You’re doing what you are meant to do.
Thank you for your time.

Thanks Jack!
Thanks.
I will never be able to express that with more words.
Thanks.

Jack, you’re awesome!! Thanks for everything!

@ModernSurvival
I sent you the lyric sheet the other day. Send me some feedback if you have any and I will incorporate. Rough cut drums are tracked… I hope to have the rest done (very rough mix and arrangement) by tomorrow!

Chorus:

“you don’t have to be a face in the crowd,
you don’t have to live the way they tell you to
just make your own way,
and the others will follow
the revolution is you…”

First let me say this was the best podcast I have listened to since joining. Your heartfelt comments really hit home. My son in law turned me on to your show when I was up visiting for Christmas this last year. Words cannot express the impact your show has had on me and my family. Now my brother listens, sister, my 80 year old mother, and my two older sons. (Six kids and 8 grandchildren so far). They know that “paw-paw” is a bit different with all his survival stuff and have tolerated my rantings over the past thirty years. Now they call for advice and really listen because they know changes are happening in our country and culture. I have always been into preparedness and thought about “what if ” scenarios. What is different for me now is that my focus and determination has increased 10 fold thanks to you. I too know stuff and plan to do more in the way of contributing to the forum and by so doing learn along the way and become a better person. You have made me feel as though I am not crazy anymore. You inspire me to do more and do better. I also feel a new found sense of freedom. I get it. And you are right. Growing your own food is dangerous (To TPTB) because it liberates. I just wanted to say thanks. If you ever come to Amarillo Texas give me a holler. My house is your house. Should the need ever arise, I got your back Jack, and I don’t say that lightly. Your in my neck of the woods let me know and whatever you need and I have is yours.

Thanks,

No Prob Rob

Hi Jack

My wife thought I was crazy, my kids thought I was crazy, and the neighbors, well you know… I’ve been listening for well over a year. You are the alarm clock that woke me up, and my wife, kids, and maybe the neighbors, someday. Today’s podcast is most appreciated. Thanks Jack, and congratulations on the 400th. Len

@womule Sorry this is long, but maybe something out of our experience will help you.

I’ll agree, I won’t call aspergers a learning disability. My nephew has it, he had a very difficult time with school. He now lives with his grandmother, does volunteer work, but has a hard time supporting himself, mainly because he still misses too many social clues. There are different degrees of aspergers, some can be more independant than others. Or just a name someone made up to describe certain types of behaviors they don’t understand.

My oldest son most likely has it. I knew something was different about him when he was little. My first clue may have been when he dismantled his crib and was sitting there checking out the pieces. Several years before I’d ever heard of the term.

His kindergarten teacher called me every day first week of school. What is with this kid? He doesn’t want to sit in his seat, wants to touch and explore everything. Another teacher asked if he had a skin condition, he’d flinch when the other students touched him. His first grade principal called me, most stubborn kid he’d ever seen in his years of teaching. (Son jumped off side of steps instead of walking down them, didn’t say he was sorry, said he liked jumping off the side. In office whole day. You told me not to lie and I’m not sorry. Principal should know better than to get in a power struggle with a first grader!)

Later, the school asked if I’d have him tested. They believed him to have ADD or something related. I could believe that, I probably have it and so do most of my kids, why test?

I was in no hurry to put him on medication, which would be one reason to have him tested. How are his grades? All A’s and in our gifted and talented program. How did he do on the IQ test you gave him? He maxed it out. Is he happy? yes. And you think he has a learning disability? Well he is always moving around, he might learn better is he could be still. Knowing I think better when I’m moving, sit still I fall asleep, I disagreed. Did lots of doodling in college classes.

Now homework in gradeschool was a nightmare. We finally worked out a system, I’d sit in the car with him, he had just homework to work on. I’d be reading a book or something else. Homework got done and he could play on a computer afterwards or build something outside. Later he did homework on his own in the house and no longer took hours.

He loved orgami, I think that is what got him through school. About the time he discovered orgami was the time homework was no longer torture. He made paper dragons and many other mythical creatures in grade school. His teachers learned (and I talked to them) as long as his fingers were busy he could stay in his seat and focus on their lesson.

In middle school he was picked on horribly by other students. We had many talks about sticking up for himself, avoiding fights, etc. His older sister wasn’t sure she wanted the other high schoolers to know he was her brother, she was concerned when he was about to move up. He barks like a dog!

He was given an end of year Algebra test. After 10 minutes he turned it in and started making more orgami creations. His teacher was concerned. This test is important. Please check your answers. No. I don’t need to check them, they are all right. She pleaded, it was a very important test, quickly learning how stubborn my son could be. He sat there and made more orgami items. She checked his test, perfect score.

I talked to him. How he was taller than many his age, yet on a social level he fit in with those 3 years younger. I explained that I had nothing wrong with him playing with younger kids. Just that others when they pictured him as older than he was, acting younger than he was, made people think there was something wrong with him. I suggested that if he did a few things such as not barking, he may fit in better. I also told him anything important, he should still do what he thought was right even if everyone else was doing something different.

I learned that when I explained social skills rest of us took for granted, he got it, changed his behavior. Things most people didn’t need pointed out. He made many friends in high school. His sister’s friends all wanted to go out with him. His classmates voted him most likely to succeed, and most studious (he never studied for his classes but always learning something.)

Today he is almost finished with a college degree, long process. Meanwhile he is working part-time for another university making $70 hr. He gets great job offers on a regular basis. Speaking at 2 java conferences this summer. A few places won’t hire him because he has no degree. He still loves to be outside and play with kids, which his two little ones love.