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About Me

My name is Mandilyn. Ive had a complicated life. At 14 I learned to read. I am a visual learner and learned by seeing simply patterns of letters that create a sound. I've loved art since I was too little to hold a pencil. My early stuff was full of detail and I struggled to grasp the concept of creating a whole. I also had the ability to repeat anything I heard (which annoyed my mother because if she said something contrary I would simply remind her of what she had said, verbatim). I learned that when drawing and listening the words seemed more vivid. I have had Ulcerative Colitis that starting when I was about 7. . I had 5 surgeries at 19 to remove my large intestines. they found cancer so I also had Chemo. Ive since been cancer free.
I had my first son one year after my surgery. He has was diagnosed with autism when he was 5. In kindergarten all the other kids wanted to be ballerinas and firemen but I wanted to be a marine biologist. I had to tell the teacher what a marine biologist did. I was obsessed with ocean life. I loved whales but also plankton.. and algae. Since I couldn't read, Discovery and Nova (and star Trek) became the most anticipated parts of me week. I learned after I had gotten my Diving license at 14 that I was unable to scuba. A huge blow to my ambitions. I decided at that point that I had better learn how to be a great teacher. because of illness and family Ive never finish collage. But I still learn something everyday. I crave it. I was a preschool teacher for 8 years. I co-owned a restaurant with my husband but lost it in the recession. Ive been home since then, being a mom and artist!

Location:
United States, Camano Island, WA
Current organization:
Cartwrights culinary consulting
Current role:
Owner/Artist
Gender:
Female
I am:
Artist, Christian, Designer, Educator/Teacher, Environmentalist, Foodie, Idea generator, Parent, Photographer
Universities:
CWU
Member Picture Member Picture

TEDCRED 10+

More About Me

I'm passionate about

Poeple, Art, Science, Music, Autism

An idea worth spreading

We need to change the way we look at the world and reward and cellabrate Heroes..I have an Idea!

Talk to me about

anything really..

My TED Story

I got turnned on to TED about two years ago and have been facinated by it ever since.. so for about a week after the TED confrence you could find me doing nothing but watching videos

Comments

  • TEDCred score: +10.70 TEDCred reflects your contribution to the TED community.

  • +2

    A comment on Conversation: Without spending money, how can I make the biggest impact on my community with 15 minutes/day?

    Aug 13 2011: Take your kids to visit a nursing home. Just sit and talk with someone for 15 minutes. not only will it make a difference in someone's life but will make a difference in your children's lives as well.

    We used to go with my mother once a month with a plate of cookies and sit and talk to whom ever needed to.
    All my brothers and I now volunteer doing something in the community.
    My oldest brother volunteers at his church, my twin brother fosters children and volunteers with his motorcycle club in the community, I volunteer as a leader in a mother’s of preschoolers support group, one of my younger brothers feeds/talks to people on skid row in LA and teachers a “How to stay married” class, and my youngest brother teaches kids music who don’t have the money for lessons.

    So if you get kids used to stepping out of their comfort zone and volunteer now, they may just end up impacting the community in ways you never imagined and could never do yourself.
  • +1

    A comment on Conversation: If you could teach the world 1 valuable thing you learned, what would it be and why?

    Aug 13 2011: I would say one word: "compassion".
    It is the basis for our family's structure and rules and I find myself wondering why our culture doesn’t place more importance on this. Imagine what the world would be like if everyone put compassion first, before personal gain, status, time constraints, and ego.
  • +2

    A comment on Conversation: Genuine Smile, Fake Smile but what about one associated with Pain?

    Aug 13 2011: I think smiling threw pain is an inspirational insight to the strength of a person’s character. People who can smile amidst trauma and pain can draw people to be more emotionally open in their own pain. I went threw cancer when I was 18 and found that by smiling, I not only found strength but gave strength to others. I found that being sick was sometimes harder for my family members to handle then it was for me and if I kept a positive outlook, encouragement flowed around me.
  • +1

    A comment on Talk: Eve Ensler: Suddenly, my body

    Aug 12 2011: I've been sick with UC since I was six and had colon Cancer when I was 18. I found myself in tears because it was odd seeing someone who was not afraid to speak what she was really feeling. I tend to be quiet and reserved but find myself baffled at the lack of care humans seem to have about life in general. Perhaps it takes the realization of death and perhaps even the acceptance of death to understand the value of life. How every living thing is not only connected but Important.
  • +2

    A comment on Talk: Natalie Jeremijenko: The art of the eco-mindshift

    Oct 27 2010: So many ideas floating around this lady's head.. one of those people you would love to have lunch with and just brainstorm

  • A comment on Talk: Steven Johnson: Where good ideas come from

    Sep 24 2010: I really enjoyed this talk. To realize we can make good ideas amazing threw diversity of thinking is fantastic!
  • +3

    A reply on Talk: Julian Treasure: Shh! Sound health in 8 steps

    Sep 24 2010: also found it funny that we are listening to a talk about the awfulness of compressed sound on compressed video.. but hey, I get TED anyway I can
  • +1

    A comment on Talk: Christien Meindertsma: How pig parts make the world turn

    Sep 24 2010: I know this is totally off the subject but, a few years ago I drew a picture and it just happens to look just like Christien. Ill post it if I can find it.

  • A comment on Talk: Eric Dishman: Take health care off the mainframe

    Mar 18 2010: Information is almost always valueable. How else would we know what works and what dosn't. I agree that healthcare has to move more to the home and less in clinics and hospitals. How many will not go to the doctors unless the problem has become critical. I would love for my doc to cal me and ask " hey, what's your bloodpresure like?" Instead of making me come in and go over the numbers every month.
    We do need a different mindset when it comes to health, Information is only the first step. What we do with the information is what really matters.
  • +1

    A comment on Talk: Dan Barber: How I fell in love with a fish

    Mar 12 2010: How wonderful it would be to spend a year with the biologist behind the fish farm. Learn to apply it in other ecosystems. Perhaps help our salmon population here in the northwest.
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