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wispfoxMy mom lent me a book when she last visited (actually, she tried to lend me multiple, but I was only strongly interested in this one) called "Born on the Wrong Planet", written by a woman with Asperger's, among other neurologic disorders. As with when I read "Thinking in Pictures" by Dr. Temple Grandin, there were many moments of remembering and understanding. More with this one than with "Thinking in Pictures", probably at least partly because I don't have much facility with visual information (reading and writing use my eyes, but are verbal, not visual), but almost certainly also because I never had a problem of being physically unable to communicate (I just didn't necessarily know that I should, or how to say what I wanted to say).
Some of the memories nearly made me cry, like the one sparked by the following phrase:
I was spared that specific kind of torment, thankfully, but I vividly remember discounting anyone trying to tell me that anyone 'like liked' me. Because, well, at the time such a thing was patently obviously not true. Not possible. Someone tried to leave a note once, even. Still don't know if it was real, since I _didn't_ tend to have people leaving me notes as a way to torment me (I got tormented for lots of other reasons; that just wasn't one of the methods used), and it was from someone both sweet and shy. It could have been true. But my reaction was to discount it, because in my mind, it wasn't possible that it was true. (Yes, I wish I could go back and reassure my younger self...)
Another quote,
Reminds me both of when I first got into college (this is when I first actually had a _group_ of friends, rather than one or two at a time, and is also when I started dating), but more strongly reminds me of my attempts to adjust to now. I still have this reaction, although it's mellowed from being astounded to periodically being amazed, vaguely confused, and having trouble adjusting. As y'all have seen me write about, from time to time, because of my social energy level fluctuations.
I just noticed something, reflecting on this book. Most of my friends, as I have always stated, have tended to be male. But most of my friends in high school were female. I think the difference is that the female friends I had in high school felt more like protectors than equals (usually them protecting, but I had a few friends younger than I was who I felt protective of). I suspect this may simply be how young I was (12-15). But the line which reminded me of this is still true, talking about the few friends she had while growing up. The line in question, I note, was true for me even at CTY, where I fit in _far_ better than most places.
Finally, because I have had these thoughts, and this still makes me smile:
Yeah. This book makes me happy, and I think I may need to buy myself a copy.
Some of the memories nearly made me cry, like the one sparked by the following phrase:
I was spared that specific kind of torment, thankfully, but I vividly remember discounting anyone trying to tell me that anyone 'like liked' me. Because, well, at the time such a thing was patently obviously not true. Not possible. Someone tried to leave a note once, even. Still don't know if it was real, since I _didn't_ tend to have people leaving me notes as a way to torment me (I got tormented for lots of other reasons; that just wasn't one of the methods used), and it was from someone both sweet and shy. It could have been true. But my reaction was to discount it, because in my mind, it wasn't possible that it was true. (Yes, I wish I could go back and reassure my younger self...)
Another quote,
Reminds me both of when I first got into college (this is when I first actually had a _group_ of friends, rather than one or two at a time, and is also when I started dating), but more strongly reminds me of my attempts to adjust to now. I still have this reaction, although it's mellowed from being astounded to periodically being amazed, vaguely confused, and having trouble adjusting. As y'all have seen me write about, from time to time, because of my social energy level fluctuations.
I just noticed something, reflecting on this book. Most of my friends, as I have always stated, have tended to be male. But most of my friends in high school were female. I think the difference is that the female friends I had in high school felt more like protectors than equals (usually them protecting, but I had a few friends younger than I was who I felt protective of). I suspect this may simply be how young I was (12-15). But the line which reminded me of this is still true, talking about the few friends she had while growing up. The line in question, I note, was true for me even at CTY, where I fit in _far_ better than most places.
Finally, because I have had these thoughts, and this still makes me smile:
Yeah. This book makes me happy, and I think I may need to buy myself a copy.
