Published on 12, July, 2020
Just to introduce myself
I'm a suspect aspie, I'm later in life finally fitting the pieces to my disastrous life together, because there was no such thing as Asperger's when I was a child. As being an only child thought my shyness to social events was due to that.
In school I was last picked for games teams, id rather play alone hopeless with multiple playmates, picked on in secondary school constantly. Shy with the opposite sex until I developed an alcohol problem to cope with social situations which gradually destroyed all of my relationships.I have always been an alternative soul, a mod as a teenager with a scooter and parka but couldn't fit in, moved on to be a biker but never fitted in in those circles either, so No friends acquired during my 50 odd years of life. Well \I did have a trusted mate after 30 years he sadly passed away suddenly with a heart attack 6 years ago which was devastating to me as he was like a brother I never had. :/
On a positive note due to work place bullying (I was a factory maintenance fitter) at every workplace I had enough and decided to build my own workshop to blow glass at home about 10 years ago. because of meltdowns and finding it difficult to make friends my amazing fiancée suggested I take an asbergers test and I scored pretty highly. I have seen my gp and hes put me forward for a formal assessment.
I never had a clue I was in the spectrum.
Hi Rob, Welcome aboard!
Glass blowing really impresses me - we had a whole department making custom scientific glassware - what an art!
I was only diagnosed at 42 - I had no clue beforehand either.
Hi Plastic
Thanks very much, its only dawned on me very recently that I may well be in the spectrum, it does tend to affect engineers, but I feel frustrated that I would have excelled far more in my life at art than being a technician, that's pushy parents for you! lol
Yeah - I'm a chartered engineer - mega-aspie.
At least practising with glass means you get to recycle all the mistakes.
How do you manage the furnace? Does it run 24/7 or do you buy ready-made sticks & then torch everything?
I used to watch the guys making really complicated condensers at work - one mistake and the whole thing is scrap. no pressure....
I had a few lessons from Emma Mackintosh in Hawkeshead in the lake District, then it's practice, practice, practice! Lol :D lessons were £180/day
Thanks dude! :)
Where did you learn glass blowing?
Wow - these are amazing! They are so beautiful!
OMG! Wow.
Just a very small sample but these days my work is too provocative for this site lmao
Are you able to put some pics of your work up?
My aspie super-powers meant I could memorise everything - so I could be excellent at everything I tried - building satellites, running nuclear particle accelerators, manufacturing, scientific equipment etc. I have millions of hobbies - like building large RC model boats and building a house - I'm never bored.
Congratulations Plastic I subconsciously chose glass making to express my art in a way that utilises my skills as a fitter as I have lots of experience with welding and fabrication and industrial production processes which goes a long way to be able to grasp glass making tec. I spent 4 years in my man cave experimenting I found borosilicate glass was my friend my aspie traits unknowingly helped me to do it. lol
how does your aspie traits help you in your work?
Id like to help others in the aspie spectrum to find their strengths.