So, you know, we've talked a bit about, you know, staff versus, you know, kid interest, but, you know, when you're looking specifically for games that you think might be a fit, uh, especially for teen programming, uh, what kinds of things are you looking for? And, uh, what kinds of things, um, do you avoid when you're shopping for that particular demographic and for a library specifically?

Mm-hmm.

Yeah.

So I think, uh, there are two different possible answers to this.

Um, one of them has to do with, like, the games that I've been ordering to put out in the teen area, um, and then sometimes playing with teens during programming.

Uh, and the other has to do with, like, programs I'm specifically running for specific games, like Yaziba's.

Um, so I'll answer...

Let's go with process, but throw a game in if you truly have a favorite.

Yes.

Okay.

So Ben has a condition called TUB4A related leukodystrophy.

It is a condition that affects the myelin sheath in the brain.

So as Ben grew, uh, especially as a, a baby, uh, we noticed that he had some, uh, delayed milestones, you know, um, im- balance issues and coordination issues.

He essentially kind of was a normal toddler, but over time after that, we started noted- noticing he was kind of regressing.

So he was falling down a lot more.

Can you tell me a bit about how it works? I imagine it's very complicated, but in, in layman's terms, how does it work?

Ari, how about you? What surprised you?

Some of the feelings that Athena still carries are prevalent every day.

That affects both of us, but now we can address those feelings and hopefully in the six months or the twelve month checkup, those feelings won't be up here.

I hope they're down here.

This has definitely been a important step in our relationship and allowed both of us to feel that empowerment to be more direct, but still in a kind way, with money and with other things.

Going forward, I'm not going to worry as much about just being polite.

I, I wanna be completely honest, and I trust that Athena will be able to hear me, and we can have more direct, meaningful conversations about our n- short and long-term goals moving forward.

Could you tell me a little bit about how you saw America before you moved here? Like, what was your perception of it?

I think growing up, I always saw America as kind of a dream destination.

It was this ultimate Western ideal of democracy and freedom, and it's a country where you could be yourself.

It felt different from my upbringing and it's something that I always wanted.

How do you see this country now?

I think what I saw before was kind of one-dimensional and, and it's a simple ideal.

It's an easy slogan, I guess, to think about democracy and freedom and, and all those, you know, typical American ideals.

But now what I see is, is reality, is that we're living in a world that is not always kind, and I think I'm still grappling with that, you know.