tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-79106004076562452042024-02-07T11:07:30.901-08:00myLife v2Brian Dreilinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14248077825556843498noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7910600407656245204.post-61520467437264548092011-10-01T15:26:00.000-07:002011-10-01T15:26:34.633-07:00The Moment I Realized I Was a Single DadBack in 2008, after my then wife left home, I found myself running the kids to church events, school events, etc., etc. One evening, I took my son to a youth group function at church. While he was there, I drove across the street to a Chik-fil-A to have a little something to eat and wait for his event to end. All of a sudden, it hit me that I was alone. No one sat with me, there was no one to Brian Dreilinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14248077825556843498noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7910600407656245204.post-42556058732876656122010-12-31T02:52:00.000-08:002010-12-31T02:53:21.650-08:00Being a “Version 2” DadTwo days ago I was considering what I had been experiencing with Christmas with my kids. Christmas 2008 was awkward and heart-breaking as my ex and I tried to do Christmas together at “home” and it quickly became the story of how many ways I could be a self-righteous SOB to the ex. Christmas 2009 was spent alone and without money. It was horrible overall, despite my reaching out to the kids by Brian Dreilinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14248077825556843498noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7910600407656245204.post-74005553757925007632010-12-27T05:50:00.000-08:002010-12-27T05:50:27.622-08:00Facial Hair
For several years now, I have had a ‘hockey goatee.’ My mom enforced a no facial hair rule over her boys and so when I was out on my own, I finally took the opportunity to grow something. I would get tired of a goatee and then shave it all off. Then I'd go right back to it. Having a clean face makes me look younger, I think. But the goatee helps to thin my face in my older, plumper, age.
One Brian Dreilinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14248077825556843498noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7910600407656245204.post-84144298613576742772010-12-27T03:20:00.000-08:002010-12-27T03:38:32.514-08:002010 in ReflectionWow! I'm laying in bed on a winter's night reflecting over the last year. It was only like 12 days and one year ago that I rolled into West Richland, WA in a rented moving truck on fumes. I reduced my belongings to what fit in the truck… some things I just had to leave for grabs by my then neighbors. Like the cool red anodized microwave that worked perfectly. I had no idea where I would be livingBrian Dreilinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14248077825556843498noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7910600407656245204.post-19750961333120360972010-09-21T13:10:00.000-07:002010-09-21T13:10:05.372-07:00How I'm doingWell, it's been quite a long time since I have blogged. Many things have happened. In June I was hired by a local credit union to work in their marketing department as a Marketing Project Lead. My initial reaction was, “Oh, crap! Now I need clothes.” Since it was around my birthday, I used birthday money to buy some pants and shirts. I feel very comfortable working in this position. It's more or Brian Dreilinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14248077825556843498noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7910600407656245204.post-26444635712636309262010-08-12T09:07:00.000-07:002010-08-12T09:07:22.596-07:00iPad Help for Kids with AutismI ran across this article in my RSS feeds this morning. Interesting read.Brian Dreilinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14248077825556843498noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7910600407656245204.post-85071210672281567162010-05-05T13:11:00.000-07:002010-05-05T18:41:20.664-07:00Because Sometimes You Just Have to Make Things BetterWhen I moved to Washington in December, I was blessed by my friend Justin who was able to get me into a place right away. The rent for the rest of December and all of January would be covered. That gave me some time to find a job so I could pay for rent … but that's a different story.
I spent the first couple of months sleeping on the linoleum floor which covers my bedroom, which I like to term,Brian Dreilinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14248077825556843498noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7910600407656245204.post-16121267724176128152010-04-28T14:03:00.000-07:002010-04-28T14:03:49.974-07:00From Autism Speaks Blog - “I Am Michael”This post appeared on the Autism Speaks Official Blog today. Very important reading.
This weekend, we received the following e-mail (and accompanying poem) from Gary Herrmann, a member of our community who is the father of a nine-year-old named Michael, who has Asperger Syndrome.Like a lot of kids with Asperger Syndrome, my son has difficulty in social settings. He has one good friend. At Brian Dreilinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14248077825556843498noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7910600407656245204.post-70286176944806364592010-04-26T19:20:00.000-07:002010-04-26T19:22:44.371-07:00Sweet Desayuno TacosA Hearty, and Simple, Meal That Any Single Guy Will LoveI think the first thing I could ever cook was eggs. My mom told me how and I just started doing it. Scrambled, poached, fried, hard-boiled… I got it covered. I have been known to make pretty good breakfast sandwiches and have even snobbed them up by using muenster and turkey. In late 2007, I started changing our diet to be more gluten- and Brian Dreilinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14248077825556843498noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7910600407656245204.post-18779704739555877442010-04-26T07:00:00.000-07:002010-04-26T11:22:04.285-07:00Sensory Sensitivity and How It Can Push an Aspie to the Limit.In my last post, I talked a little about the affect sensory sensitivity can have on someone, myself, with Asperger’s Syndrome. This is very common to anyone with an autism spectrum disorder, and it can manifest itself in differing ways and intensity. Noise, light, fabric, food texture, smell… this can be so overwhelming to someone with an ASD that they may feel the need to remove their skin, end Brian Dreilinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14248077825556843498noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7910600407656245204.post-54305355884963759632010-04-25T10:35:00.000-07:002010-04-25T13:28:21.900-07:00A Sample Day in the Life of an Aspie and the Ever-present Risk of MeltdownI have decided to let my guard down a little and share with all interested parties what it's like to move through a typical day with Asperger's Syndrome. This is strictly my experience, but I think might give a general idea how someone with AS might navigate his or her own day, every day.
As I describe this sample day, it is important to understand an Aspie's tendency to have frequent sensory Brian Dreilinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14248077825556843498noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7910600407656245204.post-87202745796890700052010-04-23T12:00:00.000-07:002010-04-23T12:00:02.189-07:00“Is Autism Caused by Childhood Vaccinations?”Answering another question about autism, “Is autism caused by childhood vaccinations?” This is actually a great question and often debated subject, leading to questions about curing autism or understanding and accepting it.
Many parents become aware of autistic symptoms in their child around six months of age, which also happens to be the timeframe of several routine vaccinations. This has lead Brian Dreilinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14248077825556843498noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7910600407656245204.post-68301537107687857992010-04-22T23:57:00.000-07:002010-04-23T02:58:15.760-07:00The Unique Ability for Aspies to Lose ThemselvesOn Friday, April 9, 2010, Nadia Bloom went missing from her home in Florida. Her parents found her bicycle neatly parked a half mile from home.
Nadia is diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome, a mild form of autism. It is common for people with autism to wander and subsequently, sometimes, go missing. This problem becomes more dangerous with those who have trouble communicating. I have also heard Brian Dreilinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14248077825556843498noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7910600407656245204.post-42881501327808638742010-04-14T18:39:00.000-07:002010-04-14T18:39:51.187-07:00“Is it true that ADHD is a mild form of Autism?”The simple answer is, no, ADHD is not a mild form of autism. As autism is a spectrum disorder, there are milder and more severe classifications.
Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) include Asperger's Syndrome/high-functioning autism, autism, Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified, and sometimes include Rett syndrome and childhood disintegrative disorder. Where the severe end of theBrian Dreilinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14248077825556843498noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7910600407656245204.post-21316644702301964072010-04-12T20:36:00.000-07:002010-04-12T20:36:04.521-07:00Autism & Sports
We are all exceedingly aware of the benefits of exercise, team play, and accomplishment. For many parents, getting their sons and daughters involved in sports like soccer, basketball, or baseball is a given. This is an environment where our kids can grow physically and mentally stronger, learn good sportsmanship, stay healthy, learn what it means to work as a team, acquire additional social Brian Dreilinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14248077825556843498noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7910600407656245204.post-47900343092635668962010-04-12T05:07:00.000-07:002010-04-12T06:26:42.631-07:00April is Autism Awareness MonthSince discovering that Jake and I both have Asperger Syndrome, our lives have been altered in a lot of ways from diet and supplements to behavior therapy and educating those close to us. Some people want to find a cure for autism, I prefer to look at it as just a different way of thinking and experiencing the world we live in.
Many will remember the Rain Man character played by Dustin Hoffman. Brian Dreilinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14248077825556843498noreply@blogger.com0