Just in case any of my readers are wondering what on earth I do all day (and indeed why should they - they're not the boss of me) then I do keep myself busy. Having a son with autism, ADHD, General Anxiety Disorder and asthma is pretty full on, especially when attempting to home school him. Parents of neurotypical children just do not get it. Sorry, but you just don't.
I remain co-chair of my borough's Autism Partnership Board (APB) and I'm currently starting out with some initial work on a post diagnosis programme for adults because as we all know, adults who are diagnosed late in life get naff all support. I want to do this and it's very much my area of expertise and if I'm honest, a labour of love.
I also sit on my borough's Suicide and Self Harm Prevention Group because of my personal experience in the area. See - I want to use my past to help people, I'm not some lazybonescouchpotato.
I don't receive any Government handouts and cannot qualify for Personal Independence Payment (PIP) or any other benefits. I certainly don't have a free zone 1 to 6 travelcard akin to some peers, which quite frankly annoyed me to such an extent that I cannot bear to be in the same room as these people. In fact, if you're breathing, not dribbling and literate then you're screwed - 'high functioning' - me arse (as Father Jack may say.)
Wednesday, 13 May 2020
Sunday, 10 May 2020
Post #166 - Lockdown ... ad infinitum
The current state of lockdown in the UK is really getting to me. It's also hugely affecting my 12-year-old who is becoming more addicted to gaming apps and moodier as the weeks drag on. It's all very well expecting parents to home educate their children, but as my mathematical prowess is almost nil, it seems pretty unfair.
I was so pissed off that I wrote this post last week on Facebook:
I disabled the app soon after and haven't used it since. It's true though. Anyway, Facebook is so boring these days and seems like it's from another century.
I get very pissed off most days at having to explain my autism to those who cannot understand/choose not to understand or basically, couldn't give a flying fig. It makes me do odd things and act in certain ways - for example, I find that my moods vacillate hugely, although I'm on 20mg of Prozac per day to even myself out. A distant family member via marriage has bipolar I and refuses to take her meds. Another family member describes her behaviour as having and I quote "Cunt of the month" - ergo that person is the subject of their hate and ire. I try not to do similar things, but I cannot let things go. I'm a person who has been bullied, used, downtrodden and basically treated like a nomark all of my life and I don't like it. I'm great and I'm worth it, as L'Oreal says.
I was so pissed off that I wrote this post last week on Facebook:
I disabled the app soon after and haven't used it since. It's true though. Anyway, Facebook is so boring these days and seems like it's from another century.
I get very pissed off most days at having to explain my autism to those who cannot understand/choose not to understand or basically, couldn't give a flying fig. It makes me do odd things and act in certain ways - for example, I find that my moods vacillate hugely, although I'm on 20mg of Prozac per day to even myself out. A distant family member via marriage has bipolar I and refuses to take her meds. Another family member describes her behaviour as having and I quote "Cunt of the month" - ergo that person is the subject of their hate and ire. I try not to do similar things, but I cannot let things go. I'm a person who has been bullied, used, downtrodden and basically treated like a nomark all of my life and I don't like it. I'm great and I'm worth it, as L'Oreal says.
Tuesday, 5 May 2020
Post #165 - Five Years Post Diagnosis
Doesn't time fly when you're having fun? No? Well, not at this particular COVID-19 juncture I guess?
Five years on the spectrum. Officially that is because I was born autistic. I still wish that my wider family (mother and brother) would try and understand me and my condition, but I'd be better off shooting for the moon.
Five years on the spectrum. Officially that is because I was born autistic. I still wish that my wider family (mother and brother) would try and understand me and my condition, but I'd be better off shooting for the moon.
Wednesday, 25 March 2020
Post #164 - Coronavirus/Covid-19 and Isolation
It's now the end of March 2020 and I'm writing this from the comfort of self-isolation, as mandated by the UK Government. Will we all be dead soon? If so, will this blog be lifted from the Internet of the future and used as a tool for learning about life in the late twentieth and early twenty-first century? Probably not, but I'll keep writing anyway.
Self-isolating for Aspies is pretty standard behaviour anyway - a veritable life choice if I'm honest. I find it difficult to mix in large group and as for remaining two metres away from the next person - bring it on - London's far too bloody crowded anyway. I'm totally used to communicating remotely and find it much easier, although replying to my mate's long-winded emails because she refuses to buy a smartphone is bloody annoying I must admit. Let's face it, emails are formal these days - the equivalent of receiving an old style written epistle - give me a WhatsApp message any day.
Self-isolating for Aspies is pretty standard behaviour anyway - a veritable life choice if I'm honest. I find it difficult to mix in large group and as for remaining two metres away from the next person - bring it on - London's far too bloody crowded anyway. I'm totally used to communicating remotely and find it much easier, although replying to my mate's long-winded emails because she refuses to buy a smartphone is bloody annoying I must admit. Let's face it, emails are formal these days - the equivalent of receiving an old style written epistle - give me a WhatsApp message any day.
Sunday, 15 September 2019
Post #163 - Short Rant About High Functioning Autism/Asperger Syndrome
I am getting more and more fed up with certain people treating me like some kind of freaky nightmare. Why is that you may ask? Well, you wouldn't single out someone with severe, medium or mild learning disabilities and generally be a bullying cockwomble to them would you? The trouble is with appearing (apologies in advance for the word) normal is that people mistake key social faux pas for rudeness, even if you've ALREADY TOLD THEM THAT YOU'RE AUTISTIC!
This came to a head recently when I encountered on a professional level, a person whom I'd previously worked with at a local autism charity. I won't elaborate or name names obviously, but I felt pretty low last summer as a result of this particular person's unfeeling actions. I'm sure that I can state, as a person with autism/autistic person that having a neurotypical 'so-called' expert talking AT you for ages about their own biased and quite frankly, outdated views doesn't do much for one's self-esteem.
Rant over. As you were.
This came to a head recently when I encountered on a professional level, a person whom I'd previously worked with at a local autism charity. I won't elaborate or name names obviously, but I felt pretty low last summer as a result of this particular person's unfeeling actions. I'm sure that I can state, as a person with autism/autistic person that having a neurotypical 'so-called' expert talking AT you for ages about their own biased and quite frankly, outdated views doesn't do much for one's self-esteem.
Rant over. As you were.
Thursday, 22 August 2019
Post #162 - Suburban Late August Blues
My son, Master Logic, turns twelve on Sunday and as such, wants to be as normal as possible. As we know the concept of being normal - is kind of lost on those of us on the spectrum. I sent this angry Tweet/Facebook status today:
I'm sure that Master Logic's friend's mother has a really good explanation for not finding two precious minutes to reply to a message. From our side though, Master Logic has been really upset about the whole thing, believing himself to have been ignored and pretty much friendless. He's almost reached his teenage years and the fact that he's autistic is really starting to hit home because his neurotypical peers are out and about on their bikes, meeting one another for an ice cream and generally being kids. It's hard for me to deal with as a parent on the spectrum myself - if it were left to me I'd rant and rave at others for their insensitivity, but I know that it would affect Master Logic's life, so I leave the 'soft skills' to my husband.
I'm sure that Master Logic's friend's mother has a really good explanation for not finding two precious minutes to reply to a message. From our side though, Master Logic has been really upset about the whole thing, believing himself to have been ignored and pretty much friendless. He's almost reached his teenage years and the fact that he's autistic is really starting to hit home because his neurotypical peers are out and about on their bikes, meeting one another for an ice cream and generally being kids. It's hard for me to deal with as a parent on the spectrum myself - if it were left to me I'd rant and rave at others for their insensitivity, but I know that it would affect Master Logic's life, so I leave the 'soft skills' to my husband.
Saturday, 17 August 2019
Post #161 - Mother Knows Best?
Well, does she? Mine doesn't. This is what happened yesterday:
My parents came over to drop The Earl off last night and my mother berated me for daring to throw away a stained and mouldy rubber bath mat. The aforementioned item was festering away in their holiday bungalow when we visited last month and we replaced it with a brand new one. She also expressed anger at the decision to replace a manky old plastic soap dish with a ceramic one as it would "crack the basin" when it fell off of the side. I wouldn't mind, but knowing their crankiness, I left the soap dish in the bathroom for future use and the mat on one of the workshop shelves.
My mother is a deeply lazy woman who refuses to maintain any kind of housekeeping. She has always been the same and I grew up in a complete shithole of a house as a result, a place so rank and disgusting visitors were never welcome.
My parents came over to drop The Earl off last night and my mother berated me for daring to throw away a stained and mouldy rubber bath mat. The aforementioned item was festering away in their holiday bungalow when we visited last month and we replaced it with a brand new one. She also expressed anger at the decision to replace a manky old plastic soap dish with a ceramic one as it would "crack the basin" when it fell off of the side. I wouldn't mind, but knowing their crankiness, I left the soap dish in the bathroom for future use and the mat on one of the workshop shelves.
My mother is a deeply lazy woman who refuses to maintain any kind of housekeeping. She has always been the same and I grew up in a complete shithole of a house as a result, a place so rank and disgusting visitors were never welcome.
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