A Long Time Going Podcast

12/31/2021

Just want to say a big thank you to everyone for their support. Our little podcast experiment, https://www.facebook.com/alongtimegoingpodcast reached 1,000 downloads today. That is not a huge number when one considers the amount of people who listen to podcasts or the number of podcasts out there. However, for John and I, it is absolutely something we never even imagined. To those who have listened, we thank you. For those who wonder if we are going to continue, yes, we are. 2022 will be the revival year with hopefully a more steady production output. 2022 will look different and sound different as things are very different for John.
I wanted this for him, but perhaps I can be honest, now, finally, that we face the inevitable. I wanted it for myself. I wanted to be able to listen to his voice when it had fullness and depth, when he could laugh without coughing and talk without becoming exhausted. And far off, in the future, I will listen with joy and fondness. It is a strange thing to be able to talk about a thing that you cannot listen to... I sabotaged myself I suppose. I thought it would always be easy if I had something to remind me. I was wrong. I ache with anger and a desire to lash out at something. The deathgrip I had on hope is slowly slipping and I realize how much I took for granted, how stupid my attempt at being noble was/is, how flat I have fallen. I can't listen to the past and live with the present when I know what I am being prepared to face in the future. There is no ultimatum or bargaining; no matter how eloquent or vulgar my demands have become, they fall on deaf ears. From drought to drowning... God has never left us. But He has become fluid for me in the last year. I have experienced all of God, I believe, while knowing that is never true. God is greater than I can write Him or imagine Him. We are temporary, He is permanent. Never changing, ever-changing, all-encompassing Father. I am so blessed and I pray that you will be know that blessing in the coming year. Thank you for the love and support. Peace in 2022 to you and yours.

My 53-year-old autistic and developmentally delayed brother has been diagnosed with terminal cancer. This is our legacy, our memories and our collectve story.

09/16/2021

Sometimes things don't work out, and it is almost always something I did or did not do. I am learning to accept my faults. Long story short, the art show has been moved from Presser Performing Arts Center to Brick City Buffet on Sunday, Sept. 19, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. John is over the moon because, well, food and I am grateful for the space to do the show. PPAC is still the brass ring in my heart and we support and LOVE all things PPAC!
Please come, fill a plate, check out our art and buy some books!

09/12/2021

A WEEK FROM TODAY!

09/03/2021

IF YOU WANT TO ORDER AN AUTOGRAPHED BOOK: $20 takes care of bookshipping. Venmo -Williams-17 or paypal @gmail.com. Sorry it took me so long to get everything figured out!

08/26/2021

08/24/2021

Worth the wait!!! 100 copies and you can buy them autographed for $15! I can't believe it is real. Thanks to everyone for your support! They will be available at our booth at the Soybean Fest this weekend and at our PREMIER showing at PPAC Atkins Gallery as we open our art show Sunday, Aug. 29 at 2 pm! Or you can just come by the house and pick one up... we are breezy!

08/10/2021

I want to preface this announcement with two facts: 1. I am NOT an artist in the visual sense. 2. If you have ever loved an autistic person, you know that there is a veil that exists that you long to burn through, to see the essence of that person. So in an effort to meet my brother on ground that we are both equally unfamiliar with, so that we can share a moment of common ground. HERE IS THE BIG ANNOUNCEMENT.... Look below!
A bit of background: I provided Sheri Grubb, John's art coach, with 15 words that we are "creating" our art work to. For example, the abstract concept of kindness. Both John and I create an 8x10 canvas that "looks" like our concept of the word of the day. So all of the canvasses, the "pieces" - a total of 20 - will be on display. John and I will also be selling and signing the book at this event. We would love for people to come out, take a look at our "art" and maybe buy a book! We will be podcasting about the process and the challenges that this project is presenting to BOTH of us!

08/07/2021

AND... it is finished! It will be live on Kindle/Amazon by Tuesday and I should have the first run of hard copies in about a week! Also, there is a kind of exciting, kind of terrifying announcement to come on Monday evening. It is a strange thing to finally know and understand your purpose in life. Joy/tears/fulfillment/fears..

08/01/2021

John is getting his art on with the help from art coach (and a dear friend) Sheri Grubb. John and I will each be doing a 10-painting challenge to "paint a word" that we are presented with each day. The paintings will be part of a gallery show featuring our paintings, side by side, on Aug. 29, 2021, at Presser Performing Arts Center in Mexico. The opening will coincide with the book debut and first official book signing. Check out the new podcast going live tonight for more information!!!

05/30/2021

You may be asking yourself "where the heck have they been?" Well, my son, John's nephew graduated from high school, I completed my MFA in Writing and graduated, mowing season (John's favorite past-time, second only to camping and fishing) has started up and we kicked the summer off with a camping/fishing trip to our old stomping grounds in northeast Missouri. And, on top of all of that, I had to round out the school year and do grades as I am a teacher in real-life.
But here are some updates:
-The book is coming along quickly. I look to have it completed and ready for orders by the middle of June.
-Huge shout out to John N Casie Frala for the fishing tournament and free will donation dinner - it was delicious, of course!
-John's CT scan came back and there is very little growth in all three of the areas, including the two lungs, so we are praising the Lord for that!
-We are hoping to put together a couple of book signings for John as soon as we have books in hand - so keep an eye out if you would like to be a part of those.
-The podcasts that we have posted continue to get new downloads from "unique" visitors, so the word is getting out and that is good! We are planning to utilize the first funds from the book for John's "dream trip." He wants to go camping near the Grand Canyon and go to the Painted Desert and help me spread Mom's ashes.
Apart from ALL of that, the Lord is continuing to bless our family in adversity, and in many ways WITH adversity. But we are claiming the truth that our strength is perfected when we allow God to bolster us and thank Him for this ministry and mission.
On this Memorial Day we are remembering our grandfather, a WWII veteran, our grandmother, and of course, our mother.
Again, thank you for your support and friendship! And happy official beginning of SUMMER!

04/27/2021

Oh we tried, so hard to be random. epic fail, but even in failure there is such good stuff!

We attempt to go all random, and it fails big time - at least John likes talking on the microphone!

04/03/2021

Ep. 8: A First Time for Everything - John talks about his first diagnosis with cancer over 10 years ago.