Just made Planet-Fall for the first time.

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I have just arrived. No one has to explain to me why this forum is called "Wrong Planet". (Nor does anyone have to explain to my wife and others in my life). I have long had a diagnosis of a learning disability but they could not characterize it very well at the time and were all the more confused, because although they could see the "learning disability", I was working on my PhD at the time. They really did not know what to do with me. They called it dyslexia for lack of a better term, but it had all sorts of accompanying oddities that went unexplained - - - until now!

My wife and I were watching ABC news April 4th, and when they discussed Asperger Syndrom, we looked at each other rather astonished. I went to the web, found the O.A.S.I.S site and we were totally blown away by the description of the syndrome. Virtually every aspect fit me to some degree and something like 95% were a perfect fit. I am still reeling from the experience. At 62 years of age, I have always known I was different. Socially inept, quirky, eccentric, capable of altered mental states where the rest of the world could disappear and time did not pass while I achieve incredible concentration on a project. etc. etc. etc.

Not all of this has been a happy thing, So I am wondering where I go to understand all this and find tools for better managing it.

I see that most of the posts are coming from the younger set. So for those fellow aliens, I say take heart, you too could become an eccentric college professor. Anybody here my age??? Not that I want to limit my contacts to just them, I really enjoy you younger ones, a large number of you are the same age as my students, whom I find very refreshing and stimulating.

Please feel free to go have a muffin at Dino aspie cafe...(You will find it in the list of threads in this,"getting to know you" forum)it's where all the old folks gather when the kids are getting crazy with their rock and roll music and throwing frisbees at us(aspies do NOT respect their elders,me either for that matter)There is a pretty funny bunch of folks there.I am not one of them.I just write long boring posts likes it's my personal blog site(I have some boundry issues).


Welcome aboard,seat belts optional,(we have our own gravitiy)but a poor sense of balance.

Welcome to WP!

I'm SamuraiSaxen, the 20 years old mexican samurai, nice to meet you!

CHIRP!

dgoddard,

I am 60, just found this place recently. As for managing it, or understanding, we are still trying to define it.

The problem is there is no standard AS. We do interact well, that social gap we all lived with does not exist here. We do have something in common. There is not a central group who exibit classic AS, no sub-groupings, not even a matching pair.

To some extent we were selected for high IQ, normal or above, but it does seem to be a dumping ground for above. There is some truth, an IQ of 140 is a mental aberration.

Welcome through the looking glass. Most of the world stays outside. Some are pushed in here, many others are like yourself, they hear of the place and want to go there. Everyone has a bit of everything. But who says, I strongly agree with a documented disabling mental condition? No one runs off to join the other known groups.

Our group is the only one who invented computers, software, an internet, NASA is called an aspie preserve, Einstein, Tesla, Newton, seem to be club members, Bill Gates we claim for a poster boy, and our 0.03% holds most first chairs in orchestras. I would guess we also get most of the important patents.

We maintain the computers, we try to teach, but because of our disability the world cannot understand. We speak in strange ways, Start-programs-accesories-system tools-disk cleanup, then defag. Then they lock up up and force feed us drugs util we agree that we are wrong, and want to be like them, perfect.

The world defines us as not being them. I am glad to say there is a lot of truth in that. We have been developing our own set of questions.

Do you dream in color?

Can you create a visual image in your mind, with color and motion, sound, while awake?

Do you see colors around objects, do you notice something is not working right because it changed color.

Do different metals have colors and textures?

Do street lights go out when you walk under them?

Is music more than sound, such as colors, flavors, scents?

Are all numbers the same, or are some different?

Can you see in total darkness?

Do you have talents/skills that you were never taught?

These are not universal talents here, but enough to make it worth asking. Not of the world is fine, but we would like to learn about the world we are in, without the obsession, delusion, hallucination, babbling. Thousands see another view of the universe in common, mass hallucination does not cover it.

Hi!

Welcome to Wrongplanet!

I hope you enjoy posting here!

Welcome to WP! I definitely agree with the idea that AS is not something to be "cured", though social-skills training (with a touch of cynicism about the world out there) might be appropriate. "Normal" is so BOR-R-R-R-ING!

Another welcome.

Re the average age here, i think you'll be surprised at how mixed it is. I'm sixty myself & joined recently too.

As to where to learn more about AS, the best book i've been able to find is Autism by Francesca Happe - she is a psychologist with a special interest in 'high-functioning' autistics, including Asperger's - has 2 chapts on AS & though a little book, it's packed throughout with fascinating detail & ideas - i bought my copy through Amazon.

Welcome!

You've found your clan.

Definitely do the Dino Cafe. Best muffins around.

However, as you've noticed, the younger WPers are plenty interesting and insightful, just a few
less roads traveled, a little less mileage on the dial.

DD