I met my bf before I even suspected (and eventually diagnosed) as autistic. Now, he is likely to also be on the spectrum and a third party who has some expertise in this also agrees. I was attracted to him because he’s kind and gentle and patient (also physically attractive too) and didn’t fit into a ‘bloke’ stereotype (he’s very emotional and not afraid to show this)

I was attracted to him because he was happy being himself.

I think i have an autistic radar where I’ll make friendships with other neurodiverse people, because I feel more comfortable with ‘my people’

Now personality and spectrum wise we are dissimilar, I’m more logical and spock-like and crap at communicating (I’d probably be happy being semi verbal for the rest of my life), he’s all emotional, and talks and can handle people better.

Sensory wise I don’t like hugs, noises, the sun, fairground rides, I love perfumes and smells…he loves hugs, hates smells, loves sitting out in the sun really loves fairground rides…you get the idea

Our autism presents very differently and I struggle dealing with him at times and he does with me…I didn’t consciously think I want to have an autistic partner in life, we clash often, but we also come together and can stragegise our way through difficult people and situations using both our strengths

He pushes me (not in a bad way) to step outside my comfort zone so I do get to experience more things in life, and I do enjoy the fact that he can be very silly, and do odd things that make me laugh

I don’t think any relationship is easy, and a double autistic or NT/autistic and NT/NT relationships all have their unique issues and difficulties. I just think that having someone who loves and cares for you, not matter how stressed/meltdowned/shutdowned you are, and is patient enough not to be angry or demanding, or controlling, and just cares for you despite your own weird brain acting the way it does…

Apologies for any word salad, and a wordy comment 😀

I like to fold paper receipts into pointy ends and use them to poke, stroke and generally pick at my fingers (usually my index), the good thing is that I can do it discretely in my pocket or under a table etc.

Foot tapping/bouncing too, and I also like to stroke my hair to remove dead strands and twirl the ends. Recently I’ve started to enjoy making a popping sound with my lips, but mainly when I’m alone as it’s audible

I also have resurrected my childhood/teenage/early 20’s blanket that I like to smell (I don’t know if that’s a stim exactly, but I enjoy sniffing it, and it feels comforting when I do this)

Here are mine…

Aloof: 5.67

Pragmatic Language: 4.25

Rigid: 5.17

SUPER AUTISM!!!

The ‘aloof’ description cracks me up- there’s a photo of me possibly 5 or 6 years of age with me looking ‘aloof’ (my mothers description). I look so not interested and ‘over it’…I’d actually post it here for a laugh, but I’d rather remain anonymous

HOW THE FUCK WAS IT NOT PICKED UP ON???

Oh I forget, I’m a woman and I slip under the radar 🤣

edit ‘years of age’

I’ve just finished season 1 of rewatching DS9 (again) and Vedic Winn has just made her debut…she’s such a deeply horrible piece of work, and Louise Fletcher is perfect in bringing her to life

I’m going to enjoy seeing all the nefarious politicking along with Garak and Quark, Gul Dukat, and Jeffrey Coombs staring as Inertial Dampers…

November (and December) are going to be good!

…every art-specific room I came across had a designated space or exit to airdry/safely paint spray…

…plus the ubiquitous, 10 foot tall cheese plant

I like how it’s reflecting the clouds, crane and orange ‘panels’

I feel your pain lol, I go out and take loads of photos, then have to wade through them to find maybe one half decent one…it’s a journey though, and a bit of fun!

Thanks for the info!

The other photos you’ve posted are also really good, especially the boat, the colour really pops and I love the water…I’m looking forward to seeing more of your back catalogue 👍

I actually like the background looking like that…I just have issues with the mug, I’m finding the reflective surface it’s sitting on is more interesting tbh

Hi, nice photo…I was thinking originally ‘ceiling tiles’ but I’m now thinking it’s something much, much smaller…? What am I looking at?

Also, I’ve cross posted this to abstract photography, with a link to your original post and credit

‘on some level most social interactions feel like performances where any misstep could mean ridicule or rejection’

yep, that one hit hard

‘flying frogs’ and ‘random items I’d been told to bring and make a story with them’ I had these on my test!

Congrats and welcome to the ‘club’

It may take some time to digest it all, and I had a period of being slightly angry wondering how different my life may have been if I’d known earlier (I wasn’t diagnosed until my late 40’s). I think I have a better grasp on my difficulties, like sensory overload/meltdowns and understanding why I have problems socially and with communication. I’m still working things out

Good luck on your journey!

I thought this was a linocut or pencil drawing in the thumbbail, very nicely done black and white photo

Post your photos anyway, I still have ‘pending subscriptions’ from a while ago on other communities, and it’s the first time it’s appeared for a user on one of mine. I still haven’t found a ‘accept subscriber’ button on the mod ‘tools’ I shall keep looking, and again please feel free to post your photos!

Hope you don’t mind me cross posting this to !abstractphotography

I’ve included a link to this post and credited you

Impressive photo btw, and really nicely executed

Seaweed on pebbles

Yep, a link to the original post and your user details

I hope you don't mind, but I've cross posted it to abstract photography

I’ve got some silicone earplugs (reusable up to a point, then binned) I mainly use them for sleeping, but have used them at a gig and they were brilliant. I’ve also got some big over the ears headphones too with ANC, which previously I would have been too self conscious to wear, but all the ‘kids’ these days seem to be plugged in while out and about… they muffled the sound of my washing machine and the guy upstairs when he’s stomping around

Other than that it’s the ‘old fingers in the ears’ when I’m near a motorbike, sirens or children screaming…the world is far too loud!

Definitive proof that it’s a wallpaper on a glitchy phone/sausage fingers

I’ll edit the post or delete it