Published on 12, July, 2020
Hello everyone my name is Rose and I am 58 years old. My hobbies are Twitter, gardening, classic cars, art, photography and spending time with my dog.
Recently I became very stressed when my beloved 12 year old dog was dying of heart disease and things were incredibly hard for me at work. Things have always been very challenging at work, I always end up in conflict with colleagues or managers, but as I get older it is more difficult to keep finding new jobs. This has finally led to me seeking an autism diagnosis after years of wondering if I am autistic.
I had my first meeting with a psychologist for my autism assessment last week. I was amazed at how much we talked about in that hour and a half. So many things from my childhood and adult life are starting to make sense. Lots of 'what ifs' and 'if onlys' started going through my mind but I am trying not to feel regret. I phoned my younger sister afterwards and she said she has thought for years that I am autistic (she thinks my Dad is autisitc too).
After my Norfolk Terrier died I realised that I could not cope without a dog as a best friend. A week later my husband and I adopted a Border Terrier who had been used for breeding and was not wanted now she cannot have any more puppies. She was very nervous when she first arrived but she is beginning to trust us (see photo below). I badly injured my ankle going on too many dog walks, so I am off work at present. In a way this is a good thing as it has removed me from a very stressful work situation. It has also given me time to think about the autism assessment process.
Finding this online community and reading some of the discussion threads has been incredibly helpful. It's wonderful to be among people who have had similar experiences.
Hi Rose
I am 59 and am more into cats, I have two. No ongoing assessments for me, just trying to be more genuinely self employed when if a cub contractee, you are still treated very much like an employee.
Nice looking dog, anyway.
Hi there thanks for your message. I adore cats too and often think they are more calming than dogs. Certainly more independent - a dog is a big tie when working for example. I understand what you mean about genuine self employment. I have 5 x part time jobs at the moment 3 of which are casual contracts - thought I'd feel less pressure but there's still lots of hassle! Wish I could fast forward 6 years and retire. I never get bored at home.
Yes, retirement is a tempting idea for me too. Do you have any cats? Not sure they are any less a tie, especially when we it is time to make a trip away. I hate leaving them.
Insecurity. You Don't have an assured income. Many students don't want to verify invoiced, but I need these to show I have a good business. Working through a language school can be miserable, if the students complain to the school instead of addressing their concerns to me.
I nearly applied for a field work vacancy recently nexus9there seem to be definite advantages like a bit more autonomy and flexibility - no more team meetings or having to pretend to be sociable. Sounds too good to be true - what do you find are the bad things about doing field work?
Don't get me started on office politics and game playing. That's why I prefer field work.
One of mine has been k own to fish chicken legs out of my soup, as it is cooking
Until recently I wanted to work indefinitely - I'm hoping my enthusiasm will return. I love working with the people I provide a service for, but the office politics, game playing and miscommunication exhaust me.
Early starts aren't good either!
When we had both a dog and a cat I loved the way they worked as a team to steal food from the kitchen! The cat was more agile and the dog was the brains of the outfit!