The Christianville Spirit: Include, Not Exclude

The Christianville Spirit

The Spirit that Fills Your Heart & Lifts You Up

June 26, 2013-TCS # 357

So, This Past Sunday, My Mom and I went to a really cool party, It was for one of our former neighbor’s Birthday. You See, when we first moved in to the house we live in Now, 16 Years Ago, we had this neighbor that would always say hello to us and Every Monday, at least, she would bring us a Box of Bagels for all of us to eat. We would hear the doorbell ring and it would be her, giving My Mom the box of bagels along with her sweet saying, “To Feed The Children”(She still takes Bagels to work with her and tell them the same thing) or Just to come over and say Hello and see how we were doing. Anyway, It was her 70th Birthday at her daughter, Michelle’s House. We thought that Michelle still lived down the street from our house, but she had moved to a new house that she built in The Country. She did have a nice house though and a big yard. When we came over, I saw that they were throwing a big party, complete with a Pool, Basketball Court (if you wanted to play), and A Huge Adult Size Water Slide. So, We had a small reunion with Our Neighbor and Michelle, and then, I was off to the Water Slide with all the kids. I had forgotten until the night after the party, that the last time I hung out with them, one of children that had been invited as well called me “The R-Word”, but that didn’t cross my mind at The Party. Because The Kids welcomed me, much to my surprise. I had to make sure to take it slow going on Runs down the water slide because I start getting overwhelmed, My Heart beats really fast, and My Vision starts getting blurry. By The Way, The Slide was an Inflatable one and the hardest part (and, most tiring) is climbing up to the top of the slide, to Slide Down. But, I did have a lot of fun playing with kids, one of them, later on liked the way I jumped and then, slid down and I would go all the way to the end if I was on My Belly. Whenever I was done with the slide and ready for the pool, I would hang out with whoever was in the pool. Now, Don’t Get Me Wrong, I am a Social Butterfly, but sometimes because I don’t know a lot of people and I’m not sure how the kids will accept me or not, it feels a little lonely. One Wish I had was that My PTLS “Brother” and Friend, Tyler (who is in town) was there to hang out with, talk to, and he could join us playing on the Water Slide. Even though, I was having fun, I still felt like I didn’t Belong. Many of the kids were asking me if I still go to School and I said that, “I graduated” and then, they follow with, “Do You go to College?”. You Know, when it comes to talking with Kids, The Topics of Driving and College come up and they have this impression that You have to go to College or else you are considered Stupid. I don’t mind this question when it comes to Parents or Adults because they are truly interested or they understand. I am aware that I cannot live in My Own Little PTLS Crew or “Bubble.” But, If I could, I would feel accepted and have plenty of topics in common to discuss that we like. Don’t Get Me Wrong, I love Meeting People and Socializing, but there are times when I wish I had PTLS Friends around My Age to Hang Out with more often. And, We don’t have to do things that are “Age Appropriate” which we often act either less than Our Age and Sometimes, Because we are Smart, over our age. All in all, It was a fun party with a few moments of loneliness.

Thanks for Reading The Christianville Spirit. Include People, Don’t Exclude People. 

The Christianville Spirit: My Reader's Choice

The Christianville Spirit

The Spirit that Fills Your Heart & Lifts You Up

June 19, 2013-TCS #356

So, My Readers, I decide to do something different for This Week’s Newsletter. You See, On Facebook, I decided that instead giving My Readers topics that don’t always interest them or that they don’t want to hear about, I decided to give you, My Readers, the power to choose what I write. My Choices I came up with were My View on Something, PTLS Related, An Adventure/Trip, A Life Event and An Accomplishment. The Winner, to My Surprise, was An Accomplishment. So, That is what I am writing this week, Thanks to the input of My Readers. Enjoy!

So, To spotlight, one accomplishment would be hard to pick, so I will do a couple of them. In My Head Anyway, This Accomplishment is a big one (although there are bigger). You See, when I was in High School in 10th Grade, The Schedule gave me a sort-of “Job Study Period.”  It turned out that there wasn’t enough to keep me busy. So, one day the Vice Principal assigned me to a very important job, what was known as “Parking Lot Duty.” So, The Vice Principal took me around The Teacher Parking Lot and said, “These Green (Keystone Looking) Tags represent The Teachers and Those 3 white painted lines for Visitors” and he told me that any person who had one of those “Keystone Looking” Tags that parked in the wrong place that I had my clipboard that I had to write the License Plate number. After a couple trial runs, I got the hang of it and I was used to doing “Parking Lot Duty” at the time. Considering that I am Routine Oriented and Am Big On Rules, I was excited about getting to do it everyday. Eventually, though, it caught up with me and My Own Teachers would tell me not to write them up because they took the wrong car to School and forgot their Tag. They helped by describing where the car was and what color. But, to me, I was on The Rules, that and by the time I got out there, I would forget what they told me and without realizing it, I wrote them up anyway. At the end of The School Year, I got 100% Compliance that Year. After many Teachers were wondering, who I was and who was writing them up. I got an award near the end of the School Year for “Parking Lot Duty” that I didn’t even know that I had won. There was an Award Ceremony that I didn’t go to because I thought that I wouldn’t get an award that I got one anyway. So, I personally count that more as a Professional Accomplishment. The next Accomplishment is something that My Mom is proud of. You See, do you remember My Mom and I went to Houston to meet this wonderful Photographer who is now our buddy? This was a while ago, so it is okay if you don’t remember. Anyway, Before we all had our “Model Pictures” taken if you will, We went to a Presentation at the Baylor College of Medicine to show all his photos that he has taken of People with various Special Needs since the beginning. Anyway, after they showed all the pictures, Dr. Potocki & Dr. Lupski, and Other Doctors as well as My Mom joined a little panel in front of Over 200 Medical Students for a program called “Compassion and The Art of Medicine.” Dr. Potocki told me the night before that I could join if I wanted to. When the panel started, I was a little nervous sitting in the audience and then, Dr. Potocki said, “We also have Julie’s Son, Christian here if he would like to come up” and I sat there for a second and I thought, Okay, I might as well. After I sat down with everyone, They had a microphone for everyone to pass around and Of Course, with every question, they passed it to me. Eventually, I got the hang of it and used to them passing the Mic to each person. Now, as My Mom likes to say, it didn’t go without me having People in Tears with the things I said. I even polled the audience to see who looked at people from The Inside (Meaning Inner Beauty), instead of The Outside (Meaning Outer Beauty, like someone’s appearance) and only a few hands came up and I said, “God Bless You Guys! Because We need to see the Inner Beauty of People, Not Outer Beauty.” I told people that sometimes It is hard to see the Inner Beauty because you are too fixated on the outside and Yes, even I have done that a time or two. One of the Most Inspirational Things I said was (as I quote Myself from My Records), “Most People only look at the outside of others. That is all they see and are judged on. You can brush your hair, and put on Makeup, but Someone is still going to tell you, “Man, You Look Ugly!” Then, Of Course, there was the very daring thing I said that My Mom LOVES to Reference, I told Over 200 Medical Students and Doctors that, “Having Special Needs is not like living in Hell or anything.” After the panel was over, I just stood there looking at everyone answering questions and the next thing I had a line of Medical Students and Doctors Thanking Me for being so honest and Asking different questions. So, I’m really proud of this accomplishment because I had to talk in front of so many people. A Minor Accomplishment that I did was that I rode in a “Traffic Helicopter” during TV & Radio 5 O’ Clock Traffic Report and Told to keep my eyes peeled from Traffic Trouble. They were impressed that I knew where I was in all parts of the city. they told me that I was welcome back anytime, that was a Fun Accomplishment! All in All, I am very proud of these many accomplishments in My Life.

Thanks for Reading The Christianville Spirit. Be Proud of Your Big and Small Accomplishments.

The Christianville Spirit: Brotherly Time Together

The Christianville Spirit

The Spirit that Fills Your Heart & Lifts You Up

June 12, 2013-TCS # 355

Sometimes when I write My Newsletter, if I don’t have an idea in what to write because My Head is flooded with Ideas, It blocks the topics from flowing. I ask My Mom for some ideas. But, most of the time, I come up ideas on My Own. I get carried away with all the ideas that I often forget to write a Newsletter about a Fun Time or a Good-Hearted Event until weeks after it happened. For that brings me to a Good-Hearted Time that My Brother and I had..that I forgot to write about! You See, I’m not sure if I told you this but, For Christmas, My Brother got me these “Brother Coupons” or more like “Quality Time Coupons” it was sort of a mimic of what We did for My Mom on Mother’s Day one year, but Anyway, These “Brother Coupons” were keys to spend time with My Brother, after all, between School, Work, and Time with Friends & Family, he can be very busy. So, He gave me 3, A Movie Night (at Home or The Movies), An Adventure (with Lunch included), and “Party Time” where we can go to dinner with My Choice of Our Friends. and, I had used the Movie Night one; So, I had to figure out where I wanted to drive to and I thought we would go this “Deck Park” in Downtown Dallas. My Brother had thought it might be cool if we went out to Mineral Wells to go hang out with our friends and I could watch him Rock Climb (He is a really good Rock Climber now) but, due to the park being closed because of the weather, we decided to stay in town and go to “The Deck Park.” So, for those who don’t know what I mean by a “Deck Park”, there was an architect who saw a divider that goes over the highway, if you will, between Uptown Dallas and The Arts District and Downtown Dallas. The divider, which had been there forever was Woodall Rodgers Freeway (which is a connecter freeway from I-35E to US 75). So, The Architect envisioned a connection between Uptown and Downtown through a Park that as crazy as it sounds, was built over the freeway. In The United States, it is first of it’s kind to be built and it is wild to say that there is a park sitting above a busy freeway. but, anyway. Back to My Brother and I. So, I really wanted to see the park (it is called Klyde Warren Park, by the way) because of it’s uniqueness and because it looked really cool. When My Brother and I got there, We walked around the park, it was really awesome. They had a Playground, Spray Grounds at the Entrances of it, Plenty of Grass Space, Food Trucks, and even a Dog Park with little sprayers coming out. I’m sure during the summer, they have concerts in the park. When we were there, they were setting up for one, although it looked like a contest because there were judges up front. After we checked out the park, I had remembered that there was a BIG sign nearby that I wanted to see and take our pictures. You See, The City of Dallas has created this interactive tourism campaign where they have a Big D and Big G, and it is up to You to be the Letter I. So, you can do different poses as the I and post them to The Internet, namely to the “Big Things are Happening in Dallas” Facebook Page. So, We walked over to that, which was at the Winspear Opera House, I knew that because they showed the Arts District Visitor Center on The News. Next to that, was A very shallow pool of water, I wanted to walk in. So, My Brother and I took off our shoes and walked in the water. It was really cool and funny, My Brother and I acted as if we were walking on Water because the water was that shallow. I saw that the girls near us were doing Ballet-like spins around in the water. I walked around, did a little spin, walked along the cracks, and walked on Water. So, after we played in the water a little bit, we decided to sit and watch everybody and enjoy the surroundings. Of Course, Our Brotherly Time didn’t go without a couple Geography Lessons, Being Goofy, and Having Good Talks. After we walked back to The Park, we watched a little bit of the band playing and then, I had noticed that the clouds were looking dark so, we decided to go back to the car, not a minute later after we got in the car; it started pouring down rain, getting windy, and thundering. I did want to show My Brother where we had the PTLS-Dallas “Texas Round Up” but, because of the rain we decided to get a little closer to home. We stopped at Whole Foods for Dinner, because they have something called “King Ranch Casserole” that I like to have and I had it and it was good! Now I did, in a way, get to see My Brother rock climb a little bit because we stopped at REI to get him Rock Climbing Shoes and Rope. I got to see him do it when he was trying the different shoes on. After that, We decided to head home. All in all, Our Adventure was a lot of fun and it’s always fun to act like a Tourist in your own city, as weird as that way be.

Thanks for Reading The Christianville Spirit. Spend a Little Quality Time with Your Siblings.

The Christianville Spirit: Putt's Hometown Adventure

The Christianville Spirit

The Spirit that Fills Your Heart & Lifts You Up

June 5, 2013-TCS # 354

So, You may remember sometime ago of Me mentioning someone named “Putt.” For those who don’t, I wrote about him in the Newsletter, “An Exciting & Unnerving Week”, He is My PTLS “Uncle” Brent’s Dad who likes to be referred to as “Putt.” Anyway, for a while now, “Putt” has been wanting us to come down to Mexia (Pronounced Ma-HAY-Yuh) to give us a tour of the area and visit a couple places that are Near and Dear to His Heart. Yes, He even gave me a Magazine about the area, so I could have an idea and interest in the area. Anyway, This Past Friday, That is what we did, We took a little Day Trip down to Mexia (or Limestone County, Texas) to see all the places. So, what we did was we drove down to a town called Fairfield, which is on I-45 between Dallas and Houston; and, we parked our car at a nearby restaurant, Putt picked us up and we were on our way on “Putt’s Hometown Adventure.” So, we started driving out into the country, not yet toward Mexia but, around it. The First Stop was a town that you would have to know that it is there, let alone, the significance of it. You See, The town’s name was..Wait for it... Tehuacana (pronounced Tuh-Wa-Can-Nuh). The significance of this town was for three reasons, 1. It was historically home to Trinity University, which now is in San Antonio; 2. It was going to be The Capitol of Texas, however Stephan F. Austin was more popular and Austin became The Capitol of Texas; and Finally, 3. It is home to people that want to start a camp for People with Special Needs in the “Tri-County Area” (meaning Limestone, Freestone, and Leon Counties) called “Christian Creek Retreat.” What is fascinating about this town is that the former-dorms of Trinity University (“Texas Hall and “Louisiana Hall”, Respectively) are still standing. In Fact, They hold weddings and sleep-overs in the former-Women’s Dorm. But, You have to provide your own blankets and you have pay per Night, per Person, and per Bed. Never Mind the cost when you get to spend the night in a Historic Building in a Historic Town. That and Tehuacana could have been The Capitol of Texas and been a big city. Anyway, About The Camp, There are these nice people who want to build a camp for Special Needs People and Their Camp is in Deep in The Country and I mean that! They already have a Therapy Room and two Cabins in the process of being built. Their Land is huge though, a lot to mow, but They do have a Special Garden with many vegetables growing and that is Fascinating to Me, also because I’m used to seeing Fruits and Vegetables already picked and at the Grocery Store; But, not while they are growing. It was awesome to see! My Mom and the Owners got into a really good conversation about PTLS. They were excited to hear about it, because they have a Grand Daughter who may have it and now will get Tested for it. They want My Mom to come and Talk to the Parents and Doctors all Around the Area about PTLS. This is Really Cool! So, after that, we drove into Mexia (Ma-HAY-Yuh, again) for a nice refresher while we continue driving. I should mention that Our “Refresher” was a Sweet Tea at Bush’s Chicken for 34 Cents. Before we had the refresher, We drove past a place that is really Near and Dear to Putt’s Heart because it is a No-Kill & Non-Profit Animal Shelter named “LARAS House.” (meaning Limestone Animal Rescue and Adoption Shelter). He says it is a great organization to help and get involved with. After That, We drove through the Winding Backroads of Texas down to a small town called Leona (Again, A town we miss going to Houston) where we had a nice dinner at a place called Leona General Store, which had a very simple menu; You had a choice of Steak, Pork Chops, or Catfish. along with it came a Salad, Twice-Baked Potatoes and Really Good Dinner Rolls. No Flexibility in The Menu, but that is okay because it was really good! All in all, It was an awesome day spent with our good buddy, “Uncle Putt.” 

Thanks for Reading The Christianville Spirit. Venture Out into The Country, You never know what You are going to Find.

The Christianville Spirit: Christianville Explained

The Christianville Spirit

The Spirit that Fills Your Heart & Lifts You Up

May 29, 2013-TCS # 353

So, I think that The Newsletter I’m going to write is well overdue for those who are either just getting to know me, have known me for a while, and Yes, even My Veteran Readers that have known and followed my newsletter since the beginning, Welcome onto Christianville Spirit Highway! So, I’m sure that you are wondering about Where the Term, “Christianville” came from. You See, when I was younger, like around 4th Grade, I would pace back and forth in the yard when I thought no one was looking or I was bored. I had even Ironed a trail that I paced on. While I was pacing, I would hum the sounds of the road or imagine a different version of Dallas, where the bridge over the Trinity River was more like the Golden Gate Bridge, South Dallas was where the Zoo was (which it actually is) and a city below it, which was a dirty city. I named the Dallas-like City, Christianville; South Dallas or locally known as “Oak Cliff” was considered South Christianville and The dirty city was Elizabethvania (which is presently a much cleaner city known as “Izzyville”). I believe the theory that Elizabethvania was that it was to make the City of Christianville look more attractive and nicer. Now, I should mention that it was no reflection on the actual person that the city was named after. Anyway, After some imagining of the city, I left it alone for a while until I hit a High School Age. That was when I decided to write a list of Information about this “Made-Up City of Christianville” and This is what I came up with..

The City of Christianville is The County Seat of Christian County, TN

The City Of Christianville is along The Tennessee River. Which Mississippi is on The Other Side.

The Highlight of The Christianville Skyline is The Tower of Christian Smith and The Christian-Izzy Bridge. The Christian-Izzy Bridge is Part of The Christianville Skyline, Just as Much as The Tower of Christian Smith is.

Nearby Brooke, TN is Home to Christian Smith. The Areas Around The City Are Considered "The Christianville Metro Area"

The New England Cities And Nor'easter Village. Which is North of Christianville is Christianville's Feel of a Non-City Feeling.

The Newspaper of The Christianville Metro Area Has an Unique Name to it. It is Called "The Christianville Spirit"

Christianville's Basketball Team is called The Christianville Timberwolves.

West Michael Street, In Downtown Christianville is The City's Teen Hang Out Street.W. Michael St. has Plenty of Shops and Chairs for Local Teenagers to Hang Out and Talk.

Christianville's Famous Best Friends Festival is a 5 Day Festival to Honor Christian's Best Friends.Each Day of The 5 Days Is a Day For Each Best Friend. It Is Held on November 16-20 on Friends St.from Brooke to S.Izzy St.

Christian's Best Friends Festival Day List:

Nov.16-Karleen Day{Presentation Of Friends Of Year And 'Parade Of Karleen Frishman'}

Nov.17-Brooke Day{Christian Smith And Brooke Herrick Fair. In Brooke, TN}

Nov.18-Meredith Day{Meredith's Fun Day}

Nov.19-Whitney Day{Wacky Whitney's Play In Downtown Day}

Nov.20-Steven Day{Tigger Parade}

The People Of The Christianville Metro Area Say that The Intersection Of Christianville And Tennessee St. Is The Heart Of Christian Smith

On April 19, 2006. The City Of Christianville Started The Sister Cites Program. The Sister Cities Of Christianville, TN are:

-Karleen City, Karleen-

Michaelville, Michael-

Stevenville, Steven

So, After I came up with that list, The City of Christianville became more real to Me. If You have noticed, My “Made-Up” City of Christianville is in The State of Tennessee. The Reason behind that is because I love the East Coast of The US (along with many other places) because The Smith Family lives in Atlanta and I have always wanted to be there. Plus, Tennessee seemed like a good fit and it sounded more like it flowed when you said, “Christianville, Tennessee.” Also, in the notes, you can see where this newsletter, “The Christianville Spirit” got it’s name. Funny Thing, is that, “The Christianville Spirit” in Christianville it’s self, is actually the City’s Newspaper. So, Anyway, as the city’s reality started to set in, I decided to draw maps of city and Believe Me, I have edited them many times but, they are in detail of the Downtown Area, Metro Area, A Light Rail System known as CARTA (Christianville Area Rapid Transit Authority); as well as The City of Brooke (named after Childhood Friend, Brooke Herrick) which is more like Plano. or More like, Exactly like Plano. By The Way, I should mention to that the names of Cities, Streets, Places, and The Days of Christian’s Best Friends’ Festival are all named after something or someone that is important to me. The Names; Izzy, Meredith, Whitney, Brooke, as well as “Herrick” occur alot in the city because those are the people who I grew up with in “The Jeff Era” (Mr. Jeff is the nice guy that My Mom dating and was there for us when we were kids) and I refer to them as my “Childhood Friends” or “Long-Time Friends.” When I was in High School, My Mom said that I should “Write a Blog” since I enjoyed writing all through School and it started as an Email to Friends & Family about my thoughts of the day or The Events in Christianville. Then, as it grew, I moved it to a Blog Site and now it has thousands of readers around the world. Now, I direct my writing toward Living with PTLS and My View on The World. All in all, I’m always taking requests for topics and I hope you enjoyed learning about My City of Christianville

Thanks for Reading The Christianville Spirit. I really appreciate all My Readers, You are all Very Important to Me. 

The Christianville Spirit: In My Best Friend's Honor

The Christianville Spirit

The Spirit that Fills Your Heart & Lifts You Up

May 22, 2013-TCS # 352

So Today, to me, is a Special Day because of Someone Special. You See, 5 Years Ago My Best Friend Lynee, passed away (I had posted on Facebook that it was 4 Years Ago, but, it was actually 5). Lynee was someone that I was really great friends with when I was in 4th Grade. It was when I was much less social as I am now (Hard to Believe there was ever that time, I Know) and My Words were less clear then. I always like to point out too that she was My First Crush and I didn’t know that to do with that. However, She was one of those friends that understood me, even If I didn’t talk clearly. So, In Honor of the day that she passed away, I gave today a Special Name instead of the depressing name, “Lynee Watson’s Homecoming” So, I refer to it now as “Lynee Day”, which is my day to celebrate her life, even though I only was with her in 2 Classes, in Fourth Grade and The other in Tenth Grade. I even am changing a Street Name in Downtown Christianville in honor of her and put her on the map. Last Year’s “Lynee Day” was not an easy one for Me because it was the First “Lynee Day” after I found out that she passed away (which was 2 Years after She actually passed away). This Year is more about Celebration of Her Life. Anyway, Sometimes when I think of her; I think of those “Master Card” Commercials, Only My Version and In My Words, “A Friend is Easy to Find, A Good Friend is Harder to Find, and An Awesome Friend who You Loved...This is Priceless.” We will always have Friends that we either meet in Elementary School who continue to Travel with Us in our Life, Friends who will become more Special, or Just Friends that come into your life and Stay for a Season. Lynee on the other hand, She’ll be around Forever even though She is in Heaven but, also, She is My Guardian Angel as well. What Kind of Friends do you have in Your Life? All in all, Make the Best of Your Friends. Keep The Great Friends in Your Life and Give them a Special Place in Your Heart.

Thanks for Reading The Christianville Spirit. Cherish, Respect, and Never Let Go of the Friends you love because you never know what Tomorrow will bring.

The Christianville Spirit: Why Do We Have Moms

The Christianville Spirit

The Spirit that Fills Your Heart & Lifts You Up

May 15, 2013-TCS #351

So, As You all know, Sunday was Mother’s Day here in The United States, I say that because Mother’s Day is on a different day in other parts of The World. But, Anyway, Mother’s Day is a very important holiday to Me because of one thing that I am ever grateful for, My Mom, as well as Moms in general. Moms are Awesome! But, Why do we have Moms? Now, I’m sure you are reading this, thinking, “Why do We Have Moms?! What kinda of Crazy Question is that?” and others would wonder and ponder about it. So, I’m going to answer that question, “Why Do We Have Moms?”. Well, Truth is, there are alot of reason why, but here are MY Reasons Why.

1. They birthed us; through hard labor, sometimes, Hours of it. In My Mom’s Case, A C-section that she felt the whole time (the anesthesia didn’t work!)  
2. They are our Secondary Quilt, Beanie Baby, or Blankie when we are Babies (Because We like to Snuggle)
3. They are “Best Friends” when we don’t have any Real Friends and They always will be, whether you like it or not.
4. In The 90’s (And, Probably still now) They are Our Seat Belts when someone slams on their brakes. Even though We already have our Seat Belt on.
5. They are our Protecter, Guard, and Guard-Rail Fence against Evil, Mean, or Hurtful Forces.
6. (If You Let Her Do This One, You are Lucky) They are Your Matchmaker. As in, walking up to the Prettiest Girl around and saying, “Hey, Check Out My Son, He’s a REALLY Good Catch!” and You always say, “Moooom!”. But, You never know if that girl might be the Girl of Your Dreams!
7. If You have a Bully or Hateful/Hurtful Person in Your Life, “Momma Bear” will come out and it will NOT be Pretty!
8. In My Case, If You have Special Needs, Your Mom will go to all lengths to get you what you need, help you in anyway possible, and be there for you when you need her. Even going through many teary-eyed and bull-headed IEP Meetings!
9. They know what is best for You, Way before You Do.

10.          and, Finally and Most Importantly, They are Your Mother and Whether You Like it or Not, They will be the only person besides Your Soulmate that will be by your side Forever!

So, Those are My Reason as to “Why We Have Moms” and I wanted to add another reason of that, In My Case, they are your Road Buddy or Your Chauffeur when you want to go somewhere. By The Way, That is a Condition that Can not be taken advantaged of. All in All, My Mom and I have always had this system where I ask her, “Mom, Why do you do this?” and she answers, “It is in The Book of Moms!”.

Thanks fore Reading The Christianville Spirit. Cherish Your Mom, She is Your Best Friend!

The Christianville Spirit: Ceremony of Letting Go

The Christianville Spirit

The Spirit that Fills Your Heart & Lifts You Up

May 8, 2013-TCS # 350

 So, When I was in school, usually at the beginning of the School Year, I would have to fill out an Introduction Sheet of things about yourself including your class schedules. But, there was this one question that would always stump me and that is “What don’t I know about you that you would like Me (The Teacher) to Know?” It would always stump me because I never knew what to say, after all I’m pretty much an open book to Everyone that I know. So, This Week, I’m going to, in a way, answer that question. You See, Whenever Someone wronged me or In Most Cases, When I Broke up with Someone (or Someone Broke-up with Me) I would do a ritual, in my case, A “Ceremony” if you will. It was and still is My Way of moving on. So, for example, after I broke up with Ali (Ex-Girlfriend the 1st) and Madison (Ex-Girlfriend 2nd), I would grab anything that reminded me of that person and throw it in the trash. By The Way, that can mean Photos, Gifts they gave me, and Anything that reminded me of them. I thought it was no big deal with My Ex-Girlfriends until I did one partly for someone that we’ll call, “Mom X-2.” To Me, it was a big deal this time because I loved this person greatly and at the time, I was not ready to do the ceremony because I am a man of Second (and, Third) Chances and I had a little hope that this person would change but, they didn’t. Of Course, There will always be a segment of My Heart that still loves “Mom X-2” but, she hurt me very deeply and this is what I had to do. Now, I did not do the full ceremony because there were things that she gave me that is very special and still means a lot. But, Sometimes, unfortunately in life, you have to lose things and people; whether they move away; Pass Away, like Grandma Honey’s Dog, Sugar; or They somehow, just forget about you because They have moved on and/or they just got busy with their lives, like some of My Childhood Friends, But, I am a firm believer though, that Everything happens for a Reason, whether you like it (and, You might) or Not. As They say also, that when you let someone or something go, someone or something new will come along. In My Case, In the course of a couple months, I’ve had new PTLS Aunts, meeting new PLTS Family Members, Like Madison from East Texas and Uncle Brent’s Dad, “Putt”; You can’t top it off without occasional and entertaining Skype calls with PTLS Uncle Brent, and finally while I wait for My lovely Soulmate/Women of My Dreams, I have nice and safe “Dates” with Married Women like Monica and twice weekly “Dates” with PTLS Member, Raisbel (who I call, Raisy). And, as for Grandma Honey, She is currently in the process of hoping for the arrival of a new dog(or 2 or 3)! Good Luck with That! All in all, People of all shapes and forms will come into your life and they’ll either stay for a while or forever.

Thanks for Reading The Christianville Spirit. Come into My Happy Life and Hang Out for a Bit or Forever.  

The Christianville Spirit: An Exciting & Unnerving Week

The Christianville Spirit

The Spirit that Fills Your Heart & Lifts You Up

May 1, 2013-TCS # 349

So, This Week has been quite an interesting week for Me, both Exciting and Unnerving at the same time. First, The Exciting News, My PTLS Uncle Brent’s Dad was coming up to Dallas for Business and He wanted to meet us while he was in town. So, He said that He wanted Seafood for Dinner. so, I picked for us to go to Rockfish because it was nearby where he had to go, plus it is really good. So, as My Mom and I were waiting, we see him walking toward us through the Parking Lot (he likes to be called “Putt”. sort of like Popi used to be called, “Bud”) We noticed that, “Putt” looks exactly like Uncle Brent. I should say that “Putt” is a really cool person and he reminds me a lot of Uncle Brent. He lives in a town that only a True Texan can pronounce, Mexia (Ma-Hay-Yuh) and I actually know how to pronounce, considering I was born in Texas. Anyway, We all had pretty much the same meal, Crab Stuffed Flounder with Ponchatrain Sauce; Only with Different Side Dishes. Anyway, The Company was Awesome and We got to teach him all about PTLS and He taught us what he likes to do. We look forward to seeing him again soon. It was a great visit. So, now on the Unnerving Part. So, Many Years Ago, when I was younger, I went to this place down near San Antonio with My Dad, there was a creek and a dam. All the kids, including My Brother, were playing in the creek so, I joined them. As I was walking on the cement slab, which was covered in algae, I walked on it like all the other kids were and I slipped and landed on My Two Front Teeth. Little did I know that several years later, the nerves inside would die and the two teeth became Gray. So, I had to have a Root Canal Yesterday Afternoon and I was REALLY Nervous all week before, including The Day of, and at the time of the appointment. Yes, Another Dentist Story! Anyway, I have never had a Root Canal before so I didn’t know what to expect or what was going to happen. So, On the Day, I also had a Neurologist Appointment earlier than I was going to.  Yes, Two Doctor’s Appointments in One Day! Now, The Neurology Appointment was No Big Deal because He just had to ask questions about My Headaches, test my nerves, and get my my muscle strength, then get an updated MRI scheduled, so I can figure out the Headaches and General Update on My Brain. But, I was more nervous about The Dentist which was going to come after the Neurologist. So, When it was over, we traveled up to The Dentist. Luckily, My Mom was there with some Natural Remedies like Lavender & Rescue Remedy (which I believed, helped a little bit) on the way there and once we got there. So, Once we got called in, I sat down, and got CNN on The TV. It was really nerve-racking because I know that The Shot (The Numbing Needle) was coming first. Again, Luckily, the Doctor asked me while reading my nervous signals, “Are You Nervous about The Needle?”, And I answered, “Yes.”  The Doctor said, “Well, We can do it without it if You want”. I was more worried about The Needle and If I had it without The Needle, It might hurt worse. However, I reminded Myself and The Doctor that the root was already dead, so I didn’t think I would feel it and I didn’t! It felt very weird like pressure on the teeth, when they were drilling. the only thing that got me was that I gagged when they were trying to take the X-Ray in the middle of The Procedure. It also helped that I was surrounded by Pretty Women, one being My Mom rubbing My Legs to keep me calm through the whole procedure. All in all, It was so much better than the needle and No Pain!

Thanks for Reading The Christianville Spirit. As The Much Over-Used Saying goes, “Keep Calm, It’s Just a Root Canal!”  

The Christianville Spirit: Faith in Humanity

The Christianville Spirit

The Spirit that Fills Your Heart & Lifts You Up

April 24, 2013-TCS # 348

So, Everyone, This Week I feel the need to tell you something that I haven’t told you yet but, Our Family knows about. You See, The Month of April, it is not My Favorite Month at all. I’m Sure in every Family, they have that, “Bad Luck Month” of the year that they dread and for My Family, that is April. The Reason behind it is that it just seems that if something is going to go wrong, it’s going to be in April. It seems like there is almost a pattern because Members in the Smith Family have pasted away  in April, only on different days of different years, it seems 2 Years apart from each other. But, Moving On. This Month in the way of The World, has been one of the those “Bad Luck Months” because of the Boston Bombing, The Fertilizer Plant in West, The Loss of a Childhood Friend who is busy with her own life and left mine, and Another Death in Our Family,  But even in past years, like in Waco, Oklahoma City, Evil was been all around us and not enough kindness. We have lost faith in Humanity. I believe that we are in need of Faith; But, Not just Faith in God, but also Faith in Humanity. So, onto the Lighter Note we go! I’m going to tell you a little story that will hopefully lift your spirit, Quite Literally, I just thought of. So, I’m sure that most of the you in The PTLS Family have heard of Delaware Dave’s Walk and this is a true symbol of Humanity! For those of you who don’t know, We have a friend who is the uncle of a PTLS Child, who, is as I write, is Spending The Nights and Days on the PCT while raising money for The PTLS Foundation. PCT, by the way means Pacific Crest Trail. Anyway, Delaware Dave is wanting to achieve his dream doing something called “The Triple Crown” which means you “Thru-Hike” the 3 Major National Scenic Trails, The Appalachian Trail (which he did two years ago), Continental Divide Trail, and The Pacific Crest Trail (which he is doing now). To Be Honest, I know more about The Appalachian Trail (or The AT) than Pacific Crest Trail. But, The System of Helping People is the same. You See, There are People who are known to Thru-Hikers as “Trail Angels.” These “Trail Angels” are people who take time out of their busy schedules to help Hikers either get to The Trail or help them on The Trail. They volunteer, if you will, their lives to do things such as provide a ride from The Airport to The Trail, sometimes even inviting them to spend the night for the Thru-Hiker to get some Rest, Food, and a Shower. Now, For The Record, to You and I, A shower and food is something that we have everyday. However, when you are Hiking a Scenic Trail, You go days without Shelter (except the small ones they have or your tent); You can bring Food & Water with You, but it adds pounds to your pack on your back; and, finally a Shower, the only “Shower” you have is the rain and that is something that you would rather NOT have while walking outside in the elements. So, These “Trail Angels”, help provide those things to the hiker. As strange as it sounds, these strangers will let you come to their house, eat their food, sleep in their bed, and use their shower; for most people, that would be very daring, but these people do it. However, they go further than that, at least on The Pacific Crest Trail. Because it goes through desert of the first segment of it, I know this from the pictures from Delaware Dave’s Trip, “Trail Angels” leave what Delaware Dave affectionately calls “Trail Cache”, meaning, putting a large jug of Water at different spots along the trail, for those thirsty hikers walking the desert, heading toward Canada (Northbound or “NoBo” on The PCT) or Going toward Mexico (Southbound or “SoBo” on The PCT). Thru-Hikers also call all this help as “Trail Magic”, It goes with the theory that if You, the Trail Hiker, Helps someone else in a Magical Way, then it is said that You will get “Trail Magic” back. Same Thing goes with the “Trail Angels”, the more that they do these Random Acts of Kindness, when they finally get on the trail, they will get a lot of, “Trail Magic” back to them. My Point, though, is that People are kind enough to open their homes to a Another Stranger who is a Thru-Hiker. It proves to us, that there are in fact, Good People in This World. So, it brings me to this, how do you become one of the Good People? Through One Random Act of Kindness at a Time or “ARK” as they say in The Movie, Evan Almighty. All in all, Every Once in a while, Someone comes along to restore your faith in Humanity. Among The Bad People, There are Good People in The World and Good Things can or Will Happen to You. All You have to do is, do it yourself, BE The Miracle!

Thanks for Reading The Christianville Spirit. Lift People’s Spirits by Helping Them, Not Hurting Them!  

The Christianville Spirit: Texas Round-Up

The Christianville Spirit

The Spirit that Fills Your Heart & Lifts You Up

April 17, 2013-TCS # 347

So, Before I begin telling you about an exciting event that happened this weekend, I want to mention something to All PTLS Members. As Everyone knows that I Love Meeting New PTLS Family Members, wether they are near by or far. I want you to know that, Every one of You PTLS Family Members are very important to Me as well as Having PTLS, it is an honor. One of the parts I love the most is that, I feel included in a group of People (in some people’s viewpoint, “Strangers”) that I consider My Family. I Love hearing all the different stories of You and Your Children, as well all the many adventures you have had or going to have in the near future. So, with all that said, I’m going to tell you about this weekend. So, a couple months ago, There was a request from a Mom who wanted to meet another Texas PTLS Families So, My Mom came up with an idea to have a more Intimate Gathering with PTLS Family Members that are close by, as in within The State of Texas. My Mom spent the next couple weeks before, trying to figure out where to have it. I’ll say that I am thankful that we picked the place we did. We had many ideas, A Park, A Play place (like a Chuck’e Cheeses, a Bouncy Castle Place, or maybe A Trampoline Place). However, We settled on a Park. Problem Was, WHAT Park? My Mom came upon a Park at White Rock Lake, which is in the Northeast Side of Dallas. Considering that My Mom hadn’t been down to White Rock Lake in many years and I have never been down there, we had to check it out to make sure it is okay. Because, I for one, wasn’t sure it was a good area or not (it turned out to be a great area). It was more on the Older and Prominent Side of Dallas. So, We decided “We’re having it Here!”. I have to say though, it was a beautiful park, on a hill overlooking White Rock Lake, it had a Playground for The Kids and A hill so people could run down to the lake or Just Run Around. It’s name was T&P Park on the “Bottom West” Side of the Lake, across the lake for the Dallas Arboretum. A Note though, Because I didn’t know the area well enough, I just called the South end of the Lake where the Dam was and The Park was, “Bottom” and North End of The Lake, “Top”. Anyway, so This Saturday Morning came and we got down there at just the right time. It was a Beautiful Day, so we knew it was going to be crowded and We got ourselves the Tables needed for The “Picnic PTLS-Dallas Gathering” and We waited for everyone to show up. After a couple mishaps about how to actually get to the park, Everything was in Order. I do want to mention that This Gathering was more based on the Sharing System; I bring stuff, You bring stuff. We were amazed at the things that people brought with them and it was Great! One PTLS Family Member brought a Grill so we could make Hot Dogs. We, of course brought a large cake and fruit. PTLS Member, Mary brought this really cool Pasta Salad that was really good. PTLS Member, Chris brought some yummy queso that I nibbled on a lot and All the other Families brought everything else that we would ever need. I brought My Video Camera so that I could Video Tape a little bit of the gathering. It was really fun though to see all the PTLS Family Members, ones that we have either not seen in a while or have never met. The farthest one that came was from Houston (which is 5 Hours Away). As for the nearby Family Members, I told them, “It’s funny how You are Family and live nearby, but we never really see each other”. We spent nearly all day out there at the park hanging out with Our PTLS Family (“Our PTLS Peeps”, as My Mom sometimes says). After we had enough of being at the park, A few of us decided to go over the Hotel where some of them were staying at and had a Pizza by The Pool. And, No. This time, There were No Polar Plunges from Me. There was another Child though, but none from Me. So, We had so much fun that we plan to make this a regular event, If you want to be a Texan for the day, Come on Down! All in all, The Weather was Beautiful, The Perfect Spot in The Amazing Park, and Happy People, What more could You ask for?

Thanks for Reading The Christianville Spirit. Take your Family and Go to the Park.

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.     



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