What ASD traits do you NOT have?

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I cannot tie my shoes the "right way."

I googled "ASD traits" and here are the top three and my assessment:
* "difficulty with social interaction" ---- Not at all. Either: (1) I talk for over 30 seconds at a time intensely and then the other person does, or (2) I do my own thing and they do their own thing. Perfectly reciprocal.

* "unusual interest in objects" --- Not at all. My attention is drawn to the quaking, flickering leaves on that tree just as another's attention is drawn to the pimped out car.

* "difficulty with changes in routine" --- Not all all. Reasonable changes are fine. Changes I initiate are fine (I am highly innovative and enjoy doing things differently). Unreasonable changes are just stupid and should upset anyone.

I love this one: "They may play with toys in different or unusual ways" ---- umm, how else does innovation happen?! !! ! When I substitute teach at the ASD program, you can bet one of the kids and I are in the play kitchen baking the toy cars and lining up the french fries on a shelf, otherwise it would be boring! Isn't it a problem for all those kids who can't play with toys in a creative way?

The ones I definitely don't have are

--- Sensory issues

--- The need for routine

--- Resistence to changes

--- Stimming

--- Lack of interest in socializing (NOTE: I *come across* as if I lack interest but I don't, thats the most frustrating part; and I don't socialize ever, yet I desperately wish I did)

--- Photographic memory (well, I remember who said what to whom particularly if the conversation involves me being hurt in some way, but I can't memorize phone numbers and stuff like that)

I rarely ever have meltdowns (shutdowns are more my thing these days)

I’m about as far from a picky eater as one could be, thogh there are some things I don’t eat/drink, such as salad and anything containing alcohol.

I love hanging out with friends, so I don’t fit the anti-social stereotype.

I don’t mind a break in routine, and sometimes I even like when there’s a temporary change, as long as it isn’t sudden or last-minute.

I’ve been able to since I was 5 or 6 years old. Learning to tie shoes correctly was one of my earliest special interests.

I have all the diagnostic traits.

...There's a right way?

I learned to tie my shoelaces pretty late, but I have no idea if I do it in some right way or not. If they stay tied without looking completely dorky, then that's right enough for me.

Yes, the correct way is to make it based on a box knot, aka square knot or reef knot.
A box knot is made by first tying an overhand knot and then another overhand knot the other way around.
For shoes, or indeed boxes etc, instead of pulling the ends through when tying the second overhand knot, you pull the bights through.
Clear?
If one makes the two overhand knots the same way, it becomes a granny knot.

/Mats

I don't think I'm particularily "rigid".
My routines are mainly a matter of efficiency, if I have resources to spare, I actually enjoy change, experiments and improvisation.

...Very unclear, actually. I'll just blame it on English not being my first language.

But well, at least my shoes don't fall off.

I feel I am at this weird vantage point. I can see the NT ways of things, but I retain many internal traits, even if mild, that sets me apart...this weird in-between point.

NT way of doing things=conformity. i HATE conformity.

I no longer have the inability to make eye contact.

I no longer feel the need to wrap myself in blankets real tight whenever I feel stressed.

I no longer feel depressed whenever someone ignores or disrespects me.

The first thing you do is make an overhand knot, or a half knot.
It's made by putting one end of the string on top of the other end, so that they cross each other, and then twisting it around and pulling the ends.
Then you do the exact same thing again, except for that if you put the end pointing left over the end pointing right in step one you put the end pointing right over the end pointing left (or vice versa), and you don't pull on the ends but first "fold" the strings making loops or bights so that the ends making up the second half knot are doubled.

If made correct the two loops will point straight to the left and to the right, if made incorrect the loops will point towards your toes and towards your leg.
Clearer?

/Mats

I should add that 80-90% or more of humanity ties their shoes the wrong way, and to resolve the issue of having their shoes become untied they make a third half knot on top of the first two, thus losing the feature of quickly untying their shoes.

/Mats