Come back from a long break

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I had to leave WP for a while. Strangely enough I was doing remarkably well and I felt I could cope without being on here. That was a great time, but all great times come to an end! I've had loads of problems since my happy time and I am really struggling so could do with some support and to hang out (albeit on the net) with people like me. Basically I got put in a new care home, supposedly supported living. I live with a non-verbal girl who smears poop, a guy who has the mental age of a 6 year old and is convinced we're getting married and the rest just don't come near me. Translation, I have no one to talk to and I am getting lonely. This new company also doesn't understand my ASC and don't treat me the best. I am currently looking at other service providers but as any one in the UK will know, nothing happens overnight!

One nice thing happened since then though, I got a new rabbit. I now have Ralph and Lorenne (10 points to the first person to work out the joke!). She's a himeleyan and beautiful!

Edit: also my internet sucks...

Welcome back

Sorry things aren't going well for you. I hope you can find somewhere more suitable to live, it does't sound like you are in the best place.

I love rabbits and Himalayans are beautiful. When I had a rabbit I got a lot of comfort from her. I haven't got the joke about their names though, but I never get jokes.

The Honeymooners?

Welcome back to Wrong Planet!

Hi, I think it's perfectly alright to take a break. And welcome back to Wrong Planet!

You know, our family had guinea pigs for years and years when I was a boy, and I think they are great animals. I like rodents in general. And I know rabbits aren't rodents but rather a related class or family of animals. Please educate me a little if you have the time.

And, Ralph Lauren, maybe?

Okay, about your current service provider, might there be a local Spectrum Self-Advocacy group, or a family member, or maybe even a former teacher who could act as your advocate? I mean, from presidents to prime ministers, governors to business leaders, to sports stars have someone else negotiate on their behalf and the dynamics seem to work better than the person trying to negotiate for themselves.

And if you do need to negotiate for yourself, I guess keep it very straightforward, 'I don't feel I am being understood. And I'm not getting what I need as a human being to continue to grow.' And ask for some pretty good things and expect to get two-thirds of them. Perhaps something like that.

Yes! I had to spell Lorenne phonetically though otherwise people would have pronounced it wrong! 10 points go to you

I've been told that there is a company 'autism specialist' but I have yet to meet her. Surely I should have met her before I moved in here, after all it was 6 months between agreeing to move and moving! All the staff are being given mandatory autism training in a couple of weeks time which should improve things a bit. The trouble is that some of the staff are just not willing to learn about autism, mine in particular. Luckily the manager is taking the problems very seriously hence the training. My Mum wants to arrange to meet the specialist and discuss things with her but we can't get in contact with her! Hopefully over the next few months I will notice an improvement. In the meantime I am doing a customer service course with five other people who have AS so hopefully I will make some friends there even if I can't have friends here!

Is there anyway you can help the guy who wants to marry you? That can easily be misinterprated as sexual harassment. Heck, it might be sexual harassment, if there's enough intent behind it to, you know, harass you.

Yea!! ! I've got ten points. Go Ralph and Lorenne!

I guess just be polite and persistent. And hopefully, besides the manager, you can connect with one or two staff members who are halfway reasonable individuals.

It sounds like the classic bureaucracy which is understaffed. Now, if you push too aggressively, they might "justify" which really rubs me the wrong way and I think is a real downside of when institutions don't function well. So, as hard as it might be at times when meeting with service providers, try to keep it on positive terms of what you need for your life from this point forward. And the presence of your Mom will help, if for no other reason than two persons on your side. And your Mom is also a witness and they are likely to be on their better behavior. (here in the states, we call our mothers 'Mom', although I do also like the way people speak in the UK )

There is a book I read years ago and liked called You Can Negotiate Anything by Herb Cohen, and the part where I said from presidents to prime ministers, governors to business leaders . . . I got this from his book. He made the point that often good negotiation is precisely getting someone else to negotiate on your behalf. And I would say the unstated subtitle is that you win some, you lose some, you can also have streaks either way just like a baseball player can, try not to lose your rhythm.