Lack of daily routine

Yes definitely, I can be much happier and productive if I have a routine. Otherwise, I unintentionally end up doing nothing or very little because I have don’t have specified periods in my day to focus or motivate me. It’s because of autistic need for predictability, but also inertia and monotropism.

 If I am on holiday (which I really don’t like) it’s like I have too much time to be able to organise myself to achieve anything. I think it’s because I am monotropic, I need to be interested or focused on one or a few things to achieve something. This means that when I am out of routine there is too much that I could potentially do which means I find it difficult to focus my attention. People say that holidays should be relaxing, but usually for me they are the complete opposite. A holiday gives me too much time to ruminate or become anxious because I find it difficult to focus my attention.

Unknown said:

Does anyone have difficulty with having a lack of routine? I'm ok when I'm in work or have commitments but otherwise I seem to flim flam around.

Yes that’s  exactly what I do. I like your use of ‘flim flam’, great phrase. Be kind to yourself though, you don’t always need to be productive. Days of resting, doing nothing, or autistic self care are just as important to feel happy and replenish lost spoons (energy).

Ausomely Autistic said:

Days of resting, doing nothing, or autistic self care are just as important to feel happy and replenish lost spoons

I need to keep reminding myself of this! I feel so bad when I take whole days of doing nothing, or several to recover from something. I always feel better on a day when I have managed to do something I think is productive. That's one reason I took up language learning - I can always get a bit of a productive feeling just from revising some vocab or the like. But of course then I feel also bad if I haven't even managed that...

Yes it is so important. 

AuTriker said:

I feel so bad when I take whole days of doing nothing, or several to recover from something

Doing nothing is productive, it recharges spoons. Humans do not have endless energy, particularly us autistic humans! It is important to take time to recover, it helps us set boundaries, reflect on everything including how many spoons we have spent.

What language are you learning?

Yes the Mafia does go way back, not that I can remember much information. With the limited information that I can recall, we covered this:

https://www.history.com/.amp/this-day-in-history/aldo-moro-found-dead

No need to  apologise, I can’t remember details about the Mafia.

‘I find it interesting that both Italy and Germany are relatively recent as actual united countries, having been small city states or principalities for much of history.’

Maybe this explains why there is such a marked North/South divide in Italy, certain regions wanted to exist independently. For your knowledge or interest, there are 20 regions in Italy.

 I have a Kindle although I don’t use it much now, I much prefer paper books.

I bet the origins of the mafia go way way back. I was reading something about Ancient Greece and some areas had cultures which reminded me of the mafia (not that I know anything beyond the most basic general knowledge as I don't like violence and don't watch violent movies) and they did have links with Sicily. I can't recall the details and it was a kindle book so I tried to look but one can't just flick through the pages and try to find a thing and the chapters only had numbers which is really unhelpful for me finding anything!

It is a bit frustrating when I can't recall details, sorry. I make connections but then can't follow them!

I find it interesting that both Italy and Germany are relatively recent as actual united countries, having been small city states or principalities for much of history. Except the Roman empire of course, which went way beyond just Italy.

‘Anything I don't know much about also attracts my attention, but there is so much to know and I am very much aware that I can barely scratch the surface, but still, it is a very satisfying itch to scratch!’

Yes there is so much to explore, we can learn so much from the past. Maybe you can delve a bit deeper into church history to satisfy your inquisitive autistic brain. Feed your curiosity! 

When I studied A Level Italian yes I did study history. There was much more content about the culture and history. I learnt about the period of Fascism before the World War and the Mussolini era as well as the origins of The Mafia and their influence on the country. I really enjoyed these topics, it was really interesting to learn about the country in more depth. I also learnt about the North/South divide and I read the book ‘Io non ho paura’ (I am not scared) for one of my exams. It was great!

Thanks for asking!

Yes, and the feminists wanting herstory, but that is not the actual etymology of course. As a Christian I rather like the idea that the whole of history is His story, Him being God!

I don't have a fave period any more, it was more a case of filling in the gaps and fitting things together. I am currently interested in church history and how that relates to political, social and cultural history, the development of theological ideas and how they interact with philosophical ideas. Also how the Old Testament relates with the Ancient Near East.

Anything I don't know much about also attracts my attention, but there is so much to know and I am very much aware that I can barely scratch the surface, but still, it is a very satisfying itch to scratch! And seeing different viewpoints and how the same events are experienced by different people. Trying to imagine alternate histories how things might have gone is also interesting.

Did you study Italian history as well as the language?

Have you ever realised that the subject of history is literally ‘his story?’

What periods of history interest you most now?

I have become more interested in other periods of history since, and how they fit together and tracing themes through time, but back then I was very much more into medieval stuff.

I have become more interested in other periods of history since, and how they fit together and tracing themes through time, but back then I was very much more into medieval stuff.

Yes the Mafia does go way back, not that I can remember much information. With the limited information that I can recall, we covered this:

https://www.history.com/.amp/this-day-in-history/aldo-moro-found-dead

No need to  apologise, I can’t remember details about the Mafia.

‘I find it interesting that both Italy and Germany are relatively recent as actual united countries, having been small city states or principalities for much of history.’

Maybe this explains why there is such a marked North/South divide in Italy, certain regions wanted to exist independently. For your knowledge or interest, there are 20 regions in Italy.

 I have a Kindle although I don’t use it much now, I much prefer paper books.

I bet the origins of the mafia go way way back. I was reading something about Ancient Greece and some areas had cultures which reminded me of the mafia (not that I know anything beyond the most basic general knowledge as I don't like violence and don't watch violent movies) and they did have links with Sicily. I can't recall the details and it was a kindle book so I tried to look but one can't just flick through the pages and try to find a thing and the chapters only had numbers which is really unhelpful for me finding anything!

It is a bit frustrating when I can't recall details, sorry. I make connections but then can't follow them!

I find it interesting that both Italy and Germany are relatively recent as actual united countries, having been small city states or principalities for much of history. Except the Roman empire of course, which went way beyond just Italy.

‘Anything I don't know much about also attracts my attention, but there is so much to know and I am very much aware that I can barely scratch the surface, but still, it is a very satisfying itch to scratch!’

Yes there is so much to explore, we can learn so much from the past. Maybe you can delve a bit deeper into church history to satisfy your inquisitive autistic brain. Feed your curiosity! 

When I studied A Level Italian yes I did study history. There was much more content about the culture and history. I learnt about the period of Fascism before the World War and the Mussolini era as well as the origins of The Mafia and their influence on the country. I really enjoyed these topics, it was really interesting to learn about the country in more depth. I also learnt about the North/South divide and I read the book ‘Io non ho paura’ (I am not scared) for one of my exams. It was great!

Thanks for asking!

Yes, and the feminists wanting herstory, but that is not the actual etymology of course. As a Christian I rather like the idea that the whole of history is His story, Him being God!

I don't have a fave period any more, it was more a case of filling in the gaps and fitting things together. I am currently interested in church history and how that relates to political, social and cultural history, the development of theological ideas and how they interact with philosophical ideas. Also how the Old Testament relates with the Ancient Near East.

Anything I don't know much about also attracts my attention, but there is so much to know and I am very much aware that I can barely scratch the surface, but still, it is a very satisfying itch to scratch! And seeing different viewpoints and how the same events are experienced by different people. Trying to imagine alternate histories how things might have gone is also interesting.

Did you study Italian history as well as the language?

Have you ever realised that the subject of history is literally ‘his story?’

What periods of history interest you most now?