"What happened to you?"

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I find it difficult when someone from my past makes contact, as an old teacher I used to get on with just did. My life has not exactly gone according to plan. I can live with that, and even enjoy my life a lot of the time.

Usual reactions when I try to explain how I went from Kid Most Likely To Succeed to marginally employed lunatic:

a) "Whatever happened to you! You had so much potential! Tragedy, tragedy, traaaaaagedy!" (Yeah, I've spent the past 15 years carefully training myself not to wallow in self pity. This is not helping.)

b) "You should try having a dazzling and fulfilling career instead of being such a loser!" (Thanks, that idea never occurred to me til you said it.)

I have a habit of carefully not thinking about my past. It should be a healthy thing, facing up to it by talking to people I used to know. But instead it feels like an attack on my self-esteem, which ain't too robust at the best of times.

having a career isn't always everything

it all depends on your own perception of reality

people pressure us into being the people who they want us to be according to their own perception of reality

do we have to conform to others perception of reality

i would say do what makes you happy as long as you don't hurt any innocent people

who is to judge?

Sometimes as a Autistic person , you really can’t apply other people’s perceptions to your. Own real life .
Success is measured in various ways depending on the situation.

Those are very rude things that they have said to you. I'd be inclined to say equally rude things to them, but I'm probably not a great role model.

I didn’t do so great, either.

The key, really, is to make the best of it.

I’m blessed (not in a religious sense!) that I have a roof over my head, enough food and drink, and the ability to go on the Internet.

I understand where you're coming from in a way. Apparently I was a smart kid, loads of potential. Now when people ask me what I do, I try to distract from the job aspect (which is always what's they mean) and focus on hobbies. Eventually they ask about my job, you know, the one I don't have because I'm on disability. So I tell them I'm on disability, that's how I afford to live without work. They say, "oh" and conversation ends with them being uncomfortable and trying to find any excuse to get away from me.

Flea, killer conversation. It's a gift.

I also enjoy many aspects of my life and I'm a content person, usually. But when people get in your business about life and such it can take a moment or two to bounce back to content. Especially when the person is one who reminds you of befores. From what I've seen of you around here, you seem alright by me. I hope you get to bouncing back asap.

My experience might be the flip side. They had a party at school to celebrate graduation (Junior High School). I was voted "Least Likely to Succeed!" Perhaps that was a kick to my butt, to prove them wrong. If no one expects anything from you, then the only way is up.

I recently went to my 50th High School Class reunion. One of my classmates commented to me: "I wondered whatever became to our math genius." That was funny because I never knew they thought I was a class genius.