RIP Nora Ephron - 3 favorite quotes by her.
"Above all, be the heroine of your life, not the victim."
“Reading is everything. Reading makes me feel like I've accomplished something, learned something, become a better person. Reading makes me smarter. Reading gives me something to talk about later on. Reading is the unbelievably healthy way my attention deficit disorder medicates itself. Reading is escape, and the opposite of escape; it's a way to make contact with reality after a day of making things up, and it's a way of making contact with someone else's imagination after a day that's all too real. Reading is grist. Reading is bliss.”
“Insane people are always sure that they are fine. It is only the sane people who are willing to admit that they are crazy.”
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Monday, June 25, 2012
Disney Resources
I have received a great deal of information on Disney travel
– right now, I will share a list of some of the resources shared with me:
http://allears.net/ae/ae.htm
- this is an e-
newsletter about all things Walt Disney World. It is updated weekly.
The above is a link to a preview of Cars Land – definitely on
my to-do list for our next visit to the West Coast – both my boys are Cars
fanatics!
This is the official Disney Parks blog: http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/
The following was courtesy of my cousin, who has been to
Disney on more than 20 occasions:
Www.mousesavers.com
Www.allearst.net
Www.pass porter.com. Has many books as well, for diff trips
Www.tourningplans.com has a book as well
Brinbaums guide to Walt Disney World
They also will also send you weekly or monthly newsletters if you sign up.
A friend of mine
works for Bob Rogers travel in Woodridge, Illinois and they specialize in
sending groups to Disney:
http://www.bobrogerstravel.com/
Orlando
We currently have several vacations in the works and I would like to blog about our plans and experiences every step of the way.
Next month, we are taking the kids to Disney World in Orlando. We are staying at the Disney Contemporary Resort. That’s the one where the monorail comes right into the hotel and transports passengers between the hotel and the Magic Kingdom, as well as Epcot. I’ve been told by more than one person to advise Disney that my autistic kids are coming for a visit. I heard we can skip the long lines, which would be great considering my kids get really ugly when they have to wait.
We also got a non-stop flight to Orlando. This is a big deal. My kids and many autistic kids don’t do well with layovers. I’ve experienced many a meltdown when connecting flights to the point where I was worried they would kick us off the plane.
My brother made reservations at Boston Lobster House, a restaurant he visited when in Florida to see the Orange Bowl many years ago. They apparently have an incredible seafood buffet.
I haven’t been to Disney World for about 20 years. I have never stayed at a Disney resort. When we were kids, we stayed in Kissimmee, which was perfectly fine and not too far from the parks. I’m excited about taking my kids at this age. Sean is 7, which is perfect. He’s old enough that he’ll remember it and young enough that it’s all still magical to him.
More later!
Next month, we are taking the kids to Disney World in Orlando. We are staying at the Disney Contemporary Resort. That’s the one where the monorail comes right into the hotel and transports passengers between the hotel and the Magic Kingdom, as well as Epcot. I’ve been told by more than one person to advise Disney that my autistic kids are coming for a visit. I heard we can skip the long lines, which would be great considering my kids get really ugly when they have to wait.
We also got a non-stop flight to Orlando. This is a big deal. My kids and many autistic kids don’t do well with layovers. I’ve experienced many a meltdown when connecting flights to the point where I was worried they would kick us off the plane.
My brother made reservations at Boston Lobster House, a restaurant he visited when in Florida to see the Orange Bowl many years ago. They apparently have an incredible seafood buffet.
I haven’t been to Disney World for about 20 years. I have never stayed at a Disney resort. When we were kids, we stayed in Kissimmee, which was perfectly fine and not too far from the parks. I’m excited about taking my kids at this age. Sean is 7, which is perfect. He’s old enough that he’ll remember it and young enough that it’s all still magical to him.
More later!
Saturday, June 23, 2012
Parent Unplugged: The Hostess With the Mostest
Parent Unplugged: The Hostess With the Mostest: Birthday Celebrations for our kids have reached a new level of absurdness. From the money spent, to the gifts given to the guests, t...
Jenny
Can’t sleep. On Facebook.
Clicked “on this day God wants you to know…” but there’s always an ad
about how to meet rich men in my area.
God wants me to know that?
Scanned and posted some old
family photos yesterday. I’m so grateful and lucky to have such a fantastic
family – both my Mom and Dad’s side, full of amazing people. I realize “amazing” is an overused word, but
it’s so true for my fam damily.
I want to comment on the whole
recent “Jenny controversy.” In the
autism community, Jenny McCarthy is “Jenny.”
It seems no one has a mild opinion about her in the autism
community. Personally, I love her. I
will admit that when she was on MTV, I was totally annoyed, but as an autism
mom, she rocks. I don’t always agree
with everything she has to say, but I know she doesn’t expect me to and I’m
glad she’s at least saying it.
Recently she was criticized for
saying that some autism moms enjoy playing the victim. I agree, isn’t Munchausen by proxy a
recognized disorder?
Friday, June 22, 2012
Noise
Noise – When I was single and
living alone, I hated silence. I would
leave the tv or radio on 24/7 when there weren’t people around. I really do
like the fact that I have a husband and kids now, even though my kids are
smelly and trash everything we own and having a stylish home is a distant
memory. I had some really cute
apartments, really I did!
This morning, I awakened to Todd
kicking his bedroom door. Who needs an
alarm? Silly me, I always set the clock
for 8 a.m. or so, as if I’m not going to be awakened by the pounding at 5:45.
We have a new neighbor moving in
upstairs. She has no idea what’s in
store. I hope she’s not a “police caller”
like the next-door renters. A comment on
that: I believe you call the police if a crime is happening or imminent, or
there’s been an accident. I have only
called 911 twice in my life, once when I was in a car accident and once when I
witnessed a car accident. I don’t
understand the audacity of calling police because you’re annoyed by a child. That seems to me a waste of taxpayer money.
Now I’m listening to Todd
slamming the cabinet doors of the entertainment center. He already busted out the back of the
entertainment center weeks ago. And yes,
it was only purchased less than a year ago. Ah, the hyposensory child. The last police officer that came a-calling was so confused when I tried to explain what "hyposensory" is.
I’m also listening to Sean sing
at the top of his lungs to Veggie Tales, which he is blasting at full volume. I enjoy listening to him sing, but I really
need to go in there and have him turn it down before he blows the
speakers. A few years ago, we went
through a phase where he blew out 3 sets of computer speakers in a matter of
months.
I see my nosy neighbor across the courtyard peeping through her blinds at the boys and she thinks I can't see her. She looks like Paula Deen, so we call her Peeping Paula. I always wave and she ducks away from her window. One of these days, I swear I'm going to flash my boobs. Nah, I won't, but it would serve her right!
I gave them some Goldfish
crackers. My dad always buys them the big box of rainbow-colored Goldfish. I
think that’s such a cute Grandpa thing to do. I remember my Papa always brought
me jelly orange slices and spearmint leaves.
Todd, of course, has lined up all Goldfish according to color. If Sean inadvertently disturbs the order
somehow, there will be blood. I’m not
kidding. Those rainbow Goldfish also make for some interesting-colored diaper changes, yes, believe me, I know that's gross.
I think they’re bored. Summer school starts Monday, not soon enough!
Maybe I’ll take them to McDonald’s later. I wish I could take them someplace better,
like Montmartre! Someday I will and I can’t wait to see how they react to that
creative and beautiful place.
Just went in the kitchen. Todd peeled off the duct tape we put on the
broken stove door. He’s alternating
between trying to slam that, the fridge door and the dishwasher door. I think some melatonin may be in order. Whenever I tell him no, he just hugs me and
stops what he’s doing for a few minutes.
I always know he’s up to
something when he closes the door of whatever room I’m in, so I then know I
have to check on whatever he’s doing – yep, back to slamming the entertainment
center cabinets.
Sometimes when I write about the
kids, I look back at what I wrote and think it must look like I have a
stressful life. True, there is stress,
but I’m actually happier than I’ve been in decades. Sometimes I’m stormy, but most of the time, I’m
content. Granted, I could use a lot more money than I currently have. Having special needs kids has given me new
passion and sent me down new paths – I have learned and continue to learn so
much. I hope none of this sounds pretentious. I believe becoming a special
needs mom was a gift from the universe and I hope I can use that gift properly.
Thursday, June 21, 2012
Why my new stove?
Most of the time, I have patience with my children. Honestly, Xanax is very helpful. Some days are harder than others. Todd has had repetitive behaviors since he could walk. Some are more destructive than others. When he lines up toys on every surface in our home, I’m ok with that. When he repeatedly bangs doors shut or against walls, I get a headache and the neighbors feel the need to call the police. This past weekend, his behavior unexpectedly made me cry. I have a stove that we purchased only a few months ago. Todd likes to open and slam shut the oven door. Sunday, I realized the oven light was on. The door won’t shut all the way. It’s hyperextended and we will have to have a repair person come out. I don’t know why that upset me so much. It’s so hard to try to have nice things when you have kids in the first place, but with autistic kids, it’s worse. Am I going to have to get a second part-time job, go back full-time or pray to win the lottery so I can continue to pay for the broken appliances, holes in the drywall, chipped paint, torn carpeting, doors coming off their hinges from slamming, cracked iPad screens, scratched computer LED screens, broken expensive toys…where does it end? Does it end? What happens when Todd isn’t little and cute anymore? What happens when he’s so big, I can’t physically control him anymore? I don’t want to go there in my head.
Update: $75.00 just for the Sears repair guy to come out and tell us the stove is a total loss. He twisted the hinges of the door a bit so at least the oven light goes off and the door almost closes. We had frozen pizza for dinner last night and it baked just fine. Sigh.
Update: $75.00 just for the Sears repair guy to come out and tell us the stove is a total loss. He twisted the hinges of the door a bit so at least the oven light goes off and the door almost closes. We had frozen pizza for dinner last night and it baked just fine. Sigh.
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Chicago Unbelievable: The Disco Salad Bar
This has nothing to do with autism, but it's a very enjoyable local Chicago site.
Chicago Unbelievable: The Disco Salad Bar: Hi, guys. You'll never believe what I discovered today at the Holmes Murder Castle site. I was there all day with a TV show, including a tri...
Chicago Unbelievable: The Disco Salad Bar: Hi, guys. You'll never believe what I discovered today at the Holmes Murder Castle site. I was there all day with a TV show, including a tri...
Wisconsin Dells Restaurants 2012
While staying at Mt. Olympus in Wisconsin Dells, the only food options on-site were a coffee shop in the main lobby and a fast food counter at the water park. Both had limited hours. We had to go off-site to eat. We skipped Paul Bunyan’s this time because there’s usually quite a line and it was awful last time since the kids have such a hard time waiting. It’s also very noisy and crowded in there and the seating is community style, which doesn’t really suit families like ours. Our kids end up crawling under the table, picking off other people’s plates and generally annoying everyone in the restaurant.
We had a great meal at Sprecher’s on Wisconsin Dells Parkway. They have a $5.00 kids menu with all the usuals like burgers, chicken and fries. We had fried cheese curds for an appetizer, which the kids loved. I had the schnitzel and my husband had the meatloaf, both excellent. My husband tried their version of Irish Stout, which tasted just like fresh Guinness in Ireland.
One afternoon, we stopped for lunch at the Rail Dog at 223 Wisconsin Avenue, which is just off Broadway, which is the main road downtown. The hot dog stand is a converted train caboose. We were served personally by the owner, a very nice Polish man, who kept giving the kids fries to keep them happy while he made our food and told us the story of converting the caboose into a food stand. At his recommendation, my husband and I shared tamales and a “Polish taco,” which is Polish sausage wrapped in a tortilla and deep fried – so good! If you ever plan to go to the Rail Dog, bring cash, as he does not accept credit cards.
Our favorite place was the buffet at Chula Vista. There were so many food choices, plenty for myself, my husband and my picky eater kids. Good quality food, too. We were able to get a large booth. Our current “system that works” in going to restaurants is to get the largest booth possible, have the kids sit on the inside and us on the outside. One of us gets up to get food for one kid first, then the other child. While they are busy eating, we take turns getting food for ourselves. I think next time we go to the Dells, we will stay at Chula Vista. It’s away from the downtown area and main strips of the Dells, but there’s enough to do at the resort that you wouldn’t really need to go into town, or just pick one day to drive into town.
On the way home, we always stop at the Tanger Outlet Mall. I really didn’t find any good deals on children’s clothing or shoes, but I found a new “work bag” for myself at Wilson’s Leather – originally $130.00 marked down to $40.00. I also found some sweaters on clearance at Old Navy for both myself and my husband – originally $35.00 marked down to $3.00. That’s not a typo, $3.00!
Buffalo Phil’s is a restaurant right by the Tanger Outlet Mall. There was a wait, but the kids were surprisingly patient. It was worth waiting, because your food is delivered to you on a train. My kids are both obsessed with trains. The food is very good. Sean had a burger and fries, Todd had chicken nuggets and fries, typical kid fare and they loved it. I had a bowl of cream of potato soup that was yummy and a pulled pork sandwich, which was delicious and so big, I brought half of it home. My husband had a chicken breast sandwich, but didn’t finish it because it was too dry. The service is quick and the train constantly moving around the counter keeps the kids occupied. That said, Sean went and sat at another table at one point to say hello to the customers sitting there. They were so incredulous and offended. Honestly, if a kid came over to our table to say hi, I would think it was cute. My kids like to leave restaurants as soon as they are done eating, which is difficult when the adults are not finished. Todd finished eating first and had a fit on the floor because he wanted to leave. The people in the restaurant were very kind in ignoring us. Please ignore us – autistic families are embarrassed enough when these things happen.
We had a great meal at Sprecher’s on Wisconsin Dells Parkway. They have a $5.00 kids menu with all the usuals like burgers, chicken and fries. We had fried cheese curds for an appetizer, which the kids loved. I had the schnitzel and my husband had the meatloaf, both excellent. My husband tried their version of Irish Stout, which tasted just like fresh Guinness in Ireland.
One afternoon, we stopped for lunch at the Rail Dog at 223 Wisconsin Avenue, which is just off Broadway, which is the main road downtown. The hot dog stand is a converted train caboose. We were served personally by the owner, a very nice Polish man, who kept giving the kids fries to keep them happy while he made our food and told us the story of converting the caboose into a food stand. At his recommendation, my husband and I shared tamales and a “Polish taco,” which is Polish sausage wrapped in a tortilla and deep fried – so good! If you ever plan to go to the Rail Dog, bring cash, as he does not accept credit cards.
Our favorite place was the buffet at Chula Vista. There were so many food choices, plenty for myself, my husband and my picky eater kids. Good quality food, too. We were able to get a large booth. Our current “system that works” in going to restaurants is to get the largest booth possible, have the kids sit on the inside and us on the outside. One of us gets up to get food for one kid first, then the other child. While they are busy eating, we take turns getting food for ourselves. I think next time we go to the Dells, we will stay at Chula Vista. It’s away from the downtown area and main strips of the Dells, but there’s enough to do at the resort that you wouldn’t really need to go into town, or just pick one day to drive into town.
On the way home, we always stop at the Tanger Outlet Mall. I really didn’t find any good deals on children’s clothing or shoes, but I found a new “work bag” for myself at Wilson’s Leather – originally $130.00 marked down to $40.00. I also found some sweaters on clearance at Old Navy for both myself and my husband – originally $35.00 marked down to $3.00. That’s not a typo, $3.00!
Buffalo Phil’s is a restaurant right by the Tanger Outlet Mall. There was a wait, but the kids were surprisingly patient. It was worth waiting, because your food is delivered to you on a train. My kids are both obsessed with trains. The food is very good. Sean had a burger and fries, Todd had chicken nuggets and fries, typical kid fare and they loved it. I had a bowl of cream of potato soup that was yummy and a pulled pork sandwich, which was delicious and so big, I brought half of it home. My husband had a chicken breast sandwich, but didn’t finish it because it was too dry. The service is quick and the train constantly moving around the counter keeps the kids occupied. That said, Sean went and sat at another table at one point to say hello to the customers sitting there. They were so incredulous and offended. Honestly, if a kid came over to our table to say hi, I would think it was cute. My kids like to leave restaurants as soon as they are done eating, which is difficult when the adults are not finished. Todd finished eating first and had a fit on the floor because he wanted to leave. The people in the restaurant were very kind in ignoring us. Please ignore us – autistic families are embarrassed enough when these things happen.
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Wisconsin Dells 2012 Part 1
We went to the Dells in April. We drove there in my new car, a 2012 Jeep Compass. We paid extra for a feature I highly recommend to anyone with kids: dual DVD players on the back of each head rest. Each kid can watch his own movie. That said, they are always curious what the other is doing, so sometimes they end up craning their necks and watching each other’s movie.
This time, we stayed at Mt. Olympus. I thought the boys were ready for a more “older kid” theme/water park.
The room was nice. It had two queen beds and bunk beds for the kids, although the kids always ended up in our bed at some point in the night. All the furniture had smooth edges, nothing sharp for someone to crack their head open. It also had the typical amenities of a fridge, microwave and coffee maker that makes that crappy tea bag-type coffee. There was a Starbucks in the lobby, so we usually went there for our morning coffee. There wasn’t a restaurant on site, but there were overpriced snacks available at the indoor water park and overpriced pastries, fruit and sandwiches at the Starbucks. The food counters had fairly short hours as well. The coffee shop was closed by about 3 or 4 and the snack bar closed around 9 and you had to go into the water park to get food there. I was glad I brought extra food to keep in the room.
The water park was nice for my boys. Sean (7) enjoyed every water slide he was tall enough to go on. Todd (5) was happy to just splash in the baby area. He liked getting out of the water, walking to the fence that bordered the water area, then walk backwards to step backwards into about 6 inches of water. He did this over and over for hours. It drove my husband nuts, but the kid was happy. There was a man in dress clothes and dress shoes sitting by the baby area who became very annoyed when Todd splashed a few drops of water on his shoes. You’re complaining about getting a little wet at a water park? Todd also got some strange looks, but the people giving the strange looks were actually quite strange looking themselves.
The indoor theme park was disappointing. It was very small and the boys were too short for most of the rides. There was a ball pit area that they were very happy staying in for hours. Sean ran all over the place on every level and Todd collected balls, lining them up according to color. I had to really watch him because if another kid inadvertently disturbed his line pattern, he flipped out.
The only off-site attraction we went to was Top Secret, as we were given half-off coupons at our hotel. Half price was about $5 or $6 each, so for that price, it was fine. It’s a replica of the White House that has allegedly been attacked by aliens. The set design is very good. The problem was, my 7-year-old screamed every time there was a loud noise or the lights went out, so it was not good for him. Door to door the tour takes less than a half hour. I would recommend this for older kids and only if your tickets are discounted.
We had a great meal at the Chula Vista resort, which I will discuss in another blog post. School friends of my boys went there recently and prefer that resort. I think Chula Vista is where we will stay on our next visit to the Dells.
This time, we stayed at Mt. Olympus. I thought the boys were ready for a more “older kid” theme/water park.
The room was nice. It had two queen beds and bunk beds for the kids, although the kids always ended up in our bed at some point in the night. All the furniture had smooth edges, nothing sharp for someone to crack their head open. It also had the typical amenities of a fridge, microwave and coffee maker that makes that crappy tea bag-type coffee. There was a Starbucks in the lobby, so we usually went there for our morning coffee. There wasn’t a restaurant on site, but there were overpriced snacks available at the indoor water park and overpriced pastries, fruit and sandwiches at the Starbucks. The food counters had fairly short hours as well. The coffee shop was closed by about 3 or 4 and the snack bar closed around 9 and you had to go into the water park to get food there. I was glad I brought extra food to keep in the room.
The water park was nice for my boys. Sean (7) enjoyed every water slide he was tall enough to go on. Todd (5) was happy to just splash in the baby area. He liked getting out of the water, walking to the fence that bordered the water area, then walk backwards to step backwards into about 6 inches of water. He did this over and over for hours. It drove my husband nuts, but the kid was happy. There was a man in dress clothes and dress shoes sitting by the baby area who became very annoyed when Todd splashed a few drops of water on his shoes. You’re complaining about getting a little wet at a water park? Todd also got some strange looks, but the people giving the strange looks were actually quite strange looking themselves.
The indoor theme park was disappointing. It was very small and the boys were too short for most of the rides. There was a ball pit area that they were very happy staying in for hours. Sean ran all over the place on every level and Todd collected balls, lining them up according to color. I had to really watch him because if another kid inadvertently disturbed his line pattern, he flipped out.
The only off-site attraction we went to was Top Secret, as we were given half-off coupons at our hotel. Half price was about $5 or $6 each, so for that price, it was fine. It’s a replica of the White House that has allegedly been attacked by aliens. The set design is very good. The problem was, my 7-year-old screamed every time there was a loud noise or the lights went out, so it was not good for him. Door to door the tour takes less than a half hour. I would recommend this for older kids and only if your tickets are discounted.
We had a great meal at the Chula Vista resort, which I will discuss in another blog post. School friends of my boys went there recently and prefer that resort. I think Chula Vista is where we will stay on our next visit to the Dells.
Tuesday, June 12, 2012
How to Skip the Longest Lines in Paris : The Perrin Post | Secrets Every Smart Traveler Should Know | By Wendy Perrin. : Condé Nast Traveler
Great recommendations...especially for those of us with kids who simply cannot wait. :)
How to Skip the Longest Lines in Paris : The Perrin Post | Secrets Every Smart Traveler Should Know | By Wendy Perrin. : Condé Nast Traveler
How to Skip the Longest Lines in Paris : The Perrin Post | Secrets Every Smart Traveler Should Know | By Wendy Perrin. : Condé Nast Traveler
Monday, June 11, 2012
Savannah
Here's a Cliff Notes version of some of my favorite places in one of my favorite places, Savannah, Georgia.
The Olde Pink House
(I’ve been here every trip to Savannah, a splurge, but always a great meal. In an old haunted pink mansion with a cool jazz bar in the basement.)
Ghost tour (always fun, been on one every trip to Savannah, totally different stories each time.)
Carriage tour or trolley tour (Nice if there’s time)
Kevin Barry’s (a must, right on the River Walk-good lager & pub grub, live Irish music some nights)
Pirate House (good southern food, cheesy tourist place, but interesting because it really used to be a pirates’ lair & slave holding area.)
Jack Leigh gallery (Nice if there’s time. Affordable prints of his work.)
Savannah Candy Kitchen
225 E. River St. (great old-fashioned candy store)
Juliette Gordon Lowe house
(founder of the Girl Scouts, neat tour, haunted house)
Colonial Cemetery
(at the end of the Civil War, General Sherman’s men were holed up here-they desecrated graves-some stones were never relocated to their rightful owners & are lined up against a wall. Also, there’s a story of a man with giantism who was a social outcast & hung out in the cemetery. Several bodies of children were found at the cemetery & a lynch mob killed him. The next day, another child’s body was found at the cemetery. I saw red flashes of light here at night, would recommend going in the daytime.)
Misc.-the Forsythe Fountain is lovely, Monterey Square is where the Mercer House is (composer Johnny Mercer & the house used in Midnight in the Garden of Good & Evil); Chippewa Square was featured in Forrest Gump & has a cool Native American monument.
I would take a pass on Paula Deen’s The Lady & Sons, too crowded & touristy.
17hundred90 restaurant, bit pricey but good, haunted house.
Churchill’s Pub on Bay St., nice place to have a drink.
The Crab Shack
40 Estill Hammock Road
(This is on Tybee Island, about a 20 min. drive off the coast of Savannah, but if there’s time, it’s a fun place with great food, right on the ocean. I brought my PDD-NOS son to Crab Shack and he had a great time playing in the randomly placed sink, rinsing his hands over and over. No one who worked there seemed to mind.)
Also on Tybee is Fort Jackson (haunted Civil War fort)
Hamilton-Turner B&B
330 Abercorn
(They have high tea in the afternoon, if there’s time. Too many breakables and pretty things to bring the kids, though.)
Mrs. Wilkes’ Dining Room
107 W. Jones St.
(saw this on Rachael Ray’s $40 a Day – southern food served family style. Looks like they’re only open M-F, $16 per person, cash only, long line. Long lines are very tough for ASD kids, so we usually skip this place.)
Molly MacPherson’s Scottish Pub-good Western European lagers & Tim had Scotch eggs for the first time.
Some bars I like: Moon River Brewing Co. on Bay St.
Sixpence Pub on Bull St.
Never done a riverboat tour on the Savannah River.
The Olde Pink House
(I’ve been here every trip to Savannah, a splurge, but always a great meal. In an old haunted pink mansion with a cool jazz bar in the basement.)
Ghost tour (always fun, been on one every trip to Savannah, totally different stories each time.)
Carriage tour or trolley tour (Nice if there’s time)
Kevin Barry’s (a must, right on the River Walk-good lager & pub grub, live Irish music some nights)
Pirate House (good southern food, cheesy tourist place, but interesting because it really used to be a pirates’ lair & slave holding area.)
Jack Leigh gallery (Nice if there’s time. Affordable prints of his work.)
Savannah Candy Kitchen
225 E. River St. (great old-fashioned candy store)
Juliette Gordon Lowe house
(founder of the Girl Scouts, neat tour, haunted house)
Colonial Cemetery
(at the end of the Civil War, General Sherman’s men were holed up here-they desecrated graves-some stones were never relocated to their rightful owners & are lined up against a wall. Also, there’s a story of a man with giantism who was a social outcast & hung out in the cemetery. Several bodies of children were found at the cemetery & a lynch mob killed him. The next day, another child’s body was found at the cemetery. I saw red flashes of light here at night, would recommend going in the daytime.)
Misc.-the Forsythe Fountain is lovely, Monterey Square is where the Mercer House is (composer Johnny Mercer & the house used in Midnight in the Garden of Good & Evil); Chippewa Square was featured in Forrest Gump & has a cool Native American monument.
I would take a pass on Paula Deen’s The Lady & Sons, too crowded & touristy.
17hundred90 restaurant, bit pricey but good, haunted house.
Churchill’s Pub on Bay St., nice place to have a drink.
The Crab Shack
40 Estill Hammock Road
(This is on Tybee Island, about a 20 min. drive off the coast of Savannah, but if there’s time, it’s a fun place with great food, right on the ocean. I brought my PDD-NOS son to Crab Shack and he had a great time playing in the randomly placed sink, rinsing his hands over and over. No one who worked there seemed to mind.)
Also on Tybee is Fort Jackson (haunted Civil War fort)
Hamilton-Turner B&B
330 Abercorn
(They have high tea in the afternoon, if there’s time. Too many breakables and pretty things to bring the kids, though.)
Mrs. Wilkes’ Dining Room
107 W. Jones St.
(saw this on Rachael Ray’s $40 a Day – southern food served family style. Looks like they’re only open M-F, $16 per person, cash only, long line. Long lines are very tough for ASD kids, so we usually skip this place.)
Molly MacPherson’s Scottish Pub-good Western European lagers & Tim had Scotch eggs for the first time.
Some bars I like: Moon River Brewing Co. on Bay St.
Sixpence Pub on Bull St.
Never done a riverboat tour on the Savannah River.
Friday, June 8, 2012
Tours in Key West
A must on every vacation I take is a city tour, usually on a double decker bus. In Key West, we chose to take the Conch Train Tour. It's a Jeep dressed up to look like a tank engine and it pulls the cars behind it. My sons are obsessed with Thomas the Train, so they loved it.
The Spanish called Key West "Cayo Hueso," which literally means "bone key." When the Spanish arrived, the area was littered with bones from Native American battles. The tour goes by the Little White House, where Truman used to stay, Hemingway's house, where you can still see the descendants of Hemingway's six-toed cats. Notable architecture is pointed out, specifically the Gingerbread Houses. These homes have an overlay of latticework on their porches. Some of the latticework is in the shape of gingerbread men, others show a symbol of the profession of the house's original owner.
Mallory Square is the area for boat tours. While waiting for our boat, the kids enjoyed watching street performers in the square and food cart treats. We took a glass-bottomed boat tour. This was beautiful. You get to see the third-largest coral reef in the world, lots of yellow-tailed snapper and the occasional barracuda. I recommend taking the tour that ends at sunset. The sunset in Key West is hard to describe, it's like the water swallows up the sun. The tour includes a champagne toast at sunset.
That said, one of my sons decided to have a screaming fit because he wanted to climb over the guard rails to get closer to the glass bottom. I'm accustomed to being the person with the screaming child on the airplane, but this was the first time on a boat. It's similar as far as being trapped. At someone's home or a public place, you can find a spot to take your child and help him calm down. On a plane or boat, there's really nowhere to go, so you are trapped and the other passengers are trapped right along with you. On this boat trip, I ended up going into the airplane-sized bathroom stall and just sat on the toilet seat trying to calm down my son. I think I might have cried.
I consequently handed my son over to my husband after that and had both our complimentary glasses of champagne. Despite all the trouble, it was worth it - the sunset in Key West is truly spectacular. It looks like the water just swallows the sun, no other way to describe it.
Whenever I am on vacation, I try to go on a ghost tour. I love ghost tours. Ghost tours give you a taste of the history of a city. The tour I took in Key West begins at the Concha Hotel, which is alleged to be haunted. A young man was trying to help his waiter friend clean up so they could get to a New Year's Eve party. He pressed a button to open the elevator doors, not realizing you had to push another button to actually call the elevator. He plunged down the shaft to his death. Apparently at certain times you can hear phantom dishes crashing. There was a tragic tale of a man who killed his wife and children. There's a theater built on the site, but the tenants never stay for long due to the supernatural activity. Our tour guide told us a story of a time when she had a particularly obnoxious child on her tour. The group was about a block away from the theater and the kid pointed at the building and said, "there's seven children over there and they're sad." She hadn't even started to tell the story yet. There's also typical ghost tour stories of lost love and voodoo. After the tour, go for a drink in the Concha Hotel's bar, it's lovely. This was an adults-only night out, Grandpa stayed at the hotel with the kids.
In summary, I would say yes to the train tour with kids; no kids on the boat tour or ghost tour.
Thursday, June 7, 2012
Car Seats when Traveling
A little advice on something I found out the hard way.
The first time we flew with baby, I booked a car seat with the car rental company. When we arrived in Miami and took the shuttle to the car rental place, they had no record of us ordering a car seat and the seat they ended up giving us was out-of-date and precarious – almost broken and unusable. The car rental companies also charge way too much for baby seats. I sat in the back seat with my son the entire vacation because I was so uncomfortable with that crappy baby seat.
We learned from that experience to check our car seats with our checked luggage. It’s also a good idea to bring an umbrella stroller. The baby can stay in the umbrella stroller until you are on the bridge, boarding the plane. The gate agent will give you a tag for your stroller and it will be waiting for you on the bridge when you de-board the plane at your destination.
That said, one time our two umbrella strollers ended up in Dallas instead of Chicago, so we had to wrangle squirming babies until the car seats came out at baggage claim, then load the babies in the car seats on a luggage cart to bring to our car. It was better than dragging the car seats through the airport!
I guess the bottom line is prepare as best you can, but understand that anything can happen when you travel, with or without kids.
The first time we flew with baby, I booked a car seat with the car rental company. When we arrived in Miami and took the shuttle to the car rental place, they had no record of us ordering a car seat and the seat they ended up giving us was out-of-date and precarious – almost broken and unusable. The car rental companies also charge way too much for baby seats. I sat in the back seat with my son the entire vacation because I was so uncomfortable with that crappy baby seat.
We learned from that experience to check our car seats with our checked luggage. It’s also a good idea to bring an umbrella stroller. The baby can stay in the umbrella stroller until you are on the bridge, boarding the plane. The gate agent will give you a tag for your stroller and it will be waiting for you on the bridge when you de-board the plane at your destination.
That said, one time our two umbrella strollers ended up in Dallas instead of Chicago, so we had to wrangle squirming babies until the car seats came out at baggage claim, then load the babies in the car seats on a luggage cart to bring to our car. It was better than dragging the car seats through the airport!
I guess the bottom line is prepare as best you can, but understand that anything can happen when you travel, with or without kids.
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
Wizard of Oz
My degree is in Theatre, Music and English and involvement in local theatre is how my husband and I met. Over the summer, I did a production of “Footloose.” Tim brought the boys to visit me at a music rehearsal. Sean (who has PDD-NOS) sat down and started singing the alto part with us. He knew it better than some of the altos! He had learned it just from overhearing me practice at home. I saw this as a sign (in addition to being told he loves karaoke at school) that he might be ready to do his first show.
The Beverly Hills University Club Scholarship Foundation is an 80+ year old charity of which I am on the board of directors. They do an annual musical as their primary fundraiser. This year’s production was “Wizard of Oz.” I helped Sean prepare for his audition. He sang “Itsy Bitsy Spider.” He did so well he was called back to read for speaking roles and was cast as a Munchkin and in the Lollipop Guild.
He did very well at music rehearsals. He could sit and sing for 2 ½ - 3 hours and not lose focus. He had a harder time with rehearsals where staging was involved and they would run the Munchkinland scene several times. The cast and creative staff were very welcoming and understanding towards Sean. He was allowed to take sensory breaks when he needed to. Honestly, the Munchkinland scene is quite long for a little kid to stay focused, autism or not. He did much better once we were doing run-throughs of the show and he only had to do his scene once a night. The director had him staged where he could leave the scene without disruption if he needed to and I was waiting in the wings for him every night in case that happened. I was nervous “tech week” because I was afraid the lights, costumes, orchestra and sound system might be overwhelming for him sensory-wise, but he was a champ.
He made a point every night to go up to each actor and tell them they did a great job. He wanted everyone to feel good about themselves and they were all really touched by that. He did great performance-wise and behavior-wise and everyone was so proud of him, especially our family and all the school staff that came to support him! Sixteen of his teachers and therapists came to the show. They sent a laminated 8x10 with all their photos and a photo of Sean, telling him how proud they were of him. Considering he could barely speak before he came to the autism program at his school, this was huge for him. I'm glad the staff were able to enjoy the fruits of their hard work.
Children with autism respond to music, visual art and theatre as far as social interaction and expressing emotion. I also think it's important for parents, not just autism parents, to try to incorporate kids into your life outside of the home. Sean's teacher says it's amazing what our kids can do with some hard work, a little help and a lot of patience! Sean can’t wait to do another show!
The Beverly Hills University Club Scholarship Foundation is an 80+ year old charity of which I am on the board of directors. They do an annual musical as their primary fundraiser. This year’s production was “Wizard of Oz.” I helped Sean prepare for his audition. He sang “Itsy Bitsy Spider.” He did so well he was called back to read for speaking roles and was cast as a Munchkin and in the Lollipop Guild.
He did very well at music rehearsals. He could sit and sing for 2 ½ - 3 hours and not lose focus. He had a harder time with rehearsals where staging was involved and they would run the Munchkinland scene several times. The cast and creative staff were very welcoming and understanding towards Sean. He was allowed to take sensory breaks when he needed to. Honestly, the Munchkinland scene is quite long for a little kid to stay focused, autism or not. He did much better once we were doing run-throughs of the show and he only had to do his scene once a night. The director had him staged where he could leave the scene without disruption if he needed to and I was waiting in the wings for him every night in case that happened. I was nervous “tech week” because I was afraid the lights, costumes, orchestra and sound system might be overwhelming for him sensory-wise, but he was a champ.
He made a point every night to go up to each actor and tell them they did a great job. He wanted everyone to feel good about themselves and they were all really touched by that. He did great performance-wise and behavior-wise and everyone was so proud of him, especially our family and all the school staff that came to support him! Sixteen of his teachers and therapists came to the show. They sent a laminated 8x10 with all their photos and a photo of Sean, telling him how proud they were of him. Considering he could barely speak before he came to the autism program at his school, this was huge for him. I'm glad the staff were able to enjoy the fruits of their hard work.
Children with autism respond to music, visual art and theatre as far as social interaction and expressing emotion. I also think it's important for parents, not just autism parents, to try to incorporate kids into your life outside of the home. Sean's teacher says it's amazing what our kids can do with some hard work, a little help and a lot of patience! Sean can’t wait to do another show!
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Assistive Technology
On a positive note, today was Todd’s IEP. The main purpose of today’s IEP was to determine whether he still needs services. I was definitely not worried about that, because it’s very clear he does.
He has exceeded all goals set this school year. Even though he is still non-verbal, he has improved as far as completing tasks, such as puzzles and sorting shapes. I have noticed at home he has become more communicative in his own way: bringing me a bottle of juice and a cup when he’s hungry, bringing me a diaper when he wants to be changed, etc. This morning after I changed him, he saw that my husband was in the laundry room and brought his dirty pajamas to his dad. Little things mean a lot!
At the IEP, we were told he finally was approved for assistive technology. The training will start the first day of summer school and after a few weeks, he will be allowed to bring the equipment home. Other parents I have spoken to have raved about how much the technology improved their child’s communication. This is used in conjunction with his picture schedule, task book and iPad. I am looking forward to having my own little Steven Hawking!
He has exceeded all goals set this school year. Even though he is still non-verbal, he has improved as far as completing tasks, such as puzzles and sorting shapes. I have noticed at home he has become more communicative in his own way: bringing me a bottle of juice and a cup when he’s hungry, bringing me a diaper when he wants to be changed, etc. This morning after I changed him, he saw that my husband was in the laundry room and brought his dirty pajamas to his dad. Little things mean a lot!
At the IEP, we were told he finally was approved for assistive technology. The training will start the first day of summer school and after a few weeks, he will be allowed to bring the equipment home. Other parents I have spoken to have raved about how much the technology improved their child’s communication. This is used in conjunction with his picture schedule, task book and iPad. I am looking forward to having my own little Steven Hawking!
New phone scam (well, new to me)
I received a strange call at 8:30 this morning – the caller ID said "unavailable," so it went to voice mail. The message was garbled like a bad cell phone connection, but the caller said his name is "Dave Brown," "your name popped up," he was calling about a lawsuit, gave a claim number, said a restraining order was involved, our attorney had 48 hours to object and we had to appear in court within 48 hours. If we had any questions, he left a number: 570-983-0544.
At first, we suspected it was related to the trouble we've had of late with our next door neighbor harassing us because we have two special needs kids. But - there were several red flags - our names were never mentioned, the company associated with the claim number was never mentioned and the fact that a complaint or restraining order is served in person, you are never notified by phone.
I Googled the name and number and learned this is a debt collection scam by a company called Central Processing Services. They are a low-level collection agency that buy “old debts.” They were looking for my brother for a debt that was paid decades ago. It’s common practice with these “firms” to call family members or anyone else who may have contact information on the person they are looking for and sometimes even try to get the family member to give them money.
For fun, I called the number. They claim to be a law firm and answer the phone "litigation department." He pressed for my Social Security number and stated I could be in huge trouble in relation to this lawsuit if I didn't give him the number (LOL). When I pressed him for the court number or the name of the attorney at his "firm" handling the case, he admitted there was no lawsuit. I told him I work at a law firm and to forward any legal documents to my attention. With that, he immediately apologized and said he would remove my number from their call list.
I want to pass along some advice in case you ever receive one of these calls - don't answer the call, let them leave a message and write down all the info they leave, then report to the FTC, as well as the Illinois Attorney General Amy Madigan's office (or the attorney general for your state). The FTC and Attorney General usually end up shutting down these companies, but a few years later, another “company” will come up with another scam. I would also recommend if you receive a strange call from an unfamiliar number, Google it. If it is a scam, people are probably already talking about it online.
At first, we suspected it was related to the trouble we've had of late with our next door neighbor harassing us because we have two special needs kids. But - there were several red flags - our names were never mentioned, the company associated with the claim number was never mentioned and the fact that a complaint or restraining order is served in person, you are never notified by phone.
I Googled the name and number and learned this is a debt collection scam by a company called Central Processing Services. They are a low-level collection agency that buy “old debts.” They were looking for my brother for a debt that was paid decades ago. It’s common practice with these “firms” to call family members or anyone else who may have contact information on the person they are looking for and sometimes even try to get the family member to give them money.
For fun, I called the number. They claim to be a law firm and answer the phone "litigation department." He pressed for my Social Security number and stated I could be in huge trouble in relation to this lawsuit if I didn't give him the number (LOL). When I pressed him for the court number or the name of the attorney at his "firm" handling the case, he admitted there was no lawsuit. I told him I work at a law firm and to forward any legal documents to my attention. With that, he immediately apologized and said he would remove my number from their call list.
I want to pass along some advice in case you ever receive one of these calls - don't answer the call, let them leave a message and write down all the info they leave, then report to the FTC, as well as the Illinois Attorney General Amy Madigan's office (or the attorney general for your state). The FTC and Attorney General usually end up shutting down these companies, but a few years later, another “company” will come up with another scam. I would also recommend if you receive a strange call from an unfamiliar number, Google it. If it is a scam, people are probably already talking about it online.
Monday, June 4, 2012
Nickel & Dimed by Barbara Ehrenreich
Nickel & Dimed by Barbara Ehrenreich
Barbara Ehrenreich is an established author and magazine writer with an educational background in biology. One day, while meeting with and editor from Harper's to discuss future projects, she came up with the idea of doing an old-fashioned journalistic investigation by plunging herself into a specific environment and then recording her observations.
Actually, her original intention was for someone else to do the project, but the Harper's editor insisted she was the woman for the job. This method is an anthropological technique where the researcher is a "participant observer."
I looked up the phrase "participant observer" on the Internet. The website for the International Institute for Sustainable Development describes the technique this way: "The method derives from the insight that you derive from a community's values, dynamics, internal relationships, structures and conflicts best from their observed actions, rather than from their (normative) statements of what "is". The participant observer attempts immersion, to the extent permitted, in local life in order to understand and document how things work." I also understand that this methodology sometimes involves consulting individuals within the demographic to be observed to get their opinion as to the steps of the process and the specifics proposed. I don't believe the author did this. I believe she asked the opinion of colleagues and friends, and used her own opinions and assumptions to decide on the specifics for this project.
Like any research technique, there are benefits and drawbacks as to the ultimate accuracy of the outcome of an observer's research. Participant observation is more accurate than surveys or statistics, as the research is hands-on. Being thrown into an environment reveals a bigger picture than words and numbers on a piece of paper.
The down side to this method is that the observations are subjective. The experiences of one observer can vary widely. Each individual human being has their own unique experience in life, and although there are commonalities in situations and environments, the view can become skewed if it is from only one perspective and not a wider sampling.
Barbara Ehrenreich began her research by first choosing a specific area of the United States in which to do her research. The locations she chose were in Florida, Maine, and Minnesota, three completely different areas of the United States and seemingly objective.
She would then look for a job. She specifically looked for entry-level type jobs for people without college degrees or special skills. To hide her education and impressive job experience she would state
on the job applications that she was a stay-at-home mother returning to the work force after a long period of time. This part was very believable. It's a typical scenario: A woman gets pregnant young, doesn't go to college, gets married, years later gets divorced, enters the work force for the first time at an older age with no experience, skills, or education.
This part was the most interesting of the project. Although I believe one month is not enough time to truly absorb what life is like for a person in a specific profession and/or job, I do believe one month was enough for a general idea, or a window to what life is like for the person she was pretending to be. I say this for several reasons. True exhaustion builds over time. Someone working eleven hours a day, six days a week for a month has an easier experience. If a person knows they only have to live this way for a month, it’s easier to live with, as there is an end in sight. The situation and mind-set is much different for someone who has no end in sight, and faces the strong possibility that the rest of their life will be just like this. The latter grim realization can cause a deep exhaustion; both depression and physical exhaustion combined.
Feeling truly jaded develops over a long period of time. The person she was pretending to be may have had a difficult childhood, had parents with similarly grim work experiences. There's a pain and desperation that only a person who has lived too long a certain way can feel. That said, I think her observations did give a general idea of how people feel and live in her chosen situations, through her personal experience and her observations and experiences with the people she encountered on this journey. I think she absorbed enough to write about it and give the general public a perspective on the specific professions observed.
Ms. Ehrenreich would take little breaks from her alternative lives periodically. She would share her observations with her friends. At one point, her friends opined that they were surprised she could have intelligent conversations and have things in common with the people she was dealing with. In her defense, she did chastise her friends who held that opinion.
Circumstances have nothing to do with intelligence. A person can have rotten luck in their lifetime. There can be unfortunate circumstances that lead to a lack of opportunities. Bad things happen to people. An intelligent person with poor circumstances that lead to a lack of educational opportunities can self-educate his or herself and actually carry on quite intelligent conversations. On the other hand, someone with a low I.Q. can graduate from Yale because of his or her family connections and not from any real merit.
She would then look for an affordable place to live. I believe this is the area where the author made assumptions. She calculated about how much she would be earning and searched for what would be considered typical housing for someone employed in the chosen profession of her research. What she assumed was that she could find something decent in her price range. This is also the one area where I disagreed with her process. She always looked for furnished apartments, as she was only staying there for a month. Generally, furnished apartments are hard to find.
People with a low income usually live in apartments that come unfurnished and furnish the space sparsely themselves. They generally have several roommates to share the rent, or move in with a relative.
Even though I disagree with some of her methods, such as the apartment issue, I believe her research was valid, useful, and fascinating. I also enjoyed her sarcasm toward the mundane, soul-killing practices of large corporations such as Wal-Mart and Menard’s. To get a true picture of a low income person’s life, one would have to live that life, but I think her brief experiences at least gave her readers a window into the realities of other lives.
I found this book interesting and relatable in the sense that you can never really walk in someone else's shoes, but you can get a taste. Those of us living on the spectrum have a special understanding of each other. I think if someone lived my life for a week or a month, they would get a taste of what it's like - maybe just the difficult things, but hopefully see some of the joy and the things I'm grateful for.
http://www.amazon.com/Nickel-Dimed-Not-Getting-America/dp/0805063897
Barbara Ehrenreich is an established author and magazine writer with an educational background in biology. One day, while meeting with and editor from Harper's to discuss future projects, she came up with the idea of doing an old-fashioned journalistic investigation by plunging herself into a specific environment and then recording her observations.
Actually, her original intention was for someone else to do the project, but the Harper's editor insisted she was the woman for the job. This method is an anthropological technique where the researcher is a "participant observer."
I looked up the phrase "participant observer" on the Internet. The website for the International Institute for Sustainable Development describes the technique this way: "The method derives from the insight that you derive from a community's values, dynamics, internal relationships, structures and conflicts best from their observed actions, rather than from their (normative) statements of what "is". The participant observer attempts immersion, to the extent permitted, in local life in order to understand and document how things work." I also understand that this methodology sometimes involves consulting individuals within the demographic to be observed to get their opinion as to the steps of the process and the specifics proposed. I don't believe the author did this. I believe she asked the opinion of colleagues and friends, and used her own opinions and assumptions to decide on the specifics for this project.
Like any research technique, there are benefits and drawbacks as to the ultimate accuracy of the outcome of an observer's research. Participant observation is more accurate than surveys or statistics, as the research is hands-on. Being thrown into an environment reveals a bigger picture than words and numbers on a piece of paper.
The down side to this method is that the observations are subjective. The experiences of one observer can vary widely. Each individual human being has their own unique experience in life, and although there are commonalities in situations and environments, the view can become skewed if it is from only one perspective and not a wider sampling.
Barbara Ehrenreich began her research by first choosing a specific area of the United States in which to do her research. The locations she chose were in Florida, Maine, and Minnesota, three completely different areas of the United States and seemingly objective.
She would then look for a job. She specifically looked for entry-level type jobs for people without college degrees or special skills. To hide her education and impressive job experience she would state
on the job applications that she was a stay-at-home mother returning to the work force after a long period of time. This part was very believable. It's a typical scenario: A woman gets pregnant young, doesn't go to college, gets married, years later gets divorced, enters the work force for the first time at an older age with no experience, skills, or education.
This part was the most interesting of the project. Although I believe one month is not enough time to truly absorb what life is like for a person in a specific profession and/or job, I do believe one month was enough for a general idea, or a window to what life is like for the person she was pretending to be. I say this for several reasons. True exhaustion builds over time. Someone working eleven hours a day, six days a week for a month has an easier experience. If a person knows they only have to live this way for a month, it’s easier to live with, as there is an end in sight. The situation and mind-set is much different for someone who has no end in sight, and faces the strong possibility that the rest of their life will be just like this. The latter grim realization can cause a deep exhaustion; both depression and physical exhaustion combined.
Feeling truly jaded develops over a long period of time. The person she was pretending to be may have had a difficult childhood, had parents with similarly grim work experiences. There's a pain and desperation that only a person who has lived too long a certain way can feel. That said, I think her observations did give a general idea of how people feel and live in her chosen situations, through her personal experience and her observations and experiences with the people she encountered on this journey. I think she absorbed enough to write about it and give the general public a perspective on the specific professions observed.
Ms. Ehrenreich would take little breaks from her alternative lives periodically. She would share her observations with her friends. At one point, her friends opined that they were surprised she could have intelligent conversations and have things in common with the people she was dealing with. In her defense, she did chastise her friends who held that opinion.
Circumstances have nothing to do with intelligence. A person can have rotten luck in their lifetime. There can be unfortunate circumstances that lead to a lack of opportunities. Bad things happen to people. An intelligent person with poor circumstances that lead to a lack of educational opportunities can self-educate his or herself and actually carry on quite intelligent conversations. On the other hand, someone with a low I.Q. can graduate from Yale because of his or her family connections and not from any real merit.
She would then look for an affordable place to live. I believe this is the area where the author made assumptions. She calculated about how much she would be earning and searched for what would be considered typical housing for someone employed in the chosen profession of her research. What she assumed was that she could find something decent in her price range. This is also the one area where I disagreed with her process. She always looked for furnished apartments, as she was only staying there for a month. Generally, furnished apartments are hard to find.
People with a low income usually live in apartments that come unfurnished and furnish the space sparsely themselves. They generally have several roommates to share the rent, or move in with a relative.
Even though I disagree with some of her methods, such as the apartment issue, I believe her research was valid, useful, and fascinating. I also enjoyed her sarcasm toward the mundane, soul-killing practices of large corporations such as Wal-Mart and Menard’s. To get a true picture of a low income person’s life, one would have to live that life, but I think her brief experiences at least gave her readers a window into the realities of other lives.
I found this book interesting and relatable in the sense that you can never really walk in someone else's shoes, but you can get a taste. Those of us living on the spectrum have a special understanding of each other. I think if someone lived my life for a week or a month, they would get a taste of what it's like - maybe just the difficult things, but hopefully see some of the joy and the things I'm grateful for.
http://www.amazon.com/Nickel-Dimed-Not-Getting-America/dp/0805063897
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