Well, I've been trying to write this one for about two years now... When someone gets pneumonia, generally speaking they're laid out hard and have a short but intense period of treatment. But when someone gets walking pneumonia, it's not as severe and they can manage school or work or whatever responsibilities they have, but … Continue reading Walking Breakdown
Category: Manifestation & Management
Re-examining My Sexual Assault Through an Autism Lens
Content warning: Obviously sexual assault, somewhat graphic description of unwanted physical contact. If you require support or more information on sexual assault, I highly recommend RAINN.org. This is my second "re-examining" post on a major, life-changing event (the first one was my suicide attempt). As a late-diagnosed autistic, I have of course experienced most of … Continue reading Re-examining My Sexual Assault Through an Autism Lens
I Guess I Like That I’m Autistic
A friend of mine posted a question on Facebook: Let’s start today out with some self-loveand positivity! What’s something you like about yourself? Some people went with physical traits, others a personality trait--there were no wrong answers here. I went with my inability to see social hierarchy. No one has inherent authority (so I’m great … Continue reading I Guess I Like That I’m Autistic
Poor Interoception: When Your Body Keeps Secrets From You
The Bladder of Steel, one of my superpowers. I can do an 11-hour drive without stopping. I can work the booth at a trade show or festival on my own without having to pee--or even find food and water (same issue, different things to not actually brag about). I can hyperfocus on a project and … Continue reading Poor Interoception: When Your Body Keeps Secrets From You
Grief: Can I Have It or Do I Want It?
Content warning: death, loss, and what might seem like insensitive discussion of them. It's clear that I don't feel or process emotions the way most people do. Without professional confirmation on this, I'm pretty certain I am alexithymic (I don't see a therapist, but it came up during my ASD assessment), and in combination with … Continue reading Grief: Can I Have It or Do I Want It?
Finding Home
I'm marking the fourth anniversary of my move to Chicago. Thing is, I grew up in Chicago, spending the bulk of my first 24 years here. But as we know, autistic people commonly feel uncomfortable, out of place, wherever they are--and since I didn't know I was autistic, I just carried this mysterious and frustrating … Continue reading Finding Home
No Surprises, Please
Autistic people are all different, much like neurotypicals are all different, so we're all going to have our own challenges. A super common challenge is surprises. It's a big one for me, for sure. I love routine. I love knowing what's around the corner. I love knowing which characters will die in a book or … Continue reading No Surprises, Please
Ugh, Hugs
In the first episode of Everything's Gonna Be Okay, Matilda is asked for a hug by her half-brother and explains that she doesn't like hugs. They'd made her dad happy so she learned to do them, but since he died she hoped she wouldn't have to do them anymore. (Her substitution idea was to dance … Continue reading Ugh, Hugs
Re-examining My Suicide Through an Autism Lens
Oh, where to begin with the content/trigger warnings? Seriously, just an open, graphic recounting and examination of some pretty rough stuff ahead. The title should imply it all: talk of suicide, psychological issues, hospitalization... You can't read this sort of thing without having some feelings about it, so feel free to walk away now. Still … Continue reading Re-examining My Suicide Through an Autism Lens
Second-Guessing My Memories
I just blew my own mind, so I'm sharing this with you in real time as I work through it. Bear with me. Both personally and professionally, I've written about plenty of social issues, but there are a few that I've consistently backed away from because I've never felt secure in my voice or position. … Continue reading Second-Guessing My Memories
Delightfully Quirky 