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My Top 10 Archaeoastronomy Resources
As mentioned previously, archaeoastronomy is having a ‘moment’ and seems to be hugely popular. So this list includes a wider variety of resources than my primers list from last week including some non-academic and older books. Note that I am an affiliate so if you purchase anything after clicking from the following links I may…
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Primers on the history of astronomy
The interesting thing about telling my physical science students at the Open University about my studies into the history of astronomy is how often they express interest themselves in learning more – especially since this academic year I am intending to do some fieldwork in archaeoastronomy. Archaeoastronomy seems to be very much of interest to…
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It’s official
My daughter has autism. It’s basically an open and shut case. They knew she was at the end of the screening assessment. Everything else was just confirmation. I may have had a good cry when they sent me the full diagnosis yesterday. I’m so relieved. I was worried that they’d say something along the lines…
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This is why we can’t have nice things
So I’ve spotted that two people have unconnected from me on social media in the past week. What does that mean? For record, I’m not talking about randos on twitter I’ve never met. But people I’ve worked with, eaten lunch with even. It’s happened before. Someone I considered a good friend appeared as a “person…
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On the MIGDAS and other stories
My daughter has had her autism assessment, the only thing left is for her to fill in a form called the MIGDAS. Despite being only 16 the assessor wants her to do the adult version as she’s clever and shows good levels of self-awareness. But it’s 28 pages long and we’ve been away and her…
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Crisis of confidence and impending autism assessment
No, not mine. My daughter’s. The date for my daughter’s autism assessment has finally come through and it’s next week. I’m dreading it. What if it’s not autism? What if it’s just bad parenting? What if I’m really a refrigerator mother? My daughter’s first CAMHS clinician seemed to think her problems were “family of origin”…
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Reflections – 18 months on
It’s now been 18 months since I realised that I was probably autistic and only a little less time since my GP agreed with me that in all likelihood that was the reason for my emotional difficulties and referred me for an NHS diagnosis. The wheels turn slowly with the UK’s over-stretched health service and…
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Female Friendships and Autism
**This post comes with a trigger warning for suicidal ideation.** I could have made this gender non-specific and blogged about friendship in general. However, the issue is that being a woman who, in the words of Elle Woods “is not completely unfortunate looking” male-female friendship is sometimes complicated. Let’s put it this way – I…
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Doing a “values-based integration process” – Unmasking part 1
I’m reading through Devon Price’s Unmasking Autism: The Power of Embracing Our Hidden Neurodiversity. I haven’t got very far. I’m stuck on page 14, which is the last page of the introduction. There’s this table, right. And you have to fill in five moments from your life when you felt you were FULLY ALIVE (all…
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Clumsiness
I was always the last to be picked in PE class. No one wanted me on their netball team. Not if they could help it. Kate can’t catch a ball. I also fall over. A lot. I have new glasses. The last ones had to be replaced after a literal faceplant while out for a…
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