Kathryn Cooper

Guestbook Wall
15 years 8 weeks ago

Thanks, Will. I'm exhausted just reading about all your activities! But we do seem to have several interests in common. After reading your post I also noticed that the things I thoughts I'd erased "about Me" were still there. Oops. Now they're gone! I'm enjoying the blogs and have replied to a few. Cheers!

Will wrote:
15 years 8 weeks ago

Hi Kathryn
Let me extend to you my personal welcome to our AutismOne Social Network.
I read your profile with great interest. What a thrill it must have been attending Julliard. I love all kinds of music but am really a clutz. My wife and I ice danced together and she always had to give me a starting hand-squeeze on walzes with a 3-6 beat as I could not distinguish the primary from the secondary beat. Also, I see that you are a vegetarian. After doing considerable reading on nutrician and health I'm in the process of converting to vegetarian. (need to learn more about meal preparation.) I'm age 78 and an avid skier (ski 5-6 days per week at Snowbird). For years we lived in the SF Bay Area where we thoroughly enhoyed the ocean. So it appears we have common interests.
Now on with the "commercial." AutismOne is now the “one-stop-shopping center” for information about autism. We have the annual conference in Chicago, AutismOne radio, the Elizabeth Birt Center for Autism Law and Advocacy and now the AutismOne Social Network (and more to come).
Thank you for filling in your profile entries as these help people with common interests find you.
Helping you interact with others is one of the many things we can do for you. Now here’s something you can do for us. Every new community requires a good hard kick start to get going. We need you to help us with that. Log in on a regular basis and read the blogs and articles then write a blog yourself. It can be on any subject of interest to you, preferably with some relevance to autism but not necessarily. It can be short or long, whatever it takes for you to express your thoughts. If you have a question then ask it in a blog--people read then they respond. If you see something with which you agree or disagree then please add a comment with your thoughts. This is an open community designed to help and support. We like to hear all sides.
I am looking forward to reading your opinions in future blogs and/or articles.
With my best regards
Will Price, CFO
AutismOne

My Family and Friends

No family members added yet.

My Buddies
Member Since August 14, 2009

About Me

Name
Kathryn Cooper
Age
65 years
Location
Castle Pines, Colorado
About Me
Relationship Status: 
Married
Hometown: 
Newport Beach, California
Religion: 
Christian (attend a Presbyterian church)
Smoke/Drink: 
Drink Only
Children: 
Christopher, age 9
Education: 
Bachelor of Music; Master of Music
School: 
University of Southern California; The Juilliard School
Occupation: 
Musician (oboe)
A Little About Me: 

I'm a professional musician performing on oboe and other woodwinds for Colorado Ballet, Denver Center Attractions (Broadway shows), Central City Opera, and other freelance orchestral and chamber music groups in the Denver area. I teach oboe at Metropolitan State College of Denver. I'm politically liberal and a vegetarian for 30 years. I love nature, animals (but only have a cat), the arts, reading novels, humor, skiing, travel, the ocean. I've been tenuously married since 1993.

Why I am a Part of the AutismOne Community: 

My only son was diagnosed with mild autism in 2004 at age 4 1/2.

What I am Here For: 
Information & ideas
Autism Help / Accomplishments: 

What has helped my son a lot: Applied Behavioral Analysis of the modern, flexible kind such as that espoused by the Koegels; music therapy and then music lessons (piano); Occupational Therapy, including therapeutic horseback-riding and swimming lessons; Earobics really helped with reading and spelling; play therapy; professionally-directed social groups with a mix of typical & autistic kids; the drug Risperdal (risperidone) for aggression/violence.

My Daily Motivations: 

My beautiful boy is my biggest motivation. Also: work, support systems, friends, God, chocolate...

Goals: 
Become a more patient, positive, energetic, helpful, caring person. Continue learning & discovering. Help my child be a happy kid who grows into a happy, contributing, open-minded, caring member of society who will always have a friend or two.
Help to Give: 

I've had 6 years of experience with the world of developmental disabilities, where I've found wonderful therapists, teachers and supporters;and I continue to read about it and keep my ears open. I am happy to share any experience I have with anyone.

Books / Magazines: 
Favorite autism books: For basic and thorough info, I recommend Facing Autism by Lynn Hamilton; A Parent's Guide to Asperger Syndrome & High-Functioning Autism byOzonoff, Dawson & McPartland; Overcoming Autism by Lynn Kern Koegel. On the more biographical side, I recommend Nobody Nowhere; and Somebody Somewhere by Donna Williams; Emergence: Labeled Autistic; and Animals in Translation (if you like animals) by Temple Grandin; Look Me in the Eye by John Robison (this is really funny!); Beyond the Wall by Stephen Shore; Send in the Idiots by Kamran Nazeer; Pretending to be Normal by Liane Willey (a pretty quick read); and for sensitive insights into all sorts of neurological disorders, anything by Oliver Sacks.
Quotes: 
"In this life you can either be oh-so-clever or oh-so-pleasant. For years I was clever. I recommend pleasant." -- the character Elwood P. Dowd from the movie Harvey
Music: 
Classical music is essential. I enjoy jazz a lot, and a bit of rock I have always been a fan of funk--Earth, Wind & Fire makes a body feel good!
TV Shows: 
Not much time for these, but I really like The Colbert Report, Scrubs, Eastenders
Movies: 
Recent good ones: Up, The Soloist, Slumdog Millionaire