Official International Wrong Planet Conference / Festival

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At the moment, the WP conference/festival seems to be on hold.
However, another aspie-run conference/retreat, Autreat, is taking place next week, in Pennsylvania:
http://www.wrongplanet.net/postt226674.html

Ian drives from New Mexico to Autreat every summer:
http://ianology.wordpress.com/2012/07/1 ... and-happy/
Perhaps you can go to Autreat with him next summer?

Ken, so, why is it on hold? I see no reasons that it should remain on hold. I have a 19 year old autistic son, who, because of co-morbidities, one of them being horrific pain that the neurologist termed "the most pain humanly possible" that used to cause him to pass out from the pain hundreds of times a day [I have given birth to 5 babies, and trust me, it physically hurt, but NEVER once did I pass out from the pain. For the first time in seven years he has periods being pain-free.

As for me, I am also autistic and I am undergoing treatment for a particularly aggressive breast cancer. My son is actually looking at a chance to have a good life. He needs my support as long as possible. Plus, he has been isolated so long with his illness and now that he is capable of making friends [he so wants friends] he is shunned by NORMLS.

i have checked out groups in our area, they are either for people under 18 or else they are all so much older. I want my son to have hope for a life. A gathering of our own people would give him that hope.

So, precisely WHY is it on hold? when Alex first announced it 2 YEARS AGO, he said nothing about someday, somewhere. He came across with a "let's do it" attitude. do we need volunteers? I gladly volunteer as much as my health allows. There are others who offered to help when the threads was new. Could they not be approached? Could we not ask GRASP for assistance as well? Can we just not DO this?

Ken, possibly YOU could put together the website. Alex, who already had connections, now has more since he originally presented the idea. could definitely use some of those connections to obtain funding and spread awareness of the event. Here in Colorado, there are many church camps in the mountains who rent out their facilities from time to time. that could be perfect.
I am by no means averse to Las Vegas, Florida, or Hollywood, but we would need to assure that our more sensory affected people are protected. I think that is possible but it would take a large ammount of consideration and planning.
Oh, and I cannot go to Autreat this year for a variety of reasons, only one of them being financial.
I would love to hear from both you and Alex, not on why we can't, but how we CAN.
BTW, classes I would love to attend; dating, romance and marraige, self-employment, and how to put together a permanent community for those on the spectrum which could serve as a model arround the world.

Granny Aspie [even at my advanced age I stim more than ever]

Because whoever suggested it has a lot to learn from the people who run Autreat.
I'm glad he is getting better.
I hope the treatment succeeds and you regain your health.
Have you tried contacting GRASP's support group in Denver?
http://grasp.org/page/grasp-support-group-denver-co
Have you tried contacting the Denver Autism Asperger's Syndrome Mix?
https://www.facebook.com/pages/DAASM-De ... 6629405673
The only gathering in North America is Autreat, in Pennsylvania. People travel to Autreat from as far as California, Oregon, England and Japan.
Only if someone volunteers to be the main organizer.
GRASP are planning a gathering of our own people, but the location and dates are yet to be announced.
A permanent community for those on the spectrum is currently being built by Ian in New Mexico -
http://ianology.wordpress.com/2012/01/2 ... e-cristos/

Because of my health I could not be the main organizer. Alex as you know first announced [not suggested] it and hopefully he could delegate [plus, as i mentioned earlier, he has tons of connections]

Some Autistics are what I think of as introverted/extroverts or extroverted introverts, which, I realize is a bit of a paradox. I include myself in that group, and as long as I had a room to escape to I would be fine in Las Vegas.[as a matter of fact I would like to wear a smily -face ribbon signifying, yes, iI would LOVE a hug!] For many, though, that would be one of the worst places in the world. And those many need to be included.

I have been reading about Jim Sullivan[?] lately and how he first put together Autreat. Pretty fascinating. Then I read about the creation of Autscape, which, just from the information I have gleaned, seems like an improvement on Autreat. I could easily be perceiving this inacurately but it appears to be more compromise oriented.

Much studying of both Autreat and Autscape is neccesary. What Alex has proposed sounds AWESOME, but, it wold have to be on a large enough scale that there is plenty of space to occupy bOTH what Alex has proposed AND a LARGE peaceful, quiet, fragrance free area[NOT one or 2 rooms]

This would take money; lots of it. Much more than Alex has proposed. I have one, and only one connection to a group that awards grants to worthy causes[would we need the umbrella of a non-profit organization] but I know she would only be interested if there were already some organization and other interested donors.

Do you know Alex on a personal level where you could speak to him about such things? And would you? Could we receive advice from Autreat attendees and organizers? If so, i would LOVE to be part of the planning commitee.[BTW, some people have suggested different locations in Texas, and though I love Colorado, Texas is a great central location. A large campus anywhere that is closed for the summer and willing to rent space at a fair rate ANYWHERE would be ideal. Shall I go ahead and start making queries or would I be wasting my time?

Yes, never. This was a little more than a fantasy idea, not based on reality.

That sounds like it would be so fun to go to!! I really, really wish that I could participate. I've never been to any festival meet type of thing. It always is not fun to miss out on fun stuff. Unfortunately, my parents would never have us travel to that, even if it wasn't expensive, they just wouldn't. You should post videos to this website of interesting things that went on. Maybe one day there will be another one, when I grow up, or something. I really wish that I could be there..

You could do it in Utah.

We have the highest percentage of identified cases of autism, in the nation.
http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/jazz/53816 ... d.html.csp

I'm already putting a mini retreat together in Colorado in February or March.

Is anybody attending the Autism NJ convention in Atlantic City on Oct 17th? Even Governor Chris Christie will be addressing the convention there

http://www.autismnj.org/annual_conference

Count me in! A 3 day Baja cruise would be good too. Sometimes they can be had for less than $200, and if 4 share a room the 4th person travels free. So the 4th spot could be reserved for those who can't otherwise afford to go. Meals and entertainment would be included in the price, so it would be very affordable. A cruise would also be good for people who are more socially challenged since you can always hide out in your cabin and you don't have to worry about logistics/getting lost as you will always be on the ship.

For time of year, I think the week between Christmas and New Year's would be good as that's when most Aspies feel really lonely...

That sounds like fun!

I'd like to suggest arts and crafts sales for those of us who create things.
I'd also like to suggest having it at a quieter location...probably something away from the city where we can connect with nature.

Utah is the creepiest place on earth, I'd never go there again.

Indeed:
http://www.wrongplanet.net/postt248700.html

You are all invited to the retreat Vicky is organizing - AutHaven, in Colorado, next month!
AutHaven's website: http://www.divergentlabs.org/temp/authaven.html

I'd personally be willing to help sponsor a Utah event if there were enough interest.

Either way, Vegas isn't a difficult drive - getting time off work is extremely difficult, however.



It's all stereotypes, I thought that when I moved here. None of them are true.