I have to admit, I depend on quite a lot of things. Some of which, such as the ability to feel safe in my own skin, I ought to be able to take for granted. And the fact that I cannot take that one for granted, well, certain people out there ought to take a good, hard look at themselves about that one. Continue Reading
If there is one thing that really bugs the hell out of me, it is the manner in which the mainstream autistic civil rights movement seems unable (or worse still, unwilling) to think beyond stereotypes. Stereotypes are much like a weapon. They can be used for both good and ill, and the difference is much a matter of whom is wielding them. Continue Reading
So I am sitting around, thinking to myself about what I am going to write next, and I think to myself “you know, Dean, you have just written about a piece of art that you enjoy by counting and laughing at all of the mistakes, so why not try writing about something you consider good or even great?”. And since I have not written about the recently-realised genius that Michael Allan Patton has been displaying over the last ten to fifteen years, why not? Continue Reading
People may have worked out by now that I do not enjoy the healthiest relationship with my family units. My male parental unit, for example, I have not directly spoken with since the end of last year. He has nobody to blame for that but himself, however, so I will not focus on that here except to say that I have an entry in the queue for this journal that I am absolutely battering myself around the head about publishing. Will I? Will I not? I honestly do not know what to do. But the one member of my family that I do try to have any kind of speech with, my mother, messaged me earlier today and informed me that the small brood I am meant to be playing Uncle to, my sister’s children, has gained a member. Continue Reading
In 1989 or thereabouts, I became aware of a crossover band by the name of Faith No More. Like many who became aware of them at this time, it was through sight of a music video for a single called Epic. The video for Epic was (mostly) very simplistic in nature, with the majority of shots simply being the band in front of a very elaborate backdrop, playing their instruments. But one of the many details that stood out to me was a shirt worn by vocalist Mike Patton in at least one shot. That shirt noticeably featured the logo of the other band Patton was vocalist for at the time: Mr. Bungle. Continue Reading
I make no secret of this fact. I am getting old. And I do not merely mean old in the sense that I am now not young enough to see any novelty in being granted the privilege of voting in subtly rigged elections or buying my own vodka. I mean old in the sense that I see Death standing across the road from me, waving a hand, and promising that he will see me soon. I mean old in the sense that when he does this, I ask him if he can make it quick and at least relatively painless. I do not want to live in a normalistic world run by the kind of morons my grandfather would happily have lined up against a wall and shot, thanks very much. Continue Reading
