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	<title>Donna Williams' Blog &#187; Poetry</title>
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		<title>Donna Williams’ Poetry Jam – Dec 2011</title>
		<link>http://blog.donnawilliams.net/2011/12/08/donna-williams%e2%80%99-poetry-jam-%e2%80%93-dec-2011/</link>
		<comments>http://blog.donnawilliams.net/2011/12/08/donna-williams%e2%80%99-poetry-jam-%e2%80%93-dec-2011/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 08 Dec 2011 06:48:27 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>donna</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[arts and ARTism]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Donna Williams]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Poetry]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sociology]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[challenge]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[haiku]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[jam]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[poetry]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[types of poetry]]></category>

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		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.donnawilliams.net/?p=3427</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Welcome to the Dec 2011 poetry challenge started over on my FB page. Feel free to send me a 1-2 word TITLE or THEME to write to in the comments section and up to the end of Dec, you’ll find I’ve responded by posting a poem here addressing it. Here’s the poems so far… Brand [...]<p>This item originally posted here:<br/><br/><a href="http://blog.donnawilliams.net/2011/12/08/donna-williams%e2%80%99-poetry-jam-%e2%80%93-dec-2011/">Donna Williams’ Poetry Jam – Dec 2011</a></p>
]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://www.donnawilliams.net/weirdoslikeme.0.html"><img src="http://blog.donnawilliams.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/One-Of-A-Kind-sml-150x150.jpg" alt="" title="One Of A Kind by Donna Williams" width="150" height="150" class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-3428" /></a>  Welcome to the Dec 2011 <a href="http://www.donnawilliams.net/weirdoslikeme.0.html">poetry</a> challenge started over on my <a href="https://www.facebook.com/theartyautie">FB page</a>.  Feel free to send me a 1-2 word TITLE or THEME to write to in the comments section and up to the end of Dec, you’ll find I’ve responded by posting a poem here addressing it.  Here’s the poems so far…<span id="more-3427"></span></p>
<p><strong>Brand New Day</strong></p>
<p>Save a penny, save a dime, save a dollar,<br />
Save the time<br />
you might have spent on holiday<br />
something else may come your way.<br />
You hope and wish and want and pray,<br />
But whose to say you get what your order?<br />
Sometimes the last thing you might ask for<br />
Is delivered to your door.<br />
And adventures, you may have in store.<br />
A roller coaster, labyrinth, a challenge far beyond your norm.<br />
A dark night of the soul or two,<br />
a psycho-social thunder storm.<br />
An army coming o&#8217;er the hill,<br />
a nemesis you&#8217;d have to greet.<br />
These and many more surrealisms,<br />
may just ballet dance on down your street.<br />
And they bear gifts, macabre and great,<br />
they sweep aside the clutter and the waste,<br />
they show you time and space, mortality,<br />
they are perhaps the light and way,<br />
they remind us all of gravity<br />
and give us perspective of each brand new day.</p>
<p>By <a href="http://www.donnawilliams.net/front.0.html"  class="alinks_links" onclick="return alinks_click(this);" title=""  style="padding-right: 13px; background: url(http://blog.donnawilliams.net/wp-content/plugins/alinks/images/external.png) center right no-repeat;" rel="external">Donna Williams</a>, Dec, 2011</p>
<p><strong>Isolated</strong></p>
<p>Isolation<br />
Masturbation<br />
Self Imprisoned soul.<br />
Dissociate<br />
Procrastinate<br />
It&#8217;s your own empty bowl.<br />
Or wake and shake the cobwebs off.<br />
A muscle left to waste, WILL waste.<br />
A mind, a body, a heart,<br />
or speech, or daring,<br />
or empathy, caring&#8230;<br />
Want to complain?<br />
But who was it threw the skill potential<br />
swiftly down the drain?<br />
We side with defences<br />
cherish invisible fences<br />
of the soul?<br />
Then complain how hard it&#8217;s all become,<br />
the bumps of life, the guests who didn&#8217;t come.<br />
Go ask the tree if you&#8217;re alone,<br />
the leaves and rain and wind are calling,<br />
but all you see&#8217;s the silent phone.</p>
<p>By Donna Williams, Dec, 2011</p>
<p><strong>Doubled Jointed</strong></p>
<p>Perplexing<br />
Flexing<br />
limbs a kimbo<br />
Contorting gymnasts<br />
bend but don&#8217;t break.<br />
Will you bend over backwards<br />
to be &#8216;so normal&#8217;.<br />
Double jointed is no mistake.</p>
<p>By Donna Williams, Dec, 2011</p>
<p><strong>Frustration Nation</strong></p>
<p>Who contemplated naming nations?<br />
A history of waring factions,<br />
winners losers<br />
refugees and choosers<br />
chasing dreams and venting their frustrations?<br />
Some fought for flags,<br />
Some fought for banks,<br />
Some fought for bosses,<br />
without thanks.<br />
Some lost community within picket fences,<br />
within me, me, me and mine, mine, mine<br />
within consumer driven bought pretenses.<br />
The cost of this, the cost of that,<br />
you want your cigarettes, your latest gadget or your thirteenth hat?<br />
Your dogs needs clipping, your cats need perms,<br />
your house needs detoxing from the germs<br />
their immunity once fought,<br />
but not now, in a society where slightest risk means litigation.<br />
Not a wonder that we think we suffer from &#8216;frustration nation&#8217;.</p>
<p><strong>Family</strong></p>
<p>Hold a hand and wipe a bum,<br />
be a parent or a chum<br />
keep the boundaries<br />
or hand the buck<br />
care to the point of co-dependency<br />
or instead, don&#8217;t give a *%&#038;$.</p>
<p>Preen the object, curl the hair, pageant girls and cowboy suit boys.<br />
Five hundred dollar birthdays and gadgets by credit card<br />
dog and cat and rabbit run amok in nice back yard.</p>
<p>Family roast dinner, and tinsel on the Christmas tree<br />
Smiling times and happy smiles,<br />
and orphans only live on TV.</p>
<p>Fighting in the car backseat,<br />
&#8216;do we have to have one like you?&#8217;<br />
headrest imprints of muddy feet,<br />
and fairy floss at the zoo.</p>
<p>Mother smother and father &#8216;who&#8217;,<br />
Forever and ever, a bloodline we share<br />
but with blood donors worldwide I can get that anywhere.</p>
<p><strong>Hungry feelers</strong></p>
<p>Hungry feelers, feed me, feed me,<br />
feed me feelings, love me, need me,<br />
be my world<br />
be my hero<br />
be my savior<br />
mamma, papa<br />
be my mirror<br />
be my icon<br />
and I will be your<br />
leeeeech</p>
<p><strong>Teenage Angst</strong></p>
<p>The toddlerhood of adulthood<br />
the teenager throws a tanty.<br />
Respect?<br />
You know it all dinosaur.<br />
Authority, I blaspheme you.<br />
Heritage, I discard you.<br />
Boundaries, I defy you.<br />
Respect, I revile you.<br />
My rebellion moment bores me.<br />
I failed to scare you, control you, reduce you.<br />
You stood strong, didn&#8217;t suck, held your ground.<br />
In your hand, two cups of tea.</p>
<p><strong>Deception Soup</strong></p>
<p>Invested interest.<br />
Stir the pot.<br />
What is truth.<br />
What is not.<br />
Lost in whispers<br />
outside the loop.<br />
A steaming pot<br />
of deception soup.</p>
<p>By Donna Williams, Dec, 2011</p>
<p>Donna Williams, BA Hons, Dip Ed.<br />
<a href="http://www.donnawilliams.net/author.0.html"  class="alinks_links" onclick="return alinks_click(this);" title="published writer "  style="padding-right: 13px; background: url(http://blog.donnawilliams.net/wp-content/plugins/alinks/images/external.png) center right no-repeat;" rel="external">Author</a>, artist, singer-songwriter, <a href="http://www.donnawilliams.net/screenwriter.0.html"  class="alinks_links" onclick="return alinks_click(this);" title=""  style="padding-right: 13px; background: url(http://blog.donnawilliams.net/wp-content/plugins/alinks/images/external.png) center right no-repeat;" rel="external">screenwriter</a>.<br />
<a href="http://www.donnawilliams.net/consultancy.0.html"  class="alinks_links" onclick="return alinks_click(this);" title=""  style="padding-right: 13px; background: url(http://blog.donnawilliams.net/wp-content/plugins/alinks/images/external.png) center right no-repeat;" rel="external">Autism consultant</a> and <a href="http://www.donnawilliams.net/testimonials.0.html"  class="alinks_links" onclick="return alinks_click(this);" title="lecture testimonials"  style="padding-right: 13px; background: url(http://blog.donnawilliams.net/wp-content/plugins/alinks/images/external.png) center right no-repeat;" rel="external">public speaker</a>.<br />
<a href="http://www.donnawilliams.net">http://www.donnawilliams.net</a></p>
<p>I acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as the Traditional Owners of this country throughout Australia, and their connection to land and community. </p>
<p>This item originally posted here:<br/><br/><a href="http://blog.donnawilliams.net/2011/12/08/donna-williams%e2%80%99-poetry-jam-%e2%80%93-dec-2011/">Donna Williams’ Poetry Jam – Dec 2011</a></p>
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		<item>
		<title>Friend &#8211; In memory of Anne McDonald</title>
		<link>http://blog.donnawilliams.net/2010/10/27/friend-in-memory-of-anne-mcdonald/</link>
		<comments>http://blog.donnawilliams.net/2010/10/27/friend-in-memory-of-anne-mcdonald/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 27 Oct 2010 11:47:08 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>donna</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[arts and ARTism]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[Donna Williams]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Poetry]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[anne mac donald]]></category>
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		<description><![CDATA[FRIEND In memory of Anne McDonald the eyes in which I saw your mood the corners of your mouth which spoke one or the other the laughter grin without the laugh the repertoire of noises and their musicality you were in there somewhere between letter boards and i-pads somewhere between the table banter and my [...]<p>This item originally posted here:<br/><br/><a href="http://blog.donnawilliams.net/2010/10/27/friend-in-memory-of-anne-mcdonald/">Friend &#8211; In memory of Anne McDonald</a></p>
]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://www.donnawilliams.net"><img src="http://blog.donnawilliams.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/wattle-sml-150x150.jpg" alt="" title="wattle sml" width="150" height="150" class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-2052" /></a>  FRIEND<br />
In memory of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anne_McDonald">Anne McDonald</a></p>
<blockquote><p>the eyes in which I saw your mood<br />
the corners of your mouth which spoke one or the other<br />
the laughter grin without the laugh<br />
the repertoire of noises and their musicality<br />
you were in there somewhere between letter boards and i-pads<br />
somewhere between the table banter and my tics<br />
between ice-cream and pills<br />
somewhere between pears, Kahlua and chocolates.<br />
we met<br />
a synchronicity<br />
an understanding,<br />
energy vibrations<br />
a sameness<br />
reaching out<br />
across a dinner table </p></blockquote>
<p><a href="http://www.donnawilliams.net/front.0.html"  class="alinks_links" onclick="return alinks_click(this);" title=""  style="padding-right: 13px; background: url(http://blog.donnawilliams.net/wp-content/plugins/alinks/images/external.png) center right no-repeat;" rel="external">Donna Williams</a><span id="more-2051"></span>, BA Hons, Dip Ed.<br />
<a href="http://www.donnawilliams.net/author.0.html"  class="alinks_links" onclick="return alinks_click(this);" title="published writer "  style="padding-right: 13px; background: url(http://blog.donnawilliams.net/wp-content/plugins/alinks/images/external.png) center right no-repeat;" rel="external">Author</a>, artist, singer-songwriter, <a href="http://www.donnawilliams.net/screenwriter.0.html"  class="alinks_links" onclick="return alinks_click(this);" title=""  style="padding-right: 13px; background: url(http://blog.donnawilliams.net/wp-content/plugins/alinks/images/external.png) center right no-repeat;" rel="external">screenwriter</a>.<br />
<a href="http://www.donnawilliams.net/consultancy.0.html"  class="alinks_links" onclick="return alinks_click(this);" title=""  style="padding-right: 13px; background: url(http://blog.donnawilliams.net/wp-content/plugins/alinks/images/external.png) center right no-repeat;" rel="external">Autism consultant</a> and <a href="http://www.donnawilliams.net/testimonials.0.html"  class="alinks_links" onclick="return alinks_click(this);" title="lecture testimonials"  style="padding-right: 13px; background: url(http://blog.donnawilliams.net/wp-content/plugins/alinks/images/external.png) center right no-repeat;" rel="external">public speaker</a>.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.donnawilliams.net"  class="alinks_links" onclick="return alinks_click(this);" title=""  style="padding-right: 13px; background: url(http://blog.donnawilliams.net/wp-content/plugins/alinks/images/external.png) center right no-repeat;" rel="external">http://www.donnawilliams.net</a></p>
<p>This item originally posted here:<br/><br/><a href="http://blog.donnawilliams.net/2010/10/27/friend-in-memory-of-anne-mcdonald/">Friend &#8211; In memory of Anne McDonald</a></p>
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		<slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Donna Williams&#8217; upcoming events for 2010</title>
		<link>http://blog.donnawilliams.net/2010/03/20/donna-williams-upcoming-events-for-2010/</link>
		<comments>http://blog.donnawilliams.net/2010/03/20/donna-williams-upcoming-events-for-2010/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 20 Mar 2010 08:25:01 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>donna</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[arts and ARTism]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Australia]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Autism]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[autism politics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[books]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Donna Williams]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[film]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[melbourne]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[music]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Poetry]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[psychology]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sociology]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[theatre]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[aspinauts]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[author]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[autistic]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[documentary]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[events]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[lectures]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Melbourne]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[performances]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[readings]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[screening]]></category>
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		<description><![CDATA[Here&#8217;s my upcoming events so far&#8230;. Ringwood, Victoria &#8211; Monday 12th April 2010 WORLD AUTISM AWARENESS MONTH EVENT Donna Williams presents Jam Jar; the classic 1995 autism UK TV documentary. It follows Donna in her daily life with her first husband, a man on the autistic spectrum. Donna becomes our tour guide showing us the [...]<p>This item originally posted here:<br/><br/><a href="http://blog.donnawilliams.net/2010/03/20/donna-williams-upcoming-events-for-2010/">Donna Williams&#8217; upcoming events for 2010</a></p>
]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://www.donnawilliams.net"><img class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-1811" title="immortality sml" src="http://blog.donnawilliams.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/immortality-sml-150x150.jpg" alt="" width="118" height="118" /></a> Here&#8217;s my upcoming events so far&#8230;.<span id="more-1810"></span></p>
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<h1>Ringwood, Victoria &#8211; Monday  12th April 2010</h1>
</div>
<p><!--  Header: [end] --> <!--  Text: [begin] -->WORLD <a href="http://www.donnawilliams.net/autisminsideout.0.html"  class="alinks_links" onclick="return alinks_click(this);" title=""  style="padding-right: 13px; background: url(http://blog.donnawilliams.net/wp-content/plugins/alinks/images/external.png) center right no-repeat;" rel="external">AUTISM</a> AWARENESS MONTH EVENT</p>
<p><a href="http://www.donnawilliams.net/front.0.html"  class="alinks_links" onclick="return alinks_click(this);" title=""  style="padding-right: 13px; background: url(http://blog.donnawilliams.net/wp-content/plugins/alinks/images/external.png) center right no-repeat;" rel="external">Donna Williams</a> presents Jam Jar; the classic 1995  autism UK TV documentary.  It follows Donna in her daily life with her  first husband, a man on the <a href="http://www.donnawilliams.net/author.0.html"  class="alinks_links" onclick="return alinks_click(this);" title="both an adjective and condition"  style="padding-right: 13px; background: url(http://blog.donnawilliams.net/wp-content/plugins/alinks/images/external.png) center right no-repeat;" rel="external">autistic</a> spectrum.  Donna becomes our tour  guide showing us the person beyond the labels on the ‘jam jar’.  Poetic  and artistic, the film explores Donna’s meaning <a href="http://www.donnawilliams.net/nobodynowhere.0.html"  class="alinks_links" onclick="return alinks_click(this);" title=""  style="padding-right: 13px; background: url(http://blog.donnawilliams.net/wp-content/plugins/alinks/images/external.png) center right no-repeat;" rel="external">deafness</a> and meaning  blindness in the context of autism and the social, emotional and  communication bridges she uses to navigate with the world showing us the  person beyond the labels on the ‘jam jar’. Jam Jar went on to be  nominated for the UK&#8217;s Mental Health Media Award, and was captured in  the book, <a href="http://www.donnawilliams.net/everydayheaven.0.html"  class="alinks_links" onclick="return alinks_click(this);" title=""  style="padding-right: 13px; background: url(http://blog.donnawilliams.net/wp-content/plugins/alinks/images/external.png) center right no-repeat;" rel="external">Everyday Heaven</a>.</p>
<p>The film will be followed by a Q-A session with the  audience.</p>
<p>WHERE: Ringwood Library, 4 Melbourne Mall, Eastland  Shopping Centre (Melways Ref 49H8)</p>
<p>COST: Free</p>
<p>TIME: 7pm-8.30pm</p>
<p>ENQUIRIES: <a href="javascript:linkTo_UnCryptMailto('nbjmup+cppljohtAepoobxjmmjbnt/ofu');">bookings(at)donnawilliams.net</a></p>
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<h1>Eltham, Victoria &#8211;  Wednesday 14th April 2010</h1>
</div>
<p><!--  Header: [end] --> <!--  Text: [begin] -->WORLD AUTISM AWARENESS MONTH EVENT</p>
<p>Donna will give selected readings from <a title="Opens  internal link in current window" href="http://www.donnawilliams.net/nobodynowhere.0.html">Nobody Nowhere</a> and <a title="Opens internal link in current window" href="http://www.donnawilliams.net/somebodysomewhere.0.html">Somebody  Somewhere</a> and selected <a title="Opens  internal link in current window" href="http://www.donnawilliams.net/poetryprose.0.html">poetry</a> together  with a Q-A session with the audience and perform as a duo two pieces  from her rock musical, <a title="Opens external  link in new window" onclick="javascript:urchinTracker  ('/.external/http/www.myspace.com/footstepsofanobody'); " href="http://www.myspace.com/footstepsofanobody" target="_blank">Footsteps of a  Nobody</a>, accompanied by <a title="Opens external link in new window" onclick="javascript:urchinTracker  ('/.external/http/www.aspinauts.com'); " href="http://www.aspinauts.com/" target="_blank">Aspinaut</a>, Anthony Julian.</p>
<p>WHERE:  Eltham Library, Panther Place, Eltham 3095</p>
<p>COST: Free</p>
<p>TIME: 7.00pm &#8211; 8.30pm</p>
<p>ENQUIRIES: <a href="javascript:linkTo_UnCryptMailto('nbjmup+cppljohtAepoobxjmmjbnt/ofu');">bookings(at)donnawilliams.net</a></p>
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<div>
<h1>Greensborough, Victoria &#8211;  Thursday 15th April 2010</h1>
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<p><!--  Header: [end] --> <!--  Text: [begin] -->WORLD AUTISM AWARENESS MONTH EVENT</p>
<p>Donna Williams presents Jam Jar; the classic 1995   autism UK TV documentary.  It follows Donna in her daily life with her   first husband, a man on the autistic spectrum.  Donna becomes our tour   guide showing us the person beyond the labels on the ‘jam jar’.  Poetic   and artistic, the film explores Donna’s <a href="http://www.donnawilliams.net/somebodysomewhere.0.html"  class="alinks_links" onclick="return alinks_click(this);" title=""  style="padding-right: 13px; background: url(http://blog.donnawilliams.net/wp-content/plugins/alinks/images/external.png) center right no-repeat;" rel="external">meaning deafness</a> and meaning   blindness in the context of autism and the social, emotional and   communication bridges she uses to navigate with the world showing us the   person beyond the labels on the ‘jam jar’. Jam Jar went on to be   nominated for the UK&#8217;s Mental Health Media Award, and was captured in   the book, Everyday Heaven.</p>
<p>The film will be followed by a Q-A session with the   audience.</p>
<p>WHERE: Kalparrin Early Intervention Centre, 1  Kalparrin Ave, Greensborough, 3088</p>
<p>COST: Gold coin donation</p>
<p>TIME: 1-3pm</p>
<p>ENQUIRIES: <a href="javascript:linkTo_UnCryptMailto('nbjmup+cppljohtAepoobxjmmjbnt/ofu');">bookings(at)donnawilliams.net</a></p>
<p>Note: sorry no childcare provided except to those in  the Kalparrin community</p>
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<h1>Nth Fitzroy, Victoria &#8211;  Saturday 24th April 2010</h1>
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<p><a title="Opens  external link in new window" onclick="javascript:urchinTracker  ('/.external/http/www.aspinauts.com'); " href="http://www.aspinauts.com/" target="_blank"><strong>Footsteps of a Nobody</strong></a> is a powerful one woman rock-musical written, directed and performed by  Donna Williams, <a href="http://www.donnawilliams.net/author.0.html"  class="alinks_links" onclick="return alinks_click(this);" title="published writer "  style="padding-right: 13px; background: url(http://blog.donnawilliams.net/wp-content/plugins/alinks/images/external.png) center right no-repeat;" rel="external">author</a> of the international bestseller, <a title="Opens  internal link in current window" href="http://www.donnawilliams.net/nobodynowhere.0.html">Nobody Nowhere;  Autobiography of an Autistic Girl</a> and musically accompanied by  Jean-Paul D&#8217;Aubbonnett.   Through characterisations, <a href="http://www.donnawilliams.net/autisminsideout.0.html"  class="alinks_links" onclick="return alinks_click(this);" title=""  style="padding-right: 13px; background: url(http://blog.donnawilliams.net/wp-content/plugins/alinks/images/external.png) center right no-repeat;" rel="external">gestural signing</a>,  evocative spoken word and song it traces Donna’s pivotal experiences  from a meaning deaf, meaning blind feral child to homelessness and on to  her ultimate fight to claim a place of equality among others.</p>
<p>Disabled access is available.  Show is suitable for  teens and adults. Question time available after the show.</p>
<p><strong>REVIEWS OF DONNA WILLIAMS&#8217; WRITING:</strong></p>
<p>She allows us to understand our own perceptions as  never before.<br />
<strong>NEW YORK TIMES</strong></p>
<p>Powerful and unique.<br />
<strong>DAILY TELEGRAPH</strong></p>
<p>Deserves every superlative a reviewer can muster.<br />
<strong>THE  GLOBE AND MAIL</strong></p>
<p>Powerful enough to make one reassess what it means  to be human.<br />
<strong>MODE</strong></p>
<p>By turns fascinating and harrowing&#8230;<br />
<strong>PEOPLE  MAGAZINE</strong></p>
<p><strong>WHAT PEOPLE SAY ABOUT THE FOOTSTEPS SHOW:</strong></p>
<p>&#8220;The show was outstanding; you are very talented.  The Q &amp; A at the end was a great surprise. Thank you for a great  night, fantastic performance, amazing <a href="http://www.donnawilliams.net/music.0.html"  class="alinks_links" onclick="return alinks_click(this);" title=""  style="padding-right: 13px; background: url(http://blog.donnawilliams.net/wp-content/plugins/alinks/images/external.png) center right no-repeat;" rel="external">music</a> and wonderful conversation  provoked afterwards!&#8221;</p>
<p>- Kelly O&#8217;Brien</p>
<p>&#8220;I found your performance last night extremely  moving. You have a beautiful voice and your <a href="http://www.donnawilliams.net/notjustanything.0.html"  class="alinks_links" onclick="return alinks_click(this);" title=""  style="padding-right: 13px; background: url(http://blog.donnawilliams.net/wp-content/plugins/alinks/images/external.png) center right no-repeat;" rel="external">poetry</a> and song lyrics are  amazing! Thank you once again for your inspirational show Donna&#8221;.</p>
<p>- Jill Young</p>
<p><strong>WHERE</strong>: J Studios, 100 Barkly, St Nth Fitzroy</p>
<p>(public transport: St Georges Rd Tram or Rushall   train Stn)</p>
<p><strong>COST</strong>:  $15 Full price, $10 Concession.</p>
<p>As part of International Autism Month, 10% of all  proceeds will benefit  <a title="Opens external link in new window" onclick="javascript:urchinTracker  ('/.external/http/home.vicnet.net.au/~dealcc/'); " href="http://home.vicnet.net.au/%7Edealcc/" target="_blank">DEAL Communication  Centre</a>,  which brings augmented  communication to speechless adults  and children<br />
<strong>TIME</strong>: 8-9pm</p>
<p><strong>EMAIL</strong>: <a href="javascript:linkTo_UnCryptMailto('nbjmup+cppljohtAepoobxjmmjbnt/ofu');">bookings(at)donnawilliams.net</a></p>
<p><strong>TICKETS available at the door but you can email  Donna to reserve tickets or book online below.</strong></p>
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<h1>Nth Fitzroy, Victoria &#8211;  Saturday 24th April 2010</h1>
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<p><!--  Header: [end] --> <!--  Text: [begin] -->WORLD AUTISM AWARENESS MONTH EVENT</p>
<p>KIDS ROCK MUSICAL &#8211; BALOOMBAWOP</p>
<p>Once upon tough time, there were Grumpy Gallumphies  who didn’t like strangeness it made them quite grumpy. Then a magical  train arrived from a dream and those who could dare, they had dared to  get in. It was off to Baloomba-wop where they had purple rain, and a  shop that even sold new replacement brains!</p>
<p>They would meet Charlie Warmton whose best friend  was a blanket, and the Brookenstein Fox who lives up on a shelf, and  Bluster-McFluster with his technical gadgets and the Gimmety-Gimme with  everything for herself. They’d meet Booger-Looger who picks his nose to  perfection and the Whirly-twirl-girl who lacks any direction. And not to  mention the Gadoodleborger who runs a magical shop which just happens  to be where the train is to stop.</p>
<p>But deep in Baloomba-wop, a Grumpy Gallumphy, the  notorious Dame Grumpty- Doobee-the-Fourth, she doesn’t like strangeness  at all so she wants to make everyone so very ’normal’ of course. She is  looking to change Baloomba-wop for forever. She’s determined to make all  these weirdoes quite plain. Will she be stopped before everything’s  ’normal’, I wonder. Or succeed making all be exactly the same?</p>
<p>Promoting diversity and challenging fear of  difference, Baloomba-wop is an interactive, off the wall, musical  adventure for kids and kids at heart. Written, produced and performed by  Donna Williams it is accompanied by Jean-Paul D&#8217;Aubbonnett.  Baloomba-wop runs for an hour and should appeal to fans of Dr Seuss,  Lewis Carroll, Roald Dahl.   Audience members are invited to actively  participate throughout.</p>
<p>WHERE: J Studios, 100 Barkly, St Nth Fitzroy</p>
<p>(public transport: St Georges Rd Tram or Rushall  train Stn)</p>
<p>COST: Children $5 Adults $7.50</p>
<p>(10% of proceeds will go to Autism Victoria)<br />
TIME: 5-6pm</p>
<p>EMAIL: <a href="javascript:linkTo_UnCryptMailto('nbjmup+cppljohtAepoobxjmmjbnt/ofu');">bookings(at)donnawilliams.net</a></p>
<p><strong>TICKETS available at the door but you can email  Donna to reserve  tickets or book online below.</strong></p>
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<h1>Box Hill, Victoria &#8211;  Saturday 1st May 2010</h1>
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<p><!--  Header: [end] --> <!--  Text: [begin] -->WORLD AUTISM AWARENESS MONTH EVENT</p>
<p>Donna Williams presents Jam Jar; the classic 1995   autism UK TV documentary.  It follows Donna in her daily life with her   first husband, a man on the autistic spectrum.  Donna becomes our tour   guide showing us the person beyond the labels on the ‘jam jar’.  Poetic   and artistic, the film explores Donna’s <a href="http://www.donnawilliams.net/author.0.html"  class="alinks_links" onclick="return alinks_click(this);" title="verbal agnosia"  style="padding-right: 13px; background: url(http://blog.donnawilliams.net/wp-content/plugins/alinks/images/external.png) center right no-repeat;" rel="external">meaning deafness</a> and meaning   blindness in the context of autism and the social, emotional and   communication bridges she uses to navigate with the world showing us the   person beyond the labels on the ‘jam jar’. Jam Jar went on to be   nominated for the UK&#8217;s Mental Health Media Award, and was captured in   the book, Everyday Heaven.</p>
<p>The film will be followed by a Q-A session with the   audience.</p>
<p>WHERE: Box Hill Library, 1040 Whitehorse Rd, Box  Hill, 3128</p>
<p>COST: Free</p>
<p>TIME: 2-3pm</p>
<p>ENQUIRIES: <a href="javascript:linkTo_UnCryptMailto('nbjmup+cppljohtAepoobxjmmjbnt/ofu');">bookings(at)donnawilliams.net</a></p>
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<h1>Wantirna South, Victoria,  Saturday 8th May, 2010</h1>
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<p><!--  Header: [end] --> <!--  Text: [begin] -->Knox City Council presents AUTISM FAMILIES  TOGETHER weekend</p>
<p>featuring <a title="Opens external link in new window" onclick="javascript:urchinTracker  ('/.external/http/www.aspinauts.com'); " href="http://www.aspinauts.com/" target="_blank">Donna and The Aspinauts</a> performing as part of the opening this great event.</p>
<p>WHERE: Knox City Council, 511 Burwood Highway,   Wantirna South, Vic, 3152</p>
<p>TIME: 9.30am</p>
<p>ENQUIRIES: Jacquie Moffat Ph: 9758 7747</p>
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<div>
<h1>Aspendale Gardens,  Victoria, Tuesday 11th May</h1>
</div>
<p><!--  Header: [end] --> <!--  Text: [begin] -->Walking in Autistic Shoes: An autism presentation  and question-answer forum with renowned author, lecturer and autism  <a href="http://www.donnawilliams.net/consultancy.0.html"  class="alinks_links" onclick="return alinks_click(this);" title="autism consultancy"  style="padding-right: 13px; background: url(http://blog.donnawilliams.net/wp-content/plugins/alinks/images/external.png) center right no-repeat;" rel="external">consultant</a>, Donna Williams.</p>
<p>WHAT PEOPLE SAY:</p>
<p>“The &#8220;feel good&#8221; feeling you get after the event is  amazing. My manager found it the best lecture she had attended in her  whole career!”</p>
<p>“Donna Williams&#8217; talks are spell-blindingly  powerful. I regard her as the preeminent speaker on autism, from a  powerful inside-out perspective”.</p>
<p>“Donna not only changed the way I see people with  autism; she changed the way I see everyone”.</p>
<p>“Donna shares her knowledge with her audience in a  way which makes it one to one, when in a room of hundreds. I would  recommend her as a &#8216;never to be missed&#8217; speaker”.</p>
<p>WHERE: Aspendale Gardens Community Services, 103  Kearney Drive, Aspendale Gardens Vic, 3195</p>
<p>COST: $5</p>
<p>TIME: 7.30-9pm</p>
<p><strong>Bookings are essential</strong><br />
Phone Gina Ullrich  on 9587 5955</p>
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<div>
<h1>Ballarat, Friday 21st May,  2010</h1>
</div>
<p><!--  Header: [end] --> <!--  Text: [begin] -->WORLD AUTISM AWARENESS MONTH EVENT</p>
<p><a title="Opens external link in new window" onclick="javascript:urchinTracker  ('/.external/http/www.myspace.com/footstepsofanobody'); " href="http://www.myspace.com/footstepsofanobody" target="_blank">Footsteps of a  Nobody</a> is a powerful one woman rock-musical written, directed and  performed by  Donna Williams, author of the international bestseller, <a title="Opens   internal link in current window" onclick="javascript:urchinTracker  ('/.external/http/www.donnawilliams.net/nobodynowhere.0.html'); " href="http://www.donnawilliams.net/nobodynowhere.0.html" target="_blank">Nobody  Nowhere;  Autobiography of an Autistic Girl</a> and musically  accompanied by <a title="Opens external  link in new window" onclick="javascript:urchinTracker ('/.external/http/www.aspinauts.com');  " href="http://www.aspinauts.com/" target="_blank">The Aspinauts</a>.   Through characterisations, gestural signing,   evocative spoken word and song it traces Donna’s pivotal experiences   from a meaning deaf, meaning blind feral child to homelessness and on to   her ultimate fight to claim a place of equality among others.</p>
<p>Disabled access is available.  Show is suitable for   teens and adults. Question time available after the show.</p>
<p><strong>REVIEWS OF DONNA WILLIAMS&#8217; WRITING:</strong></p>
<p>She allows us to understand our own perceptions as  never before.<br />
<strong>NEW YORK TIMES</strong></p>
<p>Powerful and unique.<br />
<strong>DAILY TELEGRAPH</strong></p>
<p>Deserves every superlative a reviewer can muster.<br />
<strong>THE  GLOBE AND MAIL</strong></p>
<p>Powerful enough to make one reassess what it means  to be human.<br />
<strong>MODE</strong></p>
<p>By turns fascinating and harrowing&#8230;<br />
PEOPLE  MAGAZINE</p>
<p><strong>WHAT PEOPLE SAY ABOUT THE FOOTSTEPS SHOW:</strong></p>
<p>&#8220;The show was outstanding; you are very talented.  The Q &amp; A at the end was a great surprise. Thank you for a great  night, fantastic performance, amazing <a href="http://www.myspace.com/donnaandtheaspinauts"  class="alinks_links" onclick="return alinks_click(this);" title="a language of sound with or without words"  style="padding-right: 13px; background: url(http://blog.donnawilliams.net/wp-content/plugins/alinks/images/external.png) center right no-repeat;" rel="external">music</a> and wonderful conversation  provoked afterwards!&#8221;</p>
<p>- Kelly O&#8217;Brien</p>
<p>&#8220;I found your performance last night extremely  moving. You have a beautiful voice and your poetry and song lyrics are  amazing! Thank you once again for your inspirational show Donna&#8221;.</p>
<p>- Jill Young<br />
<strong>WHERE</strong>: Wendouree Centre for Performing  Arts, Howitt St, Wendouree, Ballarat.</p>
<p><strong>COST</strong>:  Full Price $20,  under 18s  $5.00</p>
<p><strong>TIME</strong>: 7-8pm</p>
<p><strong>BOOKINGS: </strong>Phone Bookings &amp; payment direct  to Booking Office -03 5338 0980<br />
Hours- Tues-Fri -9.00am -1.00pm and  2.00 – 4.30pm</p>
<p><strong>ENQUIRIES</strong>: contact Kris on <a href="javascript:linkTo_UnCryptMailto('nbjmup+lltAofudpoofdu/dpn/bv');">kks(at)netconnect.com.au</a></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p lang="en-AU"><strong>Disabled 	access  available</strong></p>
</li>
<li>
<p lang="en-AU"><strong>Suitable 	for teens  and older children</strong></p>
</li>
<li>
<p lang="en-AU"><strong>Question 	 time available after the show </strong></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p lang="en-AU">
<p><strong>Proudly sponsored by: Ballarat Autism Network </strong></p>
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<div>
<h1>Singapore, Thursday, 3rd  June</h1>
</div>
<p><!--  Header: [end] --> <!--  Text: [begin] -->Co-Occurring conditions &#8211; Addressing ‘Fleas’:  Mood, Anxiety and compulsive disorder on the <a href="http://www.donnawilliams.net/author.0.html"  class="alinks_links" onclick="return alinks_click(this);" title="autism is not one condition"  style="padding-right: 13px; background: url(http://blog.donnawilliams.net/wp-content/plugins/alinks/images/external.png) center right no-repeat;" rel="external">Autism Spectrum</a>.</p>
<p>An screening of an autism presentation by Donna  Williams followed by live question-answer forum via video link up.</p>
<p>WHAT PEOPLE SAY:</p>
<p>“The &#8220;feel good&#8221; feeling you get after the event is   amazing. My manager found it the best lecture she had attended in her   whole career!”</p>
<p>“Donna Williams&#8217; talks are spell-blindingly   powerful. I regard her as the preeminent speaker on autism, from a   powerful inside-out perspective”.</p>
<p>“Donna not only changed the way I see people with   autism; she changed the way I see everyone”.</p>
<p>“Donna shares her knowledge with her audience in a   way which makes it one to one, when in a room of hundreds. I would   recommend her as a &#8216;never to be missed&#8217; speaker”.</p>
<p>WHERE: Autism Resource Centre, 5 Ang Mo Kio Avenue  10, Singapore 569739</p>
<p>TIME: 2.30pm to 3.30pm</p>
<p>ENQUIRIES:</p>
<p>Goh Boon Keng (Ms)<br />
Training Director, Autism  Resource Centre (S)<br />
5 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 10, Singapore 569739</p>
<p>Tel:  (65) 6323-3258<br />
Fax: (65) 6323-1974</p>
<p><a title="Opens external link in new  window" onclick="javascript:urchinTracker ('/.external/http/www.autism.org.sg');  " href="http://www.autism.org.sg/" target="_blank">www.autism.org.sg</a></p>
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<h1>Etham, Victoria, Saturday,  31st July</h1>
</div>
<p><!--  Header: [end] --> <!--  Text: [begin] -->New Voices Writer&#8217;s Festival.</p>
<p>Donna Williams, together with award winning Aussie  poet, Sandy Jeffs,  will give selected readings from their most recent  literary works and chair this exciting opportunity to hear from newly  published Australian authors.</p>
<p>WHERE:  St Margaret&#8217;s Church on Pitt Street, Eltham,  3095</p>
<p>TIME: TBA</p>
<p>ENQUIRIES: Meera Govin, Eltham Bookshop.</p>
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<div>
<h1>Ballarat, Wednesday, 8th  September 2010</h1>
</div>
<p><!--  Header: [end] --> <!--  Text: [begin] -->Brainfood 2010 Conference</p>
<p>“Flow of Knowledge” Stimulating individuals to  actively contribute knowledge sharing</p>
<p>Donna Williams presents Jam Jar; the classic 1995    autism UK TV documentary.  It follows Donna in her daily life with her    first husband, a man on the autistic spectrum.  Donna becomes our tour    guide showing us the person beyond the labels on the ‘jam jar’.   Poetic   and artistic, the film explores Donna’s meaning deafness and  meaning   blindness in the context of autism and the social, emotional  and   communication bridges she uses to navigate with the world showing  us the   person beyond the labels on the ‘jam jar’. Jam Jar went on to  be   nominated for the UK&#8217;s Mental Health Media Award, and was captured  in   the book, Everyday Heaven.</p>
<p>The film will be followed by a Q-A session with the    audience.</p>
<p>WHERE: TBA</p>
<p>TIME: 6.15-7.15pm</p>
<p>ENQUIRIES: Kay Vrieze <a href="javascript:linkTo_UnCryptMailto('nbjmup+lbzwsjfafAbbofu/dpn/bv');">kayvrieze(at)aanet.com.au</a></p>
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<div>
<h1>Wellington, New Zealand &#8211;  Sept 10th to 12th 2010</h1>
</div>
<p><!--  Header: [end] --> <!--  Text: [begin] --><strong>Topic: 2010 Autism New Zealand conference</strong><br />
Details:  TBA</p>
<p>Donna Williams will be a key note speaker at the  2010 Autism New Zealand conference.</p>
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<p>This item originally posted here:<br/><br/><a href="http://blog.donnawilliams.net/2010/03/20/donna-williams-upcoming-events-for-2010/">Donna Williams&#8217; upcoming events for 2010</a></p>
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		<slash:comments>8</slash:comments>
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		<item>
		<title>When I was a homeless girl</title>
		<link>http://blog.donnawilliams.net/2010/03/06/when-i-was-a-homeless-girl/</link>
		<comments>http://blog.donnawilliams.net/2010/03/06/when-i-was-a-homeless-girl/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 06 Mar 2010 21:44:24 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>donna</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[arts and ARTism]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Donna Williams]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Poetry]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[psychology]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sociology]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[famous]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[guilt]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[homeless]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[homelessness]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[poem]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[poetry]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[poverty]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[street]]></category>

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	<category>sweater</category>
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	<category>punkette</category>
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		<description><![CDATA[When I was a homeless girl I had yellow teeth with holes, Big enough to fall through. Twenty six years of antibiotics written on my enamel. I got famous, got veneers, I felt so guilty, people were starving in Africa and I wanted to smile without shame. When I was a homeless girl I had [...]<p>This item originally posted here:<br/><br/><a href="http://blog.donnawilliams.net/2010/03/06/when-i-was-a-homeless-girl/">When I was a homeless girl</a></p>
]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><!-- 		@page { margin: 2cm } 		P { margin-bottom: 0.21cm } --><a href="http://www.donnawilliams.net"><img class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-1786" title="briskly sml" src="http://blog.donnawilliams.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/briskly-sml-150x150.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="150" /></a> When I was a homeless girl</p>
<p>I had yellow teeth with holes,</p>
<p>Big enough to fall through.</p>
<p>Twenty six years of antibiotics</p>
<p>written on my enamel.<span id="more-1785"></span></p>
<blockquote><p>I got famous, got veneers,</p>
<p>I felt so guilty,</p>
<p>people were starving in Africa</p>
<p>and I wanted to smile</p>
<p>without shame.</p></blockquote>
<p>When I was a homeless girl</p>
<p>I had favorite knickers.</p>
<p>They&#8217;d done time.</p>
<p>Their sides held with safety pins</p>
<p>on a dyed blond punkette</p>
<p>but they were mine.</p>
<blockquote><p>I got famous, bought lingerie,</p>
<p>I had a bra from a shop that smelled of newness</p>
<p>I had knickers you could frame on a wall</p>
<p>And I wondered how much a girl in China</p>
<p>Had got paid for each pair.</p></blockquote>
<p>When I was a homeless girl</p>
<p>I fought with a druggie over a fifty cent sweater</p>
<p>it was cable knit, wool, shrunken and tatty</p>
<p>but it looked so alive in the dead of winter.</p>
<p>And he won, after he slapped my face.</p>
<blockquote><p>I got famous,</p>
<p>bought the best sweater in the op shop</p>
<p>a whole five dollars</p>
<p>with a no-name label</p>
<p>and the knowledge it was mine.</p></blockquote>
<p><a href="http://www.donnawilliams.net/front.0.html"  class="alinks_links" onclick="return alinks_click(this);" title=""  style="padding-right: 13px; background: url(http://blog.donnawilliams.net/wp-content/plugins/alinks/images/external.png) center right no-repeat;" rel="external">Donna Williams</a>, Dip Ed, BA Hons.<br />
<a href="http://www.donnawilliams.net/author.0.html"  class="alinks_links" onclick="return alinks_click(this);" title="published writer "  style="padding-right: 13px; background: url(http://blog.donnawilliams.net/wp-content/plugins/alinks/images/external.png) center right no-repeat;" rel="external">Author</a>, artist, singer-songwriter, <a href="http://www.donnawilliams.net/screenwriter.0.html"  class="alinks_links" onclick="return alinks_click(this);" title=""  style="padding-right: 13px; background: url(http://blog.donnawilliams.net/wp-content/plugins/alinks/images/external.png) center right no-repeat;" rel="external">screenwriter</a>.<br />
<a href="http://www.donnawilliams.net/consultancy.0.html"  class="alinks_links" onclick="return alinks_click(this);" title=""  style="padding-right: 13px; background: url(http://blog.donnawilliams.net/wp-content/plugins/alinks/images/external.png) center right no-repeat;" rel="external">Autism consultant</a> and <a href="http://www.donnawilliams.net/testimonials.0.html"  class="alinks_links" onclick="return alinks_click(this);" title="lecture testimonials"  style="padding-right: 13px; background: url(http://blog.donnawilliams.net/wp-content/plugins/alinks/images/external.png) center right no-repeat;" rel="external">public speaker</a>.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.myspace.com/nobodynowherethefilm">http://www.myspace.com/nobodynowherethefilm</a><br />
<a href="http://www.donnawilliams.net">http://www.donnawilliams.net</a><br />
<a href="http://www.aspinauts.com">http://www.aspinauts.com</a></p>
<p>This item originally posted here:<br/><br/><a href="http://blog.donnawilliams.net/2010/03/06/when-i-was-a-homeless-girl/">When I was a homeless girl</a></p>
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		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Melbourne House Concerts &#8211; Donna and The Aspinauts</title>
		<link>http://blog.donnawilliams.net/2010/02/21/melbourne-house-concerts-donna-and-the-aspinauts/</link>
		<comments>http://blog.donnawilliams.net/2010/02/21/melbourne-house-concerts-donna-and-the-aspinauts/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 21 Feb 2010 06:06:43 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>donna</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[arts and ARTism]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Australia]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Donna Williams]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[melbourne]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[music]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Poetry]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sociology]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[theatre]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[aspinauts]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[band]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[house concert]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[house concerts]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[melbourne band]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[melbourne house concerts]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[performance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[show]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[spoken word]]></category>

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	<category>concerts</category>
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	<category>intimate</category>
	<category>minute</category>
	<category>keys</category>
	<category>small</category>
	<!-- AutoMeta End -->
	
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.donnawilliams.net/?p=1761</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The Aspinauts are known for their mixture of theatre, spoken word and catchy, evocative songs with meaning.  Having played small independent theatres, we like to connect with the audience, create an intimate atmosphere.  So the concept of house concerts really appealed.  So what is a house concert? To quote from http://houseconcertsaustralia.ning.com/ House Concerts are one [...]<p>This item originally posted here:<br/><br/><a href="http://blog.donnawilliams.net/2010/02/21/melbourne-house-concerts-donna-and-the-aspinauts/">Melbourne House Concerts &#8211; Donna and The Aspinauts</a></p>
]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><!--- blog body ---><a href="http://www.donnawilliams.net"><img title="The Butterfly Club 09 Photo Chris Samuel" src="http://c2.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/9/l_4334210c9d164849b08eb34a10c8d0b5.jpg" border="0" alt="" width="214" height="132" /></a>The <a href="http://www.aspinauts.com"> Aspinauts</a> are known for their mixture of theatre, spoken word and  catchy, evocative songs with meaning.  Having played small independent  theatres, we like to connect with the audience, create an intimate  atmosphere.  So the concept of house concerts really appealed.  So what  is a house concert?<span id="more-1761"></span></p>
<p>To quote from <a href="http://www.msplinks.com/MDFodHRwOi8vaG91c2Vjb25jZXJ0c2F1c3RyYWxpYS5uaW5nLmNvbS8=">http://houseconcertsaustralia.ning.com/</a></p>
<p><em><strong>House  Concerts</strong> are one of the most important trends in  independent <a href="http://www.donnawilliams.net/music.0.html"  class="alinks_links" onclick="return alinks_click(this);" title=""  style="padding-right: 13px; background: url(http://blog.donnawilliams.net/wp-content/plugins/alinks/images/external.png) center right no-repeat;" rel="external">music</a> today &#8211; and they&#8217;re popping up all over the world!</em></p>
<div><em><strong>A house concert</strong> is a chance to experience <a href="http://www.myspace.com/donnaandtheaspinauts"  class="alinks_links" onclick="return alinks_click(this);" title="a language of sound with or without words"  style="padding-right: 13px; background: url(http://blog.donnawilliams.net/wp-content/plugins/alinks/images/external.png) center right no-repeat;" rel="external">music</a> in a warm  and  intimate environment. It&#8217;s when someone opens up their home and invites  you into their living room to share in a performance by one of their  favorite musicians. There&#8217;s just something about house concerts. For  musicians, the intimacy allows for a deeper connection to the audience,  which often leads to strong merchandise sales and lifelong fans and for  hosts, it&#8217;s a chance to meet the performers and get them to sign their  CD. A house concert is also a great social evening of friends and  neighbors.</em></div>
<div><em><br />
</em></div>
<div><em><strong>Who pays the artist?</strong></em></div>
<div><em>Many house concerts have a door person to collect fees, some  hosts  are uncomfortable charging their friends, especially for a first  co</em><em>ncert, until they understand the process. If this is the case, then  simply place a jar by the entrance with a visible sign that says:</em></div>
<p><em><strong>How  long do artists play?</strong><br />
</em></p>
<div><em>Artists normally play a 45 minute listening set (house concerts  are  not parties; people really sit and listen &#8211; up close and personal) and  then take a 15-20 minute break for socializing, selling CDs and  refreshments. Then, one more 45 minute set and that&#8217;s a wrap.</em></div>
<div><em><br />
</em></div>
<div><strong><em>What  might you expect from <a href="http://www.myspace.com/donnaandtheaspinauts"  class="alinks_links" onclick="return alinks_click(this);" title="theatrical inter-arts band"  style="padding-right: 13px; background: url(http://blog.donnawilliams.net/wp-content/plugins/alinks/images/external.png) center right no-repeat;" rel="external">Donna and The Aspinauts</a>?</em></strong></div>
<div><em>Here&#8217;s  some re</em><em>views:</em></div>
<div><em><br />
</em></div>
<div><!-- 		@page { margin: 2cm } 		P { margin-bottom: 0.21cm } --></p>
<div><em>“<span style="font-size: x-small;">I thoroughly recommend an audience with a Donna and the <a href="http://www.myspace.com/donnaandtheaspinauts"  class="alinks_links" onclick="return alinks_click(this);" title="a combination of Aspie and Autie"  style="padding-right: 13px; background: url(http://blog.donnawilliams.net/wp-content/plugins/alinks/images/external.png) center right no-repeat;" rel="external">Aspinauts</a> event if you are ever given the chance. Each of your five senses will be buzzing before the end of the first song, and by the end of the show, you&#8217;ll be definitely Aspi-fied.&#8221; </span></em><span style="font-size: x-small;"> &#8211; Heidi Everett</span></div>
<blockquote><p><em>“<span style="font-size: x-small;">The Aspinauts stage presence is one no other <a href="http://www.myspace.com/donnaandtheaspinauts"  class="alinks_links" onclick="return alinks_click(this);" title="musical performers across a wide range of genres"  style="padding-right: 13px; background: url(http://blog.donnawilliams.net/wp-content/plugins/alinks/images/external.png) center right no-repeat;" rel="external">band</a> can contend with. I was taken on a wacky rollercoaster ride that spat me out at the end feeling empowered and inspired. This band explores world issues, personal conquests and how difficult it is circumnavigating the social world. A must see band for all!” </span></em><em><span style="font-size: x-small;">- Adele Kristens</span></em></p></blockquote>
<div><em>“<span style="font-size: x-small;">The</span></em><em><span style="font-size: x-small;"> lady is a true entertainer. She told amusing tales of life on the edge of s</span></em><span style="font-size: x-small;"><em>ociety and made me envious I didn’t join her there. Tongue-in-cheek? It cannot be genre-defined.” </em></span><span style="font-size: x-small;">- Jo Robinson</span></div>
<div><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div>
</div>
<div><strong>How much would it cost?</strong></div>
<div><strong><br />
</strong></div>
<div><strong>RATES</strong></div>
<blockquote><p><strong>4 piece band (drums, lead, bass, vocals)</strong><br />
(or $15 per person if 30 people).</p>
<div><strong>3 piece band (drums, keys, vocals)</strong><br />
(or $10 per person if 30 people).</div>
<div><strong>Duo (keys, vocals)</strong><br />
(or $8.50 per person if 30 people).</div>
<div></div>
<div><strong>email us:</strong> bookings@donnawilliams.net</div>
</blockquote>
<p>This item originally posted here:<br/><br/><a href="http://blog.donnawilliams.net/2010/02/21/melbourne-house-concerts-donna-and-the-aspinauts/">Melbourne House Concerts &#8211; Donna and The Aspinauts</a></p>
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		</item>
		<item>
		<title>The dance with immune deficiency</title>
		<link>http://blog.donnawilliams.net/2010/02/18/the-dance-with-immune-deficiency/</link>
		<comments>http://blog.donnawilliams.net/2010/02/18/the-dance-with-immune-deficiency/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 18 Feb 2010 00:20:08 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>donna</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[arts and ARTism]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Donna Williams]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[health]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Poetry]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[psychology]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sociology]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[grizzle]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[grizzle+grump]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hope]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[immune+deficiency]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[magical thinking]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[poem]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[poetry]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[positive+thinking]]></category>

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	<category>grizzle</category>
	<category>magical</category>
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	<category>dorothy</category>
	<category>wands</category>
	<category>ifffffff</category>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.donnawilliams.net/?p=1742</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[THE DANCE Grizzle, grizzle, grizzle grump. Sore throat you woke me like a broken record. &#8220;But you sounded so good&#8230;&#8221;. And I remember myself like a poster glossy and shiny shredded overnight in my interrupted dreams. We&#8217;ll fingers crossed, hey? We&#8217;ll hope like hell. &#8216;Cause Jesus ain&#8217;t waiting in the sunlight with fairy dust. and [...]<p>This item originally posted here:<br/><br/><a href="http://blog.donnawilliams.net/2010/02/18/the-dance-with-immune-deficiency/">The dance with immune deficiency</a></p>
]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://www.donnawilliams.net"><img class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-1743" title="In the deep sml" src="http://blog.donnawilliams.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/In-the-deep-sml-150x150.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="150" /></a>THE DANCE</p>
<p><em>Grizzle, grizzle, grizzle grump.<br />
Sore throat you woke me like a broken record.<br />
&#8220;But you sounded so good&#8230;&#8221;.<br />
And I remember myself like a poster glossy and shiny<br />
shredded overnight in my interrupted dreams.</em></p>
<p><em>We&#8217;ll fingers crossed, hey?<br />
We&#8217;ll hope like hell.<br />
&#8216;Cause Jesus ain&#8217;t waiting in the sunlight with fairy dust.</em><em><br />
and positive thinking won&#8217;t buy me a Mercedes<br />
(or an <a href="http://www.donnawilliams.net/author.0.html"  class="alinks_links" onclick="return alinks_click(this);" title="gut, immune, metabolic disorders common in a percentage of people with autism "  style="padding-right: 13px; background: url(http://blog.donnawilliams.net/wp-content/plugins/alinks/images/external.png) center right no-repeat;" rel="external">immune</a> system).</em></p>
<p><em>Click your heels Dorothy.<br />
Hope &#8217;til your nipples fall off.<span id="more-1742"></span><br />
My body doesn&#8217;t wave magic wands.<br />
&#8216;Oh well, we&#8217;ll see&#8217; works fine for me.</em></p>
<p><em>&#8216;If you just had thought&#8230;&#8217;, &#8216;if you just had&#8230;&#8217;<br />
&#8216;if you&#8217;, &#8216;if&#8217;, &#8216;ifffffff&#8230; &#8216;<br />
OCD loves magical thinking and all the &#8216;just believes&#8217;.<br />
It pops my ear tubes to create magical perfection<br />
80% of my waking hour<br />
until I wonder where&#8217;s the knife to cut my head off.</em></p>
<p><em>Bugs don&#8217;t give two shits how I look.<br />
Immune boosters make me glow a million bucks (and almost cost the earth).<br />
My immunity thumbs its nose like a cheap whore<br />
and says, with a wink, &#8216;check mate&#8217;, what&#8217;s you&#8217;re move&#8217;?<br />
And I quickly fumble in my pockets for loose change.</em></p>
<p><a href="http://www.donnawilliams.net/front.0.html"  class="alinks_links" onclick="return alinks_click(this);" title=""  style="padding-right: 13px; background: url(http://blog.donnawilliams.net/wp-content/plugins/alinks/images/external.png) center right no-repeat;" rel="external">Donna Williams</a>, Dip Ed, BA Hons.<br />
<a href="http://www.donnawilliams.net/author.0.html"  class="alinks_links" onclick="return alinks_click(this);" title="published writer "  style="padding-right: 13px; background: url(http://blog.donnawilliams.net/wp-content/plugins/alinks/images/external.png) center right no-repeat;" rel="external">Author</a>, artist, singer-songwriter, <a href="http://www.donnawilliams.net/screenwriter.0.html"  class="alinks_links" onclick="return alinks_click(this);" title=""  style="padding-right: 13px; background: url(http://blog.donnawilliams.net/wp-content/plugins/alinks/images/external.png) center right no-repeat;" rel="external">screenwriter</a>.<br />
<a href="http://www.donnawilliams.net/consultancy.0.html"  class="alinks_links" onclick="return alinks_click(this);" title=""  style="padding-right: 13px; background: url(http://blog.donnawilliams.net/wp-content/plugins/alinks/images/external.png) center right no-repeat;" rel="external">Autism consultant</a> and <a href="http://www.donnawilliams.net/testimonials.0.html"  class="alinks_links" onclick="return alinks_click(this);" title="lecture testimonials"  style="padding-right: 13px; background: url(http://blog.donnawilliams.net/wp-content/plugins/alinks/images/external.png) center right no-repeat;" rel="external">public speaker</a>.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.myspace.com/nobodynowherethefilm">http://www.myspace.com/nobodynowherethefilm</a><br />
<a href="http://www.donnawilliams.net">http://www.donnawilliams.net</a><br />
<a href="http://www.aspinauts.com">http://www.aspinauts.com</a></p>
<p>This item originally posted here:<br/><br/><a href="http://blog.donnawilliams.net/2010/02/18/the-dance-with-immune-deficiency/">The dance with immune deficiency</a></p>
]]></content:encoded>
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		<slash:comments>2</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Weirdos Like Me</title>
		<link>http://blog.donnawilliams.net/2010/02/10/weirdos-like-me/</link>
		<comments>http://blog.donnawilliams.net/2010/02/10/weirdos-like-me/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 10 Feb 2010 02:52:53 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>donna</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[arts and ARTism]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[books]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Donna Williams]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[painting]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Poetry]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[psychology]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sociology]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[author]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Autism]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[autistic+author]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[book]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[donna+williams]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[poems]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[poetry]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[poets]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[surrealism]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[surrealst]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Temple+Grandin]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[weirdos]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[weirdos+like+me]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[werd]]></category>

	<!-- AutoMeta Start -->
	<category>weirdos</category>
	<category>mentors</category>
	<category>titles</category>
	<category>poetry</category>
	<category>grungy</category>
	<category>ranging</category>
	<category>collection</category>
	<category>haunt</category>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.donnawilliams.net/?p=1732</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Three years ago I began an interactive poetry challenge on my blog.   It involved the public sending me 1-2 word titles and I had to send back a poem to each title within 48 hours. Ranging from surreal, to grungy, from romantic, to funny, from political to symbolic and everywhere in between, the poems [...]<p>This item originally posted here:<br/><br/><a href="http://blog.donnawilliams.net/2010/02/10/weirdos-like-me/">Weirdos Like Me</a></p>
]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://www.donnawilliams.net/weirdoslikeme.0.html"><img class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-1734" title="Weirdos front cover" src="http://blog.donnawilliams.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/Weirdos-front-cover-121x150.jpg" alt="" width="121" height="150" /></a> Three years ago I began an interactive <a href="http://www.donnawilliams.net/notjustanything.0.html"  class="alinks_links" onclick="return alinks_click(this);" title=""  style="padding-right: 13px; background: url(http://blog.donnawilliams.net/wp-content/plugins/alinks/images/external.png) center right no-repeat;" rel="external">poetry</a> challenge on my blog.   It involved the public sending me 1-2 word titles and I had to send back a poem to each title within 48 hours.</p>
<p>Ranging from surreal, to grungy, from romantic, to funny, from political to symbolic and everywhere in between, the poems were as diverse as the titles sent in.    I gathered them into a collection called <a href="http://www.donnawilliams.net/weirdoslikeme.0.html">Weirdos Like Me</a>.  It&#8217;s a collection of poetry, art and surrealism.  Amidst the poetry are also song lyrics to songs by <a href="http://www.aspinauts.com">Donna And The Aspinauts</a> with whom I am the lead singer and main singer-songwriter.<span id="more-1732"></span></p>
<p>As a <a href="http://www.donnawilliams.net/author.0.html"  class="alinks_links" onclick="return alinks_click(this);" title="published writer "  style="padding-right: 13px; background: url(http://blog.donnawilliams.net/wp-content/plugins/alinks/images/external.png) center right no-repeat;" rel="external">author</a>, singer-songwriter, artist, sculptor, <a href="http://www.donnawilliams.net/screenwriter.0.html"  class="alinks_links" onclick="return alinks_click(this);" title=""  style="padding-right: 13px; background: url(http://blog.donnawilliams.net/wp-content/plugins/alinks/images/external.png) center right no-repeat;" rel="external">screenwriter</a>, each element of my <a href="http://www.donnawilliams.net/artist.0.html"  class="alinks_links" onclick="return alinks_click(this);" title=""  style="padding-right: 13px; background: url(http://blog.donnawilliams.net/wp-content/plugins/alinks/images/external.png) center right no-repeat;" rel="external">ARTism</a> and my journey from <a href="http://www.donnawilliams.net/autisminsideout.0.html"  class="alinks_links" onclick="return alinks_click(this);" title=""  style="padding-right: 13px; background: url(http://blog.donnawilliams.net/wp-content/plugins/alinks/images/external.png) center right no-repeat;" rel="external">autism</a> into ARTism involved a series of mentors.  In poetry, my mentor was the man who barely got to see it, my father, John Williams, who I knew as &#8216;Jackie Paper&#8217;.  Sometimes ghosts make great mentors.  I hope my works haunt you in a good way and take you to other places and spaces as art should.</p>
<p>Thank you.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.donnawilliams.net/front.0.html"  class="alinks_links" onclick="return alinks_click(this);" title=""  style="padding-right: 13px; background: url(http://blog.donnawilliams.net/wp-content/plugins/alinks/images/external.png) center right no-repeat;" rel="external">Donna Williams</a></p>
<p>Ever The Arty <a href="http://www.myspace.com/donnaandtheaspinauts"  class="alinks_links" onclick="return alinks_click(this);" title="slang for 'autistic'"  style="padding-right: 13px; background: url(http://blog.donnawilliams.net/wp-content/plugins/alinks/images/external.png) center right no-repeat;" rel="external">Autie</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.donnawilliams.net/">http://www.donnawilliams.net</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.myspace.com/nobodynowherethefilm">http://www.myspace.com/nobodynowherethefilm</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.aspinauts.com">http://www.aspinauts.com</a></p>
<p>This item originally posted here:<br/><br/><a href="http://blog.donnawilliams.net/2010/02/10/weirdos-like-me/">Weirdos Like Me</a></p>
]]></content:encoded>
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		<slash:comments>6</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>V-day</title>
		<link>http://blog.donnawilliams.net/2010/02/09/v-day/</link>
		<comments>http://blog.donnawilliams.net/2010/02/09/v-day/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 09 Feb 2010 22:18:49 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>donna</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[arts and ARTism]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Poetry]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[donna+williams]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[love]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[poem]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[poetry]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[v-day]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[valentine]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[valentines+day]]></category>

	<!-- AutoMeta Start -->
	<category>devour</category>
	<category>blinked</category>
	<category>porch</category>
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	<category>windy</category>
	<category>petals</category>
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		<description><![CDATA[Oh Valentine, forgive me not. Was it whilst I blinked, you stole my heart? A potted plant, upon my porch. It sits in bloom, for now. Perhaps a possum will devour it before it showers next. Perhaps a windy day will blow its petals far and wide. And, here, inside, I&#8217;ll stay, perplexed, that love [...]<p>This item originally posted here:<br/><br/><a href="http://blog.donnawilliams.net/2010/02/09/v-day/">V-day</a></p>
]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://www.donnawilliams.net"><img class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-1729" title="Here's Looking At You sml" src="http://blog.donnawilliams.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/Heres-Looking-At-You-sml-150x150.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="150" /></a><em>Oh Valentine, forgive me not.</em></p>
<p><em>Was it whilst I blinked, you stole my heart?</em></p>
<p><em>A potted plant, upon my porch.</em></p>
<p><em>It sits in bloom, for now.<span id="more-1728"></span></em></p>
<p><em>Perhaps a possum will devour it</em></p>
<p><em>before it showers next.</em></p>
<p><em>Perhaps a windy day will blow its petals</em></p>
<p><em>far and wide.</em></p>
<p><em>And, here, inside,</em></p>
<p><em>I&#8217;ll stay, perplexed,</em></p>
<p><em>that love can live despite the many so creative ways</em></p>
<p><em>we hide.</em></p>
<p><em>The words we never say,</em></p>
<p><em>fade to a whisper</em></p>
<p><em>stifled by the adult self</em></p>
<p><em>we&#8217;d let rule us from day to day.</em></p>
<p><a href="http://www.donnawilliams.net/front.0.html"  class="alinks_links" onclick="return alinks_click(this);" title=""  style="padding-right: 13px; background: url(http://blog.donnawilliams.net/wp-content/plugins/alinks/images/external.png) center right no-repeat;" rel="external">Donna Williams</a>, Dip Ed, BA Hons.<br />
<a href="http://www.donnawilliams.net/author.0.html"  class="alinks_links" onclick="return alinks_click(this);" title="published writer "  style="padding-right: 13px; background: url(http://blog.donnawilliams.net/wp-content/plugins/alinks/images/external.png) center right no-repeat;" rel="external">Author</a>, artist, singer-songwriter, <a href="http://www.donnawilliams.net/screenwriter.0.html"  class="alinks_links" onclick="return alinks_click(this);" title=""  style="padding-right: 13px; background: url(http://blog.donnawilliams.net/wp-content/plugins/alinks/images/external.png) center right no-repeat;" rel="external">screenwriter</a>.<br />
<a href="http://www.donnawilliams.net/consultancy.0.html"  class="alinks_links" onclick="return alinks_click(this);" title=""  style="padding-right: 13px; background: url(http://blog.donnawilliams.net/wp-content/plugins/alinks/images/external.png) center right no-repeat;" rel="external">Autism consultant</a> and <a href="http://www.donnawilliams.net/testimonials.0.html"  class="alinks_links" onclick="return alinks_click(this);" title="lecture testimonials"  style="padding-right: 13px; background: url(http://blog.donnawilliams.net/wp-content/plugins/alinks/images/external.png) center right no-repeat;" rel="external">public speaker</a>.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.myspace.com/nobodynowherethefilm">http://www.myspace.com/nobodynowherethefilm</a><br />
<a href="http://www.donnawilliams.net">http://www.donnawilliams.net</a><br />
<a href="http://www.aspinauts.com">http://www.aspinauts.com</a></p>
<p>This item originally posted here:<br/><br/><a href="http://blog.donnawilliams.net/2010/02/09/v-day/">V-day</a></p>
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		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Snow</title>
		<link>http://blog.donnawilliams.net/2010/02/09/snow/</link>
		<comments>http://blog.donnawilliams.net/2010/02/09/snow/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 09 Feb 2010 22:01:17 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>donna</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[arts and ARTism]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[books]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Donna Williams]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[painting]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Poetry]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sociology]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[author]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Autism]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[book]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[climate]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[donna+williams]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[poetry]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[snow]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[snowing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Temple+Grandin]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[weird+stuff]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[weirdos]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[weirdos+like+me]]></category>

	<!-- AutoMeta Start -->
	<category>snow</category>
	<category>feet</category>
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	<category>gutters</category>
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		<description><![CDATA[This week, I released my new book, Weirdos Like Me. It&#8217;s a collection of art, poetry and surrealism.  And, so, dedicated to all of you living with snow up to your eyeballs, here&#8217;s one of the works from the book, entitled SNOW. SNOW Confetti soft, it fell, calling me, the girl from a land of [...]<p>This item originally posted here:<br/><br/><a href="http://blog.donnawilliams.net/2010/02/09/snow/">Snow</a></p>
]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><!-- 		@page { margin: 2cm } 		P { margin-bottom: 0.21cm } --><a href="http://www.donnawilliams.net"><img class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-1725" title="Life on Earth sml" src="http://blog.donnawilliams.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/Life-on-Earth-sml-150x150.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="150" /></a> This week, I released my new book, <strong><em><a href="http://www.donnawilliams.net/weirdoslikeme.0.html">Weirdos Like Me</a>. </em></strong>It&#8217;s a collection of art, <a href="http://www.donnawilliams.net/notjustanything.0.html"  class="alinks_links" onclick="return alinks_click(this);" title=""  style="padding-right: 13px; background: url(http://blog.donnawilliams.net/wp-content/plugins/alinks/images/external.png) center right no-repeat;" rel="external">poetry</a> and surrealism.  And, so, dedicated to all of you living with snow up to your eyeballs, here&#8217;s one of the works from the book, entitled SNOW.</p>
<blockquote><p>SNOW</p>
<p>Confetti soft, it fell, calling me, the girl from a land of sun.</p>
<p>From the window it took my heart.</p>
<p>My feet ran me down the stairs.</p>
<p>I turned, <a href="http://www.donnawilliams.net/music.0.html"  class="alinks_links" onclick="return alinks_click(this);" title=""  style="padding-right: 13px; background: url(http://blog.donnawilliams.net/wp-content/plugins/alinks/images/external.png) center right no-repeat;" rel="external">music</a> box dancer in a world of falling sky</p>
<p>And I knew snow.<span id="more-1724"></span></p>
<p>The dawn was dark, against the night.</p>
<p>White soot fell from black sky, around bare feet.</p>
<p>For the first time?  Of course.</p>
<p>Snow virgin.</p>
<p>The prostitute stood pure in the snow.</p>
<p>It entered, holy into boots, and plastic bags, they crunched,</p>
<p>Binding homeless feet, and shoes with sole,</p>
<p>The snow came through the doors,</p>
<p>And all I could do was smile,</p>
<p>In this magic world.</p>
<p>Snow, do you not know, these dirty hands?</p>
<p>This mouth of sewer words?</p>
<p>These feet have wandered gutters of such privileged lands.</p>
<p>But here, you fall upon me, clean and bright.</p>
<p>Your frosted lips they kiss away the footprints</p>
<p>of a thousand dirty nights.</p>
<p>And laugh, is all a fool can do</p>
<p>as you, ignore my inequality,</p>
<p>pretending like no humans do</p>
<p>that I&#8217;m in fact an equal</p>
<p>in this crazy human zoo.<!--more--></p></blockquote>
<p><a href="http://www.donnawilliams.net/front.0.html"  class="alinks_links" onclick="return alinks_click(this);" title=""  style="padding-right: 13px; background: url(http://blog.donnawilliams.net/wp-content/plugins/alinks/images/external.png) center right no-repeat;" rel="external">Donna Williams</a>, Dip Ed, BA Hons.<br />
<a href="http://www.donnawilliams.net/author.0.html"  class="alinks_links" onclick="return alinks_click(this);" title="published writer "  style="padding-right: 13px; background: url(http://blog.donnawilliams.net/wp-content/plugins/alinks/images/external.png) center right no-repeat;" rel="external">Author</a>, artist, singer-songwriter, <a href="http://www.donnawilliams.net/screenwriter.0.html"  class="alinks_links" onclick="return alinks_click(this);" title=""  style="padding-right: 13px; background: url(http://blog.donnawilliams.net/wp-content/plugins/alinks/images/external.png) center right no-repeat;" rel="external">screenwriter</a>.<br />
<a href="http://www.donnawilliams.net/consultancy.0.html"  class="alinks_links" onclick="return alinks_click(this);" title=""  style="padding-right: 13px; background: url(http://blog.donnawilliams.net/wp-content/plugins/alinks/images/external.png) center right no-repeat;" rel="external">Autism consultant</a> and <a href="http://www.donnawilliams.net/testimonials.0.html"  class="alinks_links" onclick="return alinks_click(this);" title="lecture testimonials"  style="padding-right: 13px; background: url(http://blog.donnawilliams.net/wp-content/plugins/alinks/images/external.png) center right no-repeat;" rel="external">public speaker</a>.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.myspace.com/nobodynowherethefilm">http://www.myspace.com/nobodynowherethefilm</a><br />
<a href="http://www.donnawilliams.net">http://www.donnawilliams.net</a><br />
<a href="http://www.aspinauts.com">http://www.aspinauts.com</a></p>
<p>This item originally posted here:<br/><br/><a href="http://blog.donnawilliams.net/2010/02/09/snow/">Snow</a></p>
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		<title>An Autie Merry Christmas from Donna Williams</title>
		<link>http://blog.donnawilliams.net/2009/12/15/an-autie-merry-christmas-from-donna-williams/</link>
		<comments>http://blog.donnawilliams.net/2009/12/15/an-autie-merry-christmas-from-donna-williams/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 15 Dec 2009 22:04:53 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>donna</dc:creator>
		<br />
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		<category><![CDATA[arts and ARTism]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Autism]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[autism politics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Donna Williams]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[Poetry]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[aspinauts]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[donna+williams]]></category>
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		<description><![CDATA[Some of you may remember the Autie Christmas Poem I did on YouTube a few years ago Well, it got turned into a song called &#8220;Merry Christmas&#8221; over on http://www.aspinauts.com There&#8217;s a sample MP3 there for you all to have a listen to.  The full length version will appear on our upcoming Aspinauts album.  We&#8217;re [...]<p>This item originally posted here:<br/><br/><a href="http://blog.donnawilliams.net/2009/12/15/an-autie-merry-christmas-from-donna-williams/">An Autie Merry Christmas from Donna Williams</a></p>
]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a rel="attachment wp-att-1421" href="http://blog.donnawilliams.net/2009/12/15/an-autie-merry-christmas-from-donna-williams/jack-frost-sml/"><img class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-1421" title="jack frost sml" src="http://blog.donnawilliams.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/jack-frost-sml-150x150.jpg" alt="jack frost sml" width="150" height="150" /></a> Some of you may remember the<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GEdOHX6eHdg"> Autie Christmas Poem</a> I did on <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/1210donna">YouTube</a> a few years ago</p>
<p>Well, it got turned into a song called &#8220;Merry Christmas&#8221; over on</p>
<p><a href="http://www.aspinauts.com"> http://www.aspinauts.com</a></p>
<p><span id="more-1420"></span>There&#8217;s a sample MP3 there for you all to have a listen to.  The full length version will appear on our upcoming <a href="http://www.myspace.com/donnaandtheaspinauts"  class="alinks_links" onclick="return alinks_click(this);" title="a combination of Aspie and Autie"  style="padding-right: 13px; background: url(http://blog.donnawilliams.net/wp-content/plugins/alinks/images/external.png) center right no-repeat;" rel="external">Aspinauts</a> album.  We&#8217;re literally finishing it off now.   So look forward to a January release.</p>
<p>Enjoy.  Hope you all have a fab season and that the new year holds wonderful adventures for you.</p>
<p>Warmly,<br />
Donna *)</p>
<p>&#8211;<br />
<a href="http://www.donnawilliams.net/front.0.html"  class="alinks_links" onclick="return alinks_click(this);" title=""  style="padding-right: 13px; background: url(http://blog.donnawilliams.net/wp-content/plugins/alinks/images/external.png) center right no-repeat;" rel="external">Donna Williams</a>, Dip Ed, BA Hons.<br />
<a href="http://www.donnawilliams.net/author.0.html"  class="alinks_links" onclick="return alinks_click(this);" title="published writer "  style="padding-right: 13px; background: url(http://blog.donnawilliams.net/wp-content/plugins/alinks/images/external.png) center right no-repeat;" rel="external">Author</a>, artist, singer-songwriter, <a href="http://www.donnawilliams.net/screenwriter.0.html"  class="alinks_links" onclick="return alinks_click(this);" title=""  style="padding-right: 13px; background: url(http://blog.donnawilliams.net/wp-content/plugins/alinks/images/external.png) center right no-repeat;" rel="external">screenwriter</a>.<br />
<a href="http://www.donnawilliams.net/consultancy.0.html"  class="alinks_links" onclick="return alinks_click(this);" title=""  style="padding-right: 13px; background: url(http://blog.donnawilliams.net/wp-content/plugins/alinks/images/external.png) center right no-repeat;" rel="external">Autism consultant</a> and <a href="http://www.donnawilliams.net/testimonials.0.html"  class="alinks_links" onclick="return alinks_click(this);" title="lecture testimonials"  style="padding-right: 13px; background: url(http://blog.donnawilliams.net/wp-content/plugins/alinks/images/external.png) center right no-repeat;" rel="external">public speaker</a>.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.myspace.com/nobodynowherethefilm">http://www.myspace.com/nobodynowherethefilm</a><br />
<a href="http://www.donnawilliams.net">http://www.donnawilliams.net</a><br />
<a href="http://www.aspinauts.com">http://www.aspinauts.com</a></p>
<p>This item originally posted here:<br/><br/><a href="http://blog.donnawilliams.net/2009/12/15/an-autie-merry-christmas-from-donna-williams/">An Autie Merry Christmas from Donna Williams</a></p>
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