glider18's Wonderful World of Autism

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Hi Willmark---thanks for responding on my thread here. I believe in the power of prayer, and I believe you will be helped by it. I used to think that I might be the only person in the world that thought like me. I truly believed that. That made me feel alone in ways. Then, upon learning of Asperger's, and getting officially diagnosed, my life finally made sense. I was extremely happy to learn I was autistic. I was not alone in the world. There were others similar to me. And I realized where my special intense interests came from. I also realized more about my music interests and how I could pick up an instrument I was fascinated with and play it almost immediately.

God has been good to me. And He has led me into a music ministry where I testify about my life and blessings. I just got a booking today at a big church in my area, and the minister wanted to make sure I would bring multiple instruments to play. I said I would. Then he asked about my autism because his church is actively involved in autism support. I explained to him that I had Asperger's, a type of autism. And he wants me to talk about autism in my life and how I was as a child with it. I am so happy to be given this opportunity.

As for bullying---I lucked out there a bit. I was the tallest in my class---so that helped. And my father taught in the school district I attended---and he was feared. So I was protected under his wing. Once, when a student stole my shop project, my dad rallied up a group of teachers to guard every door at the end of the school day until my chess board was retrieved. But, I still had little incidents due to my eccentricities.

Hi ProfessorX---it is very important to maintain that sense of hope in our lives. I truly believe Asperger's can be a joy. I have fun with it as long as I focus on the good things.

Today, hmm... I might've seen my first aspie other than me today. Well, he had a t-shirt that said Asperger's Syndrome and what it was about. I was going to ask him if he was, but instead said, "He is," since he acts as if he's autistic. I think he's more severely affected than me, but well... can't really say that for sure since every autistic is different.

And today I'm reading Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. Such a great book it's becoming, and I'm already placing it as one of my favorite books. I don't know if it's the characters (well Alice, of course; I can relate to her so well it's as if she's me (tend to be an 8-year-old and an 18-year-old body all the time) or if it's his writing (also tend to write childish and creatively too most of the time since I think like it, making up his words and zany events), but it appeals to my eyes and I keep wanting more. Well... they say Lewis Carroll is autistic, and if this is true, it could also be a reason as why I like the book even more.

Oh dear... could write my story now, but video game class tomorrow. Oh well, at least I can write it another time (and thank God for that else I go in a wreck.)

Black in America 2 is now on in CNN. I'm watching it right now. They're going through the the trip in South Africa so they can compare the kids' from Brooklyn and the South Africans' situations. Sounds like the South Africans have it rough, perhaps rougher, life experiences than the kids. I noticed one kid is introverted, but man, can he play the drums. He's just like me when I go to different areas in towns.

Wait... wait... now they're buying food and supplies for the people in poverty (and I mean poverty; so poor they can't buy potatoes. I'm glad they're buying shoes.

Well, I glad this show so far deviates from the stereotype of black people, deviates from the fact that all black people are rappers and athletes; we, black people, are much more than that, more than what the stereotype says of black people, more than what the media shows or write us as gangsters, drug dealers, criminals. We have the potential, and it's up to the leaders of tomorrow to change the world. And that includes African-Americans as well.

Yay black people!

Well, I may not fully adhere to the black culture because of AS, but I can feel it as if I experienced it myself. If this show can change America's perspective, then the African-Americans can change the world and have a better path for future generations. I believe it.

Hi Southwestforests---thank you for posting. I would like to hear more about your train layout. Mine will be a tourist resort from the 1920s that has survived into modern times. It has an old-fashioned amusement park complete with a roller coaster called the Spiral Dips which is being built from actual 1928 blueprints that I acquired from a collector. The roller coaster was never built in real life, and I have the only blueprints for it in existence. Besides the amusement park, there is a Main Street with a trolley, an old passenger train with Pullman coaches, musuems, hotels, restaurants, theatres, etc. The whole layout will cover an area of 26 feet by 26 feet. It will have nearly 300 structures---already obtained, but not all have been built yet. I am not too familiar with the On30 guage, and I have not heard of the Gn15 guage. Keep me informed on your train.

Hi Batz---You mentioned Lewis Carroll possibly being autistic and that that may be a reason why you are drawn to him. That is interesting, because I have always been drawn to H.G. Wells, Hans Christian Andersen, and the composer Satie---before I had ever heard of AS. They are said to possibly be on the spectrum too. The Black in America 2 sounds interesting. I believe the deviation from the stereotype of black people is very important. I agree with your points. My great-great grandmother was 1/16 black---that makes me 1/256 black.

Part one of Black in America 2 is over, and I don't know what to say, other than it's that good. I've seen Black in America (first one), and it had a powerful message of the black life. This one expeands on it and talks about tomorrow's leaders.

The people in this show remind me of myself. Too often I see this paradox: the black people say they want to change their situation, but then when they see one of their fellows acting smart, achieving at something, and not adhering to the black culture they say he or she's acting white and should act black.

Excuse me, but how is a white person suppose to act? How should a black person? To say these things is a way to stereotype. Do all black people like rap and are thugs? Do all white people are nerds and preps as if they live in the suburbs? I don't know if this is because of the black people think they'll be ridiculed or that the somone will get them, but this needs to stop so the black people can see they can do anything if they try, if they have confidence, if they have a good attitude, if they have a support system, if they respect others.

Such a shame that the people who want to change are still stuck with this mentality. It's like an autistic person saying he's doomed because he has autism, yet he's proud of being autistic.

Well, this is how I'm treated because how I act, but you know what: I don't let it get next to me. If those people still have that mentality, they need a wakeup call and see how many black people are successful in life. The thought that black people can't change the world or are only good for rap and athletics is truly false yet damaging and based on racist beliefs. No one has to go through that, and it's up for us to take personal responsibilty for our actions to change. Government can help you to some extent, but after that what's next to do other than to take the situation in our hands?

I hope more back people get this message and adhere to it. Thanks for reading.

Glad you like Hans Christian Andersen too. You are right---his works are weirder than Grimm's fairy tales. My favorite Andersen work is The Snow Queen. I love that story. I have it on DVD in 3 versions. One is an animated version from the 1960s. Another is an operatic version. And my favorite is one done a few years ago using blue or green screen with Patrick Stewart's voice as a bird.

Thought I would mention another ability I suspect is autism-related, to help stop me getting down. I recently sent my scientific writing to be scrutinised by someone who is very stringent and detail-oriented. I have not been very well so could not give it my best effort, but I recieved feedback from them saying there is almost nothing wrong with it. They said I am a natural at writing in that style.

Hi Outlier, it's good to hear from you again. It sounds like you are quite good at technical writing. That is a great skill to have. By your ability to impress detail-oriented critics (even when you feel it was not your best effort), it does indeed sound like it could be autism-related. Keep up the good work, and I hope to hear from you soon. Thanks for posting.

After having procastinated long enough on my novel, I have resumed writing. During the past few weeks, I have been experiencing some anxiety issues. I would often think a lot about my novel, but just could not get myself to work on it. It's like there were too many distractions around me not allowing me to focus on it. Those distractions were ordinary things that would probably distract any person---the kids arguing in the family room, keeping up with the laundry, preparing meals, doing the lawn work, etc. (I am home in the summer because I teach school). Then, when I can relax in the evening, I am too tired mentally to work.

So...anyone here relate to this? When can we who have these special intense interests find time to work on them? Well, somehow we have to make time---and find a conducive environment.

Right now, I am in such an environment. My wife and I are in Chicago. She is on business, and I have much time alone in the hotel room---time I am using to work on the novel. I will have 5 days (9 hours a day) to work. Then, when I return home, I am hoping to set aside at least an hour a day to work distraction free---maybe in my old Airstream camper.

My point is that we with AS/autism often have intense special interests that we love to work with. But, we are often distracted from them by the normal flow of life. And this distraction occurs with anybody in the world doesn't it? But, since we with AS/autism often have unusually special intense interests, then it is very important that we have time to work on them. So, we have to find an environment and the time to do this. So...if you are discouraged at times about being able to work on your projects, see if there is a good plan to find a way to work on them. Even if it is only a few minutes a day, I feel it will be beneficial to you.

glider18, you stated that your working on a novel? That sounds very interesting.. I can recall how many years ago, I tried writing a book about my life with Aspergers but, seemingly gave up on it as, I was not able to keep my focus nor, am I person with a degree in creative writing.Anyways, I wish you much sincere luck though really...

Good point Fiddlerpianist on being left alone to work on your major milestone. Good luck on that---I feel you will meet your goals. I find it difficult to leave the kids behind such as on this trip to Chicago, but at the same time, having free alone time is important---so I am excited about making progress on my novel. And---I believe we all deserve our private time.

Research and relax---does that sound familiar? If not, it can be fun. I know many of us have our own personal special intense interests, but sometimes it is relaxing to research things at random that we run across throughout the course of the day that aren't our special intense interests. I have always found researching to be relaxing for me. Even in college, when I had free time, I would trek off to the library and explore the floors for interesting material.

I find this kind of research with not so familiar topics helpful with the anxiety issues I have been encountering lately. For example, yesterday I ate lunch at a Hard Rock Cafe and they had old music videos playing over the TV. The REM video/song "It's the End of the World As We Know It" came on, and I got to thinking, "What is the meaning behind this video?" Since I often miss the meanings of things like this due to my literal thinking and missing of social cues, I began researching it on the internet---and guess what? The video is open to several interpretations. If you are familiar with the video, is the boy actually the memory of the man in the picture when he was younger on the brink of the end of the world? Or, is the boy a survivor of a war and holding up pictures of his family that were killed? Or what? But you get the point---it's fun to research things like this---at least for me. Is it for you? Here is a link to this video on youtube if you want to try to interpret this catchy song. Maybe you too can find relaxation in researching and analyzing things like this. Well, here is the video if you want to interpret it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bmxyj6iInMc

Other fun songs to research are Donna Summer's "MacArthur Park" and The Eagles' "Hotel California."