High Density Thinking Blogger

A month or so back, Kristina Chew nominated Autism's Edges for the Thinking Blogger Award. I was delighted, and said so over on the comments at Autismland, but for some reason I didn't undertand that this was a meme — that I was meant to nominate five more thinking bloggers. (Call me a super dense thinking blogger.)

Yesterday I noticed that MOM-NOS nominated Autism's Edges, and she explained what we're meant to do as nominees. Thanks to MOM-NOS for the heads up on that, and thanks to both Kristina and MOM for the nominations! It's an honor when the people who make me think most deeply about life, love, and learning seem to find my thinking of use to them as well!

Since I've been nominated twice, I guess that means I'm meant to come up with 10 Thinking Blogger nominees, but let's take this slow and start with five. I think I'll do two posts, first five from within the autism blogosphere, and then perhaps five from beyond . . .

The trouble is that inside the autism blogosphere, both Kristina and MOM-NOS would be tops in my list. I'd be volleying the award right back at 'em, which I'm guessing would be against the rules of meme-life. They were two of the first people to welcome me to autism-mom blogging and have continuously pushed the limits of my thinking on all things autism, all things familia, and so many other things as well. They are astonishingly resilient in their lives, and while I'm often known to be dissing positive thinking, I can't but admit that it is endlessly inspiring and frequently humbling to see how they rise to the occasions in their lives.

And then there's the fact that Kristina and MOM-NOS have already nominated some of my top candidates — among them Kyra at This Mom, Zilari at Processing in Parts, Kevin Leitch of Lef Brain/Right Brain and host of the amazing Autism Hub . . .

The autism bloggers who make me think are the one's who push my thinking on the many facets of the disease-disability-difference continuum, sometimes from very different perspectives from each other:

1. Autism Diva was one of the very first of the neurodiversity blogs that I read. Her wit and wisdom, not to mention her trademark wrap-up punchlines — "Autism Diva, odd enough" . . . "Autism Diva, super de nova" . . . "Autism Diva, detangler" — make Autism Diva's blog a spot where I stop in when I want a good strong dose of neurodiversity reality therapy. Hold the decaf.

2. Ballastexistenz aka Amanda Baggs, just by virtue of her nom-de-net reminds me of the historical links between facism and eugenics. Her insights and experience as an adult on the spectrum enhances and informs my thinking, and perhaps more importantly, my parenting. Her activism inspires me. And her writing is tremendous.

3. Kim Stagliano is an autism mom-blogger I read when I want another view of autism — not neurodiversity, but mama-manical. She's funny and smart, and although I don't find myself agreeing with her about the autism epidemic, mercury-poisoning, cures, and the rest of it, she does make me think, and she often makes me laugh out loud. With three daughters on the spectrum I think she has every right to wonder if there's an epidemic.

4. Valerie Paradiz doesn't post often, but when she does, it's so way worth the wait. ("So way worth it" is a Sweet-M-ism . . .) Read Val's post about taking the subway to work. Even if we haven't all been on the subway, we've all been there. Valerie always makes me think about how to make the world a better place for everyone by making it a better place for those who are on the spectrum.

5. Kyra at This Mom. Okay, okay, I know, MOM-NOS just nominated Kyra, but I just can't help it. I have to be a copycat on this one because Kyra, who denies she's a thinking blogger, makes me think all the time! She's also good for product tips, as MOM-NOS points out — bioidenticals, GFCF cupcakes, bicycle gear . . . you name it, and This Mom knows about it. I love that! And I love that she reminds us — me at least — that thinking is not all in your head.

I could go on and on . . . so many autism blogs worth noting, but I'll shift tomorrow to the other thinking bloggers I read.