glider18's Wonderful World of Autism

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glider18's Wonderful World of Autism

Ok...so I know it sounds off the wall, but that is how I perceive it. I know a lot of people here spend a lot of time looking at the bad things that accompany autism. But as I have always said, I would not want to get rid of my autism. I love it for the wonderful things that it has given me---fun interests, talents, etc. So, I want those of you who also see the wonderful things in your autism to tell us about it and feel good about it. We need cheerful topics. We need to see the gifts that autism gives us. I actually give thanks to God for giving me autism---and that is part of my new ministry of music. And for those of you who feel autism has not given you anything good---please look for the good---it is there.

So I will begin.

Talents:

music---I play the organ, piano, electric keyboards, hammered dulcimer, mountain dulcimer, banjimer, harmonica, and trombone

writing---I write poetry, short stories, and am currently working on a novel, etc.

magic---I have done magic shows for children's birthday parties and large corporate parties, etc.

Intense Interests:

amusement parks and roller coasters, house plans, astronomy (particularly comets), model trains (HO scale), the moundbuilders of Ohio (Hopewell and Adena cultures), autism, etc.

The above things give me great pleasure in my life. They were my best friends growing up---and I have not abandoned them. I have fun with my autism.

Empathy is something I am not good at---I have the emotions inside me, but I have trouble expressing them. But...I would love for everyone in the WrongPlanet (including NTs who know someone on the autism spectrum) to express good things that come with autism. I want you to feel the joy that it can bring. Please, life is too short not to enjoy living---find your happiness if you have not already done so. Autism is a mystery---doctors and scientists don't even understand it. It must therefore be a gift. Unwrap that gift and enjoy life .

I'm with you in that I believe each individual has an exclusively unqiue autistic condition and that autism can be a gift if you take advantage of it. Some people choose to look on the condition as a detriment others choose to look at it as a benefit or enchancement.

Thank you garyww. I am happy you see it that way too.

You're right. If I didn't have autism, I wouldn't have such fun interests like SpongeBob and Animation. I am actually glad I'm autistic and wouldn't change that.

I love the BIG A.

i am getting more and more accepting of it and it is a relief.

i have gifts and talents.

i have had aan amazing life because of it - not always rosy but an incredible ride that i would not want to swap. I long ago let go of the victim stance in relation to my life trajectory and i have learned to view my experiences as riches that propel me forward into a lifestyle now that is precisely the way i choose to live. that is amazing.

I have learned that all people - autistic or gifted or run of the mill "average" as it is sometimes called - - have battles and hardhsip and difficulties.

this thread is a delight, glider18 and it inspires me to do a little skip around the room.

whoopeeeeeeee

If I didn't have autism then I wouldn't have a unique way of taking photos. At events when other photographers would take photos they'd just shoot repetitively, but I would take my time to get a really good shot, even if I only had less than 15 minutes to take photos. It's hard to explain but I think I take photos differently. It's that whole attention to detail thing.
I like taking photos of just random things, like anything that has interesting shape/shadow/tone, whereas my friends do that urban photography thing, which I have no interest in. I once walked down this street early in the morning and found so many things on the road that would have made great photos. I posted some photos of a lampshade close up that people here liked, but other people on flickr didn't pay any notice to.

I have an interest in Ben 10 which everyone thinks is immature, but I love it. When I'm down I just watch that show or collect the figurines, and I'm all smiles again.

I like thinking up new ideas while out on walks or taking in the views on nature. I thought of a whole spy novel by sitting at a foreshore warf. I'm not sure if that has anything to do with AS, but had I been hanging out with people talking about god knows what that wouldn't happen. I do want to be an author one day.

I'm really good at finding things too, like my mum's keys.

I have a strange way of drawing too. I started with a few squiggly lines and soon I have a drawn a creature that hasn't got a name for what it is. They look like pokemon but more mythological looking.

And having autism means I'm on my own a lot so I can learn a new skill everyday. When I have the money I'm buying a camera that takes film and I'm going to learn how to develop my own film.

As you can see by my avatar, I agree!

I like being me, I like being special!

I am good at logical things like computers and general technology because of AS, I can spend hours and hours just standing in my room flapping my hands to entertain myself, I can learn about anything and become a expert at it if it becomes my obsession and I am creative (visual thinking helps there) and so much more... I am so glad I'm a Aspie

i just wish more people would read this thread and contribute......

There i go. Yes i feel proud to be an aspie. I have this inner world which i wouldn't change for anything on earth.

I feel attraction to many things. Lately i have been thinking about buying a book on screenwriting and start writing this story. It has been in my head for about 10 years, i think it's time i write it down.

I like science too, i have a theory on how things work. Especially, i think that self-similarity can be used to describe the motions of a fluid, we only need to study the motion of molecules and use that information in a larger scale. I mean, the dynamic equations we use for molecules can also be used for groups of molecules, when they get together and form water and gases.

^ write the screenplay.

I am pretty sure i have the story, from the begginning to end. Yet my procrastination disease stops me from writing it. I will let you know when i got something done.

Things my AS has given me:

I have a rare and sophisticated perspective on the world that most others do not. I appreciate the things in life that so many take for granted, and have the capacity to understand a meaningfulness and appreciate a happiness that most will never even fathom.

I have a lot of unique and exotic tastes, ideas and talents that make my life interesting; most people will simply go through life content with shallow, mainstream things, their lives boring and dull without ever being aware of it.

I have a strong sense of ethics and self and a strong character that was developed as a result of my rough life experiences and the lessons learned through them.

I have uncanny powers of focus, visualization and imagination as well as impressive ability in a wide range of academic skills and other abilities.

I can be content with simple things and the complex things I'm interested in grant me a magnificent level of fulfillment.

I have a group of people I can relate to and who I can share my own experiences and advice with so that we all may better ourselves from it.

Most importantly, I live and think 'outside the box'. I am unique and not mundane, with something special to offer the world.

I want to thank all of you that have posted about the wonderful things autism has done for you. I hope more and more post here as it is wonderful to appreciate the gifts autism gives us. As I have always made clear, I love being autistic---it is something I am proud of.

So many autistics feel destined to doom with their diagnosis, but I was happy when I was diagnosed. Here is how I view it. I was born with autism back in 1964. It was as much a part of me as my nose and arms. It is part of my genetic code. It is me. Autism is a part of my design. It isn't some defect. But it can be a problem if we don't learn how to appreciate it and make it work for us. Once we appreciate our autism, and explore its fascinating gifts---wow!! !, it is a fun adventure. Autism is a lot of fun for me and I am looking forward to many more years of fun with it. I cannot imagine life without autism.

I like the mental mobility, not being some things I am free to become things.

I have several rooms of high end graphics/publishing machines, never seen a set like it. Most people have a toster and a TV.

Not being bound to doing things like everyone else, I do things no one else does.

I know my limits, then walk on them, and look for more.

I enjoy things that I am no good at, I do them anyway.

I keep learning, and none of it is for a degree or a job, life is a hobby.

My art causes a reaction in the viewer, people who do not do any tell me I am doing it wrong.

In a world full of gifted and talented people with degrees in art, they have nothing to do but try to stop one bad painter from painting.

Nonconformist reject me.

degree? what's that?

thank you Glider18.