Elo, I am somewhat new to this I suppose. I have always been drawn to other cultures...trying to figure out how I fit into the world, never quite feeling like I belonged anywhere. At least when I am in another country and feeling out of place there is an obvious REASON for my alienness. I have a knack for "character" languages with simple grammar (chinese) and people are excited I can speak any of it so they don't mind the stumbling or long pauses.
I took the RDOS test the other day (actually repeatedly over a period of 6 days tracking the standard deviation) and scored pretty consistently as an "aspie".
So I suppose now I am examining "Autistic Culture" seeing if I fit, seeing if the the narrative is one that I relate to, see if the questions I have about my self are answerable or relatable to other people out there that are also "aspie" (HFA?)
I hesitate to embrace any label or "diagnosis" as I feel my life has been successful and accepting a label can shift my self-perception. Despite my hesitations I have observed a consistent lack of meaningful relationships and a constant state of perplexity when it comes to the opposite sex. I hate making eye contact, hate being touched, and feel awkward in about 75% of all social situations. All that to say, I recognize I at least FEEL different from other people and I think, perhaps, Asperger's could explain some of these things.
Odd way of coping I suppose... any other earthlings out there relate? Does this short narrative resonate with any "aspies" out there?
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DON'T PANIC (or do?)