Dating is hard

I'd try something like, "you know I'm Asperger's/Autistic/an Autist (whatever you feel comfortable with), right?";  "Well, essentially it means I'm not very good at doing or saying the right thing, or reading people, but I do know that I really like you, and I'd quite like to know how you feel about me..

If you can't satisfactorily "read" her reaction, I am undecided whether you should tell her that, or simply walk away.

As an autistic man, (I know, in this modern world that isn't neccesarily a correct assumption for me to be making...) the most reliable and sexy trait you have, perhaps, is your ability to be transparent and honest, your girl will either warm to it or not, but at least you will know.

And if you dip out, always after a minimum period of grief, like Chuck Yeager says in Advanced Flight Trainer (The best bit of advice I ever got from a computer game!) "get back up there and try it again"..  

All the times I have dated, I was acting under the delusion that I was NT "but a bit eccentric" so I never used exactly this approach, but the truthfulness and being willing to shut up and let her get a word in edgeways, does seem to be appreciated. (In a normal heterosexual relationship, it is unlikley that the man will get much opportunity to express his own opinions after the woman has learned an approved them, that's what pubs and your mates are for...:c)  YMMV!

In social situations, I come across as a jolly nice chap - women either flirt with me or want to mother me.       My wife says it's hilarious to watch because I can't spot it. 

I had that in my youth, It's hilarious to benefit from hindsight and review the opportunities that I missed.

Unfortunately the old saying "too little of everything makes a man become mean spirited" applies to me, or at least it certainly has for vast tranches of my adulthood.

Right at my core, I believe I am still fairly well meaning and helpful, but since ALL the really horrible events of my life have been caused by OTHER PEOPLE, I don't expect (or get) much joy from "people". My g/f's cat, however, is coming along nicely...  

I Sperg said:

I've driven, flown, ridden, or sailed as many machines as I could in my life

Me too!     I'm trying to arrange driving a bus.      I've driven a trainload of commuters into central London - I just asked nicely and next thing I'm at the controls!     A few years ago, I got to drive the Disney monorail - but that's not allowed any more.

I was looking at buying a digger - I need to do a driveway, some landscaping and paths - like you say, it's cheaper to buy a £5k toy and sort it all out myself - and I can sell the toy afterwards.     I've got a big cement mixer and concrete breaker - in fact, everything needed to build a house!  (and rebuild a car, or anything else I can get my hands on).

I think I'm a lot like you, Plastic, based on what I've read so far.

Now talking of "digging", my O/H is busy for an hour or so, I've had my breakfast, two cups of tea and two little "biftas" so I think I'm nicely set up to settle me down for a bit of "Goldrush Alaska"! I discovered that programme at series 7 and at the end of series 11 went and watched all the ones I had missed. I am just about to do it all again, because it is an absolute masterclass in management techniques, and how to overcome adversity and be reasonable at the same time. And the machinery they have! Plus, I have a bit of a crush on the entire Beets family, but especially Monica...

I'm appalled at certain aspects of the programme of course, the environmental destruction these people cause appears to be immense and ignored, yet OTOH Alaska is indeed vast, their impact although significant, is conceivably in the grand scheme of things easily absorbed, and they do try to excercise some responsibility, and clearly nature does reclaim the land fairly quickly afterwards. So my concern for the wildlife, isn't so overwhelming that I can't enjoy the rest of the program.

IF any of you own an excavator within 50 miles or so of the midlands, and would be willing to give me a few hours on it, I'll take a P.M!

I got the guys digging up the road outside my house last month to give me a brief tour of the controls, so I'm good to go... I've driven, flown, ridden, or sailed as many machines as I could in my life, but now I've seen what Jack Hoffman can do with a Hitachi 400 hoe, I have got to have a go! An actual course is £2000, however. Stuff that, I can get a fixer upper from ebay for about £5K. Nothing teaches you more about a machine than buying someone else's discard and making it work for you. Put a lick of paint on it and clean it up a bit, and you'll usually get a small profit too. Although of course, I have neither sum of money available, so for now all I can do is watch others operating these amazing machines. 

I think I'm a lot like you, Plastic, based on what I've read so far.

Now talking of "digging", my O/H is busy for an hour or so, I've had my breakfast, two cups of tea and two little "biftas" so I think I'm nicely set up to settle me down for a bit of "Goldrush Alaska"! I discovered that programme at series 7 and at the end of series 11 went and watched all the ones I had missed. I am just about to do it all again, because it is an absolute masterclass in management techniques, and how to overcome adversity and be reasonable at the same time. And the machinery they have! Plus, I have a bit of a crush on the entire Beets family, but especially Monica...

I'm appalled at certain aspects of the programme of course, the environmental destruction these people cause appears to be immense and ignored, yet OTOH Alaska is indeed vast, their impact although significant, is conceivably in the grand scheme of things easily absorbed, and they do try to excercise some responsibility, and clearly nature does reclaim the land fairly quickly afterwards. So my concern for the wildlife, isn't so overwhelming that I can't enjoy the rest of the program.

IF any of you own an excavator within 50 miles or so of the midlands, and would be willing to give me a few hours on it, I'll take a P.M!

I got the guys digging up the road outside my house last month to give me a brief tour of the controls, so I'm good to go... I've driven, flown, ridden, or sailed as many machines as I could in my life, but now I've seen what Jack Hoffman can do with a Hitachi 400 hoe, I have got to have a go! An actual course is £2000, however. Stuff that, I can get a fixer upper from ebay for about £5K. Nothing teaches you more about a machine than buying someone else's discard and making it work for you. Put a lick of paint on it and clean it up a bit, and you'll usually get a small profit too. Although of course, I have neither sum of money available, so for now all I can do is watch others operating these amazing machines. 

I Sperg said:

I've driven, flown, ridden, or sailed as many machines as I could in my life

Me too!     I'm trying to arrange driving a bus.      I've driven a trainload of commuters into central London - I just asked nicely and next thing I'm at the controls!     A few years ago, I got to drive the Disney monorail - but that's not allowed any more.

I was looking at buying a digger - I need to do a driveway, some landscaping and paths - like you say, it's cheaper to buy a £5k toy and sort it all out myself - and I can sell the toy afterwards.     I've got a big cement mixer and concrete breaker - in fact, everything needed to build a house!  (and rebuild a car, or anything else I can get my hands on).