I heard a conversation on news radio yesterday with Temple Grandin – who they said was probably the most famous autistic person. She’s got a PhD. She’s written books. She designs humane slaughterhouses. Oliver Sacks has written her up. And I’ve already ordered her latest book – Animals in Translation.
She thinks in pictures (her first book) and makes the point that animals are probably thinking the same way. That they are like autistic humans because they aren’t as comfortable with a lot of things most humans ignore (Chapo is scared of plastic bags blowing in the wind and when he was little, pipes or tubes really scared him too…I guess I should say, when he was younger) The connection also extends around the fact that they have heightened senses in some ways – like dogs being scent specialists.
I really enjoyed The Other End of the Leash. And I’m looking forward to this book. Sure, partially because it might help my relationship with Chapo. But also, cause Ifigure Salvador is at some strange stage, where his mind is working on something – but not quite linguistics yet. He’s gotta move from whatever kinds of thoughts he’s having now to more language based ones. I think maybe this book might lend insights into that process too.
Plus, it just seems wild to try and imagine the world through different eyes (I believe she says she can see the world through cow eyes and that helps to make the slaughter houses less intimidating?). Books generally let you see the life through another’s eyes. This seems like it goes into another’s brain. I’m excited.
Catherine made fun of me this morning, cause I drew in the air a cartoon biscuit when we were talking about what Chapo might be thinking. I deserved it. We don’t even give him bones shaped like those cartoony dog biscuits. She commented that cartoon images are mostly floating through my mind, not Chapo’s. Yeah – I guess Pamela Anderson qualifies.
So maybe I don’t have to work that hard to “think in pictures”. But it isn’t dampening my excitement for the book. Comes tomorrow. And maybe it’ll help me understand more about my kid, my dog, and me…
And maybe photoshop…I mean, how does one edit thoughts in that paradigm?