Call An Autistic!

Me: okay, got a lot to do today Me: Glad I planned ahead and actually made breakfast last night! Me: Now I can just sit down and eat, no prep needed. Me: And of course nothing goes better with a cup of overnight oats than my drug of choice: the advice columns! Me: Always nice

We’re Mules, Not Horses

Me: (notices that several recent posts have been about animals, either literally or metaphorically) Me: (has zero problems with this) I mentioned in a previous post that I’ve been hearing a bit about autistic burnout. It’s been hard to find more than anecdotal information about it, because there aren’t any big studies or even that

The Bitter Autistic Wish List

1. When someone tells you they’re autistic, just nod. A friendly smile is nice, if you can manage it. 2. If you have a personal positive experience with autism that can be expressed in a single sentence – go for it. “Oh, great – so’s my sister” works. So does, “Oh, hey – I just

Coffee, tea, or empathy?

Someday, when it’s safe for all involved, I will be able to visit my lovely father-in-law and his lovely wife again.  And when I do, I will bring my coffee kettle, the coffee scale and beautiful glass Chemex coffee-pour-over jug my kiddo got me for Christmas, the coffee grinder my kiddo recommended I get, and

This One’s Going Out To…

Neurotypical spouse: (introduces me to new song) Me: Wow. Spouse: I thought you’d like it! Me: Definitely. Me: This is what I listen to now. Spouse: (laughs because he thinks I’m joking) Me: (smiles because I know I’m not)

2 Face Blind 2 Furious

An autistic acquaintance mentioned that although she has aphantasia and therefore experiences some of the same issues I do with movies and new people, she finds face blindness mystifying. I don’t blame her. I feel the same way, and I have face blindness. I can say this: it’s not that I don’t pay attention to how

Do You Have A Chainsaw?

Me: Honey, I want to know what you think of this. Kiddo: ? Me: I’ve been reading the testing part of I Think I Might Be Autistic, and – gosh, I’m not totally sure yet, but I think – I think some of this might apply to me. Kiddo (trying to keep a straight face): Oh? Me: “Do

Walk Like An Allistic

Me: ooh lookit that big weirdo plant Me: I love that guy! Me: (takes a million pictures) Me: I love succulents so much. Me: I think I’m becoming the main character in that novel I wrote. Spouse: …the wealthy heiress gay teenaged boarding-school student whose loved ones were systematically murdered? Me: Okay, not JUST like

Aspirational Me

Me: …so, yeah, I’m still having a really hard time reading I Think I Might Be Autistic. I don’t know why. It’s giving me so much good information. It’s telling me things I need to know and confirming things I already suspected. But it’s rough going. Me: I mean, let’s face it – being autistic is

The HORROR

Spouse: Hi, honey! Me: YEAH HEY WHAT’S UP OR WHATEVER Spouse: …what happened this time? Me: NOTHING’S WRONG EVERYTHING’S GREAT WHY ARE YOU EVEN ASKING Spouse: Me: okay okay yeah somebody was stupid today Spouse: I’m shocked!  Me: About autism. Spouse: Shocked, I say! Me: but like REALLY stupid Spouse: I’m running out of “shocked” here.