Welcome to Pokémon Central

When I got back home earlier this evening after spending another day promoting the upcoming Fundraising event ART FROM THE HEART, I went through the mail as I usually do.  Among the various pieces that had been delivered at some point during the day, I found an envelope from IndiePool with the Quarterly Activity Report on the music I have out as an Independent Artist as well as on the MIC CDs.

I was pleased to see that “Say You’ll Wait For Me” is in low rotation on Streamed Internet Radio stations in a particular country to be named later in this blog post.

I was pleased to see that “Late Night In The Borough” is in medium rotation on Streamed Internet Radio stations in that same country to be named later in this blog post.

I was pleased as punch to see that “Somewhere In Detroit” is in high rotation on Streamed Internet Radio stations as well. 

In all, it was a triple header that made my day.  So, I phoned Thomas up to give him the news and he, too, was pleased as punch. 

“This is great news,” he said as his infectious laugh seemed to animate the lifelessness of the telephone receiver in my hand.

“It is,” I responded excitedly.

“Is this in Canada or America that we’re getting this kind of response?” he asked.

There was silence for 5 seconds as I read the report more closely and then I blurted out with great enthusiasm, “Japan!”

“Japan?  As in … Japan?” he verified, his voice a little more cautious than usual.  Yes, Thomas, I said inside my head, Japan as in ‘Welcome to Pokémon Central.’  Japan as in sushi restaurants.  Japan as in, well, Made in.

“Japan,” I repeated.

I heard him let his breath out slowly and then he replied in a crisp, invigorating tone,”Cool!”

“Oh, yeah,” I added, “there’s more.  There’s less activity on those songs on Streamed Internet Radio stations in America but it’s the same sort of rotation.”

“Japan,” he repeated to himself more so than to me, and caught in another stream of consciousness altogether.

“And America,” I repeated in case he hadn’t caught that extra bit of information.

“Japan,” he said again.

With so many travelers turning their attention — and bank accounts — to the upcoming Olympic Games in Beijing, maybe Thomas and I should tour Japan. 

Elyse Bruce
Founder and Creator
MIDNIGHT IN CHICAGO

Autism Behind the Scenes

A while back, when I was writing a previous blog entry, I got a phone call from a woman who is heavily involved with an autism organization in Pennsylvania. There is some legislation meandering its way through the House and Senate over there and it would seem that autism organizations are taking differing positions on it.

It’s Pennsylvania HB/SB 1150, if anyone is interested, and readers of Midnight In Chicago’s July newsletter know we provided a way for people to make their views on HB/SB 1150 known to legislators in Pennsylvania.

 

This woman I was talking to has a son on the spectrum, and has her own pointed views on the legislation. As she expressed them, I was reflecting that not only is she a member and volunteer for her autism organization, but she spreads knowledge and awareness of autism wherever she can beyond her volunteer work with the ASA.

 

She’s pressed her local school board to provide better services for her child.   And she sells homemade crafts to raise money for autism organizations.  In short, if there were a House and a Senate composed entirely of people like this woman, we’d all be making a heck of a lot more progress toward increased funding and awareness for Autistics.

 

So rather than talk about myself, or the MIC project today, I would like to give attention to and applaud this courageous woman … Beth Sullivan of Pennsylvania … and all the women and men and children who are just like her.  Yes, today I applaud those among us who stand up and fight for what they believe will benefit autistics.

 

Thomas D. Taylor

Co-Creator

MIDNIGHT IN CHICAGO

Of People, Cats, and Podcasting

 

I love to podcast. I suppose there are a few people who fear getting behind the microphone and hamming it up, but I am not one of them. I love being in-studio and reading the script in a nice, relaxing voice alongside of Elyse. I love to interview people also which makes the July 2008 podcast particularly thrilling because this month we interview TWO people.

 

The actual recording sessions work like this:

 

Thomas: “In a new publication, Tony Attwood reveals that-“

 

Lola the Cat: “Meow!”

 

Elyse: “Lola, get off of that!”

 

Lola the Cat: “Meow!” (Thump!)

 

Thomas: “I thought you put the cat out of the studio.”

 

Elyse: “I thought YOU did.”

 

Lola the Cat: “Meow!”

 

Once THAT problem is sorted out, we begin again…

 

It usually goes at LEAST that well, but this month I thought it went VERY well. We got to do a follow-up interview with 13 year old Lewis Schofield and listen to the words of wisdom he imparted about his Asperger Syndrome, and his new diagnosis, Myasthenia Gravis. Interviewing Lewis is a once a year thing, and if you compare this year’s podcast to last year’s, you can see that he has matured, and become somewhat more philosophical as well.

 

He also seems to be able to commandeer the microphone and steal the show. I envy this boy. He makes it look easy even though I have been podcasting for over a year now.

 

Additionally, we got to do an interview with Douglas Giesel, who has multiple sclerosis. He talks about his “invisible disability” and how he is treated by people in society who don’t have what he has. I think his story parallels Lewis’s AS/MG story, so the two interviews dove-tail pretty nicely.

 

We have yet to interview Lola the Cat, but I must say that we are keen to do so. There are many pressing questions that need to be answered.  After all, Lewis seems to believe that Lola the Cat has autism-like behaviours.  So perhaps we should ask Lola the Cat the following questions:

 

1) Have cat scientists discovered yet that anti-rabies and feline distemper shots do not cause autism?

 

2) Do cat scientists know that, as of yet, there is no scientific evidence to suggest that cat food with rice in it treats feline autism?

 

3) And finally, the most pressing question of all:  IS there such a thing as feline autism? Or are they just acting weird because their owners aren’t cleaning out their litter boxes enough?

 

Thus far, Lola the Cat can open and shut doors on command, come when summoned (by Elyse, not me – she runs from me like she runs from dogs), but she cannot speak English. As soon as she can make her feelings known to us in an intelligible manner, we will interview her for our listeners.

 

Until then, you will all have to make do with Lewis Schofield and Douglas Giesel – you will be impressed, I assure you!

Thomas D. Taylor
Co-Creator
MIDNIGHT IN CHICAGO