Plans for the new year

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Since the new year is quickly approaching, I thought I would ask everybody if they had any major plans for the next year.

I personally don't know what I am going to do yet. My company ran out of work for me to do, and as a result I lost my job 4 months ago. Since then I haven't had much luck with finding a new job. I recently read that Mechanical Engineers (my profession) were the second hardest hit job by the economy. The total amount of Mechanical Engineering jobs dropped 18% between January and September of 2009. Combined with the unemployment beforehand, and the jobs lost since then, and also the new graduates entering the field and I am pretty sure that unemployment amongst mechanical engineers may be 30% or so.

Anyways, not trying to throw myself a pity party. I am just realizing that I probably will have a lot of free time the next few months because it is unlikely I will get another job any time soon. So, as such I am looking for a good use of my time. Anybody got any ideas?

So, write a post saying what you plan to do next year, and if I like it, I will steal the idea and do it too.

Why not write a book? I'm thinking I might do that next christmas holidays if I actually have enough time and am not working through them like this year.

Writing a book isn't a bad suggestion, but I have no idea what I would write about.

I have been trying to convince you to write a book for a year to two years now

1. A book for parents and educators that would touch on some of the main themes or questions you have read in parent discussion. Help dispel some of the myths people have regarding autism. Provide some intervention strategies. Something like that. I feel you are one of the most helpful individuals on this forum for helping parents understand their children a little more and giving them ideas and strategies that may help. I like how you bring in your own personal experiences and that of others.

2. Autobiography

Please write that book already. I want to buy to help me. it
Oh, and sunflower, I want to buy your CD once it comes out - such relaxing music. I have been reading your poetry as well and like it

So sorry to hear about your job.

This past year has been spent with a lot of reflection and analysis of my life---since I was diagnosed with AS in November of 2008. And, my youngest son (who is was diagnosed with AS this past summer. The IEP process for him at school was an interesting process.

So now, with 2010 around the corner, what are my big plans?

Well, I want to try to make serious progress on my novel, and work on a book about my life with AS. I also want to get the basement cleaned so that I can make major progress on my HO scale train layout. I have models on the dining room table that I am currently working on. And I have ordered parts to complete my amusement park train (the type with the open-sided passenger cars with the Victorian park bench seats. I am custom building those. I also want to make a DVD of some my family's home slides, movies, and photographs so that they can be shown on my new DVD projector I got for Christmas. There is so much I want to do.

I guess I could take up a arts + crafts hobby. Maybe finish my robot that Ive been working on. Any other suggestions?

I'll be crashing a party.

Lol I don't know when that's going to happen, but I highly doubt it will be in the next month.

Glad you like my poetry. If you like relaxing music, I can send you an mp3 recording of my own version of Prayer of the Children (a choir song) I did by recording my voice over itself for all the parts. It's good to listen to, probably the only half way decent recording I have of myself (although the sound quality is still poor). I know I have other friends who listen to it on their itunes. Just send me your email and I'll send it to you. It's in mp3 form so easier to listen to as just a song.

My year's goal is based on the elementary school year. Of course my life IS my kids so I don't actually have any personal goals for myself. The goal is to get some kind of diagnosis for my son so that he can get help at school so that he can LEARN something besides how to hate school.

Now to be a total hypocrite why don't you consider taking some online courses in something you've been interested in but haven't pursued yet? Grab a certificate in something.

Listen to The Kinks until Midnight.