Learning Disabilities - Part 3

     Page Thirty-Nine.
     I was in the right place at the right time.
     Since '99, I've done the hair of a wonderful woman, Nikki, who's a semi-bigwig at one of Cleveland's community colleges. Over the years, she's done a lot of work with special needs, handicapped or other non-traditional students. She knows a lot about the topic of university adjustments for handicapped students. One day in about 2011, I told her the entire story of my learning disabilities: the testing, the diagnosis, the college requirements adjustment and so forth. Nikki told me what probably really happening. I was amazed.
     She told me that it was in the early '90's when many new laws were put into place concerning the disabled in the workplace or classroom. With all the new restrictions and guidelines, institutions weren't really sure what to do as the laws were as of yet untested. I came along and asked for the sun, moon and stars, all 'cause I'm hyper as hell. CSU granted them because they were scared to death of a lawsuit. If I'd come along and done the same thing a few years earlier, later, or today, they'd laugh at me and say, "we'll provide you with all the tutors you want and oh, by the way, go take some Ritalin, but we ain't adjustin' our college requirements just for you". I was likely the first case and they were scared.
     So when a college professor told me in '91 that I received the largest university requirement adjustment in CSU history, he wasn't kidding and likely it wouldn't happen again. And all because I just can't sit.
     When I graduated, the first time, in '92, I figured out that I studied an average of 15-30 minutes per class per quarter. That includes time looking in a textbook, time spent organizing class notes and then, subsequently studying them. Again 15-30 minutes TOTAL for the entire quarter. I would work on projects and reports though. I've always enjoyed research very much and I would be happy going to the library and amassing facts, then presenting them in a report.
     I wasn't quite ready for the real world in '92 though, so almost immediately I went back and took this class or that. In '96, I went back full-time and pursued art history with studio art on the side. Originally, I was going to pursue a Master's Degree in Art History, but I quickly realized that the work level required would be impossible for me while working essentially full time. Also, it was too expensive. Hey, let's be honest here. So I took all the classes as an undergraduate. In '98 when I finished, administration told me that they would think of me as simply having a double major, six years apart.
     I received almost straight "A's" this time around. Getting an "A" in a studio art class was old news, no comment required. The reason I got mostly "A's" in art history is because there's really very little studying involved. It's primarily projects, research and term papers. And what studying there is, really is more about memorizing pretty pictures and who did them. Things like that I can do.
     I think that as I've gotten older, I've settled down a lot, too. I went back again, full-time, in '01-'02 to begin pursuing a career as an art teacher, K-12. I finished one third of the coursework, getting straight "A's" for the entire year. But I then dropped out 'cause of money. Also, I became disillusioned with the prospect of being an art teacher. (Extremely smart decision on my part.) None-the-less, my GPA in '02 was, like, 2.98, or something like that. I was definitely studying more and not feeling persecuted by it. While taking all the artsy-fartsy stuff, I made Dean's List often. I've often wondered which words appeared more often on my transcripts: Academic Probation or Dean's List?
     I also know that my hyperactivity has had profound effects on my work life. I know that any job description which begins, "Sit and..." isn't for me. Additionally, I've never learned how to handle routine, hence my frequent job changes.But, such is the nature of being a "Jack Of All Trades" that I'm constantly getting new jobs and leaving old ones. That works perfectly for me. Between hair, food, children and old people, I know that every few years my schedule and routine will be drastically changed. Some people can do 9-5. Some people can even work in the same building for a few decades. I'm not one of them. I have to run around like a chicken with his head chopped off.
     Does your kid have learning disabilities? Try as hard as possible to find out what his or her strengths are. Mine are memory for detail and sound, high organizational abilities, tremendous creativity and inherent love of research. The most screwed up kid still has strengths. Identify them as early as possible and play up to them. Everybody's life will be easier.
     By the way, my memory for detail is why this blog is peppered so generously with specific dates, locations, people and situations. I remember it all. Really.

My Valentine's Day Cards

     Page Thirty-One.
     I'm technically not an artist. When all is said and done, concerning my secondary education, I ended up taking so much studio art that I was only two classes shy of a B.F.A. in 3-D art, (think: arts & crafts); this, on top of my first two majors: Interpersonal Communications and Art History. But I eventually got tired of going to school so I stopped. Guess that makes me an art-school drop out. So, I'm not a real artist, 'cause I don't have a degree in it. What am I then? Good question. I'll let you know when I find out.
    In about '89, I received a cute little envelope in the mail from my friend, Filomena, on Valentine's Day. It was a charming construction paper valentine reminiscent of the the third grade. I called her and inquired and she explained that she simply felt like sending out cards that year. She made these retro cards and sent them to her close friends. I was thrilled and stunned. It was just too cool and I loved it. So the next year I did the same thing. My closer friends, clients, nieces, nephews, Shapiro kids and various stragglers all got home-made construction paper cards. They loved it and so did I. That had to have been about '90.
     The next year I got a little more elaborate with my materials: lace, felt, silk flowers, etc. and I started including chocolate. Within a couple of years the things took on a life of their own. Every year since, it's a completely different design, using a totally new medium. There's always a heart shape involved somewhere. And there's always chocolate. A few years ago, I painted all the canvases in one of four colors. Then I glued on plastic jewels in a variety of shapes and colors, outlining the heart. Each canvas was completely different.
     Some years ago, I went to a metal shop and commissioned then to cut small, rectangular shiny metal plates. I then made a heart-shaped template and placed the template over each  metal plate. I proceeded to spray on glue and pour over shiny, tiny, red and silver glass beads. So the whole things had the feel of a child's typical glitter card, but on steroids, what with no glitter, instead glass on metal. Every year it's something completely over the top.
     At some point in the '90's I also began including a child's store bought card in the package. Scooby-Doo, Superman, Barbie, Sponge Bob, Mickey Mouse etc. have all been included in the bag of chocolate at different times and they've contained the personal greeting as there's no place on the card itself.
     Ever year, I insist that "this year's is the most frustrating". But I keep on doing 'em. I send out an average of four to five dozen per year, with the list always changing to reflect who's in my life presently. These are really my yearly greeting card, but in February, not December.  (This year's edition involves hand-painted, hand-cut rigid plastic hearts which are then given a Christo treatment.) Every January and early February I insist that I won't survive 'till the fourteenth, but I always do. I don't know how.
     The adults let me know how much they appreciate them, in no uncertain terms. But, my nieces and nephews and any children probably enjoy them the most. I'm perfectly okay with that.