Help me I have no clue what he is thinking.
In am in love with a guy with mild aspie/love shyess. I posted here before, and I thought things had been progressing but he is now sending me mixed signals.
So here is the story,
I have met him few months through church, and so we would chat not every sunday but at least twice a month on Sundays after the mass. He is a musician, so I went to his concert once.
I had told him how wonderful he is in his music, and he told me he was very happy to play for me. For the last couple of months, we had some deep conversations about family, life, death and spirituality. He told me about his parents and his sisters, I told him about my family and my anxiety issues.
I thought everything was going well between us and that next I would expect to move to romantic level.
It seems like it is not a problem of him not reading my signs, but he DOES not know what to do with it.
He also seems like he has some days he is comfortable talking with me with good eye contact and some days just really self-conscious and makes inappropriate face expressions.
Last time, he told me that his sister would love to visit my country and that he has another hobboy like he paints. So definitely he seems interested in me because he tells me about himself, but body language was telling me that he was so uncomfortable and nervous with me. I didn't know what to do, and he just left saying he has to go....
I asked him to go to a concert in April, but he refused saying he is not in town at that moment.
Maybe I am pushing too hard? but really he is sending me all the signals. I am not stupid, I have had quite a lot of experience with men, but this is really confusing. Should I grab his hands next time I see him? He already knows I like him, so that's out of the way, but he seems uncomfortable around me on certain days. I was thinking of writing him an E mail of how I feel about him, the qualities that i find attractive etc.
I just don't want to appear so desperate, but I have to push otherwise he won't initiate anything. Even though some days he managed to approach me and talk to me.
Please help me here.
Speaking for myself, I would not get the signals. You would have to tell me flat out or do something like kissing me. That's the only times I've known that a woman has liked me, and I'm in my 30s, not a teenager. So I can feel for your frustration about it. But being an aspie can sometimes make communicating intentions a very direct and potentially embarrassing process. If you are better at expressing yourself in written form, or if it will make it less embarrassing for you, you can always try the letter/card route. I hope that I could help and I wish you luck.
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sinsboldly
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Joined: 21 Nov 2006
Gender: Female
Posts: 13,488
Location: Bandon-by-the-Sea, Oregon
that is exactly what we (people with AS) say about everyone else. He has no idea what YOU are thinking, either. That is why it is such good advice the other members are giving you about being utterly blunt and honest and don't play around at hints or nudges. Say plainly what you think and they will tell you plainly what they think. It takes a lot of 'romance' out of it, but then . . welcome to how our minds work.
Merle
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Alis volat propriis
State Motto of Oregon
It sounds like he is aware at some level that you fancy him, but perhaps isn't as aware of his own feelings. He may be freaking out a bit inside and would rather keep things on a friendship level, at least for the moment.
My advice would be to keep him as a friend and leave it at that, He does not sound mature enough for a relationship.
Here's what you'll wanna do if you expect to get anywhere:
Be blunt. Ridiculously blunt. It may feel stupid, but if you want to hug him, say "I've been wanting to hug you. Can I hug you?", or perhaps he might be more comfortable if you ask "would you hug me?", to which he might say "yes" and do nothing, to which you may have to prompt him with a "please do". Be blunt and literal. The worst thing that could happen is he might say "no", and then at least you'll know.
This is just an example, of course, but my point is that for him to know what you're thinking, you may have to tell him exactly what you're thinking. For him to know what you want, you may have to tell him exactly, word for word, what it is that you want. Chances are he just doesn't feel comfortable making assumptions, no matter how likely he is to be right.
Be blunt. Ridiculously blunt. It may feel stupid, but if you want to hug him, say "I've been wanting to hug you. Can I hug you?"
Going to just go ahead and reiterate here what everyone else has been suggesting... Absolutely be straightforward with your thoughts. The man that I am taken with has Asperger's, and our ability to just be entirely direct with each other has been a saving grace on countless occasions! I have always been a very frank person myself (told it is both my greatest quality AND worst flaw), but if you are not used to sharing your thoughts so freely, it might just take some practice and patience.
If he seems uncomfortable, why not ask him if he is, and if there is anything that you two could do to make him feel more comfortable? Also, I wouldn't be worried about 'seeming desperate." No such thing is implied by simply demonstrating an interest in someone. As far as feeling the need to push him, in the assumption that he won't initiate anything? You'd be surprised... If you come out and tell him that you are interested, but that you are happy to take things at whatever pace suits him, that could make him feel all the more comfortable right there! And again, if you have any difficulty in speaking your mind to him, an email would be a wonderful option.
sinsboldly
Veteran
Joined: 21 Nov 2006
Gender: Female
Posts: 13,488
Location: Bandon-by-the-Sea, Oregon
we are talking about Aspie guys, here. Aspie guys and NT gals. The question was how do I know what he is thinking.
I remember watching movies and the hero would look into the heroine's eyes and (to me) then inexplicably be bonded and in love and then act as a couple for the rest of the movie. I used to think that was "just Hollywood" because when I looked into the eyes of a guy I was attracted to I saw . . . his eyes. And that was it. Now that I know I have AS and can't read facial expressions or body language, I intellectually understand that there was non verbal information passed through that look between the hero and the heroine that green lighted the bonding, etc.
So if you want to make an Aspie dudes day, LET HIM KNOW IN WORDS what he can not see in facial expressions and body language. It doesn't have to be done aggressively just assertively, and believe me, he will not see it as 'unladylike' if it is not done 'unladylike'.
one who knows,
Merle
It's not unattractive to me. It makes me feel desired if they are blunt about pursuing and it's the only way I have of knowing that she is interested. That may be true for some men, but I doubt it's as common as certain stereotypes would suggest.
_________________
Plimba prin umbra, pina la marginea noptii
So here is the story,
I have met him few months through church, and so we would chat not every sunday but at least twice a month on Sundays after the mass. He is a musician, so I went to his concert once.
I had told him how wonderful he is in his music, and he told me he was very happy to play for me. For the last couple of months, we had some deep conversations about family, life, death and spirituality. He told me about his parents and his sisters, I told him about my family and my anxiety issues.
I thought everything was going well between us and that next I would expect to move to romantic level.
It seems like it is not a problem of him not reading my signs, but he DOES not know what to do with it.
He also seems like he has some days he is comfortable talking with me with good eye contact and some days just really self-conscious and makes inappropriate face expressions.
Last time, he told me that his sister would love to visit my country and that he has another hobboy like he paints. So definitely he seems interested in me because he tells me about himself, but body language was telling me that he was so uncomfortable and nervous with me. I didn't know what to do, and he just left saying he has to go....
I asked him to go to a concert in April, but he refused saying he is not in town at that moment.
Maybe I am pushing too hard? but really he is sending me all the signals. I am not stupid, I have had quite a lot of experience with men, but this is really confusing. Should I grab his hands next time I see him? He already knows I like him, so that's out of the way, but he seems uncomfortable around me on certain days. I was thinking of writing him an E mail of how I feel about him, the qualities that i find attractive etc.
I just don't want to appear so desperate, but I have to push otherwise he won't initiate anything. Even though some days he managed to approach me and talk to me.
Please help me here.
While being an aspie and a male doesn't define a person, those two characteristics do seem to point towards a general non-understanding of hints and signals. I'm afraid, but if you want to make sure he "gets it", you'll have to be overt, and therefore put yourself in a somewhat vulnerable position. It's the game of love, I guess ) I wish the both of you the best of luck!
I, personally, think it would be better than people expecting you to instinctively know what they are thinking without them having to tell you.
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Perhaps by physical forwardness, but by verbal honesty? I don't think so. It's quite freeing to know what's going on. Uncertainty is a lot scarier. Honesty is attractive.
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