Autism, irony, and the Self-Esteem Movement

This is something that has always bothered me, even as a then-unknown autistic person.  The difference between then and now, …

Someone better [autistic poetry]

(This was written about 3.5 years ago, inspired by the beautiful melancholic song “Someone Purer” by Mystery Jets (link to …

Not ‘passing’ doesn’t mean ‘failing’

Over the past year and a quarter-ish, I’d been experiencing a lot of “first”s–the first time doing “this” or “that” …

(My) Asperger’s / autism and emptiness

Usually, I don’t feel empty–at least, not when others would expect me to.  I don’t feel empty when I’m alone, …

Learning to say “no” can be fun [Mental Health Monday]

In my chronic quest for acceptance from others, I have often tried to be socially correct.  My default definition of …

The cost of bullying ~ through an Asperger’s / autistic angle [Mental Health Monday]

A natural introvert, I was often the target of teasing that bordered on bullying. No wait–it wasn’t just “borderline”; it …

I’m not a bad friend

As you’ve already guessed, being discovered to be on the Asperger’s/autism spectrum has been a huge relief for me, in …

How discovering that I’m on the Asperger’s / autism spectrum has changed me

So anyway, as y’all know, yesterday I celebrated my “Aspie birthday” (please pardon the term–that’s just what it feels like …

The ABCs of social awkwardness

When writing the notes for my previous post about unsuccessful mimicking, my brain diverted suddenly, off on a tangent, kind …

Sharing: Ten Things Autistic Kids Pick Up Faster, Better, and With Less Trauma If They Aren’t Bullied Into Learning Them

I meant to post this yesterday for my little informal Mental Health Monday theme, but life sort of got in …

I tried to be cool

At first, it wasn’t like that.  In kindergarten (both years, for me), nobody really understands the concept of “cool”, so …

Asperger’s / autism and the significance of self-talk [Mental Health Monday]

When no one is watching, what do we say to ourselves?  Whose old tapes play in our brains?  What are …