What makes you different?

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wow, what a loaded question!
Now that I know I have AS, things from my childhood make a heck of a lot more sense....
What makes me different? More like what DIDN'T make me different, I got called different/weird/quirky nearly every day of my life.
1. I noticed license plates of several people in my neighborhood (and still remember some of them)
2. I would take EVERYTHING literally, even in adulthood!
3. I can identify millions of smells that other people don't notice.
4. I can't do math or count with music playing, unless I count out loud to the beat.
5. I am constantly touching my hair, twisting my hair, or tapping on something.
6. I am afraid of phones, the conversation that is...I never understand when or what or how to speak.
7. I have no idea what correct social rules are, that got me into trouble sometimes when I was younger, but as an adult I have learned to at least observe and memorize what others do and don't do.
8. and the biggest one that really used to bug me when I was a kid.......I have no idea how to tell a lie! It's like a self-destruction button in my head has some alarm that goes off if I ever try!

I suppose it's my fascination with various music genres as, I don't tend to to be tied down by any particular music style one could say. As well, my liking of films that often tend to make me look strange. Well, how many people do you know in your own life likes Horror movies.. I'm not speaking of films where someone gets sliced,diced, & iced i.e. Saw movie franchise rather scary films with a comprehensive plot as well, creating a great amount of suspense. But, horror films are not my only favorite categories of films as I also like action & adventure/Sci Fi/Fantasy/Comedy/Documentaries/Martial Arts/Travel, etc.. Along with this I've read all sorts of books on differing subject matter over the last 30+ yrs now..

I'm very good at remembering the dates on which seemingly insignificant events occurred (and yet I'm inexplicably horrible at remembering birthdays). I can remember almost all of the years in which the 29 movies Gene Wilder made came out, and used to have the birthdays of most of Charles Schulz' Peanuts characters memorised (though after all this time, the only one I can remember is Linus, whose first appearance was on September 19th, 1952).

I also have grapheme-colour synaesthesia, and can see words, letters, numbers and shapes in an array of different colours. They help me memorise large quantities of information.

I struggle to isolate exactly what is 'different' about me. I just seem to be on a different planet to everybody else! (so this is probably an appropriate place for me...).

In re: the original post, I'm fairly new to the 'community', such as it is, and didn't realise that there were other people out there who counted! It's something I've done for many years as a coping mechanism, and something I've always been quite ashamed to talk about in case people thought I was 'weird' or attention-seeking.

What makes me different??? The usual stuff. A little thing besides that: I count tiles to find patterns and ways to make them go up in certain ratios, or break down forms into tiny bits to make them fill out another form airtight, while talking. I´ve asked other people about it and they deny doing this, so I wonder about it. Maybe it is a way to stay in my bubble whilst having social contact, maybe it is a stress ting - or it may simply be boredom, which is the same thing:wink:

I dont mind being alone.

It doesnt bother me.

Going on long walks alone
going out to eat alone
Going to the movies alone
generally spending large swaths of time doing my own thing

Other people esp women just seem to need attention and companionship.
Oh yes, and I dont take a bazillion selfies lol

I think im more passionate than others. I love books when others love ebooks.

Hmmm I wish I were exceptional with numbers lool

I talk to myself in public.

I dunno...im just different. Ive been called weird.

I love dolls and stuffed animals

I have leapads and innotabs

Being a loner freak weirdo. On an autism forum.

Might as well add being an abject failure. I'm not gifted, quirky, creative, cute, or any of that s**t. Whatever the supposed benefits are to having this piece of s**t condition, I don't have them. I'd rather have Crohn's than this.

Another thing: I don´t need concensus at any price.
Most people seem to need to aggree, or to be aggreed WITH in order to be good friends/feel loved/feel accepted/believe in a friendship.
I my view, people can disaggree heavily on certain things and still be friends.
Others do not allways aggree on that

Thanks Norny and B19.

I think I'm too chronically depressed at the moment to be a gr8 m8... :-/

More like an ir8 m8. m i rite gaiz? <_<.