December 14, 2020

I have always loved commercials. Not commercialism, but commercials.

The well-made ones, at least. The ones that tell a story, without words. The ones that let you spy on mysterious behavior, then discover its heartwarming purpose. The ones that let you into a world where all colors are coordinated, and all humans move in harmony. …

December 12, 2020

Is it really true that all brains are beautiful?

For the most part, I’ve been blessed with very accepting readers. However, this is one of a handful of ideas that occasionally gets pushback.

Not from parents or teachers, who mostly listen supportively, but from autistic individuals – ones who can’t see anything in themselves to …

December 9, 2020

Why do so many introverts find it absolutely thrilling when plans get canceled – like the grown-up equivalent of a snow day?

I think it has something to do with the mental preparation leading up to the planned event. We gather our energy, getting ready to spend it all at once – and then, when …

December 9, 2020

Talking is hard today. Nothing unusually stressful happened, just the ordinary weight of teaching over Zoom. But somehow, by the end of my last class, it all added up to more than I could handle. Something had to give, and that something was fluent speech.

In a staff meeting, I used the chat box to …

December 8, 2020

“In the eye of a hurricane, there is quiet.”

That’s how life feels right now. It’s quiet, and not only on my ears.

It’s quiet on my eyes, with most of my time spent in one place. It’s quiet on my skin, only braving the winter air once a week for groceries. It’s quiet in …

December 7, 2020

Twice, I’ve been called an enigma – 12 years ago, and 8 years ago. Both times were by guys interested in dating me, a rare occurrence that I didn’t know how to handle at the time.

Maybe they found it enigmatic that I did flirty things for non-flirty reasons. My complete incompetence at the neurotypical …

December 7, 2020

When I was nine years old, someone told me, “Children think that they know everything.”

I pondered that. “Hmm, do I believe that I know everything? Let me take a very careful look at the current state of my mind, so that I can remember it for comparison in the future. There are a lot …

December 6, 2020

They say that you can’t control what happens to you, but you can control how you react.

Sometimes, though, I sincerely and legitimately cannot control how I react. When I’m startled, overwhelmed, or in pain, my body does things I don’t want it to.

Often, though not always, I have more control over what happens …

December 5, 2020

My absolute favorite foods are hors d’oeuvres, charcuterie boards, and leftovers.

Those are the categories of food that give me the most freedom to choose which sensation I want on my tongue at any particular moment.

There isn’t a full plate to finish. There are many possibilities to start. And if I change my mind …

December 5, 2020

When I describe my experiences as an autistic adult, I often get comments from parents whose children seem to have similar experiences.

Similar, but slightly different – so, parents sometimes ask me for help to unravel the mystery of their child’s own motivations and preferences.

I really appreciate these questions! Even if my answer is …