weapons of massdistraction

Thankfully I’m having a much better day. And a lot of it is due to my son. I know I gush about him all the time. The little man [insert gushing here] my son [more gushing] the boy [gush gush gush] but seriously, how awesome is this kid? His 10th birthday is right around the corner and he hasn’t even mentioned any presents he would like to be showered with. He’s just excited about the party we’re having and that’s good enough for him. But my thoughtful ex-husband inquired about gift ideas so I posed the question at the school bus stop. We had this exchange:

“Honey, is there anything you’d like for your birthday?”

“Hmmmm.”

*pause*

“My own mini-golf course.”

“Well I don’t think we’ll be able to do that. Is there anything else you’d like?”

*pause*

“Teleportation.”

Ha! I love the way his mind works (though he’s likely getting Mario Kart for Wii rather than a wormhole). And today Amanda serendipitously pointed out a post to me, by Jason Henniger, about neurodiversity and fandom. A post that got me a little choked up while thinking A THOUSAND TIMES YES.

It makes perfect sense to me that folks like me are drawn to genres that frequently investigate what it means to be an unusual human (on a quest, lost in a distant galaxy, prophesized, cursed, vital, altered, hunted, etc.), or what it means to be an alien, or a sentient machine…in short, what it means to be “other.” For those of us who have lived in the shadows of people’s assumptions of how we are “supposed” to be, it’s refreshing and empowering to see the so-called other win in the struggle for self-definition.

I’ve seen my son at his happiest and most relaxed when giving free reign to his imagination, be it playing/drawing at home or enjoying himself at Free Comic Book Day events (with adults and children alike in costume as their favorite characters). And he still waxes on about his first CONvergence just last month. Which has me determined to save and plan for our trip to next summer’s Comic-Con in San Diego. And who knows, maybe someday he could join his bio-dad at Burning Man. Whatever makes him happy. I’ve tried to instill in him the concept of friends as family, that it’s great to seek out like-minded folks to share a level of comfort, while not shutting out those with different perspectives. Like Mr. Henniger I, too, hope that “the general social trend toward tolerance and understanding continues and strengthens” and that the whole notion of neurodiversity - the idea that our brains might be wired differently, leading to advantages and disadvantages, but no better or worse, just different - gains acceptance.

Bonus: Love this car! But hate the fact that it is being marketed for women. And that I am somehow susceptible to this marketing strategy. Hrmph. At least “the type of woman being targeted according to the press release jargon are in pursuit of a ‘fun and laid-back’ lifestyle.”
Plus: Oh coffee. It is so true. I am your bitch.
And: Growing up my brother and I were very much into Sherlock Holmes. The books, but also the BBC series with Jeremy Irons. Kate Beaton’s recent comic brought back some happy memories.