OVR and Early Reach
The Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR) is a state agency that assists Pennsylvanians with disabilities secure competitive, community integrated employment and independence. You must be referred to OVR, and determined eligible to receive services. Being referred is as simple as calling your local OVR District Office. Being “determined eligible” means that: you have a diagnosed […]
Read moreIsolation
During my summer, I was back after a refreshing trip from Baltimore where I had a wonderful time with friends enjoying the most, really cool comic based themes for the closing of the 2016 “OTAKON!! At the Baltimore convention.” Now that I was home, I had wonder how to feel after going from meeting and […]
Read moreFurry Friends
Pets can play an important role in a person’s life, perhaps even more so for individuals who are neurodivergent, have autism or even a combination of both. Animals of all kinds: dogs, cats, birds and others are able to provide a non-judgmental level of support, just through their interactions with us. With this blog post, […]
Read moreGet out of the house! No.
For most of my life my parents have been trying to get me out of the house and socialize with my friends. For my part I’ve resisted their efforts most of the time. It’s the deeply held belief that a “normal” kid should spend a lot of time with their friends that makes my parents […]
Read moreBudget Basics
I think that budgeting is a cornerstone skill to living as independently as possible. It’s one of the first skills I put into practice before I moved away from home. Budgeting consists of two parts, the first part is getting the “big picture” of what your fixed expenses and priorities are. The second part encompasses the skills […]
Read moreMeet the Newest ASDNext Blogger, Ziggy!
Hi everyone, I’m Ziggy. I was recently chosen as a ASDNext blogger, and my first entry is going to serve as an introduction. I was born and grew up in Pittsburgh. My parents who did foster care for many years had the opportunity to adopt, and I was fostered by them when I was only […]
Read moreBalancing Act
I like to think of myself as a thoughtful person but I struggle every day with how to use the money I have to live on. Like everyone, I have fixed expenses that I must pay every month like rent, car insurance, and food, plus unexpected costs. If I don’t pay my fixed expenses, there […]
Read moreYou’ve Got a Friend in Me
What is a friend? The general consensus is a person that you enjoy spending time with and sharing experiences. But to Aspergers individuals the people we call friends can vary widely. I’ve only had a handful of friends outside of my family. One good friend from first grade, three friends from high school, my girlfriend, […]
Read moreOn the Move
Proper preparation and a leap of faith are needed in any big change. Moving out is a big change for anyone. It doesn’t matter if you’re moving into an apartment or a house with roommates, or living by yourself, moving is hard work. I was lucky enough to have family and friends who had moved […]
Read moreAspie Relationship?
Can a person with an Aspergers diagnosis date or be in a relationship? Yes. Despite all the naysayers, the doubts, and uncertainties a person with Aspergers can have a relationship with someone. I’ve been dating my girlfriend for over half a year. Our relationship has been successful because we share many things. We share a […]
Read moreSummer Vacation: Fun in the Sun
Vacations are something that most people look forward to and have few problems with. However, there are many people who struggle before, during and after vacations. Vacations can be fun if you plan ahead, know yourself, and have a good attitude. There are times before these events that I “fall apart” due to the stress […]
Read moreFamily Ties
I’ve seen lots of parents’ perspectives on raising children who have autism. I’ve yet to see the perspective of autistic adults like me about their parents. It does seem to be asymmetrical, don’t you think? Let me tell you a little about me. I was diagnosed at a very young age and was lucky enough […]
Read moreWork? School? Both!
In today’s world, most people jump straight from high school to college, but as a person with Aspergers I opted for a different approach that has worked quite well. I was able to arranged for Diversified Occupation, better known as Work Release, to be made part of my school schedule, meaning that I could leave […]
Read moreCliff Diving Into College
When I was going through high school, my most important goal was to graduate from high school while getting good grades. Schoolwork was my total focus since I had to work really hard to be successful. I had a lot of support and help in being successful because I have several learning disabilities in addition […]
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