"Aspie Handbook For Life"

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Oh jeez here i go again....
Does anyone think that there should be a book that simply lists everthing about anything relating to socialization skills, eg: "what to say, how to say it and so on" or "how to deal with computer repair shops that talk to you like you're 4 years old"

Perfect example:
Ive been ahving trouble with my laptop, my heatsink (think radiator) was out of alignment. I went to a local computer repair store and asked how to fix it, they got defensive and told me "i had no business trying to fix it myself" but then offered me there services at 100 dollars an hour, i politely said no and left.

Come to find out After the fact computer shops dont like being asked how to do someting they just want to fix it and get the $ for themselves. Any NT person would have known that beforehand, but i was completely oblivious to the fact. and as much as we hate the upcoming word i felt like a complete and total "ret*d"

Couldnt there be a book out there that factually and explicitly states that?

How about this:
Every spring i take my bicycle in to be overhauled for the season, i average between 1500 and 2000 miles a summer. it seems that my rear axle and bearings always come loose within the first 3-4 weeks after repair. last spring took it in and asked for what i thought were "sealed bearings" ones that CANNOT come loose, he installed them well lo and behold 3 weeks later she comes loose! i went back and explained the situation, they told me that ALL bearings come loose. rather then spend 25 bucks a pop having them repair it i asked "can you show me how to do it?" they (like the computer people) got defensive and asked me "Why do you think we would tell you that?" i was at a loss for words, i collected my bike and left, it has stayed in my basement since july of last year. I think im afraid to go to repair places now, i dont have the right "tools" for social situations like these.

We need a book that has simple FACTS, listed A-Z with no filler material: something like "DO THIS:" or "DONT DO THIS:"
i feel embarrassed just going out public now.

Oh snap, spring is right around the corner again, time for another overhaul: do i bother?

There can't be such a book, because it would be banned. A book for aspies, in order to be really effective, would have to teach how to lie, pretend, engage in hypocrisy, not think independently, buy what everyone else is wearing, etc. etc. It'd give away the ridiculousness of being NT.

I think its a good idea.....

Or you could try making/finding a book about repairing things

no. i dont think anyone should be living according to any book unless its perscribed by a doctor

Such a book exists:

alright thats enough! i did not start this thread as a flame war. no need to go bashing the president. in response to the person who said the book would be banned: is there such a thing? i thought we were free to read whatever we want.

Reminds me of when the inventor is teaching Edward Scissorhands about etiquette

In America, with the exception of pornography (in some states) and libelous/slanderous material, no book can be banned. I believe in Britain, certain books criticizing the government can be banned even if everything is true, but I am not sure. ANd in most dictatorships, there is cenorship. In any case, the book might be good, depending on how it was written. If it talked about how to communicate with people in places such as work and school, maybe. Then again, maybe not. 95% of Aspies I would say know how to do it, they just can't. It's like the Cal Tech basketball team. As former Sports Illustrated columnist Rick Reilly wrote "They can tell you the optimum launch angle, force, and trajectory for a 3-pointer, they just can't make one." Aspies can tell you how to do these things, but when it comes time to do them, it's hard.

I don't think a book would do it, or a pill. I just wish I could activate a device on me that would stop me from overreacting, make me function in a more mainstream way. I don't see anything that will do that.

I used to have a big book of Miss Manner's letters and I loved them. That's pretty much the same thing. But she is a great wit like Jane Austen and makes the whole thing really clever and funny, as well as useful.

Things like that are good when it's the information you're missing.

My trouble is that even if I know the information, I usually either can't recall it at the right time, or act on it at the right time, so just knowing the information is rarely enough for me.

thats true!
I can often talk quite happily about the information and how to apply it but space out or just don't remember when the time to actually use it myself comes into effect (until maybe later!).

You handled it perfectly. Mostly. Listen. Just this afternoon my brother went to a computer store where we knew of a staff member that runs six monitors. We spoke with him at length about the possibility of me doing it, even though he knew he wouldnt make any money. to be blunt: we were not there on company business.

Those sorts of places know fully well that the skills needed to do the things they can do can be learned by hand from data off the net. They were acting with fear. Had they any intelligence, they would have helped you, knowing that you'd come back when you needed parts.

My brother is NT by the way, and the six monitor set up was for him, as assembled by me.



Yes. Bother. If you feel you cannot learn and do it effectively yourself, then pay them to do it for you. regardings things that come loose.... thats a fact of mechanics. things come loose, no matter what. ALL bearings come loose, no matter how much you spend. they lightly took advantage of you, but they'd do that to anyone.

A book like that would be huge...

If you can aline a heatsink, the bike axels have outer locking nuts, and bearing cones.

The cones are tapered, and ride in the bearing, when there is wear, they get loose, and there is side play, the tire wiggles. Too tight there is friction, it is just a matter of screwing in the cones, till the wheel will spin without drag, just a touch, and there is no side to side play at the tire, then tighten the outer locking nuts, while pulling back on the wheel, to tighten the chain, and centering the front of the wheel between the frame members.

This is done with the bike upside down, keeping your rear wheel true, the bearings adjusted, and chain tension, are as important as keeping the right air pressure.

Front wheels are set alighnment, but you still have to watch bearing clearance and tire pressure. Like fixing a flat, it is something you should know how to do, for bikes work when they do, but go from bad to worse if not kept tuned.

A set of bearings should last many years, if kept adjusted, taken out and cleaned, given new grease, and kept in proper clearance.

There is a great little bike wrench, with a globe on both ends, with four wrench sizes, so eight in all, and it clips under the seat.

A trip to the basement for you, turn it upside down, spin the rear wheel, push the tire side to side. Bearings do need to be adjusted, and for as much as you ride, every two weeks. see how it lines up between the frame members by the seat post upright, that is your true to the frame line, it should be equal on each side.

Loosen the outer nuts, or quick release lever on better models, and move the wheel forward, free it of the chain, and there are two more nuts, and it takes two wrenches, loosen them, and inside from them are the cones, which screw in, to remove bearing clearance. Tighten and wiggle the axel till it is firm, no play. That is the adjustment, tighten the nuts, replace in reverse order.

The next step can be done by one, two is easier, while pulling back on the wheel to get chain tension, and centered between the frame members, tighten the outer nuts or quick release lever. The wheel should spin freely, stay centered to the frame, no side to side motion, and the tire should have no side to side motion when wigggled back and forth. Check the chain tension. When you can get it lined up, with the chain right and no bearing play, take it down, remove the cones, and clean the inside of the hub, the bearing races, bearings, cones, axels, nuts, then lube with bearing grease, and re assemble.

It is also a good time to find the master link in your chain, remove it, there is a tool sold at bike shops, or on ebay, you can get a bike wrench there too, wash the chain, then oil it. I use soap and water, paper towels, work the oil into the chain, wipe with a paper towel, and taking each end, move your hands up and down, so the bend goes to all parts of the chain, it should flow like water.

Over oil it, coil it up, cover in oil, take it and play with the ends, put it back in the oil, the idea is to flush out dirt on the inside of eaach link. Then hang it to drip for a few days, wipe with a towel, then re assemble chain, wheel, with perfect alighnment, bearing clearance, chain tension, and air pressure. The front wheel is a simple version, self alighning, clean the hub, bearings, cones, axel, nuts, and lube the bearings and races.

The test is no wobble, for that is loose, but when it is gone, it is how much load is on the bearings. too tight the wheel will not spin for long, so no wobble, but free to spin, and that is it. A little load is good, for it will wear to perfect, rather than to loose.

Check your wheels often, when you can feel play moving the tire side to side, it is time to adjust the cones again. The grease should last a year or more. Loose cones let dirt in which eats bearings, so keeping it adjusted, it should last for years.

Drag, load, alinement, are like running with a low tire, it wastes energy.

So it takes tools, grease, oil, and some skill to get it right, the first time is not likely to be correct, you can do it, and once you learn how, your bike will be a lot more fun.

While you are at it wash your bike, chrome polish, wax, and speak nicely too it, let it know you love it and are trying your best.

Any problems PM me. You will learn why adjusting bearings cannot be explained, for you must understand the whole system, and all the parts. It can only be learned by doing.

Parts, diagrams, can be found on the web, the manufacturers site might have a service book online. Bike shops and computer shops are not in the teaching business. They were students, and most got a
C-. Teaching is an art.

We can teach ourselves, one of the gifts of autism.

Or it would be an instant hit. I can see all the NTs buying it because everyone else was! jk.

Why hasn't anyone mentioned the Coping Survival Guide?
http://www-users.cs.york.ac.uk/~alistai ... eword.html