Temple Grandin

[LovedSparrow]

Hi all,
I was looking at a blog on Aspbergers, and the blog author recommended the movie, 'Temple Grandin.' Temple is a woman who had autism, but ended up getting her masters and BA. This is a true story. Much of her inventions with cattle and herding are used today around the country. She is an amazing woman who beat the odds to get where she is today.

I have not seen it, but has anyone else? It stars Claire Daines, and is set in the 1950s I believe. Please do a search, I'm not sure what it is rated, but it looks like it is family friendly. You can look on YouTube for trailers.

The author also suggested a book called 'Screaming Stone' by J P Osterman. It is not a Christian book but it was a fiction book about a girl with autism. JP does not have autism herself, but her two kids do. He said good for kids 13 and up (although he said adults can read it too.)

Check these out if you'd like. The blog is called 'Life with Aspbergers.' Google 'Life with Aspbergers blog" to get the URL.

Hope you find these helpful. I am going to rent this movie asap.

LovedSparrow

(Moderators, if I put too many references in this post, please feel free to edit/ let me know.)

 

[TalusJumper]

Yes- I've seen it (at a preview at CSU with Dr. Grandin present to discuss the film). It was an excellent movie- it was both educational and very entertaining. I think you will really like it.

I think Dr. Grandin is one of the best writers and storytellers for the ASD community. She communicates in a way that is intelligent, respectful to everyone and is easy to understand. I also recommend her books as well (that is saying something as I don't read much- most books I can't stay engaged with and I loose interest). She is very well educated with all aspects of autism.

Our family got to meet her after the viewing of the movie and I told her that our son was on the Spectum. She looked at him and told him that "You have ASD, it doesn't have you. Don't let it define you". Words to live by!

 

[MoeSzyslak]

I have never seen the movie.

 

[LovedSparrow]

TalusJumper- thanks for your feedback. Wow, what a privilege to meet her! I've been enjoying her talks on YouTube, but to meet her personally would be neat. I think that I'll try to find a few of her books, I think they'd be fascinating. My husband and I watched Temple Grandin with her commentary on the second time and it was neat getting her thoughts, ideas, and memories when the movie played.

I highly recommend Temple Grandin. It was not a movie in theatres, it was a made-for-tv movie by HBO. Very family friendly, no swearing, the only sexual image is a waist up- 10 second movie clip of a black and white film of a couple making out, (from the shoulders up on the beach but are wearing bathing suits) and Temple changes the channel to some lions mauling each other (showing she wasn't interested in that stuff.) A feel good movie, very inspirational. It explains Autism wonderfully to people who have it and their loved ones. The producers emphasize how sights, sounds, and colors affect people with Autism. They make some sound effects louder in parts to show the viewer what it's like for an Autistic person. Also being over stimulated, repeating phrases over and over. You get the sense that you are in her shoes.

I don't get inspiration from celebrities, but I do with Temple. She didn't talk until she was 4, and psychologists wanted her institutionalized, but her mother refused and raised Temple herself. Temple struggled in school, no eye contact, lots of bullying, being over-stimulated by sights and sounds. She was failing out of school until a teacher in her boarding school realized she had a visual memory (sees everything in pictures, literally). He recognized her talent and inspired her. Shocking everyone, she went to college and faced hardships from being the only woman in a man's world (the cattle industry). She ended up getting her Masters! Her inventions are prevalent in half of the nations' slaughterhouses (she makes them more humane so they are comfortable) and is a speaker for Autism all over the world. She is a professor now at a university in Colorado. True story.

Highly recommended for anyone who is on the spectrum or has a family member that may struggle with understanding. If you get the movie, I recommend watch it a second time with the commentary on and she'll talk during the movie with the producers about what it was like in her world to have autism.

(Can you tell I'm excited about it?) Hehe

 

[Letter Never Sent]

Thanks for recommending this! Even my wife really liked it. In fact afterwards she watched Temple's 20 min. TED talk instead of eating dinner!!! She was glued to the TV. And she also watched a 10 min. ABC story about Carly.

I'd love to watch again with the commentary but we have to return it. I will probably buy it at some point.

I'm curious how she remembers conversations if she thinks in pictures. Maybe a conversation is a series of pictures and she remembers the pictures? Maybe someone here thinks like her and can explain.

I saw her TED talk last year and was amazed. I didn't realize that I was a pattern thinker, I thought everyone thinks in patterns, now I don't know how other people think.

I think Dr. Grandin is one of the best writers and storytellers for the ASD community. She communicates in a way that is intelligent, respectful to everyone and is easy to understand. I also recommend her books as well (that is saying something as I don't read much- most books I can't stay engaged with and I loose interest). She is very well educated with all aspects of autism.

I'll have to check this out. I'm the same way with reading. Which book do yo recommend? I'm not into animals.

 

[MoeSzyslak]

According to the nuerology books I have read thinking in pictures isn't that rare. 30% of people think visually. 45% think in a combination of visual and words and 25% think in only words.

It is believed the autistic population follows these same percentages. Just because one autistic person says she thinks in pictures doesn't mean all autistic people do or that it is a trait of autism or that it is rare.

 

[Letter Never Sent]

Just because one autistic person says she thinks in pictures doesn't mean all autistic people do or that it is a trait of autism or that it is rare.

I wasn't saying either. I'm sure it is common enough that someone here thinks that way and can explain it to me.

I'm just curious how someone who doesn't think in patterns thinks. What holds everything together?

My mind is like computer files and I can do a word search for maybe 2 or 3 different folders at once. (I told my then 4 year old daughter princesses don't cry, meaning when they don't get their way. Then she rattled off a list of princess who did cry. In her mind there is a folder for princesses and she did a search for crying. That's how our minds and memories work)

Or I can see an idea or scenario sort of like a shape, then link 2 totally different concepts together because they have the same basic pattern. (Reading is different from socializing, but my difficulty with reading has the same basic pattern as my difficulty with socializing.)

But how does someone who doesn't think in pattern access info or memories?

And how does someone who thinks in pictures remember conversations?

 

[MoeSzyslak]

How does one determine how they think? I have no idea how I think. I just do?

 

[Letter Never Sent]

How does one determine how they think? I have no idea how I think. I just do?

"Yeah, it's best not to think about it" ~ words to live by from Lenny

 

[Matariki]

I've seen the film. It accurately portrays not only the life of Dr Temple Grandin but also Aspergers itself (I should know, I have Aspergers). I've never met her myself but my father has. Yes, she is an amazing woman.

 

[MoeSzyslak]

I believe Temple is actually diagnosed with classic autism (high functioning) not asperegers.

Though the DSM is proposing to get rid of the aspergers diagnosis and put everyone under the autism diagnosis, so I guess it doesn't really matter.

 

[setfreebygod]

I recently watched Temple Grandin's movie with my daughter who has asperger's and she is 10. She was really was inspired by Temple. I have never seen my child discuss a movie more than she discussed this movie. She was fascinated by the "hugging machine." For those of you that have not seen the movie, it really is a must and it will help explain the machine Temple designed. For us, the movie opened a door of communication between my daughter and I that was not present before. She liked the phrase "Different but no less" she has been saying this to the people she chooses to know about her Asperger's.

 

[LovedSparrow]

I am sooo glad you guys have enjoyed the movie!!! I have now seen it twice (in the last month) and am going to be buying it soon!

If you own it, check out the commentary that plays during the film. (The Director and Temple talk through the movie.) She explains Autism and her history in further detail.

 

[Letter Never Sent]

I want to purchase the movie on iTunes but I don't know if it includes the commentary, subtitles, and bonus features

I just finished reading Thinking Differently. In it there they mention Look Me In The Eye, I'm reading that now. I might read Be Different next then Thinking in Pictures.

 

[cobweb]

My husband and I watched the movie. It was really good. There were a few moments when we could see our son in the way she was reacting to situations.

 

[LovedSparrow]

Letter Never Sent- I was looking at that too, I'm pretty certain that it doesn't include the commentaries, bonus features, etc. (on iTunes). It may be best to purchase it in a hard copy. Do check into it further tho- I am not positive.

 

[MoeSzyslak]

I rented it and tried watching it tonght. I couldn't get all the way through it. Not really my type of movie. I pretty much only watch zombie movies.

From the parts I saw I did associate with many of her behavoirs. .

 

[Letter Never Sent]

Letter Never Sent- I was looking at that too, I'm pretty certain that it doesn't include the commentaries, bonus features, etc. (on iTunes). It may be best to purchase it in a hard copy. Do check into it further tho- I am not positive.

I'm guessing it doesn't, I'll have to get the DVD for that. Thanks for your help!

I rented it and tried watching it tonght. I couldn't get all the way through it. Not really my type of movie. I pretty much only watch zombie movies.

From the parts I saw I did associate with many of her behavoirs. .

I too was disappointed by the lack of zombies in it!

Although I can't associate with her (i.e. thinking in pictures, overwhelmed by physical environment) I like reading/listening to what she has to say. She'll be in my neck of the woods soon and I'm trying to decide whether or not to go. I want to it's just a matter of money and time.

 

[TheChristianAspie]

The movie was awesome and inspirational.

Another work of fiction (not christian, unfortunately) is "Speed of Dark" by Elizabeth Moon. I have recommended it to NTs because it mostly exists in the mind of an autistic man. It is very good.

A Christian Book is "Fringe: My Life as a Spirit-Filled Christian with Asperger's Syndrome"

"Pretending to be Normal" (I forget the author) is another good book on Asperger's Syndrome.

 

[LovedSparrow]

Thank you! I will check those out when I can.