Couch 208: The Practical Couch

It's okay to feel the way you do.

Thanks for the hugs and for sharing your experiences. From some looking around online, it does seem like many people choose to identify themselves as "autistic." I might try saying something to P next time she uses the word. It's not fair for me to sit there and be offended by her when it's a word many people use if I don't speak up. (I mean, if she was using a clearly offensive word, that would be different!)

Hugs, Jersey...

Yeah, I think you are picking nits here a bit. In your own language, use what you are comfortable with, but trying to change another person's language, when that language isn't necessarily in any way widely offensive, is probably a bit much.

The bipolar community has the constant debate between "I'm bipolar" and "I have bipolar disorder." My take: I use what I am comfortable with knowing other people prefer a different reference for themselves.

I was having a similar conversation with my mtf transgender daughter last night. The language and lingo and slang around the LGBTQ community is constantly changing and evolving, and her take on it is that she knows what she uses in reference to herself; she doesn't have the time or inclination to be offended by someone else's preference in language if it is simply a matter of preference over offense. She can't keep up with it herself to be quite honest; she doesn't expect everyone to necessarily use exactly the same language. As long as the intent is not offensive, to each their own.

Be comfortable with how you personally reference autism, and be understanding that variations of terminology and phrasing are also acceptable to other people in your exact same situation -- you don't get to decide for them.

I'm at T's way too early...40 minutes early. I didn't feel like wasting gas after dropping my son off at school, so I went to the store then came here. Now I don't know what to do.

Watch a documentary on youtube?

Aww this made me melt a little a bit.



Can I have his number too?

Video/audio diaries?

No writing but you still get to get everything out.

I'll share my 2lb cake I bought for a party today but didn't end up going to.

I think you should go with your gut feeling. You could try another T for D.

Where are all you guys at?!?

Hey Lemon I think you might like this:




(Okay i'll stop being weird now)

Evening, Couch. Just been watching the junior version of The Great British Baking Show. So wholesome, and wonderful. Helps me with the urge to cocoon.

If you're at home why not make a cocoon with a blanket/ quilt?

The babies
were all swaddled- it helps comfort them. so If it's good enough for them it's good for me.

I took a quick cat nap in my car. I'm exhausted today and my head is killing me.

I had a speech therapist and case manager for early intervention in my house for 2 hours this afternoon to do an evaluation on my youngest and make goals for speech. Good news is that she's not as behind as originally the evaluation said. Not the best news for me that I now have another thing to do on Thursday afternoons for the next 6 months. I wish I could clone me because I'm way too overwhelmed with everything already.

T seemed annoyed today that I gave my pcp's office permission to talk to him about my care. I told him they pretty much shoved the release of information paper at me and I didn't want to cause trouble by not signing it. He said it's a legal document and I can tell him not call them back if I didnt want. I don't know if he was annoyed but that's the vibe I got. I thought talking to other providers was part of what they expected to do. I don't know. I feel like I did something wrong either way I say.

I didn't finish watching season 2 of the sinner, and just googled the spoilers-but my instincts are good!

I'm going to watch :

@Lemoncake - intending to cocoon tomorrow, if circumstances allow.

To me, some of this tiptoeing around can inadvertently lead to further stigmatization. I don't mean that the terms themselves do that - more that the preoccupation with verbiage has the opposite of the intended effect imo. If someone is worrying about using the exact right words, they are in fact focusing on the disability instead of the person.

I'm exhausted. I think because I have had appointments or something to do every evening this week. I have Regular T tonight. I'm really tired and want to cancel but I think it's too late to cancel without a penalty so I'll go. I am supposed to do all this HR stuff at work but there was decisions made about the employee benefits in the NY office and I had none of the information to give the employees. So I finally got it today and went over all of it so I am ready for the meeting tomorrow. But it's a fast turn-around. I need everyone to turn in their applications by Tuesday morning. Sheesh. Good Grief. I don't know what I am going to talk about tonight at T. I'm too tired. I've had three Skype calls with the owner of the company today and multiple Skype conversations and I've talked to the broker a bunch of times today. My brain is mush. I seriously just want to melt into my bed and sleep for 12 hours.

That was really beautiful. Thanks for sharing it.

I just want everyone to know how much I love my kitties. This morning, Amelia, the little white one, was in my bed hopping around like crazy. I was sleeping on my side so she kept trying to get on top of me and then she would slide off and hop over to the other side and back again. It was quite cute, but it also hurt because she had her claws out trying to hang on to me. It was adorable though. I enjoy whenever she makes contact with me because she is so skittish. But she is slowly getting better. My other cat, Esther, the one with diabetes, she was really wanting chicken broth this morning. The vet said it was okay, so we buy it boxed but unsalted. But I put it in her bowl like three times and that is all she wanted. Not the dry food. Not the wet food. Just that. And she let me pick her up and carry her around. It was lovely.

I love hearing pet stories thanks SK

I just got home from the gyn. I love that particular doctor because she never body shames me. She walked in gave me a hug and said “Hey! You’re 40 now! Mammogram time! Then at the end of the appointment she asked me if I needed anything. I told her a magic pill to make my extra weight disappear just like she made my cycles disappear. She shook her head, gave me another hug and whispered in my ear ..
“Jersey. Just do what I do. Tell everyone it’s your metabolism.” And she giggled and told me to have a good year.

I have become hooked on watching comicon panels. Quite honestly i dont know why some of the actors turn up. Maybe contractual obligation. Because if you are going to sarky or just plain blow some fans question off just dont turn up. I only learned lately there is a Star Trek cruise ship. Unbelievable imagine being stuck on a ship for weeks with a sarky actor