In this mostly joyous while slightly emotional episode, Donna Brendel shares her journey as a late-diagnosed woman on the autism spectrum, focusing on the culmination of several of her projects this year. She focuses on the word project, specifically planning an undertaking, as she has been quietly doing for many years now, but is ready to say out loud and share her progress and continued goals. After waiting way too long for permission to do things she's wanted to do (that are an inherent right), she finally realized just how capable and smart she is and moved forward with several life goals. This can unfortunately happen for many people with autism when they are misunderstood and discounted for what they are capable of doing in life.She graduated with her first college degree with honors and awards, with plans to continue on this fall. She published her second book, continuing on in her seven-book "Autistic Revelations" memoir series, and she continues to plan for ever more advocacy efforts. She emphasizes the importance of understanding autism and integrating various aspects of life, such as play and education, into one's career. Donna also discusses her future goals, including public speaking and research, while encouraging listeners to engage with her work and support autism advocacy. She would like to thank all those who have come before her, all those who have joined her since she started, and all who will continue to move autism advocacy forward even against the wishes of those who think we need permission to stand up for ourselves. 00:00 - Celebration and Introduction01:05 - Understanding the Concept of 'Project: Planning an Undertaking'02:28 - Planning an Undertaking #1: Writing a Memoir Series05:14 - Planning an Undertaking #2: Advancing My Education08:27 - Integrating Life Experiences and Learning11:10 - Life Questions to Ponder14:37 - Planning an Undertaking #3: Cultivating Autism Advocacy17:27 - Planning an Undertaking #4: Research and Speaking24:40 - Sneak Peek, Farewell, and Bloopers