ms grey
Member
Just about sums it up. When I was a kid, people like me were to be evaluated for retardation. Several teachers told my parents that. My mom was concerned, upset but my dad just said "No, she's just like cousin Billy". My Dad's cousin Billy had (He and my Dad are deceased) a bachelor's in math and a masters in physics. He worked for an oil company in Texas. So until the state of CA introduced placement tests when I was 10 resulting in an IQ test, that was the state of things. I had an IQ test result of 140. I had speech issues which mostly resolved themselves when I was 10. I was non-verbal until 4.
Once my IQ was established, the fact that I was quirky was dismissed and the system dealt with the bullies, including abusive parents. I realize I was fortunate and others are not as much. I was also in a small rural school.
Bullying, fluorescent lights. and massive dis-coordination were the biggest issues in school. I managed to control spontaneous crying - at least until I could get alone. That makes bullying worse.
Except for speech therapy, I had minimal outside intervention. I was never examined or labeled as "retarded" due to my Dad's attitude. My brain developed as it was meant to. I do not believe that forcing the issue before its time helps. Speech therapy did little for me except take me out of an environment that I did not like. I am still uncoordinated and have anxiety issues. But I am used to it. Just the way I am.
Engineering was an easy choice as a career. I have been an RF & microwave design engineer, system engineer, project lead. project manager and now retired, living in beautiful New England.
I have found most Aspies easy to work with as opposed to NT. I worked with many engineers and programmers. Single (and sometimes married) NT males are more likely to cause work sex harassment issues. The Aspies were less likely to exaggerate their progress and budget, and so created less issues for me. I felt that part of my job as a manager was to clean the path so everyone could get their work done.
Now I sew, get upset at our current political state of things, do a Buddhist meditation (Buddhist since 1977), do some pagan things, repair the house and generally be happy.
Have been in a relationship for the past 10 years or so. No children by choice as I could not emotionally take someone like my older brother or my mom or two of my cousins. My mom (deceased) and some of her relatives have a personality disorder like anti-social or narcissistic. If I had a child like that, I knew I could not deal. Although I identified most of my life as a geek or nerd, or maybe Aspie, I have recently arrived at HFA. I would have liked a kid like me.
Although I have an aversion to change, I can talk myself into it. I like music and have been told I have perfect pitch although my speaking voice sounds monotonous. I love Lady Gaga. I still love the Beatles and the Rolling Stones. I also like Bing Crosby.
My message to all those struggling - You can get through it with the right friends. I have been recently reviewing a lot of sites. I believe much of the struggle has been external - an exaggeration of an issue that small communities of the past may have just made a place for people.
Both my older brother and I were issues for the school system. My brother would have been diagnosed as ADHD today. I would have been diagnosed as HFA. There is an ongoing on-line professional discussion of if a person can be defined as both ADHD and autistic. I do not believe that a person can be.
My observation upon reviewing Autism sites is that Autism Speaks needs to be flushed. It comes up on the first page in a Google search. Electroshock sounds like something from the dark ages. Behavioral conditioning sounds like dog training. Don't do it.
Taking from Lady Gaga: You were born this way. I was born this way.
Once my IQ was established, the fact that I was quirky was dismissed and the system dealt with the bullies, including abusive parents. I realize I was fortunate and others are not as much. I was also in a small rural school.
Bullying, fluorescent lights. and massive dis-coordination were the biggest issues in school. I managed to control spontaneous crying - at least until I could get alone. That makes bullying worse.
Except for speech therapy, I had minimal outside intervention. I was never examined or labeled as "retarded" due to my Dad's attitude. My brain developed as it was meant to. I do not believe that forcing the issue before its time helps. Speech therapy did little for me except take me out of an environment that I did not like. I am still uncoordinated and have anxiety issues. But I am used to it. Just the way I am.
Engineering was an easy choice as a career. I have been an RF & microwave design engineer, system engineer, project lead. project manager and now retired, living in beautiful New England.
I have found most Aspies easy to work with as opposed to NT. I worked with many engineers and programmers. Single (and sometimes married) NT males are more likely to cause work sex harassment issues. The Aspies were less likely to exaggerate their progress and budget, and so created less issues for me. I felt that part of my job as a manager was to clean the path so everyone could get their work done.
Now I sew, get upset at our current political state of things, do a Buddhist meditation (Buddhist since 1977), do some pagan things, repair the house and generally be happy.
Have been in a relationship for the past 10 years or so. No children by choice as I could not emotionally take someone like my older brother or my mom or two of my cousins. My mom (deceased) and some of her relatives have a personality disorder like anti-social or narcissistic. If I had a child like that, I knew I could not deal. Although I identified most of my life as a geek or nerd, or maybe Aspie, I have recently arrived at HFA. I would have liked a kid like me.
Although I have an aversion to change, I can talk myself into it. I like music and have been told I have perfect pitch although my speaking voice sounds monotonous. I love Lady Gaga. I still love the Beatles and the Rolling Stones. I also like Bing Crosby.
My message to all those struggling - You can get through it with the right friends. I have been recently reviewing a lot of sites. I believe much of the struggle has been external - an exaggeration of an issue that small communities of the past may have just made a place for people.
Both my older brother and I were issues for the school system. My brother would have been diagnosed as ADHD today. I would have been diagnosed as HFA. There is an ongoing on-line professional discussion of if a person can be defined as both ADHD and autistic. I do not believe that a person can be.
My observation upon reviewing Autism sites is that Autism Speaks needs to be flushed. It comes up on the first page in a Google search. Electroshock sounds like something from the dark ages. Behavioral conditioning sounds like dog training. Don't do it.
Taking from Lady Gaga: You were born this way. I was born this way.
