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Beany Brain #116: Be Kind: Rewind + Kaleidoscopic Minds

Author

Abigail Munday
October 20, 2026

Beany Brain: loving our jumping-bean brains!

Welcome to this issue of the Beany Brain! I hope today’s newsletter will bounce us up as we contemplate the upsides and challenges of being neurodivergent, a little beauty, some creativity, and just general yeehawesomeness.

Table of Contents

Used with permission from @autismsqueeks

Be Kind: Rewind

When I was 13 and we got a TV and VCR (thanks for not getting them earlier, Mom and Dad! I’m still a huge reader!), we spent a lot of Friday and Saturday nights at Blockbuster, picking out movies (and occasionally popcorn or candy when we were allowed).

The hardest part was not having a tiny computer in my hand to look up reviews on IMDb. We just had to wing it.

The other hardest part was always rewinding when we finished the tape before we returned it. What a pain. We even got a little rewinding machine to save wear and tear on the actual VCR itself.

There was a slogan at the time to remind everyone not to forget, and the VHS tapes would have a little sticker that said, Be Kind: Rewind.

I didn’t realize till my diagnoses three years ago how much I rewind conversations in my head.

Not just conversations from the past, although I definitely do that all the time.

I’m talking about auditory processing disorder (APD) that can potentially go along with neurodivergencies.

Symptoms of auditory processing disorder (APD) can vary and be subtle. Symptoms can include trouble with being able to:

Tell where a sound is coming from.

Understand words that are spoken quickly or in a noisy room.

Follow directions that aren't short and simple.

Sing or recognize patterns in music.

Understand and remember what you hear.

My goodness, I’m so much better at reading and writing than I am at understanding what people are saying to me, whether it’s in American English, British English, or Japanese. I never even considered that that might be one of my stumbling blocks in being fluent in Japanese. (I’m OK in Japanese, but when someone is talking to me in Japanese my brain is busy decoding and missing things and is out in the Japan Sea somewhere, probably dodging North Korean missiles.)

There’s this too (also from Mayo):

Complications of auditory processing disorder (APD) include issues with:

Paying attention, especially in distracting environments.

Understanding others.

Learning new languages or new words.

Taking part in activities.

Doing well in school.

Reading and writing, especially in children.

APD also may cause you to:

Take longer to reply to someone who is talking to you.

Often need others to repeat themselves.

Not understand sarcasm or jokes.

Feel isolated and lonely.

Feel frustrated and depressed.

I don’t have a diagnosis of APD, but I’ve had my hearing checked a few times and it’s fine, so it’s not the hearing part that is the hard part.

Anyway, this might be something to consider if any of you struggle with any of the above.

I wish I could just feel more comfortable saying to people in conversation with me, Please be kind and rewind. I’m much better at it with my family: I’ll just stop them and say, Hey, can you please repeat that. I just missed all of what you said. Yes, all of it.

My brain rewinds in chunks on its own and then I miss the next thing.

Maybe like Autism Squeeks says, That’s just autism. And maybe I need an Apple Watch implanted in my noggin. Oof. Then again, no thanks. No implants of any kind, thank you very much.

@lceu

Ha Ha Haiku

A funny haiku for you every week in every newsletter, whether it’s one of my own or one I curate for you. HA. Ha. Haiku.

(source unknown)

Photo by Abigail Munday

Kaleidoscopic Minds

What’s everyone reading this week? Send me a message and let me know.

A sweet friend in Henley in the UK, very close to my husband’s hometown, went to the Henley Literary Festival recently (and actually read one of her own poems there too), and discovered the Kaleidoscopic minds book, an anthology of poetry by neurodivergent women. Many of the poets are doctors (or therapists) and mothers, and they are all ND and write about the intersections of these foundational aspects of their lives.

My friend bought and sent me Kaleidoscopic minds volume 2, poems which I read and sat with off and on for a day.

Jess Wynne-Pennels (@justmediocrepoetry on Instagram) wrote a poem to her daughter called “An autistic motherhood.” I wept through the whole thing, but the last stanza really made me lose it (in a good, relatable way):

No, I may not be a laid back mum

Or the mum with lots of friends,

But I want you to see my real self;

With you, I don’t want to pretend.

I want you to know that I will always find this hard

But it’s worth it all for you.

And when you see me struggle

I hope you learn it’s ok to struggle too.

And I hope your sensitive soul feels accepted

As I teach you about my own,

And if you ever feel like life’s too much

Maybe you won’t feel so alone.

Love,

Mum

I’ve now ordered volume 1 for myself for Christmas.

Now, don’t keep me any longer from my latest book, The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill.

And it’s time for this girl to have a glass of good old regular Kanazawa mountain water. No moons involved, but definitely there’s a kaleidoscopic mind busy being kaleidoscopic.

Photo by Abigail Munday

Photo by Abigail Munday

Yeehawesome!

Yeehawesome! is a happy-brain roundup in each issue of Beany Brain. What’s happening that’s good in brain land? What’s bringing me joy?

  1. Freddie, an autistic 6-year-old boy in the UK, has been reunited with his beloved ball of string through the help of the employees of a fish and chips shop and the kindness of strangers.

  2. From the Science Blog: “Used coffee grounds were charred at 350 degrees Celsius until they became a charcoal-like biochar. That material replaced 15 percent of the sand by volume in a concrete mix, and the resulting concrete had 29.3 percent greater compressive strength than the control mix.” There’s a possibility that this could replace some of the tons and tons of angular river sand used every year in making concrete.

  3. Get your ears on some Black Mozart by the incredible Jon Batiste. He takes a classic and puts his own special spin on it.

Quote of the Week

In the era of artificial intelligence, when human dignity is threatened by new forms of dehumanization, ours is the pressing duty to remain profoundly human.

Pope Leo XIV

Beany Brownie Points and Extra Bonus Funniness

Wonderful Wednesday

Wonderful Wednesday was a day once a year in college when they would suddenly and surprisingly call off all classes and we’d play all day. The cafeteria provided special fun food and we’d do stuff outside like slip ‘n slides and jello wrestling in sumo suits. This segment of Beany Brain is dedicated to that memory of silliness and fun—no words, just a photo from the week that I’ve taken or found that reminds me to let the joy in. Since Beany Brain is published on Wednesday every week (at least, Wednesday in Japan), I hope you enjoy this Wonderful Wednesday.

Photo by Abigail Munday

Today’s Beany-full Summary:

  • Auditory Processing Disorder is not a hearing issue, and it can impact those of us who are neurodivergent. Sometimes it’s just hard to gather what someone is saying.

  • A poetry book called Kaleidoscopic minds, written by neurodivergent women, is one I can relate to. I’ve now ordered the first volume.

  • Go forth in Beany joy. What will help you feel yeehawesome this week?

Thank you for reading this installment of Beany Brain! You’re very welcome to hop on by any old time.

If you’re enjoying Beany Brain, please share with a friend or seventeen at www.beanybrain.com. Cheers big time!