In the seasons of life, unexpected circumstances may arise. We have to roll with the punches. Two notable items:
1) Been enrolled in the PhD Psychology/Theology program at Liberty University, start date either March, June, or August. My previous comments regarding Grand Canyon University still hold true; it’s just that Liberty may be a better fit.
2) Due to some unfortunate circumstances, I am retitling my book: ‘The Book of Carter: The Brain Injury, Life, and Legacy of Carter Jackson.’ So currently about 420 pages typed, I need to finish the 33rd edit, run it through Grammarly, input the changes, and then select from one of three or four publishers who have expressed interested.
I appreciate Dr. Beck Geesaman’s counsel. Thank you!
Happy birthday, Benny. Seems like yesterday we were young when the world was so different. We played outside all day and did our chores. What a lovely life we had. Now 49 years later, it’s time to say Happy Birthday. What a blessing you’ve been. Keep growing. Keep persisting. Look to the Lord.
(Also please remember Jim and Debby this day, the birthday of their son. Still grieving, still aching. Their loss never ending yet their hope eternal.)
Thank you, thank you. Mr. Drake, superior student-service on the telephone recently. Eager to see what God does with my Liberty University app. May actually turn out to be my first choice for the doctoral program. He counseled me on the phone over a half hour and laboriously coached me setting up Google Docs on my phone. I submitted a 1,003-word essay as part of the requirements.
I mention this here because he was intrigued to learn about my books, “book promo.” Thank you, sir. Seemed excited to investigate my debut project with his wife. An unspoken prayer request for her, plz….Miss Savannah. I look forward to speaking to him again as time moves on.
Shared my story and of ‘The Book of James’ at a local Chick-fil-A as I’ve been working on my edits the last few days. Miss Patricia (PA) and Mr. Bill (OH–yay!) who work there have become wonderful friends. They are excited to read ‘Till death do us part;’ (unfortunately so poorly written. lol)
Still working feverishly on ‘The Book of James.’ Took a break this afternoon and chatted with Miss Erika Green, from Grand Canyon University. We had a good discussion about the doctoral program at that school…Doctor of Philosophy in General Psychology: Cognition and Instruction (Qualitative Research.) A lot of options to think about.
Been considering dissertation topics already:
1. How memory works
2. Invisible disability
3, Mainstream vs. special ed
4. Learning outcomes
5. Agility with numbers
6, Reception/perception of messages
7. Verbal and nonverbal differences
8. Can anything be done about a stifled memory?
9. Is ’50 First Dates’ realistic?
10. Legitimate comparisons of a TBI
11. TBI, ADHD, Autism: is there a lesser evil
12. Can you call brain injury a blessing or a curse?
13. Brain injury survivors’ learning styles and behaviors compared to ‘normal’ learners
14. Are statistics with brain injury reliable?
15. Why the brain injured misunderstand so much?
16. How can TBI be compensated for in the workforce?
17. Suicide and brain injury: correlations, statistics, how to counteract?
18. Why the effects of TBI are difficult to understand or comprehend
19. The impact of trauma on a community
20. Parental and community support
21. Standards of care
22. Impact of SSDI: financial and stigmatism
23. Why is it noted as a pre-existing condition?
24. Gainfully employed vs. not
25. Cooperative learning vs. individualized instruction
I’ve met many great friends at Desoto Auto Mall in Arcadia, Florida. Been spending a lot of time there; found a great place to write in Arcadia. At Desoto Auto Mall, a gentleman and employee, Gage Cordova, has become such a good friend of mine. Excellent salesman. Totally committed. Great work ethic.
Why Arcadia? Recently married a lady from there. Till death do us part. We are going to make it work. God works in small ways. God also works through the internet, which is how we met long ago. Also how I initially found and contacted Desoto Auto Mall. Two thumbs up, five stars, and a 100% rating. Visit them.
Desoto Auto Mall
www.desotoautomall.com
3039 SE Highway 70
Arcadia, Florida 34266
800.623.5172
Cannot thank Arcadia Printing enough for their guidance and help through this project, The Book of James. Been relying on them to craft me excellent bound copies of the manuscript. They just printed the 29th edition. Very congenial. Very professional. Thanks so much. Be sure to visit them.
www.facebook.com/ArcadiaPrintShop
www.arcadiaprintshop.com
Grateful for Miss Melinda, manager of the Arcadia McDonald’s. Been working on ‘The Book of James’ there several days a week. I really like the relaxed, country environment. Love, love, besides my ‘normal’ office in N. Fort Myers at Subway. Friends are so wonderful. They’re really helping as I’m working on this 27th revision of the manuscript. Miss Melinda and Troy Rowe have a special place in my heart.
We all have problems. We all have things we could do better. During my writing, I encountered a mentally-disturbed gentleman. Big Donny had a tendency to distract and disturb the peace. Countless customers became disgusted with Big Donny. He thought by being asked to turn down his blaring cell phone we were not minding our business. Come on, man. What about respecting others? Valuing their work time? What about being kind?
The moral? Do not threaten others physically or verbally. Your actions say much about you.
“‘In common with many who have a brain injury, I initially lost my confidence and felt very vulnerable, as if a protective layer of skin had been stripped away.’ Mayam D’Abo”
“Coping strategies….help them function better in the world and everyday life. The survivor’s progress may be influenced by parental or familial support…..The point is, are they encouraged or discouraged at home? Do their closest supporters prod them to persevere and keep fighting to attain the most optimal level of functioning and performance in their everyday life? Unfortunately, discouragement on the home front looms large within the brain-injured community.”
*Yes, you definitely lose your confidence with a brain injury. You feel like you have it all together but you don’t. You think you understand things correctly; until you realize you have misunderstood or been misperceived. All you can do is the best you can. Maybe the burden is on us to realize so many people will be ignorant. Apathetic. Unempathetic. All we can ask for is love and try to be loving ourselves.
*Coping strategies- these are integral. I like to write things down immediately if I need to remember it….knowing abbreviations helps. Some use word-association strategies. I also like to organize things and know exactly where something goes. If it’s not where it belongs, forget about it. Repetition also helps my memory. Constant repetition transfers information from the short-term memory (poor) to the long-term memory (better). Sometimes I have problems with comprehension. There are so many great tv shows and movies, except plots would be hard to understand. News programs and sports, sign me up.
*The last tidbit is huge. Home or family support. Are your closest family behind you in all you do? Are they your biggest cheerleaders? They know your life is tough. They should know it will not get easier. Sure, you will develop coping strategies over time. Is your significant other, your children, your parents, and friends there for you? Alone is very hard in a complex world.
