Maybe I am... Maybe I'm Not... Cool Either Way

Page 1 of 1 [ 8 posts ] 

VagabondAstronomer
Blue Jay
Blue Jay

User avatar

Joined: 29 Jan 2010
Age: 62
Gender: Male
Posts: 81
Location: Maryland

06 Feb 2010, 7:25 pm

Hi, I"m Rob and I'm new here.
I've known about Aspergers for almost a decade now, but only recently was it suggested that I look into it to explain some of my oddness, especially as a child. For starters, I took the Wired Aspie quiz, initially scored 26, took it again and was a little more honest on the answers and it bumped up to 31. Then, took the more involved test at rdos; 155 out of 200. Definitely some Aspie tendancies.
It was when I was a child that they were really manifested. Very awkward, shy to a fault, a bit disconnected, very, very focused. Began to suffer from migraines when I was 11, neurologist noted that I was above average but very focused; I tended to blank other things out... including most of school.
As I grew older I lived a bit of a lonely existence, having only a couple of friends. The sudden moving of one of my friends at the age of 15 was the impetus to learn more skills. I really succeeded, to the point where I could move in some circles, albeit the nerdier ones. Still very focused on the subjects I loved, simply ignoring the ones I didn't. I was one of those kids who would come in and blow the tests out of the water but never did a shred of homework and failed anyway (I thought it was all knowledge based, not performance based. Of course, I was wrong...).
Life has been... weird. I'm in my mid -40's now, and finally coming to terms with the fact that so many of my life's problems - my depressions, my anxiety, my feeling alien, my inability to keep some long term relationships - may be traced to this. I plan on getting further evaluated, but it definitely seems like a possibility. Either way, it's all good.

Rob



Tim_Tex
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 2 Jul 2004
Age: 44
Gender: Male
Posts: 45,472
Location: Houston, Texas

06 Feb 2010, 10:40 pm

Welcome to WP!


_________________
Who’s better at math than a robot? They’re made of math!

Now proficient in ChatGPT!


Scientist
Veteran
Veteran

Joined: 6 Nov 2009
Age: 48
Gender: Non-binary
Posts: 1,524
Location: The Netherlands

07 Feb 2010, 7:03 am

Hello Rob, welcome,

Are you really a astronomer?
Just curious and interested ;)

Enjoy your stay on the Wrong Planet!


_________________
1975, ASD: Asperger's Syndrome (diagnosed: October 22, 2009)

Interests: science, experimental psychology, psychophysics, music (listening and playing (guitar)) and visual arts

Don't focus on your weaknesses, focus on your strengths


richie
Supporting Member
Supporting Member

User avatar

Joined: 9 Jan 2007
Age: 65
Gender: Male
Posts: 30,142
Location: Lake Whoop-Dee-Doo, Pennsylvania

07 Feb 2010, 7:22 am

Image
To WrongPlanet!! !Image


_________________
Life! Liberty!...and Perseveration!!.....
Weiner's Law of Libraries: There are no answers, only cross references.....
My Blog: http://richiesroom.wordpress.com/


mjs82
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 20 Jun 2005
Age: 42
Gender: Female
Posts: 3,166

07 Feb 2010, 7:35 am

Howdy, glad you're looking into it, welcome aboard



VagabondAstronomer
Blue Jay
Blue Jay

User avatar

Joined: 29 Jan 2010
Age: 62
Gender: Male
Posts: 81
Location: Maryland

07 Feb 2010, 12:18 pm

I taught astronomy at two science centers a few years back. They call me the Vagabond Astronomer due to my tendancy to set up telescopes in random places, usually unannounced. Never completed my degree; autodidact-polymath. In this country, that's a bad thing these days...



CockneyRebel
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 17 Jul 2004
Age: 49
Gender: Male
Posts: 113,298
Location: Stalag 13

07 Feb 2010, 2:19 pm

Welcome to WrongPlanet. :)


_________________
Who wants to adopt a Sweet Pea?


Scientist
Veteran
Veteran

Joined: 6 Nov 2009
Age: 48
Gender: Non-binary
Posts: 1,524
Location: The Netherlands

10 Feb 2010, 4:05 pm

VagabondAstronomer wrote:
I taught astronomy at two science centers a few years back. They call me the Vagabond Astronomer due to my tendancy to set up telescopes in random places, usually unannounced. Never completed my degree; autodidact-polymath. In this country, that's a bad thing these days...
Okay, interesting though. Thanks for replying.


_________________
1975, ASD: Asperger's Syndrome (diagnosed: October 22, 2009)

Interests: science, experimental psychology, psychophysics, music (listening and playing (guitar)) and visual arts

Don't focus on your weaknesses, focus on your strengths