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Hi, I'm Steven, 46 years old, was first diagnosed as Asperger just a few months ago, I'm looking for people who share my viewpoint that Asperger's is a difference, not a disorder. Looks like this might be the place.

I haven't really set the world on fire. A lot of people seem to have been really impressed with me at first and then grown steadily disappointed. I think it's time to admit to myself that I've been a dilettante (sp?), doing a lot of interesting things but not necessarily doing them all particularly well. Dilettantism would be fine with me if I were rich, but I'm poor, so it's rather impractical. I've started at least 5 novels, finished 2 (published 0), besides many short stories and essays, done some acting, played tenor saxaphone in some bands. Currently I'm trying to teach myself Latin, and I suppose I'm beginning to succeed at it, although the attempt has been going on for embarassingly long. As an undergraduate I had a double major of English and German plus almost a minor in French, so the basic drill of aquiring a language is not new to me.

For most of my adult life I've supported myself financially, but the last few years things it seems to be getting hard to find and keep jobs. I've moved in with my Mother and stepfather. (It's not a financial hardship for them and they seem glad to have me around, but I'd rather support myself and live by myself.)

Last edited by Bollinger on 22 Mar 2008, 6:31 am, edited 1 time in total.

Hi Steven,

welcome to WP.

Yes, I share your view that aspergers is a difference and not a disorder. A lot of others do here as well.
You seem like a very creative person. I do a bit of writing myself...mainly poetry. Have attempted several novels but never completed one. I also can play the drums. As for languages...I don't have a clue on how to learn them, though, haha.
What are your novels about?

I hope you enjoy posting here.

Thanks for the friendly welcome, Brittany.

The first (finished) one is about Jesus and his disciples and Pilate and some others. In my version, Jesus is an atheist who tries to better the lot of poor people. The Greek goddess Athena is interested in Jesus' work and intervenes, trying to help. But the gods cannot appear to those who don't believe in them, or give them anything directly. Jesus' apostle Andrew is filled with faith in the supernatural. Athena gives him the power to perform miracles. But Andrew assumes this power comes from the One Allmighty God, brcause he can't imagine any other gods. And he is very modest, so he tells everyone that it is Jesus who has performed the miracles. Jesus is very frustrated by what he sees as the steadily growing superstitious confusion following him everywhere. When people do listen to him they seem to get everything backward. He says, "If someone steals your coat, don't just let him take your cloak too," and "Don't turn the other cheek if someone strikes you -- stand up for yourselves!" and people say that he has said the opposite. The misunderstandings multiply.

The second one is about some people who meet at a seminar about medieval art and literature at a monastery and become friends and have various adventures.

Nice to meet you, Steven.

Welcome to WP!

To WrongPlanet!! !

Emu means you have Emu level posts (as in numbers). When/as you post more you will become a Pheonix, Porcupine (actually I think the bird theme is THE THEME), ect.

After 1000 you get to set your own call name. No one will tell you this, you won't recieve a mail, the option will just *appear* in your account profile section-rather neat and mysterious really.

I'm happy to see another who is a late diagnosii. I'm on year 2 at mid 30s, and I really don't understand the 'specs' any better. But life has been more understandable to realize that *there is a reason* that people have *no clue* about me, rather implanting their assumptions--and what THAT is all about.

Its really more about me learning about others than others learning about me. In which aspergers becomes very helpful in understanding the rest of the world.

Again, nice to *meet*, take it easy, the first long months are a doosy.

Hi Steven and welcome to WP.

Congratulations on finishing 2 books - why aren't they published? Are you trying to get them published. There were one or two people on WP with published books who might be able to offer advice.

Alternatively, you could consider submitting them to an E-books site.

Hello everbody and thanks for the welcomes!

SeaBright, thanks also for the Emu explanation.

gbollard, I sent queries and sample pages of the Jesus novel to hundreds of agents, nobody wanted to even read it, except for one agent who actually asked for the whole manuscript, but eventually she passed. Lots of agents answered that the story sounded too controversial for them. I wonder what would've happened if I had just described it as a novel about Jesus, ha.

The second novel, maybe it's just as well it wasn't published, I'm not as enthused about it. And after the experience with the first one, I didn't try so hard to get it out there.

E-books? If that involves not being paid I'm not interested. Too many creative people are giving their stuff away in this country these days, imho.

Some e-books aren't paid for but many others are.

They may not pay as highly as normal books (I'm not sure) but they are paid.

In addition, the publishers aren't up for printing, formatting etc costs so most of the profits should go to the authors - have a look around, it might be worthwhile.

Hello Bollinger

Hello mutant

Welcome Bollinger!:)

Welcome to the forum, Steven!

Hi Bollinger welcome to the "right" Planet

I am 48 and only diagnosed mid last year, join the growing number of us diagnosed later in life..