The Christianville Spirit: I AM PTLS

The Christianville Spirit

The Spirit that Fills Your Heart & Lifts You Up

April 10, 2013-TCS # 346

So, Last Week, I came up with an Idea about what to write about for This Week’s Newsletter. So, I think we should start out with this question, What does it mean to say that Someone, Wether it is someone in Your Family, Someone that You are close to, or Yourself, “Has PTLS.” I Mean, it’s starting to sound weird to me to say or ask things, “Do They Have PTLS?”; “I have a Friend named Danielle, that HAS PTLS”; “I, Myself HAVE PTLS.” To Me, though, saying those phrases are things I say Everyday, so I’m used to uttering that. But, My train of thought has recently gone to, “But, to say someone HAS something, means that they have a disease like Cancer or Heart Problems.” The Problem is that the word “Has” or “Have” can’t be avoided because You say it like,“I HAVE Brown Hair”, “I HAVE Tan, Hispanic-Puerto Rican Skin”, or Personally, “I HAVE Really Good Friends.” But, What about in discussing Potocki-Lupski Syndrome (PTLS)? Is It an insult to say someone HAS PTLS? Well, Okay it’s not an insult. I can tell you that people can be uncomfortable about Special Needs, depending on who you ask, but not really the point. You See, In all My Years of talking with People about PTLS, The sad part is that many call it a Disease, like there is a cure for it and that I might Die from It. It is NOT A Disease. It’s actually a Chromosome Duplication, A Rare Disorder, and In My Eyes, A Uniqueness. But, One thing we can not have is to say that PTLS is a Disease because then, People believe that they will contract it from standing near you like The Flu (Believe Me, People act weird around those who have diseases). So, then, The Question becomes, “So What is another way of saying that You or Someone You Know HAS PTLS?”. Maybe we should say something like, “We have something that makes us Unique” or something like “We are Unique in a very special way and It’s called Potocki-Lupski Syndrome(PTLS)” then, you would more likely get people more excited to ask about what Potocki-Lupski Syndrome is. Of Course, The easiest way to answer that is to say that it is similar to Autism with Autism-LIKE Behaviors, only we are really friendly and love to hug people, but it does come with some Health Problems. It is everywhere in our body and it makes us, who we are. All in all, PTLS is not something that defines you, but something that is inside of you. I AM PTLS!!

Thanks for Reading The Christianville Spirit. Accept People for who they are, Not what You want them to Be.

The Christianville Spirit: Life, Love, Family, and Friends

The Christianville Spirit

The Spirit that Fills Your Heart & Lifts You Up

April 3, 2013- TCS #345

So, Last Week, The Day after Newsletter Day, I took an exciting, although short trip. It was very special because we drove to Atlanta for My Grandma Honey’s 75th Birthday. You See, My Grandma Honey had been planning this party for Months because We usually have big parties for her at big ages. Only this time it was more planned by Her, instead of the Surprise Parties that we’ve had for her 60th & 70th Birthday. Anyway, so we drove to Atlanta on Thursday, It’s a 12 Hour Drive, but who’s counting. I mean, It’s a nice drive, once you get out of Texas and Through Louisiana. So, on Friday, we hung out at Grandma Honey’s House and then, Uncle Brian and I picked up Aunt Lynn, My Cousin Lyall, and His Wife, Dee-Ann and then, went to have dinner at Uncle Bruce’s House. It was really awesome because we had all of our family all in one place, which only happens every couple of years. I can tell you that I know Grandma Honey LOVES it when all of her Children & Grandchildren are all together, but that’s a Grandma for You. It was nice to see everyone and it is nice to meet Dee-Ann, Lyall’s Wife, who had never met us. She was a very nice person and I believe she handled meeting the family very well. Saturday, however, was The Party and It.Was. Awesome! It had a unique twist to it that most birthday parties don’t. You See, Grandma Honey’s very creative goal was to make it about Everyone’s Birthday (including Her Own). A Celebration of Life, Love, Family, and Friends as She called it, I called it, “Life & Love” because it was a mouthful to say that in a couple seconds while greeting everyone. I applaud and award Grandma Honey because this party was unlike most birthday parties, because most birthday parties are centered on one person and it can make the other people feel bad because maybe their birthday was a day before, the day after, or the week of (You know what I mean). A thought that it is occurring in my mind about this party is that it was sort of a “Thank You-Thank You” Party Idea. Meaning that, We thank Grandma Honey or Miss Jan for her Acts of Service that she does for us (Her Birthday) and She thanks us for our Acts of Service (Everyone’s Birthday). I think it’s a good idea for a party like that and I should mention that Everyone loved it, 70 People showed up, in fact. So, What did We do at This Party, You Say? We had a room at Maggiano’s Little Italy, we had an Open Bar,     Party Horns (they were a little loud for me), and Really Good Food. Now, Considering that My Family is part Italian, I’ve had a good appreciation of Good Italian Food. We had Chicken Piccata, Spinach Manicotti, Mostaccoli, and Lots of Appetizers. Between the Main Course & Desert, we had a nice Family Photo while Everyone was there. When Desert came, Grandma Honey wanted to do what she called a “Flash Mob” where a few people started singing “Happy Birthday to Everybody” and then, people would be surprised. The song actually turned into “Happy Birthday to Us” which was easier to say than Everybody. Of Course, We’ll all point out that one of the waiters had a Really Good Voice when he sung it. Now, We did get to have PTLS Member Aunt Joey and Uncle Chris show up as sort of a Surprise to My Mom and it was really great to see her because we haven’t seen each other in a while. It was really nice to see Ava and how much she has developed since the last time I saw her. She was dressed really pretty and talked much more than she did before, I love my Little Ava. Bottom Line, The Party was Really Awesome. That Evening, Me and My Cousins decided to go swimming at the pool at the hotel that they were staying at, little did we know, that someone had gotten sick in it the day before and they had to clean it. So, they sent us to another pool that we (again) didn’t know was an Outdoor Pool (it was 50 Degrees & Raining outside). Yes, Don’t Worry, we made good out of it because there was Hot Tub and a Pool. Well, My Cousin Olivia and I decided to “Live Life” and do a “Polar Bear Plunge” into the cold pool. Now, mind you, it wasn’t a real Polar Bear Plunge because it was March, but that Pool was REALLY Cold. It was a good experiment and something I probably would not do again but, it was fun to do. Olivia will probably use her new motto, “Live Life to The Fullest! Polar Bear Plunge!”. The Next Morning, Which I am clearly not a Morning Person, We had Breakfast at The Hotel and then, My Mom, Michael, and I were back on the road to drive back Home. All in All, though it was a short trip, it was nice to spend Quality Time with My Family and as You know, that is My #1 Love Language! In the words of Grandma Honey(or Miss Jan), “Celebrate Everyday, Life, Love, Family, and Friends”

Thanks for Reading The Christianville Spirit. You May Love them, Hate them and They may drive you Crazy but, they are still Family.  



     

The Christianville Spirit: Old Friends

The Christianville Spirit

The Spirit that Fills Your Heart & Lifts You Up

March 27, 2013-TCS #344

So, For Those of you that have been following My Newsletter for a while would know that I cherish all the fun that I had in My Childhood. So, This story that I’m going to write will be no different. You See, I consider myself very lucky to live the Childhood that I did, here in Plano, let alone anywhere in the country. Anyway, to summarize for those who don’t know, I had grown up together with the kids (Known as “The Barsi’s”). We lived on a cul-de-sac, the backyard had a creek, we also had a Trampoline, and we could run through 4 Yards without ever running into a fence. We lived next door to a family of Girls who we know as “The Herrick Girls.” So, One of the Herricks posted something that reminded me of our childhood and how fun it was. I thought, “Maybe we should have a reunion some time!” After that, I reconnected with some of My “Long-Time Friends” as I refer to them as, on Facebook. Again, it does make me very Thankful for things like Facebook. Funny Enough, In our childhood, there was no such thing as Social Media (i.e.: Myspace or Facebook) or such things as IPads & IPhones, Oh The Horror! Actually, This was part of why I had such a good childhood because we had to play outside. Anyway, It was really nice to reunite with them on Facebook because we haven’t seen each other in person in at least 10 years. So, I got in contact with Alex, the youngest of the Barsis, and the other day he got to come over to our house to hang out. I’ll say that it was awesome to see him again. We got to talk about all the memories, fun, and good times we had and after My Brother got home, we got to play Nintendo 64 like we used to. We used to play it a lot but, only the times when we couldn’t go outside like if it was raining or too hot. I mean, most of the time, we were Outside, climbing trees, going down in the creek, building dams in the creeks, bike rides, jumping on The Trampoline, and running around. Basically, we had to have a good reason to play inside when it was a pretty day outside. Every Summer, we would spend every weekend to the Lake House out in the country. It would be sort of an Inside Joke between us to say that being outside in those days was our “Social Network.” As I look back on it now, If I had lived on a straight-lined street and fenced in neighborhood, I would have been bored to tears. So, reconnecting with Childhood Friends is something that I love to do and plan to do more of, these friends mean a lot to me because they always accepted me for who I am. Thanks Friends! All in All, Having Special Needs didn’t matter to this group of kids and That’s why they are so important to Me.

Thanks for Reading The Christianville Spirit. The Spirit that Fills You with Friends.




1001 Great Ideas for Teaching and Raising Children with Autism or Asperger's, Revised and Expanded 2nd Edition

The Christianville Spirit: Humming and Singing

The Christianville Spirit

The Spirit that Fills Your Heart & Lifts You Up

March 20, 2013-TCS #343

So, Ever since I was younger, I would do something that people would think was either annoying, weird, and peculiar. I would Hum a lot or at least it came out as Humming. You See, Even when I was of childhood age, I would hum but, to my ears, it would come out as lyrics to a song I liked. To others’ ears, it came out as a steady hum. Sometimes, My Humming helped because unknown to me until I was older, it would help put My Brother to sleep. I hummed for many reasons and I had different types. One type of humming was because I was picturing driving down the highway and imitating the sounds of the road. I still do that, but only when I’m Cyber-traveling and I know or guess what the road sounds like. Then, the other type of humming occurs when I’m happy or when I’m Anxious. It was also thought, at least in my point of view, that I wasn’t humming and I had a look on My Face then, I was not happy. Throughout The Years, I had many songs that I would sing like “The River” by George Strait, “All For You” by Janet Jackson, “Boot Scoot Boogie” by Brooks and Dunn, and My all-time favorite, “Run River Run” by Loggins & Messina. Some of the Songs I sung I liked just because of the noise that instruments made or rhythm of the song. A more recent time, I hummed a song that was more appropriate for the situation. You See, I have a big Anxiety about Needles (I mean, who doesn’t?) Anything that has to do with it like Shots, Blood Drawings, and IVs. So, Last Year, I had an Upper GI which led to learning about My Acid Reflux and Slow Stomach Emptying so, while I sat in the Waiting Room, which is one the most anxious parts, besides the preparation of the needle. To help me with My Anxiety I hummed (in my ears, sung) “Edge of Glory” by Lady Gaga. When I was in school, If nothing was happening or I was doing my work, I would hum to entertain myself while I was working. Sometimes, People would tell me, “Christian, Stop Humming!” and I’d either say, “Okay” and then, I would keep singing or I would say something along the lines of, “I hum when I’m happy!”. Then, they would say, “Then, Stop being Happy!” I hum many different songs at different times, I find that currently I hum more Country Songs and some Pop Songs. One Song, I’ve hummed many times, “Haven’t Met You Yet” by Michael Buble and I could sing all the lyrics to the song. I use to sing, “You and I” by Lady Gaga a lot. (He-he, another Lady Gaga song). I like singing “Independence Day” by Martina McBride (I’m a Patriotic Person), “I Saw The Light” by Wynonna Judd (because I like the beginning of it), and “Goodbye Earl” by Dixie Chicks (Dixie Chicks have good songs). So, Certain Songs and Sounds around me (like The Road) soothes My Soul, Eases My Nerves, and Makes Me Happy. I hummed, long before I could talk. My Mom used to tell the doctor that I made sounds like whales singing to each other, all my waking hours. So, all in all, as in the words of My Theme Song, “Life is a Highway.” What’s Your Theme Song?

Thanks for Reading The Christianville Spirit. Let Music and Sounds fill your soul.   

The Christianville Spirit: My Love for PTLS

The Christianville Spirit

The Spirit that Fills Your Heart & Lifts You Up

March 13, 2013-TCS # 342

So, For This Week’s Newsletter is going to be a very special one because of the Awesome Week that I’ve had. You See, as I mentioned in Last Week’s Newsletter, I had mentioned a blip about the Day of Naming of Potocki-Lupski Syndrome or what I’ll now call “PTLS Day.” So, on the evening of PTLS Day, I wondered about it and more importantly, I thought, Why do We Celebrate PTLS Day? It got me thinking that Our World wouldn’t be the same if there was No PTLS and I was a Normal Guy. It makes me realize how much something that I’ve lived with My Whole Life, could mean so much to Me. Now, I’ll tell you, that Having PTLS isn’t always easy and Yes, There are parts of it that I would love to press a Delete Button on, namely My Headaches & Anxiety, but I still love having PTLS because it makes me..Me. It makes me Unique and Makes me feel Special. So, Back to that question, “Why do We Celebrate PTLS Day?”. I can’t resist, I have to use the words of Bon Jovi, “Because We Can!”. But, other than that, Because it promotes Understanding. It feels really good to know there are people out there who behave in a very similar way that I do or In funny cases, The Behaviors I did when I was younger, when I was their age. I always like to Point Out that I also have Many PTLS Family Members around The World that I consider to be part of My Family, whether they have titles like Aunts, Uncles, Brothers, Sisters (You know what I mean) or not. They are all part of My Family, My very Large, Unique, and Across The Globe, Worldly Family. Most People would ask, “Why are these so called strangers, Your Family?” Because, I have more in common with These “Strangers” than I do with My blood Family or even, Friends. Although, Friends, You are important to me too but, that’s not the point. I have to say, I am honored that Dr. Potocki(known in The PTLS Union as “Queen Potocki”) and Dr. Lupski (PTLS Union Name: “King Lupski”) that they would even put their names on this. It’s an honor to have their names and to know them personally. And, Finally, The Understanding. I Believe all of us PTLS Family Members understand each other because we (both Parents & PTLSers) don’t feel so alone. Because if it weren’t for knowing about PTLSers around The World, I would feel alone because there would be No One that I could relate to in the way I do things, The Way I Talk, and The Different Behaviors that I do. So, it makes feel good to be part of this community. All in all, The PTLS Foundation could use your support to help make sure that No One else feels alone.

Thanks for Reading The Christianville Spirit. Embrace Your Differences and Cherish Who You Are.

The Christianville Spirit: The Naming of PTLS Remix

The Christianville Spirit

The Spirit that Fills Your Heart & Lifts You Up

March 6, 2013-TCS # 341

So, Every now and then, I like to look through My Records of printed old newsletters, most of the time to see what was going on in My Life at that particular time. So, Around late February and Early March, I always try to remember when PTLS was named. Every Time I look back, I go to the first mention of it, which was a Newsletter written on March 8, 2007. The funny thing is that From My Memory, I can tell you about how I found out about it’s naming. Before it was named, I just addressed it as “A Duplication of Chromosome 17,” even though I didn’t know what a “Chromosome” was or really, how to explain what I had. But, I remember how I was told about “Duplication of Chromosome 17” becoming “Potocki-Lupski Syndrome(PTLS).” Here is how it went, I remember that My Mom picked me up from School (this was in Senior High School, by the way) and after we pulled out onto the street and started driving home, My Mom told me, “Hey, Guess What?” and I said, “What?”. My Mom continues, “So, I got an email from Houston, Dr. Potocki, and Your Syndrome..has been named Potocki-Lupski Syndrome. It’s was named after Dr. Potocki & Dr. Lupski, Isn’t that exciting?!?” At that time, I was little bit excited but, I had a little trouble understanding it because I didn’t know if it had been named before. It took a while for me to process and understand, but I did get excited about it. After I learned about the name, I wanted to tell everyone and share in the celebration. Now that PTLS has been named, I mention it with much better ease than I did before because People know more about What I’m Talking About. Also, It’s given me PTLS Family Members (formally known as just “The Families”) around The World. As a Result, for now, We’re calling March, PTLS Awareness Month which is great because it coincides with Autism Awareness Month and Spread The Word To End The Word Day (or STW Day, for short) which is Today actually. All in all, though The naming of PTLS is just as special as having PTLS.

Thanks for Reading The Christianville Spirit. Celebrate Every Day that You Wake To.     



Amazon Instant Video

The Christianville Spirit: The 5 Love Languages

The Christianville Spirit

The Spirit that Fills Your Heart & Lifts You Up

February 27, 2013-TCS # 340

So, 2 Weeks Ago, I was on YouTube, catching up with the you tubers that I watch, when I saw a video from one of their friends. It was a video explaining about a quiz about what is called, “The 5 Love Languages.” I had heard something about “The 5 Love Languages” a couple years ago but, I overlooked it and moved on. I also remember telling the PTLS Family Member that I have dates with Thursday & Friday about it because “Love Language” to My Literal Sense, means that it’s another language that you know or have to learn. Like learning to speak English or French. Anyway, after watching the video, I got a little curious about the quiz and all the time that I have been on Facebook (both Now and in the “Madison Days”) I always loved taking personality or romantic quizzes, so this one wasn’t any different. Anyway, This Quiz was a 30 Question quiz about what you would prefer in the way that someone shows how much they love you or really, how to love you. Needless to say, it was an interesting quiz because it made you think deeper about the way you want to be loved or shown love, than an entertainment quiz like “What’s Your Personality Color?” or “What Kind of Lover Are You?” So, after I took the quiz, it gave me the results. So, what they do is they give you a list of the 5 Love Languages that you speak most to least. So, My “Primary Love Language” is called Quality of Time. Quality of Time means that to Show that You Love Me is spending lots of time with me, giving me your undivided attention, and taking an interest into everything that I am saying. They say that no time together and not paying attention to what someone is saying, can be hurtful. So, here are the other 4 Love Languages...

• Physical Touch: My 2nd Love Language. To show someone that you care and/or love them is to touch them appropriately like Holding Hands, Cuddling, and Putting Your Arm around them. If you touch them inappropriately, hit them, or push them, it can be hurtful.   
• Words of Affirmation: Nothing says, “I Love You” like just saying something like, “I Love You, Honey”, “Your Amazing”, “Your Intelligent”, or Basic Compliments. However, Hateful Words, even if you think you are joking, it can be hurtful.
• Acts of Service: This is My Mom’s 2nd Love Language. Actions speak Louder than Words. The Biggest way to this person’s heart is lending a helping hand with Homework, Housework, and Projects. However, things like Laziness and Broken Promises can be hurtful. 
• Receiving Gifts: For those who speak this language, to show you love them is to shower them with gifts. They love gifts, for their Birthday, Valentine’s Day, or Just a random Tuesday Evening. However, If you miss and/or forget their birthday, No Roses on Valentine’s Day, or Not giving much, can be hurtful.

So, those are My 5 Love Languages. I’ll tell you though, it doesn’t only help you understand what Love Language comes out naturally to yourself. But, also it’s help you understand your Friend’s Love Language or better yet, your Romantic Interest’s Love Language. If you asked me if I would recommend this quiz, I would say Yes. I think you should try it and see what your 5 Love Languages are and help you understand your Friends & Family’s Love Languages better. All in All, You may not think about it, but Love Languages are an important part of your life.

Thanks for Reading The Christianville Spirit. Meet Your Love in The Middle. Learn where your “Middle” is.

The Christianville Spirit: The Addictive Internet

The Christianville Spirit

The Spirit that Fills Your Heart & Lifts You Up

February 20, 2013-TCS # 239

 So, You know that saying that, “You don’t know what you have until it’s lost.” Well, that happened to Me over the weekend.  Now, don’t worry it’s not that big of a deal than you think. You See, Just Before My Mom and I went to Dinner on Friday Night, Our Internet was moving very slow. After we got home, it wasn’t working at all. Considering that we operate on Wifi, I tried resetting the box in hopes that it would work again, but No. After a call to the Internet Company, We found that the main box outside had fried. Then again, we had had the box for 7 Years so it was about time that we got a new one but, it picked the wrong night to quit on us. Now, don’t get me wrong, I can deal without having Internet for a while, but that’s when I’m doing something else like when I’m on Vacation, at someone’s house, or any other time. But, being at Home with No Internet, is boring. However, as Sad as it sounds, I realize just how dependent I am on The Internet. I mean, who wouldn’t depend on it, You get the News, Facebook (what’s going on in Your Friend’s World), Google Maps Street View and Most of the apps on My IPad require Internet. I also realize though that, We need it to communicate with PTLS Family Members that are not in our area. I even have Thursday & Friday dates with one PTLS Family Member and I had to miss our date because of the loss of Internet. Now, I can tell you it was a little nice to not have it but, it was also a bit boring. I even settled for playing Wii Fit instead of watching TV, I was that bored. On Sunday, we had our box replaced and finally had Internet again and I was so happy. So, have you ever lost your internet and realized how dependent you are? All in all, Communication is very important to me and The Internet is the best way possible.

Thanks for Reading The Christianville Spirit. It’s Make You Smile! Another Reason why The Christianville Spirit is The Spirit of Christianville! (Local Commercial)

^Credit to PTLS Family Member, Melissa Martin. 

The Christianville Spirit: I Believe In Love Update

The Christianville Spirit

The Spirit that Fills Your Heart & Lifts You Up

February 13, 3013-TCS # 338

So, With Valentine’s Day Tomorrow, I’m going to do an Update to My “I Believe In Love” Campaign. In case you don’t remember, I got the idea from The TV Show, Touch. So, the Story of it gave me an idea.  It inspired me to start My Own, I Believe in Love Campaign, that focuses more on attracting, The Girl (or better put, Women) of My Dreams. So, I’m sure a lot of people wonder why I would want to do this, Let alone Why I Believe in Love. Well, the thing about Love, as cheesy as it is the only thing good, besides God to believe in. For Me, Believing in Love is easy because I already have Unconditional Love towards Everyone. We PTLSers are in fact, known for our Unconditional Love, it is one of the traits of it that people love the most about us. Besides that, In My Adult Years, I have watched many Romantic Comedies (I’m sure though, for women, that is hard to Believe. But, True). So, I have seen all the different kinds of scenarios to find love, some of them in different and odd ways. So, it has shown me about Fate, Love, and Destiny (or Destino in Italian). For The Record, I enjoy all kinds of Romantic Comedies and Romantic Movies, as long as it is a Funny or Happy Movie. I’ll tell you I love Soulmate Movies better sometimes though, because they often say the best inspirational lines. This is how I picture the day I meet My Soulmate, It’ll be a lovely day with lots of sunshine and I’ll be walking though a nice park, when I see this pretty girl standing off to the side of the walkway. When I see her, I won’t be able to turn my eyes away from her. My Mom, who is walking next to me, would tell me after I pointed her out, “Oh! She’s Cute! Go Talk to Her!”. So, I excitedly and nervously, go to talk to her. I say, “Hey There.” And, she responds with “Hey Yourself!”. I ask her how she is doing and she tells me that she was just going to take a walk somewhere. So, we go walking together and  we start talking about the most random things, laughing along the way, and finding that we have a ton of stuff in common. Then, we hang out the rest of evening and life gets better from there. So, I Believe in Love for Everyone, some it takes longer than others. So, Keep on Believing! All in all, I believe that You, as well I, will find Our Soulmates!

Thanks for Reading The Christianville Spirit. It Moves Your Soul! Another Reason Why The Christianville Spirit is The Spirit of Christianville! (Local Commercial)

*Credit to Grandma Honey^

      

The Christianville Spirit: My Headache

The Christianville Spirit

The Spirit that Fills Your Heart & Lifts You Up

February 6, 2013-TCS # 337

So, This Week, I’m going to write about something that I thought that I only had, but apparently a couple of PTLS Kids have. So, before I start, I need to put a Disclaimer in, so Parents don’t freak out. Disclaimer: *Not ALL PTLS Kids/ Adults have this.* So, this is how I remember it, One Day I remember, I all of a sudden started getting headaches. It started happening in December of 2008. I remember that because it was the time that We got done with getting Guardianship for Me. At First, I thought something was wrong with Me, like as if I was sick or tired, or something Medical that was of concern. Now, when I say that I have had headaches since then, they haven’t all been strong headaches, most of them have been ones that you barely notice but, know that they are there. I do have bad headaches every now and then, but I am not sure why, I’m going to see the doctor about it. When I was younger, the doctor did not see any Chiari but, I need to have it checked again. I even came up with my own headache scale so I can tell if it is a Low Headache or a Headache to be concerned about. I call it my “HDA Scale” or “Headache Index Scale.” So, for example if I say I have an “HDA 5.7” Headache, that would mean that is a Medium Headache. My Rule on it, is that if it is a 7.1 or Higher, then I need to go to bed early and oddly sleeping it off does help. Most of the time, I have My Mom give me medicine if it is getting bad, I have My Mom rub what I call my “Neck Cords” which are the two muscles that run down on both sides on the back of my neck. My Mom finds that the way I sit sometimes and the way I sleep, stretches them out and causes me to have headaches. At Least, that is one of the guesses we have about why. I will say that the Chiropractic Adjustments that I have sometimes, helps that the cords relax a little bit and it helps a lot. As far as Medicine goes, it helps me a bit but, not as much as just sleeping it off. The Problem with that is that I don’t like to go to bed early, I can if I need to. But, I would rather stay up and go to bed at My Normal Time. I can always tell when I’m having a bad headache because My Forehead starts to hurt and When the headache gets bad enough, it makes me start to feel nauseous and then, it starts to make me feel sick. So, If your kids can’t tell you that they have a headache, watch for signs like Rubbing their Forehead, Playing with Their Ears, or Rubbing Their Neck. Also, Their Eyes may look Sad, they may have what My Mom calls “That Look on their face”; which looks like that something is wrong, they don’t feel good, or going to Sick. All in all, Headaches are No Fun.

Thanks for Reading The Christianville Spirit. Our Heads should be as happy as We Are.         

The Christianville Spirit: My View on The Internet

The Christianville Spirit

The Spirit that Fills Your Heart & Lifts You Up

January 30, 2013-TCS # 336

So, I have a new philosophy that I thought of, although it may or may not make sense, I think it will in the end. You See, Since I have became more social over the years, I have more reliance on The Internet like Facebook and Of Course, My Own Newsletter. I’ve learned alot about The Internet, like how things works, Google Maps‘ Street View, Social-Networking, and Watching Videos on YouTube. So, How does this come in with My Philosophy? Well, I believe that in a weird sense, The Internet is just Air. By That, I mean, The Internet isn’t something that is right in front of You in Real Life, the only case being that it is in front on your computer or in your hand (like an IPhone or Smartphone) because it is just technology. I’m amazed at when I watch YouTube Videos and Read Comments on other people’s YouTube Channels, how much something like “Cyber Bullying” can hurt someone via The Internet or “Just Air” versus in real life. I’ve heard that it actually hurts more on The Internet than in person. Wouldn’t it be a Wonderful World if People would be kinder to each other. Like, just because someone can’t sing well, doesn’t mean you have to post something ugly. Another Thing that amazes me is how people become “Viral Sensations” overnight. I like to point out a recent famous person as an example. See, there is a Girl who lives here in Dallas named Laina. One Night, she decided to make one of the most creepy looking faces on a Webcam and posted it on The Internet. Little Did she know that overnight, probably while she was sleeping, she got the nickname, “The Overly-Attached Girlfriend” and created something that in Internet Terms is a Meme. By The Way, a “Meme” is where people take a Screen Shot of You, Place Text (which can be funny or harmful, depending on who it is) over the picture, and post it on The Internet. Anyway, After living her daily life, she got online and found an enormous amount of Emails, Messages, and Facebook Requests from people who called her, “The Overly-Attached Girlfriend.” After that, she became famous and started doing parodies of Justin Bieber songs as well as Others. Now, She’s doing good with it because she raises money and donates it. It amazes me because You can post something that you think is funny, your thoughts on something, or a video about a Random part of your life on The Internet, go to sleep, have your normal routine, and then, get on The Internet and find that a ton of People like what you said or did. In Other Words, Many Things can happen “In the Air” before you even realize that it’s happening. If You posted a Dating Profile on a Dating Website, You may have a few takers by the next time you get online. People get on Dating Site and sift through dozens of Profiles and they find “The One.” All in The Air called The Internet, next thing you know Fall in Love and One Day, they decided to meet in Person and that’s when it becomes Reality. All in all, The Next Time you get on The Internet, remember that it is just air between People. So, make it Clean Air.

Thanks for Reading The Christianville Spirit. Fill Your Eyes and Ears with Clean Air!        

The Christianville Spirit: A Day Trip to Central Texas

The Christianville Spirit

The Spirit that Fills Your Heart & Lifts You Up

January 23, 2013-TCS # 335

So, Early in the week, My Mom came up with a really good idea. To take a little weekend trip somewhere that ended becoming a Day Trip, and she brought up the idea of going to San Antonio. You See, As You’ve read many times, I love to go on drives, whether it is on a New Road, Through a New Neighborhood, or to a place we’ve never gone before. So, My Mom’s Original Plan was to drive down to San Antonio, which is a 5 Hour Drive from Dallas, to go see my old doctor and a few friends. But, on Friday, we learned that it didn’t pan out the way we wanted but, we still wanted to go for a drive. So, My Mom decided, “Let’s go see a few PTLS Families!” and My Mom texted 2 of them, One from Austin and the other from the Killeen-Fort Hood Area to see if they wanted to hang out; the one in Austin said that their kids were sick and couldn’t make it. But, the one from Killeen-Fort Hood (we’ll call her, “Mary S.”) said, “Come On!”. So, Late Sunday Morning, My Mom and I drove down to go see them. On the way, we took our time so, I could see lots of New Roads, New Road Signs, and Re-live a couple memories, because I-35 was the road we took to meet halfway with My Dad, back when I was going to San Antonio. I noticed for one that they are in the process of widening I-35 nearly all the way down to the Temple-Belton area. I did see a cool silo structure in a Rest Area that they were building along the highway. I also noticed, the widened highway south of Waco (which used to be two lanes each way) like most Interstates in the country. Anyway, We got to where they live in about 3 Hours and We went into their house and hung out with them until dinner time. I like to say that this trip was a mark in History because it was the first time that we’ve ever been to a PTLS Family Member’s House and it was delightful. I loved the fact that they welcomed us into Their Home and let us observe their Daily Life. Although, We are very sweet and classy people as well as they are, but I personally, am honored that I was welcomed in to their home. The Reason being because it’s a big step to even let people that you’ve only met a few times into your home, but then again, that’s just me. After we were there a while, we decided to go to Dinner with them and funny enough, we went to one of the restaurants that they normally go to. I do have to tell you though, it was very nice restaurant, it was an Authentic Italian Restaurant and it was very good. We had some nice dinner conversation and enjoyed each other’s company. After Dinner, we walked back to their house and then, hung out for a couple minutes and then, headed out. Thank You Mary S. for letting us hang out with you, coming to your house, and going to Dinner with You! On the Way Home, I got to see something really cool. Now, I know that the Dallas Area is My Home, but Sometimes, seeing the skyline of the city is something that is really cool. The thing about Downtown Dallas is 2 Things, the first being considering that I live on the North Side of Dallas, I don’t get to see the best view of Dallas, which is coming up on I-35 into Downtown. The second is that, about 2 years ago, they build this hotel called “The Omni Hotel” which is really cool because it has lights that make up an image. The best time to see these “Image Lights” is at night, and it’s not the best thing to be in South Dallas at night, however on the way home I finally got to see the lights. Now, for the passengers it’s amazing to look at but, if your a driver, I’ll warn you now, it’s very distracting when your trying to keep your eyes on the road, but there is this bright lit building in the center of the Dallas Skyline that catches your eye. Anyway, it was really awesome for me to see it though. All in all, it was an awesome Day Trip to do and it was really nice to see Mary S. and her family again.

Thanks for Reading The Christianville Spirit. Make the Best of a Day Trip. Take in the sights and Visit with Great People.

The Christianville Spirit: What's On Your Itinerary

The Christianville Spirit

The Spirit that Fills Your Heart and Lifts You Up

January 16, 2013-TCS # 334

So, Every now and then, I come up with new terms to use in My Daily Life. Sometimes, the words I come up with aren’t usually used in a normal context. So, A Couple Months ago, I came with a creative one, Itinerary. Now, Considering that I love Travel, it seems fitting but, I mean it differently than what most people think of it. You See, As I’ve told you, I’m very Schedule and Routine oriented, so I have to know what we’re going to be doing that day, if it is not on My Normal Schedule (or now, known as My Itinerary.) To most people when they think of Itineraries, they think of What ports they’re going to visit when going on a Cruise Ship. I Believe that on Cruise Ships is mainly where the word comes from. The other use is if you go on a trip and your loved ones have to know your itinerary so they know where you are if something goes wrong. I’m sure though, that you are wondering why I chose this word. I chose it because I believe that Life should be more like an Itinerary instead of a Schedule, because it’s sounds more fun to have an Itinerary. To Me, it seems boring to say, “I have this, this, and this on My Schedule Today” versus saying, “On Today’s Itinerary is this, this, and this.” I mean, which one is more fun sounding? I believe it would make Life much more fun for us all. An Example of it’s use would be asking a Family Member or Friend, “What’s on Your Itinerary Today?” or If your spending time with Family and You ask, “What’s on Our/The Itinerary Today?” So, you know what we’re going to do that day like Go to The Park; Go to Six Flags; Have Dinner with The Neighbors; Hang Out with Friends or Go to A Party, just to name a few things. You can always use it for Daily Use with “What’s on Your Itinerary Today?” Question. The Answers could be A Business Meeting; Doctor’s Appointment; A big Pitch to Executives of a Company to get an account at Work; A Date Tonight, If You are Single or Date Night, If You’re Married or Dating. Things that you do on a Daily Basis. Itineraries help me to stay focused, stay on task, and complete the task. If Not, I feel confused. Is This Something You can Relate to? All in All, Some People just need structure and an Itinerary can help.

Thanks for Reading The Christianville Spirit. The Three E’s: Educational, Entertaining, Enlightening. Another Reason Why The Christianville Spirit is The Spirit of Christianville! (Local Commercial)

*Credit to Kim Coelho^ 

The Christianville Spirit: The Number 333

The Christianville Spirit

The Spirit that Fills Your Heart and Lifts You Up

January 9, 2013-TCS # 333

So, My Readers, I don’t know if you notice the number that I put next to the date of the newsletter but, this week’s number is very special. You See, Every Week I number my newsletter with what I call “TCS #’s” which is an acronym of how many Christianville Spirit Newsletters I’ve done. This Number, 333 is special because those Christians who believe in it is God’s Phone Number. I was taught this by My Friend, Jeremiah’s Mom, Mrs. Marilyn back when I was in High School. She taught me that because of the date 3-3-03 and how it is a special date, but to me I thought it was the rapture date just because it some how made sense to Me, when in fact it comes from a bible scripture. Anyway, I was thinking the same thing that You are thinking, “God has a Phone Number!?” Well, not really, that’s what I thought at the time and Mrs. Marilyn said, “You just say 333 in Prayer and God will answer.” For a while, I didn’t understand what it meant or let alone, why they use those numbers until I had that Politics/News/Religion discussion with Mrs. Patty and Colonel Jack (who is actually, General Jack, to be precise). And, Mrs. Patty told me that the number 333 means “Trinity, Trinity, Trinity” and that confirmed the number meaning more for me. I also learned that, “Trinity 3x” can be an alternate way of calling God using the 333 code. So, calling on God is very important but, God also put on this earth, something else that help you get through the day. That something else is a Special Needs Child. So, How is that, you ask? Because we are very loving and understanding people. We do not judge on others and we (PTLSers anyway) see the good in people. Also, we have a good sense to pick up how people are feeling and help them or hug them. We also have a good sense of humor to make you laugh or sometimes, have a way with words that make you Think and yes, sometimes Cry, but a good one though. The Reason that You should have a “Unique” person or a Person with Special Needs (PTLS or not) is because we see the world in a way that it should be seen and should be lived by. So, anytime you need comfort or someone to change your view of life, look upon a person with “Uniqueness”, We’re here for a reason and a purpose. All in all, We’re like angels here on earth, Special Needs People are everywhere, so don’t turn your back on us.

Thanks for Reading The Christianville Spirit. Special Needs People are here to help you with your Special Needs. We Love Everyone!        

The Christianville Spirit: Happy New Year 2013

The Christianville Spirit

The Spirit that Fills Your Heart & Lifts You Up

January 2, 2013-TCS # 332

Hello Again, My Readers! Welcome to Another Year of Exciting, Thrilling, Educational, and yes, Entertaining Newsletter. But, First Off, Happy New Year! And, Welcome to 2013! I hope that this year is a Wicked Awesome Year filled with Joy, Moving Forward, and Love (or whatever your aspirations are this year). So, as 2013’s New Tag Line implies, This Year’s Newsletters will “Fill Your Heart” and “Lift You Up.” By The Way, Before we get started, After Great Consideration of Suggestions and All were good, I Decided give credit to those who made this tag line possible. That would be Family Friend, Greg Simpson and PTLS Family Member, Stacey Brooks and Of Course; My Brother, Michael, who mixed the two, creating the first double-tag line of this newsletter. With all that said, on we go. So, Having Special Needs comes with something that all of us have to deal with, both the “Unique” person themselves, as well as Family & Friends. Although it is hard to admit, or at least for me, I need something called Adaption and Adjusting. Now, Adaption is a normal thing when it comes to having Special Needs when doing activities. But, I’m talking about the kind of Adaption that happens when you get out of your normal routine and element like going on a vacation, to a Family Members House, or a Friend’s for a Sleep Over. Now, I’ll tell you in some cases it’s easy for the “Unique” person like me to adapt to places as long I have structure and most importantly, knowing what the rules are. But, what about places where there isn’t structure, routine, or I have to learn their rules. However, when I get into a situation where there isn’t routine like Vacation, The Beach, or Summer Camp, I get confused and often Overwhelmed. Most of the Time, When I have no routine, People try asking if I need anything, like a pillow, blankets, or something to eat, but I don’t know how to explain or express myself to get what I need or do I know what I need. It’s easier for me and causes less stress when the people around me know what I need or know how to handle me. It is hard for me to explain when I do not know what I want. I just know how I feel inside, and I feel very confused and overwhelmed. So the lack of structure, routine, or too much activity going on around me is not good for me. So, all in all, be careful during Holidays, Vacations, or Outings since many PTLS kids need rules and structure to be able to focus and have a good time. We just need to be Understood!

Thanks for Reading The Christianville Spirit. To Enjoy Life, Sometimes We need Structure and Routine.      

The Christianville Spirit: Christian's Year-in-Review 2012

The Christianville Spirit

The Spirit that Opens Your Eyes

December 27, 2012-TCS # 331

 Well, My Readers, it turns out The World didn’t end Last Friday, so We’re still here! So, with that said I hope it didn’t freak you out too much about The End of the World however, a PTLS Family Member put it best, “Maybe it was the Mayans version of April Fools Day?” So, we’ll go with that. So, back to regularly scheduled newsletter writing. Anyway, We here at The Christianville Spirit as well as The World itself has had quite a year, if there was one word to describe this year if I polled everyone I know, they would say, “Strange”. To tell you the truth, it kinda was a strange year but, then again, the planets of the Solar System alined and for those who live up north, as far as Canada or Norway & Sweden, had quite a show. So, Every Year, I do what I call, “Christian’s Year-in-Review” because I love Year-in-Reviews. So, I feel the need to do one. So, without further a due, This is Christian’s Year-in-Review 2012. So, with all years, we start in January. The beginning of January 2012, in the news, The Nation of Iran threatened to close down The Straight of Hormuz, which is a major oil shipping line that goes between Iran and The United Arab Emirates. In the United States, The bills, SOPA and PIPA, which were bills relating to The Internet were angering people and caused the website, Wikipedia to go black in Protest of it on January 18. On February 11, Pop Star, Whitney Houston passed away of a Drug Overdose at Age 48. On February 22, I decided to go up to where My Brother goes to school at The University of North Texas, which was quite an experience. Among the many groups that I saw, now that I think of it, are probably moving to Colorado or Washington State because they wanted Marijuana legalized. In March was in my view, a special event happened on the 15th (before St. Patrick’s Day, that’s how I remember it) I met someone who is now My PTLS Sister, Danielle. I was very happy to meet someone who also had PTLS that I could talk to and relate to. When I first met her, I referred to her as “My New Friend, Danielle”, now she is “My PTLS Sister, Danielle.” In the News, on March 21, Travon Martin was shot by George Zimmerman, as a result one of the Police Officers there decided to step down. In International News, Russia’s President Vladimir Putin won Russia’s Presidential Election on March 4. In April, I got to meet another PTLS Family Member who was one of the first families that was diagnosed in the Dallas-Fort Worth Area. So, now there is a PTLS Family Member close to Home. In the News, on March 12, North Korea wanted to launch what they said was a “Satellite” in honor of their founder’s 100th Birthday and the launch failed. The Month of May was a personal-filled month. In May, I had My Upper GI Procedure and My 2nd Swallow Study. They found that I have slow emptying of my stomach and I clear my throat because I have a delayed swallow and hypersensitive nerves in the back of my throat. Here at The Christianville Spirit, we celebrated My 300th Newsletter and The “I Believe In Love” campaign. June, in Personal News, I wrote a really good newsletter about an Interview I had with My Brother about his view of PTLS. I would really recommend it for a read when you have nothing to do or something to read, over and over. The month ended with a “Foster Dog” whose name has changed 3 times and ended with “Sadie-Good Lord.”  In The News, on June 2, Former Egyptian President Mubarak was sentenced to Life in Prison. July, for me was a busy month, on the weekend of July 12-14 was the 2nd PTLS Conference in Houston, Texas and which was really fun and I got to meet new PTLS Family Members including My “Museum Buddies”, Ken & Sabrina Lu. In the News, was the 30th Olympic Games in London, United Kingdom, going from July 27-August 12 and also, on July 20, A guy went in to a Movie Theater in Aurora, Colorado during the showing of Batman: The Dark Knight Rises and shot people. In August was My 25th Birthday and on My Birthday, My Mom and I went to go see the “World’s Largest Peanut” in Durant, Oklahoma. My Neighbors, Robin and Woody threw me a Surprise Party on My Birthday which I didn’t know about because I thought it was going to be just us, it was Awesome! On the week of August 18-25, We drove to Atlanta for My Birthday Trip, we got to hang out with the Smith Family and PTLS Family Members. In The News, Presidential Candidate, Mitt Romney chose running mate, Paul Ryan on My Birthday, August 11.  September was a Quiet Month, the biggest events that happen to me personally was that My Mac Computer crashed due to the motherboard crashing. On September 15, My Mom, My Brother, and I went to the Red Bull Soapbox Derby which was really fun and it was funny to watch. In Mid-September, A gunmen stormed a US Embassy in Libya and Killed the Ambassador. There was a lot of uproar about it and what they should have or shouldn’t have done. In October, In Personal News, I went to The Dentist and I didn’t gag, like I usually do. I wrote about it in one of My Newsletters about Anxiety. On October 26, We Celebrated My Brother, Michael’s 24th Birthday; it was a lot of fun. In The News, October was a month of Presidential Debates to decide who was going to be President of The United States. There were three debates, on the 3rd, 16th, 22nd respectively. October didn’t end very well, in the news, because Hurricane Sandy or “Super Storm Sandy” as Weather Forecasters called it, hit Atlantic City and up the Jersey Shore as well as New York City where part of the city’s subway system was flooded and shut down. So, people had to ride the bus or drive across the bridge with no less than 4 people in a car; Even if you were strangers. On November 15, My Mom was awarded “Outstanding Instructor of The Year” at Collin College on the Continuing Education Side. As a Result, She had her face on the cover of the Continuing Education Catalogue on November 27. During November 16-20 was the 7th Annual Christian’s Best Friends‘ Festival in Christianville. In The News, Barack Obama won The US Presidential Election. I should note though that Obama only won the Electoral College and Mitt Romney won the Popular Vote. After the election, General Petraeus resigned from The CIA due to an affair that he had with someone. And, Finally, we come to December, My Favorite Month of Year. On December 2 which was the same night as the Special Friends Dinner was the famous, what we now call, “The Monica Miracle” where Uncle Scott’s Niece, Monica, got a new pair of lungs. Now, I have to say that, that is the Best Christmas Present, anyone could ask for. In The News, Right before Christmas, there was a shooting at an elementary school in Connecticut which was really horrible to hear about. And, finally this past weekend, we drove to Atlanta to go see the Smith Family and that is always fun to do. Anyway, to wrap it up all up, I had a good year and I hope you did too. If your still reading at this point, I congratulate You because this is a long newsletter to read and yes, even long for me to write. So, all in all, 2012 was a good year and one thing, I’m happy for is that we got to live through it when we thought that The World was going to end like The Mayans said, but like I said in the beginning, We’re still here!

(For the last time in 2012)

Thanks for Reading The Christianville Spirit. I hope you had an awesome 2012 and I’ll see you back here for another year of Exciting, Thought-Provoking, Life Learning, and Yes, an occasional touching newsletter in 2013.

The Christianville Spirit: Why I Love December

The Christianville Spirit

The Spirit that Opens Your Eyes

December 19, 2012-TCS # 330

 Okay, Everyone, It’s that Time of Year again. Well, As Promised, This Week, I was going to write on why December is My Favorite Time of Year as Part of My Christmas Newsletter. So, without further a due..Here it goes. I Love the Month of December because of one thing, Christmas, and not just Christmas but all that is associated with it. I mean, who wouldn’t, You have Christmas Music, Lights, Movies, and above all, Cheer. And, Yes even a little Christmas Miracle or two. I love this time of year because Everyone is always so happy (well, not Everyone but I wish) during this time of year. It’s a very peaceful time of year when you make it more about Family and the Birth of Jesus than Presents. Now, contrary to what People say, You still should include Santa Claus because not only is He the Spirit of Christmas but, also a Sign of Love as well. I also love the Christmas Music that plays on the radio or on your own device, In my case, it’s both. Now, as a bit of advice, as joyful as it is, don’t listen all the time because by the time Christmas DAY comes, your burned out from it. Then, comes the biggest part, The Lights. These Days, I always could figure out the trend in how people decorate, but it’s not always about the trend, like all colored light, all white lights, or fancy decorating. the light can, believe it or not, bring you peace. This Year, I decided to put up Lights in the Hallway, along with My Brother’s “Art Gallery.” We hadn’t put them there before because we didn’t want to disturb his art. But, one day, My Mom was having a Bad Day and I decided to surprise her with the lights, to cheer her up. Well, It did Cheer her up but, in a way, it was good for me also. The Reason is because I have a little peaceful moment right before I go to bed. You See, the lights in the hallway and the lights on the Christmas Tree are the same multi-colored lights. However, After I’ve shut down My Computer and turned off the Television, I look at the lights on both ends of the house and it brings me peace. I think, “It’s just Me and The Lights.” A Weird thought, I know, but if you were in my Christmas-Loving Shoes, you would be at peace too. Anyway, then, there’s the “Monica Miracle” that touched me because I’ve never seen such a big True Miracle occur in My Life. Then, there was a moment that made me remember why I love Christmas. So, My Mom and I go to this “Special Friends‘ Dinner” that the big church of Plano holds for the Special Needs Community on the same night of the “Monica Miracle” (that’s how I remembered the date, because we went to that dinner that evening). Anyway, we went with Our Neighbors Paulie and Alyson. By The Way, his name is actually Paul but, that’s what Woody calls him. Anyway, There was a Grandmother who sat next to us and I talked to her a couple times, helping her in any way I could considering she had brought her 3 Grandchildren. Anyway, to put it shortly, these kids had a rough year this past year but, You should have seen their Faces when Santa Claus came out, I Believe that, that figure of speech, “They lit up like a Christmas Tree” is very appropriate here because that describes what their faces looked like. Some people say that if You want to see the True Spirit of Christmas, Look at a child or even talk to a child about Christmas and Santa Claus. And, of course, if you actually see a person who looks a lot like Santa Claus, you too have the right to get excited about it like the Kids do. Just make sure though not to get too excited, to where you end up on YouTube. So, Bottom Line here, I just love Christmas and I have a Christmas District in Christianville to prove it. I just hope that when I meet the Girl of My Dreams, that she loves Christmas as much as I do. All in all, Christmas is a cheerful time of year and you don’t have to “Survive” it, You should love it and enjoy it, no matter if it is Perfect or imperfect.

Thanks for Reading The Christianville Spirit. Merry Christmas-Hanukah-Kwanza From The Christianville Spirit 

   

The Christianville Spirit: A Christmas Miracle

The Christianville Spirit

The Spirit that Opens Your Eyes

December 12, 2012(12-12-12)-TCS # 329

So, Around This Time of Year, I usually write about how much I love Christmas, however I usually write on the week of Christmas, but under Special Circumstances that I feel the need to tell you about something that has touched me this year. You See, There is something that happens in the Christmas Season that occurs once-in-a-blue-moon. For those that pay more attention to it, they’ll tell you that it happens all the time but, however, the only time you realize it, is when it happens close to home to someone you know. What I’m Talking about is the Christmas Miracle, meaning a Miraculous thing that happens that either you’ve always wanted, something you would never expect, or just a pure coincidence. Now, I don’t believe in “Pure Coincidences” but, depending on the Context of it, it is. Anyway, People think of Christmas Miracles in different ways, it can be something like Finally having your children in your custody for Christmas, Meeting the Right Person, or even something as simple as buying the year’s hottest toy (which is the “New Furby”) on Christmas Eve, if you get the Movie Jingle All The Way Reference. Yes, I’m all about Movie References, but anyway. A Family Friend of Ours, We call him “Uncle Scott” because he was there when I was born, back in the time when we were living in San Antonio. Anyway, He has a niece named Monica who lives in North Carolina, little known to me, she had Cystic Fibrosis and she had been waiting for new lungs over the past several years. Well, on the evening of December 2, she had got the call to come down to The Hospital because they had new lungs for her. She was all prepped and ready to go into surgery around 4 AM on December 3. Against all odds, Monica had her Christmas Miracle of all Christmas Miracles; a New Set of Lungs, ones that she had been waiting for her whole life, and not only that but, a New Life. As I told “Uncle Scott” that night that I told him that I believed that Monica was reborn. Truth be told, She was reborn, literally, because she was given a second life to live and I know that she WILL make the best of it. Honestly, I can’t wait to see the pictures of her in all parts of The World. Now, I don’t know what Monica’s interests and specialities are, but If I were her, that’s what I would do. I’ll also add this that I told “Uncle Scott” that if Monica asks who gave them to her, I would say to tell her that Santa Claus gave it to her, then she’ll never-ever stop believing in Santa and after all, “Seeing is Believing” as they say in The Polar Express (Yes, Ladies and Gents. Another Movie Reference). Just because You can’t see Santa, doesn’t mean he’s not there because as I see it, He’s always there..whether you believe in him or not. So, I’m going to leave off with this.. as the Santa told us at the Radio City Rocketts‘ Christmas Spectacular, that when searching for The Perfect Gift, as Santa says, “The Gift Finds You.” So, it goes without saying that, The Perfect Christmas Gift found Monica and As far as I know, she is doing excellently well. All in all though, Christmas is what you make of it and sometimes, on those once-in-a-blue-moon times, the Christmas Miracle and Perfect Gift catches You, and Christmas.. it makes you.

    

Thanks for Reading The Christianville Spirit. Be the Miracle in someone’s life and Celebrate the Miracle of You.

    

The Christianville Spirit: What It's Like Having PTLS-Part Deux

The Christianville Spirit

The Spirit that Opens Your Eyes

December 5, 2012-TCS # 328

Well, Happy December, Everyone! This is My Most Favorite Month of The Year, more on that in a couple weeks. This Week, however, is sort of an extension of the question, “What is it like to have PTLS?”. I forgot to mention about 2 other major things about PTLS, that would be Imitating and Obsessing (we’ll call it OCDing) because we PTLSers have an Obsessive Compulsive Disorder behaviors sometimes. Now, I had a whole thing about Imitating, I figured that I had mentioned it enough in My Newsletters, but to my surprise and yes, some humor, You wanted more about Imitating. Last Week though, for those are new, I had written a little blip about Imitating and what it is like to have PTLS. So, anyway, let’s get to it! Imitating can be a good or bad behavior, depending on the source. Now, before you start asking, “What is the Source, you say?”. Well, The Source is what we’ll call, where the Imitation is coming from and there are many. The Main Sources that I look at when it comes to explaining is The Parents of The Children, Friends (Both Childs & Yours), Other Kids(Other Kids have a greater influence though), and Things on Television. So, considering that we listen to everything, wether we’re talking or not, we will eventually Imitate the things that we hear you saying or doing. The Best Rule to follow is if you want Good Behavior, put them around things of good behavior, in all the main sources. And, the same thing goes  for the opposite side. So, If you want your child to talk and I know many PTLS parents do, than you put them around normal kids who have good behavior. Here are some examples, When I was little (like 3 or 4 Years Old), The School that I went to, there was a kid who pinched people, so I started pinching people, so the teachers had to move me and the kid away from each other. For Eating, I didn’t eat very well but, I sat at a table with kids eating fruit and I started eating off their plates. I got in trouble but, My Mom was happy that I was eating. I learned to jump on The Trampoline, only when there were kids jumping on it, That was the best thing for Me. When the Speech Therapist would say, “Look at me” and turn my head towards her, I would do that to people who weren’t paying attention to me. I would turn their head and say, “Look at Me.” It’s not a big thing but, it was a big part of how I learned.  As for Me, I have Imitated since I was younger and I still do but not as much as I did when I was younger. When I was learning to talk, I would repeat the other kids, and they would tell me to stop repeating them. I did not know why they would get so angry with me. Usually, it takes a little while before I start to pick up whatever behavior I’m watching. Even the 2 Girlfriends I had, I Imitated their behavior; I talked like them, I thought like them, and I behaved like them. Anyway, now we move on to what can be (to outsiders and PTLS Parents themselves) an annoying habit, The OCDing. We PTLSers Obsess about different things; People, Objects, Interests, and Thoughts. So, usually we find something that interests us and we start to Obsess about it by thinking about it, talking about it, and researching things about it. The annoying part of it is that we don’t stop talking about it or researching until something new sparks our interests. For Example, After I spent a long time Obsessing about Ali, she was My 1st unofficial Girlfriend, I found everything with the name Ali in it and drove my Mom and Brother crazy always talking about it. After I broke up with her, I started Obsessing about New England, which was a nice change for everyone around me, but then it was a problem. Which to most people would think is healthy to think about other things besides the girl that you were with. Honestly, I believe that it helped me with getting over her because she was a nice girl. Anyway, I believe when I was around 7th Grade or so, I would pick a City or State to obsess about and they were odd places sometimes. Besides Atlanta, where The Smith Family lives, I would obsess (well, not really obsessing because I love Geography, but anyway..) I would Obsess about the places in between like Alabama, Mississippi, or Houston. In my head, I pretend that we lived in where ever I was obsessing about. When I was Younger, like back what we now call “The Mr. Jeff Era”(from 2nd to 5th Grade), we had a creek in the backyard and considering that I had gone to Laredo and Nuevo Laredo, Mexico with My Dad, I would pretend that Mr. Jeff’s House was the Welcome Center into Laredo, Texas, The creek was the Rio Grande River and, My School, Harrington, was in Mexico. I’m sure, My Childhood Friends hadn’t heard about this until now, or at least I don’t think. The tall-tale sign of what your child or myself are obsessing about is mentioned a lot whenever we talk about things over and over again, and never get tired of it. I have to be told to stop and move on to some other topic. Further toward My Present Age, If you have ever had a conversation with me, you would notice I’ve obsessed about Places like New England (like Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine); Norway & Sweden (My Neighbor, Woody, and I have discussions about that a lot); The Caribbean (like Jamaica, The USVI, and St. Martin & St. Bartts;  How News, The World, History, and Politics all tie together; and of course a share of Girls including Girlfriends I’ve had, Girls I like, and of course, My Future Soulmate. I should also mention, if you haven’t noticed, that we like to repeat ourselves, it’s another thing that we PTLSers do called Repetition. So imitation is often when we are young, but not so much when we get older. OCD behaviors help me to stay focused, so I guess it is a Good thing. Repeating myself and talking about my Obsessions, Well, that might drive others crazy, but I like it and so I keep doing it.

All in All, 

if your kids are imitating, hopefully its all good things. If they have OCD behavior, be patient with them because it helps them to fell in control and stay focused.

Thanks for Reading The Christianville Spirit. We all have our quirks and good reasons for them. Love us anyways.