Creating Aspy Places To Hang Out Together
28 Oct 2007, 9:02 am
-Main wrote:
You wouldn't have to advertise such a place as being for aspies, and it would probably attract more aspies if you didn't. I've been dreaming of a place like that.
Here's my thoughts on you of the thing you'd want:
- a building. Reasonably central, close to public transport, large enough.
- computers. Mac hardware? running Windows XP, Linux, and Mac OSX. Programing environments, graphical art tools, word processors, music creation studio software. And headphones. Could charge for using the computers, but I don't think a pay-per-time system would work well. Maybe pay-for-access? And a small shop selling hardware/software/support.
- a projector, couches, and a sound system. For watching of anime/demos/random films/random music videos, and anything else that anyone wants to show. (Demos as in the demoscene)
- a room for tabletop gaming. Card games (like M:TG), and role playing games like D&D, as well as board games like chess. Maybe a gaming store as well?
- perhaps a small library? with books on aspergers, dyslexia, ADD, ADHD, and other differences, as well as programming, gaming, life skills, art and crafts, mechanics, social skills and other interesting/useful topics, and a fiction section focusing on science fiction/fantasy, as well as manga and comics.
- some way to get food and drink. Vending machine at the very least, possibly a small cafe? And actual food, not just coke and chips.
- plenty of couches, and places to just talk to people, as well as places with desks to just work on things, read, or think, with free paper and pens/pencils for sale.
- a counselor. Someone friendly who you can talk to with no history, no worries about them discussing your issues with other people, no disagreements. For when you just need someone to talk to. Could have the first session free, or something? Because when you want to talk to someone, you don't want to have to pay for the privilege. Preferably someone with experience working with people with aspergers.
- Perhaps a record store? specializing in non-mainstream music, listen before you buy.
- a workshop. With crafts materials, and places to work on a project. A place for welding/metal-working as well.
- Noticeboards, where people can advertise anything at all. With a jobs section.
- Maybe an area for painting/graffiti art/sculpture?
- A place to stay? Just a few rooms with bunk beds, and lockers, cheap and quiet.
- Lightning with no fluorescent lights, and no uncovered bulbs. All lighting would be behind fabric, or aimed at the ceiling. And a policy on noise/music. (If I can hear it, it's too loud.)
The idea is that in the computing section, you could talk programming, and computer gaming, and operating systems, and talk about the internet, and even computer security. In the gaming area, you could discuss the metagame for an upcoming MTG tournament, or talk about booster drafting, or discuss the results of chess competitions, or talk about other games that I can't give examples from. The room with the projector would be the place to talk anime and AMVs, and the same for the craft area, the library, etc. You could talk about anything at all, as long as the other person talks back.
As of this post, it is now a life goal of mine to create such a place in Christchurch, New Zealand. It would host the Christchurch anime tribe (which recently collapsed when the couple hosting/running it had a baby), and perhaps I could talk to Chris, who runs the Wizards Retreat gaming store. I could handle to computing side, and I know someone who'd be able to get the craft area going.I'd still be a lot of work, and require a lot of money. However, it could actually make money once started.
Once you have a central meeting place though, I could find people to run the gaming/computer/food/craft/art bits easily, because there is now a meeting place for passionate, skilled people with expertise in those areas. I think it could really work.
Here's my thoughts on you of the thing you'd want:
- a building. Reasonably central, close to public transport, large enough.
- computers. Mac hardware? running Windows XP, Linux, and Mac OSX. Programing environments, graphical art tools, word processors, music creation studio software. And headphones. Could charge for using the computers, but I don't think a pay-per-time system would work well. Maybe pay-for-access? And a small shop selling hardware/software/support.
- a projector, couches, and a sound system. For watching of anime/demos/random films/random music videos, and anything else that anyone wants to show. (Demos as in the demoscene)
- a room for tabletop gaming. Card games (like M:TG), and role playing games like D&D, as well as board games like chess. Maybe a gaming store as well?
- perhaps a small library? with books on aspergers, dyslexia, ADD, ADHD, and other differences, as well as programming, gaming, life skills, art and crafts, mechanics, social skills and other interesting/useful topics, and a fiction section focusing on science fiction/fantasy, as well as manga and comics.
- some way to get food and drink. Vending machine at the very least, possibly a small cafe? And actual food, not just coke and chips.
- plenty of couches, and places to just talk to people, as well as places with desks to just work on things, read, or think, with free paper and pens/pencils for sale.
- a counselor. Someone friendly who you can talk to with no history, no worries about them discussing your issues with other people, no disagreements. For when you just need someone to talk to. Could have the first session free, or something? Because when you want to talk to someone, you don't want to have to pay for the privilege. Preferably someone with experience working with people with aspergers.
- Perhaps a record store? specializing in non-mainstream music, listen before you buy.
- a workshop. With crafts materials, and places to work on a project. A place for welding/metal-working as well.
- Noticeboards, where people can advertise anything at all. With a jobs section.
- Maybe an area for painting/graffiti art/sculpture?
- A place to stay? Just a few rooms with bunk beds, and lockers, cheap and quiet.
- Lightning with no fluorescent lights, and no uncovered bulbs. All lighting would be behind fabric, or aimed at the ceiling. And a policy on noise/music. (If I can hear it, it's too loud.)
The idea is that in the computing section, you could talk programming, and computer gaming, and operating systems, and talk about the internet, and even computer security. In the gaming area, you could discuss the metagame for an upcoming MTG tournament, or talk about booster drafting, or discuss the results of chess competitions, or talk about other games that I can't give examples from. The room with the projector would be the place to talk anime and AMVs, and the same for the craft area, the library, etc. You could talk about anything at all, as long as the other person talks back.
As of this post, it is now a life goal of mine to create such a place in Christchurch, New Zealand. It would host the Christchurch anime tribe (which recently collapsed when the couple hosting/running it had a baby), and perhaps I could talk to Chris, who runs the Wizards Retreat gaming store. I could handle to computing side, and I know someone who'd be able to get the craft area going.I'd still be a lot of work, and require a lot of money. However, it could actually make money once started.
Once you have a central meeting place though, I could find people to run the gaming/computer/food/craft/art bits easily, because there is now a meeting place for passionate, skilled people with expertise in those areas. I think it could really work.
I am now officially interested in putting together a north american version of this. I have no experience and don't really know what I am/would be doing, but I think this is a wonderful idea that someone should start up.
28 Oct 2007, 9:31 am
I really like your ideas, -Main.
I'd add some sort of workout space- very useful with depression, as well as being an obsession of some of us- and some small, comfortable, quiet, sound insulated rooms for when people wanted to get away. .
Maybe a garden, rooftop or otherwise? Also good with depression and so forth. .
It's almost like a live version of WP. . .
How do we go about paying for this?
And where should it be?
I'd almost think it'd have to be near some sort of large urban center to get enough of us to stay in business. . .
Perhaps there could be some sort of shop selling aspie produced goods, to pay for it?
And what about the whole diagnosed/undiagnosed/let anyone issue?
_________________
And if I die before I learn to speak
will money pay for all the days I lived awake but half asleep
28 Oct 2007, 10:49 am
If we started small and put the word out, it would grow fast. One thing I noticed about the few girls who do RPG gaming is that they like to paint and decorate little monster figures to use with the gaming. I'm thinking that selling the figures but providing the paints and brushes free onsite would be a way to enjoy socializing. When you're busy doing something like painting, the conversations flow better.
If there were a place like that, I'd try and get some geeky team together hang out and brainstorm about inventions. Who knows what kinds of ideas can sprout up in a good welcoming aspy atmosphere?
_________________
Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana.
28 Oct 2007, 11:10 am
OregonBecky wrote:
If we started small and put the word out, it would grow fast. One thing I noticed about the few girls who do RPG gaming is that they like to paint and decorate little monster figures to use with the gaming. I'm thinking that selling the figures but providing the paints and brushes free onsite would be a way to enjoy socializing. When you're busy doing something like painting, the conversations flow better.
If there were a place like that, I'd try and get some geeky team together hang out and brainstorm about inventions. Who knows what kinds of ideas can sprout up in a good welcoming aspy atmosphere?
If there were a place like that, I'd try and get some geeky team together hang out and brainstorm about inventions. Who knows what kinds of ideas can sprout up in a good welcoming aspy atmosphere?
So- if starting small- what are the best parts to start with?
_________________
And if I die before I learn to speak
will money pay for all the days I lived awake but half asleep
28 Oct 2007, 11:27 am
Jainaday wrote:
OregonBecky wrote:
If we started small and put the word out, it would grow fast. One thing I noticed about the few girls who do RPG gaming is that they like to paint and decorate little monster figures to use with the gaming. I'm thinking that selling the figures but providing the paints and brushes free onsite would be a way to enjoy socializing. When you're busy doing something like painting, the conversations flow better.
If there were a place like that, I'd try and get some geeky team together hang out and brainstorm about inventions. Who knows what kinds of ideas can sprout up in a good welcoming aspy atmosphere?
If there were a place like that, I'd try and get some geeky team together hang out and brainstorm about inventions. Who knows what kinds of ideas can sprout up in a good welcoming aspy atmosphere?
So- if starting small- what are the best parts to start with?
I first thought about this because the guy who started a card gaming place by my house loved gaming so much that he thought that his business idea would take off. When I asked him about who was showing up for the games, he said almost all guys and mostly people along the spectrum. He had a web site for game times. Sometimes people just came in to hang out or do homework. He didn't intend it to be just a hangout place but he realized that these kindtred spirits had found a place to go. Then he added sci-fi books. His business was by a college. He sponsored gamers at the college. It was a real aspy group from the college.
He had to quit the business because he was alone doing it and his wife was quitting her job because she was having a baby. But we talked about what natural ways the business would grow.
There are AS guys who can't get jobs who would get voc rehab money that would go to a business that would help train them. I told the social worker that those kinds of guys are exactly the kind a business like this would hire as dungeon masters and hanging around to teach and play games. The social worker said that it would be an answer to their problems about letting down aspies because they don't have much for them.
As I said, my family would jump into this business in a minute because my husband works from home. Taking a laptop to the business and continuing his contract work would work but we have a needy autie daughter who has to have some problems solved. Since my husband and I plan to spend the rest of our lives creating lives for our kids that give them the best chances, I suspect we'll get into this business soon.
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richardbenson
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31 Oct 2007, 1:12 pm
I think this is an excellent idea. Having a place that would attract people on the spectrum without necessarily being aimed directly at them. I have a 16 year girl on my case load who fights being an AS kid and doesn't want the label. Having some place where there were other people who were interested in the same things, but not necessarily aimed at the label, would be fantastic for her. It needs to be about the common interests and not the dx.
Me, myself, I'm dying to meet with other grown up AS kids and find out how their lives are going. It seems we have such a variation in success. Me, I'm stuck being underpaid for my knowledge, expertise, and education. But others seem to have made quite a niche for themselves. It would be good to have someplace to go where we can all be happy in our own weirdity so to speak and enjoy the weirdities of others.
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I've got them in my garden now
And you're not welcome here" ---Poe
31 Oct 2007, 1:36 pm
Kateyjane wrote:
I think this is an excellent idea. Having a place that would attract people on the spectrum without necessarily being aimed directly at them. I have a 16 year girl on my case load who fights being an AS kid and doesn't want the label. Having some place where there were other people who were interested in the same things, but not necessarily aimed at the label, would be fantastic for her. It needs to be about the common interests and not the dx.
Me, myself, I'm dying to meet with other grown up AS kids and find out how their lives are going. It seems we have such a variation in success. Me, I'm stuck being underpaid for my knowledge, expertise, and education. But others seem to have made quite a niche for themselves. It would be good to have someplace to go where we can all be happy in our own weirdity so to speak and enjoy the weirdities of others.
Me, myself, I'm dying to meet with other grown up AS kids and find out how their lives are going. It seems we have such a variation in success. Me, I'm stuck being underpaid for my knowledge, expertise, and education. But others seem to have made quite a niche for themselves. It would be good to have someplace to go where we can all be happy in our own weirdity so to speak and enjoy the weirdities of others.
A real place like that is way better than a support group where the main message is we're all broken. Yestreday I told a friend that it was like a gay bar, except it's an aspy bar. It got a big laugh out of her.
As for not being paid for your knowledge, the smartest people I know are aspies and most of them are not getting the chance to make the most of what they can do. We can do more to help each other. My husband and I have lived long enough now to learn a lot from our own screw ups and phobias and owning a business and raising an aspie and an autie to have figured out some stuff. There are a lot of us out there. All different ages, skills and wisdoms.
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mmaestro
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31 Oct 2007, 1:39 pm
My concern about this, and I've worked in a gaming store and a comics store, is keeping it afloat. All nice ideas, and I'd love to have such a club to go to, but I'm not convinced you could make it profitable, at least not past one individual focus. Card gaming doesn't require a huge amount of space, if you're in a location where you can afford at least enough for some gaming tables, it's probably the best idea, and the gaming store I used to work at in retrospect must've had its fair share of aspies and more. But they were always skirting on the edge of profitability, and eventually went bankrupt. The comics store ended up increasing its focus more and more on toys to remain profitable, and of course that turned it into an environment most aspies wouldn't be comfortable in.
I once had an idea of owning a 2 level bar, one just a normal, British style pub, with an upstairs function room and gaming center attached. With sufficient soundproofing, this idea might work. You have the comfortable, mostly quiet except for weekends and some evenings, bar which is where you make your money (I think, for a really profitable business, you need a lot of NTs, sorry guys), and then your separate area with all the geek/aspie stuff. This wouldn't work so well in the US with its very restrictive alcohol laws though.
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31 Oct 2007, 2:09 pm
mmaestro wrote:
My concern about this, and I've worked in a gaming store and a comics store, is keeping it afloat. All nice ideas, and I'd love to have such a club to go to, but I'm not convinced you could make it profitable, at least not past one individual focus. Card gaming doesn't require a huge amount of space, if you're in a location where you can afford at least enough for some gaming tables, it's probably the best idea, and the gaming store I used to work at in retrospect must've had its fair share of aspies and more. But they were always skirting on the edge of profitability, and eventually went bankrupt. The comics store ended up increasing its focus more and more on toys to remain profitable, and of course that turned it into an environment most aspies wouldn't be comfortable in.
I once had an idea of owning a 2 level bar, one just a normal, British style pub, with an upstairs function room and gaming center attached. With sufficient soundproofing, this idea might work. You have the comfortable, mostly quiet except for weekends and some evenings, bar which is where you make your money (I think, for a really profitable business, you need a lot of NTs, sorry guys), and then your separate area with all the geek/aspie stuff. This wouldn't work so well in the US with its very restrictive alcohol laws though.
I once had an idea of owning a 2 level bar, one just a normal, British style pub, with an upstairs function room and gaming center attached. With sufficient soundproofing, this idea might work. You have the comfortable, mostly quiet except for weekends and some evenings, bar which is where you make your money (I think, for a really profitable business, you need a lot of NTs, sorry guys), and then your separate area with all the geek/aspie stuff. This wouldn't work so well in the US with its very restrictive alcohol laws though.
Perhaps it could be a nonprofit? Which sells things to pay rent?
Happier tax status, and quite legit. . . plus, that opens up other fundraising possibilities. .
_________________
And if I die before I learn to speak
will money pay for all the days I lived awake but half asleep
01 Nov 2007, 1:45 am
mmaestro wrote:
My concern about this, and I've worked in a gaming store and a comics store, is keeping it afloat. All nice ideas, and I'd love to have such a club to go to, but I'm not convinced you could make it profitable, at least not past one individual focus. Card gaming doesn't require a huge amount of space, if you're in a location where you can afford at least enough for some gaming tables, it's probably the best idea, and the gaming store I used to work at in retrospect must've had its fair share of aspies and more. But they were always skirting on the edge of profitability, and eventually went bankrupt. The comics store ended up increasing its focus more and more on toys to remain profitable, and of course that turned it into an environment most aspies wouldn't be comfortable in.
I once had an idea of owning a 2 level bar, one just a normal, British style pub, with an upstairs function room and gaming center attached. With sufficient soundproofing, this idea might work. You have the comfortable, mostly quiet except for weekends and some evenings, bar which is where you make your money (I think, for a really profitable business, you need a lot of NTs, sorry guys), and then your separate area with all the geek/aspie stuff. This wouldn't work so well in the US with its very restrictive alcohol laws though.
I once had an idea of owning a 2 level bar, one just a normal, British style pub, with an upstairs function room and gaming center attached. With sufficient soundproofing, this idea might work. You have the comfortable, mostly quiet except for weekends and some evenings, bar which is where you make your money (I think, for a really profitable business, you need a lot of NTs, sorry guys), and then your separate area with all the geek/aspie stuff. This wouldn't work so well in the US with its very restrictive alcohol laws though.
The guys I knew who ran gaming stores did it alone and were overwhelmed by the not-so-fun parts of running a business, like accounting. If there were a team willing to donate time and if there were a way to sell things on the web it would bring in money. In addition, the aspies who are in some kind of program in Oregon that I don't quite understand, who need to get out and live life, if there is a place for then to socialize, the state pays $37 just to have then hang out for a few hours. The state pays more money and provides mentors it you help aspies learn how to do a job.
The great thing about the state paying the place to have aspies just hang out provides gamers for people who walk in and hope that there's somebody else to play with.
Also, fun stimmy toys sold on the web for auties could be a side job for the business. When it's slow, work on the orders from the web. We could find a customer base pretty easily. A friend told me that if there were a web site that sold fun stim toys for auties that weren't referred to as "therapy toys" he'd buy a bunch of them and feel like a hero when he visited a couple who just had their autie kid diagnosed.
Finally, if we think about what aspy girls like and bring them in, it's a new customer base. Those gaming places are almost all boys. It's the anime' and painting of the mythical figures that, I think, would attract girls.
_________________
Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana.
01 Nov 2007, 12:26 pm
What would be a good name for this place. I suggested "A Puff of Logic" because I love Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy and Nethack where I see that cool phrase but someone suggested that people would think it's a smoke shop. Then I wondered if I could call it Stim City without getting the Sim City folks after me with a lawsuit.
_________________
Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana.
01 Nov 2007, 5:13 pm
OregonBecky wrote:
mmaestro wrote:
My concern about this, and I've worked in a gaming store and a comics store, is keeping it afloat. All nice ideas, and I'd love to have such a club to go to, but I'm not convinced you could make it profitable, at least not past one individual focus. Card gaming doesn't require a huge amount of space, if you're in a location where you can afford at least enough for some gaming tables, it's probably the best idea, and the gaming store I used to work at in retrospect must've had its fair share of aspies and more. But they were always skirting on the edge of profitability, and eventually went bankrupt. The comics store ended up increasing its focus more and more on toys to remain profitable, and of course that turned it into an environment most aspies wouldn't be comfortable in.
I once had an idea of owning a 2 level bar, one just a normal, British style pub, with an upstairs function room and gaming center attached. With sufficient soundproofing, this idea might work. You have the comfortable, mostly quiet except for weekends and some evenings, bar which is where you make your money (I think, for a really profitable business, you need a lot of NTs, sorry guys), and then your separate area with all the geek/aspie stuff. This wouldn't work so well in the US with its very restrictive alcohol laws though.
I once had an idea of owning a 2 level bar, one just a normal, British style pub, with an upstairs function room and gaming center attached. With sufficient soundproofing, this idea might work. You have the comfortable, mostly quiet except for weekends and some evenings, bar which is where you make your money (I think, for a really profitable business, you need a lot of NTs, sorry guys), and then your separate area with all the geek/aspie stuff. This wouldn't work so well in the US with its very restrictive alcohol laws though.
The guys I knew who ran gaming stores did it alone and were overwhelmed by the not-so-fun parts of running a business, like accounting. If there were a team willing to donate time and if there were a way to sell things on the web it would bring in money. In addition, the aspies who are in some kind of program in Oregon that I don't quite understand, who need to get out and live life, if there is a place for then to socialize, the state pays $37 just to have then hang out for a few hours. The state pays more money and provides mentors it you help aspies learn how to do a job.
The great thing about the state paying the place to have aspies just hang out provides gamers for people who walk in and hope that there's somebody else to play with.
Also, fun stimmy toys sold on the web for auties could be a side job for the business. When it's slow, work on the orders from the web. We could find a customer base pretty easily. A friend told me that if there were a web site that sold fun stim toys for auties that weren't referred to as "therapy toys" he'd buy a bunch of them and feel like a hero when he visited a couple who just had their autie kid diagnosed.
Finally, if we think about what aspy girls like and bring them in, it's a new customer base. Those gaming places are almost all boys. It's the anime' and painting of the mythical figures that, I think, would attract girls.
Also fantasy whatnot and cosplay. . .
_________________
And if I die before I learn to speak
will money pay for all the days I lived awake but half asleep
