Made myself look stupid today

Haythml said:

After hours of preparation, checking out the venue and then locality, preparing for every technical hitch possible, surveying the local area on Google Maps, carrying all documents in every possible format and being accompanied by some I trust I got ready to give a presentation.

Just at the end someone asked me "how do you feel about being the Chair?"

"Dont be stupid, I'm a human being, I only have two legs" I replied

And then the discussion started.

He meant Chairman of course, he had just shortened the word, and I made myself look an absolute fool.

That's Aspergers.

it's fine, it doesn't matter, you have aspergers, its expected

do they know about your autism ? if not its probably better to tell them if its something you are going to worry about so they understand what happened/happens, if you dont want to tell them, theres not much else you can do just go 'doh' *hand slap face and move on * 

i will just tell you we nts also make fools of ourselves at those times as well,so you havent done anything that odd here

Ah yes, a panel would be a little daunting.

Yeah, I enjoyed your jokes. :) Thats good that you've found a way that works best for you.

"The Joy of Aspergers" sounds good, I'm sure it will be entertaining. :D Yes of course, you have to make the best of things and sometimes its nice not to have to be serious all the time.

I enjoy presenting about other peoples success, and it went well until about a minute after that. I'd not planned for being cornered and pumped for information about peer Support by so many people and I shot through completely. While they are at a distance I'm fine. They tried to get me on a panel after, no chance.

I try to make the presentations seem free flowing, a bit like stand up, but it is all well rehearsed. The panic tends to leave once I get the first laugh and I can usually hit that on the intro.

Im writing one at the moment called " the Joy of Aspergers" which talks about the funny side of the situations I get into, as identified by other members of the Peer Support group. There are video sections from people saying " You wouldnt believe what he did next...."

I don't take mine or anyone elses condition lightly, but you have to work with what you've got.

I agree interacting is hard! As an English Language student, I have studied the ways in which language can be misinterpreted through double meanings and pragmatics etc. So I understand that interaction is a complicated thing!

I watched a bit of your presentation and I think you speak very clearly and confidently. :) And afterall, thats the point of a presentation to speak at people. It sounded well researched. :)

I'm going back to having a co - presenter for when people ask badly formatted Questions.

Writing presentations and talking AT people = Easy, Interacting = hard.

Me- talking at people as usual... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5FIWuUQMTJw

Hi Haythml,

I don't think you made yourself look foolish at all, in fact I think you gave a witty response! They should have just said, "Do you want to be the chairman?" That would have been a much more easy to understand question.

I think everyone will have appreciated the amount of time, effort and careful preparation you made. I hope your presentation went well, I always get nervous before a presentation so I understand how you must have been feeling. :)

Hi Haythmi, maybe the people who were listening to you thought you were being witty? In any case, it doesn't matter, if they don't understand the nature of Aspergers it's their problem. And well done for giving a presentation, I am the mother of an adult with Aspergers, NT myself (allegedly) and I am terrified of them - presentations that is.