Do I have the right instinct at this time?

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Right now, I'm really in no position to date. I might have been in one of the better positions of my life to date in 2013-14, but I just felt I needed more time to get over all the rejection I received and mistakes I made in my early adult years, and focus on the things that made me happy, but even then, I had some social awkwardness about me, though near not as bad as it was in my 20s.

Though I might be a little better socially now, I'm in a much worse position now with some things, such as money, not having transportation of my own (though I do have my license, which I got renewed two years ago), and not having my own place (which has always been a problem). While I won't lie that part of me feels lonely, especially since my position with money has caused me to lose the ability to travel and enjoy the things that made me happy, most notably concerts of my favorite act who I even became good friends with, and even trips to visit my relatives, and I feel I really lost the main outlets I had left to really enjoy myself, I kind of feel like at least talking to local women and trying to strike a friendship. However, with all I've read about my illness, I feel pretty much everyone outside the spectrum won't understand me or have interest in even being friends, due to my lack of success, money, and car, and I feel the people who are Aspies (and I really don't think there are even ANY other Aspies in my city) feel the same way, since I have some traits that, let's just say aren't really typical of many Aspies, and don't feel comfortable talking to me.

What should I do? Should I continue to be socially open and try to find someone, whether it be an Aspie or not, who understands me as a friend?

I wouldn't lose hope, if I were you.

It's the wrong instinct to isolate yourself, and think the world's against you.

It's not like you have "Asperger's" written on your forehead.

If your interests are of an artistic bent, I would try to frequent museum and such. I don't know too much about the Shreveport area--but I believe there are some college towns in that area.

Or are your interests of the "Star Trek" variety or whatever? Or all these things that young people are into--like Pokémon or whatever. If so, you can hang out with those sorts of people.

I've never been into Star Trek, or a lot of the supernatural stuff. I have had lots of interest throughout my life in pro wrestling, though a less to a lot less over the past five years, which contains occasional stuff that isn't quite "real life" and I did have an interest as a kid in X-Men for about a year, but that's really about it, as far as the "supernatural stuff" goes.

Museums could be something I could try.

As far as other artistic interests goes, I have during my early adulthood a wide taste for music, though I have only really been limiting a lot of my music listening to a couple of my favorite acts over the past couple years: Bruce Springsteen and the Oak Ridge Boys. While Bruce is still extremely popular, with legions of fans, it seems a lot of people outside of the relatively small fan base the Oaks have left aren't even aware that the four most well known members of the group are still together well into their years and touring. I just don't feel a lot of people can really connect with me on that. While there are still some people my age who love Bruce Springsteen, and that can help, about the only people I can really see sharing my enjoyment of the Oak Ridge Boys are people in their 40s and 50s, which just might be an enjoyable relationship, but would come across to many as weird and bizarre.

I can see why younger people wouldn't identify with the Oak Ridge Boys. I know of them. They did "Elvira" some time in the 80s. I haven't heard about them in years. Aren't there younger people at their concerts? Some young people happen to like "older" music.

Maybe you could get into some younger person who sings country music?

Bruce has been around for ages, since I was a kid. It's amazing that he's giving all these concerts even at around age 68.

To me, professional wrestling is funny. Most of the time, the "fix" is on. Some of it is "real," though. The big champion, though, is probably fixed. I don't know too much about 2010's wrestling---only those back in the 70s or 80s like Junk Yard Dog, Rowdy Roddy Piper, Hulk Hogan, Andre the Giant, etc. Then they had the "enemies" like the Iron Sheik. It's a show, really, more than a sport.

It ain't hopeless, my friend. It really isn't. Just make sure you don't talk too much about your "special interests," and you should be okay. If you don't mind helping someone move or something, you've made a friend.

I mean, there are some younger people who identify the Oak Ridge Boys. I've seen people of all ages, though very few people under 30, though I really don't look around at the crowd much at the concerts I have been at. I have had some great conversations before a couple shows with some older people who really follow the group's history, but I do know the group's overall popularity just isn't near what it used to be coming off of "Elvira" in 1981 up until 1986, when the momentum began to go down.

I am amazed by Bruce continuing to go full speed at his age as well. I especially like how he changes up his set list for every show (which the Oaks do), and occasionally adds a rarity or two to his show that only hardcore fans would know (something the Oaks very, very seldom do in their live show).

You are 100% right about wrestling. However, it's a lot easier these days to read about the inner workings of the business, and how shows is scripted, and how things can sometimes go wrong, on the internet. Back when you watched it, promoters did everything they could to hide that info to fans. They wanted fans (or as the promoters called them, marks) to believe that wrestling was 100% real. There was even my promoter, Cowboy Bill Watts, who ran Mid-South here in Shreveport before I was born, who forced his wrestlers to dress in seperate locker rooms for the good guys (babyfaces) and bad guys (heels). That's the lengths they would go. Now the line between what is real and what's not, called kayfabe, is so blurred, with all the "inside" stuff that has been well known since the internet became widespread. A lot of people within the wrestling business feels that is killing wrestling. I wouldn't be surprised if WWE went out of business in about 7-10 years. There are already many who feel, with as low ratings WWE's flagship show, Monday Night Raw, has gotten lately, that the WWE will lose its deal with Universal and USA Network in 2019. That could very well be the nail in the coffin to the WWE, and sadly, wrestling.

I wonder how you would feel if you took a trip to New Orleans.

I've always wanted to go there.

I've been to the Big Easy many, many times, and I have family down there. As a matter of fact, my father who grew up and currently lives in the NOLA area is currently in town, and is going back home tomorrow due to another problem back home that has come up. However, what is keeping me from going right now is money, and the fact that my mother currently needs my help around the house since she is recovering from an obstructed bowel, as well as the fact that I just don't feel I'm in the mood right now to go to New Orleans, since I've been under so much stress on many levels lately.

You're doing a good turn for your mother.

I believe most girls would find that most commendable; they would feel like you're a REAL man for stepping up to the plate for your mother.

Forget about all this "social awkwardness" stuff. Your head is in the right place.

Thank you. However, while I've done my best to deal with all this, I get really irritable with my mother sometimes. She is having some serious issues of her own from the fact that she was taken off of a certain medication when she was hospitalized for an obstructed bowel, and I have been really annoyed by her lately asking the same questions over and over, and asking me to do one thing while trying to do another she wanted me to do, among other things, and I've been getting short with her (nothing physical, let me make that clear) quite a bit to leave me alone. My father has been annoyed by her too. And I don't feel I've been getting as much done as I should, since I have distraction after distraction, some of which my illnesses cause. Outside of being irritable though, I haven't gotten out of control.

It's hard to take care of someone.

As long as you don't curse out your mother, you're okay.

As long as you realize that she's recovering from something...cut her some slack. People in recovery don't usually have all their "faculties." Just take a step back sometimes.

Nobody's perfect. Nobody's Florence Nightingale. Don't beat yourself up about this. But do take a step back, and really try to understand (which I'm sure you're doing).

I'm doing my best. It's just hard that now that my father has to leave, that I've got to be stuck alone with this responsibility.

I know it's hard. But I think you can do all right at this.

I would find it hard. I would find it a great responsibility. It would be quite unpleasant for me.

But....there would be a side of me which says that I am fulfilling my responsibilities as an adult. And I would feel good about myself, and I would say to all the naysayers who have doubted me: screw you!! !

You couldn't have said it better, kraftiekortie!

Hi Shreve. Same here - was much better looking 3 years ago, had a lot more money, house etc. Much more socially adept now but lacking a lot of the material things which make the dating idea stressful (even if it shouldn't be).

I dunno. I was dating recently and minus the craziness of the other person (which partially led to them being fired) they didn't seem too hung up on the things I was so hung up on about prerequisites for dating.

All I can say is go with your gut whatever it is saying as it'll make you happier, but if you want to give dating a shot again go for it. And maybe try not to think about anything, just lest nature take its course.

If a girl knows that you are fulfilling your responsibilities as a man, the girl would want you to be her partner.

Maybe it's something I should try. I just don't know what to do about the fact that I don't have access to a car I can drive my gf around in.