Some questions about aspergers traits

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Hi, I know you have threads on diagnosis already but I want to ask if any of the following specifics come under typical aspergers traits. I did the Baron Cohen test and I came up as possible (can't remember the exact score but it was only one or two over the mark). I saw a councillor recently to ask about social skills training and he asked me if I was ever interested in "parts of things as a child". I didn't really understand what he meant exactly so I said no. Talking to my mum a few weeks later she said as a kid I was always interested in things like maps and fact books (especially ones with lists) and that I used to read and re-read them for long periods (sometimes weeks and months).

I also remember at school when we had the bic pens (the ones with the clear plastic outside, so you can see the ink level) I always tried to keep it until all the ink was used up. I used to obsess a bit about the ink levels (I'd doodle if I didn't think it was coming down quick enough).

When I learned to swim I could do so very well in one swimming pool but when I went to a different pool, in a different town I couldn't go in to the water (don't know why, it wasn't deep or anything) I could go on about obsessively collecting things like tapes etc but nothing unusual comes to mind. I have had trouble with OCD in the past.

There are other things I could go into about social skills and facial expressions but I've rambled on long enough (especially for a first post). I just want to know if those things mentioned above fit with aspergers or are they mild things that NTs commonly experience?

They sound in that borderline range, where you could either be NT with Aspie traits or AS. But I definitely had those experiences as a child.

I know what you mean about ink and pens. I discovered PILOT pens several years ago and I've been happy about it ever since. Bics and most others will quit working when they are still full of ink. That used to drive me nuts. With the Pilot pens, their trademark is that they work until they run out. I've been using them for years and I've never seen one - or heard of one - failing before the ink ran completely out.

Thanks for the feedback. I'm giving this a bump because I'd like to get more opinions even if people just click to vote on the poll. Thanks.

They sound Aspie. If you had just those things, you couldn't be diagnosed, but they would definitely fit into the picture along with other Aspie traits.

I have a lot of the other traits to do with social interaction; things like beyond a smile or frown I can't read facial expressions. I used to never look people in the eye when I spoke to them. I used to sometimes just not talk to people. I remember at primary school the headmaster being called into the class because I wouldn't speak to the teacher and him screaming at me that I'd get expelled if I didn't talk. There's more but the reason I want to know if people think those are aspergers traits is because at one point in my early twenties I thought I'm doing so well as other people so I started reading lots of books about how to interpret body language and interact with people. I don't drink anymore because when I'm drunk those things just go out the window. I think I've managed to pick up so much and iron out so many traits that I don't know if I'd be diagnosed.

Oh yeah for the voice peculiarities. I'm Irish and while talking to another Irish person tonight in a place where she could hear me perfectly well and had been talking to me for ten minutes she said she thought I sounded like I was from Poland.

I also remember at school when we had the bic pens (the ones with the clear plastic outside, so you can see the ink level) I always tried to keep it until all the ink was used up. I used to obsess a bit about the ink levels (I'd doodle if I didn't think it was coming down quick enough).

I've always kept my pens from brand new all the way to totally empty. It amazes my husband and coworkers and is a topic of conversation for them. I find that fact that they are amazed by it very odd. I guess they find the fact that I do it very odd.

I never doodle or try to waste the ink, I just use it normally from beginning to end.

Most of the items you've listed (ink pen levels, collecting things, preference in swimming pools, etc) sounds like OCD to me. The other stuff you hinted at but didn't elaborate on like interpreting facial expressions and the like are AS traits. I have OCD traits as well (like I organize things obsessively and I collect cat statues and salt shakers). I've read on this forum more than once that OCD issues often go hand in hand with AS.