Susan Senator

Try to catch the deluge in a paper cup.
–Crowded House

Several things going on that are crowding my brain. One is we just discovered a whole packet of summer homework for Benj!!! He has to do 2 1/2 pages of journal writing, ten times, before school starts. He also has to do twenty math problems each month. We just did several time-telling questions. It is a bit of torture, trying to get a child to do homework when it is supposed to be vacation time!!! But I have told B that he “has to” do it, even though it is kind of optional. He is not the kind of kid who who will volunteer to write or do math, but I want him to develop into the kind of person for whom extra work will be more natural. So I say he has to, pizza party or not. So essentially I have to do math this summer and 4th grade level journal generation.

Another thing I’m thinking about is whether to accept an invitation to attend the Special Olympics World Games in Shanghai this October; I’ve been asked to be an Honored Guest. My agent tells me Shanghai is “amazing,” and “a real contrast of incredibly ancient, old and new-new” and that this is “the opportunity of a lifetime,” and “imagine all the contacts I will make.” Sure, but what about my husband and sons, who will be left alone for a week? Can we really manage that? Will they be sad, inconvenienced, etc.? Can I travel alone to China, a 20 hour flight, etc., etc.? Is it safe? Is it scary? Will it be as wonderful as it seems?

And the third thing is my new book. I am about to get my contract (today or tomorrow, my agent is finishing the finer points).This is great, wonderful, etc., but I need to start putting together a small cadre of “gal pal” moms whose kids have disabilities different from Nat’s and who want to chat with me at length about various topics pertaining to their lives. Maybe you have friends whose kids have CP, Down Syndrome, diabetes, whatever who would want to be in my new book. I am looking for different disabilities, different parts of the country, and any other form of diversity. You can email me privately, don’t leave it as a comment. I may not contact you but that doesn’t mean I’m not interested in your story. I store all contacts in a file on my desktop and delve into them bit by bit.

The thing is, I need to have some good conversations on the phone, to kind of get to know these women. This particular book is aimed primarily at mothers, but if you’re a dad of a disabled kid and you have something unique and important to say in terms of how you have fun despite challenge, I’m listening. So I’m generally not looking for fairly severe autism, or Boston area, (I kind of have that covered with my own story) but I will be happy to consider you as well if that is your situation. You will have to sign a release allowing me to use your words in my book. No compensation, by the way, but a chance to get your ideas out there in terms of how you personally stay happy and positive in the face of adversity (overall philosophy and/or specific tips).

Another thing is I feel that I am getting fat. (And no, Mean Anon I am not fishing for compliments I am just expressing my own anxiety. How many times do I have to say that this is my own freakin’ blog and if you don’t like it, unsubscribe. I don’t give a shit. I write and write and that’s what I do. I crow, I whine, I wonder, I cry, I laugh. It goes right from my neurotic core to this computer page. So shut up and stop reading me, you creep.)

And finally, I don’t know if spacing out the Resperdone is so great for Nat or if he actually needs more, period. It certainly helps his anxiety at 4 pm. to do this, but then at 9 last night he flipped out over the toothpaste. D’oh, I don’t want him to need more, that drug scares me.