As an Aspie I find the social world confusing and sometimes even depressing. You can use the motto that I have to try harder and think more positively but really does it get you anywhere? It seems that non Autistic people communicate and interact in different ways than my own. I have tried all different types of groups and activities both in the past and a little in the present to no avail. No matter whether you join a church group, a sporting club or even a chess club that it involves social skills.
I find myself even if I am brave enough to be social which uses spare energy reserves just on the outer in social situations. I find myself just as an observer but not a participant within conversation and I think what really is the point? I could be at home reading about the history of Gibraltar or why monkeys eat bananas or some other intellectually curious topic. I just find most if not all non Autistic communication and small talk just a total waste of energy and time.
As an Aspie I feel I am disadvantaged by limited or poor social networks. I find that the only way to improve my networking skills is to use Facebook. Here I don't need to meet people face to face nor deal with anxiety of being on time or driving a car to get there and where to find parking. Also not being anxious about whether I will be hit with a parking fine etc. Parking signs are very confusing as well as mind blindness when dealing with social situations. I also find friendship and interaction on other people's terms so what really is the point of trying to keep up or make friends anyway? Just being on my own greatly alleviates social anxiety!
I wonder why things that work are also changed. For instance the University of Queensland Electronic Self Service which seemed to be working fine to me to check pay details and leave entitlements etc. What is supposed to be better is actually worse.
At times or mostly I just talk to myself as people are never really there nor reliable when you need them. I am constantly confused by people who don't say what they mean or who have underlying motives which they are not willing to disclose. It is hard to trust people also and to be understood by them. People just don't get it and is it worth all the mental energy and explanation to keep trying to explain? Most Aspies also live with their parents and some in sub standard accommodation because of greedy landlords and other properties owners only after money but not a person's well being.
Sunday, July 17, 2011
My experiences with online dating websites
My involvement with online dating websites seems to have been a waste of time. I find the biggest problem is the trolling men that use these websites just looking for casual sex. There is no real guidelines or more importantly authenticity with such websites and you are unsure of what kind of people use them and more importantly what the people are like.
What I personally find is that Asperger men are disadvantaged through online dating because they have to compete or are out numbered by NT men. The NT man usually has all the cards to play and hits on women or just hooks up with them for flings or casual sex. For Asperger men I think we or I am more so focused on quality but the whole online dating thing seems to be loosely designed in that even if you are successful in meeting a person then there still is competition or more choices.
The biggest problem with online dating for Aspies more so from a male's experience is that you are even unsure of the authenticity of some of the women on it. Are they genuinely single for the very few who are? Do they have or not have kids? Are they rational and together within themselves? What kind of people are they and what type of man are they looking for? To be honest I find internet dating just a waste of time for me as an Aspie. I never really connect with anyone anyway and more importantly I am unsure of the person in the rare instance who may contact me. I also find that internet dating is just a haven for trolling men in pursuit of sex, short term flings, ones who are players and much more. Furthermore, one wonders how many married people are using the websites also and creating false aliases? As an Asperger male I find I am instantly out numbered by competition and pretty girls aren't going to go for 'geeky' or 'quirky' straight guys. Every time I have used internet dating sites I may as well just count sheep more so than waste my time on them.
I know some Aspies using online dating websites and very very few it seems actually get a date in the first place. If they do get a date then and again in my own personal experience the woman usually turns away or I find myself sitting there thinking I am somewhere else. One has to ask them-self is online dating really a genuine way to meet people or is it just a haven for mostly trolls?
What I personally find is that Asperger men are disadvantaged through online dating because they have to compete or are out numbered by NT men. The NT man usually has all the cards to play and hits on women or just hooks up with them for flings or casual sex. For Asperger men I think we or I am more so focused on quality but the whole online dating thing seems to be loosely designed in that even if you are successful in meeting a person then there still is competition or more choices.
The biggest problem with online dating for Aspies more so from a male's experience is that you are even unsure of the authenticity of some of the women on it. Are they genuinely single for the very few who are? Do they have or not have kids? Are they rational and together within themselves? What kind of people are they and what type of man are they looking for? To be honest I find internet dating just a waste of time for me as an Aspie. I never really connect with anyone anyway and more importantly I am unsure of the person in the rare instance who may contact me. I also find that internet dating is just a haven for trolling men in pursuit of sex, short term flings, ones who are players and much more. Furthermore, one wonders how many married people are using the websites also and creating false aliases? As an Asperger male I find I am instantly out numbered by competition and pretty girls aren't going to go for 'geeky' or 'quirky' straight guys. Every time I have used internet dating sites I may as well just count sheep more so than waste my time on them.
I know some Aspies using online dating websites and very very few it seems actually get a date in the first place. If they do get a date then and again in my own personal experience the woman usually turns away or I find myself sitting there thinking I am somewhere else. One has to ask them-self is online dating really a genuine way to meet people or is it just a haven for mostly trolls?
Saturday, July 16, 2011
Dealing with intensity
Making friends and finding social networks can be especially difficult for me as an Aspie. As I use vast amounts of mental energy in order to communicate I find myself only able to interact with people when I can and feel up to it. I struggle with forming friendships and find that the process of making friends and forming relationships can be simply overwhelming.
As I work very hard at just doing the simplest things, I can put a lot of energy and enthusiasm into wanting to make a friend or have friends and this can often cause issues of intensity in others. What society does not really understand is that some Aspies work very hard at forming friendships and even more so relationships. Often just wanting a friend or being accepted by younger people can often be misconstrued in many incorrect ways. People can have issues with Aspies invading privacy, over stepping boundaries and simply by being too intense to force others away.
I find relationships especially difficult and cannot understand how two people can constantly share space without getting mentally exhausted in the process. I also get frustrated with society's expectations that if you are not in a relationship that there is something seriously wrong with you and you are perhaps dysfunctional. I think a lot of people are either largely homophobic or fearful of others they do not understand. Why does a person have to continually defend or be conformed into some kind of box so that people will feel more comfortable? People also seem to think and feel that because you imply the word homophobic that I myself must be homosexual myself. There is nothing wrong with diversity and however a person lives their life is their own business. It seems that with sexuality that people seem to think that there is a black and white answer. Either you are in a relationship, homosexual or dysfunctional. It becomes such a restricted way of thinking that I find as an Aspie that the pressures of fitting into some kind of box or stereotype are just so pressuring.
I think that Aspie wiring effects the way we think and feel as people and society should really mind its own business and not make assertions which sometimes people make even though they are not aware that they are doing it. I think Australian society is especially rigid for Aspies and rather than be accepted we tend to withdraw into social isolation or our own comfort zones in order to survive. Our often intellectual curiosity tends to work against us for if we try to talk and are open minded people either tell us to shut up, not look more thoroughly at what we are talking about or just dismiss us as some kind of weird freaks which they are unable to comprehend. Intensity in friendship is because Aspies work harder at forming friendships because they don't always come easy to us. We also have to work hard at most things unless they are an obsession in which we can invest all of our energy. Even in our obsessions we can become so obsessed with our special interests that we can also turn people away so it is a never ending scenario. You need to closely understand and careful examine all people on the Autism Spectrum for we are all different. We just see things differently to you and for that we should not be wrongly judged.
As I work very hard at just doing the simplest things, I can put a lot of energy and enthusiasm into wanting to make a friend or have friends and this can often cause issues of intensity in others. What society does not really understand is that some Aspies work very hard at forming friendships and even more so relationships. Often just wanting a friend or being accepted by younger people can often be misconstrued in many incorrect ways. People can have issues with Aspies invading privacy, over stepping boundaries and simply by being too intense to force others away.
I find relationships especially difficult and cannot understand how two people can constantly share space without getting mentally exhausted in the process. I also get frustrated with society's expectations that if you are not in a relationship that there is something seriously wrong with you and you are perhaps dysfunctional. I think a lot of people are either largely homophobic or fearful of others they do not understand. Why does a person have to continually defend or be conformed into some kind of box so that people will feel more comfortable? People also seem to think and feel that because you imply the word homophobic that I myself must be homosexual myself. There is nothing wrong with diversity and however a person lives their life is their own business. It seems that with sexuality that people seem to think that there is a black and white answer. Either you are in a relationship, homosexual or dysfunctional. It becomes such a restricted way of thinking that I find as an Aspie that the pressures of fitting into some kind of box or stereotype are just so pressuring.
I think that Aspie wiring effects the way we think and feel as people and society should really mind its own business and not make assertions which sometimes people make even though they are not aware that they are doing it. I think Australian society is especially rigid for Aspies and rather than be accepted we tend to withdraw into social isolation or our own comfort zones in order to survive. Our often intellectual curiosity tends to work against us for if we try to talk and are open minded people either tell us to shut up, not look more thoroughly at what we are talking about or just dismiss us as some kind of weird freaks which they are unable to comprehend. Intensity in friendship is because Aspies work harder at forming friendships because they don't always come easy to us. We also have to work hard at most things unless they are an obsession in which we can invest all of our energy. Even in our obsessions we can become so obsessed with our special interests that we can also turn people away so it is a never ending scenario. You need to closely understand and careful examine all people on the Autism Spectrum for we are all different. We just see things differently to you and for that we should not be wrongly judged.
Finding a cure for the Autism Spectrum
With more and more diagnosis of Autism occurring should there be a cure for Autism? It seems that for adults now diagnosed with Autism and children finding a cure would cause us to feel at a loss or forgotten about. Finding a cure concerns me in that we would be eliminating people who provide innovation and diversity within our society. Rather than find a cure, there needs to be a balanced approach in firstly providing awareness of the Autism Spectrum and to also allow and encourage survival skills for those affected by the Autism Spectrum.
I believe it is wrong of people to blame vaccines and trying to find a cure when more simply society needs better coping strategies to deal with certain situations. It is necessary that early intervention and more importantly the school is a means of ensuring steps for better management. Some behaviours in persons on the Autism Spectrum are difficult to manage and the answer is what can be done? There is no easy answer but the most important process is to have awareness to reach the wider community. Tolerance and understanding are required more so than an us and them approach. I believe it is wrong for Aspies to want the world to be all one way and it is not proper for NT's to want to change Aspies. What is more needed is for early intervention to provide coping strategies to deal with behavioural problems and for the medical profession to stop seeing everything as either anatomical or biological. The brains of Autistic people need to be researched more to find out how a person on the Autism Spectrum thinks and feels.
I personally believe Jenny McCarthy and other vocal people in the United States are creating a major disservice to Autism by wanting to find a cure to Autism and blaming vaccines. A more positive and inclusive approach is required and this has to happen fast. I have included a youtube video of Jenny McCarthy with this post which can be watched by double clicking on this post.
I believe it is wrong of people to blame vaccines and trying to find a cure when more simply society needs better coping strategies to deal with certain situations. It is necessary that early intervention and more importantly the school is a means of ensuring steps for better management. Some behaviours in persons on the Autism Spectrum are difficult to manage and the answer is what can be done? There is no easy answer but the most important process is to have awareness to reach the wider community. Tolerance and understanding are required more so than an us and them approach. I believe it is wrong for Aspies to want the world to be all one way and it is not proper for NT's to want to change Aspies. What is more needed is for early intervention to provide coping strategies to deal with behavioural problems and for the medical profession to stop seeing everything as either anatomical or biological. The brains of Autistic people need to be researched more to find out how a person on the Autism Spectrum thinks and feels.
I personally believe Jenny McCarthy and other vocal people in the United States are creating a major disservice to Autism by wanting to find a cure to Autism and blaming vaccines. A more positive and inclusive approach is required and this has to happen fast. I have included a youtube video of Jenny McCarthy with this post which can be watched by double clicking on this post.
A vision for the Autism Spectrum in Brisbane
There are many benefits to Brisbane in terms of raising awareness of the Autism Spectrum and obtaining support. Firstly Dr Tony Attwood who is the leading person on Asperger Syndrome resides in Brisbane. Also we have Asperger Services Australia with its dedication to raising awareness of Asperger Syndrome. We also have the University of Queensland and my own website in which I try and raise awareness. Finally we have the work of Damian Santamauro and his PhD in the Autism Spectrum.
What I would like to see in Brisbane and Australia is firstly a greater awareness and understanding of the Autism Spectrum in both children and in adults. We need to provide support and services to those who need them and more importantly we need an adult support group which I am hoping will one day become a reality at the University of Queensland. I am in contact with Dublin Trinity College which has an adult group and it would be good if UQ could form an alliance with Trinity College to find out how an adult group could be formed here in Brisbane.
Brisbane, Australia will one day also be set for the expansion of Autism Works based in the United Kingdom which is starting the ball rolling by employing adults on the Autism Spectrum as software testers. Chris Mitchell whom I have known since 1999 and Peter MacDonald are working very tirelessly in getting Autism Works off the ground and I am in contact with both Peter and Chris wherever possible.
On my website which you can visit by simply double clicking on this post, you will find information about Autism Works, the work that I do, Dr Tony Attwood's website and even listen to the Asperger Adult Group in Dublin, Ireland which was provided to me courtesy of Dr David Jordan who is an adult with Asperger Syndrome from Dublin.
Brisbane and Sydney will be very fortunate in hosting adults on the Autism Spectrum from overseas. Both cities have hosted Dr Temple Grandin, Leanne Holiday, Chris Mitchell and soon Stephen Hughes will be visiting us from Belfast in Ireland. Stephen has a wealth of knowledge and experience in IT which will greatly assist I am hoping in kick starting Australia as another country to look into recruiting adults on the Autism Spectrum as software testers.
I try to remain optimistic wherever possible and I am proud of seeing adults especially some of them I know as friends working in the area of Autism. Chris Mitchell works tirelessly in raising awareness of Autism in the UK and Damian Santamauro is undertaking his PhD in Brisbane at UQ and currently looking at schools as part of his research where there are persons on the Autism Spectrum. For all of us obtaining support and trying to raise more awareness can often be a very frustrating and slow task but we all support one another in trying to remain optimistic
I would encourage any adults in Brisbane to visit the UQ Aspergers@UQ adult group. This group meets on the 2nd and 4th Friday of the month at 1.30pm at Merlos Cafe at UQ. We just have coffee and discuss how we are getting on and we also have access to counseling now as adults on the Autism Spectrum can visit the UQ Psychology Clinic which provides counseling and support. So why not come a long. For more information please visit my website for more information about how to contact me.
What I would like to see in Brisbane and Australia is firstly a greater awareness and understanding of the Autism Spectrum in both children and in adults. We need to provide support and services to those who need them and more importantly we need an adult support group which I am hoping will one day become a reality at the University of Queensland. I am in contact with Dublin Trinity College which has an adult group and it would be good if UQ could form an alliance with Trinity College to find out how an adult group could be formed here in Brisbane.
Brisbane, Australia will one day also be set for the expansion of Autism Works based in the United Kingdom which is starting the ball rolling by employing adults on the Autism Spectrum as software testers. Chris Mitchell whom I have known since 1999 and Peter MacDonald are working very tirelessly in getting Autism Works off the ground and I am in contact with both Peter and Chris wherever possible.
On my website which you can visit by simply double clicking on this post, you will find information about Autism Works, the work that I do, Dr Tony Attwood's website and even listen to the Asperger Adult Group in Dublin, Ireland which was provided to me courtesy of Dr David Jordan who is an adult with Asperger Syndrome from Dublin.
Brisbane and Sydney will be very fortunate in hosting adults on the Autism Spectrum from overseas. Both cities have hosted Dr Temple Grandin, Leanne Holiday, Chris Mitchell and soon Stephen Hughes will be visiting us from Belfast in Ireland. Stephen has a wealth of knowledge and experience in IT which will greatly assist I am hoping in kick starting Australia as another country to look into recruiting adults on the Autism Spectrum as software testers.
I try to remain optimistic wherever possible and I am proud of seeing adults especially some of them I know as friends working in the area of Autism. Chris Mitchell works tirelessly in raising awareness of Autism in the UK and Damian Santamauro is undertaking his PhD in Brisbane at UQ and currently looking at schools as part of his research where there are persons on the Autism Spectrum. For all of us obtaining support and trying to raise more awareness can often be a very frustrating and slow task but we all support one another in trying to remain optimistic
I would encourage any adults in Brisbane to visit the UQ Aspergers@UQ adult group. This group meets on the 2nd and 4th Friday of the month at 1.30pm at Merlos Cafe at UQ. We just have coffee and discuss how we are getting on and we also have access to counseling now as adults on the Autism Spectrum can visit the UQ Psychology Clinic which provides counseling and support. So why not come a long. For more information please visit my website for more information about how to contact me.
Friday, July 15, 2011
Aspergers@UQ
Today the meeting at the University of Queensland Asperger@UQ was very productive. I met with Damian who is doing his PhD and another Aspie, Sam at Merlos Cafe. Despite meeting for approximately 1 hour and a half, we came away from the meeting feeling a sense of support in that we could share our experiences and obtain support when dealing with Asperger Syndrome.
It is good to know that the University of Queensland now has a Psychology Clinic which provides support for adults on the Autism Spectrum. You don't have to belong to the University of Queensland to attend as a staff or student but simply double clicking on the link above on the title of this post can provide you with more information. At the meeting we discussed the following
1. The need for more services and support for adults
2. A support group for adults in Brisbane not just for UQ but for adults in Brisbane
3. Damian's PhD into approaching schools regarding the Autism Spectrum in adolescents
4. Other issues concerning adults
It would be good if UQ could have an alliance with Trinity College in Dublin with the Asperger Adults group there.
What we encourage or want is for more adults on the Autism Spectrum to visit our meetings which are the second and forth Friday of the month. I will be working with Damian to ensure that we find the needs to allow the group to support adults but for now we are all happy in that we can share our own experiences in a supportive and non threatening environment. We hope to see more adults attend our meetings to obtain support in a non threatening environment and to also obtain services fro UQ Psychology Clinic in counseling and eventual support group which may provide boards games i.e scrabble, chess etc.
It is good to know that the University of Queensland now has a Psychology Clinic which provides support for adults on the Autism Spectrum. You don't have to belong to the University of Queensland to attend as a staff or student but simply double clicking on the link above on the title of this post can provide you with more information. At the meeting we discussed the following
1. The need for more services and support for adults
2. A support group for adults in Brisbane not just for UQ but for adults in Brisbane
3. Damian's PhD into approaching schools regarding the Autism Spectrum in adolescents
4. Other issues concerning adults
It would be good if UQ could have an alliance with Trinity College in Dublin with the Asperger Adults group there.
What we encourage or want is for more adults on the Autism Spectrum to visit our meetings which are the second and forth Friday of the month. I will be working with Damian to ensure that we find the needs to allow the group to support adults but for now we are all happy in that we can share our own experiences in a supportive and non threatening environment. We hope to see more adults attend our meetings to obtain support in a non threatening environment and to also obtain services fro UQ Psychology Clinic in counseling and eventual support group which may provide boards games i.e scrabble, chess etc.
Thursday, July 14, 2011
If only sometimes people could be just a little more diplomatic
It seems that most of the time nobody has anything to do with you until you cause or create some kind of issue. Rather than be abrasive and make you feel like you are 2cm tall, just a simple explanation would go a long way to make things a little clearer. One of the biggest problems in Australia society is that people do not communicate enough or communication remains confused or unclear.
I think Australia has a disgraceful mental health record. Society simply refuses to assist those most in need and often rather than medicating the problem, a solution may be simply a better means of counseling and support. People in Australian society do not get that by being or responding harshly to someone on the Autism Spectrum can make a person with Autism feel threatened or worse case scenario bullied. I am not medically trained nor am I professionally qualified to give advice but surely just taking the time to explain an issue or a scenario would be far better than to respond in an abrupt or abrasive manner?
I find the Australian blokey image not very accommodating to me as an Aspie personally. I find the prove my ego or be in with the boys just a total waste of time and energy. I simply find it a deep routed inferiority complex and one which is personally irritating. I also find conformity within this stereo type very much pressuring and should I not conform I either confront ridicule or in the worst case scenario a feeling of being bullied. The scarey thing is that women also seem to be more competitive nowadays as well. Perhaps a move to an Eastern European country doesn't seem like a bad idea after all!
The reason I write this blog is I personally need a voice to canvas how I truly feel. I personally struggle with conversation and have worked hard to be careful with being naive, especially to those who may be predators. Until necessary services are made available to people who experience mental health issues and Autism, then society is going to go on remaining ignorant of the background behind the scene struggles of people who have unseen disabilities. I seem to hear from people when I create issues but am never warned or advised of such issues before they become a problem. Communication with persons on the Autism Spectrum needs to be improved, especially the case with siblings and some people who call themselves friends. I exist in a world which I find often or mostly very confusing and I just find if people are abrasive and short tempered then it only provokes and raises my anxiety levels. If only I did not have to experience anymore crap in my life to have it all repeat all over again.
Australia needs to get serious with mental health and improved services for people with disabilities for at present things are not looking too good. I am the first to admit I am far from perfect and no I am not putting myself down I am being bluntly honest. Yes I do need to think positively but I need counseling to help me and if you walked in my shoes when I was younger then surely you would admire where I am today. For heavens sake please try and understand before it is too late and a person becomes depressed or more seriously takes further drastic steps. All it takes is for someone to listen and for people to not remain as wooden, and lacking empathy in the loss of community which is what I see today. Also with this me society a lot of us just find it too taxing to keep up and we try our best to make the most of our lives. I am also tired of people who are envious of me. Would you like me to show you a book of where I got to today? Would you like me to explain in detail my life's story before you decide to make a judgement? People really need to understand more and if I am militant and self destructing then so be it as I am doing the best I can with the cognitive wiring that exists in my mind.
I think Australia has a disgraceful mental health record. Society simply refuses to assist those most in need and often rather than medicating the problem, a solution may be simply a better means of counseling and support. People in Australian society do not get that by being or responding harshly to someone on the Autism Spectrum can make a person with Autism feel threatened or worse case scenario bullied. I am not medically trained nor am I professionally qualified to give advice but surely just taking the time to explain an issue or a scenario would be far better than to respond in an abrupt or abrasive manner?
I find the Australian blokey image not very accommodating to me as an Aspie personally. I find the prove my ego or be in with the boys just a total waste of time and energy. I simply find it a deep routed inferiority complex and one which is personally irritating. I also find conformity within this stereo type very much pressuring and should I not conform I either confront ridicule or in the worst case scenario a feeling of being bullied. The scarey thing is that women also seem to be more competitive nowadays as well. Perhaps a move to an Eastern European country doesn't seem like a bad idea after all!
The reason I write this blog is I personally need a voice to canvas how I truly feel. I personally struggle with conversation and have worked hard to be careful with being naive, especially to those who may be predators. Until necessary services are made available to people who experience mental health issues and Autism, then society is going to go on remaining ignorant of the background behind the scene struggles of people who have unseen disabilities. I seem to hear from people when I create issues but am never warned or advised of such issues before they become a problem. Communication with persons on the Autism Spectrum needs to be improved, especially the case with siblings and some people who call themselves friends. I exist in a world which I find often or mostly very confusing and I just find if people are abrasive and short tempered then it only provokes and raises my anxiety levels. If only I did not have to experience anymore crap in my life to have it all repeat all over again.
Australia needs to get serious with mental health and improved services for people with disabilities for at present things are not looking too good. I am the first to admit I am far from perfect and no I am not putting myself down I am being bluntly honest. Yes I do need to think positively but I need counseling to help me and if you walked in my shoes when I was younger then surely you would admire where I am today. For heavens sake please try and understand before it is too late and a person becomes depressed or more seriously takes further drastic steps. All it takes is for someone to listen and for people to not remain as wooden, and lacking empathy in the loss of community which is what I see today. Also with this me society a lot of us just find it too taxing to keep up and we try our best to make the most of our lives. I am also tired of people who are envious of me. Would you like me to show you a book of where I got to today? Would you like me to explain in detail my life's story before you decide to make a judgement? People really need to understand more and if I am militant and self destructing then so be it as I am doing the best I can with the cognitive wiring that exists in my mind.
Aspie suffocation Syndrome
As an Aspie I find Australia and New Zealand at a great disadvantage in terms of geography. This is because people here and Australia itself is so isolated. Unlike Europe where there is more cultural and closeness proximity, Australia seems to be more of a lizard type of environment.
Yesterday I attended a Yoga Workshop and found the procedure a little to hierarchical as everyone was asked to fill in a sheet of attendance. When you don't have a pen nor somewhere to write on the sheet, it can be a bit difficult to fill the stupid thing in when you are supposed to be attending a relaxation exercise. Despite the Instructor being German, I found myself thinking I couldn't be bothered filling this stupid sheet of paper in so can you please start with the exercises? The instructor said afterward you should have filled this in, you should do it now! I felt like saying I am not in a bootcamp nor am I a child who has to be told what I am supposed to do. I finished kindergarten about 35 years ago. Anyhow, I found the lady next to me a bit close minded. She apparently joked about my smelly shoes and some other gossip when I felt like saying "Lady are you at all interested in the program we are doing here today rather than be wondering about my shoes and commenting and not knowing whether you are joking or not"? One of the things that sets Australia apart from other countries is that its geographical isolation tends to make people defensive. People are more critical of comments made here than taking on board suggestions. For instance if you make a comment about Australia's obsession with sport, then you are told 'mate what's wrong with you, you shouldn't knock Aussies who are the world's finest Rugby players". I mean is there nothing else beside sport in the Australian nation?
As an Aspie I find it suffocating trying to relate to the majority of people in Australia. I just don't know what it is but people just don't seem to think deeply. I also find the isolation in Australia making Australia 3 steps slow than the rest of the world. I often feel like I am suffocating when I have been fortunate to have traveled and then talk to someone within a brief closed questioned conversation as to why such and such did this or that. It is often frustrating trying to share knowledge or ask questions as people just seem to respond in a very limited way. In other words the art of conversation here tends to be somewhat frustrating.
One of the things Australia needs to do and has done well in has to bring in other nationalities. Such people bring with them experiences from their own countries. For instance German people seem very industrious and methodical and some European people are very warm and friendly. Compared to the bogan, open minded people make you feel human and less defensive. Also some Australian accents seem to scare you away as they sound so much like crows on a branch.
If given the opportunity Australians should travel more as I think they are very insular to the world around them. When traveling abroad a person broadens their knowledge base and it also helps to reinforce a person's own identity. As an Aspie I find travel a great way to overcome suffocation syndrome but I find myself constantly frustrating by a society which seems to be resistant to awareness and intellectual curiosity. Working in a university allows me to be someone eccentric but when I drive on Brisbane's crap roads I feel a sense of tension and frustration. Quite honestly I feel like kicking some buts to improve infrastructure and provide a better road base to the crappy roads we have here!
Ask yourself is it the lack of intellectual curiosity that causes Aspies to become introspective and withdrawn? Also does the resistance make it hard for an Aspie to be understood and accepted within main stream culture? I think Aspie men are also treated like crap because we do not exhibit the same qualities as others. Well in my case I am not ego driven, competitive, brag on about my so called qualities, and hit on women at every available opportunity. Aspies have different cognitive wiring so people please understand this rather than trying to conform us for from personal experience it just makes you feel depressed. I am happy being Aspie and I don't see why others have a problem with it and why I should have to suffer Leper Syndrome.
Yesterday I attended a Yoga Workshop and found the procedure a little to hierarchical as everyone was asked to fill in a sheet of attendance. When you don't have a pen nor somewhere to write on the sheet, it can be a bit difficult to fill the stupid thing in when you are supposed to be attending a relaxation exercise. Despite the Instructor being German, I found myself thinking I couldn't be bothered filling this stupid sheet of paper in so can you please start with the exercises? The instructor said afterward you should have filled this in, you should do it now! I felt like saying I am not in a bootcamp nor am I a child who has to be told what I am supposed to do. I finished kindergarten about 35 years ago. Anyhow, I found the lady next to me a bit close minded. She apparently joked about my smelly shoes and some other gossip when I felt like saying "Lady are you at all interested in the program we are doing here today rather than be wondering about my shoes and commenting and not knowing whether you are joking or not"? One of the things that sets Australia apart from other countries is that its geographical isolation tends to make people defensive. People are more critical of comments made here than taking on board suggestions. For instance if you make a comment about Australia's obsession with sport, then you are told 'mate what's wrong with you, you shouldn't knock Aussies who are the world's finest Rugby players". I mean is there nothing else beside sport in the Australian nation?
As an Aspie I find it suffocating trying to relate to the majority of people in Australia. I just don't know what it is but people just don't seem to think deeply. I also find the isolation in Australia making Australia 3 steps slow than the rest of the world. I often feel like I am suffocating when I have been fortunate to have traveled and then talk to someone within a brief closed questioned conversation as to why such and such did this or that. It is often frustrating trying to share knowledge or ask questions as people just seem to respond in a very limited way. In other words the art of conversation here tends to be somewhat frustrating.
One of the things Australia needs to do and has done well in has to bring in other nationalities. Such people bring with them experiences from their own countries. For instance German people seem very industrious and methodical and some European people are very warm and friendly. Compared to the bogan, open minded people make you feel human and less defensive. Also some Australian accents seem to scare you away as they sound so much like crows on a branch.
If given the opportunity Australians should travel more as I think they are very insular to the world around them. When traveling abroad a person broadens their knowledge base and it also helps to reinforce a person's own identity. As an Aspie I find travel a great way to overcome suffocation syndrome but I find myself constantly frustrating by a society which seems to be resistant to awareness and intellectual curiosity. Working in a university allows me to be someone eccentric but when I drive on Brisbane's crap roads I feel a sense of tension and frustration. Quite honestly I feel like kicking some buts to improve infrastructure and provide a better road base to the crappy roads we have here!
Ask yourself is it the lack of intellectual curiosity that causes Aspies to become introspective and withdrawn? Also does the resistance make it hard for an Aspie to be understood and accepted within main stream culture? I think Aspie men are also treated like crap because we do not exhibit the same qualities as others. Well in my case I am not ego driven, competitive, brag on about my so called qualities, and hit on women at every available opportunity. Aspies have different cognitive wiring so people please understand this rather than trying to conform us for from personal experience it just makes you feel depressed. I am happy being Aspie and I don't see why others have a problem with it and why I should have to suffer Leper Syndrome.
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Breathing exercises
I attending a Yoga session after work today. This Yoga session was interesting for it described how we often don't breath properly and as a result we are more stressed and tend to have high anxiety levels. Apparently if one or both of our nostrils are partially blocked then this can have an affect on our thinking and the hemispheres of our brain. Now I know some of you may be cynical and not want to think more about what I am saying, but stress and anxiety are fueled by shallow breathing. As an Aspie shallow breathing has some negative consequences in that it can make me very anxious and affect my sleep patterns etc.
A lot of Aspies seem to have sleep issues. Because our brains turn over and obsess about things we cannot find the switch to turn off this process. So instead we have to look into strategies. I was speaking with one Aspie today and he is unable to drink milk or when it is warmed as it affects him. I also know another Aspie who tries to exercise to reduce his anxiety levels. He finds anti depressants are not Aspie friendly to him so he chooses exercise instead. He also has sleep issues but he gets by as best he can.
I used to have sleep issues and sometimes I try to help other Aspies with their sleep issues by suggesting advice and I am not always aware of boundaries. For instance I asked an Aspie recently about does he have mental health issues and his response was "What's my mental health got to do with you?" I feel it is sad in a world where adults have to rely on their own coping strategies to the best of their ability. I think sadly for some adults that they know the lack of services available are a reality and they may be cynical of things changing. I know personally all to well my own mental health issues when I worked in a traineeship some years back where I was being pushed to perform to my maximum with the result being a vicious cycle of sleep deprivation or performance issues. Disclosure of diagnosis is a personal decision from adult to adult but in my own situation I feel it is best my employer know and they try to make allowances where they can. I have known of some Aspies being refused meal breaks, recreation leave and even support within the workplace to cause them to cope, have other difficulties or end up resigning out of frustration. It can be very difficult.
Breathing exercises can always be difficult and as an Aspie I find anxiety can hijack my thought processes at times. When I worked full time some years back I was having severe anxiety. I tried going to the bathroom to try techniques for relaxation and found I was self concious of how long I was in the bathroom as I needed to get back to work and I also realised that being at my work station, distractions would get in the way of me trying relaxation techniques. I now cope as best I can and feel that by writing books, and connecting with other adults on the Autism Spectrum seems to be one way to go. Aspies are like our own culture. We think differently and we need relaxation techniques to help us. Meditation, massage and other techniques can alleviate anxiety in ourselves to some degree. I have included a youtube video with some Yoga for the benefit of others if they so choose.
A lot of Aspies seem to have sleep issues. Because our brains turn over and obsess about things we cannot find the switch to turn off this process. So instead we have to look into strategies. I was speaking with one Aspie today and he is unable to drink milk or when it is warmed as it affects him. I also know another Aspie who tries to exercise to reduce his anxiety levels. He finds anti depressants are not Aspie friendly to him so he chooses exercise instead. He also has sleep issues but he gets by as best he can.
I used to have sleep issues and sometimes I try to help other Aspies with their sleep issues by suggesting advice and I am not always aware of boundaries. For instance I asked an Aspie recently about does he have mental health issues and his response was "What's my mental health got to do with you?" I feel it is sad in a world where adults have to rely on their own coping strategies to the best of their ability. I think sadly for some adults that they know the lack of services available are a reality and they may be cynical of things changing. I know personally all to well my own mental health issues when I worked in a traineeship some years back where I was being pushed to perform to my maximum with the result being a vicious cycle of sleep deprivation or performance issues. Disclosure of diagnosis is a personal decision from adult to adult but in my own situation I feel it is best my employer know and they try to make allowances where they can. I have known of some Aspies being refused meal breaks, recreation leave and even support within the workplace to cause them to cope, have other difficulties or end up resigning out of frustration. It can be very difficult.
Breathing exercises can always be difficult and as an Aspie I find anxiety can hijack my thought processes at times. When I worked full time some years back I was having severe anxiety. I tried going to the bathroom to try techniques for relaxation and found I was self concious of how long I was in the bathroom as I needed to get back to work and I also realised that being at my work station, distractions would get in the way of me trying relaxation techniques. I now cope as best I can and feel that by writing books, and connecting with other adults on the Autism Spectrum seems to be one way to go. Aspies are like our own culture. We think differently and we need relaxation techniques to help us. Meditation, massage and other techniques can alleviate anxiety in ourselves to some degree. I have included a youtube video with some Yoga for the benefit of others if they so choose.
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Australia compared to the UK in terms of Autism Support
When comparing Australia to the United Kingdom in terms of awareness and support, one of the main differences is that the UK has more people, more densely populated and more clustered. This allows people to be closer together and services easier to reach. In Australia the distances are larger and the adults are more remote so getting to where the services and support are is far more difficult. Also the population of Australia is less and therefore less adults.
Australian Aspies are disadvantaged by remoteness. Some are able to get to services mainly due to cost, and limited transport. Also the government is not willing to fund as much in Australia due to other priorities which is unfortunate. The UK has better services also as awareness has been obtained earlier and information easier to reach the wider community.
In the whole I think the UK has better services for adults because of the cultural differences. British people are also closer to both the United States and to Europe. Furthermore, British people seem much more tolerant of diversity and acceptance of difference. They are least likely to be defensive or dismissive of someone who may not fit into the box so if you collect toilet brushes you have an opportunity for being admired more so than being seen to put into a strait jacket.
In my next book I discuss how eccentricity needs to be more embraced into Australian Society and how Aspies should be better understood and not rejected. It is my intention that my next book will shed light on allowing more tolerance and inclusion of Aspies into Australian society.
Australian Aspies are disadvantaged by remoteness. Some are able to get to services mainly due to cost, and limited transport. Also the government is not willing to fund as much in Australia due to other priorities which is unfortunate. The UK has better services also as awareness has been obtained earlier and information easier to reach the wider community.
In the whole I think the UK has better services for adults because of the cultural differences. British people are also closer to both the United States and to Europe. Furthermore, British people seem much more tolerant of diversity and acceptance of difference. They are least likely to be defensive or dismissive of someone who may not fit into the box so if you collect toilet brushes you have an opportunity for being admired more so than being seen to put into a strait jacket.
In my next book I discuss how eccentricity needs to be more embraced into Australian Society and how Aspies should be better understood and not rejected. It is my intention that my next book will shed light on allowing more tolerance and inclusion of Aspies into Australian society.
Authoring my next book
I am currently editing the manuscript for my next book "Crikey I'm Eccentric". I have spoken to Professor Tony Attwood about this book and he informed me that the word crikey is associated with Steve Irwin but was quite interested to know how this word can relate to an adult with Autism in the Australian experience. I am hoping that this book will allow Aspies to breathe a little easier in Australia and I hope that people will look upon the Autism Spectrum from a different viewpoint. I discuss eccentricity and how eccentric people make a valuable contribution to society and should be better understood and accepted.
I intend to write more books but shorter books are read quicker and have more impact. My last book has now obtained a wider coverage by people's kind purchases and donations to various libraries and Autism Associations around the world. I intend to eventually write a series that will start off with childhood and then the evolutionary steps into adulthood. I think people need to understand that Autism just does not go away once a person has reached the age of 18 or 21. So more manuscripts will be written in due course.
I intend to visit both the United States and Canada at some stage and look forward to eventually meeting Arman Khodaei who advocates for Autism in the United States. I will be corresponding more with Arman where I can and try to assist so as to spread the word about Autism. Arman is also writing a book or I think he has written one and is trying to get it published. I would like to read his book to gauge his experiences of having Autism.
Writing a book and publishing it is a mammoth undertaking. I have virtually had to rely on Facebook, Twitter and Asperger Services Australia to get the message out there. In order to penetrate the bigger and wider market, this I hope will happen eventually. The future of Autism needs further awareness so as to provide the necessary support and services to both children and adults with Autism. For now please visit my website for more information.
I intend to write more books but shorter books are read quicker and have more impact. My last book has now obtained a wider coverage by people's kind purchases and donations to various libraries and Autism Associations around the world. I intend to eventually write a series that will start off with childhood and then the evolutionary steps into adulthood. I think people need to understand that Autism just does not go away once a person has reached the age of 18 or 21. So more manuscripts will be written in due course.
I intend to visit both the United States and Canada at some stage and look forward to eventually meeting Arman Khodaei who advocates for Autism in the United States. I will be corresponding more with Arman where I can and try to assist so as to spread the word about Autism. Arman is also writing a book or I think he has written one and is trying to get it published. I would like to read his book to gauge his experiences of having Autism.
Writing a book and publishing it is a mammoth undertaking. I have virtually had to rely on Facebook, Twitter and Asperger Services Australia to get the message out there. In order to penetrate the bigger and wider market, this I hope will happen eventually. The future of Autism needs further awareness so as to provide the necessary support and services to both children and adults with Autism. For now please visit my website for more information.
Aches and Pains
I have heard from some Aspies about how they seem to experience aches and pains. I also have this at times and it may be due to anxiety? As Aspies suffer heightened or consistent anxiety, I think our immune systems have to work harder to cope. Also as we often have difficult with poor motor co-ordination or posture. This in itself may be a contributing factor to muscle tension.
I tend to think that the Cerebellum is responsible for some of the difficulties Aspies have as this part of the brain may tend to struggle a great deal more with day to day function. Also the Amygdala looks after balance and posture as far as I am aware. Sometimes I feel this part of the brain needing to struggle or at times not seeming to work properly. I find that it prevents me from fully functioning at times and I have to get by like a car with flat tyres.
It would be interesting to know how many Aspies have issues with pain, tension and stress in their everyday lives. Sometimes just getting through the day is often a major undertaking but like the car with flat tyres you just have to do your best.
I tend to think that the Cerebellum is responsible for some of the difficulties Aspies have as this part of the brain may tend to struggle a great deal more with day to day function. Also the Amygdala looks after balance and posture as far as I am aware. Sometimes I feel this part of the brain needing to struggle or at times not seeming to work properly. I find that it prevents me from fully functioning at times and I have to get by like a car with flat tyres.
It would be interesting to know how many Aspies have issues with pain, tension and stress in their everyday lives. Sometimes just getting through the day is often a major undertaking but like the car with flat tyres you just have to do your best.
Monday, July 11, 2011
Being a half cast between Aspie and NT
Being Aspie sometimes has its downfalls as often I can feel like I am very high functioning and sometimes feel frustrated at some of the executive function difficulties other Aspies have. It is not their fault but I find sometimes that joking with an Aspie is not always a good idea. They take things too literally and often and mostly so do I! Tonight I made a comment to an Aspie concerning this Aspie's employer. As the employer is American I thought that by saying in relation to a decision 'does this yank need to give you final approval"?. What I was more or less meaning was the frustration with trying for the Aspie concerned to obtain approval for leave. I sometimes find this with other Aspies as well as sometimes I need to remember they are Aspie and joking around with them on rare occasions simply is going to fall down like a lead balloon.
Sometimes I feel that I am almost NT but this is in rare spurts. I feel in these rare instances kind of euphoric and having a lot of confidence in myself. It is only when sadly things don't work out or that my expectation is too high that the reality of life starts crashing down on me like a whole heap of rocks falling off a cliff.
While I write this I do not feel depressed nor really worried. I sometimes wonder if perhaps I am very high functioning and other Aspies aren't but I don't like using the term high functioning because it puts other Aspies down. I don't really like the term. I sometimes feel that I am a half cast between Aspie and NT and I don't know which way I am. My mood swings sometimes change but not very often. I sometimes or often feel that I am living my life until the day I finally draw my last breath. Well I know I need to change this view and live more for the present. Chris Mitchell told me about this when I last visited him and his life seems to be changing. He told me he is busy now with his life. Chris converted me to being a soccer admirer and I can remember when visiting the Stadium of Light in Sunderland many years ago in England that when all of the spectators of the Sunderland Football Team got up to acknowledge a strike and I was slow to stand that Chris said "What's wrong with you man, can't you see what has happened?". Chris often spoke about Soccer being the world game and I think now I have started to tweak to some of his interests but not Steal Panther and Iron Maiden. I was surprised to find Chris actually interested in Death Leopard and heavy metal. However it is part of his persona so I guess it makes him unique as an Aspie.
Chris seems at home in Autism Works and the work he does with Peter MacDonald there is in my opinion pioneering. I still feel mostly Aspie and I am not sure I really want to be NT but us Aspies do have our charming points and it is just a matter of people digging deep to find them.
Sometimes I feel that I am almost NT but this is in rare spurts. I feel in these rare instances kind of euphoric and having a lot of confidence in myself. It is only when sadly things don't work out or that my expectation is too high that the reality of life starts crashing down on me like a whole heap of rocks falling off a cliff.
While I write this I do not feel depressed nor really worried. I sometimes wonder if perhaps I am very high functioning and other Aspies aren't but I don't like using the term high functioning because it puts other Aspies down. I don't really like the term. I sometimes feel that I am a half cast between Aspie and NT and I don't know which way I am. My mood swings sometimes change but not very often. I sometimes or often feel that I am living my life until the day I finally draw my last breath. Well I know I need to change this view and live more for the present. Chris Mitchell told me about this when I last visited him and his life seems to be changing. He told me he is busy now with his life. Chris converted me to being a soccer admirer and I can remember when visiting the Stadium of Light in Sunderland many years ago in England that when all of the spectators of the Sunderland Football Team got up to acknowledge a strike and I was slow to stand that Chris said "What's wrong with you man, can't you see what has happened?". Chris often spoke about Soccer being the world game and I think now I have started to tweak to some of his interests but not Steal Panther and Iron Maiden. I was surprised to find Chris actually interested in Death Leopard and heavy metal. However it is part of his persona so I guess it makes him unique as an Aspie.
Chris seems at home in Autism Works and the work he does with Peter MacDonald there is in my opinion pioneering. I still feel mostly Aspie and I am not sure I really want to be NT but us Aspies do have our charming points and it is just a matter of people digging deep to find them.
The thinking in the now and not the future
I was talking with Chris Mitchell about his meditation and ways of coping with stress and anxiety while I was in the United Kingdom. Chris informed me of how as an Aspie it is important to think about the present more so than the future which seems to raise levels of anxiety. Chris undertakes meditation which helps him to control some of his anxiety and to think more in the present than the future.
I would encourage anyone to look at Chris Mitchell's website which can be found by visiting the above link on the Title page.
I would encourage anyone to look at Chris Mitchell's website which can be found by visiting the above link on the Title page.
The Gillard Tax Fiasco
I really wonder about the legitimacy of the carbon tax introduced by the Gillard Labor Independent controlled government? Australia has a population of less than 23 million and yet this hypocritical tax has been introduced. Meanwhile the main polluters of India and China omit more carbon and greenhouse gases than any other country. Surely curtailing their omissions is an urgent priority??!
If you are going to tax carbon then exactly who and how is the tax going to better Australia and more importantly where is the money going to go? I am somewhat cynical and see the tax as a means of the government to raise more revenue to continue to fund the black hole and mismanagement of its own handling of the economy. What also concerns me more is that some people are just so thick that they harbour such views and are blind to see the exercise of revenue raising by the government to fill their own grandeur and black holes of incompetence. Politicians in Australia are set for life after serving only two terms it seems. They get all the perks of high office. Please double click on the title of this post for more information. They receive life long pensions and never have to stare poverty in the face ever again.
What exactly then is the tax going to do and I wonder how it will improve as Gillard said "It's for the good of the nation?"
1. Can road infrastructure be improved? Well if cars and roads pollute then building more surely will increase greenhouse omissions?
2. How will politicians be affected with their free travel etc? Will they be able to travel more while the rest of us are taxed to buggery?
3. Infrastructure. If more buildings are built then surely they will need to be taxed as well for where is carbon energy required in terms of materials, and machinery used to put them together?
4. Oh even the grass may need to grow without being cut in the parks, suburbs and on the plantations? I mean tractors, and other machinery causing omissions they ore more than likely to rely on the use of carbon?
5. What else may need to be taxed also? Paper for isn't carbon energy required somewhere to produce paper? Maybe we can use computers oh yeah and the energy for them has to come from carbon somewhere unless the government wants to get serious and use solar power? Even products for solar power probably needed carbon or still do to produce the parts for solar energy?
6. Perhaps you can become a carbon phobic? You can be so phobic about where carbon is used that you could develop a phobia that prevents you from using or seeing carbon somewhere which you may be taxed for? Good luck trying to survive for you may as well bury yourself in a wooden box or live in one?
Look if you want to get serious about a carbon tax then surely the world's biggest polluters of India and China and some other countries with larger populations need to be made to seriously reduce carbon omissions. Australia remains in a geographically isolated part of the world and the rest of the world I am sorry are not going to take notice of Australia. In the United States and in Europe very few people even know where Australia is actually positioned in the world stage so if action is needed to significantly reduce greenhouse gases then India and China have to come on board. Until this happens Australia will appear just a laughing stock to the rest of the world and nobody is going to take Australia seriously even for those who know of its geographic location. Oh I may be taxed also for writing my blog for carbon is used for energy. Maybe I will have to make my inscriptions and blogs on paper bark on trees from now on?!
If you are going to tax carbon then exactly who and how is the tax going to better Australia and more importantly where is the money going to go? I am somewhat cynical and see the tax as a means of the government to raise more revenue to continue to fund the black hole and mismanagement of its own handling of the economy. What also concerns me more is that some people are just so thick that they harbour such views and are blind to see the exercise of revenue raising by the government to fill their own grandeur and black holes of incompetence. Politicians in Australia are set for life after serving only two terms it seems. They get all the perks of high office. Please double click on the title of this post for more information. They receive life long pensions and never have to stare poverty in the face ever again.
What exactly then is the tax going to do and I wonder how it will improve as Gillard said "It's for the good of the nation?"
1. Can road infrastructure be improved? Well if cars and roads pollute then building more surely will increase greenhouse omissions?
2. How will politicians be affected with their free travel etc? Will they be able to travel more while the rest of us are taxed to buggery?
3. Infrastructure. If more buildings are built then surely they will need to be taxed as well for where is carbon energy required in terms of materials, and machinery used to put them together?
4. Oh even the grass may need to grow without being cut in the parks, suburbs and on the plantations? I mean tractors, and other machinery causing omissions they ore more than likely to rely on the use of carbon?
5. What else may need to be taxed also? Paper for isn't carbon energy required somewhere to produce paper? Maybe we can use computers oh yeah and the energy for them has to come from carbon somewhere unless the government wants to get serious and use solar power? Even products for solar power probably needed carbon or still do to produce the parts for solar energy?
6. Perhaps you can become a carbon phobic? You can be so phobic about where carbon is used that you could develop a phobia that prevents you from using or seeing carbon somewhere which you may be taxed for? Good luck trying to survive for you may as well bury yourself in a wooden box or live in one?
Look if you want to get serious about a carbon tax then surely the world's biggest polluters of India and China and some other countries with larger populations need to be made to seriously reduce carbon omissions. Australia remains in a geographically isolated part of the world and the rest of the world I am sorry are not going to take notice of Australia. In the United States and in Europe very few people even know where Australia is actually positioned in the world stage so if action is needed to significantly reduce greenhouse gases then India and China have to come on board. Until this happens Australia will appear just a laughing stock to the rest of the world and nobody is going to take Australia seriously even for those who know of its geographic location. Oh I may be taxed also for writing my blog for carbon is used for energy. Maybe I will have to make my inscriptions and blogs on paper bark on trees from now on?!
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Do I really belong in Australia?
I find myself making the adjustment back to Australia especially Brisbane very difficult. I often wonder if I should live in some Eastern European country? There the women don't compete with the men and are not so outspoken and defensive as they seem to be here. I also feel that perhaps my way of thinking may be better accepted to where I currently share no similarities with the people around me. I am tired of people who say I need to try harder or that I need to think more positively. If this was the case I would have been cured or my way of life would have changed ages ago.
I find Australian society boring to be honest. The Rugby League culture is too obsessive for my liking and the emphasis on drinking and getting 'pissed' is something that it just a total waste of energy. I have wondered about teaching English in some eastern European culture and maybe meeting women who are not wanting to compete etc. Maybe this is something I need to look more into?
For some reason people always seem to be wanting to change me as a person or just be critical on the other hand. I walked through the park and talked to myself which I seem to do more in Australia than I do overseas about the way things are here. I saw a group of Indian people and I wondered how inclusive Australian society is of foreign people? Does there need to be more diversity? I think yes because diversity gets people to think and be more intellectually curious.
As an Aspie I struggle a lot more in Australia than I do overseas. There simply is not the social networks and the awareness that there is in other countries like the UK. The UK is not perfect but there are more groups for adults whereas here you are virtually left to your own devices. I think Aspies here don't look for services because they know either they don't exist or their needs are unable to be met. Some Aspies seem to turn on me here also which I do not understand. They can just be so nasty! I just think that they need help as much as I do and I guess they have to take it out on someone?
When I travel abroad I find people seem more open minded and less critical. I can be myself and not exist in a tribal culture and one that tries to fit you into a box. I feel a bit depressed this afternoon as I miss that which I have been exposed to while overseas. That is people who seem more accommodating and open minded. Perhaps looking and living abroad maybe a better option than it is living here. I am tired of the social isolation and feeling down most of the time by people simply not being able to understand.
I find Australian society boring to be honest. The Rugby League culture is too obsessive for my liking and the emphasis on drinking and getting 'pissed' is something that it just a total waste of energy. I have wondered about teaching English in some eastern European culture and maybe meeting women who are not wanting to compete etc. Maybe this is something I need to look more into?
For some reason people always seem to be wanting to change me as a person or just be critical on the other hand. I walked through the park and talked to myself which I seem to do more in Australia than I do overseas about the way things are here. I saw a group of Indian people and I wondered how inclusive Australian society is of foreign people? Does there need to be more diversity? I think yes because diversity gets people to think and be more intellectually curious.
As an Aspie I struggle a lot more in Australia than I do overseas. There simply is not the social networks and the awareness that there is in other countries like the UK. The UK is not perfect but there are more groups for adults whereas here you are virtually left to your own devices. I think Aspies here don't look for services because they know either they don't exist or their needs are unable to be met. Some Aspies seem to turn on me here also which I do not understand. They can just be so nasty! I just think that they need help as much as I do and I guess they have to take it out on someone?
When I travel abroad I find people seem more open minded and less critical. I can be myself and not exist in a tribal culture and one that tries to fit you into a box. I feel a bit depressed this afternoon as I miss that which I have been exposed to while overseas. That is people who seem more accommodating and open minded. Perhaps looking and living abroad maybe a better option than it is living here. I am tired of the social isolation and feeling down most of the time by people simply not being able to understand.
Would I run for politics?
I have been asked by some people would I run for politics? To answer this question simply and directly no I would not! The first thing is I don't trust people in political environments. I would virtually want to scrutinise everything. Where the money for my campaign would go, who I could trust to serve the best interests of the nation and finally would I be able to get things done once elected?
If I entered parliament more so as an Independent as I cannot trust the party towing of lines, I would ensure I would have as much authority as possible. I would find myself virtually needing an army of supporters to help me with decision making and putting forward a private member's bill. One of my first priorities would be of course to put forward a private members bill for an Autism Bill in Australia. This in itself would face opposition or possible defeat. I would need to work with NT's and this would be an overwhelming challenge. I would also endeavour to bring Australia up to International Standards with disability support. The economy would be another matter and I would employ possibly Aspies or professional people whom I can trust to ensure all the books balance and there remains no debts. I could not deal or handle debt and I would work at ways to reduce and decrease it.
My policies would remain unpopular also. I am tired of crime and I am sick of drugs. Drugs are increasing crime and more and more needs to be done to get people back into reality. As a society people have become so detached and isolated from their communities that we need to bring community and reality back again! People need to feel good about themselves. Possibly a National Service to restore pride in younger people may be but one way to go. People just need to have discipline, self respect and feel proud about themselves.
An Aspie in politics would be an interesting event. Just imagine the modifications required where necessary to assist with the difficulties that may occur. These being dealing with other personalities and looking out for possible snake oil where you may least expect it. I know of some Aspies in politics but some seem to be able to survive but in terms of progression then that is a different story.
What I would personally like to see for Australia besides Autism Bill are as follows
1. Roads upgraded and bringing in foreign labour to do the hard work where required.
2. More focus on green house friendly energy rather than just slugging taxpayers
3. Improvement in Australia's Rail network so fast trains between Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide
4. Make people feel better in themselves and make Australia more competitive on an international stage
5. Review certain laws and allow people to walk free on the streets and to get police back on the beat rather than slugging motorists who go one or 5 kms over the state limit on roads
6. Review State Parliaments especially upper houses. Are they still required?
7. Encourage younger people to communicate more and stop their brains from being exposed with mush and other unnecessary crap
Yes I wouldn't please everyone but frankly at my point in life as Clark Gable said in Gone With The Wind "Frankly my dear I do not give a damn"!". If I can't be who I am then I need to say what I think and feel. Australia needs to stand up more and stop riding on the veil of complacency which exists and despite its isolation it needs to compete and been seen more. This also applies to the Soccer World Cup!
I would not really run for politics but I do know of certain young people whom I think would make good leaders. They only just need to be given a chance and they may be more Autism Friendly we can only hope to help Australia move forward!
If I entered parliament more so as an Independent as I cannot trust the party towing of lines, I would ensure I would have as much authority as possible. I would find myself virtually needing an army of supporters to help me with decision making and putting forward a private member's bill. One of my first priorities would be of course to put forward a private members bill for an Autism Bill in Australia. This in itself would face opposition or possible defeat. I would need to work with NT's and this would be an overwhelming challenge. I would also endeavour to bring Australia up to International Standards with disability support. The economy would be another matter and I would employ possibly Aspies or professional people whom I can trust to ensure all the books balance and there remains no debts. I could not deal or handle debt and I would work at ways to reduce and decrease it.
My policies would remain unpopular also. I am tired of crime and I am sick of drugs. Drugs are increasing crime and more and more needs to be done to get people back into reality. As a society people have become so detached and isolated from their communities that we need to bring community and reality back again! People need to feel good about themselves. Possibly a National Service to restore pride in younger people may be but one way to go. People just need to have discipline, self respect and feel proud about themselves.
An Aspie in politics would be an interesting event. Just imagine the modifications required where necessary to assist with the difficulties that may occur. These being dealing with other personalities and looking out for possible snake oil where you may least expect it. I know of some Aspies in politics but some seem to be able to survive but in terms of progression then that is a different story.
What I would personally like to see for Australia besides Autism Bill are as follows
1. Roads upgraded and bringing in foreign labour to do the hard work where required.
2. More focus on green house friendly energy rather than just slugging taxpayers
3. Improvement in Australia's Rail network so fast trains between Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide
4. Make people feel better in themselves and make Australia more competitive on an international stage
5. Review certain laws and allow people to walk free on the streets and to get police back on the beat rather than slugging motorists who go one or 5 kms over the state limit on roads
6. Review State Parliaments especially upper houses. Are they still required?
7. Encourage younger people to communicate more and stop their brains from being exposed with mush and other unnecessary crap
Yes I wouldn't please everyone but frankly at my point in life as Clark Gable said in Gone With The Wind "Frankly my dear I do not give a damn"!". If I can't be who I am then I need to say what I think and feel. Australia needs to stand up more and stop riding on the veil of complacency which exists and despite its isolation it needs to compete and been seen more. This also applies to the Soccer World Cup!
I would not really run for politics but I do know of certain young people whom I think would make good leaders. They only just need to be given a chance and they may be more Autism Friendly we can only hope to help Australia move forward!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)