Hello (M39, Finland)

[Aspychata]

I went close to Lapland, and stayed in a older cabin that a fireplace in the middle of the house, totally radical.

 

[Luca]

Welcome!

I find Finland really interesting and I hope to visit there someday soon. I am also interested in learning the language.

It’s nice to have you here and I hope you find it helpful and enjoyable.

I can relate to a lot of what you wrote here. I also experience very little difficulty with daily functioning, and I have friends. But social situations are becoming increasingly difficult the less I try to “mask.”

What are some of your interests?

 

[Aspychata]

I need more suklaa in my life.
Chocolate. I like how everybody says hei there.

 

[Arrokoth]

Welcome Arrokoth. It is good that you have made it thus far without trauma, despite bullying. I needed the diagnosis late in life because PTSD ideation was being triggered. All of us are different and of those here, many have managed to put a decent life together.

I hope you have been able to work towards dealing with the trauma, I can only imagine how hard that must be. I have always had people around me supporting me even though nobody really knew about this. Back in the 1990s you needed to have debilitating symptoms for anyone to consider autism, I was just considered a sensitive, quirky child. I guess this must be very common for those of us who grew up in that period, no matter which part of the world...

 

[Arrokoth]

I was just thinking, you'll probably feel more at home with one of these close by, so I'll just install this sauna here.

Thanks, yes I do! I go to sauna 4 to 5 times a week It has been my dream to build a sauna almost as fancy as that one with a view to the forest.

 

[Arrokoth]

I did. Loads of them. They move like each leg has its own brain and they all want to go in different directions So it's a bit of a concern when passing them on a motorcycle!

I enjoyed that trip so much I wanted a tattoo as a permanent reminder - so now I have a mystical reindeer with me always...

Awesome tattoo Yes they are funny animals. They seem to know about traffic so they tend to walk by the side or at least they choose the correct lane And sometimes you hear them approach because many of them wear a bell.

 

[Arrokoth]

It would be easier to relate if we share more than the general symptoms - what are some of your special interests and examples or problems that arose?
I am interested in Finland, having a similar climate, but a Canadian government. How was school for you? One amusing incident I had was when my then wife and I received a letter accusing us on one page of being communists, and on the next of being fascists. To me, the two epithets cancelled each other out. My wife took the opposite view, one of our points of divergence.

Most of my special interests are related to collecting, such as stamps, coins, decorative items made of glass or brass, and minerals. Also I am an astronomy fan (I chose my nickname based on one celestial object). It's not just about collecting but I like to dig deeper into the history and meaning of each object and of course tell my partner and friends all about it.

I think in my current life, the biggest problem is that I am unknowingly making people annoyed or upset and they sometimes respond by treating me badly (at least according to how I experience it). These are not very serious matters but it does burden me and cause misery from time to time. Those social screw-ups I don't take that seriously anymore now that I am aware of this and I have gotten more experience.

Oh, I wonder what was the reason to get such a letter? I agree that whoever accused you of those things wasn't very logical and probably just chose some terms that they thought could be insulting

 

[Forest Cat]

I need more suklaa in my life.
Chocolate. I like how everybody says hei there.

Mmm, suklaa. The Finns also have something special that would help everyone if people had more of it I think, the Finnish "sisu".

Sisu - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[tazz]

Also I am an astronomy fan

I wonder if you've come across these youtube channels:

https://www.youtube.com/sixtysymbols

https://www.youtube.com/deepskyvideos

Interesting presenters. Deep Sky has a series of videos on all of the entries in the Messier catalog. And a bunch of stuff on location at various telescopes around the world.

 

[Shevek]

Most of my special interests are related to collecting, such as stamps, coins, decorative items made of glass or brass, and minerals. Also I am an astronomy fan (I chose my nickname based on one celestial object). It's not just about collecting but I like to dig deeper into the history and meaning of each object and of course tell my partner and friends all about it.

I think in my current life, the biggest problem is that I am unknowingly making people annoyed or upset and they sometimes respond by treating me badly (at least according to how I experience it). These are not very serious matters but it does burden me and cause misery from time to time. Those social screw-ups I don't take that seriously anymore now that I am aware of this and I have gotten more experience.

Oh, I wonder what was the reason to get such a letter? I agree that whoever accused you of those things wasn't very logical and probably just chose some terms that they thought could be insulting

Well, we have brass in common. I used to work it for a living, and when I was really depressed, I cleared out enough space to do it again for my own use, and it was a turning point. Now my shop produces a wide variety of things again, and I'm currently working on a coat hook. I also buy decorative brass items and radically improve the finish on them. I like working on something that changes a lot, but then almost vanishes, when the surface goes reflective.
I never felt supported. I got my education at the library. My conversations usually seem to go fine, but sometimes my filter is off, and I do very risky things like questioning authority to its face. Now, I can only average an hour of personal interaction per day without problems, except for one trusted friend. That accusatory letter arose from my ex treating a tenant like a child she wanted to reform.
Would you like my stamp collection? I have no idea of their value; I just keep the interesting looking ones from the bin.

 

[Aspychata]

That reminds of sauna and hiting my back with the birch branches. Jumping into a unheated pool after sauna time. But a lot of snow. Do you still have snow 6 months out of the year, or has global warning affected my Finnish friends? Do you have many Ukraines coming in still?

 

[Forest Cat]

That reminds of sauna and hiting my back with the birch branches. Jumping into a unheated pool after sauna time. But a lot of snow.

Sitting in a 80 degree celsius room, hitting yourself with birch branches and then run naked outside and roll around in snow in -10 degrees, it sounds like some weird medieval torture method, doesn't it. When I was a kid, we did this in primary and middle school after gymclass all winter long.

 

[Arrokoth]

Mmm, suklaa. The Finns also have something special that would help everyone if people had more of it I think, the Finnish "sisu".

The most popular chocolate in Finland is Fazer's Blue, which people often eat like bread It's one of the only chocolates out there which is made using fresh milk and it gives a unique taste to it.

I think every autistic person has some sisu in them, managing through this world where we don't fit properly.

 

[Arrokoth]

I wonder if you've come across these youtube channels:

https://www.youtube.com/sixtysymbols

https://www.youtube.com/deepskyvideos

Interesting presenters. Deep Sky has a series of videos on all of the entries in the Messier catalog. And a bunch of stuff on location at various telescopes around the world.

No I haven't seen these. Thank you. I have astronomical binoculars and many of the Messier objects are somehow familiar to me but definitely I'd like to know more. There are still dark nights before the summer begins to go and see those.

 

[Mary Terry]

Here in the US, there is a potential advantage in obtaining an autism diagnosis as an adult. It can qualify someone for disability benefits when their autism prevents them from earning a living. Does Finland provide any financial assistance to disabled adults?

 

[Arrokoth]

Well, we have brass in common. I used to work it for a living, and when I was really depressed, I cleared out enough space to do it again for my own use, and it was a turning point. Now my shop produces a wide variety of things again, and I'm currently working on a coat hook. I also buy decorative brass items and radically improve the finish on them. I like working on something that changes a lot, but then almost vanishes, when the surface goes reflective.
I never felt supported. I got my education at the library. My conversations usually seem to go fine, but sometimes my filter is off, and I do very risky things like questioning authority to its face. Now, I can only average an hour of personal interaction per day without problems, except for one trusted friend. That accusatory letter arose from my ex treating a tenant like a child she wanted to reform.
Would you like my stamp collection? I have no idea of their value; I just keep the interesting looking ones from the bin.

I also enjoy sanding and polishing/waxing wooden and metal items, it gives me a peace of mind. Some collectible items I leave as they are. I'd be interested to see some pictures of what kind of brass items you have produced.

My stamp collecting is currently offline but I'm always interested to have a look. At least I can help you with assessing whether there is something of collectible value. Most stamps do not have much value nowadays unless they are rarities or part of a thematic collection. Please send me some pics of your stamps and I'm happy to check them out.

 

[Arrokoth]

Do you still have snow 6 months out of the year, or has global warning affected my Finnish friends? Do you have many Ukraines coming in still?

The climate change has affected Finland a lot and in some regions the average temperature has increased by 3 degrees centigrade over the past century. Sometimes in the south there is barely a proper winter. Here in the Eastern part the snowy season still lasts up to six months a year. We have about 40 cm left currently...

I think there's about 1000 Ukrainians in my home town of about 120,000 people. I'm not sure if there are more coming in.

 

[Arrokoth]

Sitting in a 80 degree celsius room, hitting yourself with birch branches and then run naked outside and roll around in snow in -10 degrees, it sounds like some weird medieval torture method, doesn't it. When I was a kid, we did this in primary and middle school after gymclass all winter long.

I have to say rolling in the snow naked is too extreme for my senses but I've tried ice swimming many times

 

[Arrokoth]

Here in the US, there is a potential advantage in obtaining an autism diagnosis as an adult. It can qualify someone for disability benefits when their autism prevents them from earning a living. Does Finland provide any financial assistance to disabled adults?

I think the advantage here in my case would be to have access to state-supported behavioural therapy. In case the autism causes more severe disability, the state will give financial support for the basic needs and probably access to some form of housing where they have professional assistance available. I don't have that much knowledge but my aunt who had Down syndrome was living most of her adult life on her own with such support.

 

[Forest Cat]

I have to say rolling in the snow naked is too extreme for my senses but I've tried ice swimming many times

I'd say ice swimming is worse or more extreme than rolling in the snow.