Just dropping a post in here as it seems to be the thing to do. I'm not sure how to introduce myself without breaking the rule about giving away identifying or personal details but I'll do my best! I should probably start by clarifying that my username is a nod to Kara Thrace and not to the giant coffee chain, although I am very fond - one might even say fanatical - of a good cup of coffee... So much so that when I was in college my peers nicknamed me "coffee girl"!
What else can I tell you about myself? I'm a mid-30s single mum. I was late-diagnosed Autistic when I was in my mid-20s. Suddenly my whole life made sense! I wish I'd had this understanding and the self-compassion that comes with it all of my life, instead of growing up convinced that I was inherently wrong, flawed, somehow. I had struggled my whole life to make friends or form meaningful social relationships, and the conclusion that I came to - in the absence of the understanding that my autism diagnosis brought - was that I must just be a truly detestable kind of person. I struggled with incredibly low self esteem and regarded myself quite poorly. I'm glad to say that over the last 10 years, since I've had my autism diagnosis, that has slowly started to change.
Like a lot of autistic people, I have a number of special interests. These include certain shows from science fiction, BSG, Star Gate, Star Trek, Dr Who, X Files, Firefly, Doll House. I'm also very interested in politics and have a frustratingly strong sense of justice related to that. But involuntarily, it seems - I've often wished I could just be one of those people who thinks "politics doesn't affect me, ergo, I don't care" (Of course, we know, politics really affects us all, especially as people with a disability, but moreover, I can never understand how people who think like that don't know, we just ought to care about others...) but I can't just switch off. I'm also really into running, just of late, and struggle sometimes to talk (or think) about much else. It's like that when a new special interest enters the scene. One day it might take a more back seat when something else comes along or my interest shifts back more to politics or sci fi again.
I have 4 kids but have been single for coming up to 10 years, and I like it that way. My teenagers are all autistic and I'm currently navigating the EHCP process for my twins who have been out of school for coming up to 3 years - mainstream school isn't able to meet their needs, but the LA is doing whatever they can to avoid forking out for alternative provision... In my spare time (if I have any) I like to run, read, and write poetry. I have a PhD in politics, but haven't really done anything with it. If I'm honest with myself, I don't really have time to work due to my twin daughters' high care needs. Nevertheless, it was worth doing the doctorate, because now I get to refer to myself as "Doctor", and that's enough to make any Whovian squeal with glee...
So, that's me! I've probably given too much information (story of my life!), but it didn't seem worth introducing myself yet holding back on details about what makes me me.