Published on 12, July, 2020
Hi everyone.
I'm new here and not sure how to navigate just yet. I have no experience using forums, but thought since I'm having such a terrible time connecting with people IRL, there is quite literally nothing to lose.
My name is Hallow, I'm 29 years old and a non-binary bean - they/she (please ask my pronouns). I'm into all things animated. Cartoons, anime, animated films, etc. I'm generally a creative person and enjoy just about any hobby or activity that involves creating: drawing (digital and traditional), painting, jewellery making, baking & cooking, etc.
Since my self- diagnosis just over a year ago, my life kinda fell apart and I've been on the journey of seeking diagnosis for my Autism & ADHD, while managing my comorbidities. I lost all my "friends" and family and became very isolated (mostly for my own safely), and ended up moving to a whole new city by myself.
I find that my experience has made me so much more reluctant to put myelf out there in the way that I used to. I also know that the way I approach things like human interactions is vastly different now.
Soo, I want to try something new. I've heard so many people say how they've made some great friends online on Reddit or Tumblr or some other site I've always felt too intimidated to use. Well, if there's anywhere that I can be my full Autistic self and not feel 'wrong' or 'other' it's NAS, right?
Like I said, there's quite literally nothing to lose, but hopefully I'll gain some meaningful interactions,
dare I say.... even friends?
Has anyone got any tips for coming out of isolation in your late 20s/30s?
Or any age?
Or just want to say "Hi"?
I hope to chat with you all
I can see you're a creatively driven person. You've moved to a new city, but I wonder what kind of friends you're looking for? What kind of traits do you value in a person, that you couldn't find from your previous friends and family?
I enjoy anime and cartoons, and I graduated college for animation. I've been a lead in printing, and a certified braille transcriptionist. I just study things on my spare time. I drew for a number of years, but my interests have evolved into other areas over time.
I've fallen out with friends, mainly because of me getting carried away by my personal interests, that they feel ignored by me and get angry at me. So I just carried on studying my personal interests, and hoped they found someone else.
I am not really into the pronoun thing, as I seen a few too many concerning things that made me uncomfortable. I never prized my identity much. I'd much rather have skills and knowledge and the ability to do things, rather than concentrate on what I look like, or what I want other people to address me by. What I look like doesn't matter. My race and gender doesn't matter. It's what I can do, and my capabilities as a person, that matters.
I hope you do find some friends who you can talk to about things. Isolation is a worrisome state to be in, so I'm glad you're reaching out to try and find some friends. Having some socialization is important. I wish you the best of luck.
Hullabaloo,
Can you tell me more about how you got into printing and being a braille transcriptionist, that really fascinates me and sounds like a brilliant job! Very intriguing!
I'm glad you mentioned about the pronouns thing as I felt uncomfortable with it when I went to a Queer event. The introductions of yourself included name, why you came to the group and your pronouns. It's something I'd never considered about myself as like you, I'm just me. It's one of the things about the evolving LGBTQIA+ community that tires and confuses me....
Printing combines design and computer knowledge, so both of those skills would be ideal to have. I enjoyed using all the different type of machines, and handling the different combinations of orders that came in. But printing can be a fast-paced and high pressure environment, because clients want things done right away, and can get rather angry about it. And if things go wrong, that's also something they could also get angry about. So it's not the right kind of job for everyone.
Braille transcription needs to be precise. To get certified, you need a to pass with at least 90%.
I enjoyed the transcription work itself, but the organization I joined was about pronouns and identity, so I didn't make the greatest first impression, when they asked for my pronouns, but I didn't ask them about theirs (I didn't know I even had to), and there was a piercing silence, as if I rubbed everyone the wrong way.
While I was there, I would finish transcribing a book in a week or two, whereas they'd spend 6 months or longer to finish transcribing their books. So I'd finish transcribing a dozen books, before they even finished transcribing one, which intimated some people. I wasn't trying to outdo anyone though. I just wanted the books transcribed in a timely manner, so that the blind could finally get a chance to read the books that they've waited so long for.
But I eventually went on my way into other avenues of life. I mean it was fun transcribing, and even though I was great at the work itself, I was obviously not their cup of tea, because I just didn't fit in with the gender identity stuff, and although I was friendly with everyone there and did my job well, without that gender identity stuff, I just stuck out in a negative way.
It's fun to get lost in something and lose track of time, which I'm guilty of doing most of the time. Exploring and discovering knowledge and developing skills, is just very fun. I can get so wrapped up in what I'm doing, that I lose all sense of self, and I suppose that I like that kind of feeling. I just enjoy writing things in a notebook, and studying things on my spare time. The knowledge just builds up over time. I hope many people learn many things over the course of their lives.
What you said really resonates with me from the jealousy about doing a more precise job to the gender identity stuff since it didn't occur to you. I admire how skilled you are in many things as I like to be that way myself. There are some seriously intelligent and well read folks on here. It really does blow my mind and fill me with admiration!!