Comments Policy

[chaoticidealism]

Since I want everyone to be able to have his say, I'm not going to be moderating comments very harshly.

However, I will automatically delete:

1. Comments containing threats, slander, or personal attacks
2. Comments containing plagiarism or including someone's personal information or private communication without their permission
3. Unintelligible posts

Comments

Is this Lisa Daxer?

[anonymous]

I just heard a report on NPR. I like your voice and identify with a lot of what you said. I often feel like I'm not from around here, maybe Mars, somewhere with much better attitudes.
I pass for normal, in maybe a nerdy high IQ sort of way, and have never had any mental diagnosis, but as a two-year-old I would sit for hours doing jigsaw puzzles, which I am told is not normal.
Currently I live in Boston near Harvard U., am a landlord and teach pteridophyte botany. My website is nefern.info I am 66.
I don't use eye contact much, to my detriment I suppose, preferring to stare at the blank wall on which I am analyzing whatever the person is saying.
So just Hi, thanks for speaking up, good luck.
donlubin@comcast.net

[anonymous]

I just happened onto your blog after seeing you on NPR homepage, I just wanted to say I have always thought of myself as an alien on this planet and wondered why we do not study behavior from this perspective (or anything else for that matter). I have autism and have a son with it too. I runs in my family, so I never knew until recently that I had it. I always thought everyone esle was strange. Heck, they are. I can't imagine being neurotypical. I am glad I read your blog, I feel I could have written it myself. Soldier on, fellow alien!

Insight

[anonymous]

Thank you for opening my eyes. Have you studied those of us who are on the same side of the bell curve as the autistic who aren't considered as either having asperger or autism?

I've always felt there was a glass wall between me and others - I don't like to socialize a lot and I don't understand the need to be with others all the time. I know I miss some social cues. I'm the outsider in my family, at work, and I have friends - but not many. I prefer my dogs - easier to deal with.

You spoke of loving patterns and facts. That really spoke to me. I love working because it is like a giant puzzle to be solved.

I was recently diagnosed with MS and have a large lesion in my brain's executive center...maybe that is the cause or maybe I'm just different.

I'm also 57 years old so I've been doing the best I can for a long time. Sometimes I truly love it, but occasionally it gets me down. Your positive view of the neural normals was a great insight. Thank you.

NPR Interview and Wright State

[anonymous]

I was interested in your interview, both from the autism standpoint and from the Wright State standpoint. I have a friend who has Asperger's Syndrome, and he seems to find it useful to view human relations as a puzzle to be solved

[anonymous]

I recently read an article published by NPR where you were featured as a shining example of someone living very successfully with AS. I have a 12 year old son who, like you, is very bright, very aware of his differences, and doing beautifully in his life. Granted he faces plenty of challenges, particularly when required to go somewhere new and interact with people he is unfamiliar with. Bullies and insensitive people are definitely among the neurotypical population. Fortunately, he has chosen to believe that the "problem" is more with other's ignorance about AS, rather than some shortfall of his own. It has taken a number of years and plenty of tears to arrive at this outlook. People like you help reinforce his belief system, and I applaud you. You ROCK!