Terry Newman

From Me to Jay:

 I like the doll, how did you come across it? I've seen some similar before.

 From Jay to Me:

 I was at the Museum of Civilization in Ottawa over the holidays, and there was this "kiddy" exhibit, and in the middle of it, for no reason, was this creepy little black doll. It amused me to no end, so I insisted on pictures. So, what about you? What's your story?

 From Me to Jay:

 It reminds me of some African ones I've seen and also some I have seen made of socks. Me, or my prop, my hat? ..haaa My hat is unfortunately not from a Milan Kundera novel. My story, hmmm occupation -financial which is quite the 180 when you're actually creative. I write. Pitching 2 book ideas in September. I dabble in photography, I co-own/design on a local website recently started which I'm trying to come up with the best way to make 'user maintained' to make it used often by the users and therefore highly successful.... Am I boring you yet? -t

 From Jay to Me:

 No, your hat is not from a Milan Kundera novel, but you seem to be. No, you're not boring me yet. :) What's with the "financial" job, though? What does that mean? And if you're so creative (which you clearly are), do you like your job? I'm also curious about the website - what's that about? Sorry if I'm asking a lot of questions...I find your profile intriguing. Are you from Halifax?

 From Me to Jay:

 I work for CIBC. I like selling and I'm very good at it. It's a different type of creative, it's the art of persuasion. Banking has a lot of 'order' to it, whereas art has a lot of chaos. The site is newhalifax.ca A friend and myself decided Halifax ahd a lot going for it and we wanted to highlight it, over the next few weeks it's going to be revamped as we've decided we need to get users more involved. To do so I'm bringing in some more amateur writers and photographers, bascially anyone who has some spunk and wants to contribute. My idea is to make it as much user involved as possible which will maximize hits. Here's one of my articles http://www.newhalifax.ca/index.php/2007/10/19/take-me-out-everything-that-isnt-picking-up-at-a-bar-or-watching-tv-on-the-couch/ I'm from Cape Breton originally.... Your turn....... :)

From Jay to Me:

 Hah. I'm just picturing you at CIBC, talking to one of your clients. "Yes, sir, thank you for opening an account with us, sir. And also, I want to live the life of a Whore - one who gives too freely." Hah - that image amuses me. :) My turn? Hmm....well, I have a background in theatre (did my undergrad in theatre), acted in a bunch of plays, wrote and produced a play or two, and then graduated and realized I hadn't the slightest interest in making a living at that. So, after a year or two of telemarketing and selling my soul, I went back to school and did a Master's in English lit. I fell completely in love with teaching, and after graduating, I got a job at one of the universities here. So I just moved here in August...and that's basically my story. Art criticism is actually something I've been trying to get better at. I criticize literature, obviously, and I've moved on to film, but visual art has always been a sort of blind spot of mine....I'm in the midst of learning, though! I'm going to go look up your site and your article, now... Your turn, once again. If you still want to play.

 From Me to Jay:

 Haaa, yeah I love that whore line too for some reason it always gets attention. Art criticism is loads of fun, especially laughing at the kitschy stuff and talking about what you like about the ones you actually enjoy. You have to try it sometime. :) Theatre is grand. It's also a hard thing to make a living at. With the creative passions, work doesn't flow fluidly and is more contract based. And you're usually not truly appreciated until you're dead. Ha. So What do you like about teaching besides obviously knowing all the answers? :) I used to like taking information I was given in class and finding ways of simplifying it or relating it so it could be better understood. If I was not given the reason why I was learning something, the entire purpose for it...teaching me would be like teaching a mule. So did you come from Montreal? Where is this Ewok village? I can't believe I've never happened upon it.... Your roll........

 From Jay to Me:

 Hi there (you know, it just occurred to me, I don't know your name, and I refuse to call you Kismetrickarma, as awesome a net name as that is), Yeah, I come from Montreal. You've been there, I assume? You must have been, if you like art, or French culture, which is infinitely more exciting and sexy and varied than English culture. It's funny that you mention knowing all the answers - I've actually been afraid, since my first day of teaching, that the students are going to ask precisely the wrong question, and they'll all at once find out I'm a fraud. :) What do I like about teaching...I love seeing people engage with something, I love the sparks and passion and high-energy exchange that takes place in a classroom when it's really, really working. I love seeing people change how they think, or how they perceive the world, for the better. If I can get people to think more critically, and to feel more strongly, about everything they see around them, then I'll have succeeded at my goals as a teacher. Does that make sense? By the way...do you feel like continuing this conversation in person? As much as I enjoy writing, I'm not someone who will often defend the internet as a bastion of authentic and free-flowing communication. :) Your roll.

 From Me to Jay:

 I know Montreal. I was just back there for a visit in November. Now I walk around town proudly with my St. Viatuer bagel cotton bag from my trip. :) I know the Quebec culture well from attending universite Laval when I won a french bursary back in 97'. Yes, I know that feeling. Like a room full of mini-epiphanies going off. I love having those types of discussions with my friends when I talk about art, or my other passions. I've trained people before as well, so I can relate to the hoping they don't ask the one question I can't answer. It's an interesting struggle- the throwing out of seeds and seeing how they culture or do not. And how people deal with their own learning abilities, by being able to ask for help or not, etc. I must say you are correct in it being something best discussed in person. Let me know if you are free one day next weekend. I would like to steal you away from your grading to show you some kitschy art and maybe even see how you fair with some Seuss... My name is Terry. So stranger... Jay or Jason maybe? Pass Go... collect $200.....Your roll

 From Jay to Me:

 You sunk my battleship Hi Terry, Aww. I miss my St-Viateur bagels....Halifax bagels suck. Yes, please, please, please steal me away from my grading. It's getting to be like an albatross. My schedule is very flexible, so, pick a time/day/place next weekend, and I'm sure I can make myself free for some chatting/art appreciation/ food/ drink/whatnot and what-have-you. And, as for Seuss, all I know is that with my head full of brains and my shoes full of feet, I'm too smart to go down any not-so-good street. :) Let me know! Jason (yep, you guessed right)

 From Me to Jay:

 Haaa, yes The Seuss is strong in you :) As for bagels there are no others! Why do bagels HERE have tops for covers? Tops and bottoms! Bottoms and tops! These are things that REAL bagels have not!! In this city of trees with its' centre a star, You will not have to journey very far. You will not have to journey to all of its' ends'. Listen to me. A stranger and friend. If you have not yet found them by this time, I will let you in on this secret of mine. If it is a true bagel A true bagel you do seek- You can find St. Viateurs a la Petes' Froutique. (thank goodness right) :) I say we begin Saturday after the noon. When both in the sky are the sun and its' moon. At JW Doulls about a half-past-three- Upstairs near the penguins is where you'll find me. In the library with the candlestick Go!

From Jay to Me:

 Saturday at half past three, Our meeting then is meant to be, With books in nooks And books on hooks, And books wherever Terry looks! With Pete's Froutique, you've missed the rail. The bagels there are always stale! They're shipped by plane, They're shipped by train, They're shipped by donkeys in the rain. They're shipped for miles without care, Those guys will ship them anywhere! Stale bagels, I just will not eat. The offer, though, was very sweet. :) I hope the weather does improve, It makes it difficult to move. With snow and ice and hail and sleet, With cats and dogs with pickled feet, And elephants with golden trunks, And daffodils chewed on by monks, With weather changing every day, What comes tomorrow? No one can say! See you this weekend! Jason

 From Me to Jay:

 Saturday at half-past-three Your tone of Seuss I wait to see! Then pulling screens of Art 'round four. And if you can be stolen more.... A conversation of events A speaking of thoughts spent, Inside a Shoey place under a lite brite tree- Seuss, Art, the Professor and Me. See you then! :)

 From Jay to Me:

 There's a pickle in my nickle, There's an issue with the tissue Of the texture in my lecture, That I'm trying to prepare. There's nothing wrong with spending long And fretful hours in the towers Of not shirking all my working, It's the proper thing to do. For the students' jurisprudence States that teachers should be reachers Towards perfection during the section Of the day they plan to teach. And yet, rather than to gather All my thoughts around my lots Of dusty tomes of Sherlock Holmes... I've been thinking just of you. There's a problem when I rob them Of the stuff they feel's enough To make their schooling not so gruelling... Yet I only think of you. There's a pickle in my nickle, There's a shirking of my working, There is laughter coming after.... 'Cause I'm thinking just of you. :) See you tonight!

Susceptibility to distraction
Difficulty in expressing emotions
Resistance to or failure to respond to talk therapy
Mental shutdown response to conflicting demands and multi-tasking
Generalized confusion during periods of stress
Low understanding of the reciprocal rules of conversation: interrupting, dominating, minimum participation, difficult in shifting topics, problem with initiating or terminating conversation, subject perseveration
Insensitivity to the non-verbal cues of others (stance, posture, facial expressions)
Perseveration best characterized by the term “bulldog tenacity”
Literal interpretation of instructions (failure to read between the lines)
Interpreting words and phrases literally (problem with colloquialisms, cliches, neologism, turns of phrase, common humorous expressions)
Preference for visually oriented instruction and training
Dependence on step-by-step learning procedures (disorientation occurs when a step is assumed, deleted, or otherwise overlooked in instruction)
Difficulty in generalizing
Preference for repetitive, often simple routines
Difficulty in understanding rules for games of social entertainment
Missing or misconstruing others’ agendas, priorities, preferences
Impulsiveness
Compelling need to finish one task completely before starting another
Rigid adherence to rules and routines
Difficulty in interpreting meaning to others’ activities; difficulty in drawing relationships between an activity or event and ideas
Exquisite attention to detail, principally visual, or details which can be visualized (”Thinking in Pictures”) or cognitive details (often those learned by rote)
Concrete thinking
Distractibility due to focus on external or internal sensations, thoughts, and/or sensory input (appearing to be in a world of one’s own or day-dreaming)
Difficulty in assessing relative importance of details (an aspect o the trees/forest problem)
Poor judgment of when a task is finished (often attributable to perfectionism or an apparent unwillingness to follow differential standards for quality)
Difficulty in imagining others’ thoughts in a similar or identical event or circumstance that are different from one’s own (”Theory of Mind” issues)
Difficulty with organizing and sequencing (planning and execution; successful performance of tasks in a logical, functional order)
Difficulty in assessing cause and effect relationships (behaviors and consequences)
An apparent lack of “common sense”
Relaxation techniques and developing recreational “release” interest may require formal instruction
Rage, tantrum, shutdown, self-isolating reactions appearing “out of nowhere”
Substantial hidden self-anger, anger towards others, and resentment
Difficulty in estimating time to complete tasks
Difficulty in learning self-monitoring techniques
Disinclination to produce expected results in an orthodox manner
Psychometric testing shows great deviance between verbal and performance results
Extreme reaction to changes in routine, surroundings, people
Stilted, pedantic conversational style (”The Professor”)

Social Characterisitics

Difficulty in accepting criticism or correction
Difficulty in offering correction or criticism without appearing harsh, pedantic or insensitive
Difficulty in perceiving and applying unwritten social rules or protocols
“Immature” manners
Failure to distinguish between private and public personal care habits: i.e., brushing, public attention to skin problems, nose picking, teeth picking, ear canal cleaning, clothing arrangement
Lack of?trust in others
Shyness
Low or no conversational participation in group meetings or conferences
Constant anxiety about performance and acceptance, despite recognition and commendation
Scrupulous honesty, often expressed in an apparently disarming or inappropriate manner or setting
Bluntness in emotional expression
“Flat affect”
Discomfort manipulating or “playing games” with others
Unmodulated reaction in being manipulated, patronized, or “handled” by others
Low to medium level of paranoia
Low to no apparent sense of humor; bizarre sense of humor (often stemming from a “private” internal thread of humor being inserted in public conversation without preparation or warming others up to the reason for the “punchline”)
Difficulty with reciprocal displays of pleasantries and greetings
Problems expressing empathy or comfort to/with others: sadness, condolence, congratulations, etc.
Pouting,, ruminating, fixating on bad experiences with people or events for an inordinate length of time
Difficulty with adopting a social mask to obscure real feelings, moods, reactions
Using social masks inappropriately (you are “xv” while everyone else is ????)
Abrupt and strong expression of likes and dislikes
Rigid adherence to rules and social conventions where flexibility is desirable
Apparent absence of relaxation, recreational, or “time out” activities
“Serious” all the time
Known for single-mindedness
Flash temper
Tantrums
Excessive talk
Difficulty in forming friendships and intimate relationships; difficulty in distinguishing between acquaintance and friendship
Social isolation and intense concern for privacy
Limited clothing preference; discomfort with formal attire or uniforms
Preference for bland or bare environments in living arrangements
Difficulty judging others’ personal space
Limited by intensely pursued interests
Often perceived as “being in their own world”

Work Characteristics 

Many of the manifestations found in the categories above can immediately translate into work behaviors or preferences. Here are some additional ones:
Difficulty with “teamwork”
Deliberate withholding of peak performance due to belief that one’s best efforts may remain unrecognized, unrewarded, or appropriated by others
Intense pride in expertise or performance, often perceived by others as “flouting behavior”
Sarcasm, negativism, criticism
Difficulty in accepting compliments, often responding with quizzical or self-deprecatory language
Tendency to “lose it” during sensory overload, multitask demands, or when contradictory and confusing priorities have been set
Difficult in starting project
Discomfort with competition, out of scale reactions to losing
Low motivation to perform tasks of no immediate personal interest
Oversight or forgetting of tasks without formal reminders such as lists or schedules
Great concern about order and appearance of personal work area
Slow performance
Perfectionism
Difficult with unstructured time
Reluctance to ask for help or seek comfort
Excessive questions
Low sensitivity to risks in the environment to self and/or others
Difficulty with writing and reports
Reliance on internal speech process to “talk” oneself through a task or procedure
Stress, frustration and anger reaction to interruptions
Difficulty in negotiating either in conflict situations or as a self-advocate
Ver low level of assertiveness
Reluctance to accept positions of authority or supervision
Strong desire to coach or mentor newcomers
Difficulty in handling relationships with authority figures
Often viewed as vulnerable or less able to resist harassment and badgering by others
Punctual and conscientious
Avoids socializing, “hanging out,” or small talk on and off the job

Physical Manifestations

Strong sensory sensitivities: touch and tactile sensations, sounds, lighting and colors, odors, taste
Clumsiness
Balance difficulties
Difficulty in judging distances, height, depth
Difficulty in recognizing others’ faces (prosopagnosia)
Stims (self-stimulatory behavior serving to reduce anxiety, stress, or to express pleasure)
Self-injurious or disfiguring behaviors
Nail-biting
Unusual gait, stance, posture
Gross or fine motor coordination problems
Low apparent sexual interest
Depression
Anxiety
Sleep difficulties
Verbosity
Difficulty expressing anger (excessive or “bottled up”)
Flat or monotone vocal expression; limited range of inflection
Difficulty with initiating or maintaining eye contact
Elevated voice volume during periods of stress and frustration
Strong food preferences and aversions
Unusual and rigidly adhered to eating behaviors
Bad or unusual personal hygiene