day struggles of home life, work, and raising children.)  Sue, while […]

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Dumb Meme. New Work. 

Miniature billboard-like memes with their visual messages and antecdotes…usually pop-up-style intrusive, sometimes funny, predictable purveyors of excruciatingly bad grammar, some of them trying too hard to be profound and some actually succeeding. I’ve been slack on writing the blog, keeping abreast of social media, and  this is because I’ve got 20 paintings that need to […]

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A Few Hours At The Mall

 I want to be a bit of both walnut tree and a bit oceanic hot vent fish. Why can’t I be a mix between the two? I’ll explain in a minute what I mean by that. First this: I am not a big user of emojis although sometimes my youngest child and I will make […]

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Fostering Healthy Wariness 

Zsolt with Kerry/Silis; my youngest child at her art show. The carved figure between them is hers. I knew a guy (Zsolt) who (camera in hand) used to approach strangers going about their lives… on the sidewalks of New Haven and photograph them. He had a contagious engaging charm and genuine interest, a curiosity- for all […]

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Book Giveaway

As some of you may know, I wrote this book:    However, my book used to look like this:    This version is the same memoir; however it is the one my agent designed. I like the cover well enough. William chose two of my paintings for the cover. I felt I wanted to honor […]

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Distorted Reality

My first reading material was my set of World Book Encyclopedias. I would buy paperbacks at tag sales. Books like The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Universe, Elvis’s Autobiography and Chariots of The Gods. I read voraciously. I liked comics too… Richie Rich, Casper, Little Lotta and the scary ones were my favorites- the ones where […]

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Hamilton and the Tenner

Originally posted on William Hogeland:
It does seem to me historically tone deaf for the Treasury Dept. to consider taking Alexander Hamilton, of all people, off U.S. currency, of all things, or even reducing his presence there. I can’t say I care who is on the money — easier to have nothing there but graphic design, I think…

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Mrs. Weed’s Peculiar Life

I watched appalled from our upstairs kitchen window as people from all over our neighborhood pulled their cars up to her vacant house and unashamedly dug up her tulip bulbs, pulled up her daffodils, dug out rose bushes, and yanked up black eyed susans and daisies.

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2014 in review

The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2014 annual report for this blog. Here’s an excerpt: The concert hall at the Sydney Opera House holds 2,700 people. This blog was viewed about 13,000 times in 2014. If it were a concert at Sydney Opera House, it would take about 5 sold-out performances for that many […]

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Under The Banana Moon (the book) Undergoing an Exciting New Look

Under The Banana Moon is undergoing some changes. Available for purchase here: http://www.amazon.com/Under-Banana-Moon-Living-Aspergers/dp/150572886X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1422058266&sr=1-1&keywords=under+the+banana+moon The paperback version is available online at Amazon now. The book cover is undergoing an entirely new look! I’ve fixed a typo in this version; and added pictures inside. To order it in the original version, please inbox me at gnightelizabeth@gmail.com and I […]

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Advice From a Guy With PTSD

My father (who was a Robert Mitchum look alike) used to wake up swinging. Anyone who’s read my book Under The Banana Moon knows he was a laid back optimistic guy with more serotonin coursing through him than I can ever hope to have! But yeah, I’m sure now it was Posttraumatic Stress “Disorder,” a […]

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10 Oddisms, Unusual Stories and Interesting Things

1) Jesus Statue Has Real Teeth photo Credit: ENCRyM-INAH As this photo shows, there used to be a tradition in which people donated body parts to churches. Upon being given an X-Ray, this statue was found to have actual human teeth in it. The photo below shows the actual statue (courtesy http://www.nbcnews.com/science/weird-science/lord-almighty-300-year-old-jesus-statue-found-have-human-n183471 ).  In 2014, Fanny […]

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On Roadside Ruminations

A poem by James Richardson—   ESSAY ON WOOD At dawn when rowboats drum the dock and every door in the breathing house bumps softly as if someone were leaving quietly, I wonder if something in us is made of wood, maybe not quite the heart, knocking softly, or maybe not made of it, but […]

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My 101st blog

WILHELM:   This has the distinction of being my 101st blog; which is more of an achievement to me than having completed my 100th blog, because 101 has two ones in it and as such is a better number than 100! That said I wanted to mention the infamous Wilhelm scream. It can be heard […]

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CAN WE TALK? (about pet peeves)

You know that book: “Eats Shoots and Leaves” (by Lynne Truss)? I used to think it was about some kind of mammal, maybe a panda, that eats shoots and leaves. Then I put on my glasses and noticed the comma: “Eats, Shoots and Leaves.” Now that implies that someone eats, then shoots, then leaves… Entirely […]

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URNS Dilemma

URNS Check this out: These are on display in the corner of my cellar. The four of them, (two pets, two people) have been on display for some time now. I know it’s a bit of a macabre theme but go with it. Think of this as a pre-Halloween blog or something. It’s become a dilemma, […]

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Note to the Child Me

NOTE TO MY CHILD SELF                 I’m an adult with sensory sensitivities and diagnoses of both Aspergers and selective mutism. I remember what it was like to be a child with those challenges. At the time, I thought that because I was so different from everyone else that I must have be an alien dropped […]

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IF

If it weren’t for the moon, to slow Earth’s spin, we’d have 6 hour days instead of 24. If Teddy Roosevelt hadn’t been carrying his speech in a metal eyeglasses container that October night in 1912 when John Schrank shot him, the bullet would’ve killed him. If Al Capone hadn’t compulsively carried his trademark mirror […]

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Crosses

I take pictures of crosses that appear naturally, for the most part, that is to say- they have to be found, not placed on purpose. So you see, crosses on churches are not pictured here. I am sharing some of my found crosses. Here they are: Above: See the cross on my father’s shed? This […]

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Is It Profound or Is It Poop?

Have you heard about the tiny skeletons appearing on the streets of Mexico? Urban artist Isaac Cordal can tell you about them. He created them. The following quote is from his website, which has a link following this blog: “These small sculptures contemplate the demolition and reconstruction of everything around us. They catch the attention […]

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Just Random Photos

 Boston photos I took Below: Boston Aquarium       Top two pictures: photo credits Kerry Tucker   BELOW: master of camouflage (above) photo credit: Al Phaneuf Do you see it? There’s a bird hiding here.   Found this bathroom mural in the arts district New Haven     left: I made this mini Van […]

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Thou Art Inspiring

My grandson said recently: “Grandma enjoys stress. It gives her something to do.” This is my bathroom shower curtain. The curtain was purchased at Walmart.As you can see, it’s an oceanic world, an underwater scene of fish and coral. Every week I buy stickers and when my grandson sleeps over, he puts them into the scene. […]

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Emotions With No Name

Where can you find the remains of a giraffe, an upright dining table, a claw hand and silver bars worth millions (all in the same place)? Underwater, in NYC, that’s where. Weird finds in New York’s waterways are the inspiration for fictional stories on a “digital journal” called Underwater New York. But I’m more interested […]

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BRAIN PLUMAGE

  “You see yourself descending From the building to the ground And you watch the sky receding And you spin to see the traffic Rising up and it’s so quiet Then you wake”–Adam Duritz I went to an IMax theater in Boston last week and saw a docu-film in 3-D about South Pacific sea life. […]

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Rantings of a logophile

  I’m into obscure things. If you’ve read this blog you already know that. This forum, for me, is kind of an information purge of sorts. It’s like a safe place where I can say things like moon pigeons and alphabet juice and electric ketchup. Oddball conundrums keep my brain cells happy. Let me explain the […]

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Life is a Fractal; RIP Maya

The essence of living things are cascades of fractals. Related patterns recur enthusiastically at progressively smaller scales… seemingly random but decidely chaotic. Deoxyribonucleic acid, (DNA) with its double helix entwined like a ladder. Cells. Fractals are seen with the “naked” eye, as in this beehive:   And they are unseen (as in this close-up view of […]

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Interview With a Fellow Aspergian

             This blog is in honor of both “National Library Week” (April 13th to 19th) and “Asperger Awareness Month” (April); although designated weeks and months are hardly reasons to blog about e-mails received quite “out of the blue” from interesting people who’ve actually read ALL of my blogs. I assure you readers, […]

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Some of Crows’ and Ravens’ Roles in Fairy Tales and myth and Literature

I think of ravens and crows interchangeably. I can’t help it; I just do. Ravens are bigger in size although there are other differences too; like their voices. Supposedly the crow can say ‘uh-huh’, ‘caw’, ‘eh-aw’, ‘kow’, ‘aww’, and sound real nasal, whereas the raven is harsher and says things like ‘kraa’, or it makes […]

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Go ahead and make my day

You always think it’ll be an “ordinary” day, but as soon as you begin to forget to remember that everything is extraordinary, that’s when you get reminders to pay attention. Routines, beloved routines! Embrace them; for one never knows when they may be put on hold. (“The Spirit filters through what I want and shows […]

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Christmas is… and isn’t

Do you get a little sick of all the warm-fuzzy hoo-ha this time of year? I’m not embarrassed to admit that I buy into all the good cheer to an extent and then slowly I feel like…where’s the New Year? I want all this behind me now. I wasn’t even going to get a tree […]

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Digging In Boxes

Digging In Boxes                 There are ‘noun friendly’ languages like English and then there are ‘verb friendly’ languages like Korean, Hindi, and Japanese. In the latter languages, nouns are frequently dropped and names for activities are emphasized in the earliest years of life when parents are teaching children to speak. On the other hand, parents […]

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She asked me, How does Aspergers feel? Read my book Under The Banana Moon or start by reading this blog

  I noticed a message in my facebook inbox. A person affiliated with a selective mutism awareness group asked me a question that should’ve been easy for me to answer. She said, “What does it feel like to have aspergers?” I was surprised at how difficult it was for me to reply to her. After […]

Read More She asked me, How does Aspergers feel? Read my book Under The Banana Moon or start by reading this blog

Comparing Luigi to the Voynich find, a look at two of the weirdest outsider art books ever!

Imagine writing and illustrating a book so bizarre (but intriguing) that decades later people are still drawn to it and NO ONE has been able to decode the secret language you made up, nor are they able to understand what your mind boggling illustrations mean?! Hey that’s a feat, eh? Look at one of the […]

Read More Comparing Luigi to the Voynich find, a look at two of the weirdest outsider art books ever!

Fun fun fun Playing With Words

A shot in the dark. —– A dot in the shark. A self constructed riddle or—– A self constricted ruddle? Hmmm, twisting words. A deliberate error of speech or sometimes simply the accidental play on words with corresponding vowels, consonants or morphemes ( smallest grammatical unit in language) are switched within a phrase. These fun […]

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Relating to Robots

I was sitting in a chair facing the hallway corridor at the local hospital when I heard a voice. A female one. “Your delivery has arrived. ” … Who IS that? So I was in the waiting room of the cardiologist office, waiting for them to call me into a room and get a heart […]

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Bacteria: Who’s in Charge?

  “Happiness and bacteria have one thing in common; they multiply by dividing!” ― Rutvik Oza “A person’s a person, no matter how small.” ― Dr. Seuss, Horton Hears a Who! Does that apply to microbes, pray tell? 90% of the cells within us are not ours; they’re microbes.’ Demodex mites frolic amongst our eyelashes, peacefully eating dead […]

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Resistance To Change

After our house was remodeled to handicap specifications, I had had it with workers in the house! My husband’s condition worsened, he died, and the last thing I wanted to do was keep up with repairs, because that meant having workers in the house again. So for years I let things go, no more visiting […]

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