Going to see Temple Grandin...

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http://www.changinghands.com/event/grandin

On 01/13/10, she will be visiting a bookstore in the Phoenix area. Providing that things don't collapse in spectacular fashion, I will be driving down to attend the event. Excited, leery of the potential number of people. Hopefully, in ten days I'll have something more to share, but just got excited.


M.

Ooh, exciting! I just recently started watching videos of her and I am liking her very much, she says a lot of good stuff. I'll be very interested to hear what you have to report after you see her! :3

You are so lucky I would love to meet her, hear her speak, and ask her some questions. There are a quite a few things I would like to learn about animals.

I've met her and it was wonderful. In fact, that is me in the steeler shirt shaking her hand in Alex's documentary. The blonde lady introducing us had breakfast with her that morning. I think I was shaking for 10 minutes after that. It was really an honor. She was very nice, and really likes to talk to people about autism and animals. I would have talked to her more but she was in big demand and I didn't have an intellegent question for her at the time.



Enjoy!

That is exciting news indeed. If she came near me I would definitely make an attempt to see her. I met one author on autism last year (she was NT but her son was autistic) at a book signing at our local library. I also saw an autistic marimba player recently through our local autism support group for children---my son also has AS. I'll be anxious to hear from you on how this event went.

I want to say "epic-ly awesome", but I've just been informed that that word doesn't exist - and if it does, I don't know how to spell it. So, awesomely awesome!

I'm training to be a vet, and I would LOVE to meet her!

I saw her back in July and she spoke to me. But I had a social freeze and couldn't answer her question correctly when she asked me what am I, a student or a teacher or a therapist. Then twenty minutes later I realized the answer was "I'm a person on the spectrum."

*earperk* Marimba? ...that's my major instrument - do you recall the name of the performer? I find that rather keen. Am really excited, didn't sleep much last night. Definitely hope to have an experience to relate, and have been surprised by the interest by those friends who I have told about the appearance in attending. None are on the spectrum, though two have family members who are, and all have expressed a desire to attend as well... will be a curious time to be sure.


M.

Envy!

As much as I can admire Temple Grandin, I think she generalises too much about people on the spectrum when really she is just talking about herself.

I think similar about Atwood and Cohen, there is a lot of hype surrounding so called experts.

She does, and it's because she's egocentric, which is a symptom of her ASD; it's one of the reasons why I say people with ASDs are bad at speaking for the majority of those with such.

I can understand what you are saying, but I think that is just human nature. You talk about what you know. The thing about Temple that I really appreciate is that she is obviously autistic, and to see someone so clearly on the spectrum be so successful and accomplished, and willing to put themselves out there for the world to see in order to help people is really wonderful. She has given me hope, validation, direction and insight into something that I cannot understand because I personally don't live it. She is one resource in many, and has been one of the most valuable because she actually "lives" what she is talking about. That is why I really like this site. I have issues with "professionals" also, but the most valuable information I have gotten was from people who actually have autism. When I was shaking her hand I saw the camera's. I didn't realize that was Alex Plank until I saw the video. I am just as thankful for Alex as I am for Temple and I wish I would have known so I could have met him too. Both of them have done so much for my son and I will be eternally grateful for their work and insight.

I don't disagree with this statement, and you can see this when you listen to her talk...however I would like to share something with you....

When she was at this conference I attended she had breakfast with one of the coordinators, which is someone I know personally. This person is the one who introduced me. (the blonde lady in the video) At one point Temple was talking about a woman who started crying when she met her. Temple was confused by this behavior and this lady explained that in our world, she is a "rock star". Although she is egocentric, at the same time she really doesn't understand the impact she has on people and families. She is really clueless as to how much she is admired. She may have an ego, but there is a humble side to her too.

Thanks! I've got to run and tell parents right away! I MUST attend that book signing! Even if they don't take me and I have to walk all the way to Tempe(I'm in Avondale)!