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MotownDangerPants
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25 Aug 2010, 12:27 pm

Do most of you have any that are considered odd or that you're completely obsessed with? I've seen some articles mention that females are less likely to to be "train spotters", or have odd or obsessive interests to the extent that males with AS do.

I fit the NVLD profile better as far as as not having a special interests goes. I do have some but I'm not obsessive about them in the sense that I know EVERYTHING there is to know about the subject. I'm filled with a LOT of trivial information but I tend to focus obsessively on something for a few months, maybe even a year, but then move on. My areas of interests can be a little esoteric and I certainly jump around a lot but they aren't really all that strange.

I guess music has been the one true thing that I've always been obsessed with, but music is always changing and there's so much of it that you can never stop taking in new information about it.

I'm just *generally* detail-oriented and hyper-aware of other things but I wouldn't call them special interests.



buryuntime
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25 Aug 2010, 1:52 pm

Yeah, I obsessed over objects more than I ever did a subject. Nowadays I do but I do not even come close to knowing every fact about something.



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25 Aug 2010, 2:28 pm

My special interest has always been one male rock band, or another.


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lostD
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25 Aug 2010, 2:39 pm

Obsessed with Linguistics. It started with latin alphabets, then braille system, greek alphabet, English language, Latin grammar, Greek vocabulary, etymology, grammar, phonetics, philology, philosophy (language) etc...

I also start having an obsession for tawny owls and barn owls at 13. Always had a thing for stars and planets (memorizing the names) and for greek mythology.

At 9, I was obsessed by meteorology and bacterias. I became obsessed with some genetic condition at 14 (blood groups and daltonism, I am trying to create a genetic "tree" of my family lol).

Psychology has always been an interest to me, especially when linked to Linguistics, mostly because I enjoy analyzing people and the society structure.

Most people consider it to be strange but I do not know. I do not have a diagnosis either.



MotownDangerPants
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25 Aug 2010, 3:06 pm

lostD wrote:
Obsessed with Linguistics. It started with latin alphabets, then braille system, greek alphabet, English language, Latin grammar, Greek vocabulary, etymology, grammar, phonetics, philology, philosophy (language) etc...

I also start having an obsession for tawny owls and barn owls at 13. Always had a thing for stars and planets (memorizing the names) and for greek mythology.

At 9, I was obsessed by meteorology and bacterias. I became obsessed with some genetic condition at 14 (blood groups and daltonism, I am trying to create a genetic "tree" of my family lol).

Psychology has always been an interest to me, especially when linked to Linguistics, mostly because I enjoy analyzing people and the society structure.

Most people consider it to be strange but I do not know. I do not have a diagnosis either.


Those are all a bit esoteric and odd interests for a child but not really strange.

I had interests that were odd for my age growing up as well but I;m 26 now and they haven't gotten any more *odd*. I've never been obsessed with doorknobs or deep-fat fryers xD



lostD
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25 Aug 2010, 3:30 pm

I think people judge the "strangeness" of one's interests according to their own. No one in my family in interested in these things thus they find my interests a little weird (however, being into mechanics seems totally normal for them). Other people I know are also "more normal" because they are interested in a singer, tv shows, movies more than what they are studying. But I know someone who is totally into literature (people find him strange too) and one of my best friend is into psychology.

(And it seems pretty common on this forum)

I guess it is "uncommon" for most people because they are not into what they study and have no specific interest but I do agree with you, these interests are not strange, they are pretty accessible areas of knowledge by the way.

The only interest I have which sounds even weirder for people is tawny owls and barn owls because I do not really care about the other kinds of owls, but I have seen many people who like Harry Potter trying to learn more about owls for example, and there was someone on TV today who talked about his love for strigidae.

I think we can compare it to being fan of a singer or an anime, we all have our interests and there are probably NTs who are into unusual things and AS who are into pretty common things.



ladyrain
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26 Aug 2010, 6:40 am

MotownDangerPants wrote:
I'm just *generally* detail-oriented and hyper-aware of other things but I wouldn't call them special interests.

I think I agree with your description. What is 'special' is my approach - whatever I'm interested in becomes special. The level of intensity and obsessive drive for information and understanding is what is unusual and often considered odd by others, not necessarily the topics.

I don't really relate to 'trainspotter' thinking, because I would find it dull to be only interested in one thing, and see that almost as a need to catalogue information. But I can relate to it as part of my way of thinking.

For example, when I first had a garden I wanted to plant some winter bulbs. I didn't just go and buy some daffs and plant them, I made a spreadsheet about all the different types of garden bulbs, when they flowered, how tall they grew, what soil they needed etc etc. I wanted all the information I could get, so that I actually knew what I was doing, so I read extensively.
Then I went and bought some bulbs and planted them. :)
And then I drew a garden plan, so that I knew where they were. And so on.

I put a great deal of intensity into everything I do, but usually have a number of interests going on simultaneously, some of which are short-lived, and others which I have had all my life, such as music, science. Subjects wax and wane, but my approach stays the same. There are many things which I am completely oblivious to because I couldn't care less about them.

If I am asked what my hobbies are, I can't usually think of anything, since I don't think of the things I do as hobbies, they are an integral part of my life. If I am asked what I am interested in, I will say that I am interested in many things, and have the potential to be interested in anything that catches my attention - and something always does.

I don't have any mechanical or engineering aptitude at all, so probably the stereotypical obsession with door-knobs or deep-fat fryers* would never cross my mind - I am knowledge-oriented more than object-oriented, although I've always had little collections of things which others find strange and 'ungirly', and definitely know what the compulsion to have 'one of every type of something' feels like, and how hard it is to resist, even after I've lost interest in the something. I like objects for themselves, and get attached to them, I don't necessarily want to know any information about them.

( * If I were interested in buying a deep-fat fryer, I would research until I had sufficient information to make an informed choice - I do that kind of thing all the time, I want to pick the best thing for me - spontaneity can be tricky. :roll: )



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26 Aug 2010, 1:01 pm

I am obsessed with mechanisms that essentially are patterned after the machine of the human model. The reproduction of color, image capture, the constant attempts of science and art and literature to recreate what our eyes or brain can do in a fraction of a second. I love computers and how they process information, how massive amounts of information is stored, retrieved, and the paths it travels. All are framed models of the human brain, and all less efficient. I love how simple it is compared to the relative mystery of the biological, neurological-electrical masterpiece of the human being.


:roll:



MotownDangerPants
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26 Aug 2010, 4:26 pm

ladyrain wrote:
MotownDangerPants wrote:
I'm just *generally* detail-oriented and hyper-aware of other things but I wouldn't call them special interests.

I think I agree with your description. What is 'special' is my approach - whatever I'm interested in becomes special. The level of intensity and obsessive drive for information and understanding is what is unusual and often considered odd by others, not necessarily the topics.

I don't really relate to 'trainspotter' thinking, because I would find it dull to be only interested in one thing, and see that almost as a need to catalogue information. But I can relate to it as part of my way of thinking.

For example, when I first had a garden I wanted to plant some winter bulbs. I didn't just go and buy some daffs and plant them, I made a spreadsheet about all the different types of garden bulbs, when they flowered, how tall they grew, what soil they needed etc etc. I wanted all the information I could get, so that I actually knew what I was doing, so I read extensively.
Then I went and bought some bulbs and planted them. :)
And then I drew a garden plan, so that I knew where they were. And so on.

I put a great deal of intensity into everything I do, but usually have a number of interests going on simultaneously, some of which are short-lived, and others which I have had all my life, such as music, science. Subjects wax and wane, but my approach stays the same. There are many things which I am completely oblivious to because I couldn't care less about them.

If I am asked what my hobbies are, I can't usually think of anything, since I don't think of the things I do as hobbies, they are an integral part of my life. If I am asked what I am interested in, I will say that I am interested in many things, and have the potential to be interested in anything that catches my attention - and something always does.

I don't have any mechanical or engineering aptitude at all, so probably the stereotypical obsession with door-knobs or deep-fat fryers* would never cross my mind - I am knowledge-oriented more than object-oriented, although I've always had little collections of things which others find strange and 'ungirly', and definitely know what the compulsion to have 'one of every type of something' feels like, and how hard it is to resist, even after I've lost interest in the something. I like objects for themselves, and get attached to them, I don't necessarily want to know any information about them.

( * If I were interested in buying a deep-fat fryer, I would research until I had sufficient information to make an informed choice - I do that kind of thing all the time, I want to pick the best thing for me - spontaneity can be tricky. :roll: )


Same. I read about a *thousand* reviews online for anything I buy before I buy it so I know that I'm making the most informed decision and I look at every possible aspect of the product and analyze it to death, no matter what it is.

I've been told that I take a scientific approach to things which to me is really the only way to go if you want to get the best result. I think brains like ours are just obsessive about making sure we're looking at things from every possible aspect so we can learn all we can and get the most use out of them.



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02 Sep 2010, 11:22 am

my obsessions are encompassing and as one tracked as rail way.

I take no interest at all in things I'm not interested in. It's either or.

For the most part my obsessions come from one of my interests (like Ninja Turtles, Pokemon (several times), a certain car, plane etc like Concorde and Chevy 57 Bel Air or VW Beetle, which I always like but sometimes am obsessed with, ghost stories, fiction on a specific theme, black holes, dragons etc). A few times they have been one hit wonders that came from nowhere and then disappeared (sami, judaism, military).

When I'm obsessed I'm really obsessed. I don't think about anything else voluntarily, and its the first thing on my mind when I wake up, and the last thing on my mind before I sleep, and a good obsession influence my dreams as well.

I'm not always obsessed, they come and go, but when I am it's what I do, think, feel and dream about and try to learn everything about if it's that kind of topic. Interests are less intense but still all I'm interested in.


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02 Sep 2010, 1:02 pm

I specialized in detective novels and the names/birthdays/addresses/phone numbers of my classmates. I didn't even know why I memorized them since none of them were exactly my friends. I just thought they were important and would come in handy someday. (But as it turns out, I was wrong.)

Now I just like books. Just ask the librarians who have been shelving the 50+ books I put on hold every week.



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04 Sep 2010, 10:35 am

Alpine Huts, I walk to them, sleep in them, photograph them from every angle inside and out, macro special features, draw landscapes and collect data of recent visits through log books and animal tracks and scats. Donate to the groups who care for them. Research every detail available. Network timelines, pioneers, family lines, aboriginal heritage and massacres by the hut owners, land use history, consult aboriginal spirits on site, etc, etc.

Mountain Pygmy Possums of Alpine Australia, specialising in the colony of Blue Cow Mountain, extinct, and the roles ski resort development and NSW National Parks and Wildlife played in descimating the population of a listed endangered species.

Obsessed with animal tracks and scats since about 8yo, specialising in the introduced European red fox of which I am very fond and hold no animosity towards as their damage to our native ecosystems is negligable compared to feral cats and dogs.

I have an obsessive hate for feral cats and dogs that has led me to research everything available within my local region.

But most of my obsessions last only until another replaces it. I throw myself into each obsession entirely until I reach burn out. When I commit myself to something I become blind to everything and everyone else around me.



mangochutney
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04 Sep 2010, 5:22 pm

My ability to remember quotes from TV shows and other assorted showbiz trivia is apparently unrivalled - so I'm told by my friends who tend to use it as an excuse to gang up on me in the pie round when we're playing Buzz!

I was obsessed with Friends when I was younger, and can still remember what the lines are from a lot of the earlier episodes before they've come up (although it could be because they're repeated so much here!). I love music more now, and tend to either have a huge interest in one band at a time, or on the other hand am prone to listening to the same song. Repeatedly. Hurrah for ipods and headphones...!



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04 Sep 2010, 11:29 pm

Well, right now I'm obsessed with psychology. Specifically, mental disorders. That might be considered 'odd'...


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23 Sep 2010, 8:15 am

mangochutney wrote:
My ability to remember quotes from TV shows and other assorted showbiz trivia is apparently unrivalled - so I'm told by my friends who tend to use it as an excuse to gang up on me in the pie round when we're playing Buzz!
...


Me too! I DOMINATE at movie triva and jeopardy. My only specific special interest is movies, I'm a HUGE movie buff. I usually have a special interest for a while then forget about it COMPLETELY. For example, during my sophomore and junior year in high school I was OBSESSED with heavy metal music, particularly Avenged Sevenfold. That was like all I listened to. Senior year, I started coming out of depression and I started listening to different music. I completely dropped my love for heavy metal until recently I started getting into it again. Now I'm more eclectic about my taste in music.

My new interest is psychology, and I eventually want to do research on sensory perception and PTSD. I also want to learn about cars because I think I would enjoy that.



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23 Sep 2010, 9:39 am

My interests have nearly always revolved around certain movies or TV shows:

Early childhood:
Beetlejuice (the cartoon version)
Dinosaurs (the TV show)
Balto

Age 8 - 10:
Pokemon
Digimon

Age 11 - 13:
Rurouni Kenshin
Inuyasha

Age 14 - 15:
Naruto
One Piece

Age 16 - 18:
Hellsing
Trinity Blood

Present:
Alice in Wonderland (2010)
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005)
Sweeney Todd
Edward Scissorhands
Repo! The Genetic Opera
Simon Says (the movie starring Crispin Glover)
Amadeus
Wilde

Presently I've set my own personal record for number of things obsessed over at one time. Although, my focus does shift around a lot - some days I'm much more into certain movies than others.



Last edited by IdahoRose on 25 Sep 2010, 11:05 am, edited 1 time in total.