I may not be posting here much but I will be reading...

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I'm new to this place and I really wanted to say that I find it a terrific place to visit!

I have been diagnosed with ADD/HD twice as an adult, been on various meds and have been working with a therapist on strategies for helping me 'get along' in this world.

Not the world per se, more like my immediate community... work, school, etc.

I have a nephew (from a marriage that is almost legally over) who has been diagnosed with AS, and a friend from work who is currently 'looking into' the possibility of having AS.

I am 47, male, and still learning a lot about myself as well as others.

I'm going back to school for something in computers because I hope that I can find a job where I am a bit more independent and my ADHD & assorted issues will not be as big a problem as they have been for my last 40 (or maybe just 38, 39...?) jobs.

I currently work in the medical field and I actually really like my job and the hospital I work for.
They have been quite open to everything I am so far... and it's a Catholic hospital to boot! I'm surprised!

Anyway, I like playing music and will generally pick up any instrument that is not nailed down... unless I can play it nailed down.
I don't play anything with professional results, but I can always seem to eek out a song even if it's 'twinkle twinkle little star'.

I tend to hang-out with my daughter when she is with me (she's a teen but we have this joint-custody thing), and all by myself when she is not. I am often told I need a pet so I will go home when I get off work. I often work the swing-shift so when I get off around midnight, I can close the door where I'm at, turn off the lights (although I usually have them off already), turn on my little lamp, turn on my iPod (usually on a playlist with just a few songs that repeat over-and-over-and-over...), and go on the internet, write on the computer (word processing, not actually ON the computer! ), do work-related things, or read.

Some of the things I do that folks find strange... or tiring... or difficult to live with
- Like I said, I like to be in the dark, sometimes with just a little light on... helps me screen out all the stimuli I don't need
- Put on my headphones with an endless loop of one song, three songs or 7 songs by the same artist or same genre (usually I find a rare instrumental or heavy metal works best... Staind, Three Days Grace... used to be Black Sabbath in the 70's ), pull a hood over my head to screen out visual stimuli, and do my writing, sketching, thinking...
- Pace endlessly about 90% of the time I'm talking on the phone (my daughter has always done the same thing... oh my god, what have I done to her!? )
- Have running conversations with myself (since usually I'm talking too fast or about too much for other folks to be interested much in what I'm saying. I do have regular conversations, but I tend toward non-sequitur and tangential thought processes and so it is hard to keep up with what I am saying... drove my wife crazy.
- I'm impulsive, so that REALLY gets me into trouble or drives people away from me. Almost happened with someone I really like and hopefully I've repaired that friendship.
- I strike up conversations with strangers out-of-the-blue, which sometimes go really well and become quite interesting, but sometimes I think they get a bit worried about me and start moving away as fast as they can
- I LOVE cheesecake and quite often, I used to buy one of those frozen kind with the little papers separating the slices, and on the drive home (another state, another time) of about 7 miles, I'd have the whole thing eaten... YUM! What people find strange, or maddening, is that I don't gain a lot of weight from how I eat. Although as I age, I have noticed I'm staying heavier than before (210lbs, 6'2") and I am less active than I used to be.
- I love to go about barefoot. The tactile sensation is so nice. I really like extreme temps for short duration (having lived in Alaska, I had to go out sometimes in the 'below zero' temps just to feel the crisp cold on my skin) of sometimes an hour or sometimes more if I can handle it... so hot tubs, saunas and cold mountain streams are really nice for me. I wonder if the over-stim helps me block out other things I don't like?
- I love Indie and foreign films (my daughter rolls her eyes at my movie selections but humors me and watches them... although I think she secretly does like some of them ) especially when they deal with peculiar human behaviour.
- I am REALLY uncomfortable sitting in a public place facing certain directions, to the point that I have almost had arguments with my wife about switching chairs... she and my daughter have always accused me of being on the run from someone and not wanting them to sneak-up on me (Sorry, if I told you who I used to work for and who is after me, I'd have to kill you ... just like Jack Bauer does )
- I am also REALLY uncomfortable pulling into a parking space. I almost always back-in even if there's a sign that reads "Head In" posted.
- I tend to post REALLY LONG AND WORDY POSTS on the internet and so with that, I think I'll stop here

.... or here

.... or maybe here

Seriously, I am glad to have discovered this place.
I believe a co-worker/friend visits this place... and if she reads this post I guarantee she'll know it's me
(if she is uncomfortable with me being here, I may have to leave... I'm sure she found it first)

Did you know this place can also be found through this website? I found some ADHD info through it also.
LINK - Stumble Upon - LINK

Since I don't think I have AS, I feel a bit nervous about posting here... do I belong?

But in addition to learning more about myself, I really want to learn more about a friend of mine.
I just want to be able to treat her with respect and understanding because that is all I have ever wanted.

Personally all these labels, AS, ADHD, etc. have their place only in a world where folks like us are thought to be 'broken' and in need of fixing.

I find that irritating and degrading. What you call NT's (is that me too? Yuck!) (oh and I see quite a bit of animosity here towards anyone labeled NT... hmm... interesting ), seem to have the world all figured out and it sounds a lot like Western Religion... We are the norm you are not!
Well, I won't continue on that stuff... save it for another LENGTHY post

Oh, I forgot to mention I like to play mental math games... not that I'm any kind of mathematical genius (or even close), I just like to work things out in my head... made for some fun games with my daughter as she has been growing up

My daughter is the MOST important person in my life. Next are family and my few close friends. Then, I follow along somewhere after...

I'm about to try and adopt a 'pet'... some wild kittens in my backyard. I've never been a 'pet person', but everyone says I should have something live and warm to go home to... did I already mention that?
So this will be a new adventure in my life.
It is also pretty scary for me. The thought that I might not do all the right things for some little animal in my care has always been pretty nerve racking, but since I'm much older, wiser and mature now(really I'm just pretty lonely)... , I'm thinking of taking on that responsibility.
Problem is there are three kittens out in my backyard... I'm sure I mentioned this above... and although I think one cat would be nice, I don't want it to be lonely so maybe two would be better, but then there are three of them and how could I break up their little family (not to mention that I would be stealing them from their Mommy )?

Anyway, I'll get that all sorted out.

Okay, I really mean it now. I'm going to end this post.

Thanks ahead of time for anyone who actually read all this... or got through even half of it...
And for any posts that may follow.
Sorry about the over-use of commas (something I'm always trying to figure out)

I'm pretty easy-going as far as the internet thing because I realize that in this virtual world we have to be much more patient with each other as far as understanding what is being 'said' or rather typed on the screen.
So, I am not easily offended by what folks type, but I will correct things if I really feel the need.

Bye

Last edited by wsmac on 09 Sep 2007, 11:03 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Yo, nice read you have thar.

I play to, guitar, bass guitar, synth and do screamed vocals.

Been meaning to pick up another instrument.

WOW! a live body!

Once I moved out on my own last year, I acquired my first electric guitar and a bass also.
I'm having a great time learning on these.

I got real lucky and found a CRATE 4X12 cab with a CRATE G130C XL head and another stereo component for $100!

Could not believe it! Luckily, I do not have any neighbors right next door.

I'm not taking lessons from anyone currently, but as I reach a plateau on my own, I'll probably look into that.

I own a variety of instruments...
Acoustic -
Guitar (6-string)
Fiddle
Mandolin
Banjo (frailing style)
Autoharp (although my wife just asked for it back so I'm shopping for a new one when I have the extra cash)
Piano (my daughter is the real piano player. I just pick up songs mostly by ear although I do read music)
Pennywhistle
Harmonica (I like the blues)

Alto Sax

Electric Guitar
Electric Bass
Yamaha DX7 Keyboard/Synth (just got it for helping out a friend and now I have to figure out how to play/work it )

I have always played folk music, dabbled in rock (especially back in my high school days-the 70's), improvise what I can, and am always open to other types of music.

Screamed vocals huh? Do you have an example of what you mean? Is this a common genre of rock or something you do independently?

Thanks for replying to my post Flagg!

Screamed Vocals are mostly used in Post-Hardcore, Hardcore and Metal.

The Bled, Chiodos, and Converge are good examples of screamed vocalists.

Did I get it right, you're here to observe/study a work friend who you believe posts here?

>_>

WP just went a little nuttier.

At first I thought you were one of those folks who could say what I first posted in one sentence... show off's!

Hmm, you mean like STALKING!?

NO!

Because I know how I have felt all my life being misunderstood by those who think I was either not trying hard enough to be 'normal' or that my head was broken and I needed fixing (oooh a run-on sentance! ), and so, I want to be able to show her the respect I desired, by learning more about AS and how I could change the way I interact with her so our friendship would not be undone by my ignorance.

did that make any sense?

Sorta like if I deal with someone from 'South-of-the-border' (no matter how far South), at the hospital I work at, I try to understand things from their perspective so we can communicate better. They don't have to give up who/what they are nor how they are in order to have me help them.

By the same token, if my friend would rather not have me talk on & on endlessly, or try to force eye-to-eye contact with her, etc. then I am happy to oblige as best I can.
The only way that will happen is if she tells me this directly and/or I learn about these things from a reliable source.

You are a reliable source here... aren't you?

To let you know, I actually asked her tonight if she minded me being here.
I am leaving it up to her whether or not I stay.
My reason is, because I figure she came here first and if she does feel like this is 'her' place to come and be private with like-minded individuals, then I do not have a reason to intrude.
This actually stems from recent events.

I figure she reads here because I have seen this website listed in the history of the computer at work.
She's the only one I know of at work who might be looking into AS also... aside from me.

Anyway, hope that makes sense. Certainly lengthened the post, huh..... I warned you how I am!


FLAGG,

Thanks for the list of bands.
I'll have to check them out.
I kinda get the feeling this scream vocals are something a niece of mine is probably into.
She's a neat young lady, but her music is actually a bit for me.

Welcome to WrongPlanet

Welcome to WP!

Tim

richie, Tim_Tex... HOW DO YOU TWO DO THAT? Three words... incredible!

Being new here, I am trying to read the stickies and check out some of the older posts to get a feel for the place.

I may post some stuff that comes off a bit bizarre and if that happens, I imagine I will be called on it.
That's fine.
I prefer to know how I'm coming across.

Maybe you should try a hamster or some other nocturnal pet. Although you don't sound like you NEED a pet.

You're right about not NEEDING a pet.
I need companionship... so maybe I should be someone else's pet?

I can't tolerate having animals that live in cages or tanks.
It's just to weird a feeling being in so much control over their VERY small world when they get stuck in those sorts of contraptions.
At least with a cat or dog, they usually get more space to live in and more say in where they walk, sleep, etc.
They get to go for car rides (even if it is to the vet ).

Thanks for the thought lelia!