Hi all, thanks for the welcome.

[Neri]

Thanks for the welcome. I thought there must be some aussies around. I'm also originally from Melbourne, in SA for the past 10 years, prior to that Northern NSW! Even the Buttery in 91. I miss it. I was planning on moving to Lismore just before the last floods. I'm right near the Adelaide Hills so it's breathtakingly beautiful here, everyday I acknowledge how lucky I am. Good weather too, compared to sad grey Melbourne anyway. I'm renting with beautiful views but the owner is very old so if I'm still fit enough I'll head to Northern NSW maybe even before this ends because I'm a hippy at heart. I haven't found any in SA! I also finally found out that I'm on the spectrum at about 51. I hope that it was a relief for you. It has completely changed my feelings about being alive after 30 years of therapy etc etc. I worked in Redfern for 6 years, at the block. So lucky! But of course it involved a lot of sadness. Sorry it took me so long to reply. I get home at around this time everyday. I'm usually always up for a chat. I don't have any friends here, but It's country so there are a lot of chatterboxes around. The local indigenous people here are the saddest I've met anywhere except for maybe parts of WA. I think that affects the energy here. Really nice to meet you. Cheers.

There are a lot of very troubled indignous folk here, too, but, I have met some that aren't. Not many though.

 

[David C]

@Outdated is near you. Yes, I know the Buttery well. My late stepfather (bless his beautiful heart) spent a year at the Buttery and I did a wonderful Music Therapy course, here in Nimbin, courtesy of the Buttery, a few years back.
Lismore has bounced back, fairly well, in many ways and continues to. It seems like a more heartfelt and community-minded little city, post floods.
I've been to Redfern! People there were good to us. Long time ago. I was in a band called "Earth Reggae" and we were involved with various indiginous musical artists and activists, at the time. It would've been in 1990, I think, that we visited Redfern. I wouldn't been a pregnant teenager, I think.
We are having a monsoonal summer here, very muggy and lots of thunder storms; a wet one.

You should come up! The more the merrier!

I hear that, very recently, a Neurodiversity peer group started up, in Lismore. Or it might be strictly Autism, I can't remember now. I heard about it at the Art&Craft group run by "peer workers" that I've recently started going too. it"s a brand new group, The Peer support group for Autists. It's on a Wednesday evening, so I can't go, coz I live in Nimbin and I don't drive (yet). Unless I find out someone from Nimbin is going, then I could get a lift, Now that's a thought. Sorry, I'm thinking aloud. But seriously, you will love it up here, if you can handle uber humidity. It's pretty awesome ( says a woman who rarely leaves her house these days) and yes, I am more than a little bit hippy (thanks mum!) I can't help that, it's how I was raised. I am working on getting more of an out-of-the-house life again, post band and post raising a giant tribe of kids.

Thanks for the welcome. I thought there must be some aussies around. I'm also originally from Melbourne, in SA for the past 10 years, prior to that Northern NSW! Even the Buttery in 91. I miss it. I was planning on moving to Lismore just before the last floods. I'm right near the Adelaide Hills so it's breathtakingly beautiful here, everyday I acknowledge how lucky I am. Good weather too, compared to sad grey Melbourne anyway. I'm renting with beautiful views but the owner is very old so if I'm still fit enough I'll head to Northern NSW maybe even before this ends because I'm a hippy at heart. I haven't found any in SA! I also finally found out that I'm on the spectrum at about 51. I hope that it was a relief for you. It has completely changed my feelings about being alive after 30 years of therapy etc etc. I worked in Redfern for 6 years, at the block. So lucky! But of course it involved a lot of sadness. Sorry it took me so long to reply. I get home at around this time everyday. I'm usually always up for a chat. I don't have any friends here, but It's country so there are a lot of chatterboxes around. The local indigenous people here are the saddest I've met anywhere except for maybe parts of WA. I think that affects the energy here. Really nice to meet you. Cheers.

@Outdated is near you. Yes, I know the Buttery well. My late stepfather (bless his beautiful heart) spent a year at the Buttery and I did a wonderful Music Therapy course, here in Nimbin, courtesy of the Buttery, a few years back.
Lismore has bounced back, fairly well, in many ways and continues to. It seems like a more heartfelt and community-minded little city, post floods.
I've been to Redfern! People there were good to us. Long time ago. I was in a band called "Earth Reggae" and we were involved with various indiginous musical artists and activists, at the time. It would've been in 1990, I think, that we visited Redfern. I wouldn't been a pregnant teenager, I think.
We are having a monsoonal summer here, very muggy and lots of thunder storms; a wet one.

You should come up! The more the merrier!

I hear that, very recently, a Neurodiversity peer group started up, in Lismore. Or it might be strictly Autism, I can't remember now. I heard about it at the Art&Craft group run by "peer workers" that I've recently started going too. it"s a brand new group, The Peer support group for Autists. It's on a Wednesday evening, so I can't go, coz I live in Nimbin and I don't drive (yet). Unless I find out someone from Nimbin is going, then I could get a lift, Now that's a thought. Sorry, I'm thinking aloud. But seriously, you will love it up here, if you can handle uber humidity. It's pretty awesome ( says a woman who rarely leaves her house these days) and yes, I am more than a little bit hippy (thanks mum!) I can't help that, it's how I was raised. I am working on getting more of an out-of-the-house life again, post band and post raising a giant tribe of kids.

 

[VictorR]

Welcome

 

[David C]

Welcome

Thanks

 

[David C]

Hi @David C , welcome to the forum

Thank you

 

[Neri]

Hi. I was replying to you and the whole yarn disappeared. I've never posted on a forum before and am slow using tech. I just said that I love humidity and heat. I love Nimbin. I may know your stepfather, depends on the era of course. I had a fairly long association with the Butt and worked there as a volunteer. I'm glad Lismore is healing and morphing. I may make the move in sep when my lease expires. I'm willing to live in my car until I find a place. I've lived in this tin shed/ house for 7 years and it's the longest I've lived in any 1 place, by far, since age 14. I'm a bit stuck because of the rental crisis, but I'm at that age, where I'm starting to loose old friends to cancer, I've got to muster up the courage for risk and adventure I had. Thanks for the inspiration and encouragement.

That's annoying, losing your whole post! I feel for you. I'm slow with the tech too.
I was 10 or 11 when my stepdad went to the Buttery, so that must be about 1984? Maybe? He was a tall Frenchman. He had been in a few different 12 step programs. He really changed though, in most excellent ways.. He spent a year at the Buttery.
I've been in this place I'm in longer than anywhere else too. Moved in here in 2014. If you make it up, we can meet in person. There is support for homeless people here, although the housing crisis is awful here, at least you won't be without resources, if you get stuck.

 

[Neri]

Thanks for that. I don't think I met your stepfather. 1984 was a special era for the Butt. I'm so glad he got so much from it. 12 month + stays were common in that era, it was 6 to 8 months by the time I got there but I stayed for 10 months. Such a special place. My unknown autism almost got me moved on in the first couple of months but I was rescued by one of the staff. There were many mentally, neurologically etc diverse people there. It was the richest experience of my life, so far. My current car I got with living in it for a while in mind. A stealth camper. Before coming here I had a mortgage, a wife and a stepson in Murwillumbah, and a swimming pool. Also a business on the Gold Coast for 6 years with 5 people working for me at one point and a $30,000 van. I got here 10 years ago living in a small $600 car with our 2 family dogs and bankrupt. Fortunately I'm not materialistic. That was thanks to seperation followed by severe drug addiction. Thanks again. Wierd but when I awoke this morning I was thinking about an incident in Nimbin from 39 years ago. I hope fate has it that we meet in person because that'll mean I've made it back up there. Cheers.

You may've run into my partner in Murbah. He used to work at a computer repair shop there. Murbah is still his stompin' ground. I've been a Byron girl, a
Mullum woman. Lismore and Nimbin are my home ground these days.. You've had some big life changes. Me too. It will be good to meet you, I'm sure. We'll see. Time will tell. Meanwhile, this forum is a great place to connect and understand our autistic strengths and challenges. I find it so, at any rate.

 

[Neri]

It's a bit scary and fully strange for me having been so isolated for so long. I don't think that I met your x, but yeah murbah is red necky. When I got the house there one of my Koori co workers was very concerned. He told me it has a baaad history, Inc the worst of things early settlers did.

Not my ex, my current SO. Yes, my guy told me Murbah has a lot of horrid history. And still, it's a troubled town, I think. And yes, terrible things done to the local indiginous folk. Murbah is mixed now. The Krisna community is pretty visable in town there. I don't know the place very well. I don't really fit in, anywhere, but find Lismore a bit more of a friendly place for the likes of myself, and I live in the Nimbin village. It's been an ok place for my kids to grow up. I have an intellectually impaired autistic son that has been very well catered for by the Lismore disability support services for many years now. And I've been able to see all my kid's through to adulthood here.

 

[Neri]

No worries So can I ask. What are some of your interests and skills?

 

[Outdated]

@Outdated is near you.

Not too far away at all really, Adelaide's not a huge place.

Hi and welcome to the forum David.

 

[Outdated]

Yep. Grew up here originally, then moved around the country a bit. Lived in Melbourne a couple of times and spent 20 years in and around Darwin. Came back in 2019 to sort out a retirement package for myself. Now I have a full pension and I live in a really nice little unit near Marion, in a nice area.

 

[Outdated]

About 18 months now. Adelaide has always been very good with the social services, I came back knowing I'd be able to get social housing but I didn't expect to end up where I am now. I've been really lucky.

 

[Outdated]

When I came back down to Adelaide I made a very firm decision to not create much of a social life for myself. I make friends easily but eventually it always evolves in to more social pressure than I can cope with. I haven't made a single new friend since I moved back here but I also don't get lonely and don't miss people. That part of my head never worked.

I had been living in Dundee, south west of Darwin before I came down here. Living almost as a feral human and camping on other people's properties, then I started getting old. When I came down here it was a fairly easy decision to make, there's almost nothing in terms of social services in Darwin except for lip service.

By this time I'd figured out that I was autistic and I wanted a formal diagnosis, couldn't get that in Darwin either, so I just jumped on a plane and came here, started living on the streets and put myself through the homeless services to get accommodation. I was only on the streets for 3 months, a combination of many factors played a role in that. My age, my declaration of autism, and also my character. I'm a good talker when I want to be.

I expected to end up somewhere like Salisbury North or Elizabeth South, I was really surprised when they showed me this place. All nice ground level 1 bedroom units semi detached so I share 1 wall with a neighbour. A really quiet area with very low crime and good public transport. For my age I couldn't ask for better, I'm 58.

 

[Neri]

I'm feeling pretty fragile but I'll try to answer.
Interests = love, jesus, learning/reading spiritually, psychology Inc autism particularly evolutionary psychology, quantum mechanics, simulation theory, trying to fit in so I can be helpful somehow, on and off playing guitar, listening to music, nature, health, cars.
Skills: some business acumen, have post graduate, an almost completed masters degree in social health from Macquarie uni psychology department. Postgraduate qualifications in psychotherapy. Thanks for asking, what are yours? you mentioned music earlier, what is your main thing in music?

I learnt how to be social through performance arts. Drama, as a school kid and then music from 17 onwards. I'm interested in a lot of things. I want to learn guitar this year. I just graduated from being in-house mother to my youngest to having an empty nest. He just turned 18, and has been living independently for a bit, and is moving to Melbourne to pursue his creative passions. Is planning on doing a audio engineering course down there and making music. We are close and we sing together and do a lot of of waxing philosophically and lyrically. I have 7 grown offspring and a couple of grown step sons as well and two grandbabies. I am deeply into a variety of artistic practises, writing, wearable art, drawing, vocal compositions, 'extatic" dance. Also natural healing practises, being a natural philosopher, neuropsychology, Archetypal psychology and its symbological forms and practices, Religious wisdom traditions (and history) and transformative experiences. Peer support (I trained in this field). I am a big nature girl, and I have a particular interest in mycology and permaculture and reparative practices for a healthier biosphere. I love jamming, improv is my bag! But, I am currently working to overcome some serious reclusiveness, that's gotten out of hand, that worstened over the "lockdown". Health issues and lack of being a driver have been the biggest factors in that.

 

[Outdated]

I had a few people turn on me too over the years, not a nice feeling, but then I've met a lot of truly fantastic people too. There's balance in all things. It took my neighbours a little while to get used to me, I don't mind a quick chat if we bump in to each other on bin night but I don't socialise with them, I just keep to myself. Some think it's a bit strange that I never have visitors and they never hear any noise from here, but they also discovered just how loud I can be if they upset me so they leave me in peace. I've had a bit of a rough life and I don't back down when threatened, usually quite the opposite.

 

[Outdated]

But, I am currently working to overcome some serious reclusiveness, that's gotten out of hand, that worstened over the "lockdown". Health issues and lack of being a driver have been the biggest factors in that.

Just before covid I had been living in the bush and I really wasn't used to being around so many people when I came down to Adelaide. They were driving me mental to tell you the truth, in Dundee I could go weeks without seeing another soul. Then we had a lockdown for a couple of months and I loved it, I was disappointed when it ended.

I do drive but I don't own a car, that was another decision I made when I moved in here. Cars are incredibly expensive to own, even if you never drive it anywhere it costs about $2000 a year to own one. I do like to travel sometimes though and car hire isn't really that expensive.

That coupled with my reclusiveness means I don't spend a lot of money, I think I'm the only pensioner in Australia that can save $1000 a month.

 

[Outdated]

When I was younger I was a Production Manager for print companies - I'm a printer. I think that experience makes a difference to how I behave with people too, I'm used to being the boss.

 

[Neri]

Just before covid I had been living in the bush and I really wasn't used to being around so many people when I came down to Adelaide. They were driving me mental to tell you the truth, in Dundee I could go weeks without seeing another soul. Then we had a lockdown for a couple of months and I loved it, I was disappointed when it ended.

I do drive but I don't own a car, that was another decision I made when I moved in here. Cars are incredibly expensive to own, even if you never drive it anywhere it costs about $2000 a year to own one. I do like to travel sometimes though and car hire isn't really that expensive.

That coupled with my reclusiveness means I don't spend a lot of money, I think I'm the only pensioner in Australia that can save $1000 a month.

The problem for me, I like my own company a bit too much, and I never really get enough of it, but, I do love and care for people too. I just get worn down easily by too much socializing. Music making I don't find draining though and I really miss collaborative music making. Peer support is really fullfilling too. But what I really enjoy, is dancing with people, that's my most expressive language and thing of most excellent vibes.

 

[Outdated]

But what I really enjoy, is dancing with people, that's my most expressive language and thing of most excellent vibes.

I could never dance a step, and girlfriends pressuring me to get up on a dance floor always resulted in me having a bit of a meltdown. I also have no musical abilities whatsoever. In grade 2 music lessons they got me to sit up the back and play the triangle and I couldn't play that in tune either.

From very early childhood I always preferred my own company and I still do.

 

[Outdated]

I'm another one. I got an email from the bank telling me that I'm in the top 22% of savers for over 55's. My best friend is my bank account.

They wrote to me and told me I'd been such a good customer that they'd upped my credit limit to $100K. Didn't I go off my nut! I made them set it to $500 and to put a special note in my file that it was never to be raised any higher than that again.