I got to warn you I am not really great at these intro posts.
Ok I'm a 33 year old guy who, lives in Perth WA Australia, Earth.... Recently diagnosed with Aspers (and WPW, it was a bad month!) However from what I can gather, I have a relatively mild case. I'm married with a son, work 50 hrs a week and don't hate my job
I wasn't really bullied in high school (even though I was 5'8 in 12th grade), and while I didn't make friends that easily, I could happily hang around any and all groups in my year without problem, was always elected to the student council type things. I had no confidence with dating until I was around 23 and then I became, if anything, overconfident, I could happily go to a club, not drink, not spend a dime, and get some phone numbers, I think it was dropping the needy attitude, I'm no Tom Cruise! I tend to immerse myself in various outlets from time to time, from mobile phone repairs, to Basketball (managed to get to state level), to competitive circuit racing, and now to Remote Control Car racing, as a family budget means the toys have to get smaller. I've done the "proper" IQ test 6-7 years ago and scored 143, and as such was invited to join the local "chapter" of Mensa, I think I lasted one meeting, seemed very elitist to me, how am I any "better" than anyone else based on a number?
I do have some telltale Aspie tendencies, I can become a bit obsessed with my hobby at times, I dislike having what I had planned for the day disrupted, I can be a bit emotionless when I shouldn't be etc. As much as I hate social situations, I've had to adapt to them, being the size I am now (197cm, 105kg), being inconspicuous isn't really an option. On the plus side, I am confident I can protect my family should I need to.
I do think Autism / Aspergers is unfairly labeled as a "disability", I'm not disabled. Most of the people I have met, and/or work with would have no idea I had Aspergers, at work I'm the person who has the bad jokes, makes quick and witty remarks (sometimes Ill timed) and doesn't really get stressed easily.
So why did I join? Curiosity? Because in some of the posts I see how I was 5-10 yrs ago, and maybe in a misguided way think I can help, who knows? Maybe it's just to say there are people with Aspergers who are living relatively normally.