Is there life after WrongPlanet?

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I think that it functions as both a learning and social community. My earlier post may have created the impression that I am simply here for myself and my own mental-health trajectory. Of course, that's not the whole picture. I started posting here after I discovered AS and immediately developed an overwhelming desire to KNOW. I was here for learning, not society. However, in spending time here and figuring out a great deal about myself, I have come across many very good people. I look forward to posts by certain members. I've grown beyond my own self-interest and learned to appreciate other human beings, however physically distant. I communicate with other like-minded individuals. I think of myself as part of a social community here, as well.

Bear with my metaphor here... I guess I see WP being something like school. When you're in 12th grade, you learn lots of things, and you may make some acquaintences or even a few friends. But then when 12th grade is over, you graduate, you move on, and you may or may not see any of those people again. I see WP as being something like the last year of high school... As my intense interest and focus on AS wanes later in life, I will "graduate" to a place where I spend my time in different social contexts other than the forums on WrongPlanet. That does not diminish the importance and value of the time I currently spend here, or the people I come in contact with. It's a time and a place, just like every other time and place that we spend our lives.

Everyone on here is part of everyone else's life's story,
and I take pride in writing all of you into mine.
But it really is just a chapter.

OK, I think that's the best I can explain it.

P.S.
Greentea, I'm sorry to hear about your loss. I can relate, in that I lost my mother when I was a teenager, and I know what that feels like. But you know you are in loving, caring, supportive company here. And I always look forward to your posts, as well.

i agree Acacia.
and i also agree with Tim Tex who used the analogy from that song (i do not like the song but i like the analogy!)

we use WP for a variety of reasons.
i suppose each of us has a different relationship with it.

and i also extend wishes to Greentea in relation to her loss.

I could tell you more about why people are the way that they are than I could about the dynamics of a social interaction, and social interaction is not something I could sit down and read a book on or study otherwise.

For me it's college... surrounded by people obsessed with the same things I am. I always feel okay when I am learning about cognition. All I need now is a girl that actually likes my constant rants about the brain and all that crap.

I think that last post by Acacia explains perfectly how I feel about WP...(that was the 2nd time Acacia basically explained my thoughts much better than I could have explained them myself...)

I came here originally because of my questions, and I wanted to know if other people thought and felt the same way as I do. It´s been a fascinating experience. WP has been like an obsession to me, another "special interest"...my desire to know about myself and learn is intense. However, I know well, that at some point I will probably move on to another special interest. I doubt I would leave completely, but I can imagine there might be a time in the future where I won´t be so obsessed with it. In fact, even now there are some days where I am so busy with work and other things that I can´t always fit it in. (There are also days where I just read topics and don´t answer, I´m sure others do that too). Things in life can also pull people temporarily away from WP, but they´ll come back...(for instance, I was very sick recently, so I was distracted and didn´t post much. I´m sure that kind of thing happens to other people too).

Most of the people you mentioned as not posting much are people that I see still quite a lot on WP; it could be that they were just posting on different threads than the ones you were visiting. Neshamaruach seems to be gone, which I am also sad about...(another one I am sad about is Ephemerella). Of course, these people might come back again too. If not, I guess it´s just the ebb and flow that Acacia explained so well.

it was a stretch...and meant as a joke... not a very good one i might add...

I must quote you in it's entirety (or at least I will try; I rarely visit such sites other then when I'm incapable of enjoying other pursuits). I went through this when I discovered Aspergia which seemed the "promised land". It seemed I'd found some soul mates yet nevertheless, they where still a minority.

Then there were the offshutes (don't care about spelling right now) like Aspergia Ilsland and AFF (who tell me I'm no longer welcome).

Still, the potential is there! I don't hide my name: google "gwynfryn autism" and you may learn much

Someday life may take me elsewhere, I suppose. But I really don't see this place as a transition period of my life like others have mentioned. I don't plan on going anywhere

-edit- Well.. other than my before listed reasons why I'd want to leave.. but they aren't really this place's fault, just my own insecurity. But really my point in the above is that I am not here just to learn things and move on. I admit that is my original reason for joining (to learn how to deal with myself and help my marriage) but I kind of see some of the above views as being a bit 'user-ish.' I'm not here to use 'em and lose 'em. I enjoy being here.

sartresue, a similar thing just happened to me - my mother died last month after a month of critical illness, and I was told three days afterward, too late to attend any memorial service. A natural presumption would be that my family - four brothers and two sisters, not to mention extended family - did not want me there. I hadn't heard from any of them in nearly a year anyway. This isolation used to hurt, but I have moved on and really don't give these people much thought any more.

Greentea, with 24,000 members past and present, the WP membership must run the entire range of degrees of isolation and impairment, abilities, ages, geographical locations, etc. As previous posters have mentioned, some people come here with a need, have that need met, and move on. Others remain to provide insight, advice, or just a sympathetic ear even after their own need has subsided. Still others never lose the need - WP is their primary or even exclusive social life. WP's membership caters for all kinds of people. I have met some of the most insightful and fascinating people here, both virtually and in person. Not a person who gets caught up in social scenes real or virtual, this is the one online forum where I feel I have a place and, more importantly to me, can contribute to people in need of information, assistance or just another perspective.

Only here four months, I cannot say whether I will ever "move on" or not. One never knows what life has in store.

When I post, no replied to my post so I'm not posting that much any more. This is why I chose the Wolverine as my Avatar. I'm a lone wolf like him. I have no one to who understands me outside my mother, but she does not understand my Aspergers and think I should act like everyone else. I'm an outsider among outsiders.

I think 1 post out of 10-20 we make gets a written comment back. Don't forget we're a lot of people and we don't have the time to respond to each interesting post. I'd say persevere, and with time you'll see an improvement. I don't think you post much, at least I'm not aware of having seen you loads and loads.

well, i would like to reply to your post now. don't be disheartened. i wish you well and i think most of the ASD people here feel like lone wolves.
I know i feel like a walking faux-pas at times and i have made a lot of blunders on WP and i make a lot of blunders socially in real life. that is the hard part of having Asperger's. then ther are many good aspects too. The thing is "those that mind don't matter and those that matter don't mind."

i wish you well on your journey.

Haha my girlfriend HATES my rants about autism but she pretends to care which is nice

Maybe once their social skills and then social and romantic life get too good they get caught up in the flowery magic of NT world.
They don't have time for a lame old AS website anymore.

Yes, maybe some get lucky and don't need the support on here so crucially.

Or "this site sucks."