Be Different: Adventures of a Free-Range Aspergian

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[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tc6pjVywSDY[/youtube]

John Elder Robison, author of Look Me in the Eye: My Life with Asperger's, has a new book, Be Different, out this March. John reads the introduction of Be DIfferent in a movie which I've illustrated with photos from his life. He discusses how Asperger's allowed him to accomplish amazing things in his life, including designing the effects for the band KISS and starting a fine european automobile business in Springfield, MA.

My Autism Talk TV cohost, Jack Robison (Cubby) appears in many photos as he is the son of John. I appear in one of the photos. See if you can spot us!

Jack and I are back next week with a new episode of Autism Talk TV.

Please pre-order John's book on Amazon! http://amzn.to/eZvxzt

-Alex Plank

Thank you Alex. The video is spot-on and I'll check out Mr. Robison's new book. Reading his first book, Look Me in the Eye, was very meaningful to me - I appreciate his message and how he conveyed it with such humour and eloquence. I spotted you and Jack in the video Plus the cool light-up *KISS* guitar!

I know Mr. Robison is a Wrong Planet member - he's very inspirational to us all. I really like your Autism Talk TV episodes and there's so many topics yet to be covered.

One a personal note....soon I'll have my PhD (neuroscience) and I know my AS is a gift, albeit a bittersweet gift. I'd not be without, if given the choice. But it can be really hard and mostly due to being misinterpreted by others and taking their callousness. I think keeping one's mind on the goal is the best strategy.

I hope Wrong Planet members can read the new book and then write their own! I hope you and Jack expand your Autism Talk TV to reach the public - AS needs a PR make-over and you're the one do it.



P.S. I watched an interview/webinar on Autism Hangout and a Wrong Planet member was featured; she's an author, writer, advocate and artist. Not to be presumptous Alex, but have you considered a feature on Autism Hangout? Craig Evans, the host, has interview many, such as Temple Grandin and Tony Attwood.

I really like that video and I'm going to keep my eyes open for that book.

Mr. Robison, Alex, Jack, you three are an inspiration to aspergians everywhere. Alex, you already have had great success by creating WrongPlanet, you are basically the Mark Zuckerberg of the aspergian community. You should write a book about your life and how WrongPlanet came to be. I think every successful aspie should write a book about their success and struggles. I have heard a lot of flak directed at this site, don't let that "Boulder Symposium" get to you. Thank you to all of the Autism community for what you guys have done.

I just love the term ''free-range aspergian''

This is pretty interesting, that's actually rather touching... Nice one.

Free on the range topic

I can do without Kiss, but I am glad you had a career with them.

I will look for the book in my local library.

hey i never knew the guy who owns robisons has apergers.i grew up in western mass although i live in vermont now.actualy robisons is in west springfield mass,but that doesnt matter.i had a friend who got his mercedes 560 sel serviced at robisons.you must be making a lot more money now that lubar imports went out of bussiness.i dont know if your following this thread but im friends with walter chesnut so if you want to chat look me up on this site

I plan to read the book but my mind isn't made for videos, will his new book have pictures from his life in it?

Now I can see why you hang around this guy. Kiss is very cool!
He seems to have delt with his whatever pretty well for being diagnosed so late in life.
Or one of the lucky ones, thats gifted?
But it was a very nice video and I enjoyed watching it.

Rock on, Ampie....the Wrong Planet is proud

= *KISS*


[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kNGNLo8K6Fk[/youtube]

I requested it from the library.

Good film, I may well try to get copies of the books to read

_________________
Health is a state of physical, mental and social wellbeing and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity I am not a jigsaw, I am a free man !

Diagnosed under the DSM5 rules with autism spectrum disorder, under DSM4 psychologist said would have been AS (299.80) but I suspect that I am somewhere between 299.80 and 299.00 (Autism) under DSM4.

I had a miserable time back in school - and back then, no one in the country even knew what Asperger's was!
As for eye contact; my wife has pointed out that plenty of times, I look past the person I'm talking to. Sometimes I'm aware of this; but more often, I'm more aware of how I tend to over compensate for not directly looking at someone, in which I'll stare in a prolonged manner, which people sometimes makes them feel uncomfortable. As for the shifty eye thing - I still do it sometimes.

-Bill, otherwise known as Kraichgauer

I am looking forward to this book.