search
- Follow this great ape on WordPress.com
most read
Sections
tags
- #YesAllWomen
- ableism
- actuallyautistic
- anger
- animals
- anxiety
- appearance
- ASD
- Asperger
- Aspergers
- autism
- autistic
- autistic burnout
- autistic woman
- autisticwomen
- burnout
- busyness
- career
- chronic pain
- confusion
- coping
- depression
- disability
- doubt
- effort
- extrovert
- faith
- fatigue
- fear
- friend
- futility
- good intentions
- graduate student
- guilt
- healing
- holiday
- hope
- humor
- inner monologue
- insomnia
- introvert
- invisible disability
- judgmental
- learning
- life change
- loneliness
- luck
- masking
- massage therapy
- media
- mental-health
- misinformation
- nerve ablation
- nerve pain
- neurodivergent
- neurodiversity
- neurotypical
- normal
- orthopedist
- pain
- personal crisis
- pharmacy
- physical therapy
- rage
- self care
- self loathing
- self love
- sensory
- sexism
- specialist
- stereotype
- surgery
- Trauma
- vacation
- work
archives
- December 2025
- November 2025
- June 2025
- March 2025
- February 2025
- January 2025
- December 2024
- May 2024
- March 2024
- August 2023
- June 2023
- February 2022
- November 2021
- October 2021
- July 2021
- May 2021
- April 2021
- March 2021
- February 2021
- January 2021
- December 2020
- November 2020
- September 2020
- August 2020
- July 2020
- May 2020
- April 2020
- March 2020
- February 2020
- January 2020
- August 2019
- April 2019
- March 2019
- February 2019
- January 2019
- December 2018
- October 2018
- September 2018
- July 2018
- May 2018
- April 2018
- March 2018
- July 2017
- June 2017
- April 2017
- March 2017
- January 2017
- February 2016
- January 2016
- December 2015
- June 2015
- May 2015
- April 2015
- March 2015
- February 2015
- January 2015
- December 2014
- November 2014
- October 2014
- September 2014
- August 2014
- July 2014
- June 2014
- May 2014
- April 2014
- March 2014
Tag Archives: disability
how things are
I’m in the process of uncovering the emotional underpinnings of the mechanisms I’ve internalized to disguise my autistic self. Specifically, I’m examining those I use to keep from inadvertently upsetting, insulting, or otherwise hurting the people around me. Although my … Continue reading
Posted in Book Two - Mind, Setting 2
Tagged actuallyautistic, Aspergers, autism, autisticwomen, disability
4 Comments
see me
This past semester, my final project was a paper that explored the interface among autistic media portrayals, stereotypes, disability laws, and lived experiences. I discovered that I am not unique in the amount of effort I expend to appear neurotypical. … Continue reading
Posted in Book Two - Mind, Setting 2
Tagged actuallyautistic, appearance, autism, coping, disability, neurodivergent, neurotypical, self care
2 Comments
two and one
Photo by Jenna Hamra Normally, the holiday season fills me with a sense of joy, peace, and hope. I love everything about Christmas; the decorations, the traditions, the music, and especially the Christmas story. I very much relate to the … Continue reading
Posted in Book Two - Mind, Setting 2
Tagged actuallyautistic, Aspergers, austism, disability, learning, self love
1 Comment
supposed
I have run out of energy. Again. Just like I did this time last year when they changed my schedule and switched my days off. Except – I don’t have that excuse this time. But I called out of work … Continue reading
Posted in Book Two - Mind, Setting 1
Tagged actuallyautistic, ASD, Asperger, Aspergers, autism, chronic pain, disability, doubt, futility
1 Comment
scars
They don’t match. That was my first thought as I sat on the edge of MS Ape’s bathroom sink, my back to my reflection, peering into a make-up mirror to compare the barely-knitted slices on my left scapula to the … Continue reading
return of the ape
I am sitting on the edge of my bed, staring at my newly-framed, 2015 diploma. It was a gift from Momma and Poppa Ape, getting it mounted; they kept meaning to get it back to me but we always forgot when I … Continue reading
and then this happened
I’m writing about this because both Momma Ape and my therapist have told me I must write about it. I don’t know if it belongs here or not, and posts under this heading may be moved to another blog entirely at some point. … Continue reading
The Chariot
If it’s easy, then it’s the right thing. If it’s hard, then it’s the right thing. What is the right thing to do? It feels like it should be a simple question; a binary question, no less. Some things are … Continue reading
Posted in Aspect III
Tagged appearance, confusion, disability, doubt, graduate student, invisible disability
Leave a comment
apprehend
apprehension |ˌapriˈhenSHən| noun 1 anxiety or fear that something bad or unpleasant will happen: he felt sick with apprehension | she had some apprehensions about the filming. 2 understanding; grasp: the pure apprehension of the work of art. 3 the … Continue reading
Posted in Aspect III
Tagged anger, chronic pain, disability, doubt, fear, graduate student, surgery
Leave a comment
unsettling
I’m officially, completely unpacked. All boxes have been emptied, everything I’ve decided to keep has found a home, either here or in my storage unit, pictures are hung, and box cutters, tape, markers and tool kits are finally put away. … Continue reading