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stories-me · 7 days

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Potential Character for Mrs. Kelsey and Tumblr 4/16/2024:

Zure, Elven Dragon Rider-Turned-Mouse:

What he’s from: Mice and Mystics.

Background:

The finest dragon rider in the Elven kingdom of Nextor, Zure is skilled and heroic (he’s also got a girl waiting for him back home). He was sent by the Elves to find Collin and help him restore the throne of Andoria (as the situation may be also destabilizing other, neighboring kingdoms like Nextor). Unfortunately, in order to better find Collin, Zure was turned into a mouse, and his dragon, Aerijin, into a bluejay.

Shortly after arriving, he ultimately became involved in protecting the mice of Meanderfield from an alliance between some rats and some carrion birds. In the process of fighting them off, he began teaching the mice how to use songbirds as steeds.

Now, he’s allying with Collin and his allies and is working to reunite the kingdom.

How he is like me:

We both have connections to people we care about (like his dragon and my family and his girlfriend), a support system (he has Collin and his allies, as well as Aerijin; and I have my family, my friends, my teachers, etc.), and want to help others.

Kelsey Notes:

Being a teacher, Zure has to deal with others that might get frustrated with him while trying to learn a new skill that does not come easily to them

How does Zure deal with the frustrations that the others might take out on him?

We all have connections with others based on how we interact with/get along with them.

You work well with the people you are currently connected with because the way they approach you when you might be having a moment of frustration

You can better help your support system by doing the things that they’ve helped you learn to do on your own, like taking deep breaths or taking a moment of silence alone when you’re at a 5

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stories-me · 14 days

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Potential Character for Mrs. Kelsey and Tumblr 4/9/2024:

Lily, Mouse Ranger:

What she’s from: Mice and Mystics.

Background:

The daughter of Linera, the mayor of Barksburg (though that doesn’t mean she gets special treatment), the skilled archer Lily was among those who regularly went into Castle Andon for food and such things. Even when the Castle became more dangerous by Vanestra’s presence, Lily still kept going in.

She ultimately met Collin and his allies when they went in to find her after she went missing during a trip into the Castle. Turns out, she’d gotten her tail caught in a mousetrap. After they freed her, she became an ally and helped them get used to their new forms.

Some years later, she managed to reach the Barksburg Nut, allowing Collin and his allies to bargain with Sheriff McReedy of Headfall Hollow. She apparently has a past with Jakobe the Gecko, which both are hesitant to speak of (though Linera did use it to get Jakobe’s cooperation as a guide to the Downwood).

She now is working to help reunite the kingdom.

How she is like me:

We both regularly enter into challenging places (she has things like the Castle and I have Inspire) and we both help others adjust (she has Collin and his human-born allies and I have my peers at Inspire). Inspire sometimes challenges me by forcing me to put up with people and situations that are frustrating and annoying to me. Usually, I try to keep a cool head, including going to other places in the building to cool off. It should be noted that help can mean different things to different people. Mostly, I’ve been trying not to get frustrated with everyone there as a form of help.

Kelsey Notes:

Despite being the mayor’s daughter Lily has no desire to take advantage of her “prestigious position” and prefers to be independent and likes to fly under the radar

Even though it may not seem like it now, your hard work to remain calm in frustrating situations will have positive impact on your future

It’s important to remind ourselves of our past struggles and our ability to overcome them when we feel as though our situations will never get better (self reflection)

Lily helped her new friends navigate and adjust to life as a mouse in ways she probably didn’t realize unless someone pointed it out to her.

In her mind, her impact could be small but they continually seem to be making strides to take the Kingdom back

Our actions to better manage our behavior are more noticeable than we realize

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stories-me · 21 days

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Potential Character for Mrs. Kelsey and Tumblr 4/1/2024:

Nez Bellows, Smith and Tinkerer:

What he’s from: Mice and Mystics.

Background:

Nez Bellows became the Royal Smith in Castle Andon after an incident that led to him being arrested. King Andon pardoned him, and Nez not only learned from his mistake, but also seized his second chance and became a trusted ally of the Royal Family, known for his craftsmanship of armor and weapons. (It should be noted that he is still somewhat haunted by whatever it was he did, as he apparently relived that memory during the incident involving Glorm the Necwormancer).

When Vanestra came to the Castle, Nez was soon evicted from the Forge, and was one of those who became involved against her. He was also among those falsely arrested for treason and locked in the dungeon (alongside Maginos, Tilda, and Collin).

Now, he works on behalf of Collin and his allies to aid Princess Chloe and others in taking back the kingdom.

I know Nez, at least, remains a mouse, as a number of the tales of Mice and Mystics are told by his descendant, Daz, to his descendant’s son and daughter, Tip and May.

How he is like me:

We both are quite strong and creative. Also, I (sometimes) do my best to learn from my mistakes and take advantage of second chances. Like, every day is a second chance to make up for the mistakes of the previous day.

Kelsey Notes:

Learning from your mistakes is a process that involves problem solving to find a way to eliminate the mistake you are making instead of continuously making the mistake and expecting an apology after the fact to make everything ok.

The apology after the fact is what helps us to realize that we need to fix the problem rather than make up for it after the fact

When you avoid or suppress the problem because you feel bad only allows for a brief reprieve from the mistake.

Until you make the same mistake again and the cycle of negativity rears it’s ugly head.

It can be really difficult when we are making strides to better ourselves and our behavior only for more bad things to end up happening- like Vanestra kicking Nez out after being given a second chance.

It’s always good to have a support system available for the times when we try to do our best but things just don’t always go the way we expect them to

even when we think we’re making the right choices

Fortunately Nez has a support system that he can work with to take back the kingdom rather than enter a cycle of depression about not being able to take action himself

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stories-me · 28 days

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Potential Character for Mrs. Kelsey and Tumblr 3/26/2024:

Ansel, Warden Captain of the Downwood:

What he’s from: Mice and Mystics.

Background:

A knight-errant (a term that here means he's a wandering hero) of a sort when Collin and his allies first encountered him, Ansel offered to help the group when the Barksburg Nut was stolen by Ditty the Shrew.

Apparently, he was once part of a group called the Wardens, who wanted to protect and help the inhabitants of Downwood (and beyond?), but when that group died out, more or less, he remained to carry on their legacy.

He now works as “Warden Captain of the Downwood” (a title bestowed upon him by King Collin), and is aiding Collin and Princess Chloe in taking back the kingdom.

How he is like me:

We both are quite handsome and want to help others. For example, I like to think my fan fictions help others, and I like to think that I try to help others in various ways throughout the day. For example, trying to help one particular student at Inspire get her words out, and trying to not get frustrated with others (especially since, sometimes, bad things happen when I get frustrated).

Kelsey Notes:

Keeping calm and being nice to others despite them causing you frustration is a HUGE way to be helpful to others

It can get awkward when someone is directing their anger at someone else, people usually feel the need to step in and direct the person who has raised their voice to back away from the other person

In adulthood we start to realize that we have no control over other people’s actions

It is important for us to be able to keep our cool and continue to go about our daily tasks without getting worked up

One positive thing about Ansel is that he seeks out adventures to be “chivalrous”- he’s not looking for money.

He’s wandering hero, so he is probably flexible and comfortable with new environments and people, open to change

As a wandering hero he’s probably also self reliant- being able to adapt to whatever conditions he comes across

This means he does well cleaning up after himself and not causing any burdens on the people he is helping (just like sometimes you might pick up an extra chore just to be helpful)

The friendships he has developed make it more likely that he might give up his “wandering” status and belong to a group

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stories-me · 1 month

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Potential Character for Mrs. Kelsey and Tumblr 3/19/2024:

Filch the Redeemed Thief:

What he’s from: Mice and Mystics.

Background:

Once a common thief, Filch likely began his life on the streets, stealing food to survive.

As he grew older and more skilled in his “craft”, Filch became known for several attempted heists, including one where he stole a chest of jewels bound for the Elven kingdom of Nextor (the jewels, sadly, wound up at the bottom of a river).

Eventually, he was captured by King Andon’s sheriffs, and locked in the castle dungeons.

By sheer coincidence, he found himself soon sharing the cell with Prince Collin, Maginos the Mystic, Tilda the Healer, and Nez Bellows the Smith (who had been falsely accused of treason by the dark sorceress Vanestra and locked in the cell with him). In fact, it was Filch who suggested they turn themselves into mice, so they could get through the bars of the cell and into the sewers.

At one point, he objected to them using Vanestra’s hair to turn the King into a mouse to help him escape, stating he wanted to be human again… however, he reluctantly relented, showing that Collin and his allies were a good influence on him.

He is currently among Collin’s friends, as Collin managed to convince the King that Filch was now a hero (to even Filch’s surprise… though the question came up as the King was suspicious of Filch’s presence among Collin’s allies).

He dislikes it when too many eyes are upon him, like when he first arrived in Barksburg (during which he kept muttering, mostly to himself, “Done nothing wrong.”).

He now is working with Collin and his allies to help Collin’s sister, Chloe, take back the kingdom from Warlords and the Iron Circle.

How he is like me:

We both have done bad things in the past, and are trying to make up for them. Also, like him, I have a support network.

How he is NOT like me:

Unlike him, I’ve had a great support network from day one.

Kelsey Notes:

Filch has been given an unexpected second chance so it makes sense that he would be skeptical that the others would be so trusting of him considering his past

Sometimes we can project the how we feel about ourself into what others think about us

(i.e. if we assume something negative about ourself, they must see it too therefore they are talking about me being a thief behind my back).

If you haven’t properly coped with something from your past, its more likely that you will engage in this type of projection

Sometimes if we are upset, we want to project that emotion upon others but in the end we have no control over what people think

This type of thinking/projection can be harmful because our thoughts and actions become more and more self focused rather than focused on other people

If you are focusing too hard on what other people are thinking about you, then you might lash out because you feel upset by something that you’ve assumed they’ve done

At the end of the day, we are in control of our own actions

If we are having trouble we can reach out to a support system to discuss how we are processing a certain situation

Chances are Filch didn’t have anyone to discuss his feelings with which caused him to think more negatively about himself and what others think about him

Having conversations with others about what is frustrating or worrying us helps us to hear the perspectives of others and they may offer valuable information that we had not considered

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stories-me · 1 month

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Potential Character for Mrs. Kelsey and Tumblr 3/13/2024:

Ditty, Shrew Bard and Cute Scoundrel:

What she’s from: Mice and Mystics.

Background:

Ditty first met Prince Collin and his allies when she stole the Barksburg Nut (the last nut of the Barksburg Tree, which Collin and his allies were planning on using to get Sherriff McReedy the Squirrel to point them and the citizens of Barksburg to a new home). Ditty had attempted to steal the nut in order to convince a rat working for the Froglodyte warlord, King Shalop, to get Shalop to let her family go.

Ultimately, Collin and his allies helped her out, and she began working against Shalop, and now aids Collin and his allies in helping Princess Chloe take back the kingdom from the likes of the Warlords and the Iron Circle.

How she is like me:

We both have done some bad things because we thought we were in the right (for example, when I get angry and feel it’s someone else’s fault, like when my misaphonia makes me frustrated with people making noise), and work to try and make up for our actions (usually, by apologizing and being nice to them and trying not to get frustrated again). Also, we’re both talented musicians (I’m a singer, with my range being tenor to bass-baritone. I particularly like songs and tunes that could work with my fan fictions).

Kelsey Notes:

When we have strong feelings about something that we feel is right, it can be difficult to put those feelings aside to see things from another perspective.

Although sometimes we are in the right, understanding the perspective of others will help us see why someone might react a certain way to a situation, helping us to better handle the other person

Sometimes it’s important to validate someone else’s feelings instead of pushing them to see why our perspective is right

Sometimes, when someone doesn’t agree with us, we get frustrated and feel that responding with more emotion will help the other person see our side and realize that they should agree with us

Perspective taking involves abstract thinking, which can be difficult for someone who typically thinks in black and white

People are generally more willing to give us a second chance when we attempt to not make the same mistake twice.

Colin gave Ditty the benefit of the doubt because he realized her intentions in stealing the nut to help her family.

Because they gave her a second chance, Ditty did what she could to not steal to help her family. This paid off in the end because Colin and his friends ended up helping her family so she didn’t have to steal.

People are less likely to give us second chances when we continue to make the mistakes that caused us to need a second chance in the first place.

Having strategies to remain calm and not lash out at others is important to help prevent ourselves from doing this when something doesn’t go our way.

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stories-me · 2 months

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Potential Character for Mrs. Kesley and Tumblr 2/27/2023:

Tilda, Mousey Healer:

What she’s from: Mice and Mystics.

Background:

Tilda was originally found by the members of her Order wrapped in a blanket on the temple steps. She soon became a skilled healer, and ultimately found her way into becoming the Royal Healer at Castle Andon. So, when King Andon fell ill, she naturally tried to help him. But all her arts were unable to help the old man, and all she could do was shake her head and say “There is something strange afoot.”

She ultimately joined Prince Collin’s group in trying to save the Kingdom… only for the group to promptly be arrested for treason by Vanestra (the dark sorceress who was trying to take control of the kingdom and was responsible for King Andon's illness). Then, she and Collin’s group (now including Filch the Thief) were turned into mice in order to escape the dungeons.

Now, she and the others (now including folks like Lily the Ranger, Ansel the Warden, Ditty the Shrew Bard, Nere the Shamaness, and Jakobe the Gecko Guide) are working to help Princess Chloe (Collin’s sister) take back the Kingdom from Warlords.

Personality:

She is kind and caring (she IS a healer, after all). She likes healing others, and can be pretty religious (she is part of a holy order).

How she is like me:

We both are caring and want to help others (she IS a healer, after all). I help others with my characters on tumblr. I want to help others with Autism through my characters on Tumblr and such, and I try to be empathetic with others, helping them pay attention to certain things and such. She also has been known to want the approval of her mentor, I imagine.

Kelsey Notes:

Healer’s bring relief and comfort to those who are not feeling well or in pain.

Sharing your fanfictions help you reach out to others who might struggle with the same things you do, which can bring them relief and comfort knowing they aren’t alone in how they feel

In addition to giving others something to relate to, you share how consistent practice with your tools (parana breathing, petting smokey) to help you remain calm

She makes up for her past by always being WILLING to help others

It’s not easy to want to help others, but some situations require us to step up and do more than we are used to doing (for example- I prepare dinners for my dad if my mom goes out of town)

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stories-me · 2 months

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Potential Character for Mrs. Kesley and Tumblr 2/27/2023:

Jakobe, Gecko Guide to Downwood:

What he’s from: Mice and Mystics.

Background:

A gecko who knows the dark, mysterious “neighborhood” of the Downwood as well as anyone alive, Jakobe was asked by Linera (the mayor of Barksburg and Lily the Ranger’s mother) to lead a contingent of Barksburg’s greatest warriors (consisting, at the time, of Prince Collin, Lily, Nez Bellows the Smith, Maginos the Mystic, Tilda the Healer, Filch the Thief, and Nere the Shamaness) through the perils of the Downwood, and bring them to the safety of the town of Headfall Hollow and get help in finding a new home for Barksburg (the tree was dying after an incident involving a “necwormancer”).

Jakobe did not like the task, nor did he enjoy the prospect of traveling with such a large group, but Linera invoked the “secret bond” Jakobe shared with Lily, and so the gecko relented and promised to lead the expedition.

During the whole affair, Jakobe was quite helpful (at one point, he warned that there were certain berries that it would be a bad idea for mice to eat), and was involved in the fight against Shalop the Froglodyte Leader, as well as the War of Meanderfield.

Now, he is aiding King Collin and the others in helping Collin’s sister, Chloe, take back the kingdom from various warlords.

Personality:

He’s skilled at traveling, and enjoys a stout drink at a tavern. He also knows quite a bit about the Downwood, and is willing to use this knowledge to help others survive. He also reluctantly develops a friendship with Collin and the others.

How he is like me:

We both are intelligent and have some deep knowledge. In addition, we both have travel problems, sometimes. I overcame my travel issues by desensitizing myself to crying infants beforehand.

Kelsey Notes:

Sometimes, we are more motivated to do something non-preferred when we will be compensated for it. At first Jakobe was more concerned with getting the job done and being compensated.

Over time, Jakobe became more involved with the people he was working for. Because of this, his motivation slightly shifted from something just being a “job”.

He became friends with everyone along the way and even has a stake in the rescue now.

Through his actions, Jakobe proved to be was resourceful and helpful along the expedition which shifted the social interests of their group.

Sometimes, we have to prove through our actions that we have changed and can be trusted with more things in our friendships (i.e. not making verbal threats towards others)

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stories-me · 2 months

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Potential Character for Mrs. Kelsey and Tumblr 2/18/2024:

Hazel, Amnesiac Human-Turned-Mouse:

What she might be in: Mice and Mystics (fan expansion).

Background:

A young woman who found herself in the town of Oakhaven with no memory of her past before waking up at the town’s gates. Despite her amnesia, she retains a strong sense of her humanity and is determined to uncover the truth of her origins.

Personality:

Curious, resourceful, and fiercely independent. Despite the uncertainty surrounding her past, she approaches each challenge with resilience and determination. She has a compassionate nature and a strong sense of justice, making her a natural ally to King Collin and his companions in their quest to reclaim the kingdom.

Skills and abilities:

Although Hazel’s memories are fragmented, she possesses a keen intellect and sharp instincts. Her agility and quick thinking make her a valuable asset in situations requiring stealth or quick reflexes. Additionally, she shows a natural affinity for magic, though she struggles to control her abilities without proper training.

Role in the story:

Hazel’s journey intertwines with Collin’s as she seeks answers about her past and grapples with her newfound identity. Alongside Collin and his allies, she embarks on a quest to uncover the truth behind her mysterious origins and confront the dark forces threatening the kingdom.

How she is like me:

We are both curious and compassionate.

How she is NOT like me:

However, I need to extend my compassion to more people, and work on resilience. Like trying to tolerate frustrating situations by doing things like concentrating on other matters (like music) or going somewhere else.

Kelsey Notes:

Having autism makes it more difficult to store information about others or events, it’s not amnesia When it comes to your learning over time, it’s easy to look back and recognize areas where you’ve made improvements- This can be difficult because you have to cope with working harder to control your need to talk about fan fictions because your progress has increased your social opportunities Being changed from a human to a mouse hasn’t stopped Hazel from continuing to try to change back to her human form Unfortunately for Hazel she has to deal with doing things the size of a mouse vs. human size and that has to be frustrating Some goals that we want to achieve can seem impossible to reach, making us less inclined to try our hardest to still reach the goal anyways. Reflecting on our past successes can help motivate us to push ourselves towards our goals

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stories-me · 2 months

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(Basically, imagine the above picture as a human)

Potential Character for Mrs. Kesley and Tumblr 2/11/2024:

Princess Chloe, Would-Be Ruler of Andoria:

What she might be in: Mice and Mystics (a fan expansion to it).

Background:

The younger sister of Prince Collin, the kindhearted Chloe was on a diplomatic mission to another kingdom during the events of the previous “Mice and Mystics” tales, as well as the events of “Tail Feathers”.

She returns to her home to find the castle in ruins, the kingdom in disarray, and her brother and father missing and presumed dead. Furthermore, various ambitious individuals have laid claim to the throne, and have crowned themselves “Warlords”.

She thus resolves to reunite the kingdom and set things right. She soon finds herself with an unusual ally: Her brother, who apparently has been turned into an anthropomorphic mouse, but still wants to help.

Secretly, Chloe tries to figure out a way to return Collin and certain others (Nez Bellows the Tinkerer, Tilda the Healer, Filch the Thief, Maginos the Mystic, and Zure the Elf Dragon Rider, as well as King Andon himself) to human form.

How she is like me:

We both care about family, we both face difficult situations, we both want to make things better, and we both have a support system.

My difficult situations mostly involve having to deal with annoying individuals, not to mention the fact that, lately, the computer’s been having troubles.

My support system comprises folks like my parents, Dr. Mosier, my teachers, and others of that sort.

And the things I want to make better involve my tolerance and other things like that.

Kelsey Notes:

Unfortunately, as you become an adult, you start to realize that it is a never-ending battle to have to tolerate “annoying individuals”

We do not have the ability to control someone else’s actions when it makes us uncomfortable or annoyed

Sometimes we miss out on having another friend or ally in some situations because we focus on one aspect of them that annoys us because we have no control over it

Chole has to be very openminded considering her family are now mice and it seems like a very unrealistic situation to be in

What kind of bind would Colin be in if Chloe was fixated on this mouse who wouldn’t leave her alone?

What would have happened if she put mouse traps out and made it her life’s mission to rid her space of the mice?

This story would be VERY different if Chloe was totally dismissive of the mice and reacted the way most people would react towards a mice

Chloe is faced with an impossible situation, but she doesn’t let that stop her.

If you were in her shoes what is the likelihood that you would immediately feel confident that you could turn a mouse back into your sibling?

Rather than focus on how difficult a task seems, she takes initiative to wonder what would happen IF she at least tried to restore her brother to human form?

Initiative= turning a thought into ACTION, to start a task

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stories-me · 3 months

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Potential Character for Mrs. Kelsey and Tumblr 2/6/2024:

The Beyonder, Reluctantly Studying Humanity:

What he’s from: Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur.

Background:

The Beyonder’s species is incredibly powerful, compared to the rest of most of the other creatures of the multiverse. They can warp reality with a thought, and learned early on to temper their abilities to not undo existence by accident.

Curious, mischievous, impish, self-centered, and a trickster, the Beyonder, himself, caused quite a few problems over the years, usually simply out of boredom: He turned a being’s favorite spacecraft into a pogo stick, he created three storm systems on a rather unlucky planet, he destroyed a science project belonging to a parallel version of Moon Girl, and even destroyed a resort planet with stray asteroids from a game of “space golf”.

Sometimes, he studied planets… but to his race’s horror, he began eradicating them and whatever species were on it if he judged them unnecessary. This was the final straw for the ruling powers of his species, and, as a form of punishment, he was compelled to study humanity, a race that is sometimes seen as “fascinating” by a number of members of intergalactic society (they’re smart enough to develop space travel, but dumb enough to make war with their own kind. In addition, their kind currently plays and, in the future, will play a powerful role in galactic politics in the future), in order to learn compassion.

Unfortunately for Lunella “Moon Girl” Lafayette, he decided to learn a bit about humanity from a being he judged as “Earth’s smartest being”: Lunella herself.

Although he is supposed to study humanity, he does not always understand them, and has been known to cause problems.

How he is like me:

We both have trouble seeing from others’ point of view. Still, I’m working on this, working to try and see how others feel about what I do. For example, if I feel particularly frustrated, I might leave the room to cool off. Also, I work on showing interest in their interests.

Kelsey Notes:

Like the beyonder destroying things out of boredom, your “recreational annoyance” is something that occurs when you are bored-

When you are bored it is harder to contain some self-stimulatory behavior (such as reciting route things from something you’ve read, watched, or listened to)

The difficult thing with this behavior is that it is of high interest to YOU and you alone- it is hard for you to connect with others when you engage in this because it only makes sense to you

Having an outlet to escape from social faking your interests all the time is important, as long as you have a healthy balance and it doesn’t cause you to engage in destructive behaviors that you instantly regret when you calm down

Unfortunately, his literalness resulted in a miscommunication between him and Lunella so them getting along is going to be difficult

Trying to rectify some mistakes you’ve made in the past can be difficult

It’s important to learn from your mistakes so you can prove to others that your past mistakes shouldn’t define you if you’ve made strides to be a better person

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stories-me · 3 months

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Potential Character for Mrs. Kelsey and Tumblr 2/1/2024:

Collin, Recently-Crowned King of Oakhaven:

What he’s from: Mice and Mystics.

Background:

Once a human prince, Collin, along with several others, was transformed into a mouse in order to escape a dungeon. However, even at three inches from tip to tail, Collin’s courage and kindness still shone through, and he and his companions defeated an evil sorceress, a sinister glow-worm, and others.

Now, he works to protect Oakhaven and others, as the kingdom works to get back in order.

Recently, meanwhile, his sister, Chloe (who is still human), has come back from abroad, and she is determined to retake the kingdom (mainly because, as far as most inhabitants of the kingdom know, Collin, his father, and a number of others all disappeared around the time Castle Andon exploded) and put it back in order. He may be able to help her… somehow…

How he is like me:

We both are good-hearted and want to help others (like how he wants to help the kingdom recover, as well as help folks like the residents of Headfall Hollow, Puddleby, Oakhaven, etc.). Also, we both are pretty courageous (I try new things and work on discipline and control).

Kelsey Notes:

Colin was able to quickly adapt surprisingly thanks to the help of another mouse who is able to provide them a place to retreat to while they process what has happened to them

Sometimes when an alarming or unexpected situation happens, it is best to take a moment to breath and allow your brain to comprehend what has happened before you can figure out how to resolve the issue

Example- if the computer wasn’t working when you volunteered at Arbor Terrace, it was best for you to take a break while we figured out the computer situation because that problem was not yours to handle

***this was Pre-Covid so it’s been a long time since this happened*

The problems weren’t IMMEDIATELY solvable- this is true for some situations that you encounter. The important thing is to remember you do have a good heart. Because you have a good heart, it is important to stay calm while your support systems figure out the course of action to take

With Colin being a mouse, he will be heavily reliant for the foreseeable future on Chloe to handle situations- this means he will have a lack of control and will have to delegate more

Colin being courageous is going to be important in the future because he’s been turned into a talking mouse and that’s hard to believe for anyone

Speaking out about the difficulties you have faced with Autism is courageous because you’ve come out the other side- you communicate with others better, balance your fan fictions and participate in real life activities, complete household chores, and volunteer all while still working to manage your emotions

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stories-me · 3 months

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Potential Character for Mrs. Kelsey and Tumblr 1/24/2024:

Tom Haverford, Passionate Entrepreneur:

What he’s from: “Parks and Recreation”.

Stuff about him:

Thomas Montgomery Haverford is an Indian American, who changed his name from “Darwish Sabir Ismael Ghani” to be more appealing in politics. He is often assumed to be an immigrant by much of the Parks and Recreation staff (Leslie often assuming him to be Libyan), though, as he frequently reminds them, he hails from South Carolina, as does Ansari (the guy who plays him). He initially shared an office with Leslie Knope and worked as her immediate subordinate at the Pawnee parks and recreation department, often serving as her right-hand man.

Tom displays an extremely sarcastic, mischievous and cocky attitude, and frequently attempts to secure favors from local contractors. Tom has demonstrated his talent and passion for entrepreneurship in many occasions, including Entertainment 720, Rent-A-Swag, and Tom’s Bistro.

In “Go Big or Go Home,” Tom also boasted about ladies’ sneakers he bought from his workplace during Pawnee’s government shutdown. Though it is not explicitly said, it’s assumed Tom worked at Lady Foot Locker, where his best friend Jean-Ralphio Saperstein has a job too (“Woman of the Year”). He later opens up his own luxurious clothing-rental store for growing teens, Rent-A-Swag, and employs Jean-Ralphio’s sister Mona Lisa Saperstein. Tom married his Canadian-born college friend Wendy to secure her U.S. citizenship (a green card marriage). Despite the marriage, Tom aggressively flirts with other women, which has prompted confusion from people unfamiliar with his arrangement with Wendy. He is constantly pursuing women even during his marriage, as far as going to strip clubs, hitting on Ann Perkins, distributing copies of his house keys to beautiful women, and judging at the Miss Pawnee pageant.

Tom’s heroes include Tiger Woods, Vin Diesel, Michael Bolton, Flo Rida, Patrick Jane, Paul Walker, and Jamie Foxx. He has a very high image of himself and brags that people view him as a “Brown Superman with a Beard” and has also asked to be introduced as “The Brown Gosling”. He is very appreciative of pop culture and the idea of “swag”, very often expressed in his vernacular (e.g. saying “‘Serts” instead of “desserts” in the episode “Soulmates”). Tom often teams with April Ludgate and sometimes Donna Meagle to prank and harass Gerry Gergich. He also finds Ben Wyatt an easy target of tease.

How he’s like me:

We both are hyper-focused on our interests (like my fan fictions and his businesses), and talk about them often.

How he is NOT like me:

I can sometimes listen and be part of a conversation on other peoples’ interests. He is really bad at this and often tunes out conversations that don’t interest him. Sometimes, I do this, but not as often as I used to.

Kelsey Notes:

Being diagnosed with autism comes with “impairments in social interaction”- this means it is difficult for you to balance a hyper fixation on your interests

It isn’t always easy for you to turn off your interests and tune into other things people like to talk about

Sometimes it can be difficult for others to understand that you are still in the process of turning off your fan fiction interest while engaging in conversations with others

This takes time because, in addition to resisting the urge to talk about fan fictions, you are still training your brain to not tune out the things other people talk about.

Taking baby steps means that with practice, over time you will work on contributing more to conversations as you progress with turning off your fan fiction interest

As Tom continues to work in the Parks Department, he develops more of an interest in the business aspects that go on

He starts to learn that his current job will bring him connections and skills that are necessary to maintain a successful business he hopes to have in the future

i.e. I want to embrace where I currently am if I want to get to where I would like to be

Tom gets overly excited because he is an idea man, so his brain is always coming up with ideas

He does take initiative to make them happen, as ridiculous as some of them may be EXAMPLE: fluoride water

His skills come in handy when the Parks department needs creative advertising and out of the box ideas. Once this side of him is embraced more, he starts to take the job more seriously

He does try to hide his emotions at times (he liked Wendy and was jealous when she wanted to date Ron and was sad about their divorce)

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stories-me · 3 months

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Potential Character for Mrs. Kelsey and Tumblr 1/16/2024:

Ron Swanson, Deadpan Libertarian:

What he’s from: Parks and Recreation.

Character Role:

In the first six seasons of Parks and Recreation, Swanson served as the director of the Pawnee City Department of Parks and Recreation, a role he had for six years when the series began.

Personality:

Ron Swanson is known for his deadpan personality and adherence to many stereotypically masculine traits, like supposedly only having cried two times. Being an extremely private person, he goes so far as to redact his birthday from government documents to keep others from holding parties for him. He enjoys outdoor activities such as hunting, fishing, camping, and woodworking, as well as eating breakfast foods and red meat. He is also able to drink heavily without getting hungover and can chug an entire bottle of alcoholic beverages in one go. Swanson knows almost nothing about popular culture; in “Andy and April’s Fancy Party”, he only recognizes Julia Roberts as the “toothy gal from Mystic Pizza.”

Director of the Parks and Recreation Department:

As director of the Parks and Recreation Department, Swanson puts almost no effort into his job and purposely hires people who are bad at their jobs, like April Ludgate and Andy Dwyer, so they will slow down the government. A caricature of libertarianism, he believes that parks should be privatized and run entirely by corporations for profit, and thus originally did not intend to help Leslie Knope with the park project. He is a strong advocate for small government and believes that the government model should be abolished. He is against almost all government and bureaucracy. He also despises talking to members of the public, choosing to mount a rifle on his desk to scare people away.

Personal Life:

Swanson secretly performs at out-of-town bars as a saxophonist named Duke Silver, which he keeps secret from his colleagues in Pawnee. He fronts a band called the Duke Silver Trio and has released such albums as Memories of Now, Smooth as Silver, and Hi Ho, Duke. His music is especially popular with older women, who find Duke Silver extremely attractive. Eventually, in the two-part season six finale “Moving Up”, he publicly reveals his secret identity at the Unity Concert.

How he is like me:

We both have our own ideas on how things should be done, we both dislike injustice to others, we’re not that big on vegetables (though I do eat some), and we’re both musical. Also, we can both sometimes be very private. We also both like things peaceful and predictable.

How he is NOT like me:

He is stereotypically masculine, and he is a libertarian caricature (I personally don’t really care about government one way or the other).

Kelsey Notes:

Like you, Ron likes peaceful and predictable.

People are usually unsuccessful at trying to pull Ron out of his “box” but when he meets his wife at the end of the series, she never tries to take him out of his box which in turn makes him more open minded

He becomes more likely to change and tolerate things he wouldn’t previously tolerate

It can be overwhelming to engage in conversations with others because you have to listen to what they say, comprehend it, and form a response.

One difficulty you have with story telling is being able to sift through details to provide information about a story or character to have a conversation with another person.

You want them to understand what you’re talking about without them having little to no prior knowledge about the story or character you are presenting to them

One weakness for you that you continually work on is abstract thinking- refer to Andy Dwyer and his character Burt Macklin

**Look into the show Castle**

Ron likes his life to be a certain way, he doesn’t want to work too hard and he’s content with minimalism. Over the years this changes as the people in his life help him to open up more and participate in more than just fishing and hunting.

When we develop friendships with others, we start to realize that we have more interests than we thought and this can make us reflect and think about what we might be missing out on

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stories-me · 3 months

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Potential Character for Mrs. Kelsey and Tumblr 1/10/2024:

Andy Dwyer, Loveable Idiot:

What he’s from: Parks and Recreation.

Overview:

Chris Pratt (the guy who played Andy on “Parks and Recreation”) summarized Andy Dwyer as “dim-witted and guileless and a real idiot, but lovable.” At the start of the series, Andy Dwyer is dating Ann Perkins. Ann matured faster than Andy did; while Ann entered into a career in nursing, Andy was lazy and unmotivated. After being dumped by Ann, Andy begins living in the pit adjacent to Ann’s house.

Andy remained unemployed after school but was the lead singer and guitarist for his rock band, which underwent numerous name changes, but was usually called “MouseRat”.

Andy later gets work shining shoes at city hall, where he becomes friends with April Ludgate, whom he later marries after one month of dating. Though absentminded and possessing an extremely short attention span, Andy is shown to have a savant-like memory. For instance, he received the highest grade the police academy had ever seen on the written entrance test, has an uncanny ability to remember movies word for word, and is able to memorize a long list of facts for his feminist college class in the episode, “Smallest Park.” Andy also had perfect SAT scores, but mentioned it was probably due to broken Scantron machines.

Andy also possesses a wild imagination, which helps him become a children’s performer named Johnny Karate and then get his own children’s television show. Occasionally, Andy goes into character as his alter ego, covert FBI agent Burt Macklin, whenever he and April role play or to solve local mysteries.

How he’s like me:

He is technically writing his own fan fiction, in his work as “Burt Macklin” and "Johnny Karate". In addition, we are both musical, and have well-defined worlds in our heads. Also, we are both working on “adulting”.

How he’s NOT like me:

All that aside, I am much, MUCH smarter than him.

Kelsey Notes:

How you are different than Andy addition- he has a very specific and detailed fan fiction that he has narrowed down and “takes on that character in real life” to brainstorm story ideas

Any time he needs to disguise himself for whatever shenanigans they have going on, he takes on Burt which helps him better develop his character a

The work antics can basically become additional story ideas for Burt

Writing stories comes with creativity and using more brain power to build on their stories from your own mind

He has a wild imagination

Andy is also very flexible, he goes with the flow well, and is up for any task that is asked of him. This is different for you because your schedule is very set in place because you like the predictability

Andy is also always willing to work, even if it isn’t the best job that he wants (you weren’t a fan of cleaning up after the dogs for Dogs Day out)

On days where it’s hard to have a positive attitude or you can’t find the energy to do all the work, Andy is a good character to think about (recalling funny moments like the “dad you’re alive?” scene)

It can be scary sometimes to think about the hard work that comes with adulting, but if we think about how Andy ends the series he is a functioning adult with a good head on his shoulders, he has a good job and he is able to support his family (despite lacking some common sense)

The definition of an adult with autism vs. one without is very different and varies greatly from person to person.

You can’t compare yourself to others but you can work hard and strive to be as independent as possible. If you try like Andy there’s no doubt you won’t succeed.

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stories-me · 4 months

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Potential Character for Mrs. Kelsey and Tumblr 1/3/2024:

Haru, Pokémon Concierge:

Personality:

Neurotic, anxious, her own worst enemy sometmes, tries her best.

How she is like me:

We both can be quite anxious, but want to do our best. Still, with a good support system, we’ll muddle through. My support system helps me work on things that make me frustrated or stressed. Also, various coping strategies (deep breathing, listening to music, etc.) help me out.

Kelsey Notes:

It’s important to note that her current state might not be her actual personality

In the beginning, she’s basically “down on her luck” and nothing seems to be going right in her world. This will change for her

She seems to stumble upon the best environment for herself and makes some unlikely friends, despite how disastrous her life seems at the moment

Everyone has their own ability to handle stressful situations. The amount of fear that those stressful situations can cause on someone varies from person to person.

It usually in these times that we stumble upon things we ultimately become grateful for and they pull us out of the funk that a stressful situation might have causes us to be in

A downward spiral or cycle of doom is a period of life where we feel hopeless in some situations that happened outside of our control.

IF we stay stuck in the cycle of doom then we miss some bright lights that are helping us learn new skills that are difficult one day, but might become useful for us in the future.

Despite having a “disastrous” entrance into Pokemon Concierge, Haru found an unlikely job that brought out the best in her. She found friends.

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stories-me · 4 months

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Potential Character for Mrs. Kelsey and Tumblr 12/27/2023:

Leslie Knope of the Pawnee Parks and Recreation Department:

Personality:

Leslie Knope is extremely cheerful, ambitious, hard-working and optimistic. She is firmly committed to the belief that government should provide a service for its people, and regularly goes above and beyond for the benefits of Pawnee’s residents — a belief that regularly clashes with her superior Ron Swanson (played by Nick Offerman), a staunch libertarian who feels all government should be dissolved and privatized.

Although somewhat naïve, Leslie is intelligent, well-read, and has good intentions, but is not always successful in executing her goals. She repeatedly tries to put a positive spin on failure, even to the point where she will occasionally distort the truth in her own view. For example, she does not get discouraged by angry residents who complain or yell during her public forums, but instead prefers to think of them as “people caring loudly at me”. Many of her co-workers do not share her enthusiasm, but Leslie gains their respect, nonetheless. Her ambition occasionally annoys her colleagues and leads to ribbing against her, especially from her subordinate Tom Haverford (Aziz Ansari). Her favorite food is waffles from a local diner, JJ’s. She has a crush on former vice president, now President Joe Biden, and harbors an irrational hatred of public libraries, salads, and the wealthy neighboring town of Eagleton, which Leslie found out, to her sheer horror, was actually her birthplace.

How she is like me:

We can both be pretty positive and enthusiastic about our passions and interests. Also, we’re both intelligent and well-read.

How she is NOT like me:

She’s a bit of a caricature. In addition, she has never said anything close to “We’re doomed,” or has never gotten really upset or angry.

Kelsey Notes:

People tend to not take her seriously because of her positive attitude

Her staff is loyal to her overtime due to her ability to persevere with a positive attitude- they may not always like it in the beginning (of the series) but they recognize her ability to try hard in the face of adversity

Finding something positive in a moment of badness can be difficult, but it can also be the thing that motivates you to move forward

Leslie often got negative feedback from her community but she never let that stop her. She would take what she needed as constructive criticism and keep moving forward to her goal

She didn’t listen to every negative comment spoken about her, but she recognized those that had some validity and made herself better because of those comments

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