NeurobeautifulI’ve learned that “How are you?” is usually meant as a greeting, not a question. But if I give a trite answer, and the person responds by repeating the question a second time – slower, with emphasis – then I know it’s truly a question.
That’s when it gets complicated.
Many autistic people experience “alexithymia,” …
I’m terrified of improvisation, so I often spend more time preparing for things than actually doing them. It feels like building a staircase into the sky – I could attempt to fly, but falling is so painful that it isn’t worth the risk.
As a teacher assistant, I sometimes have to substitute for absent teachers. …
Musicals feel like heaven to me, because they portray a world that solves some specifically autistic problems.
For example, I’m not great at reading between the lines to figure out a person’s true intentions. Musicals solve this through solo songs that reveal exactly what the character is thinking and feeling.
Also, the real world has …
Writing clarifies my thoughts. Talking feels messier.
When I’m drafting a post, I often ramble a bit before stumbling on the main idea. Then I delete the first half of the draft, move the last sentence to the beginning, make some final adjustments, and post it. I usually continue to tweak it even after it’s …
“Are you okay?”
Whenever a stranger asks me this, my brain silently says, “No, I’m not. You’ve caught me in a startled state, only halfway recovered from an overwhelming moment. I’m trying to regain my sense of balance, as if I was spinning and suddenly stopped. Finding words right now feels like dizzily trying to …