Author: jondorfman

  • On Talent

    With my birthday on the calendar, I just wanted to take a minute to reflect.

    There’s a part of me that wishes I could have developed more talents. For instance, there’s a part of me that wanted to learn guitar, but musical talent isn’t necessarily my forte. So much for being a rockstar, huh? There’s another part of me that wanted to serve my country, but there are other ways to do that on the Homefront without joining the military. As angry as I can be sometimes, I don’t think I have it in me to take a life. Ever.

    But there are many types of talents. Some are more tangible and obvious, like athletic or musical talents. Some talents are less tangible and more subtle, like the ability to tell a story that means something to somebody else or always knowing just what to say or do to help out.

    Now, while I may have certain tangible talents I could have developed more over the years, I do have other intangible talents I may not even realize I have yet. And that’s okay. Not everybody is good at everything. I can’t say nobody is, but I’ve met people in my life who seem designed not to fail at anything. And that’s okay, too.

    The point I want to get across is we all have something we can do like nobody else can. Whether we see it in ourselves or not, we all have something we can contribute. We may not be artistic, or musical, or even athletic. That’s okay. Not everybody makes it to fame and fortune. But that doesn’t mean they don’t have anything to offer.

    Just know this:

    You mean something. You matter. You have something you’re really good at. Don’t let the things you’re not as good at let you lose sight of that fact.

    May you find peace with yourselves, within yourselves.

    Now, pass me the pumpkin pie. No, really. I want some pie.

    Happy Thanksgiving.

    Rock on.

  • An ASD Renaissance

    If you’ve been following The Aspie Dialogues, welcome back. If you’re new, glad to meet you.

    The past decade of your support has been amazing. Looking back on it all, I’m astounded it’s gotten this far. However, as times change, so too must The Aspie Dialogues. The past few years have seen a much-needed transition from “Autism Awareness” to “Neurodiversity.” I’ve noticed some other trends, too, and I’m planning to get more deeply involved.

    I’m writing to you today to announce a rebirth of sorts for The Aspie Dialogues. Throughout the past decade, I’ve focused more on content creation (most of which petered out pretty quickly). To better align my priorities for the next decade and beyond, I’m going to shift my focus to educational research and activism toward what I’m calling “Neuro-Unity.”

    I know it all sounds confusing now, but I promise it will make sense as I build up to my endgame. You can expect to see some major changes on the new site, but the one thing that will always stay the same is my commitment to all of you. ND or NT, red or blue (I prefer green, myself), I promise to continue my advocacy for the whole ASD community.

    So, as I officially put the past decade of The Aspie Dialogues to rest, I welcome you to join me as I set out on the next era for the site: Neuro-Unity.

    As always, may you find peace with yourself, within yourself.