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Larre Bildeston

@larreau.bsky.social

930 followers 1.1K following 8K posts

Writer, artist, parent, carer. Autistic and acespec. Australia via Aotearoa, (soft) atheist. Agender. Pronouns: I want to say “any” since I’m collecting A words. (they/them actually).

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Larre Bildeston @larreau.bsky.social · Sep 28

In the 2010s I wrote a short novel for children (never published). Eventually I realised it wasn't a children's story after all, and rewrote it for adults.

But when it was still #kidlit I did some illustrations for it, inspired by John Burningham. I'll share some below.

First, the adult cover:

Full paperback cover for The Space Ace of Mangleby Flat by Larre Bildeston. The colour scheme is mostly purple, like the asexual flag. The illustration on the back is a falling-down shack in the Australian Outback. It is night time and the moon is full and prominent. There's green shade cloth hanging from the veranda. Chickens walk around the yard. A very old utility vehicle is parked next to the shack.

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Reposted by Larre Bildeston

RSPB @rspb.bsky.social · 1d

Red Squirrels always looking like they're about to politely interrupt

A Red Squirrel stands upright on the forest floor, tiny paws clasped neatly together as if waiting nervously to ask a question. Its wide eyes and hesitant posture give it an endearing, almost apologetic expression, as though feeling rather unsure about interrupting.

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Larre Bildeston @larreau.bsky.social · 11h

I want a secret door in my basement that opens into a private network of underground tunnels. These take me, by roller coaster, to wherever I need to go, and especially to the seaside where I have a little windswept hut on a beach no one knows about.

*I would also need a basement.

doctober @docseuss.bsky.social · 1d

lets say a wizard has cursed you with a lot of money. you are going to become permanently brain damaged simply by being in possession of so much money. the only way out of it is to spend a lot of money on something ridiculous and not at all useful

what would you buy to break the curse?

Larre Bildeston @larreau.bsky.social · 17h

Allistics are obsessed with ranking shit.

Including, and not limited to, 'emotional closeness based on proximity'.

Larre Bildeston @larreau.bsky.social · 19h

I got one kid and also all of these kids

Dr Ellie Mackin Roberts @elliemackinroberts.net · 21h

Not a hot take but if you don’t want a gay kid, or a trans kid, or a disabled kid, or an Autistic kid, or an [insert other thing here] kid: DON’T HAVE A KID.

Larre Bildeston @larreau.bsky.social · 20h

It does help. But for personal validation it pays to know a bit about the history of diagnoses in this regard.

Diagnosis will always fall short. POTS didn’t exist as a diagnosis until the 1990s, as just one example. During an earlier iteration of the DSM you couldn’t be both ADHD and Autistic.

Larre Bildeston @larreau.bsky.social · 20h

I read it a few times but got your meaning

Larre Bildeston @larreau.bsky.social · 20h

It must be media friendly because I keep seeing it through my feed

Larre Bildeston @larreau.bsky.social · 22h

This stuff is exhausting isn’t it.

They assume people only drink these things because they’re vain about body building or whatever but my teen drinks fortified shakes because he is disabled and he can have them in bed and doesn’t need to chew and his stomach deals with them ok.

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Larre Bildeston @larreau.bsky.social · 22h

“It’s difficult to get emotional support from somebody you can’t actually hang on to physically and put your arms around,” Dunbar said. “It’s just not the same.”

Written by and for allistics, quoting research on allistics.

Why do you need to grab someone to achieve emotional support?? Skill issue.

David Ho @davidho.bsky.social · 23h

I’m sorry, I can only hang out with 150 of you.

Our Brains Evolved to Socialize—but Max Out at About 150 Friends

The size of our social networks is limited even in the age of social media.

www.wsj.com

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Larre Bildeston @larreau.bsky.social · 22h

“The pair [buying takeaways] suggested more people may be buying takeaways as it was almost the same price as buying food from the supermarkets.”

Isn’t it the journalist’s job to fact check this?

(My hunch is they’re right, but it’s down the bottom and undercuts assumption in opening sentence.)

The Press @thepress.co.nz · 1d

Despite cost-of-living pressures, Kiwis still love takeaways, spending a total of $4.4b in the last year.

Takeaways fuel multi-million dollar hospitality growth

Despite cost-of-living pressures, Kiwis still love takeaways, spending a total of $4.4b in the last year.

dlvr.it

Larre Bildeston @larreau.bsky.social · 22h

So if your teen is wanting to sleep in (even more than usual, and even when they WANT to be getting up) and craves lots of salty food, they might be another two signs, although those are harder to pick.

Larre Bildeston @larreau.bsky.social · 22h

The treatments are elevating legs, changing your schedule to get up later in the mornings (impossible, I know), wearing compression gear and increasing fluid+salt intake.

Our dietician wasn’t able to recommend extra salt without the POTS diagnosis first though bc it’s not good for most ppl.

Larre Bildeston @larreau.bsky.social · 23h

I’m very worried for all the young people (esp girls) who don’t realise they’re not meant to feel this crap all the time.

These girls need understanding, and reassurance they’re not “lazy”.

(My son is trans. Testogel improved his POTS. Common experience. He still has MEcfs but can now sit up.)

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Larre Bildeston @larreau.bsky.social · 23h

I say this as a parent not as a medical professional.

The GP said to go away and drink water and when I suggested POTS, said that it’s very rare, he’d only ever seen one case.

Getting a diagnosis will likely be hard and expensive.

However the treatments for it are things you do yourself anyway.

Larre Bildeston @larreau.bsky.social · 23h

Your teen may not realise they are struggling. Watch for:

Closing eyes and leaning against things when getting up from seated position

Pulling legs up e.g. under jumper when sitting at table/computer

“Resistance” to exercise and PE class

Purple, puffy feet (similar to elderly population)

Billy Hanlon @bhanlon15.bsky.social · 1d

Contemporary OB/GYN: 'POTS common among women with long COVID'

www.contemporaryobgyn.net/view/pots-co...

POTS common among women with long COVID

New reveals that nearly one-third of patients with long COVID develop postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome.

www.contemporaryobgyn.net

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Larre Bildeston @larreau.bsky.social · 23h

When I’m under the duvet and my dog jumps on the bed, I swear he thinks I’m just a head. Humans aren’t any smarter.

Yes, no loss there.

Larre Bildeston @larreau.bsky.social · 23h

This phenomenon is actually amazing. On the one hand there’s
the recoil (on assumption of contagion).

On the other, I’ve been completely ignored by people butting in front of me when I’m lined up etc.

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Reposted by Larre Bildeston

Joseph Hewitt @gearheadrpg.com · 1d

Having post-exertional malaise isn't exactly like spoon theory; it's more like I have a credit card for spoons, and I can spend spoons using the card but can never 100% know my balance until later when I'm going about my business and bam! Overdraft charges.

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Reposted by Larre Bildeston

Emily J. Edwards (but witchy) @msemilyedwards.bsky.social · 1d

i feel like i need to share this oldie but a goodie today

A tumblr post that reads "WHo would have believed that the perfect wikipedia photo caption could have been improved upon?" Two identical images are then side by side. The first caption is "Piper Kerr, a member of the Scottis National Antarctix Expedition, plays the bagpipes for an indifferent penguin, March 1904". The Caption for the image on the left reads, "Piper Kerr (right), a member of the Scottis National Antarctix Expedition, plays the bagpipes for an indifferent penguin, March 1904"

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Larre Bildeston @larreau.bsky.social · 1d

It’s wonderful.

There is a health and safety plan.

The safety and comfort of the cats has been considered.

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Larre Bildeston @larreau.bsky.social · 1d

Me too. I’m gonna watch it for sure.

Larre Bildeston @larreau.bsky.social · 1d

When Autistic teens throw Halloween parties:

“there is a PowerPoint I made for my mum if anyone needs it to convince their parents, a link is also pinned on this channel”

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Larre Bildeston @larreau.bsky.social · 1d

Spring fashion

A photo of my dog’s back legs. The yellow things off spring trees are stuck to his feet and look decorative.

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Larre Bildeston @larreau.bsky.social · 1d

I know what you mean.

I know there's nothing much they can do about this particular thing. It's not like they were rude or anything, just the constant reminder that the world is not at all set up to accommodate this kind of disability in particular (and others of course).

Larre Bildeston @larreau.bsky.social · 1d

I'll have to go back and pick it up without him and just hope it fits.

If it doesn't, he'll have to go back after he's spent several days laid flat after recovering from the earlier trip.

"We don't recommend this."

No shit.

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