Public Address | Cafe | Hard News: Being Jim

nzlemming

Wed, 02 Oct 2013 17:02:37 +1300

Finally got to watch this. Really awesome for Jimmy, and for you and Fiona. Made me reconsider a few of my own issues, that I hadn't tied to Asbergers at all.

RaggedJoe

Tue, 01 Oct 2013 17:52:14 +1300

Wow, what a cool documentary, Russell, and Fiona, you must be very proud. Well done Jimmy!,

BenWilson

Mon, 30 Sept 2013 17:32:40 +1300

What a great doco. Jimmy, as he is.

Russell Brown

Mon, 30 Sept 2013 10:36:34 +1300

And a great deal of overall charm.

Everyone who's ever worked with Jim, from day one at school, has really liked him — peers included. His personal charm and obvious lack of malice has served him well. But I've been thinking about how lucky he is in that. We both…

Hilary Stace

Mon, 30 Sept 2013 10:13:31 +1300

By the way loved the quirky use of the coloured cups (and fascinating to see the lovely R-B house).

I am still smiling at the many similarities we here have recognised from the many young Aspies we know, such as the struggle with handwriting and understanding what is required, and…

"chris"

Mon, 30 Sept 2013 02:27:18 +1300

Nice one Jimmy, sweet as. I spotted the t-shirt so...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5xnc1p7BMk

Jolisa

Sun, 29 Sept 2013 22:45:13 +1300

Just watched the doco. I was so delighted to see Jim behind the desk at the Civic during the Film Fest — only now do I fully realise how delighted he was to be there himself!

What a fantastic and generous insight into Jimmy's world, and the sheer determination it…

Cecelia

Sun, 29 Sept 2013 21:40:34 +1300

Thought-provoking doco. Jimmy will make a a great employee and workmate one day soon I hope.

Sacha

Sun, 29 Sept 2013 18:41:34 +1300

That was great. Thanks.

thegirlstefan

Sun, 29 Sept 2013 18:17:39 +1300

well, as a viewer I'm pleased you did. As someone who doesn't know much about autism 1st-hand it was the scene that really brought home how difficult processing ordinary situations where you have to think laterally must be if it doesn't come naturally. It was obvious that the film-makers had…

thegirlstefan

Sun, 29 Sept 2013 18:05:45 +1300

well, as a viewer I'm pleased you did. As someone who doesn't know much about autism 1st-hand it was the scene that really brought home how difficult processing ordinary situations where you have to think laterally must be, and I was pleased with respect that the film-makers obviously had for…

Geoff Lealand

Sun, 29 Sept 2013 17:49:55 +1300

A great piece of television. Spotted Roger Horrocks in one scene at the Civic.

Jim Brown

Sun, 29 Sept 2013 14:40:23 +1300

Russell, has Jimmy ever thought of an online blog ? My son, James, also an Aspie writes for Craccum and finds it very satisfying to write about his view of the world, and also hopefully show others that Aspies can function in normal society.
Although just whats normal is a…

Russell Brown

Sun, 29 Sept 2013 14:30:14 +1300

gosh that scene where Jimmy was a bit lost in the street was hard to watch without knowing him- I can’t imagine what it’s like to watch your own kid struggle in that situation..

Jim was pretty bummed when he came home that day. I talked to him about how…

Hilary Stace

Sun, 29 Sept 2013 12:38:58 +1300

What a lovely young man!. Many similarities to the lovely young man I have here. Realistic portrayal of the issues around employment too, including the huge motivation to be in the workforce and do well*. However, for successful employment, well explained and demonstrated repetitive tasks are often better/less stressful than…

thegirlstefan

Sun, 29 Sept 2013 12:20:41 +1300

hi Russell

just watched this on TVNZ On Demand. As well as coveting your coffee cups, I was impressed with what a loving, supportive and thoughtful family you are. You should be rightly proud but gosh that scene where Jimmy was a bit lost in the street was hard to…

Craig Ranapia

Sun, 29 Sept 2013 10:11:57 +1300

In case it fell through the Saved Daylight gap, Attitude TV has posted the complete episode really quickly here

Bart Janssen

Fri, 27 Sept 2013 09:28:06 +1200

The whole thing was the idea of Deborah Pead

Huh, I hadn't connected those dots, I'll try and remember.

Hebe

Fri, 27 Sept 2013 09:11:15 +1200

Well done Jimmy. And well done Jimmy's parents: having differently abled offspring and committing to them reaching their potential is heroic.

Hilary Stace

Thu, 26 Sept 2013 16:18:42 +1200

'Agency' is a very important concept. Like 'dignity of risk'. Sometimes hard for the rest of us to allow.

Russell Brown

Thu, 26 Sept 2013 10:09:16 +1200

That’s the one. It does seem a long time ago but still very strong in the memory. The auction was great and in the end it seemed like you could have auctioned off anything :).

And The Clean played! The money raised was technically for full-time tutoring for Leo, who…

Craig Ranapia

Thu, 26 Sept 2013 09:49:19 +1200

Jim always refers to you as “my friend Craig”. For a young man who doesn’t have very many people in his life, that’s a very big thing.

Just between us, the feeling is mutual. I don’t apply the other F-word to people easily, or often, but Jimmy doesn’t make it…

Bart Janssen

Thu, 26 Sept 2013 09:21:06 +1200

Was that at the fundraiser in Parnell?

That's the one. It does seem a long time ago but still very strong in the memory. The auction was great and in the end it seemed like you could have auctioned off anything :).

And yes, bravely showing us all what you…

Lizzy Lawrence

Wed, 25 Sept 2013 21:10:53 +1200

Jim, you're a real cool Dude.
Cheers

Sacha

Wed, 25 Sept 2013 19:14:55 +1200

Sacha

Wed, 25 Sept 2013 19:14:05 +1200

Kind of wish there was a spot for him doing video and gaming reviews on screen. He'd be great at it.

Agree. We could help make one.

Russell Brown

Wed, 25 Sept 2013 18:56:33 +1200

Jimmy comes across really well in the trailer.

It was a thrill for us to see it — much like the first time he was an Attitude. I trusted them enough that I wanted them to interview him without us — and he came up with his amazing "weird is…

JacksonP

Wed, 25 Sept 2013 18:40:50 +1200

Jimmy comes across really well in the trailer. Looking forward to seeing the rest of it. Kind of wish there was a spot for him doing video and gaming reviews on screen. He'd be great at it.

M cried.

Raymond A Francis

Wed, 25 Sept 2013 18:36:09 +1200

Thanks Russell, got the message, just not aware of that use of agency
It is always good to learn something new

Nora Leggs

Wed, 25 Sept 2013 18:20:26 +1200

Congratulations to Jimmy!

Russell Brown

Wed, 25 Sept 2013 18:16:11 +1200

I take your point but “agency”

The ability to act on his own behalf and make his own decisions. It's a common word in this context in the disability world.

Raymond A Francis

Wed, 25 Sept 2013 18:00:46 +1200

A hard row to hoe but hopefully with some fantastic rewards to come (which is not to say you have not has some so far)

I can’t make sense of this though

On one occasion, I felt he’d been deprived of agency for the sake of the production
I take…

Sacha

Wed, 25 Sept 2013 17:09:03 +1200

Onya, Jimmy.

Russell Brown

Wed, 25 Sept 2013 16:59:10 +1200

I still have strong memories of the speech Russell gave about his sons, one of the more inspiring things I’ve heard.

Was that at the fundraiser in Parnell? It seems so long ago.

And yeah, I decided that people were going to get the very open and direct version that…

Cecelia

Wed, 25 Sept 2013 16:48:53 +1200

A lovely young man: a programme to watch:)

Bart Janssen

Wed, 25 Sept 2013 16:09:34 +1200

This makes me happy.

I still have strong memories of the speech Russell gave about his sons, one of the more inspiring things I've heard.

Paul Williams

Wed, 25 Sept 2013 16:06:16 +1200

Thanks. Looks really great.

Russell Brown

Wed, 25 Sept 2013 15:50:45 +1200

Incidentally, is the TV show likely to be available online you think?

Yes — at Attitude Live.

Paul Williams

Wed, 25 Sept 2013 15:49:02 +1200

Russell, you and your partner must be rightfully proud; his obvious character is clear in this brief clip. Incidentally, is the TV show likely to be available online you think?

James Burnett

Wed, 25 Sept 2013 15:41:06 +1200

This rules

Lilith __

Wed, 25 Sept 2013 15:25:05 +1200

what a delightful young man

He seems very charming in that clip. I really hope he can find a (paid) outlet for his obvious talents.

Russell Brown

Wed, 25 Sept 2013 15:15:36 +1200

Oh he is your son?! He was very helpful & friendly during the NZIFF.

I'm not surprised, but it makes me very happy to see you say that. Cheers.

Christian Mair

Wed, 25 Sept 2013 15:08:18 +1200

Oh he is your son?! He was very helpful & friendly during the NZIFF.

Jackie Clark

Wed, 25 Sept 2013 15:00:40 +1200

Tears in the eyes. Tears of pride. What a long long way he's come, and what a delightful young man he's grown into.

Danielle

Wed, 25 Sept 2013 14:30:00 +1200

(Full Disclosure: I’m the Secretary, and would be happy as a sack of kittens if y’all signed up. End of infomercial.)

I'll be back one day. I miss it a lot.

Will de Cleene

Wed, 25 Sept 2013 14:04:44 +1200

(The anxiety generated by welfare reforms cannot be overstated.)

One side effect of a recent WINZ inquisition; I wrote a long doggerel poem called Ode to a Small Lump of Pus I Found in my Armpit One Mid-Winter's Morning (which apologies to Grunthos the Flatulent and Douglas Adams).

All I…

Russell Brown

Wed, 25 Sept 2013 13:52:41 +1200

Parental acknowledgement is an important first step – my folks have always denied that I’m on the autistic spectrum, despite showing such traits in the Baron-Cohen test.

I think I've said it before, but you're one of the Aspie-est dudes I've met. And the cool stuff you do is always…

Kumara Republic

Wed, 25 Sept 2013 13:40:19 +1200

Good to see Jimmy is off on a positive tangent. He’s fortunate enough to be able to get the sort of help that wasn’t available or known about during my youth. Especially given that Dr Asperger’s research wasn’t translated into English until the 1980s.

Parental acknowledgement is an important first…

Hilary Stace

Wed, 25 Sept 2013 12:46:03 +1200

Ditto lots and lots of other young people. Different but similar issues.

Russell Brown

Wed, 25 Sept 2013 12:32:38 +1200

It’s also very nice having him (and Fi) at the Film Society.

Jim always refers to you as "my friend Craig". For a young man who doesn't have very many people in his life, that's a very big thing.

Don Christie

Wed, 25 Sept 2013 12:25:20 +1200

And don’t you think he’s a good-looking young man?

Indeed, a chip off the old block :-)

Sara Bee

Wed, 25 Sept 2013 12:05:39 +1200

The best :)

Craig Ranapia

Wed, 25 Sept 2013 12:04:56 +1200

It covers several months of his life, including a period where he made a fine job of pursuing his passion for movies, working as a volunteer at the New Zealand International Film Festival in Auckland.

It’s also very nice having him (and Fi) at the Film Society. (Full Disclosure: I’m…

Public Address

Wed, 25 Sept 2013 12:04:56 +1200

Discussion from blog post.