Published in Globetrotters·Mar 12Member-onlyHow to Really Spark Joy When PackingThe secret of dual functionality. — Have you ever watched a child wandering with their blankie? They use it for security, self-soothing, warmth, hiding, or even as a superhero cape. Children understand dual functionality. But as they grow up, they’re bombarded with single-function items, like a dress only worn on special occasions, or lined paper that’s…Packing4 min readPacking4 min read
Published in Globetrotters·Feb 15Member-onlyThree Years of One Backpack and a New AttitudeWhy minimalism is so attractive. — When I left the United States in November 2019, I fully expected to return six months later. After I’d left my stressful job, I planned a sabbatical in the United Kingdom, Cyprus, and the Azores. …Minimalism4 min readMinimalism4 min read
Published in ArtfullyAutistic·Jan 12Member-onlyPiercing or SublimeHow to manage sound on the road. — Have your upstairs neighbors ever dismembered a corpse? Or set up a bowling alley in their apartment? Or hosted a rave? Whether you’ve been on the road or lived in one place, we’ve all experienced dreaded neighbor noise. And that’s not all. If you’re autistic, these experiences may be intensified…Autism7 min readAutism7 min read
Published in Globetrotters·Dec 20, 2022Member-onlyA Postbox for SantaRestoring your faith in humanity, one tiny observation at a time. — Dread and panic were setting in again. Christmas was going to be “cancelled” in the UK, and yet another lockdown was coming in December 2020. There had been a moment of hope in November, but that had quickly been washed away, replaced with a grim extended quarantine through the winter. …Travel3 min readTravel3 min read
Published in Globetrotters·Dec 4, 2022Member-onlyDo You Know What a Chilblain Is?A rough guide for Americans in the UK this winter. — “Do you think it’s Covid?” I asked. “How could it be? Is that a symptom of it?” my partner asked. I flashed a graphic image at him from my phone. “It’s called Covid toes.” We stared at his swollen, shiny, pink-purple toes. “It must be something else.” “I’m sure we…Travel Tips5 min readTravel Tips5 min read
Published in ArtfullyAutistic·Nov 21, 2022Member-onlyHow to Read Medical Autism ArticlesWithout letting them get you down. — Surreal is the best word for it. Here you are, just trying to understand what autism is and what it all means. The article looks official, and yet those professors are calling you names. Check out these article titles: “Autism Spectrum Disorders: Translating human deficits into mouse behavior” “Hippocampal contributions…Autism3 min readAutism3 min read
Published in Globetrotters·Nov 7, 2022Member-onlyStumbling on GhostsWhen you know something isn’t right. — This morning, I found the perfect walking path. Or so I thought. When I’m living in a new place, I always seek the greenest places for a long morning walk. At 6:30, I quietly closed the door to my housesit, though I doubt the deaf-blind cat I’m housesitting noticed my…Traveling4 min readTraveling4 min read
Published in Globetrotters·Sep 25, 2022Member-onlyHow to Avoid Expensive UK Train FaresNo need to break the bank. — Since November 2019, I’ve traveled over 4700 miles via rail across the United Kingdom, from bonny Scotland to the tip of Cornwall. For someone from Seattle, that mileage seems low. But if you’ve ever traveled in the UK, you know how far that is. …Budget Travel7 min readBudget Travel7 min read
Published in The Writing Cooperative·Aug 15, 2022Member-only14 Ways to Whip the Blank PageFor professors and graduate students. — Creativity is always a leap of faith. You’re faced with a blank page, blank easel, or an empty stage. — Julia Cameron “For me, the blank page to draw on is a window to adventure.” — Eduardo Risso That blinking cursor. Just staring back at you, taunting your frozen fingers. …Academic Writing7 min readAcademic Writing7 min read
Published in ArtfullyAutistic·Jul 31, 2022Member-only9 Autistic Superpowers to Fight White Supremacy CultureLet’s get specific. — I didn’t want to go. I really, really couldn’t go to another organizing meeting. The lights, the confusing signals, the endless masking, my alexithymia, the awkward small talk, the hours upon hours . . . …Autism6 min readAutism6 min read
