Getting to know each other, Dino-style

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What is your first name? Anne Marie

Age: 55

Location: Los Angeles

Current perseverations: Email, Aspergers, Rachmaninoff's 2nd piano concerto, David Cook's "Billie Jean"

When did you discover AS? Started realizing I had it about a month ago. Diagnosed by Alex last week.

Do you have other psych diagnoses? Insomnia (depression years ago)

Do you have a degree? BA in English; graduate school in English and Publishing; some programming, business

Kids? No. Helping my adult niece and nephew get on their feet.

Job? Technical writer for an engineering firm.

Favorite music: Classical, blues, swing, country--Rachmaninoff's 2ndPC, Bach(I used to play the Anna Magdalena notebook for the piano--I forget how now), BBKing, Count Basie, The Mavericks, David Cook's Billie Jean, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Garth Brook's The Dance and I Got Friends in Low Places, Count Basie and Frank Sinatra's Fly Me to the Moon, Eminem's Lose Yourself and Cleaning out My Closet, Arias from Verdi's Il Pagliacci (Si Puo and Ridi Pagliacci)

Favorite movies: The Last Samurai, Mozart and The Whale, The Dresser, Ordinary People, Kurosawa, Borne Identity, 8 Mile....

Relationship with significant other, past or present? Not now. Married 20 years ago. Boyfriend 4 years ago.

Plans for the future? Studying Zen, dancing, hiking, seeing California.

Anything else pertinent: I'm happiest in jeans and sneakers.

Last edited by WonderWoman on 05 Jun 2008, 11:32 am, edited 2 times in total.

What is your first name? Sunfell

Age: 47

Location: USA

Current perseverations: I prefer to call them Special Interests. Science, science fiction, cats, cooking, gardening, computers, internet, internet culture, blogging

When did you discover AS? I learned about it while researching gifted adults. I do not have a formal diagnosis, since I am an adult, and apparently most psych-docs think it's a kid's thing.

Do you have other psych diagnoses? Seasonal Affective Disorder

Do you have a degree? Associates in Communications Electronics

Kids? Heck, no.

Favorite music? Stuff you've probably never heard of- lots of electronica, dance, trance, new age, lounge, world, space music, chill, jazz, etc.

Job? Computer tech

Relationship with significant other, past or present? none

Plans for the future? Own a home

Anything else you feel is pertinent: When I was a kid, I was tested as gifted, and considered an oddball. Today, they'd consider me autistic, and consider me damaged and in need of drugs. I am really glad that Aspies did not exist when I was a kid. Childhood and youth was rough, but I survived it.

I'm 55 and just discovered I have it. Now I know that the gifted thing comes with the painful stuff, and I can learn the social skills--I'm looking forward to the best of both worlds now. Hope you are too.

What is your first name? Sara

Age: 40

Location: NE US

Current perseverations: labor, workers collectives, syndicalism, hounds, dogs, poverty issues

When did you discover AS? I was diagnosed a year ago.

Do you have psych diagnoses? Depression

I have a number of neurological diagnoses besides Apergers:
Dysgraphia, dyscalculaia (someone just told me that these 2 are part of what's now called NVLD)
ADD
Executive Functioning issues
Epilepsy

Do you have a degree? Newly earned BA in Labor Studies

Kids? No. Dog dependent though

Favorite music: I'm very eclectic

Job? Unemployed, seeking to get on Disability (SSDI)

Relationship with significant other, past or present? Been 10 years since I've had a GF

Plans for the future? Right now the future is a week away. I want to have a child.

Anything else you feel is pertinent:

My only/older sibling is severely autistic. We are estranged. Until very recently my issues were overlooked because he is so much more disabled than I, I believe because having 2 X-cromesomes saved me from being another him.

What is your first name? Brent

Age: 34

Location: Brisbane, Qld, Australia

Current perseverations: Marking the main bus routes in my street atlas. Designing a schematic of the main bus routes. Australian cars exported to apartheid-era South Africa. Finding out the release date of every song I hear.

When did you discover AS? An article in the local rag in 1993. However, I went into denial until reading another article in May 2002, which led to an official diagnosis (by a clinical psychologist who's worked with Tony Attwood, 2 June 2003), plus meeting fellow Aspies

Do you have other psych diagnoses? Social phobia (as of the late '90s); clinical depression

Favorite music, other than NIN A huge varietty - mainly from the '70s and '80s, plus some classical music. Pink Floyd, early Bowie, Brian Eno, early Roxy Music, Sparks, 10cc, ABBA, ELO, Supertramp, Elton John, Nick Drake, John Cale's Paris 1919, Television, The Saints, Buzzcocks, XTC, Madness, The Specials, the Smiths, Blur, King Crimson's debut album, Schubert symphonies, Mozart, Bach (especially organ works)...

Job? Printer/machinist, mostly thermal-transfer for a particular courier company's pre-paid coupons

What is your first name? jen

Age: 26

Location: toronto

Current perseverations: photography, reading, gaming, producing music

When did you discover AS? ironically, i dated someone with AS many years ago but never made the connection until recently

Do you have other psych diagnoses? i have had other DXs, but i think only social anxiety and the occasional depression is present now... which i think goes along with the territory of AS

Do you have a degree? no, i left school because i couldn't concentrate/keep up with the curriculum

Kids? no, no plans to either

Favorite music, other than NIN: haha i don't like NIN anymore. maybe when i was 13! i enjoy shoegaze and the occasional white noise

Job? creative director: graphic design/computer programmer

Relationship with significant other, past or present? aside from the person mentioned above, i've dated NTs in an attempt to merge myself with society but ultimately failed.. i'm sort of glad i did

Plans for the future? i want to get some of my photography into local galleries and perhaps tour again in the fall

Anything else you feel is pertinent: i don't know... does anyone else game?

First name -- private. I'm Catana on most sites.

Age -- 71, which may make me the oldest person around here.

Perseverations -- still not sure exactly how that differs from obsessions, but mine is lifelong -- undrstanding the human mind.

Discovered AS -- three or fours years ago, but didn't think of it as being relevant to me personally until a couple of years ago. Self-diagnosed. Uncertain about it until I started dredging up my childhood. No uncertainties now, even though my Aspie traits are very mild, and I can pass for NT.

Other DXs -- depression (official), ADD (self-dx), possibly BP II (suggested by therapist, but never explored)

Family -- widow with two grown sons.

Degrees -- none. Couldn't stand school or college. Pretty much an autodidact.

Plans for the future -- finish analyzing and explaining intellectual giftedness, keep working on same for Aspie intelligence.

What is your first name? Sarah

Age: 22

Location: New Jersey

Current perseverations: Knitting, relationships/social skills, maps, mental health, linux, religion

When did you discover AS? When I was 8 or 9, my younger brother was in the process of being diagnosed. He is actually autistic, but there were a lot of books about asperger's lying around the house, and I liked to read a lot as a kid...

Do you have other psych diagnoses? Bipolar I, possibly Borderline Personality Disorder (no, you shouldn't be scared...)

Do you have a degree? I'm a dropout

Kids? Nope, and not planning on any

Favorite music, other than NIN Infected Mushroom, Shpongle, The Beatles

Job? Administrative Assistant in a warehouse

Relationship with significant other, past or present? I'm married and in a polyamorous relationship. Our network includes a triad (my husband and myself with a partner in common), and another couple (things are still evolving in that area).

Plans for the future? Moving to NYC and possibly having a group living situation. Learning everything I can.

Anything else you feel is pertinent: I'm going to give this area of the wrongplanet forums a try as I have been frustrated with the general lack of focus on actual coping skills. I'm looking to talk to other aspies who HAVE been able to function in life, so I can learn from them and further improve my own set of behaviors and coping skills.

What is your first name? Luc

Age: 20

Location: Ottawa

Current perseverations: Rowing, mental health to some degree, and cars are still lingering

When did you discover AS? december '07, a psych said he noticed AS traits, i looked into it, thought it was me, saw a specialist last month who diagnosed me

Do you have other psych diagnoses? ADHD

Do you have a degree? Not yet

Kids? not that i know of i'd like some eventually

Favorite music, other than NIN Laughing

Job? yes, summer job and i hate it

Relationship with significant other, past or present? had friends with benefits, no girlfriends

Plans for the future? school, military (as an engineering officer of some sort), explore the world, stuff

Anything else you feel is pertinent: "I like turtles"

What is your first name? John

Age? 37

Location? California, USA, but originally from the UK

Current perseverations: collecting radio drama and comedy programmes, reading, the weather (can we have something other than hot and sunny, please! ), looking for work

When did you discover AS? First heard about it in 1999, realised I had most of the symptoms in 2007, though not diagnosed

Do you have any other psych diagnoses? Suffered depression in the past, but no official diagnoses

Do you have a degree? BA Honours in Modern Languages

Kids? No thanks

Favourite music: Swing, 50s/60s pop, anything else that takes my fancy

Job? Not at the mo, but have had an offer of some casual work starting in September

Relationships with significant other: Was single for a long time, now happily married

Plans for the future: Get a good full-time job, move to a larger place, get back and visit the family in the UK

Anything else you think is pertinent:

What is your first name? John

Age: 29

Location: Boiling Springs, PA

Current perseverations: I'm a cranky old bastard at 29

When did you discover AS? I was diagnosed at age 27

Do you have other psych diagnoses? nope

Do you have a degree? no

Kids? not yet, that I know of.

Favorite music, other than NIN Old punk, not the mtv crap, rock, country pre Nash-Vegas, alternative

Job? I am a Master Automotive Technician and Advanced Automotive Diagnostician

Relationship with significant other, past or present? Last one wanted to play mind games. She's now has two kids by two different people and we're both single

Plans for the future? Get my truck running, continue working,

Anything else you feel is pertinent: I race cars and play miniature wargames. I also volunteer in living history projects keeping old tech running.

What is your first name? Melody

Age: 39

Location: Sacramento area, moving to Seattle area in a couple of weeks

Current perseverations: learning about aspergers, learning communiation/social networking skills, software, project management

When did you discover AS? School recommended my son be evaulated. I looked into it and discovered myself described as well.

Do you have other psych diagnoses? No

Do you have a degree? B.S. Comp Sci

Kids? 2 - one daughter starting college this year and on her own, one teenage son with likely AS

Favorite music, other than NIN top 40

Job? IT Project Management

Relationship with significant other, past or present? I'm widowed after a decade of being a spousal caregiver. Now I'm working on figuring out who I am.

Plans for the future? Starting my new job and moving to Seattle. Will have to do the exhausting work to establish a personal and professional network.

Anything else you feel is pertinent:
Would love to talk to other Aspies in Seattle. I'm new at this and trying to find helpful resources.

Now that I know (think) that I have AS I am very proud of myself for taking care of my husband through a long difficult illness, all while working full-time and raising my kids. My internal resources were utterly exhaused and I'm in the process of repairing myself and preparing for the future.

Hello Folks.

I am a 47-year-old married man who was a late talker (age 5 1/2), diagnosed with a lot of things, yet nothing conclusive. I was the type, later in childhood, who would ask a fat person why he/she is fat. I am stlll so befuddled by the interpretation of "social signals" that I frequently feel dizzy and anxious, and thereby make "social mistakes." I compensate by adopting a "happy-go-lucky" persona--perhaps equivalent, without the abuse from kings, with a "court jester." Court jesters, it should be noted, were often the trusted confidants of kings.

I have been employed for the past 27 1/2 years in a civil service position related to data entry.
I was fortunate to obtain this position, which requires little contact with the public. I dress much better than I used to, in clothes that are clean and that blend appropriately--I just don't like dealing with the public too often!

I have a Bachelor's Degree in Speech Pathology/English. I'm considering going for an Masters in Social Work (MSW), so I could help people in the autistic spectrum lead independent lives.

I have lived independently for the past 27 years, making many minor mistakes, a few somewhat serious ones (not criminal, though!)--yet I still survive and persevere.

I know about the "mass media," and sometimes engage myself in it--but my preference is for discussions about such things as the evolution of our species, the history of the world (both geological and human), sports (objectively, without bias for a specific team). I enjoy the Olympics because it shows a wide variety of sports from different countries. I'm proud to be an American, but I love other nationalities just as much! I engage in 'small talk," but don't really enjoy it; it puts me in a depressed state.

I am 5 foot 5, about 175 lbs, with sandy hair, blue eyes, and a desire to run the marathon again-- like I did in the mid 1990's. Right now, I could probably run about 3 miles or so, if I run really slow--I need to train!

I hope everybody has a nice day.

I'm the one who posted the previous reply, yet didn't answer the pertinent questions. Here are my answers:

Name: Don

Age: 47

Location: Queens, New York City

Current pervervations: NOAA Weather, Wikipedia, Alaska Webcams, biting fingernails, banging my head when frustrated.

Degree: BA in Speech Pathology/English

Kids: Heck no! I'd ruin a kid!

When I found out about Asperger's: As a speech-pathology student about 8 years ago

Diagnosis: Inconclusive, but I definitely have and had autistic and Asperger's features. Impulse control is much better than before. Still like to look at the World Almanac, still obsessed with "facts" rather than the "creative essence" of the thing, though I love Ralph Waldo Emerson's idea of the Eye/"I". Not really that great at understanding idioms.

Job: 27 1/2 years as a civil servant data entry typist

Marital Status: Married (she tolerates me, but is irritated. I tolerate her, but am irritated--a nice even balance!)

Have a nice day, folks.

What is your first name? Peter

Age: 56

Location: Adelaide, South Australia

Current perseverations: Surviving late aspergers diagnosis

When did you discover AS? 2004

Do you have other psych diagnoses? No. Staying clear of the psych profession was a priority, at least until the mother of my children put a knife in my back and I found myself afraid to go outside.

Do you have a degree? Got myself an MBA as a 50th birthday present. Used to perseverate about the "academic illusion", but reality caught up with me.

Kids? Two boys - 28 and 26 year old. The younger is self-diagnosed AS, but the jury's still out

Favorite music, other than NIN: Clapton, Grateful Dead, Keith Jarrett...

Job? Software engineer (what else?)

Relationship with significant other, past or present? Yes

Plans for the future? Surviving?

Anything else you feel is pertinent:

What is your first name? Katy

Age: 25

Location: Seattle, WA

Current perseverations: My family, My fiancee, the internets, coffee and my "stories"

When did you discover AS? While trying to figure out "what was wrong with me" about a year ago

Do you have other psych diagnoses? Depression, Nonverbal Learning Disability, social phobia, ADHD.

Do you have a degree? Nope, 3 time collage dropout

Kids? someday.

Favorite music, other than NIN Laughing: anything i like

Job? full time volunteer in a transitional home for those with mental illness who are being released from the hospital and are in danger of becoming homeless

Relationship with significant other, past or present? One and only relationship with my wonderful fiancee, 5+ years now, more if you count the years we were crazy about each other before we met in person.

Plans for the future? Get married, have a family, and just be happy! the rest will sort itself out.

Anything else you feel is pertinent: Olives!