Shannon and J.R. kick off Nerdodiversity month with an old-school nerd and an old-school nerdy topic! Joey Mills is a Southwest Missouri legend in the Nerd World and he's known around the world for his Pop Goes the Culture website and podcast.  We're yakking about a nerd topic almost as old as nerddom itself.  That's right, we're talking Star Wars.A long time ago on a podcast (not so) far, far away sat three nerds named Shannon, J.R., and Joey.  They talked about the original trilogy, the newer stuff, the source material that may have inspired George Lucas, archetypes and the franchise in general.Unlike a movie, we fit all this great Star Wars knowledge into much less than two hours.If you've never heard the Pop Goes the Culture podcast, your ears don't know what they're missing.  The really cool thing about the podcast is that Joey records it at the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema in Springfield, MO.  He sets up eight microphones, opens the door to the room and whoever shows up to talk about nerd culture is on the show.  It's a nerdy free for all, a completely different show each week and honestly, a lot of fun.Besides all the fun stuff, we also delved into what makes the Star Wars franchise and the characters so great,"I think kids are sort of the ultimate litmus test for whether or not something really has archetypal characters because they will resonate with kids almost more than adults who are looking at the special effects and the quality of the acting and stuff like that. But if the storyline has characters that are really archetypal, I think that just really resonates with kids, and they just lap it up and just watch movies again and again and again when they have that aspect to them."Joey MillsCatch Pop Goes the Culture at:www.popgoestheculture.comhttps://popgoestheculture.com/pgtcpodcast/https://www.facebook.com/pgtcpodcast/https://twitter.com/pgtcpodcast

Not Weird Just Autistic

Getting Nerdy with Pop Goes the Culture

Becca Lory is an amazing woman!  Like Shannon and J.R., she is someone diagnosed late in life with autism who has made the most of her time since being diagnosed.Becca is a writer, editor for Spectrum Women Magazine, has a Facebook group, YouTube channel, speaks and advocates like crazy.She talks about all this and more on the podcast and you'll love to hear her unique insight on autism, how to look at your diagnosis and what we can do to help people accept the autism community."Now I know I've been diagnosed. I have all kinds of supports in place because of what I know, etcetera, etcetera. But guess what? The negative self-talk is still there, Right? Right now, I still have to fight that battle all the time. You have to fight imposter syndrome. I have to fight my depression and all of the things that are not my autism, but are the result really of the trauma of being undiagnosed?"Becca Lory Hectorwww.beccalory.comFacebookTwitterInstagramYouTube

Spending Time With Autism Advocate Becca Lory Hector

Diagnosed as a child, Haley Moss knew she was destined for great things.  A lawyer, artist, author, speaker and autism advocate, she's realized her dreams.Recently she sat down with Shannon and J.R. to talk about her life, what she has in the works and autism in general.She does a lot of work consulting for lawyers these days and for non-profits with the hope of bringing the topic of autism into the mainstream.We also talk about the online community of autistic and disabled people and how we can connect and make friends oftentimes easier than we can in the real world." I can't help but laugh because I don't feel like I have a lot of friends. I realized online. I don't know if you guys have realized this, too, but we have a lot more of a supportive community of other autistic and disabled people, which makes me feel really connected because, in my regular life, I don't feel as connected, so to speak."Haley Moss.Now it's time to listen to the podcast.

Hanging Out With Haley Moss

Shannon and J.R. spend time with Christa Holmans, A.K.A. Neurodivergent Rebel, who like us, received a diagnosis of autism as an adult.  Since that time, Christa has learned everything she can about neurodiversity and has become one of the Internet's most passionate cheerleaders for the subject.We talked about neurodiversity, autism, living in a trailer, and how people on the spectrum are often looked down upon by society for some reason.  "It's like the way we're (autistic people) talked about is like, we're not even human. Sometimes it's just really demoralizing, and it really is hard on your self-esteem.  And then imagine if you have low self-esteem already and you're feeling bad about yourself.  You've been treated like you're a burden your whole life and made me believe that that terrible story.  This is horrible."Christa HolmansNow it's time to listen to the whole podcast.You can find Christa all over the Internet...https://www.neurodivergentrebel.com @neurorebelhttps://www.facebook.com/NeurodivergentRebel/https://www.instagram.com/neurodivergentrebel/YouTubeDon't forget to subscribe to the podcast at your favorite podcast platform so that you never miss an episode!

Hanging With the Neurodivergent Rebel, A.K.A. Christa Holmans

Shannon and J.R. recently sat down with Brenda Grund of Centrum Spectra in the Netherlands to discuss the growing problem of girls and women on the spectrum and eating disorders.Seeing as how Shannon is a woman and that she has some experience in this area, she led the conversation with Brenda and we learned some amazing things and realized just how big a problem this is within the autistic community.Anorexia and Bulimia not only affect the person with the eating disorder but also impact their families as well, as we found out during the discussion."I think with Aspie women it is more common to see women who are very finicky eaters a lot of the time because they have food allergies and they can't stand certain textures.  Probably if they have an eating disorder, they're trying to get more calories in and get their weight up, that would be hard for them."Shannon HughesNow it's time to hear the rest of the conversation! Check out the links below to find your favorite podcast service and subscribe so you don’t miss a single episode of the Not Weird Just Autistic Podcast!

Autism & Eating Disorders With Brenda Grund

Shannon and J.R. both suffer from Seasonal Mood Disorder, a worsening of depression during the fall and winter months.This is due in large part to less sunlight than in other parts of the year and if you think this is one of those hokey types of diagnosis, you're absolutely wrong.  This is a very real thing.For Shannon, it starts around October and goes through February or March and for J.R. it typically starts around mid-November, a couple of weeks before his birthday and also goes until somewhere around March.When you deal with this, you tend to be more depressed, lose interest in things you once enjoyed, don't sleep well or sleep more than usual, and there's also a higher risk of suicide or self-harm.Shannon explains the ins and outs of Seasonal Mood Disorder and what it really means to deal with this.The good news is that there are ways to help improve your symptoms, including light therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, and medications among other things.We discuss workplace accommodations, and why women are four times as likely to deal with this than men are.To hear all about it, listen to the podcast now and check out the link below to see if you might suffer from this affliction.http://www.scalesandmeasures.net/files/files/SEASONA%20PATTERN%20ASSESSMENT%20Questionnaire.pdfCheck out the links below to find your favorite podcast service and subscribe so you don’t miss a single episode of the Not Weird Just Autistic Podcast!

How to Deal With Your Scary Seasonal Mood Disorder

Shannon and J.R. sit down with Coming Out Coach Rick Clemons who talks about when you should disclose your diagnosis of autism or other mental health issue.  The holidays can be a stressful time for all of us and if our family and friends don't yet know about our secret(s), when is the right time to let them in on it?The holidays can be a crazy time and most of with any sort of mental health issue feel overwhelmed and we're not always sure that we want people to know about it, but the reality is that we need those closest to us in our lives to know.We need them to know so they can understand, so they can show us that they care and so that they can support us.  Rick understands all that and more.He started out working with gay men who were ready to come out of the closet, but now works with so many different types of people in so many different situations.  We all have closets that we hide in, and for most people listening to this podcast those closets have to do with being an adult with autism, an adult with Asperger's or an adult with some sort of mental health issue.We hide in our closet, afraid to let the outside world in and not wanting them to see us for who we really are, but we need to let go of that stigma and not be afraid to open that closet door and proudly come out.Mental illness is nothing to be ashamed of.  It's part of who we are and we are all awesome people!As Rick says on the podcast, "I think a lot of people hide because they're afraid.  They also don't want to disrupt the holidays. And then they get into it, and suddenly it doesn't become as much of a priority. And then lo and behold, it will be February, March, April, July, August. And suddenly I'm still not being who I'm meant to be."If you suffer from any type of mental illness or from an autism diagnosis and you;re afraid to let people in on your secret, this is a half-hour you will NOT want to miss!You can find Rick online at www.rickclemons.comCheck out the links below to find your favorite podcast service and subscribe so you don’t miss a single episode of the Not Weird Just Autistic Podcast!

When To Disclose Your Diagnosis with Coming Out Coach Rick Clemons

As we enter the holiday season once again, Shannon and J.R. take the time to share some of their experiences with holiday overload and give you tips on how you can hopefully have the best holiday season yet.J.R. talks about his history of going to family gatherings and feeling so overwhelmed that he not only had to go outside to get away from the crowds and sensory overload but had to go outside and literally hide in order to get away from it.Triggers, and knowing what they are and how you can handle them, are a big part of managing overload at any time of the year, but especially around the holiday season.  If you know what to watch out for, you can be better prepared to avoid sensory overload and meltdowns,Before things get stressful, explain, explain, explain!  Communication is key to keeping your sanity at the proper levels.Shannon shares some excellent tips on how to get through the season and they both share some humorous stories from the past.Ready to find out more?  Click "PLAY" to listen now!Check out the links below to find your favorite podcast service and subscribe so you don’t miss a single episode of the Not Weird Just Autistic Podcast!

Managing Holiday Overload with Shannon and J.R.

Join Shannon and J.R. as they sit down with one of the biggest names in autism blogging and social media, Rob Gorski, A.K.A. The Autism Dad.Rob has three sons who are on the spectrum so he knows a thing or two about how to manage and survive holiday gatherings with his family.Rob drops a lot of knowledge on the listeners during the show, such as:"So I have kind of a different perspective of things I guess. But it's like a, it's like a bank account, right?Like if you have $100 in your account and it's going to cost $100 to go to this party when you come out of that, you have nothing. And so, you know, a lot of times what happens is, you know, my kids have resources built up that they can cope with the things that kind of happen in daily life. But if I ask too much of them, where I put them in a situation where they have to cope more than what they normally would, they chew through those resources and then they're left at a deficit." What are you waiting for?  Listen to the whole podcast now! You can find Rob furiously blogging at The Autism DadTwitter: @theautismdadFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/theautismdad/Podcast: https://www.theautismdad.com/podcast/Check out the links below to find your favorite podcast service and subscribe so you don’t miss a single episode of the Not Weird Just Autistic Podcast!

Surviving Family Holiday Gatherings with Rob Gorski, A.K.A. The Autism Dad

What an amazing half-hour with disability rights attorney Jonathan Martinis!   We discussed Supported Decision Making, the Jenny Hatch story, and his landmark court case that helped bring Supported Decision Making to the forefront of disability rights.You can read the full transcript of the show on the blog, www.notweirdjustautistic.com/blogUse the comments section at the bottom of the page to start or join the conversation.Head over to iTunes to subscribe to the podcast and please share this with your friends om social media and via word of mouth.https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/not-weird-just-autistic/id1486466502 Don't forget to like our Facebook page as well.  Thanks for being the best part of Not Weird Just Autistic!

Attorney Jonathan Martinis and the Followup of His Landmark Disability Rights Case

J.R. and Shannon catch up with our friend and fellow autism podcaster Elijah Winfrey of the Elijah Winfrey Show (Tuesday's on Blog Talk Radio).  It's hard to believe but Eli and his co-host, the lovely and very talented Toni Boucher, are now in their fifth season of interviewing guests and talking about all things autism.Elijah, from Washington State and Toni, from South Carolina, are two of the most talented people you will ever meet.  Toni is an Autism Advocate, author speaker and consultant, while Elijah just retired from playing touring golf.  Not the PGA, but a lower tour up in the Pacific Northwest.  The great thing about Elijah is that instead of having his bag decked out with logos of sponsors, he has his covered in things having to do with autism.Why?"Guys don't like to talk about home and their autistic kids," Elijah told us,  "And this bag was a way to start a conversation with people."But Elijah isn't completely done with golf just yet.  He's set up the Eli VS circuit.  Ten events to raise money for his nonprofit, Team Winfrey.Five of the events will be competitive matches, while five will be friendly matches, but one thing remains the same.  He's still talking autism at all ten events.You can also get involved by supporting Team Winfrey on Amazon Smile, a program where Amazon donates a portion of what you spend on their website to the charity of your choice.  All it takes is a moment to sign up.We talk about a whole lot more with Elijah, but to find out what it is you'll have to listen! Listen Here!Use the comments section at the bottom of the page to start or join the conversation.As always, don't forget to hit the subscribe button to be the first to know about the latest content. Don't forget to like our Facebook page as well. Thanks for being the best part of Not Weird Just Autistic!

Catching Up With Elijah Winfrey

If you're a nerd in the Springfield, MO area, there is no better place to be on Saturday, December 7 than Geekmas 2019 at The Creamery in Downtown Springfield.Listen as we're joined by Hawk of the podcast Fanatics and he Fan and Geekmas.  He talks about the history, this year's event and all the cool stuff happening.This is year 6 for the event and the first three were in Hawk's house.  Finally, it got too big, so they moved it to the Creamery in downtown Springfield.Only $5 gets you in the door and it's only $3 if you come in costume!  Bring an unwrapped toy for Toys for Tots and enter the raffle for a 3D printer with proceeds going to the Wounded Warrior Project.  (How cool is that?)The event is co-hosted by Branson's own Nerd Informants, and several local game shops are getting in on the action as well.Oh, and Not Weird Just Autistic will be running a Nerd Crossword contest, with the first person getting all their answers right winning a prize.Playco Games is sponsoring tabletop games and will be running games in the D & D room.  There's also a possible Battetech game with people on hand teach you how to play.  More on that to follow...Contender e-Sports will also be there to run the e-games room.  Speaking of e-games, we learned that back in the day, Hawk's mom simply crusheeeeeeeed Galaga and Hawk would have to beg her for the remote back so he could play his games.  It sounds like a cool mom if you ask me.Mickey Mouse will be there taking photos with all the nerds and don't forget to stop by the Not Weird Just autistic booth to get your picture taken with J.R.  and his God awful, gaudy Christmas suit! There will be lots of vendors including comic books, collectibles, jewelry and more.You can find Geekmas on Facebook by using the search bar and also look for the Fanatics and the Fan page to keep up with their podcast.If you're a nerd in Southwest Missouri, you know where you'll be on December 7 from 10-7, right?Oh and don't forget about the after-party...As always, don't forget to hit the SUBSCRIBE button and follow NWJA on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/notweirdjustautistic

Looks Like a Geekmas Christmas

Shannon took the lead on this week's podcast where we talked about our experiences and some information from experts in the field,Everyone is an expert in their own physical and mental health and no one knows our own mental health as we do.  Just as no two autistics are exactly alike, no two people have the exact same physical and mental health issues.Sadly, a lot of medical professionals are uninformed or misinformed when it comes to dealing with those who have Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).  That's something that needs to change and change quickly.Last year J.R. went to a local hospital and offered to do five sessions for their staff so that they could come in on their time off and not miss work.  He told them he wouldn't charge for his time but was emphatically told, "No, we don't need it."J.R. has been in their E.R. twice and had two outpatient surgeries at the same hospital and trust us, they do need it.We talk about a whole lot more, but to find out you'll have to listen!As always, don't forget to hit the subscribe button to be the first to know about the latest content.Don't forget to like our Facebook page as well.

Interesting Interactions With Medical Professionals

We all run into challenges as we grow older, especially those with a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or Asperger's.  We're talking specifically about those who would be called higher functioning autistics.Shannon was diagnosed with Asperger's in her thirties and J.R. in his forties.  In our younger days, we had the physical and mental stamina to compensate for a lot of our shortcomings that come with ASD.  But as we get older, we find it harder to compensate and those quirks and deficits begin to come to light.As we age, our energy levels get lower, whether or not we have health problems.  Shannon talks about having trouble coping with a regular work schedule, having chronic fatigue and executive function deficits, along with anxiety and obsessive-compulsive traits.J.R. brings up what he likes to call the "Cocktail."  The other things that always accompany someone with ASD or Asperger's.  These are things like ADHD, depression, anxiety and mild OCD, all of which he deals with on a daily basis.Physical health and mental health definitely affect each other.Listen as we talk about this and much, much more,While you're on the page, don't forget to subscribe and like us on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/notweirdjustautistic

Aging on the Spectrum with Shannon and J.R.

Join Shannon, J.R. talk with Katheryne about advocacy and self-advocacy.  This is an important subject and one you are not going to want to miss out on!Don't forget to follow us on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/notweirdjustautistic

Katheryne Staeger-Wilson of Missouri Developmental Disabilities Council

Check out the all new Not Weird Just Autistic podcast where J.R. and Shannon talk with people from all around the world of autism.Our goal is to bring you all the knowledge you need in order to live a more fulfilled life on the spectrum. Click on the PODCAST link at the top of the blog page or find it on your favorite podcast platform.

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Not Weird Just Autistic

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