At a music conference for music administrators but finally getting some time to get away, I headed to a large bookstore to scout for some good deals, and it was certainly productive. This particular shop is extensive with a very nice collectible section in the back. After walking through the front door, I did my usual pause and took a moment for a quick study. I enjoy the smell, the energy, the general ambiance of a book store and am particularly interested in the focus. As I have mentioned before, most stores tend to emphasize certain genres of book. This store has a large collectible section but also an extensive non-fiction section.
On the way back to the collectibles, I glanced over and saw several McMurtry books on the shelf. Since I already own a very fine collection of First edition McMurtry books, I was not necessarily curious about the ones I saw. Yet, I paused just in case, recalling the time last year when I found a 2nd printing Horseman, Pass By worth around $150. It was priced at $5.98! So I decided a quick look was certainly appropriate.
Owning 2 copies of Lonesome Dove, I generally have no need to see what editions are on the shelf. Lonesome Dove is probably McMurtry's most famous book due to the movie and subsequent series on television. Also the Pulitzer prize has helped it along! It is a great read and certainly recommended. In some ways, the ultimate Western journey book. Anyway, I pulled out a 17th printing Lonesome Dove and quickly placed it back. Fine book but not collectible and not valued at any more than about $10.00. Beside it stood another copy. A little curious, I pulled it out of the shelf and to my shock realized I was holding a 1st edition, 1st printing before the Pulitzer emblem was placed on the jacket! I checked the point (there is a misspelled word on 621), looked at the condition, and realized I was holding a treasure. Aside from someone's name in pen on the inside board, it was a clean copy in fine condition. All for $9.98!
I grabbed it, did some more scouting, and ended up with a nice little collection including a signed McGarrity, a signed Koontz, a nice Updike, and a signed Morrell. It was all exciting stuff for a book scout and a very productive evening. I am around the corner from starting my own online bookstore called www.rareandnew.com.
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Saturday, January 09, 2010
Cliches and Expressions
Driving to another city last night and needing to make a stop, we looked for the best place that would be quick but provide for some necessities. After stopping the truck and getting out and because we are in the coldest part of Winter, I said, "Brrr, it's colder than a banker's heart out here," and proceeded to hurry in the store. We bought a couple of things, got back in the truck and headed out.
Approximately 30 minutes later, from the back seat I hear Joel, our autistic 20 year old son, say "Dad, why do you say colder than a banker's heart? Why don't you say colder than a polar bear's heart or a teacher's heart or a worker's heart or anything else. Why do you say banker?"
Joel's disability causes a lack of understanding of subtleties, expressions, and cliches, particular those kinds of phrases that are metaphorical or analogous. This problem is connected to the lack of creativity that is inherent with forms of autism, a missing element that allows for a depth of thinking and perception of the environment. Unfortunately, creativity can also be the element that leads to deception, lying, stealing, and manipulation--all traits that do not exist in Joel.
An expression such as "cold as a banker's heart" not only compares weather conditions to a person, it also compares the situation to a particular item, in this case a heart. In addition, it requires a depth of concept of the heart that goes beyond the physical thing and into an emotional analysis. So a person who hears this phrase processes it in several ways: 1) It is cold outside, 2) A banker is a person who works in a bank, 3) A heart keeps the blood flowing in the body, 4) A heart is also used as a reference tool for love and compassion in a person, and 5) A cold heart is not literally possible without death, 6) In this case, the heart is an emotion, 7)The emotion must be a lack of compassion. After putting these things together, the typical person might smile (or if he is a banker, might be irritated!), might disagree, might laugh uproariously (doubtful) or simply focus attention on the cold weather rather than considering the insult to the poor, innocent (is that possible?) banker!
Back to Joel. When he heard this phrase, he was not able to process through the phrase and conclude that it is both cold and a banker is without compassion. In fact, the phrase makes no literal sense whatsoever. No person living can have a cold heart. A banker is a living person. He does not have a cold heart, therefore the phrase is not a truth.
But the phrase also has another problem for Joel. It assumes that people are aware of the bias against banking officers who call in debt and are without the compassion of forgiveness. Yet for Joel there are two problems, 1)he does not have an understanding of the role of a banker, 2) he does not understand insults nor negative actions of people. Joel believes in the good in everyone and has never met anyone he doesn't like. In fact, Joel cannot imagine a person doing something bad to another person. Everyone is good so how can a banker have a cold heart? On many levels, it is a phrase that cannot be comprehended by Joel.
Joel serves as a reminder to me to avoid several things in conversation with him. Analogies, metaphors, insults, and poor humor! The easiest level for quick understanding is literal, direct, concrete, and mostly positive. This is a pattern that works best in conversation with most autistic children.
The next morning when we ventured outside, I looked at Joel and said, "brrr...it sure is cold." He said with a grin, "It's colder than an Eskimo." I'm guessing he thought of that and was anxious to use it. Truth is that his metaphor made sense whereas mine really did not!
Approximately 30 minutes later, from the back seat I hear Joel, our autistic 20 year old son, say "Dad, why do you say colder than a banker's heart? Why don't you say colder than a polar bear's heart or a teacher's heart or a worker's heart or anything else. Why do you say banker?"
Joel's disability causes a lack of understanding of subtleties, expressions, and cliches, particular those kinds of phrases that are metaphorical or analogous. This problem is connected to the lack of creativity that is inherent with forms of autism, a missing element that allows for a depth of thinking and perception of the environment. Unfortunately, creativity can also be the element that leads to deception, lying, stealing, and manipulation--all traits that do not exist in Joel.
An expression such as "cold as a banker's heart" not only compares weather conditions to a person, it also compares the situation to a particular item, in this case a heart. In addition, it requires a depth of concept of the heart that goes beyond the physical thing and into an emotional analysis. So a person who hears this phrase processes it in several ways: 1) It is cold outside, 2) A banker is a person who works in a bank, 3) A heart keeps the blood flowing in the body, 4) A heart is also used as a reference tool for love and compassion in a person, and 5) A cold heart is not literally possible without death, 6) In this case, the heart is an emotion, 7)The emotion must be a lack of compassion. After putting these things together, the typical person might smile (or if he is a banker, might be irritated!), might disagree, might laugh uproariously (doubtful) or simply focus attention on the cold weather rather than considering the insult to the poor, innocent (is that possible?) banker!
Back to Joel. When he heard this phrase, he was not able to process through the phrase and conclude that it is both cold and a banker is without compassion. In fact, the phrase makes no literal sense whatsoever. No person living can have a cold heart. A banker is a living person. He does not have a cold heart, therefore the phrase is not a truth.
But the phrase also has another problem for Joel. It assumes that people are aware of the bias against banking officers who call in debt and are without the compassion of forgiveness. Yet for Joel there are two problems, 1)he does not have an understanding of the role of a banker, 2) he does not understand insults nor negative actions of people. Joel believes in the good in everyone and has never met anyone he doesn't like. In fact, Joel cannot imagine a person doing something bad to another person. Everyone is good so how can a banker have a cold heart? On many levels, it is a phrase that cannot be comprehended by Joel.
Joel serves as a reminder to me to avoid several things in conversation with him. Analogies, metaphors, insults, and poor humor! The easiest level for quick understanding is literal, direct, concrete, and mostly positive. This is a pattern that works best in conversation with most autistic children.
The next morning when we ventured outside, I looked at Joel and said, "brrr...it sure is cold." He said with a grin, "It's colder than an Eskimo." I'm guessing he thought of that and was anxious to use it. Truth is that his metaphor made sense whereas mine really did not!
Tuesday, January 05, 2010
Archer City--Booked Up
Heading out with some friends to Archer City, we made the 2 1/2 hour drive with great anticipation. It was book day! I set aside days to do some book shopping. Sometimes I shop for books to read, sometimes for books to sell, sometimes for books to do research (although libraries are usually just as well for this), and sometimes just out of tremendous curiosity, and what better place to satisfy my hunger for books than Archer City, Texas, the mecca of used book stores with more than 500,000 books for perusing.
And peruse I did. Starting at Booked Up One--there are four large stores around the town square, each labeled a number--I immediately found the book I wanted to buy last time, Georgia Slave Songs. I spent some time in the folk song section marveling at the amazing collection of folk song books, then walked around the aisles to study on the mystery section. Knowing Mr. McMurtry, the owner of the stores, does not have great affection for mysteries and probably had not added to the collection, I walked over to the general area where I found a nice Graham Greene book. I am a fairly diligent collector of Graham Greene, an author I consider one of the finest of the twentieth century.
Knowing I was spending too much time in number one, I wandered across the street for a quick look at Booked Up Two. Unfortunately my quick look lasted quite awhile as I studied the Anthony Burgess books, the Graham Greene's, Roth, Vidal, and then finally the rare book room. In that room, I wrestled with the compilation of short stories edited by John Updike, searched for the signed Carl Sandburg that was there last time, glanced at the Beloved by Toni Morrison, and then spent some time in the poetry section.
Passing by Booked Up Three, a nice store with older books and foreign copies, I headed over to Booked Up Four. As I headed that way, I smiled thinking about the set for The Last Picture Show which is nearby, the writers conference held each year at motel down the street, and thought briefly about a small town with one of the largest bookstores in the world in the middle of the town square. How ironic and joyful is the world!
Walking into Booked Up Four, where books on the arts, reference materials, biographies, sports, and some fiction reside, I found the book by George Plimpton I sought, glanced at several other books, and spied a nice book by Theodore Dreiser. Amazed at the number of Philip Roth books not to mention Gore Vidal, I decided to grab a bite to eat. Following a delicious hamburger at a cafe located about 25 yards from Booked Up four, I wandered across the street and down to return to number one.
As I walked, I found myself laughing at the conversation I had just had with the waitress. She was very nice, and as I was paying for the meal I asked her if she had ever visited the bookstores on the square. She said no, but then proceeded to tell me that she did read a book about a month ago and enjoyed it! For me, a book lover willing to drive several hours to visit Archer City, it is astounding that a local would never darken the door of the bookstores in their own backyard.
A prophet is without honor in his own country and a bookstore is without meaning in its own little town! Returning to Booked Up One, I drooled over a first edition Booked to Die, grabbed a Reveille by David Morrell and checked out. The ladies were just as sweet as always and I hated leaving the 500,000 plus books as always. It was a great day. For some it is the movies, others clothes, perhaps for some it is a theme park with its wondrous sights and sounds, or maybe a sports event, or a camping trip or any number of great enjoyable events. I certainly like all those things and more, but one of my favorite days is book day when I get to visit Archer City!
And peruse I did. Starting at Booked Up One--there are four large stores around the town square, each labeled a number--I immediately found the book I wanted to buy last time, Georgia Slave Songs. I spent some time in the folk song section marveling at the amazing collection of folk song books, then walked around the aisles to study on the mystery section. Knowing Mr. McMurtry, the owner of the stores, does not have great affection for mysteries and probably had not added to the collection, I walked over to the general area where I found a nice Graham Greene book. I am a fairly diligent collector of Graham Greene, an author I consider one of the finest of the twentieth century.
Knowing I was spending too much time in number one, I wandered across the street for a quick look at Booked Up Two. Unfortunately my quick look lasted quite awhile as I studied the Anthony Burgess books, the Graham Greene's, Roth, Vidal, and then finally the rare book room. In that room, I wrestled with the compilation of short stories edited by John Updike, searched for the signed Carl Sandburg that was there last time, glanced at the Beloved by Toni Morrison, and then spent some time in the poetry section.
Passing by Booked Up Three, a nice store with older books and foreign copies, I headed over to Booked Up Four. As I headed that way, I smiled thinking about the set for The Last Picture Show which is nearby, the writers conference held each year at motel down the street, and thought briefly about a small town with one of the largest bookstores in the world in the middle of the town square. How ironic and joyful is the world!
Walking into Booked Up Four, where books on the arts, reference materials, biographies, sports, and some fiction reside, I found the book by George Plimpton I sought, glanced at several other books, and spied a nice book by Theodore Dreiser. Amazed at the number of Philip Roth books not to mention Gore Vidal, I decided to grab a bite to eat. Following a delicious hamburger at a cafe located about 25 yards from Booked Up four, I wandered across the street and down to return to number one.
As I walked, I found myself laughing at the conversation I had just had with the waitress. She was very nice, and as I was paying for the meal I asked her if she had ever visited the bookstores on the square. She said no, but then proceeded to tell me that she did read a book about a month ago and enjoyed it! For me, a book lover willing to drive several hours to visit Archer City, it is astounding that a local would never darken the door of the bookstores in their own backyard.
A prophet is without honor in his own country and a bookstore is without meaning in its own little town! Returning to Booked Up One, I drooled over a first edition Booked to Die, grabbed a Reveille by David Morrell and checked out. The ladies were just as sweet as always and I hated leaving the 500,000 plus books as always. It was a great day. For some it is the movies, others clothes, perhaps for some it is a theme park with its wondrous sights and sounds, or maybe a sports event, or a camping trip or any number of great enjoyable events. I certainly like all those things and more, but one of my favorite days is book day when I get to visit Archer City!
Monday, January 04, 2010
Communication--ongoing challenges
His voice is too soft he has trouble looking a people in the eyes, and it is difficult to have meaningful or creative conversation. He is able to answer questions, respond using short answers, nod, smile, and can use his body to reflect the nature of the conversation. Yet when responses begin to require creativity or use picturesque language or take a deeper approach, he tends to shut the mental door and seeks to escape the situation. The person we are discussing is Joel Tucker, our 20 year old autistic son.
The problems of communication are compounded by Joel's tendency to believe that others are thinking the same thoughts he is thinking. When asked what he thinks other people are thinking, he responds with his own thoughts rather than working to perceiving what others might be thinking. Connected to this problem is his inability to understand facial expressions and respond according to what he sees. Not recognizing bad moods or anger or fear in other people, he assumes everyone is happy and thinking what he thinks. This then causes verbal communication to be redundant and unnecessary.
The talking soft is a little harder to explain since he seems to enjoy playing the piano and the organ at extreme volumes. Somehow, though, it is related to expressing what is inside him. Since it is basically unnecessary due to other people thinking what he thinks, it is not important to speak loud enough for others to hear. Unfortunately, this means that those who are hearing impaired or simply a little hard of hearing assume that Joel simply does not speak. They cannot hear him, he doesn't move his mouth very much, so he does not communicate. Since the expectation is for him not to speak, and human beings generally fulfill the level of expectations set forth, Joel responds by talking less.
Yet communication can take many forms including cell phones and body language, both of which he practices to great success. He enjoys texting on his phone and time has shown us how to read his body language. As is usual with Joel, we do not have the answers to his communication challenges, but we do have the tenacity to keep trying, to discover, to help, to suggest, and mostly to love. Somehow, someway he gets the point!
The problems of communication are compounded by Joel's tendency to believe that others are thinking the same thoughts he is thinking. When asked what he thinks other people are thinking, he responds with his own thoughts rather than working to perceiving what others might be thinking. Connected to this problem is his inability to understand facial expressions and respond according to what he sees. Not recognizing bad moods or anger or fear in other people, he assumes everyone is happy and thinking what he thinks. This then causes verbal communication to be redundant and unnecessary.
The talking soft is a little harder to explain since he seems to enjoy playing the piano and the organ at extreme volumes. Somehow, though, it is related to expressing what is inside him. Since it is basically unnecessary due to other people thinking what he thinks, it is not important to speak loud enough for others to hear. Unfortunately, this means that those who are hearing impaired or simply a little hard of hearing assume that Joel simply does not speak. They cannot hear him, he doesn't move his mouth very much, so he does not communicate. Since the expectation is for him not to speak, and human beings generally fulfill the level of expectations set forth, Joel responds by talking less.
Yet communication can take many forms including cell phones and body language, both of which he practices to great success. He enjoys texting on his phone and time has shown us how to read his body language. As is usual with Joel, we do not have the answers to his communication challenges, but we do have the tenacity to keep trying, to discover, to help, to suggest, and mostly to love. Somehow, someway he gets the point!
Finding his niche
Parents everywhere wonder what their children will become or what their abilities are or where their interests lie. These worries are more paramount for parents of autistic children. The famous song Que Sera Sera that Doris Day sings so beautifully may be warm and charming to most parents but unfortunately parents of autistic children do not have the luxury of subscribing to its tenants.
We knew Joel had certain gifts at a young age but we could not decide if those gifts were merely interests or special abilities. Nevertheless it was apparent that he had a thorough understanding and keen interest in the alphabet. Looking back, it should have been obvious that his abilities to sort in alphabetical order and memorize words and systems accordingly were his destiny for his career.
It began with saying the alphabet forward and backward followed by the ability to number the alphabet and identify the letter from its ordered number. This led to an exceptional ability to spell words and identify words misspelled. In school Joel did not win spelling contests partly due to his hesitancy to vocalize the correct spelling of the word and partly due to his not being able to operate within time constraints. That stated, his spelling prowess was and is simply an extension of his knowledge of the alphabet and how words are put together.
It was then logical that Joel would eventually end up in a library sorting books which is what he does every afternoon. While we have little first hand knowledge of his competency, neither have we heard any complaints. According to Joel, he has never made a mistake and puts away between 40 and 100 books each day. He further states that he knows every book in the library and can find any book that is requested. This makes his gifts extraordinary in some ways and invaluable to a library. It oddly renders a card catalog, particularly the title section, virtually ineffective as a distinguishing system for finding a book.
And yet, in spite of these unusual abilities, Joel does not seem to apply joyful emotion to his experience nor his competency. While most people would express pride at their ability to sort books and memorize a library, Joel approaches this skill with the same objectivity of most events. His emotion is stoic, neither joyful nor sad, neither prideful nor humble, simply factual without expressive intent. In spite of this seeming indifference, he is excellent at his job and for that we are grateful. We are fortunate to have found a skill for Joel that is both useful and unusual.
We knew Joel had certain gifts at a young age but we could not decide if those gifts were merely interests or special abilities. Nevertheless it was apparent that he had a thorough understanding and keen interest in the alphabet. Looking back, it should have been obvious that his abilities to sort in alphabetical order and memorize words and systems accordingly were his destiny for his career.
It began with saying the alphabet forward and backward followed by the ability to number the alphabet and identify the letter from its ordered number. This led to an exceptional ability to spell words and identify words misspelled. In school Joel did not win spelling contests partly due to his hesitancy to vocalize the correct spelling of the word and partly due to his not being able to operate within time constraints. That stated, his spelling prowess was and is simply an extension of his knowledge of the alphabet and how words are put together.
It was then logical that Joel would eventually end up in a library sorting books which is what he does every afternoon. While we have little first hand knowledge of his competency, neither have we heard any complaints. According to Joel, he has never made a mistake and puts away between 40 and 100 books each day. He further states that he knows every book in the library and can find any book that is requested. This makes his gifts extraordinary in some ways and invaluable to a library. It oddly renders a card catalog, particularly the title section, virtually ineffective as a distinguishing system for finding a book.
And yet, in spite of these unusual abilities, Joel does not seem to apply joyful emotion to his experience nor his competency. While most people would express pride at their ability to sort books and memorize a library, Joel approaches this skill with the same objectivity of most events. His emotion is stoic, neither joyful nor sad, neither prideful nor humble, simply factual without expressive intent. In spite of this seeming indifference, he is excellent at his job and for that we are grateful. We are fortunate to have found a skill for Joel that is both useful and unusual.
Sunday, January 03, 2010
Clothes
Joel has always been caught up in clothes and particularly the value of matching. He prefers his clothes match and that his ensemble presentation be of high quality. This is in contrast to his personal appearance of his face, hair, and teeth. We do not understand the disparity in the concepts but there is no doubt that he has high standards with regard to clothing and low standards with regard to his personal hygiene and appearance.
Sometimes as much as three days away from Sunday, he will pick out his clothes and place them aside. This could include a shirt, matching tie, pants, and coat with an added sweater during the winter months. Recently he asked me if he could pick out his clothes for Sunday. I said sure but asked him what he was thinking about. He looked at me quizzically and so I altered my question:
Dad: "Joel what are you imagining that you will wear to church?"
Joel (with a perplexed face): "Clothes"
Dad: "What color of clothes?"
Joel: "Matching"
Dad: "Anything specific in mind"
Joel: "Nice clothes"
Dad: "What kind of nice clothes?"
Joel: "Church clothes"
Joel's lack of imagination is extended to virtually all activities in life, resulting in a lack of conceptual thinking and establishment of certain expectations. His approach to determining the best clothes or what to eat is broad and conceived more from experience than from specific imagined details. Rather than visually himself in particular clothes, looking a certain way, and then finding clothes to match the visualization, he instead has a general idea in his mind of what to expect, then seeks the object to meet those broad expectations.
His lack of imagination is directly related to his limited creativity. Although he is primarily a visual learning, visualization in the mind is a creative project rooted in and formed by the imagination. This is true for everyone. Using creativity we design a picture in our mind which then becomes our imagination, which leads to a concrete picture forming a concept of the item or event. If creativity is limited so goes the imagination. If the imagination is limited so goes the concept. Without a concept, we are dependent on the concrete items for the design.
Such is Joel. He has the broad sense of what he needs in his mind, but requires the use of the other senses to determine the final product. When I asked him what clothes he wanted to wear, his concept was generally correct but without specifics. He had to see the clothes before deciding what exactly to wear. His concept is formed after experiencing the concrete, not before. Because Joel's decision making abilities are based on what he knows, sees, and touches, it becomes necessary for us to remember this as we help him adjust to life.
Sometimes as much as three days away from Sunday, he will pick out his clothes and place them aside. This could include a shirt, matching tie, pants, and coat with an added sweater during the winter months. Recently he asked me if he could pick out his clothes for Sunday. I said sure but asked him what he was thinking about. He looked at me quizzically and so I altered my question:
Dad: "Joel what are you imagining that you will wear to church?"
Joel (with a perplexed face): "Clothes"
Dad: "What color of clothes?"
Joel: "Matching"
Dad: "Anything specific in mind"
Joel: "Nice clothes"
Dad: "What kind of nice clothes?"
Joel: "Church clothes"
Joel's lack of imagination is extended to virtually all activities in life, resulting in a lack of conceptual thinking and establishment of certain expectations. His approach to determining the best clothes or what to eat is broad and conceived more from experience than from specific imagined details. Rather than visually himself in particular clothes, looking a certain way, and then finding clothes to match the visualization, he instead has a general idea in his mind of what to expect, then seeks the object to meet those broad expectations.
His lack of imagination is directly related to his limited creativity. Although he is primarily a visual learning, visualization in the mind is a creative project rooted in and formed by the imagination. This is true for everyone. Using creativity we design a picture in our mind which then becomes our imagination, which leads to a concrete picture forming a concept of the item or event. If creativity is limited so goes the imagination. If the imagination is limited so goes the concept. Without a concept, we are dependent on the concrete items for the design.
Such is Joel. He has the broad sense of what he needs in his mind, but requires the use of the other senses to determine the final product. When I asked him what clothes he wanted to wear, his concept was generally correct but without specifics. He had to see the clothes before deciding what exactly to wear. His concept is formed after experiencing the concrete, not before. Because Joel's decision making abilities are based on what he knows, sees, and touches, it becomes necessary for us to remember this as we help him adjust to life.
Saturday, January 02, 2010
The Song in the Mind
For me it happens nearly every day. For others it may just be once a week or every now and then. Nearly everyone I have known or met, inevitably gets a song on his mind that won't seem to leave. In fact there are techniques used for getting songs off the mind including singing Jingle Bells or watching a sports show or going to sleep. For many people, however, the song returns to haunt our thoughts and responses. Although usually pleasant, occasionally a song stays in our head that we may not even enjoy. Most songs in the mind are rather simplistic or "catchy" or memorable and may include folk songs, broadway, Christian, rock, country, or even classical themes. While the song on the mind may be maddening, in many ways the song is also cathartic and keeps our emotions in check. The power of music as an abstract art form is still to be completely understood.
Driving down the road with Joel in the passenger seat, I found myself singing the Lusty Month of May from Camelot. The melody is catchy and the pure joy of the song is infectious, causing an expressive response of happiness. I was humming, tapping, singing, and shaking when Joel said, "Dad, I have never had a song on my mind."
This quieted me considerably as I pondered his statement. Joel's autism causes a significant lack of creative ability. Jacob and Jordan both experienced imaginary friends as small children and Jordan especially had an imaginary world of which we found to be very entertaining at times. Yet Joel never experienced an imaginary friend thereby implying that he either does not express his imagination or he does not have one.
For music to be in the mind, imagination is required in some form or another. Without an imagination, the abstract art of music cannot lodge inside the mind. Joel's autism prevents the creative spark generated by the imagination resulting in a marked lack of conceptual thinking, leading to the missing song from his mind. This does not mean that Joel is deprived of the beauty and joy of music but it does mean that he is perhaps missing both the burden and the liberation of emotions that music can provide.
Ironically we learn something about ourselves from autism. We are dependent upon our imagination and we benefit from what is inside our brains, conceptually and creatively. Yet it is not an essential part of our lives. In the way that a blind person compensates for his blindness, autistics compensate for the missing creativity. And in the way a blind person does not necessarily miss what he has never had (maybe he doesn't miss but he certainly does wonder), and therefore leads the fulfilled life he knows, so also does an autistic lead the life he knows--a life without imagination (at least from our perspective).
While it may sound like a rationalization to a point, I contend that in some ways, Joel's never having a song in his mind is actually liberating and strangely prevents him from the extremes of emotion or at least the range of emotions we normally experience. There is no song but that does not mean there is no joy. His joy is expressed in other ways and his emotions are dealt with apart from what is inside his head. This makes for an unusual existence but one worth trying to understand.
Driving down the road with Joel in the passenger seat, I found myself singing the Lusty Month of May from Camelot. The melody is catchy and the pure joy of the song is infectious, causing an expressive response of happiness. I was humming, tapping, singing, and shaking when Joel said, "Dad, I have never had a song on my mind."
This quieted me considerably as I pondered his statement. Joel's autism causes a significant lack of creative ability. Jacob and Jordan both experienced imaginary friends as small children and Jordan especially had an imaginary world of which we found to be very entertaining at times. Yet Joel never experienced an imaginary friend thereby implying that he either does not express his imagination or he does not have one.
For music to be in the mind, imagination is required in some form or another. Without an imagination, the abstract art of music cannot lodge inside the mind. Joel's autism prevents the creative spark generated by the imagination resulting in a marked lack of conceptual thinking, leading to the missing song from his mind. This does not mean that Joel is deprived of the beauty and joy of music but it does mean that he is perhaps missing both the burden and the liberation of emotions that music can provide.
Ironically we learn something about ourselves from autism. We are dependent upon our imagination and we benefit from what is inside our brains, conceptually and creatively. Yet it is not an essential part of our lives. In the way that a blind person compensates for his blindness, autistics compensate for the missing creativity. And in the way a blind person does not necessarily miss what he has never had (maybe he doesn't miss but he certainly does wonder), and therefore leads the fulfilled life he knows, so also does an autistic lead the life he knows--a life without imagination (at least from our perspective).
While it may sound like a rationalization to a point, I contend that in some ways, Joel's never having a song in his mind is actually liberating and strangely prevents him from the extremes of emotion or at least the range of emotions we normally experience. There is no song but that does not mean there is no joy. His joy is expressed in other ways and his emotions are dealt with apart from what is inside his head. This makes for an unusual existence but one worth trying to understand.
Folk Songs
I am saddened by the lack of folk song singing in our modern culture. We are just not interested in the old songs from our country's roots, the beginnings, the trials, the joys, the sorrows, and the events. Is it due to the immense growth in technology, the advances of the last 20 years? Is it due to the actual material that is dated, old, meaningless? Is it that we just don't sing very much anymore?
I am just not sure of the cause but am rather bored with the philosophical pontificating. Rather than trying to find an answer for the dearth in folk song singing, I think I will simply talk about my love of folk songs, a love that has waxed and waned since childhood, and a love that jumps in full force at different times and in different ways, a love that never goes away, and a love that remains an integral part of my musical life. But frankly, I do not understand why. It really makes little sense considering that one of my central theses for judgment in music is harmony. Harmonic interest, creativity, and expression tends to separate the great from the good, and the good from the poor. It separates the rock band Chicago from the rock band The Who. It separates Stevie Wonder from Ray Charles, and it separates Mozart from Salieri. Harmonic interest is the spark that makes music happen and is the element that keeps people smiling and charmed. It is the indefinable yet compelling sound that makes music fascinating.
Back to folk songs. Where is the harmonic interest? It really does not exist. Many folk songs are melody only, harmonized at the most by three repeating chords. Over and over in folk music we hear the tonic chord, the four chord, and the five chord. While most American folk songs are diatonic, we find throughout the world an emphasis on various modes. Modes do lend themselves to interesting harmony, but again even in those instances, the harmony is somewhat predictable. Harmonic shifting, one of my favorite elements in music, is pretty much non existent in folk music. Once the song begins, it is the same old repetition.
Yet in spite of this "weakness" if it is such, folk songs are a major influence on culture, on music, and on life. I believe it is the honest expression of society, of challenges, of loss and of gain, of folly and glory, and of fear, courage, and concern. Folk songs are music from real people, people with families, people who love music and wish to express themselves with music. Folk songs are joyful, sad, mournful, funny, frightening, intense, warm, and filled with passion. Folk songs are music from the heart and soul of the individual and from the heartbeat of the collective whole of the world. In many ways, folk songs say it all.
Folk songs are performed at funerals, weddings, concerts, reunions, in kitchens, in living rooms, and outdoors at parties. Folk songs are natural and in their purest state need no instruments, no complexity, no amplification or frequencies or compression. There are songs about sailing, climbing, throwing, hunting, hugging, loving, worshiping, working, and dying. There are songs about personalities, psychos, preachers, children, the elderly, the confused, and the misinformed. There are songs about every country, every culture, and virtually every experience. One can find folk songs in church, in prisons, on the mountains, and on the lakes. They are neverending and express the inexpressible. They are the lifeblood of our world.
Okay, maybe all that was overstated, particularly in today's complicated technological world. Perhaps my love of folk songs simply hearkens back to a simpler time, a time of hearing my dad sing to us while strumming his guitar. Whatever the reason, I love the songs. If you want a treat, buy the 5 cd set of Pete Seeger singing American folk songs. You won't be disappointed.
I am just not sure of the cause but am rather bored with the philosophical pontificating. Rather than trying to find an answer for the dearth in folk song singing, I think I will simply talk about my love of folk songs, a love that has waxed and waned since childhood, and a love that jumps in full force at different times and in different ways, a love that never goes away, and a love that remains an integral part of my musical life. But frankly, I do not understand why. It really makes little sense considering that one of my central theses for judgment in music is harmony. Harmonic interest, creativity, and expression tends to separate the great from the good, and the good from the poor. It separates the rock band Chicago from the rock band The Who. It separates Stevie Wonder from Ray Charles, and it separates Mozart from Salieri. Harmonic interest is the spark that makes music happen and is the element that keeps people smiling and charmed. It is the indefinable yet compelling sound that makes music fascinating.
Back to folk songs. Where is the harmonic interest? It really does not exist. Many folk songs are melody only, harmonized at the most by three repeating chords. Over and over in folk music we hear the tonic chord, the four chord, and the five chord. While most American folk songs are diatonic, we find throughout the world an emphasis on various modes. Modes do lend themselves to interesting harmony, but again even in those instances, the harmony is somewhat predictable. Harmonic shifting, one of my favorite elements in music, is pretty much non existent in folk music. Once the song begins, it is the same old repetition.
Yet in spite of this "weakness" if it is such, folk songs are a major influence on culture, on music, and on life. I believe it is the honest expression of society, of challenges, of loss and of gain, of folly and glory, and of fear, courage, and concern. Folk songs are music from real people, people with families, people who love music and wish to express themselves with music. Folk songs are joyful, sad, mournful, funny, frightening, intense, warm, and filled with passion. Folk songs are music from the heart and soul of the individual and from the heartbeat of the collective whole of the world. In many ways, folk songs say it all.
Folk songs are performed at funerals, weddings, concerts, reunions, in kitchens, in living rooms, and outdoors at parties. Folk songs are natural and in their purest state need no instruments, no complexity, no amplification or frequencies or compression. There are songs about sailing, climbing, throwing, hunting, hugging, loving, worshiping, working, and dying. There are songs about personalities, psychos, preachers, children, the elderly, the confused, and the misinformed. There are songs about every country, every culture, and virtually every experience. One can find folk songs in church, in prisons, on the mountains, and on the lakes. They are neverending and express the inexpressible. They are the lifeblood of our world.
Okay, maybe all that was overstated, particularly in today's complicated technological world. Perhaps my love of folk songs simply hearkens back to a simpler time, a time of hearing my dad sing to us while strumming his guitar. Whatever the reason, I love the songs. If you want a treat, buy the 5 cd set of Pete Seeger singing American folk songs. You won't be disappointed.
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