Re: and now that yall prolly think I'm nuts

[Guest guest]

I wrote:

> > When I was a young teen, I had episodes of falling out of

> > consciousness occasionally.

and a responded:

>I wonder if it has something to do with all the stresses that come with

>adolescence on top of autism.

I was still very " out of it " socially at that point in my life.

Didn't really have an adolescence during my teen years, not in the

social sense (though my body seems to have been on schedule, judging

by the onset of menses).

Jane

[Guest guest]

> I wrote:

> >  >  When I was a young teen, I had episodes of falling out of

> >  >  consciousness occasionally.

>

> and a responded:

> >I wonder if it has something to do with all the stresses that come

> with

> >adolescence on top of autism.

>

> I was still very " out of it " socially at that point in my life.

> Didn't really have an adolescence during my teen years, not in the

> social sense (though my body seems to have been on schedule, judging

> by the onset of menses).

>

> Jane

Social sense...the teens were my worst years socially. Small doses of

it at different times, but mostly I think the teens for me were

stressful due to feeling alone for most of it, and because for a time

it was hard to get anywhere in school because I just couldn't stay

awake, and this caused conflict with my parents, who probably thought I

could control it, even though they'd seen me falling asleep standing up

and took frequent naps at home. (I think it's the expectations of the

adults in a teen's life that can make for a lot of adolescent stress.)

Speaking of menses, I had a very harsh menstrual cycle, and it still

can wipe me out, but is not as long and agonizing as it was when I was

a teen when the constant pain and swelling caused me to be sick to my

stomach and black out. None of the pain meds worked until I discovered

plain old tylenol extra strength in my late teens, which wasn't

something my parent's kept in their medicine cabinet, nor did a doctor

recommend it. It was the only thing I had taken that could usually

numb the pain to the point that I could function.

a

[Guest guest]

Compare what you learned from reading about the consequences of the 1952 London

Smog and the 1995 Chicago Heat Wave with what you know about Hurricane Katrina.

~Bonnie

- - -

> Killer Smog, by Wise (Rand McNally, 1968). Engrossing account

> of the lethal 1952 " smog incident " in London. Includes an overview of

> the several centuries' worth of bureaucratic waffling that made it

> all possible.

>

> Heat Wave: A Social Autopsy of Disaster in Chicago, by

> Klinenberg (University of Chicago Press, 2002). This is a good book.

> Klinenberg investigated what factors determined which members of

> vulnerable populations survived and which members died in the 1995

> Chicago heat wave.

[Guest guest]

You're no more nuts than all the people who have

replied to your post.

~Bonnie

> > I do notice no one has said I wasn't nuts.

__________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

Bonnie wrote:

>Compare what you learned from reading about the consequences of the

>1952 London

>Smog and the 1995 Chicago Heat Wave with what you know about

>Hurricane Katrina.

Neither the smog nor the heat caused significant property damage.

After the event (smog or heat) was over, everyone who survived could

go on with their lives.

Jane

[Guest guest]

Yes, it is neat, and quite scary...I already have a problematic ticker.

I don't have the book open right now, so I'm going on memory, but it

discusses how perfectly healthy people who had the flu and by all

appearances seemed to be over it, but then they suddenly died of heart

attacks. Two cases that happened after a regular flu outbreak in

Germany involved two unrelated 25 year old men, who died of heart

attacks right after the flu symptoms were apparently gone. Autopsies

were performed and their heart tissues were decimated. The two men

were considered healthy before having the flu and they didn't have any

heart conditions prior to it.

After the 1918 flu, heart disease increased. Many people who had the

flu but survived it initially died of heart disease earlier in life

than usual. It has been noted that heart disease in general decreased

after the last of the 1918 flu generations died off.

a

> a

> That looks really neat I " ll have to look into that.

>

>

> I do notice no one has said I wasn't nuts.

> Serena

>

> --- " a C. MacNeil " wrote:

>

> > It's interesting how many of us are into viruses...I

> > haven't read any

> > recent books on viruses and disease, but one of my

> > favorites in my

> > collection is The Science of Viruses by Ann Giudici

> > Fettner.  The

> > section on the Sleeping Sickness (last big flu

> > pandemic) was

> > fascinating.  What I found the most interesting was

> > the connection

> > between influenza and heart disease, and that the

> > influenza's real

> > target is the heart, or at least the ordinary flus

> > and the Sleeping

> > Sickness has been connected to heart disease.  The

> > lungs have a defense

> > system (hence flu symptoms), but the heart is a

> > sitting duck, and

> > suffers in silence...

> >

> > Anyway, things that I research or have researched

> > extensively are: (no

> > particular order, just as I think of them)

> >

> > - astrophysics & quanta

> > - viruses

> > - DNA

> > - neurosis

> > - human sexuality

> > - vampires (and death)

> > - cats (first perseveration as a kid)

> > - microsoft

> > - court cases that challenge freedom of speech

> > - pollutants

> > - evolution

> >

> > a

> >

> >

> >

> >

> > > How many of yall do the same thing with other

> > things.

> > >  Know more about certain things than most people

> > or

> > >  research odd bits of material... for years. 

> > >

> > >  For me the other research topics I tend to stress

> > are

> > >  the black death ( go figure)

> > >  all level four viruses - are we noticing a trend

> > yet

> > >  and the Holocaust... no one in my family was or

> > is

> > >  jewish ... I read a book when I was ten for young

> > >  adults by a young adult... other than the diary

> > of

> > >  anne frank, and was hooked on learning about it.

> > >

> > >  Serena

> > >

> > >

> > __________________________________________________

> > > 

[Guest guest]

I know i read something... I don't think it was on

here, but I felt pretty crappy last night, but it was

talking about while the lungs take the brunt of the

flu, its the heart that suffers silently from the

influenza.

Serena

--- " P.C. MacNeil " wrote:

> Yes, it is neat, and quite scary...I already have a

> problematic ticker.

>

> I don't have the book open right now, so I'm going

> on memory, but it

> discusses how perfectly healthy people who had the

> flu and by all

> appearances seemed to be over it, but then they

> suddenly died of heart

> attacks. Two cases that happened after a regular

> flu outbreak in

> Germany involved two unrelated 25 year old men, who

> died of heart

> attacks right after the flu symptoms were apparently

> gone. Autopsies

> were performed and their heart tissues were

> decimated. The two men

> were considered healthy before having the flu and

> they didn't have any

> heart conditions prior to it.

>

> After the 1918 flu, heart disease increased. Many

> people who had the

> flu but survived it initially died of heart disease

> earlier in life

> than usual. It has been noted that heart disease in

> general decreased

> after the last of the 1918 flu generations died off.

>

> a

>

>

> > a

> > That looks really neat I " ll have to look into

> that.

> >

> >

> > I do notice no one has said I wasn't nuts.

> > Serena

> >

> > --- " a C. MacNeil "

> wrote:

> >

> > > It's interesting how many of us are into

> viruses...I

> > > haven't read any

> > > recent books on viruses and disease, but one of

> my

> > > favorites in my

> > > collection is The Science of Viruses by Ann

> Giudici

> > > Fettner.  The

> > > section on the Sleeping Sickness (last big flu

> > > pandemic) was

> > > fascinating.  What I found the most

> interesting was

> > > the connection

> > > between influenza and heart disease, and that

> the

> > > influenza's real

> > > target is the heart, or at least the ordinary

> flus

> > > and the Sleeping

> > > Sickness has been connected to heart disease. 

> The

> > > lungs have a defense

> > > system (hence flu symptoms), but the heart is a

> > > sitting duck, and

> > > suffers in silence...

> > >

> > > Anyway, things that I research or have

> researched

> > > extensively are: (no

> > > particular order, just as I think of them)

> > >

> > > - astrophysics & quanta

> > > - viruses

> > > - DNA

> > > - neurosis

> > > - human sexuality

> > > - vampires (and death)

> > > - cats (first perseveration as a kid)

> > > - microsoft

> > > - court cases that challenge freedom of speech

> > > - pollutants

> > > - evolution

> > >

> > > a

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > > > How many of yall do the same thing with other

> > > things.

> > > >  Know more about certain things than most

> people

> > > or

> > > >  research odd bits of material... for

> years. 

> > > >

> > > >  For me the other research topics I tend to

> stress

> > > are

> > > >  the black death ( go figure)

> > > >  all level four viruses - are we noticing a

> trend

> > > yet

> > > >  and the Holocaust... no one in my family

> was or

> > > is

> > > >  jewish ... I read a book when I was ten for

> young

> > > >  adults by a young adult... other than the

> diary

> > > of

> > > >  anne frank, and was hooked on learning

> about it.

> > > >

> > > >  Serena

> > > >

> > > >

> > >

> __________________________________________________

> > > > 

[Guest guest]

We own 31 snakes. People keep telling us we're nuts, so it must be

true.

a

> You're no more nuts than all the people who have

> replied to your post.

>

> ~Bonnie

>

>

>

> > > I do notice no one has said I wasn't nuts.

[Guest guest]

>

Have to snake this in...

You must have a heck of a reptilation.

Jerry

To shed this post, hit " delete. "

[Guest guest]

a as long as they aren't all cottonmouths and

living in bed w/ you.. I see nothing wrong w/ that...

yea okay.. so being nuts can be good.. I'm just so

used to being excluded because I was a bit odd....lol

Serena

--- " P.C. MacNeil " wrote:

> We own 31 snakes. People keep telling us we're

> nuts, so it must be

> true.

>

> a

>

>

> > You're no more nuts than all the people who have

> > replied to your post.

> >

> > ~Bonnie

> >

> >

> >

> > > > I do notice no one has said I wasn't nuts.

>

> [Non-text portions of this message have been

> removed]

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Oh my, excluded is almost too mild of a term. I sometimes get so

exasperated with the illogic of peoples reactions to things or

thoughts that are different than theirs. WOw, a lot of Ths in

there...heehehhehee.

Anyway, we have two rosy boas, 3 birds (two keets and a pionus), two

cats, 3 fat mice (I used to have a Large colony of mice but now there

are just 3) and some fish. I used to have two guinea pigs too, but

they were older, and both died earlier this year. It is always fun

listing off this menagerie to co-workers and watching their eyes get big.

the biggest hoot is when they just Freak Out that we have snakes.

" Oh, aren't you afraid they'll get out "

Um, no, and even if they did, I would worry more for them than myself.

Geesh!

sooo, back to writing code. fun fun.

jen

>

> a as long as they aren't all cottonmouths and

> living in bed w/ you.. I see nothing wrong w/ that...

>

> yea okay.. so being nuts can be good.. I'm just so

> used to being excluded because I was a bit odd....lol

> Serena

[Guest guest]

I love snakes..

here at the house is 4 dogs and 2 cats... we used to

also have two amazon parrots.. but for those of us who

are noise sensitive that was just wayyyyyyy too much.

Serena

--- Jen wrote:

> Oh my, excluded is almost too mild of a term. I

> sometimes get so

> exasperated with the illogic of peoples reactions to

> things or

> thoughts that are different than theirs. WOw, a lot

> of Ths in

> there...heehehhehee.

>

> Anyway, we have two rosy boas, 3 birds (two keets

> and a pionus), two

> cats, 3 fat mice (I used to have a Large colony of

> mice but now there

> are just 3) and some fish. I used to have two

> guinea pigs too, but

> they were older, and both died earlier this year.

> It is always fun

> listing off this menagerie to co-workers and

> watching their eyes get big.

>

> the biggest hoot is when they just Freak Out that we

> have snakes.

> " Oh, aren't you afraid they'll get out "

> Um, no, and even if they did, I would worry more for

> them than myself.

> Geesh!

>

> sooo, back to writing code. fun fun.

>

> jen

>

>

>

> >

> > a as long as they aren't all cottonmouths and

> > living in bed w/ you.. I see nothing wrong w/

> that...

> >

> > yea okay.. so being nuts can be good.. I'm just so

> > used to being excluded because I was a bit

> odd....lol

> > Serena

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

> I love snakes..

is it just me or snakes scare the living hell outta me ?

Alain

[Guest guest]

> I love snakes..

> here at the house is 4 dogs and 2 cats... we used to

> also have two amazon parrots.. but for those of us who

> are noise sensitive that was just wayyyyyyy too much.

> Serena

Any screechy bird can make me crawl out of my skin. I like birds (I

like all animals), ducks are my fave. Love that quack quack waddle

waddle thing they got goin' on.

>

> --- Jen wrote:

>

> > Oh my, excluded is almost too mild of a term.  I

> > sometimes get so

> > exasperated with the illogic of peoples reactions to

> > things or

> > thoughts that are different than theirs.  WOw, a lot

> > of Ths in

> > there...heehehhehee.

My sister thinks everything is disgusting or scary. She's always been

a puzzle to me. I'm not partial to earwigs, centipedes and ticks, but

that's about it. (Ticks absolutely adore me though!) I recently held

a tarantula, so I'm much more comfortable with spiders now, which is a

bonus because we live in the country (I'm a born and raised city girl),

and there's lots and lots of them. I still don't like the thought of

them in my hair...uh-uh.

> >

> > Anyway, we have two rosy boas, 3 birds (two keets

> > and a pionus), two

> > cats, 3 fat mice (I used to have a Large colony of

> > mice but now there

> > are just 3) and some fish.  I used to have two

> > guinea pigs too, but

> > they were older, and both died earlier this year.

> > It is always fun

> > listing off this menagerie to co-workers and

> > watching their eyes get big.

I can sooooo relate...

We have two cats, two rabbits and a colony of rats, as well. But the

rats aren't what you'd call " pets " ...don't some folks love to hear that

one...

> >

> > the biggest hoot is when they just Freak Out that we

> > have snakes.

> > " Oh, aren't you afraid they'll get out "

> > Um, no, and even if they did, I would worry more for

> > them than myself.

> > Geesh!

Exactly. I can't count the people who have asked us if we let them

roam free in the house. Yeah, great idea... " Hey, hon...have you seen

any of the snakes? For some reason, they've all disappeared. "

> >

> > sooo, back to writing code. fun fun.

> >

> > jen

> >

> >

> >

> > >

> > > a as long as they aren't all cottonmouths and

> > > living in bed w/ you.. I see nothing wrong w/

> > that...

> > >

> > > yea okay.. so being nuts can be good.. I'm just so

> > > used to being excluded because I was a bit

> > odd....lol

> > > Serena

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

[Guest guest]

I am 42 and I go through, or rather have been through stages of intense

learning about everything interesting me at that period in my life.

Truth be told, I would not be happy, or uh, fulfilled if I wasn't learning

all the time. I just have to.

I was surprised when I first got the internet, my husband was so keen on

" Yay talk rooms! Games games games. "

With me I was shocked because it was an unfolding landscape to learn

anything about, which surpised him, in turn because he never did that at

all. Imagine this opportunity at the age of about 32, when you may have

grown up with internet. Before I had only the library and was borrowing from

the city because they didn't have what I wanted to learn about and I had to

have a library borrow from a library for me.

Of course my younger yrs were spent with hardcover encyclopedias, so much

fun. You may do this all your life, the learning-nothing wrong with that.

But I am told I go on about things, was told recently actually, " that no one

cares about. "

Oh well.

>

> How many of yall do the same thing with other things.

> Know more about certain things than most people or

> research odd bits of material... for years.

>

> For me the other research topics I tend to stress are

> the black death ( go figure)

> all level four viruses - are we noticing a trend yet

> and the Holocaust... no one in my family was or is

> jewish ... I read a book when I was ten for young

> adults by a young adult... other than the diary of

> anne frank, and was hooked on learning about it.

>

> Serena

>

> __________________________________________________

>

[Guest guest]

kimberly I'm in the same boat... almost completely.. I

can usually see by the glazed bored look on their face

that they could care less what I'm prattling on about,

but if i find it interesting, I like to tell other

people.

Serena

--- Kaye GerryTucker

wrote:

> I am 42 and I go through, or rather have been

> through stages of intense

> learning about everything interesting me at that

> period in my life.

> Truth be told, I would not be happy, or uh,

> fulfilled if I wasn't learning

> all the time. I just have to.

> I was surprised when I first got the internet, my

> husband was so keen on

> " Yay talk rooms! Games games games. "

> With me I was shocked because it was an unfolding

> landscape to learn

> anything about, which surpised him, in turn because

> he never did that at

> all. Imagine this opportunity at the age of about

> 32, when you may have

> grown up with internet. Before I had only the

> library and was borrowing from

> the city because they didn't have what I wanted to

> learn about and I had to

> have a library borrow from a library for me.

> Of course my younger yrs were spent with hardcover

> encyclopedias, so much

> fun. You may do this all your life, the

> learning-nothing wrong with that.

> But I am told I go on about things, was told

> recently actually, " that no one

> cares about. "

> Oh well.

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

> On 12/12/05, Serena Pridgen

> wrote:

> >

> > How many of yall do the same thing with other

> things.

> > Know more about certain things than most people or

> > research odd bits of material... for years.

> >

> > For me the other research topics I tend to stress

> are

> > the black death ( go figure)

> > all level four viruses - are we noticing a trend

> yet

> > and the Holocaust... no one in my family was or is

> > jewish ... I read a book when I was ten for young

> > adults by a young adult... other than the diary of

> > anne frank, and was hooked on learning about it.

> >

> > Serena

> >

> > __________________________________________________

> >

[Guest guest]

kimberly I'm in the same boat... almost completely.. I

can usually see by the glazed bored look on their face

that they could care less what I'm prattling on about,

but if i find it interesting, I like to tell other

people.

Serena

--- Kaye GerryTucker

wrote:

> I am 42 and I go through, or rather have been

> through stages of intense

> learning about everything interesting me at that

> period in my life.

> Truth be told, I would not be happy, or uh,

> fulfilled if I wasn't learning

> all the time. I just have to.

> I was surprised when I first got the internet, my

> husband was so keen on

> " Yay talk rooms! Games games games. "

> With me I was shocked because it was an unfolding

> landscape to learn

> anything about, which surpised him, in turn because

> he never did that at

> all. Imagine this opportunity at the age of about

> 32, when you may have

> grown up with internet. Before I had only the

> library and was borrowing from

> the city because they didn't have what I wanted to

> learn about and I had to

> have a library borrow from a library for me.

> Of course my younger yrs were spent with hardcover

> encyclopedias, so much

> fun. You may do this all your life, the

> learning-nothing wrong with that.

> But I am told I go on about things, was told

> recently actually, " that no one

> cares about. "

> Oh well.

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

> On 12/12/05, Serena Pridgen

> wrote:

> >

> > How many of yall do the same thing with other

> things.

> > Know more about certain things than most people or

> > research odd bits of material... for years.

> >

> > For me the other research topics I tend to stress

> are

> > the black death ( go figure)

> > all level four viruses - are we noticing a trend

> yet

> > and the Holocaust... no one in my family was or is

> > jewish ... I read a book when I was ten for young

> > adults by a young adult... other than the diary of

> > anne frank, and was hooked on learning about it.

> >

> > Serena

> >

> > __________________________________________________

> >

[Guest guest]

>

> kimberly I'm in the same boat... almost completely.. I

> can usually see by the glazed bored look on their face

> that they could care less what I'm prattling on about,

> but if i find it interesting, I like to tell other

> people.

> Serena

>

I would listen.

K

[Guest guest]

Its kinda what i've been doing here for the last

couple of days... and throwing in other aspy/austism

questions in. I'm hoping I'm getting some books on

aspy at xmas from mom. Since i was diagnosed at 14 w/

NVLD I think they misdiagnosed and I'm actually aspy..

I just wish I had the money to find out. And thank

you... it is nice to hear that.

Serena

--- Kaye GerryTucker

wrote:

> On 12/14/05, Serena Pridgen

> wrote:

> >

> > kimberly I'm in the same boat... almost

> completely.. I

> > can usually see by the glazed bored look on their

> face

> > that they could care less what I'm prattling on

> about,

> > but if i find it interesting, I like to tell other

> > people.

> > Serena

> >

>

>

> I would listen.

>

> K

>

>

> [Non-text portions of this message have been

> removed]

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

> a as long as they aren't all cottonmouths and

> > > living in bed w/ you.. I see nothing wrong w/

> > that...

> > >

> > > yea okay.. so being nuts can be good.. I'm just so

> > > used to being excluded because I was a bit

> > odd....lol

> > > Serena

No cottonmouths, Serena. Unless you count the way my mouth feels in

the morning...

And I agree, nuts is good.

a

[Guest guest]

Ditto.

I can clear a room, ha ha ha ha. Or make it go dead silent. Luckily,

I have tolerant friends.

I see it as spreading knowledge. I always forget that most people just

want to talk BS, gossip or talk about the " latest thing " . I don't

understand how this vast world of interesting subject matter can be

totally ignored by the average jane or joe.

a

> kimberly I'm in the same boat... almost completely.. I

> can usually see by the glazed bored look on their face

> that they could care less what I'm prattling on about,

> but if i find it interesting, I like to tell other

> people.

> Serena

>

> --- Kaye GerryTucker

> wrote:

>

> > I am 42 and I go through, or rather have been

> > through stages of intense

> > learning about everything interesting me at that

> > period in my life.

> > Truth be told, I would not be happy, or uh,

> > fulfilled if I wasn't learning

> > all the time. I just have to.

> > I was surprised when I first got the internet, my

> > husband was so keen on

> > " Yay talk rooms! Games games games. "

> > With me I was shocked because it was an unfolding

> > landscape to learn

> > anything about, which surpised him, in turn because

> > he never did that at

> > all. Imagine this opportunity at the age of about

> > 32, when you may have

> > grown up with internet. Before I had only the

> > library and was borrowing from

> > the city because they didn't have what I wanted to

> > learn about and I had to

> > have a library borrow from a library for me.

> > Of course my younger yrs were spent with hardcover

> > encyclopedias, so much

> > fun. You may do this all your life, the

> > learning-nothing wrong with that.

> > But I am told I go on about things, was told

> > recently actually, " that no one

> > cares about. "

> > Oh well.

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> > On 12/12/05, Serena Pridgen

> > wrote:

> > >

> > > How many of yall do the same thing with other

> > things.

> > > Know more about certain things than most people or

> > > research odd bits of material... for years.

> > >

> > > For me the other research topics I tend to stress

> > are

> > > the black death ( go figure)

> > > all level four viruses - are we noticing a trend

> > yet

> > > and the Holocaust... no one in my family was or is

> > > jewish ... I read a book when I was ten for young

> > > adults by a young adult... other than the diary of

> > > anne frank, and was hooked on learning about it.

> > >

> > > Serena

> > >

> > > __________________________________________________

> > >

[Guest guest]

> > I love snakes..

>

> is it just me or snakes scare the living hell outta me ?

>

> Alain

Trust me, it's not just you. I am finding the younger generations much

less afraid of them, though. Only 10% of the world's snakes have some

kind of venom, half of which are deadly to man (about 250 snakes

worldwide, most of which are in the India, Africa, Asia, Australia &

South America).

There are no venomous snakes in Quebec, unless the Mississauga Rattler

is there in spots, but I doubt it, as it's endangered, and as far as I

know it's only found in Ontario in very limited quantity. It's not

deadly, but the bite is serious.

But anyone who can't tell one snake from another out in the wild (such

as in many States): do not pick up! Just walk away...If it's on your

property, call someone in working in animal control to remove it.

There are even snake wranglers in some States that do this for a

living.

There...that's my lecture for today

a

[Guest guest]

Hmmm... I'll go on about whatever interests me at the time until

someone tells me to shut up. Then I'll say, " It interests me and I

want to talk about it, so why don't you shut up, I'm not done

talking. " A conversations isn't over until I am done with it.

I'll also listen to other people talk forever about anything that

interests them. I may look uninterested, and I have been known to

fall asleep before, but I usually listen to most or all of it. I

don't mind listening at all. I didn't read the posts about disease

in here though.

> > > >

> > > > How many of yall do the same thing with other

> > > things.

> > > > Know more about certain things than most people or

> > > > research odd bits of material... for years.

> > > >

> > > > For me the other research topics I tend to stress

> > > are

> > > > the black death ( go figure)

> > > > all level four viruses - are we noticing a trend

> > > yet

> > > > and the Holocaust... no one in my family was or is

> > > > jewish ... I read a book when I was ten for young

> > > > adults by a young adult... other than the diary of

> > > > anne frank, and was hooked on learning about it.

> > > >

> > > > Serena

> > > >

> > > > __________________________________________________

> > > >

[Guest guest]

> I'll also listen to other people talk forever about anything that

> interests them. I may look uninterested, and I have been known to

> fall asleep before, but I usually listen to most or all of it. I

> don't mind listening at all.

Same here. As long as the person doesn't expect me to look at them

while listening the whole time, I'm fine. Some people seem to think if

you aren't looking straight into their eyes that you aren't listening,

when it's the opposite for me. I can't listen as well when someone's

face is distracting me. Some relatives still don't understand this. I

look away and I get " are you listening to me?? " Yes, but only if I can

stare at an inanimate object from time to time. I listen best with my

eyes closed, but most people find this rude, so I rarely do it. Some

friends get me, understand, and some can even relate.

I get especially chatty when I've discovered something new that excites

me. But just as often, I don't have anything to say at all. I was

mostly joking when I said I could clear a room! Nowadays I've gotten

better at putting limits on myself. It depends on who the conversation

is with, too. I much prefer it if the other person(s) contributes.

Makes it more interesting.

I have a really hard time with " small talk " . I can't do it very well

at all, although I'm better at it than I used to be.

a

[Guest guest]

Me either paula .. especially since just small chit

chat is so hard for me... I don't like it.. it should

have a point.. even the weather has a point.. if there

is an ice storm coming, but if its... wow it was warm

in (wherever) it gets to me .. quickly.

Serena

--- " P.C. MacNeil " wrote:

> Ditto.

>

> I can clear a room, ha ha ha ha. Or make it go dead

> silent. Luckily,

> I have tolerant friends.

>

> I see it as spreading knowledge. I always forget

> that most people just

> want to talk BS, gossip or talk about the " latest

> thing " . I don't

> understand how this vast world of interesting

> subject matter can be

> totally ignored by the average jane or joe.

>

> a

>

>

>

> > kimberly I'm in the same boat... almost

> completely.. I

> > can usually see by the glazed bored look on their

> face

> > that they could care less what I'm prattling on

> about,

> > but if i find it interesting, I like to tell

> other

> > people.

> > Serena

> >

> > --- Kaye GerryTucker

>

> > wrote:

> >

> > > I am 42 and I go through, or rather have been

> > > through stages of intense

> > > learning about everything interesting me at

> that

> > > period in my life.

> > > Truth be told, I would not be happy, or uh,

> > > fulfilled if I wasn't learning

> > > all the time. I just have to.

> > > I was surprised when I first got the internet,

> my

> > > husband was so keen on

> > > " Yay talk rooms! Games games games. "

> > > With me I was shocked because it was an

> unfolding

> > > landscape to learn

> > > anything about, which surpised him, in turn

> because

> > > he never did that at

> > > all. Imagine this opportunity at the age of

> about

> > > 32, when you may have

> > > grown up with internet. Before I had only the

> > > library and was borrowing from

> > > the city because they didn't have what I wanted

> to

> > > learn about and I had to

> > > have a library borrow from a library for me.

> > > Of course my younger yrs were spent with

> hardcover

> > > encyclopedias, so much

> > > fun. You may do this all your life, the

> > > learning-nothing wrong with that.

> > > But I am told I go on about things, was told

> > > recently actually, " that no one

> > > cares about. "

> > > Oh well.

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > > On 12/12/05, Serena Pridgen

>

> > > wrote:

> > > >

> > > > How many of yall do the same thing with other

> > > things.

> > > > Know more about certain things than most

> people or

> > > > research odd bits of material... for years.

> > > >

> > > > For me the other research topics I tend to

> stress

> > > are

> > > > the black death ( go figure)

> > > > all level four viruses - are we noticing a

> trend

> > > yet

> > > > and the Holocaust... no one in my family was

> or is

> > > > jewish ... I read a book when I was ten for

> young

> > > > adults by a young adult... other than the

> diary of

> > > > anne frank, and was hooked on learning about

> it.

> > > >

> > > > Serena

> > > >

> > > >

> __________________________________________________

> > > >