Getting to know each other, Dino-style
Hi I am definitely a Dino - a Triceratops
What is your first name? Henric
Age: 52
Location: Sweden, but I was born in Denmark
Current perseverations: AS/ADHD
When did you discover AS? 2009
Do you have other psych diagnoses? social phobia with anxiety
Do you have a degree? no
Kids? Nope, I do have a bunch of Inner Children
Favorite music, other than NIN Bach, Beethoven, Rachmanninov, Mozart, Sibelius, Chopin, Meatloaf, U2, Johnny Cash, Barbara Streisand, Vangelis, Enigma...
Job? No.
Relationship with significant other, past or present? Happily married to another Aspie since 1999.
Plans for the future? Just being me.
Anything else you feel is pertinent: Jewish, Transgender, at 52 I have stopped trying to please Neurotypical Society and People. They cheat at life and change the rules to cover it up.
I vehemently refuse to conform. I absolutely refuse to play their little social games of 'small-talk', 'social-hide-and-seek', 'read-between-the-lines', 'greet-and-smile' and other such malarkey.
If they dont want to get real with me, I force them by asking any and all pesonal questions I can come up with until they do. If they run screaming the other way it is their loss, because I am a really great guy to know and socialize with once 'you' skip all the fake stuff.
If they dont run away screaming, they are usually keepers.
I do not like being around Neurotypical people. They usually don't have the intellectual or emotional scope to think beyond their own experience/framework. ASplaining to NTs is sooo energy consuming. So I just don't bother.
My interests run along the lines of the Humanities - religion in general and jewish theology in particular philosophy, ethics, history, language.
I speak and write Swedish and English fluently. I read English, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Icelandic fluently.
I can muddle my way through a text in German, Spanish, Italian, Hebrew, Finnish and Latin.
I am an avid reader of Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Thrillers and Mysteries.
I play video games (PS3, PS4) to decompress.
If I have myself undstood something I can explain it so a 5 year old can understand it.
I am dyscalculic, and firmly believe that numbers are at best a hoax, at worst evil.
I hated school.
_________________
Looking or asking for a cure for Autism is like looking or asking for a cure for being Black.
---
there, their, they're - learn the difference goddammit!
MamaFrankie5259
Veteran
Joined: 19 May 2016
Gender: Female
Posts: 1,097
Location: The High Coast, via Mullingar, Westmeath
And I bet you're familiar with my avatar.
Thomas Ledin, yes I am familiar. But I am not really fond of Swedish music, so Ledin has never been on my radar.
Why being dyscalculic and non-conformist would make me lovable is beyond me, but I am sure my Wife would agree with you <3
_________________
Looking or asking for a cure for Autism is like looking or asking for a cure for being Black.
---
there, their, they're - learn the difference goddammit!
What is your first name? Jack
Age: 60
Location: Wales, UK
Current perseverations: Guitar, singing, Painting, Making things
When did you discover AS? This week, self diag. Score very high on online tests
Do you have other psych diagnoses? Anxiety, depression, social anxiety
Do you have a degree? 2, highest MSc in computer science
Kids? 3 all grown
Favorite music, other than NIN Blues, Rock
Job? No
Relationship with significant other, past or present? Married
Plans for the future? Making guitars
Anything else you feel is pertinent: always wondered why the psych drugs didn't work
MamaFrankie5259
Veteran
Joined: 19 May 2016
Gender: Female
Posts: 1,097
Location: The High Coast, via Mullingar, Westmeath
And I bet you're familiar with my avatar.
Thomas Ledin, yes I am familiar. But I am not really fond of Swedish music, so Ledin has never been on my radar.
Why being dyscalculic and non-conformist would make me lovable is beyond me, but I am sure my Wife would agree with you <3
It makes you lovable because I am the same! Never been hot at math and absolutely will not conform.
I adore Tomas!
_________________
'You need a crazy mind just to stay alive' - Tomas Ledin, 1980.
What is your first name? Mike
Age: 41
Location: UK
Current perseverations: Neurosequential Model Therapeutics, Autism, The study of relationships, Somatic Experiencing and Neurosquential models to develop emotional literacy and social imagination in traumatised children, YouTube, the number 37 and Ducks especially if they are called Bob.
When did you discover AS? 1997 in a stereotypical sense and realistically 2007
Do you have other psych diagnoses? Anxiety
Do you have a degree? Working Therapeutically with Children and Young People
Kids? One, a son
Favorite music, other than NIN Lots, at the moment I am listening to Within Temptation and Halestorm (Heavy Metal), Flook (Celtic Music) and 90's Eurodance and techno. 80's pop and soft metal is always what I go back to.
Job? Manager in a residential school that looks after severely traumatised children between the ages of 5 and 13
Relationship with significant other, past or present? Married for 15 years.
Plans for the future? I want to finish writing a paper on the use of Neurosquential models to develop emotional literacy and social imagination in traumatised children. Then I want to write a book on the impact of attachment disorders on Autistic children. Realistically I should aim for being able to be out in public without panicking.
Anything else you feel is pertinent: I am an advocate for Neurodiversity rights and believe passionately that awareness is not enough, that only acceptance and inclusion, without assumptions about or judgement of difference can be ethically, morally and humanly appropriate. Conformity I believe is not the answer, passing is not a means of being excepted and having to hide who we are for the fear of what the stigma may bring is no longer acceptable. We should strive for and only accept equality and the right live in a world that seeks to accommodate all diversities and typicality through compromise and shared experiences.
_________________
“When you consider things like the stars, our affairs don’t seem to matter very much, do they?” Virginia Woolf
What is your first name?
Argante
Age:
46
Location:
Portland, OR
Current perseverations:
Writing, Roleplaying Games, Scifi & Fantasy Fandom, Wicca, Costuming, History, Minecraft
When did you discover AS?
When a season of America's Next Top Model had an Aspie girl on as a contestant and everyone in my family said "Oh look, there's a name for our kind now."
Do you have other psych diagnoses?
Generalized Anxiety Disorder (which I don't agree with, but whateves)
Do you have a degree?
Yes, A.A. in Filmmaking
Kids?
3 - 1 with HFA & ADD, 1 with GAD & OCD, 1 with "just" HFA
Favorite music, other than NIN
Occasionally there's something on the radio I like.
Job?
SAHM, aspiring novelist
Relationship with significant other, past or present?
Married 20+ years
Plans for the future?
Finishing my first novel, making progress on my other novels, playing all the Assassin's Creed games, getting to the gym more often and losing 30 pounds, improving my sex life, paying my mortgage every month on time, going to Disneyland.
Anything else you feel is pertinent:
Mainly my troubles involve coping with my children also being on the spectrum and feeling marginalized.
What is your first name? Arianna
Age: 41
Location: Nebraska USA
Current perseverations: Rocking (sitting and standing), leg bouncing, Smurfs song, the words pedantic and onomatopoeia, office chairs, small pieces of felt, WALLS (my most common one) and Switches (another HUGE one for me).
When did you discover AS? Spring 2016
Do you have other psych diagnoses? ADHD (99th percentile), MDD recurrent severe treatment resistant, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Expressive Language Disorder.
Do you have a degree? Nope
Kids? Nope
Favorite music? Concrete Blonde
Job? System Administrator
Relationship with significant other, past or present? I have a girlfriend
Plans for the future? Increase my mental health, start learning how to understand nonverbal communications.
Anything else you feel is pertinent: I have 2 cats, a roommate. My current SI are Trains, floor plans, Social Security Number facts, computers.
_________________
Diagnosed ASD, ADHD (99th Percentile), MDD Recurring severe, Anxiety Disorders, Severe Expressive Language Disorder.
Your neurodiverse (Aspie) score: 159 of 200
Your neurotypical (non-autistic) score: 47 of 200
Queendom Emotional Intelligence Test
EQ score = 60 Percentile score = 1
TUAndrew
Blue Jay
Joined: 3 May 2014
Age: 36
Gender: Male
Posts: 89
Location: Hampshire, UK Sometimes France
Age: 29
Location: Portsmouth, sometimes France
Current perseverations: Drawing, learning French, motorcycles, table-top wargames.
When did you discover AS? I was giagnosed when I was 11 years old. I was actualy in denyal about it at first but I soon grew to be proud of it; or as proud as you can be of something which is natural.
Do you have other psych diagnoses? Nope.
Do you have a degree? Yes; Media Production.
Kids? No but I'd like some oneday.
Favorite music, other than NIN A mix of classical, electro-swing and metal (Sabaton!)
Job: Yes; a mix of librarianship and retail, with a bit of freelance sports journalism on the side.
Relationship with significant other, past or present? Single. I was previously in a relationship which lasted for 4 years.
Plans for the future? Wherever the road takes me! Preferably getting a house in France.
Name: Dan McEndree
Location: Nashville, TN
Current perseverations: Buddhism, German, board games
Discovered AS probably 4 - 5 years ago and keep renewing my interest every few years.
Psych diagnoses: I have been diagnosed with anxiety, depression over the years but never continued treatment.
Degree: BS in Biology and currently working on a Masters (MBA/MHA)
Kids: None and never had the desire. Do animals count?
Favorite Music: Deep house, Indy rock, Jazz, Funk, Blue Grass and even some Country
Job: Medical field
Relationship: Significant other for 10 years now (a record for me)
Plans: Whatever life might bring. Good job somewhere out west (Portland, Seattle.)
What is your first name? Khendra
Age: 32
Location: SW MO
Current perseverations: theology, basketball
When did you discover AS? long suspected it; finally went and got diagnosis in 2014
Do you have other psych diagnoses? OCD and some generalized anxiety
Do you have a degree? yes
Kids? no
Favorite music, other than NIN lol I do love NIN! Reznor is probably my favorite, along with DJ Shadow. Also love Radiohead, Underworld, Aphex Twin, Daft Punk, DJ Cam, Zero 7...lots of electronic, downtempo, trip-hop type stuff. I also love music with lots of minor keys, flats, seventh chords, and unusual time signatures.
Job? Direct Support Professional right now
Relationship with significant other, past or present? Happily married
Plans for the future? Maybe a child...in the meantime, want to learn more about my clients at my new job and help them out
Anything else you feel is pertinent: I'm very weird and hard to relate to
What is your first name? Nicole
Age: 36
Location: Cedar Crest, NM
Current perseverations: Plants, gardening and rock climbing
When did you discover AS? I was diagnosed about a year ago.
Do you have other psych diagnoses? ADHD and Sensory Processing disorder.
Do you have a degree? BA in Sociology and minor in Women's studies.
Kids? A 4 year old son (fellow Aspie) and a 2 year old daughter (NT).
Favorite music, other than NIN: Mumford and Sons and similar stuff, although I love 80s and 90s music too.
Job? I'm a stay at home mom now but was a caseworker with child protective services and a personal trainer prior to having children.
Relationship with significant other, past or present? Married (NT).
Plans for the future? Camping, climbing, planting everything and being a good mother!
IKnowWhoIAmNow
Deinonychus
Joined: 9 Jun 2013
Age: 59
Gender: Male
Posts: 314
Location: Suffolk, United Kingdom
What is your first name? Martin
Age: 52
Location: Beccles, UK
Current perseverations: Photography, old-skool computer gaming (DN3D, SW, Wolf3D, Doom, etc), astronomy.
When did you discover AS? When I went to see doctor for depression/stress and they said I might have it. I had heard about it but didn't really understand it at the time.
Do you have other psych diagnoses? No.
Do you have a degree? MSc in Microelectronic Systems, BSc in Computer Systems
Kids? No. Never met the right woman while I was young enough. Wouldn't start my own family now, though no problem dating women with their own as long as they aren't totally dependent on her.
Favourite music: Thrash Metal right now, but it goes in phases. Rock, Metal, Thrash and a bit of Handel.
Job? Various at an autism charity. Bit of support work/mentoring, bit of computer repair/refurbishment, social media managing
Relationship with significant other, past or present? Still looking for her. Only two serious contenders, both encountered at club I belong to; one an obviously autistic fellow member, one a visiting academic who came to give a lecture. One not single, other lives too far away and probably doesn't want a boyfriend 23 years older (well I'd assume not LOL). I did meet somebody here on WP but although we're still friends, it didn't work out romantically (and she's not on WP any more).
Plans for the future? Get improvements in my job; business is slow so not pulling enough hours to earn more than survival money; at least I'm not out of work any more. Find the right partner / SO / girlfriend / wife / whatever.
Anything else you feel is pertinent? Cheated out of a life by late diagnosis and struggling to have whatever I can still get from here.
_________________
I'm Martin, born 1965, diagnosed with AS at 43 (Twitter)
I am "single and looking" and can be found at PlentyOfFish if you like what you see here
Age: 38.
Location: Prague, CZ.
Current perseverations: AS, maps, quantum physics, movies & serials...
When did you discover AS? 2014.
Do you have other psych. diagnoses? Maybe.
Do you have a degree? Master.
Kids? No.
Favourite music? Cranberries, Mobby, U2, Air and many more (any kind, I prefere harmonic).
Job? Free lance.
Relationship with significant other, past or present? Not now. In past relationships only with NTs (and it did not work).
Plans for the future? Get improvements in me and my ways of doing things, find some Real Friends.
Anything else you feel is pertinent? Not now.
What is your first name?
Emmet
Age:
58
Location:
Western North Carolina
Current perseverations:
Tremors
When did you discover AS?
diagnosed this year
Do you have other psych diagnoses?
FND, MDD, anxiety, LD/ADD, PTSD, and a partidge in a pear tree
Do you have a degree?
AS Emergency Medical Science, BSW, MSW
Kids?
2 step-kids; both grown & gone
Favorite music, other than NIN
Mostly silence. What's NIN?
Job?
disabled
Relationship with significant other, past or present?
Yes. Someone who loves, understands, and fully acepts me just as I am.
Plans for the future?
To be the best mate I can possibly be for her.
Anything else you feel is pertinent:
MamaFrankie5259
Veteran
Joined: 19 May 2016
Gender: Female
Posts: 1,097
Location: The High Coast, via Mullingar, Westmeath