The only morning action I get is a hairy drooler

So it's 6:30 in the morning. I have just been awakened (rather rudely, I might add!) by a giant dog who just ka-thumped her paws on the bed to remind me that she has needs, too, ya know! Right now, her need is to pee. She ka-thumps back down, and waits, as patiently as a giant 5 month old puppy can while I wipe the sleep from my eyes and reach for my glasses. (and I was having such a good dream, too! Guess Johnny Depp will have to wait for another day). I trudge out to the front door, clad in my purple plaid flannel pajamas, dog in tow. And we grab the treats, (for after she "gets busy") her booda bone rope toy (in case she decides to chew on the leash) and the breath spray (in case the rope toy doesn't work) so that she can do her business.

In that short time, on our moderately busy residential side street, a few cars go by, beginning their morning commute. I am standing out in my front yard, my pajama-clad butt and flip-flops for all the world to see. But priorities are important, and mine is sleep. I don't care if people see at that time in the morning.Once she's done, we trudge back in, and being the absolute non-morning person that I am, we go back to bed. (Vampires? They learned to fear mornings from me.)

Fast forward to 8:30 a.m. or midnight… I kind of care. I care enough to want to wear jeans, but wow, how uncomfortable are they for just lounging around the house? I guess I could wear yoga pants, but the cotton gets kind of breezy, especially with our cool summer nights. Very much a first world problem, I know. Still, trying to find a solution has been frustrating. When the dog has to go, she has to go!

Enter:

pajama jeans! Completely affordable, yet look snazzy.

These amazing pants that I wear the hell out of (no really, I am wearing them RIGHT NOW) are a lightweight pull on low-rise spandex jean. They have no zippers, and no seams, and I totally know what you are thinking, because so did I: retirement early-bird diner specials, right? But they don't look like your mother's jeans…they are stylish. And they are comfortable, feeling a lot like a pair of work out pants. Except? I can run to Target or Fresh & Easy and not look like I just stepped out of the gym. No schlubbiness here! I can even throw on some heels and head to dinner! But first, no doubt I will have to walk the dog.

T, who wishes mornings came LATER

I wasn't paid to write this,no one told me I had to, but was given a great pair of these jeans, that I really DO wear the hell out of, or I wouldn't review. I promise. AND? they are totally affordable, at only $39.95. WITH a bonus t-shirt!

How Do You Tweet? 4 Twitter Applications You Might Want To Try

With so many desktop applications out there for twitter so that I can feed my habit,I wanted to enable you review my top 4. I have used many, these stand out. I am still on the search for the perfect solution...and I like to play with tech. So, here goes:

Power Twitter:

Power Twitter is an add-on for Firefox. I used to use this, and it is quite good. It augments the twitter web page, so you actually access twitter through the web page. But some of the things that Power Twitter allows you to do:

• see links as actual names of links, huge plus because of the twitter vulnerabilities that were exploited a few months ago.
• has embedded media, both pictures and video..no need to click the links to see it, it shows up in your stream
• does not have search
• does not have groups or columns, it is straight twitter web interface
• mouseover avatars for recent tweets

I like Power Twitter, and is is a good choice if your followers are quite manageable. But I found that I needed something that allowed me to organize a bit better. So I switched to TweetDeck.

TweetDeck:

• Is a stand-alone application based upon Adobe Air that you download and use on your desktop
allows groups and columns according to how you set them up. You can have groups of friends, business, people who make you laugh..use your imagination
• allows searches to be incorporated into columns, so you can follow a topic site-wide, regardless of whether you follow the person. It updates automatically, just as your regular stream
• allows you to do everything with a follower simply by scrolling over the avatar. Reply, DM, Retweet, add to group, delete a tweet, everything can be done by mouseover. This, in my opinion, is the best feature of TweetDeck. Fast, and easy.
• Allows easy color change from Settings if you don't like black background and white type. I do not.
• reply window is right at the top, where you would naturally put your mouse
• allows adding Facebook to your columns to check friends' status at a glance (does not include messages or comments on the pages)
• only allows 10 columns, so you may run out of room if you have a lot of separate groups. I have over 3,000 friends 4 groups and a permanent search, and still have columns left, however
• Does NOT show link names, a weakness in my opinion
• does not have embedded media, again, a weakness

I was satisfied with TweetDeck, but some others were talking about Destroy Twitter. Faithful in relationships, I let my fickleness surface when it comes to tech toys. So I tried it.

Destroy Twitter:

• another stand-alone app with Adobe Air downloaded for desktop
• allows you to adjust the size by choosing regular or expanded view
• does not allow stretching of window, or a horizontal scroll bar, instead you must tab to see other columns, which I find cumbersome
• not as easy as TweetDeck to see search, you cannot have all columns showing at the same time
• colors are not as easy to change, but the Theme Builder at the site is extensive and allows you to upload your theme, and change them with ease. Once you realize where it is. Similar to Google themes
• allows exclusion of terms as well as global search
• has a beautiful user interface, artsy and well-thought out.
• supports, choice of is.gd, bit.ly, digg and migre.me, for links; for pictures: Twitgoo, TweetPhoto, TwitPic, Posterous, Mobypicture and img.ly
• I do miss the placement of the tweets window..in TweetDeck it is at the top, in Destroy Twitter it is in the left hand corner.
• also miss the ease of replies, DMs and all operations through mouseover on avatars like in TweetDeck
• does not convert URLs to names
• does not show media in the stream, still have to click on links in order to see pictures or video

Not able to leave well enough alone, I heard that Seesmic had an update, so I had to check that one out, too. DId I mention I am fickle?

Seesmic:

• also a downloadable desktop client application
• only one color option that I can see, but it is readable, gray background with light blue. Still, if you don't like blue, you may not enjoy the user interface..I found the colors uninspiring
• allows creation of groups, I am told an unlimited amount
• URL, image and shrink text (shorten URLS) buttons at the top, under the reply window
• support for multiple accounts (yay!) at the same time. This is huge!
• Facebook support
• can stretch window to the size you want
• has referenced tweets, underneath it mentions who the reply was to
• each column is a different color; in the future, being able to choose your own colors would be handy
• media also not shown in stream, must click on URLs to see it
• has the icons on the avatar, like TweetDeck. Love this feature, it is intuitive
• can drag columns into the order you want them. Also a great feature
• search is very easy, with a text box at the top right
• easy to add search columns, also
• cuuute (via my son) raccoon icon

Since I am reviewing these apps and I actually use them, let me tell you what I want (what I really, really want) If you wanna be my lover want me to LOVE your twitter client:

• Give me the look of Destroy Twitter, customizable themes
• URL names and media incorporated directly into my stream, a la Power Twitter
• searchable and columns, like TweetDeck, but make the column number unlimited or at least more than TEN
• multiple accounts supported, like Seesmic
• other social media platforms supported, digg, Jaiku, Pownce, Identi.ca, and RSS, to name a few, like gwibber (which is not available unless you do Linux, but has the right ideas, anyway)

So there you have it..my take on the desktop twitter applications I have tried. What did I miss? Which one do you just get excited over??

T, who is waiting for that great app, get with it, developers!

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Wolfram Alpha you aren't off to a very good start

I am a big fan of new tech. And I know that new stuff often has bugs that need to be worked out. But when I hit Wolfram Alpha, the new computational search engine last week for the first time, I was disappointed. Yes, it's an ongoing project, and needs others to contribute, but this? Floored me.

This is a screen capture of the word, "autism" in the search window, and the results found. (first I put in autism rates world and it came up with nothing) You can click on the image to enlarge, but the text is as follows:

(n) autism ((psychiatry) an abnormal absorption with the self; marked by communication disorders and short attention span and inability to treat others as people

With 1 in 150 kids dealing with autism, and the fact that you can throw a rock in tech communities and hit someone who either has a kid with autism or knows a kid with autism? THIS result? Is unacceptable. What, are we in the 18th century?

Next thing you know, it will be all about the refrigerator mothers again! Yes autism was once thought of as a psychiatric disorder, not a medical one. It was the mother's fault, she just didn't show her children enough love and compassion...she was cold. This is the old, outmoded thinking that was thrown out decades ago. Autism is classified as a neurological disorder and a developmental delay. It has nothing whatsoever to do with parenting. I? Am a kick-ass parent. You can ask my friends. You can ask my kids. It clearly wasn't anything we did. It. just. is. Time to stop blaming the parents.

Want to let Wolfram know that this kind of search result and definition is abhorrent in the 21st century? Send feedback.

While you're at it, send email to Princeton as well. It would seem that is where this ridiculous definition of autism originated.

T, who was dumb-founded and will stick to Google

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Look! I'm a Star! (ok, so only in my head..)

Hey everyone! Today I am appearing on Special Needs Kids Talk Radio, so come check it out! 10 a.m. PST and 1 p.m. EST (noon, CST). We are going to talk about autism, homeschooling and what it's like being the "odd one out" in my family. You can listen by clicking on the link, and then the little special needs square takes you to the show. If you register, you can also chat and ask questions for me to answer on air. Come and listen!

From the website:

We are talking to Tina Cruz today about homeschooling her 3 kids and being the only "normal" person in her household, which makes her the strange one. Tina has a great sense of humor, despite her trials and tribulations

This is the first time I have done this, so let me know you are listening. I am terrified bewildered nervous!

T, who hopes I don't stutter and say "uhm..." a lot

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Shhh! It's a SECRET or Why I Love Blogging

And this is why I freakin' love blogging, the Bloggysphere and all that goes with it. I believe in true love, I admit it. Sometimes it is a bit worse for wear, but it is always enduring. Going on twenty years with my tech support, this year. But he didn't do it this way. I kind of asked him. Yep, after I swore I wouldn't get married. He wouldn't push,see? He knew I didn't want to get married, he respected that. We laughed it off when I asked and I felt like a complete idiot and just played it off.

He came back later that night and got down on one knee in the bathroom and I told him he was being stupid and to just get up off the floor. Then I hit kissed him. Couple of romantics, us. But it's a strong relationship if you can propose in the bathroom and be together 20 years and 3 kids later.

So apparently, this is not the first time, that distinction goes to dooce (doesn't everything?!) where her husband proposed in her comments. I guess. That's what he says. And pioneer woman fits in there, somewhere... but the first proposal with an entire blog goes to mommypie and The Boy. Visit and make sure to read the comments. All brought to you by Marci. She wants you to be a part of this, so make sure you head over to her blog, sign the Mister Linky and put your own spin on the love story, along with your marriage proposal story, too.

Say it with me now... awwwwwwwwwwwwwwww!

T, who loves a happy ending

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What Asperger's Is Like From The Kids Who Have It

I don't usually post more than once a day, but my friend califmom found this and I HAD to share it with you. What having Asperger's is like, from the kids themselves who have it. AMAZING video.

The embedding is iffy, so if you can't see this, PLEASE go watch it here: What Asperger's Is Like

T, who watched with her teen

Find Me

Some places where I write.

OC Family

typeamom where I'm Special Needs Editor

I am the Orange County Special Needs Kids Examiner,I cover local and national special needs topics with an emphasis on autism. If you have information or a topic that needs to be covered, shoot me an email. sendchocolatenow at gmail. You know the drill.

Or, you can tweet me.

OC Register

I wrote over here about living with autism...each comment was a fundraiser for Autism Speaks

Autism Sucks

A Thank You From Me to You

I know you are busy, and have a lot of other things you could be doing. I want to sincerely thank you for participating on my blog. I notice, and I am grateful. I hope that just a small portion of what I write is helpful to you, or touches you. If you leave asking questions you hadn't thought of, then my job is done. Each of you is important to me, always feel free to get in touch with me.

I email. send me any questions or comments sendchocolatenow@gmail.com

I tweet. a LOT. Do I say interesting things? You be the judge. Feel free to tell me what you think. I can take it. @sendchocolate if you want to follow..I follow back, too.

I play nice with others:

FriendFeed
Facebook
Flickr
Stumble Upon

I have lots of toys... not all are listed.

Thanks again. You are valued.

T.