Hi - new member

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I just joined today and wanted to say hello. I’m 52 and have been a software developer all my life. Mostly mainframe database work (DB2/COBOL), but some client/server as well. I do pretty well in a low-stress workplace, but in my last job we had to carry a beeper which was a disaster for me. So I left last fall, and have been considering how to make a living from here on.

I began researching Asperger’s after reading a book called Shadow Syndromes a few years ago. There was a chapter on HFAs, and it described me amazingly well. Other books on AS also fit the way my mind and nervous system works (literal-mindedness, communication problems, inability to fathom others’ points of view, etc.)

It’s kind of toss-up whether this is the wrong planet for me, or just the wrong point in time. Maybe in the 50’s or 60’s when things moved slower, my difficulties in learning and communication would not be so noticeable. But overall I’ve been lucky to have a career and get by in the world, despite all the challenges of AS.

Anyway, I'm glad to have found this site.

hi

Hi JeffToo. Welcome to WrongPlenet.net. I'm 61, so the 50's are a part of my history

Not as successful as you've been. I sort the old IBM punchcards on an IBM sorter from 1963
and scan large-format drawings.

Hopefully you will find the right job for you. What worked earlier in life may not work anymore.
In my case AS has a much greater impact on my life than earlier, even as I learn to relate to the crazy people on this planet a little better.

Hey, welcome! I've only been here 1 day, but thought I would say welcome anyway. I'm 40, sounds like we are in the same boat, as you too are in the discovery phase of all of this. I can tell this is a great place, so I think you made the right choice coming here, there are lots of people with lots of great advice. I'm a freelance artist so I can relate to the feeling suddenly being out of work. I'm sure you'll find something so keep the faith!

Jeff

>> sounds like we are in the same boat, as you too are in the discovery phase of all of this.

In the past two years a lot of the weird aspects of my life have started to make sense. I often wondered why my parents never took me for counseling or recognized how much trouble I had in school. But I don't think that autism was even considered back then, and I would have been mis-diagnosed.

I "discovered" Aspergers about a year ago reading somthing about Bram Cohen, the creater of Bittorrent:

http://bitconjurer.org/
http://www.wrongplanet.net/modules.php? ... age&pid=98

He's an aspie, and I found his story to be very inspiring. After that I started doing research on Aspergers and it felt like I was meeting someone for the first time that I'd actually know all of my life. I'd always known I was different, but it sure felt good to find out why. Even after a year I'm still remembering certain events in my life and thinking, "Oh, well, that explains that!"

Jeff

Hi! Welcome to Wrongplanet!

I think you will fit in with us very well here, and we definitely do notice your difficulties now.

I hope you enjoy posting here!