Read about Jonathan Celebrities you may know who have Friesen pg.9 Tourettespg.6
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Table of Contents Tourettes……………………………Pg. 4-5 Celebrities With tourettes…………………………Pg. 6 California……………………………..Pg. 7 About the Author……………………………….Pg. 9-10
N T U O Another novel from Jonathan Friesen. The Author of Jerk California!
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Tourettes Syndrome: Early symptoms Dealing with it Support Groups Vocal tic severity
Author: Jon Higgins
Tourette syndrome is a hereditary disarray of the nervous system, distinguished by a changeable appearance of discarded movements and noises. Tourette's once was considered a rare and bizarre syndrome, most often associated with the exclamation of indecent words or socially inappropriate and offensive remarks, but that symptom is present in only a small minority of people with Tourette's. (http:// www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/ tourette/detail_tourette.htm) According to the National Institute of Neurological disorders and Stroke the cause of Tourette syndrome is unknown, although some studies suggest that the tics in Tourette syndrome are caused by an increased amount of a neurotransmitter called dopamine. A neurotransmitter is a
chemical found in the brain that helps to transmit information from one brain cell to another. Other studies suggest that the defect in Tourette syndrome involves another neurotransmitter called serotonin, or involves other chemicals required for normal functioning of the brain. The first symptoms usually involve involuntary movements of the face, arms, limbs or trunk. These tics are frequent, repetitive and rapid. Although Tourette syndrome symptoms are involuntary, some people can sometimes suppress, camouflage, or otherwise manage their tics in an effort to minimize their impact on functioning such as yawning after a tic in their mouth. Eventually though people with Tourette syndrome often report a substantial build up in
tension when suppressing their tics to the point where they feel that the tic must be expressed. Other related symptoms are difficulties with reading, writing, and arithmetic; and obsessive-compulsive symptoms such as intrusive thoughts/worries and repetitive behaviours. An example would be worries about dirt and germs may be associated with repetitive hand-washing, and concerns about bad things happening may be associated with ritualistic behaviours such as counting, repeating, or rearranging. All students with Tourette syndrome need a tolerant and compassionate setting that both encourages them to work to their full potential and is flexible enough to accommodate their special needs. This setting may in-
regular classroom, or even oral exams when the child's symptoms interfere with his or her ability to write. (http:// www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/ tourette/detail_tourette.htm) As Tourette syndrome often goes undiagnosed, no precise number can be given of how many have it. Tourette syndrome is listed as a "rare disease" by the Office of Rare Diseases of the National Institutes of Health, some over 200,000 in the United States alone are known to have the disorder. "According to current best estimates, Tourette Syndrome affects approximately 6 of every 1,000 schoolchildren." (NIH Conference, 2006). Tourette Syndrome foundation of Canada states “Although there is no cure for Tourette syndrome really at the moment some actually become symptom-free or no longer need medication for tic suppression.” There are several groups making an effort towards helping people with Tourette syndrome, including “Tourette’s Action” is a charity working to make life better for people
with Tourette syndrome. “Tourette’s Action” is the UK’s leading support and research charity for people with Tourette syndrome and their families. Join them on their biggest ever fund raising challenge, skydive for free! On July 30th with people all over the country!!! They need our support to support children and adults with Tourette Syndrome, provide information to teachers, doctors and social workers, and promote research into therapies and treatments. Please contact fundraising@tourettes-action.org.uk for more information. They rely on nothing more than voluntary support where they are not supported by the government, a great way you can help is by requesting a Tourette’s action money box. Also, if interested you are welcome to apply as there are now jobs available, thank you. For more information please visit http:// www.tourettes-action.org.uk/ research/ or call 0845 458 1252. And they thank everyone for your support. There are several groups making an effort towards helping people with Tourette syndrome, in-
cluding “Tourette’s Action” is a charity working to make life better for people with Tourette syndrome. “Tourette’s Action” is the UK’s leading support and research charity for people with Tourette syndrome and their families. Join them on their biggest ever fund raising challenge, skydive for free! On July 30th with people all over the country!!! They need our support to support children and adults with Tourette Syndrome, provide information to teachers, doctors and social workers, and promote research into therapies and treatments. Please contact fundraising@tourettes-action.org.uk for more information. They rely on nothing more than voluntary support where they are not supported by the government, a great way you can help is by requesting a Tourette’s action money box. Also, if interested you are welcome to apply as there are now jobs available, thank you. For more information please visit http:// www.tourettes-action.org.uk/ research/ or call 0845 458 1252. And they thank everyone for your support.
Tourettes Action logo
Celebrities with Tourettes Author: Jon Higgins
Tourette’s can affect anyone. There are many other celebrities you may happen to know who have Tourette syndrome: Tim Howard, Howard Hughes, Marc Summers, Dan Ackroyd and David Beckham. Tim Howard, known as Tim Dawg, managed to become the goal keeper for Manchester United of England in spite of having Tourette syndrome. Tim quotes “It’s just a battle of the will”, he just constantly fights what his mind tells his body to do, he has been capable of shutting out tourettes. Howard Hughes was one of the richest men yet he was ill, and suffered from tourettes. Marc Summers suffered from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, everything has to be a certain way, and nothing else would work. Dan was diagnosed with tourette's and asperger syndromes at an early age, but the symptoms seem to have disappeared when he was around 14. When he was a preteen there was no such thing as Asperger syndrome in the 1960s. David suffers from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and it shows from constant cleanliness and perfection of all that is around him. Anything out of order is enough to cause a conflict and must be attended to immediately. Just because you have Tourette syndrome doesn’t mean you can’t do or become anything, that definetly is not the case because there are ways of coping with it or things you may love to do that you actually can do.
California The Golden State
CUSTOM SOLUTIONS
Hundreds of amazing sites and One amazing California is found on the west side of the United States with the pacific
ocean on one side, Nevada and Arizona on the other, south of Oregon and to the north of Mexico. California is home to about 37 million people and is still growing. California is one of the richest and divers parts of the world, and includes some of the most endangered ecological communities. The capital of California is Sacramento. It is located just north of California's central valley and has a population of 466,676 and is the sixth largest city in California. There were definitely more city`s in the race for the shot at the right for capitol suck as Los Angela's, San Francisco, san Jose and even Anaheim. Nothing compares to the amazing sites of California, from the breathtaking shores to the mountains of Hollywood. Would you want to be anywhere els?
Author: Patrick Chiasson
5 Star Rating!
Some other novels by Jonathan Friesen!
$8.99- Kindle Edition - Kindle eBook (Mar. 22, 2011) by Jonathan Friesen
Author: Sally Kim Introducing Jonathan Friesen, the author of the book “Jerk, California”. His life and career, and some of his quotes. Jonathan
Jonathan Friesen is a YA author, speaker, and youth writing coach from Mora, Minnesota. His first young adult novel “Jerk, California” about a teen coming to terms with Tourette’s Syndrome which was released in September of 2008 and he received the ALA Schneider Award . Jonathan Friesen loves to write for the younger crowd and regularly contribute to Clubhouse Magazine and Clubhouse Jr. When he is not writing, speaking at schools, or teaching, he likes to travel and hang out with his family.
Jonathan Friesen lives in northern Minnesota on a small farm with his wife and three children, and a growing number of animals. He believes in journneys, and his have carried him around the globe. Jonathan’s passion is coaching gifted young writers in the art of fiction. His personal experiences with Tourette’s Syndrome
inspired him to write the novel.
Jonathan Friesen says, “If you ask most people about their life, they don’t begin with fifth grade. But that was a good year. Illness changed that.” He retreated into a shell and escaped into words. Writing a story sucked the pain out of him, at least for a while. That’s when he learned to “feel” on paper. Jonathan Friesen didn’t think he’d be an author, he didn’t think he’d be much of anything, he was simply writing to survive. His life changed in college. Hiss health returned, the cloud lifted, and he got his teaching license. Being a teacher, and being with those kids healed Jonathan. Surrounded by them, he relived periods of time stolen by childhood sickness. He was in his glory. But he couldn’t escape storytelling. All those years expressing himself on paper left their mark. While his students worked, he wrote at his desk. Jerk California, Friesen’s first book flowed out of his own
Jonathan Friesen loves contests. On his twitter website, he wrote “I love contests. I won the first one I ever entered. I had to draw "Cubby," this cute little bear from the TV guide. Yep, I won $25, which in 1973 bought a lot of baseball cards. The draw Cubby people said I had a future in the visual arts. I don't know about that. I do know writing has worked out pretty well.” Also Jonathan Friesen wrote how he feels about “What could be worse?”. Jonathan Friesen wrote, What could be worse than enduring a bad soccer game . . .Watching a good game in which your son is playing well . . .And having him play on multiple teams . . .And watching gas hit 3.79 while you barely clear 25 mpg . . .And handing the gas station
Interview
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Q: Your biography mentions that, like Sam/Jack from the book JERK, CALIFORNIA, you also have Tourette Syndrome. How much of Sam’s/Jack’s story is your own? What is your personal history with the disorder? At what age did symptoms first appear? How did that affect you growing up? A: Sam’s story is completely fictitious, but his internal struggle with Tourette Syndrome mirrors my own quite closely. He is much more honest with himself than I was—I had a hard time accepting the fact that I couldn’t stop my movements. Somewhere, I had picked up the idea that I should be able to stop them. My symptoms first appeared
Q: Jack’s/Sam’s story is often heartbreaking, especially when it comes to his difficulties fitting in at school and his lack of meaningful friendships. Sadly, ostracism and even bullying is not uncommon among high school students. Do you have any advice for teens struggling with these challenges? A: High school ends. A speaker told us on day one of ninth grade, “These are the best days of your life.” I heard that again during my freshman year at college. I remember thinking, he better be lying, because this is more nightmare than dream.
I look around at my close friends now, years later. I’m not in contact with anyone from high school and only one guy from college, but my life is filled with great friendships—the kind everyone looks like they have in high school but few actually do. School ends, the wind blows people every which way. When that wind dies down, there will be someone there for you. Q: The power of names to define a person is an important issue in the book. What has been the importance of names in your own life? A: I think a name can shape a life. It can also be a marker in the road. I was born Jonathan, but
when I was five. Eye blinks and shoulder jumps. Early on, those movements didn’t affect me much. My peers didn’t make a big deal of them. But in junior high, those tics (and my dishonesty about them) began affecting relationships. By high school, school was a lonely place. But again, my attitude about TS, and not the syndrome itself, deserves a fair amount of credit for that. Q: The romance between Naomi and Sam/Jack is sometimes sweet, sometimes frustrating, but always very true-to-life. Was their romance based on any in your own life? A: Oh sure. Dating my wife was the most irritatingly wonderful experi-
nobody called me that. I was Jon, or John-Boy, or Jonno, or whatever. I think nicknames are great. They make a person feel special. But after a disastrous college relationship, I wanted to put everything behind me. It’s as if I wanted to take a shower and wash off everything about myself and who I’d been, including the name I’d been called: Jon. I reclaimed Jonathan. It’s my true name, my true self, and reclaiming it made me feel new again. Q: Acceptance, both of yourself and of others, is a major theme in Jerk, California. Tell us why this was an important message for you to convey in writing this novel. A: If you’re a hider, like I
Q: Sam’s/Jack’s relationship with George is touching and sincere. George came along just when Sam most needed someone to believe in him. Were there any influential people in your own life who helped guide you? A: My grandma had the rare ability to build me up and kick me in the rear at the very same time. If you’ve never had this type of person in your life, it’s quite an experience. One minute she would tell me what she saw in me, how proud she was of me. Then, bam! She’d let me have it, and point out all the areas in which I had more growing to do. But I listened to her, because I knew she loved me and I was certain she believed in me. She was a powerful guide in my life.
came up with the song. I heard it and my jaw dropped because they nailed it—the mood, the feeling. I was shocked. Halloween, Alaska did a great job. Q: Where do you find inspiration for your characters and stories? A: Every story of mine contains an element lifted from real life. I need to understand an aspect of a character, or a piece of the plot. Once I find that interesting detail, my imagination takes over. I stick that familiar piece into a situation or character I know nothing about and start asking, “what if.”
MI C R OS OFT
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Jerk, THE NEXT BIG ROTHESAY READ, ARE YOU IN?
Published May 9th Authors: Jon Higgins, Patrick Chaisson, Sally Kim