Gather round kids! It's a Thought's from an Autistic Mind Christmas Special!

Huzzah, I think it's finally time
To do this blog entirely in rhyme.
You know as it's Christmas day,
I refuse to do it another way.
So sit back, relax, whilst I'll
Do this special in another style.

So Christmas, it is truly great,
So why is it filled with so much hate?
With people stressing about presents
And those dreaded family events.
Plus, especially with this year,
There's the added lack of cheer
With wars and death and politics,
None of those we can fix.

So with everyone rushing and shouting
And pushing and pouting
All upon this Christmas season.
I think people forget the reason
Why we celebrate in December.
So I think it's time that people remember
That fateful night when Jesus was born.
(Oh yeah I probably should warn
You I'm bringing religion into this
But I do have a point! I promise!)

You see the intention of his birth
Was to redeem a broken earth
With innocence and kindness,
And most of all forgiveness
For all our wrongdoings in the past
So when we die we can at last
Go join him up beyond the sky,
And see all the angels fly.

You see where I'm going here?
I think it's time to channel that cheer.
Not just today but everyday
Don't throw that Christmas spirit away!
When 2017 arrives,
It will be a difficult year in our lives.
With Trump in power and Brexit too
I'm not sure what the future holds for you.
But remember to hold that spirit tight
And Merry Christmas to all and to all goodnight!

Breaking News: I Love Doctor Who! (*Gasp*)

Sheesh... 'Doctor Who' is 53 years old... That's impressive! And that's not the only reason I'll be gushing over this show today. 'Doctor Who' is sadly becoming less popular with a decline in viewership and everyone I know saying that 'Doctor Who' was never as good as when David Tennant was around. So... am I allowed to say that I still love this show? Even the current stuff? OK before you give your computer screen a funny look, allow me to explain.

For those of you who don't know, 'Doctor Who' is a science fiction show surrounding an alien called The Doctor who travels in a time/space travelling box called the TARDIS that is bigger on the inside than it is on the outside. Through it, The Doctor picks up human companions and takes them everywhere in time and space, battling monsters along the way. Now if that premise alone doesn't justify my love for the show I don't know what will because that is a fantastic premise! Because of the TARDIS, the writers are not restricted by setting, meaning that they can do whatever they want with the show, provided that it doesn't break the established universe (I'm looking at you Steven Moffat). The sheer imagination has inspired me to take up a career path in creative writing, particularly screenplays because I want to share my own somewhat creative ideas (no I'm not saying what they are in case they come up on TV someday). It stays fresh too as The Doctor can change his appearance and personality when near the point of death, meaning that the writers can do new things with the character.

My personal experience with the show began in March 2005, when 'Doctor Who' came back after a 16 year hiatus. Immediately I was intrigued by this show and by the season finale, I loved it and I was very sad to see Christopher Eccleston leave. Luckily, David Tennant came along and he became my Doctor. By his season, I became obsessed with the show and it never left. Even though I had to miss a few episodes because of their fear factor (I was 7 when it started after all) I still loved it and I went back to those episodes once I got older and braver. Since then I built up a collection of toys, DVDs, books and other memorabillia to create a collection so large, I couldn't take all of it with me to University.

Besides the creative premise, the reason I love this show is because I also find a role model in The Doctor himself. He is a man who is never cruel or cowardly and always finds a peaceful solution to his problems. He is caring and compassionate and he gives his enemies the benefit of the doubt before he defeats them. He never uses a weapon but he does use his intelligence and wit to save the day. In fact, Steven Moffat, whom I mentioned earlier, said this quote that summed it up better than I did:

The enemies were great too! The Daleks, The Doctor's most recurring enemies, are as iconic as The Beatles in terms of quintessential Britishness. The Cybermen, cyborgs that were once human and now want to convert other like them, are even more relevant now that they were back in the 1960s. The Weeping Angels, as scary as some of the horror classics with their great premise of statues that move when you look away or blink. And The Master, The Doctor's arch-nemesis, is a delightfully evil character. They, and thousands of more monsters keep the show entertaining and creative.

Though to me, the biggest reason why I still love the show is the impact it had on me. I already mentioned it shaping my career path but there are many other reasons as well. Without it, I would never have discovered the internet, I would have less friends since that show is what helped me form friendships with people and I would never have got into film criticism, and therefore film in general, since my love for criticism spawned from 'Doctor Who' reviews. This has made such a large impact on my life that I can't imagine myself in a world where this show never existed!

This is why I watch the show even through the questionable decisions such as including a superhero in the Christmas special, even after 'Hell Bent,' one of the most painful experiences I've been through as a Whovian, even during this year where the BBC stopped putting out content, even through a spin-off that split people down the middle, and even through Steven Moffat's lazy writing. I love the show regardless of its many flaws and trials because I know how great it was and how much of an impact it was to me. I love the characters, I love the premise, I love the imagination and I'm hopeful that the writing will improve and 'Doctor Who' will be great once more!

This concludes my Thought from an Autistic Mind. It's nice to be kind to something after I basically made fun of the President of the US. What did you think of this post? Do you have your own show that you just love with all of your heart? Comment below and as always, please like my Facebook page Joel Mole, share this around the internet and tell me what you like and dislike about this (though be civil, I'm allergic to trolls). See you next time whenever that may be. Until then, fair thee well good people of the internet.

From left to right: William Hartnell (Doctor #1), Patrick Troughton (Doctor #2), Jon Pertwee (Doctor #3), Tom Baker (Doctor #4), Christopher Eccleston (Doctor #9), Matt Smith (Doctor #11), Peter Capaldi (Doctor #12), David Tennant (Doctor #10), John Hurt (Doctor #8.5), Paul McGann (Doctor #8), Sylvester McCoy (Doctor #7), Colin Baker (Doctor #6), Peter Davison (Doctor #5)

Joel Mole's Guide to Surviving Trump's America

America has currently joined the UK as one of the most idiotic countries in the World. This is because Donald Trump, a racist, homophobic sex offender, has now become president of the United States of America. Of course this raises questions of the mental state of a supposedly great country but what's done is done and now, for any American readers out there, I present to you a survival guide into how to survive Trump's America with my limited political knowledge.

Seek out the Clinton voters
Clearly not everyone voted for Trump so that means that those who have voted Clinton either a) actually supported her or b) doesn't want Trump to become president. Now Clinton wasn't much better than Trump with her shady ties but she at least doesn't judge and those who voted her likely won't judge either. Seek them out and you will find solidarity

Find another Martin Luther King Jr.
Trump is a racist gimboid so it's very likely that the ethnic minorities (or should I say majorities) will be cowering in fear of Trump's reign of terror. Now, I know that there is already a civil rights movement but it needs to be stronger than ever so it needs another peaceful leader like Martin Luther King Jr. was in the past in order to convince Trump the error of his ways. After all, it's not like the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Yet to Come won't do it.

Get nuclear bunkers
With Trump's mentality, World War Three could be on the horizon so make sure you get a nuclear bunker so that you can be safe during a nuclear apocalypse. There are other websites which explain how to survive an apocalypse so I recommend you check those out for more details

Drink
I normally don't condone this but mate, you need booze for this so you can wallow in misery and wonder where America went wrong

American Suffragette
Trump hates women so feminism is more important than ever and we need a third (or fourth?) wave of feminism to make sure that women's rights change for the better and to show women that Trump must be stopped. If successful, half of America would be against Trump.

LGBT Movement
I hope you follow the footsteps of women and ethnic majorities and start your own movement against Trump's regime. Who knows, you three can unite and you, plus sympathizers, could rise for change.

Move to Canada
Perhaps the most realistic and most sensible option. Sure it's cold but the people are so friendly it's a stereotype, the economy is strong, healthcare is fair, it's very eco-friendly and it's created many great celebrities such as:

• Jim Carrey
• Michael J. Fox
• Ryan Gosling
• Michael Bubble (I mean Bublé)
• Mike Myers 
• William Shatner
• Dan Akroyd
• Céline Dion
• Avril Lavigne
• Ryan Reynolds
• Donald Sutherland 
• Carrie-Ann Moss
• Keanu Reeves
• Evageline Lilly
• Seth Rogen

Sure it also created Justin Bieber but Canada had the sense to not accept him back after he moved to America. So long as you have money, people you know and knowledge on Canada you should be fine.

I hope you found this useful (though I'd be surprised if you did). If not, then at least you can appreciate the satirical presentation at my views of Trump becoming president. In all seriousness, to all the women, LGBT people, ethnic majorities and people with common sense: good luck. I'm sure other countries will support you.

This concludes my Thought from an Autistic Mind. Now I'm not an expert on politics and I'm sure people more qualified than me can share their thoughts in a better format. I just wanted to present a lighthearted piece of satire whilst simultaneously sharing my views on Trump becoming president. I hope you enjoy it and if there are movements against Trump, great! Best of luck to you! Now for the obligatory plug. Be sure to share this blog around and like my Facebook page 'Joel Mole.' Also be sure to use the page to suggest ideas on what I give my thoughts on because I need that motivation people! Until then, fair thee well good people of the internet.

What is love (baby don't hurt me. Don't hurt me no more)

Well... This year has been a bit pants so far hasn't it? I mean so far we've had almost daily attacks (mainly from ISIS) in all sorts of countries, lots of respected celebrities have died, Britain has left the EU putting the country's economic future and reputation in doubt and people have been very nasty to each other whether it's to do with Trump (whom I have a horrible feeling is going to be president) or the flippin ghostbusters movie!

All this hatred going on in the world has made me wonder: has humanity forgotten about love? It doesn't   seem to be the case since most people, particularly the LGBT community, have stood up against hatred, but there's lots of hatred to begin with. Perhaps we need to be reminded that love, not war or hatred, is a far better option.

What do I consider love to be? In it's basic form, love is the undying affection you give to another person. Whether it's through kindness, romance or platonic love like the kind you give to your friends and family. Love, in my eyes, is shown through unity in some form. For instance, platonic love ensures unity between family and friends and in it's highest form, you cherish and are willing to stand up for them. Romantic love is unity between two people with a deep affection between them and in it's highest form, the partners become like one and are inseparable.

For me, what separates love from a simple desire or an infatuation is the nobility of it. Desire from my point of view, is wanting something desperately that you know isn't going to last forever whether it's an object or sex. Love however is the assurance that whoever your with will be a good part of your life forever. It's feeling comfortable towards them rather than craving them. It's needing them instead of wanting them. And it's friendly, not obsessive.

Now this might make no sense and I'd understand that. Love is an abstract concept and as someone with autism who doesn't know an awful lot about human interaction, I may be wrong about this. But, to paraphrase Forrest Gump: "I may be autistic but I know what love is." And honestly, at this stage, I appear to know about it more than most people. Lemme put it this way: if someone like me, who doesn't entirely know about love, understands it more than those people, then humanity needs to get their act together.

That concludes this Thought from an Autistic Mind. This was tricky since love is an abstract concept which I don't wholly understand. I just wanted to give my unique views on love and to bring up this topic in a time where it couldn't be more important. Lemme know what you thought on my views. Perhaps you could share your ideas on what love is, I'd be interested to hear a second opinion. As always, be sure to follow me on Facebook and Google+ (both under the name Joel Mole) and be sure to send this to as many people as possible. As always fair thee well and see you in [insert date here].

Help! My child has autism! (Autism awareness day special)

Happy autism awareness day/month everyone! Yes it is so obscure that even I forgot it existed (ironic that there's a lack of awareness for autism awareness day). We should make an effort to make it stand out more since autism can be an issue if the person with autism is not cared for. Which brings me to my next point: what do you do if your child has autism?

I'm going to come out and say it: I'm not a parent and I'm not planning to have any children any time soon. This blog is coming from the point of view of someone who WAS the autistic child. First things first, don't panic! They are still your child so they'll still love you and vice versa. Secondly, if you haven't done so already, get them diagnosed as soon as possible just to be sure. Thirdly, if they seem secluded, that's fine, they're just off in their own little world minding their own business; just let them do that unless they need to concentrate for an important reason. If they get distressed and you don't know why, it's probably because something has happened that has affected their routine or little world  and if that's the case don't worry, just be patient and they'll calm down.

Another important thing is to send them to an autism friendly school so they'll be cared for by experts who know how to care for autistic people. Another important thing is to help them understand the world and the neurotypical people in it. That way, they'll eventually learn how to interact with people better. It may be ideal to help the people around you, including the child themselves, understand autism so that they can understand why the child seems different.

It's ideal to help them build a social life. Of course if they're happy being alone that's fine but you need to teach them valuable social skills in order for them to interact with people better and they can make friends on their own. Don't force friends on them if you're worried about their loneliness and just guide them into making friends on their own.

That's really all I got. Like I said, I'm not a parent so I'm a little unsure myself what would I do if I had an autistic child but I'm giving this advice because whatever my parents did to make me the man I am now must have been effective or else, I probably wouldn't be doing this blog to help others like me or those who know people like me. One thing's for sure though, that child would love you until the end of time, even if they don't show it because they may not know how, so I'm sure, whoever you are in this situation, that you will love them too.


And that concludes this thought from an autistic mind. Seeing as this is the first one to be written on an iPhone (my laptop was broken by my own stupidity) there would have been typos so please point out any mistakes in the comments below. Also on a side note, maybe talk to some parents of autistic people, see what they suggest since they're probably more qualified to deal with this topic than me. Let me know what you thought of this blog in the comments below, like the Facebook page 'Joel Mole' and share this across the internet! Until the next time, fair thee well!

Masculinity: I'd rather be feminine!

Feminism... it's really misunderstood. The movement to promote gender equality has now been perceived as a movement designed to prevent oppression on women. It's a fair assumption since women are generally more oppressed than men and there are gigantic twonks out there who do oppress and harm women. Make no mistake, female subordination is a huge issue but radical and other feminists who have warped the idea are forgetting one thing: what about men? We have our own problems too you know! Admittedly we have less problems than women but I want to address certain injustices that men face as well, particularly the concept of masculinity.

The concept of masculinity is that men are expected to be strong, brave and not the least bit vulnerable. Of course men are socialised to not be complete sissys and to 'act like a man' and be tough in the face of it all. This... irks me. I myself was expected to act tough and cool, especially in secondary school where, in the early years at least, I was told not to cry so I can be accepted. Now, crying is such a rarity in me. I keep my pain within or regressed to screams when I am physically hurt and in terms of emotional damage, very few things make me cry. I never cry in movies where I should and in sad situations, I do cry sometimes when it's really damaging but most of the time the tears never come. Where are you tears??? Where the smeg are you????

I doubt it's just me because I've never really seen a grown man cry in real life. At least not to my memory. I expect it’s because we're expected not to cry and to act brave in the face of turmoil. Women are the only gender who are meant to cry apparently and men who cry are passed off as cry-babies. I'm sorry but I can't stand that! I want to be able to cry and not feel ashamed in doing so! I want to feel scared of things without being labelled a wuss! I'm not manly, I'm me! So let me be me society!!!

The concept of manliness has led to a lack of knowledge of serious issues. For example, domestic abuse is the biggest form of oppression towards women as they are violently attacked and intimidated to the point of emotional scarring. That is a huge problem but it's not one way. Men get attacked and abused too. Most recently, YouTuber Matthew Santoro released his story of abuse on YouTube and it got me thinking, why don't men get recognised as victims too? Then I cast my mind back to sociology and crime statistics, particularly in terms of domestic violence. The main reason why men don't get recognised as victims of domestic is likely because of the fact that they're too ashamed to admit they are attacked by a woman which is considered to be a damage to their masculinity. Men, as well as women, should be recognised for those things!

It's not just masculine behaviour, the masculine image can be damaging to a man's self-esteem. Casting back to my 'Models are Clones' blog post, I noted how the 'perfect image' can give people unrealistic expectations on what they should look like. The same applies to men as they are expected to have lots of muscles and a 'boy-band' complexion. It is often men who fit that description who are seen as desirable and not all men in general. 

I suppose that's why I relate to women more than men. Don't get me wrong, I know a lot of great men and boys but I prefer the company of women because they are free to be honest with their emotions whereas men just try to act 'cool' when really it can be a mask. The men I relate with are more open with their emotions and are not as 'manly' as stereotypes suggest. I myself have some feminine traits like in my taste of music (I like Taylor Swift and Lana Del Rey rather than rap and heavy metal music), my choice in films (I like manly films like Mad Max: Fury Road but I also enjoy rom-coms like Love Actually) and my emotions despite the lack of tears (such as fear). Apparently I also used to play with Barbies as well during my Pre-Doctor Who days.

Really, the people are not entirely masculine or feminine. A nice hybrid of the two makes them more relatable and trustworthy because they are open with their feelings. Back to the issue at hand, I wish masculinity would just die because boys and men shouldn't just be tough, they should be emotional too and be allowed to like things such as Disney Princesses (another thing I like). Most importantly, they should be seen in issues such as domestic violence and they shouldn't hide because of their masculinity. Sometimes men have to let it out...

And that concludes this thought from an autistic mind. What do you think about this? Do you have any questions? Let me know in the comments below, be sure to like my Facebook page 'Joel Mole' for more blogs and share this around to spread the word. Thank you for reading this and until the next time: fare thee well!