Posts tagged as:

How To Have Tourette’s

How To Have Tourette’s Part 26 – Tics In Children

August 4, 2010

A couple of days ago I got to spend some time with a lot of Tourette’s kids. (Note, this is the most common way to spell Tourette’s–I’m seeing a lot of ‘terrets’ out there recently) Seeing tics in children is not easy for me, especially when I can tell it bothers them. Tuesday evening I [...]

How To Have Tourette’s Part 25 – You Have Earned A Vengeance Voucher

June 17, 2010

Something happened this week that I never could have predicted. Without going into too many details: I was in a situation where another person with Tourette’s Syndrome was within earshot of me for several hours. In my experience, when two tickers get together, they set each other off and create a spastic din that dwarfs [...]

How To Have Tourette’s Part 24 – Two Days Without Tics

May 27, 2010

Life is good, my friend. Despite the manic birds that start tweeting outside my window at 4 every morning, life is good. If you have ever put together a bunch of sleepless nights in a row, you know that you can become accustomed to something as horrible as being tired, lethargic, and slow. If it [...]

How To Have Tourette’s Part 23 – Nothing Wrong With Normal

May 13, 2010

Note from Josh on comments: In the comments, debate is welcome, criticism is fine, but personal attacks will be deleted. I am the most normal person I know. You might be tempted to argue, but bear with me. Recently, a friend wrote to me and asked some questions. She mentioned several people she knows who [...]

How To Have Tourette’s Part 22 – Every Second Is A Choice

May 5, 2010

This past Friday I was in the dentist’s chair getting a tooth repaired. On the TV in the ceiling, the Joker said, “Because if you’re good at something, you don’t do it for free.” The music in the office was truly wretched, Muzak that somehow managed to get through the whine of the drill and [...]

How To Have Tourette’s Part 21 – Kapow! Sock! Wham!

April 28, 2010

I’ve spent the last 24 hours tottering around with tiny little Geisha steps. I put the toe of one size 14 next to the heel of the other, then kind of lurch forward and catch myself before reversing position. The recent triumphs of 8400 seconds, Sitting Here In Silence, and The Science of Happiness have [...]

How To Have Tourette’s Part 20 – The Science of Happiness

April 21, 2010

At the time of this writing, it’s been over 30 hours since I’ve had a tic. 30 hours. I’m counting the time I spend asleep now, because soon it’s going to be easier to count days than hours. 30 hours. And not only is it 30 hours without tics, it’s thirty hours without the urges [...]

How To Have Tourette’s Part 19: Sitting Here In Silence

March 30, 2010

It wasn’t even One PM yet and more than one person had already asked: “Are you all right?” It wasn’t what you’re thinking. I assured everyone that I was fine. In fact, I was better than fine, because at 12:30 I passed the four hour mark without having had one tic since 8:30 that morning. [...]

Do You Have The Strength To Be Still? Guest Post by Amy Harrison

March 24, 2010

Update from Josh: The response to 8400 Seconds was overwhelming and wonderful, thank you. This post is my favorite response so far. By Amy Harrison I always thought doing nothing was easy. It’s a luxury most of us can’t afford. We’re go-getters, we set goals, work hard and go for it. We organize, plan, check [...]

How To Have Tourette’s Part 18: 8400 Seconds

March 17, 2010

It used to seem like an impossible goal, on par with jumping into orbit, swimming to the bottom of the Marianas Trench, or being able to divide fractions. I want to sit still for one minute. 60 seconds of peace. When I was six years old, I started to twitch with involuntary tics. This did [...]

How To Have Tourette’s Part 17: Getting Better At Getting Worse

March 9, 2010

You there! I was going to type this today, but the tics wouldn’t let me. So I turned on the recorder, but the audio actually gives some more relevant bearing to today’s topic than the writing would have. The recording has some advice I believe we can both use. It’s about eight minutes long. I’m [...]

How To Have Tourette’s Part 15 – A Wonderful, Miserable Weekend in Minneapolis

February 10, 2010

Believe you me, Earthling, it’s a weird feeling to walk out of a room full of strongmen so you can have a good cry in the hall. I had waited for months to attend the workshop and now I was here. The flights had been difficult and the cost hadn’t been cheap, but

How To Have Tourette’s Part 14: The 90 Second Experiment

January 18, 2010

The last couple of months have been some of the strangest, worst, best, and most interesting of my life, at least as far as Tourette’s has gone. From the horrorshow of No Excuses to the brief triumph of The Worth Of One Minute to the uncharacteristic anger of Dear Weakness…the highs have been high and [...]

How To Have Tourette’s Part 13 – You Just Do It: Guest Post By Adam T. Glass

December 30, 2009

Always, just when I’m on the verge of breaking down and writing a post that is full of selfish compliments—for me, by me—someone saves me the trouble. I’m always happy to let someone else talk me up. I get to pretend I’m modest and they get to say things in a way I can’t. But [...]

How To Have Tourette’s Part 12 – The Worth Of One Minute

December 22, 2009

Thank you for this year. If this didn’t make much sense, please start at part one of How To Have Tourette’s. Whatever you believe in, spend the holidays doing something you love. *The Gymboss may not actually cure Tourette’s, but it’s way awesome. Here’s my full review of my favorite workout gadget. Josh If you [...]

How To Have Tourette’s Part 10 – You Can’t Please Everybody

December 10, 2009

If you can hear me, you are The Resistance! Just click the player below and put your feet up. Thanks as always. Josh If you liked this post, please Subscribe To The RSS feed.

How To Have Tourette’s Part 9 – Better Than Fine

December 2, 2009

This post is by one of my friends, about one of my heroes: Jacob McGee. Jacob, if you’re reading this today, you need to know that I look up to you, and I don’t look up to very many people. You’re the best! Josh. By Michelle McGee, Moxie Momma As the mother of a child [...]

Another Look At How To Have Tourette’s Part 7 – No Excuses

November 29, 2009

Each Sunday I’m going to backtrack and revisit a past post in light of recent events. It’s only been about a week since How To Have Tourette’s Part Seven, but you may find this update interesting. First of all, the response to No Excuses was humbling and wonderful. I talk a big game and I [...]

How To Have Tourette’s Part 8: A Long Walk

November 25, 2009

I’d been married for two years and trapped in the house for nearly as long. I’d withdrawn from school again because I couldn’t be in public. For one, I was a real nuisance in class. Teachers would have accommodated me, and students would have done the same. But I wasn’t there mentally. I couldn’t handle the [...]

How To Have Tourette’s Part 7: No Excuses

November 17, 2009

Bad day, then a bad night. But a lesson learned. Please share this with anyone who could use the message. Much appreciated, friend. I’m okay. I really am. You make this easier for me by being here. Thank you. Josh If you liked this post, please Subscribe To The RSS feed.

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