Greetings from another newbie

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I'm 35 and never heard of AS until a few months ago. Driving home from work one day I heard this news story on NPR http://www.npr.org/templates/story/stor ... Id=5488463 I noticed that I was an awful lot like Michael John Carley, the aspie subject of the story. So I started researching Aspergers Syndrome and quickly realized that I have had it all my life.

Growing up was generally a miserable experience for me. I was an outcast, had very few friends, a nervous 'tick' that even my friends found annoying, and was extremely awkward physically. I had an obsession with WW2-era airplanes, which as you might guess didn't help me socially at all. I spent a lot of time tuning out the world with books and my computer (an old school 128k Macintosh- hey this was the 80's).

However, over the years I have learned to get along in the 'normal' world enough to have a relatively 'normal' life. My social skills have improved a lot, but I commit fou paux very now and then. I still have very few close friends, and I'm fine with that now. I graduated from college and have a decent career as a programmer/analyst. Since I spend so much time on a computer, might as well get paid for it. WW2 airplanes are still an interest of mine, but not the obsession they used to be. I have worked hard to control my nervous tick (but I still catch myself doing it sometimes when I'm angry or upset). I also got married along the way to a wonderful NT woman who puts up with my idiosyncrasies.

So discovering I'm an 'aspie' (still getting used to thinking of myself that way) doesn't really change anything. But it is comforting to know there is a reason for all the crap I went through growing up. To all young aspies, hang in there. Life does get better.

Welcome to Wrong Planet!

I'm glad to hear that you could lead such a good life despite never knowing about AS*. It gives me hope for my future (I'm still a teen).

*Actually, as you'll see, a lot of people here think that knowing about AS made them put themselves down and not try hard enough because "it's impossible".

Welcome to WP

Hi BubbaHoTep, welcome to WP. I'm fairly new here too, hope you enjoy the place. I agree about what you said

"To all young aspies, hang in there. Life does get better."

I think that's true. I'm approaching 50 and my worst years were my school/college years, I think it's the time in a person's life when they are most surrounded by so many - sometimes mysterious - other people. After that, it's the world of adults and that just has to be better because they are usually easier to get along with and there are less of them around to bother about, and they tend to give each other an easier time, generally speaking anyway. And of course, you find out that not all the NTs in the world are what you would call 'normal' either, whatever 'normal' means.

Hang in there superfantastic!

Thanks you

Actually I'm not having such a bad time in school, or at least it's not too bad; I'm just sort of fighting against my own mind, if that makes sense. Trying to superate myself intelectually (maybe what some people would call "searching for enlightment"), and avoiding prejudices and being a slave of my emotions.
It's still damn hard.

Hey, welcome to WP

Bubba HoTep is your screename. That's pretty cool. Have you seen the Phatasm films by the same director?

Once again, I'm an odd one out. I'm still in college (okay, it's called High School here in New Zealand) and I've had a 100% enjoyable time. But then exams reared it's ugly head up!

Thanks! It's cool to know there are so many people like me.

I agree with Starr- adults are easier to get along with. I think most people are preocupied with their own lives and not as interested in giving you a hard time. Just hang in there, make mistakes and learn from them (I still do), and move on.

Bubba HoTep is the most absurd movie ever made and is one of my favorites. Never seen Phantasm though. I'm not a huge horror fan.