Re: CHAT: OT CHAT: Asperger's syndrome

Marcus Smith wrote:

> Wow!  You are describing me to a T!  Maybe I've got this
> too.
When I was tested at age of 12, I scored top 13% for
intelligence (in age group) and bottom 4% for social skills.
Bear in mind that what I am _now_ is after having received
support from family, friends, and relevant organisations
over the years. I stood out a _lot_ more in my early years.

> I'm like that, but I'm much better now then I was two
> years.  I have a friend who jokes that I flirt like
> Ross (from the TV show Friends).
No comment 'cos I don't watch it...

> >There *are* things that I can't do naturally. For example
> >I _cannot_ fake a smile for a camera, nor can I blend in
> >well for a group photograph, so pictures typically show
> >me looking somewhat aloof.
>
> That's me.  I don't even try anymore, or I tell the people
> around me to make me laugh.
Another aspect of this is: when _taking_ photographs, I've
always preferred to catch life as it happens rather than to
bring people together artificially.

> >I cannot participate effectively in conversations
> >between more than about three people (unless it's a
> >slow thoughtful philosophical discussion which I can
> >handle just fine) because I just can't get a word in
> >edgeways and not for lack of trying! Somehow people
> >just don't seem to notice that I'm trying to speak!
>
> Yes indeed!  Almost every one of my friends has commented
> that I'm much "friendlier" or "more talkative" when I'm
> alone with them.
One of the great things about mailing lists, newsgroups,
and the like is you don't have to worry about this!

A related problem of mine is that I have a strange thing
about not being predictable, so that I will go out of my
way to ensure that no-one knows what I'm about to do
until the moment I do it. If I want to show people a
physical item I will hide it, typically up my jumper,
until I have a chance to introduce it properly. All of
this is of course counter-active to social signalling.

> Whenever I grapped something, I had
> to touch it with all five fingers, and if I touched it
> more than once, I had to touch it a multiple of five
> times.  One very useful routine, though, was that for
> years I HAD to read for half an hour before going to
> bed, or else I would not be able to sleep until
> exhaustion over-took me (3 or 4 in the morning).
Yup; that's the stuff! I'd give more examples of my own but
on the whole I can't remember them. I would do _anything_ to
make sure that my compulsions were fulfilled, for example
the one about hugging Dad before he went on the hockey field
- one day I didn't get a chance and actually ran out onto
the field after the game had started. No matter what the
consequences, it was absolutely intolerable not to do my
"tricks".

Adrian.