RE: public session in our city.

[Guest guest]

Hello everyone,

Just realized that I hadn’t provided an account of the

Autism session we had here in Ballarat last Wednesday. As I

indicated the other week, there were five of us to speak; and the subject for

the evening was Living on the Spectrum. Very difficult

to predict just what sort of response one might get, but Kris our coordinator had

spread the word around quite well. Still, I thought maybe 35 or

so. It was in a very nice function room at the big Ballarat Golf

Club.

As it happened, we got just over 80 attendants, and with a

terrific response to the whole programme. The day before, I

received a call from a local TV station, asking if they could tape an interview

with me about it all, to be shown that evening (Tuesday). They

came and shot me in my library, and recorded some 15 to 20 minutes of questions

and answers. This went well and had no stops and

starts. Then they shot me moving round the house and going through the

motions of discussing some of my books. (that was just vision, no

sound). Well I waited with bated breath for the evening news; and

though they gave a good wrap up for the coming public session, and showed some

of the shots of me holding books etc, all my long interview was cut except for

two brief little sound bites. They also included some

comments by a local Psychologist.

Well, I must say that though they cut out just about all of

my commentary, the coverage and the advertising was quite good; and the

Golf Club reported that quite a lot of phone calls came in to inquire about the

session. The first of the five speakers was a nurse who is on

the Spectrum herself, and who has no less than three kids on it as

well. She spoke quite well and made a good impression. The

second was a young guy of 19 who is clearly rather inconvenienced by his

Autism. However he has taken himself in hand very successfully, and

in his last years at school had some fine success both at sport and

academia. He spoke without notes very fluently, but looked

down all through, as he would have been badly disconcerted if he had looked at

the faces in front of him. He had a good sense of humour, and

entertained the audience well with his rather loudish voice.

Third was one of our regular Autists here in Ballarat.

Tania is 28 and described with a lowish monotone the problems she has had in

life. But she is finding plenty to do, including getting dance

tuition and singing in a choir. Fourth was an older guy,

who has been a teacher and musician. He was very

good. And I finished with some of the things that have happened to

me, as well as my suggestions about the thinking and feelings that are behind

our quirky habits and ways.

Kris had told me to bring copies of my book and sell a

few. Well it turned out very satisfactory, as I sold no less than

fourteen on the spot. Kris was extremely pleased with the

evening, and has apparently had a lot of great feedback from

it. Strong contingent of nurses, students and spectrum people

present.

Cheers, Ron.