Beneath the Stripes - Chopping this Writer's Block

Beneath the Stripes:

Tourette's Syndrome from the Tiger’s View

by Darin M. Bush

Chopping this Writer's Block

I had a great time at the TSFC 2004 international conference. If you saw "Invitation to Vancouver," you might be expecting a follow-up article. I have tried to write one, but I am blocked. Not obsessive, just blocked. So many ideas come to mind, but none good enough for an entire article.

For example, I started by writing about the Touretters. Duh, eh? The Youth Counsel was having growing pains. I would write about their struggle, but I think Gord and Bessica, uh, Jessica would rather I restrain myself. Their struggle to run a convention was normal; they did a marvelous job. Heck, they did not even lose any of the Youth (at least not permanently). Too bad they will not get to read about it.

It is also too bad I can not write about the people attending their first conference. If you did not get to meet Mandeep, you probably heard him. Even before the karaoke. Okay, stop the hissing. Mandeep and I are friends, and I have the bruises to prove it. It was nice to see him, and all the other TS+ teens, feeling normal and having a good time. Conga line!

Even the TS+ adults had a good time at the conference. I wish I could write about it. I would embarrass some people. “Nice kilt, ey?” Or how about, “Why does he have that robe on backwards?” Or even, “Duncan, why is smoke coming out of your room?” Okay, I made that one up, but you bought it, ey? I could have picked on any of a dozen people: Virginia, Stephen, Jim, Bob Rogers, me. See how hard it is to control myself? I was even going to list Rosie herself. The punch line was: no, smoke is coming out of Rosie's ears. See? It just does not sing.

Rosie had every reason to be steamed. I was going to discuss my new TS+ term, in her honor: Purolalia. I can not pad the definition to merit an entire article: involuntarily uttering obscenities when you discover the truck still did not arrive. No matter how funny that might be, it is too short. It is more like a one-liner from Jay Leno.

That brings me to guest speakers, which should give me plenty of material. Right? Wrong! Dr. Ross Greene was fabulous. Boring! We already knew he was fabulous. I can not bring myself to write about Dr. A., who did a great job in the lecture I heard, until I can correctly pronounce his name. I think he will forgive me. He knows Touretters have problems with memory and language. And no, Bill, I am not writing about my mother's “Teaching the Tiger” lecture. That would be too weird.

So you can see how difficult this assignment is going to be for me. I apologize. I will try to get my act together before we go to Montreal next year. Will I have to write that one in French? “Je suis Tourette, ey.”

Questions? Comments? Inspire me to write with an email to the Tourette Tiger

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