Life Update: July Check-In 🌱 Hey everyone, It’s been a minute since I sat down to write an honest life update, so here we go. July’s been heavy, messy, weirdly hopeful, and exhausting all at the same time. That’s real life though, right? Facing Bankruptcy (and Anxiety) Earlier this month, I had my second appointment with the bankruptcy attorney to file Chapter 7. Walking into that office felt like dragging a hundred pounds of invisible weight. My mom couldn’t come with me that day, and that absolutely threw me. I didn’t realize how much I rely on having someone I trust nearby until I was sitting there trying to process legal talk that felt like it was in another language. The woman helping me finally noticed I was struggling, and I handed her my autism card that explains I sometimes need things repeated or said more clearly. Honestly? That was a small win for me. Asking for help instead of masking my way through confusion isn’t easy, but I did it. I still don’t remember...

Life Lately: A Quiet Fighter’s Update 🌿 Life Lately: A Quiet Fighter’s Update It’s been a lot lately. And honestly? I’m tired—but I’m still here, still trying, still fighting quietly. The past few weeks have felt like living inside a pressure cooker. Between work stress, prepping for bankruptcy to finally breathe again, health flares, and just the weight of existing as an autistic, anxious millennial in this loud world… it’s been overwhelming. Some mornings, before my feet even hit the floor, everything already feels loud and heavy. My health has been a maze of high blood pressure numbers, chest tightness, weird heart rate spikes, and nights where sleep feels impossible. The sleep apnea, insomnia, and random buzzing sensations through my body don’t help either. And the sensory overload? Still there. Three streets over, a truck backup beeper sounds like it’s right beside me, even with earplugs shoved in. Emotionally, it’s been messy. There are moments of laughter—like...

Why Does Life Have to Be So Hard Hey everyone, Caleb here. Today I want to share some real talk about how life feels when you’re autistic and dealing with everyday challenges. No fluff, just honesty. --- Sometimes I stop and wonder why life has to be this hard. Why even the small stuff — like remembering to fill my pill organizer or take my meds — feels like climbing a mountain. People say everyone struggles, and that’s true. But being autistic makes it feel like life is built on Hard Mode from the start. Every single thing takes energy: remembering steps, fighting executive dysfunction, dealing with sensory overwhelm, masking, trying to keep track of time and social cues. Even the simplest tasks can feel huge. Do neurotypical people have it this hard? Maybe sometimes. Everyone has pain and stress. But the difference is, they don’t usually have to spend so much energy just to keep up with everyday life. The world was built for them. For us, it wasn’t — and that shows in the little crac...

💌 A Break-Up Letter to Beef Jerky By Caleb — the Quiet Fighter with a Tender Gut and Zero Tolerance for BS Dear Beef Jerky, We need to talk. And before you even flex your leathery little muscles—I’m not here to fight. I’m here to walk away. You and I? We had a thing once. I thought you were tough, bold, full of flavor… the kind of snack that said, “Yeah, I survive the wild.” But it turns out, I’m not into survival mode snacks anymore. I’m into peace. I'm into regulation. I'm into not bleeding out of my rectum at the worst possible moment. Remember that spicy episode? You know the one—where you sneak-attacked me with a flavor so hot I literally shut down, lost speech, and had to stim my way back to Earth? Yeah. That wasn’t cute. That was traumatic. And now… you made me bleed. In the most humiliating way possible. Through my underwear. Through my pants. In broad daylight. That’s not love. That’s violence. I don’t care how protein-packed you are. I don’t care how rugged your pack...