What's your current obsession?

Post Reply New Topic

Prior Interests
Madonna (This is so embarrassing and I'm over it. I can still discuss her sociological impact and the manner in which she inoculated the masses to her own viral meme but I won't turn every conversation into being about Madonna. Well I don't do that anymore. )
Octopi
Hippos ( I tried to convince my then Boyfriend we could build them a moat outside our apartment they could live in.)
punk rock
Gaelic I still enjoy this and dabble in it but it is on hiatus
Egyptology
Mythology
Behavioral Science
Human Evolution especially brain evolution.
Art (also on hiatus. I went to art school but the critiques I got were "It looks like something done by an institutionalized child." Gee, thanks.)

I'm in between interests now which has me kind of down. I'm happier when I'm engaged in an interest. I am starting to get into the following.

Superheroes (again. I've noticed my conversation are trying to turn everything into being about superheroes so I've got to watch that.)
Wind up toys especially robots.
Robots run by electronics.
Robots generally.
Computers and computer hardware
Comics
TV shows about paranormal investigation (I just did a four hour marathon of this). I always wonder if it is really haunted or is this person having a fight with their imaginary friend.

I think its strange that I can list some off for my boyfriend much easier than for myself. I don't think about it. These things are just part of me. The only thing I can really say is that the central point to my studies has been a combination of math, and wanting to know everything.

Anyways, to try to more usefully answer the question...

The list of things which currently have largest affect on my life is as follows:
Mathematical Logic
History and Philosophy of Math
Improving math education
Kayaking
Kindles and other ereaders
History and Culture of Finland
Turtles, primarily sea turtles
Fantasy Novels (often specific ones, but it varies)

At the current moment I'd say the Math, and Kindles are the most visible and strongest. However, between those listed, its prone to change based off of circumstances, though at heart I'm a mathematician who has strong feelings about the subject.

Past strongest memories:
The Hobbit
FIRST robotics

The sun and space weather

I'm a bit between interests at the moment - have been playing World of Warcraft a lot, but I think it's more because I can't work out what else to do with myself at the moment. I was for a while pretty obsessed by it, but I am ready to move on now.

Past obsessions have included:

Halloween (planning a themed party)
Peru & Spanish language
Insurance
Harry Potter fan fiction
Cooking and preserving (I come back to this one regularly!)
Sewing (particularly homewares - cushions, quilts etc.)\
Gardening (only edible things generally)

Currently I'm obsessed with several things:
-Battlefield Bad Company 2, computer game
-horse training
-finding the best education for my pre-schooler

Previously, in chronological order with ages, the gap is college when I had no time for hobbies:
-firetrucks 3-4
-camping 4-7
-fishing 7-10
-trombone 10-13
-naval aircraft 13-15
-learning German 15-16
-bass guitar 17-18
-emergency medicine, EMT 18
-motorcycles 25-27
-guns, shooting and reloading 26-33
-jujutsu 30-35
-knife making/forging/welding 33
-guitars 33-36

I think that about covers it. I retain a better than "cocktail party" knowledge on any of these subjects. Seriously, don't get me started on any of them unless you have time. Also, don't argue any points on any of them, you will lose.

Aspie enough for you?

my current obsessions and interests:

harry potter - 4 years
weather - 15+ years
animals - 15+ years
weapons - 15+ years (when I am not being separated from my weapons for the craziness that is my mind, I collect them. currently my father has my daggers and swords and guns hidden, and my therapist has my knives)
seinfeld - 15+ years
2.5 men - 1 year
becker - 3 years
the internet - 15 years.
message boards - 10 years
psychology - 4 years

Fish keeping (water quality, breeding, testing, plants, etc)
Collecting expensive, natural fiber, OOAK yarn
Crocheting
Baking
Taking things apart with my son
Psychology
AS
Dogs [cats are too stupid] (foods, training, allergies/intolerances, diets, raw feeding, etc)
Momentary obsession with hunting squirrel which was brought on by-
Veggie gardening
Conscientious parenting, child education, early child experience
My past, my neurosis/talents
Thyroid disease/Health and Wellness/Diet
How to live in the most conscientious way/Buddhism
StarTrek
Twin Peaks (Special Agent Dale Cooper is my hero)
Mercedes Lackey, Valdemar Series
Elizabeth Haydon, Rhapsody Series
Dave Matthews Band

Harmony

I did not really have any childhood obsessions other than "Why do I hurt so much?" and "How can I make it stop?" Otherwise I do not recall. I know I picked a lot of grass, dug a lot of holes and stole a bunch of lunch box pudding, all of which got me in gobs of trouble. I liked lining things up, connecting things together with string and ribbons, and squishing myself into small places, hiding. Oh and asking lots of questions about everything.

"What's that?"
As my stepmom snapped it under my nose, "Smelling salt."

"Dad, how big is a gram?"
"About the size of a raisin."

/Sigh


And as a young adult,
Ethics,
Other peoples personal issues,
Chemistry
How to stay cool in the heat
Everquest (Cause I'm oldschool awesome)
And how to perfectly manage my meager income. (<$10k/year)

Do I want to live to see another sunrise.

My current obsession is my research on sex, sexuality and gender identity in ASD. We know next to nothing about this area of Aspie life and it bugs me that it's been overlooked when there are obviously unaddressed issues amongst our kind in these areas.

If you haven't already and you're interested in helping out, I am running an online survey and you could win an iPad2 or one of many $20 iTunes or Amazon.com vouchers for your time and effort. Oh, and there will be a free and very comprehensive (20 0dd pages) report of the results available to all who opt to receive it!

This research has full ethical clearance and your responses are anonymous, secure and untraceable. I'm hoping not just the youngsters opt to do the study, but I get some of the more mature perspective on sex and gender too.

I don't want to cross-post and tick off a mod, so if you want more details about where to access the online survey, head over to the "Adult Autism issues" forum and my post is entitled "Sex, sexuality and gender identity in ASD: A study!" There is also a facebook page of called "Sex, Sexuality and Gender Identity Study" with more info and links to the survey webpage.

Anyone over 18 can participate regardless of your neurological status, location, gender, or sexual preference, or sexual experience!

Yup, obsessed with getting a large, representative sample right now

How come no one has said "Mortgages?" Cause I really could use some information on that.

Because no one thinks they are interesting or fun. No one, NT, Aspie or otherwise.

Find someone who can recommend a broker, that's my best advice. Get a broker you trust.

Ha, not sure what I will do about that yet. I have a suggestion but research tells me they are more expensive than others.

Anyone else careful about what they start researching because of the potential to turn into an "interest?"

Tim Burton's movies - Specifically: Alice in Wonderland, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Edward Scissorhands and Sweeney Todd. This interest was very strong when it first developed last year, though the intensity has diminished since then. However, I have found that I am much too emotionally involved with it to let it go completely. I may just be a fan for life.

Anime - I have been a fan of Japanese animation since I was 8 years old. It started with Pokemon and expanded from there. Though the series I obsess over change every couple of years, my love of anime itself never completely dies out. Although it did go on hiatus throughout last year because I thought that if I was obsessed with live-action movies, that meant that I had outgrown anime. But oh, how wrong I was! Now I'm back to embracing my inner anime geek. There's absolutely no question that I am a fan for life!

Comics (ongoing although I am beginning to get bored with this)
Punk Muisc (3-4 years)
Sci fi (a couple of years)
Buffy ( 1 Year) (Bought all the dvds's, books, comics. Now they just sit on a shelf)
Board games (15 years)

Capitals of African nations.