Saturday, July 07, 2007

Kim Stagliano, what's your secret?

A terrific autism Mom (Hello Knitty!) on the EOHarm list asked me that question this morning in reponse to a post where I mentioned that I run two blogs, (this one and www.rescuepost.com) have written a novel, write for Huffington Post, raise three girls with autism, am writing several pieces to submit to national media including NPR, and The Times (fingers crossed!) have a terrific, loving husband and manage to bathe daily while maintaining my sense of humor.

I thought about her question and the answer tumbled out of me. That's how my best writing comes about. In a cascade of passion. When I try to be clever or think about how to write a sentence I end up with dry toast crumbs on the page. BORING!

This was my response.

"Coffee. Chocolate. A sense of righteous indignation. A mother's love. A refusal to give in. A generally good state of mind. Enough catastrophes in our life to ground me. An insatiable need for money to help the kids. A lifelong ability to say "FU" to people who impede me. A refusal to fall prey to the message that I should be in dire mental straits, gobbling pills to get out of bed and another fistful to fall back to sleep. An innate fear of failure. A gut feeling that one day,everything will turn out all right for my girls. And all our kids. And then a bit more chocolate."

Now why didn't I print that in a book, call it "The Secret" and make a bazillion bucks?

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

You can still do it.
Your Bud,
Alison

kristen spina said...

Good for you, Kim. Your girls are lucky to have you and your endless energy and devotion. A terrific autism mom, indeed!

Michelle O'Neil said...

I thought I read (Hello Kitty) at first. Anyway...humor and chocolate and coffee and a good husband. That's my secret as well.

Shhh....stop telling everyone or it won't be a secret!

Anissa said...

"Now why didn't I print that in a book, call it "The Secret" and make a bazillion bucks?"

You rock!

Gina Pintar said...

"A gut feeling that one day,everything will turn out all right for my girls. And all our kids. "

I have that feeling too. I hope we are right.

Anonymous said...

Hey Kim, heard the one about special kids are only born to special parents?? If I hear it again I'll batter the person into next week! Aside from the chocolate and coffee (both give me trouble) I'm the same - especially the great hubby part...Hope you're holidays are as fun as ours!

Laura said...

Hey, that's my secret, too! Yawn. Must get more coffee. And chocolate.

Stephen Parrish said...

Keep doing what you're doing (especially bathing) and you'll accomplish anything you want to.

LIVSPARENTS said...

You forgot "Finding something humorous in a disasterous situation." If you can't find the funny in daily life, you're a goner...
Bill

MaNiC MoMMy™ said...

Rock on sista friend!

John Robison said...

Be zippy. That's the answer.

Do it now, before you run out of energy. That's my trouble. I got older.