August 14th, 2008 Siobhan
As I’ve been tooling around finding information on the Autism Spectrum I’ve noticed a startling lack of information on Adult AS/Autism. And even less about females who are adult and AS/autistic.
Why is this???? There are certainly adults along the autism spectrum, and the children that everyone seems so very single pointedly focused upon do tend to grow up when ones back is turned. And gee, they become adults. I truly applaud the efforts of parents to help their children and the network of information that has ensued. I guess what I’m grousing about is the dearth of stuff available to many adults that need it….and I know many.
While I understand that statistically speaking there are a whole lot fewer girls than boys that are AS/Autistic, I also understand that it tends to manifest very differently in girls and women than in the male of the species due to gender based neurological differences. Speaking statistically again, girls are far more likely to be misdiagnosed due to these differences in manifestation. I know that was certainly the case in my life.
I’d love to hear from y’all adult spectrum specters. Have you found resources? Diets that work? Coping Mechanisms? And how about the stuff that doesn’t work?
Inquiring minds want to know 
On a side note I had my first GFCF dinner party the other night…oh and add VEGAN to that as well.
I did a lasagna that was pretty darned good, if I do say so myself. BUT the crowning achievement of the nite was dessert…rich chocolate layer cake , filled with marion/raspberry filling, coated with a semi-sweet chocolate ganache and decorated with fresh berries. This was served with a very rich bittersweet coconut/chocolate ice cream that I whipped up. It was good by any standard, let alone gfcf.
I’m insufferably pleased with myself at this point.
Posted in Life in General, autism | No Comments » | Viewed 22 Times
July 30th, 2008 Siobhan
I’d love some feedback from y’all 
If you’re on a gfcf diet what dishes do you miss the very most?
If you’re NOT on a gfcf try and extrapolate…which dishes would you miss the most?
Beer doesn’t count, people
Sound off! I’d really like your input on this one!
Posted in autism | 2 Comments » | Viewed 36 Times
June 30th, 2008 Siobhan
I’ve finally gotten my office unpacked and functional after the move! This means as well as working I can get back to my blog. This should please you, oh my readers….both of y’all
As I had mentioned in a previous blog, I am now writing down all of my GFCF recipes as well as devising new ones. My goal is for dishes that aren’t just “good for what it is” good but rather “OH MY GAWD that’s good” good. I did a ‘cheese’ sauce based Potatoes Au Gratin with Ham that fit the bill this last week. It made my gluten and casein consuming husband very very happy.
I’m not only transcribing existing recipes but devising new ones as well. The idea in my little brain is that since I cook all the time anyway, I might as well put it all together into a cookbook. If any of you have leads on publishers that would take such a manuscript I’d gladly accept any information.
My mom seems to think that I could do this with one frying pan tied behind my back. I’m not so sure.
My big issue so far has been which things to leave out. Only a bit over a week in and I’ve got 10 pages just on sauces, and I’ve only covered 2 of the French mother sauces and a few variations.
Iwillnotobsessiwillnotobsessiwillnotobsess
Posted in Life in General, Uncategorized, autism, new work | No Comments » | Viewed 68 Times
May 13th, 2008 Siobhan
I’m a total snob when it comes to my ice cream. Even more so now that I’ve gone GFCF.
Most of the rice and soy creams out there are pretty rank. It seems that if one doesn’t eat dairy one requires copious amounts of sugar.
Not so with Good Karma desserts, which I glibly call my favorite Rice Cream. It’s smooth and has the unctuous mouth feel of full fat dairy ice cream. It’s not too sweet. It has add ins like chocolate cookies…..
AND it’s organic, gfcf and works for sustainable farming practices.
What’s not to like?
You can access the company’s website here for more information about their products
Posted in autism | No Comments » | Viewed 113 Times
April 16th, 2008 Siobhan
Another huge influence on my art has been music. I can’t work without it.
Each piece that I start is worked on to the same music, much to the consternation of room mates and spouses. Apparently, each painting has its own soundtrack.
It seems that an internal routine gets set with the music and I have an almost impossible time re-finding the mindset that I was working from when I stop working. I hate it when my my train of thought derails! Music serves me by blotting out external stimuli, which I have a hard time filtering.
Music also acts as a sort of emotional/ intellectual mnemonic device for me. It helps in keeping my work from becoming overly preoccupied with detail and stiff. In short, I can set aside technical aspects of art and ride on an emotional stream pouring out of the speakers.
A wall of sound protects me from the outside world and allows me to put my brain on artistic/autistic autopilot. This frees me to work as I see and at hand rather than dealing with niggling mental subroutines.
I tend to get utterly immersed when listening to music anyways, working or no. Sometimes my eyes roll back in my head and I cry unconsciously.
When I’m perusing new cd’s to purchase, one of the biggest criteria is “Can I work to it?”
which is , btw, one of the greatest compliments that I can pay any given album.
Currently in heavy rotation are:
Afro-Celt Sound System: Anatomic
Sound Track: Tout Les Matins du Monde Crappy film, GREAT performance by Jordi Savall
Bjork: Post
Tanzwut - Ihr wolltet Spaß Tanzwut are the boys from Corvus Corax plugged in
Gjallerhorn All albums. An awesome group of Swedes residing in Finland. As a didg player as well as visual artist, this stuff makes me crazy
In Extremo All albums. Another Mittelaltel Metal band from Germany, similar to Tanzwut
Mozart: Requiem Mass performed by the Wiener Philharmoniker
Posted in art, autism, music | No Comments » | Viewed 138 Times
April 12th, 2008 Siobhan
I’ve never been much of a blogger. Well, barring a few posts on MySpace that is…..
I’m an artist. I’m also a musician. In addition to these things I’ve also been diagnosed High Functioning Autistic/Aspergers.
Now the autism label can be fraught with mythconceptions. I don’t necessarily consider it (at least for me) a disability…well, maybe at parties. Rather I consider it to be who I am, rather like having blue eyes or an allergy to ragweed pollen.
More importantly I hold firm to the notion that I don’t need to be “Cured”, social interaction difficulties aside.
In the coming posts I’m going to try and document my artistic process, my thoughts on autism in general and whatever else strikes my fancy.
Posted in Life in General, art, autism | 1 Comment » | Viewed 150 Times