Hi there - just a bit about me (new member)

Hi Language lover and welcome to the forum 

I'm a middle aged female who only found out recently that I am on the autistic spectrum. 

I've always loved language and reading. As a young girl I enjoyed books like the Narnia chronicles and Alice through the looking Glass. Later I really got into science fiction, fantasy and horror and I particularly enjoy vampire novels. 

My favourite movies are in a similar genre to the books I enjoy, particularly when they also employ humour, such as ghostbusters, men in black and independence day, but I also like more serious ones such as Alien, twelve monkeys, and blade runner. 

Going back to language, I enjoyed learning French and Spanish at school but I find understanding the spoken language more difficult than when it is written - I've heard that autism makes us very visual learners and that's certainly true for me.

I enjoyed music a lot when I was young and taught myself to play guitar at the age of 11. Unlike my female peers I wasn't much into "boy bands". I liked Queen, David Bowie, Pink Floyd and The Clash. Later my husband introduced me to ambient music which is now my favourite genre. 

I've always had an appreciation of art and design, but I hate it when people are pretentious about it. I remember walking through the Guggenheim gallery in Venice with my husband, giggling together at some of the pieces of "art" on display, to then be taken aback by other pieces which were truly amazing.  We both love the work of the abstract painter Wassily Kandinsky and I've just ordered a print of a painting he did in 1922 to put in our apartment. 

My art and design fascination includes fashion to a lesser extent, which along with my love of food gives me conversation topics to use with the women at work. I have to be comfortable in what I wear though, so I don't like to buy tight clothes or high heels, but I can admire them on someone else if they look good. 

I watch a lot of TV and love comedy like 8 out of 10 cats does countdown, not going out. Benidorm and siblings. I also like True Blood and Dr Who.

I hope you enjoy sharing ideas on here. 

Pixie 

Hi Language Lover.  I'm glad it was a relief for you.  It was for me, too, to get that diagnosis.  Suddenly, life makes sense!  I, too, have had associated MH problems over the years - anxiety, depression, etc.  At one time it was thought I had Borderline Personality Disorder.  But the Asperger's diagnosis nailed it!

I've always wanted to learn new languages, but don't have much facility for it.  My attention span has always been low, and I guess I'm a bit too right-brain dominant!  Having said that, reading and writing were always my top things at school.  I was hopeless at everything else and usually came bottom of the year.  Later on, though, in my late 20s, I managed to get into uni and take a degree (in English and American Lit).

Writing is my passion - fiction and poetry.  I've written since I was 10 (all the other boys where I lived were out playing football, while I was indoors typing!)  I don't have a problem with imagination, and writing is the perfect communication medium for me.  I'm not a social person and never have been - which is just as well, as it's a solitary occupation.

Anyway... it's nice to meet you.  See you around!

Tom

Hi Language Lover. Getting a diagnosis can only be a positive thing and the old adage 'know thyself' is very apt here because knowing what makes you tick arms you with the fore knowledge about how you might react in certain situations and gives you an idea of what kinds of emotions you are subject to. We're all unique, ultimately, and at least you are now in a position to judge whether there are things in life you perhaps are best to avoid, or at least to limit, and things which you will tend to enjoy and excel at. I kind of liken it to being given a road map of how you need to procede in life (I know that's an oversimplification, but anyway....). 

I am somewhat interested in computer programming, UFO's, currently watching a lot of stuff about the autism spectrum on YouTube, some TV and radio (mainly LBC for the discussions). 

Hi Language Lover,

Welcome to the forum!  Whilst it wouldn't be right to say "congratulations" on getting a diagnosis, it certainly must be a massive relief as you say.  Suddenly, everything drops into place, and things become much clearer.

I'm waiting for a full assessment after referral a year ago (very long waiting list in my area), and as you mention you got yours finally, it sounds like you've been waiting a long time too!

I've currently learning two languages via the Duolingo app (Esperanto and Danish), and hope to learn others when I've completed these. I also like songwriting, though I did it more when I was younger (primarily a lyricist).

You say you've found a lot of the discussions useful already, and, as I've found, there are many forum members on hand who are very helpful, either for newly diagnosed people (like yourself) and those still awaiting it (like me!).

So, welcome along, you've found your new home!