humor challenge

[Guest guest]

Are you nerdotypical?

Ettina

[Guest guest]

>

> I speculated that me admitting to saying " I have _____ " rather

than " I am _____ " would cause a difference of opinion.>>

I usually say " I am autistic, " or with non-autistic people I will

say " I am on the autism spectrum, " which I prefer to saying " I have

Asperger syndrome " for a variety of reasons. But I say " I *have* a math

learning disorder " and I think it's because it's grammatically more

typical to say that than " I am math learning disordered. "

I say " I am dyspraxic " or sometimes " I have dyspraxia " depending on if

the other person knows what it is (I would use the latter if they did

not since it is a noun and then I can define it for them). I don't like

to say " have " since it does seem to imply that maybe I could get rid of

the dyspraxia, (which I proved today by a major uncoordination episode

has not gone away at all!)

I say " I have a diagnosis of depression " (sometimes, not to everyone I

meet!) but not " I am depressed " unless I am depressed right that minute

as they have two different meanings.

I imagine there will be times, relatively few, where I might say " I am

a person with autism, " but then I would also explain that I normally

say " I am autistic. " I have thought of a couple of instances in which I

might start out saying " I have autism " but in each of those instances I

would also then explain what I mean by preferring to say " I am

autistic. " I am thinking mostly of interactions I have started having

with parents of children on the spectrum where I feel like I need to

start out kind of slowly with presenting my own viewpoint... so by the

end of 5 minutes I would get around to talking about it.

I think someone could just as easily say " I have autism, and so I can't

do such-and-such " as well as saying " I am autistic, and I can't do such-

and-such. " And maybe the person is not using it as an excuse but really

can't do it. For example, I am SURE my mother would look at me

saying " I can't organize the house because I am autistic " as just an

excuse but it is actually because it is true, in that I don't have good

organizing skills, have visual processing problems, etc. Actually I

COULD do it if it were the ONLY thing I had to do for maybe two months.

But I have too many other things that I HAVE to do and so the house is

probably never going to get organized the way I'd like it to be, not to

mention just organized enough that I could find things. (I don't say

anything about autism and disorganization to my mother as I don't want

to get into it with her...)

If you don't feel comfortable in a work or public situation saying " I

am autistic " then I don't think you should feel compelled to. There may

be advantages in you not using that terminology.

Rhonda

[Guest guest]

Ettina,

This is funny! I like the term! (I probably do not fit, however- though my

youngest son tried to determine of I am a nerd or a geek- and tried to make a

distinction between them- LOL!)

When I was an undergraduate, there was a " nerd poster " that one of my

classmates had on his wall- and the stereotypical nerd was a guy, with a white

shirt with pockets and many pens in them, a scientific calculator, name-brand

pants (black, professional, standard for engineering- not too terribly stylish),

leather shoes- again for business, and not too stylish, etc. Nobody even

considered that a girl could be a nerd- though I went to an engineering school,

with one girl for every seven guys. I never dressed that way, of course- but

there are a few other things about me that might fit- like the fact that I do

most math without a calculator to this day, I care more about comfort than looks

when choosing my clothes, and I often have to remind myself to translate

expressions from mathematics or technospeech into English before I say them

(e.g. " Give or take " instead of " plus or minus " , or " Please repeat that to me in

a quieter location " instead of " sorry, I did not

understand you- my autioperipherals do not filter background noise adequatly " --

but at least, I am making the effort, and getting better with practice. : ~ )

abnormaldiversity wrote:

Are you nerdotypical?

Ettina

---------------------------------

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[Guest guest]

I know how that is. I have been told the same thing by my mother and step-dad.

Right now I am in the middle of a shunt malfunction again. This will be my

tenth. On friday I was in the hospital for a very high blood pressure and severe

headache. Of course, the doctor did a ct scan which looked fine to him. Idiots,

no one would listen to me they acted like I was an incompetent idiot despite the

fact I had all the information, including the laundry list of the drugs I am

taking.

My social worker through the mental health acgency is the only one who

has been able to be any help since my mom and dad moved to florida and I am

still working on it.

frank oldroyd wrote:

I know I said I would put your advice into action - how and when to

tell jokes. Well it has not happened yet. I thought I could completley do it. No

such luck!! Will keep trying though.

Got to go, my husband has come in and told me to get off-line, as I am having

lots of seizures,

Bye,

Franque

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[Guest guest]

Franque and others,

There is a horse on the Spectrum! (A fictional one, anyway.) Have any of you

seen the movie, " The horse in the Grey Flannel Suit " ? It is really old (maybe,

late sixties). The horse was named for a product that the company was trying to

sell- " Aspercel " - and was called " Aspie " for short!

frank oldroyd wrote:

I got told off for telling these jokes at work, even after I clearley

stated you have ASD / AS. Well I'm not going to stop but just be more selective

to whom I tell. I have found that I have to explain the term Aspie and NT, but

no worries. Just wondering is Aspie a common term. I tend not to use it myself

as I dont like saying shortened words which end in 'e'. Bazzare, but everybody

at work and home seem to tolerate it.

Princess wrote:

,

Here are a few more:

Q. Why do women rock so much when they are in their last month of pregnancy?

A. Because you never know if your baby is on the Spectrum!

Q. What's an autistic person's favorite drink?

A. Harvey Wall-Banger ( and knock-offs, too!)

Q. How can you convince an ASpie to change a lightbulb?

A. You can't. When it's lit, it will not make sense to replace it. Replace a

darkbulb!

Q. How does an autistic savant take a head head count?

A. Count legs, and divide by 2!

Q. How does an autistic person rearrange the furniture?

A. Very carefully!

, who resembles these remarks.

frank oldroyd wrote:

I've told a few people the joke about the river bank. I am crap at telling

jokes, but this one seems to be working. The AS bloke I told it to was well

impressed and asked if you have any more - me too?

De Carlo wrote: Nice...

>

> Here's one about echolalia:

> literal person: What's your name?

> echolalic person: What's your name?

> literal person: That's a strange name. Oh well, pleased to meet you,

> what's-your-name.

> Ettina

>

> >

> > Here is the challenge: Post some good Spectrum humor! I know plenty

> > of blonde jokes, and crazy person jokes, and even faceblind jokes!

> > Hay, we are allowed to tell them on ourselves, too!

> >

> > I will start, with one I can tell:

> >

> > An ASpie was standing on a river bank, and an NT was on the opposite

> > bank. The NT hollared, " Can you tell me how to get to the other

> side? "

> > The ASpie started laughing! The NT asked what was so funny. The

> > reply? " You ARE on the other side! "

> >

> >

> >

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hi,

Well I have not seen the film about the AS horse, but it did bring about an AS

moment. So I started to read you e-mail, then my jaw dropped and I gasped in

shock! All my brain had read was; 'there is a horse with AS'. Obviously I read

on. Again I am chuckling at myself, thanks, Franque

__,_.._,___

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[Guest guest]

Salutations ,

Please could the Harvey Wall-Banger joke be explained to me, please.

que

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[Guest guest]

> Please could the Harvey Wall-Banger joke be explained to me, please.

> que

Hi que!

Some Auties/Aspies need motion, pressure/pain, and sound when they

stim. Those three combined, can easily lead to pounding on furniture,

or banging up against the wall (when full-body sensory is needed), in

those who have not been trained in Sensory Integration techniques to

help them find calming stims that are less dangerous.

[Guest guest]

I know that's happened to me from time to time, where when I do things on the

computer (which is my stim, especially when I play video games), I have to have

some kind of noise in the background, such as a television running or music

playing in addition to whatever it is I'm doing on the computer, especially if

it's a video game. Sometimes I get caught up in the music/TV as well as the

computer game, and it's provided some amusing moments like my mom wondering how

I could manage to sprain my ankle playing computer games...

" To be nobody but yourself in a world that is doing its best to make you

everyone else, is to fight the hardest battle anyone can fight. " - e e cummings

Debogorski

elcap1999@...

Re: HUMOR CHALLENGE

> Please could the Harvey Wall-Banger joke be explained to me, please.

> que

Hi que!

Some Auties/Aspies need motion, pressure/pain, and sound when they

stim. Those three combined, can easily lead to pounding on furniture,

or banging up against the wall (when full-body sensory is needed), in

those who have not been trained in Sensory Integration techniques to

help them find calming stims that are less dangerous.

[Guest guest]

At thanksgiving dinner, a friend of mine for over 35 years sat across from me.

She drinks too much always and she is very very loud. The only thing that keeps

us friends is that we have been friends for so long - we have absolutely nothing

in common except for my kids - which she seems to think are hers most of the

time, taking credit for everything they do etc. (She didn't raise them - we were

miles away from each other at that point). Her kids never talk to her or call

her, and mine are around the corner. Don't ask me HOW on earth we all wound up

in the same town together, three hours from where I knew her when we were

teenagers.

I lose my point... during dinner she was across from me and right in my face,

louder than ever and telling my kid that she shouldn't have ME in the labour

room with her... la la la...private time for husband and wife etc. and I know my

kid likes her. I know my kid will be calling for her 'mommy' too

Ok, I lost my point again. I held it together with that noise during dinner.

But after dinner, I was dancing around the kitchen while we were cleaning up -

with her good china in my hands, singing and going nuts. I guess it was payback

time - except I wasn't being particularly noisy. I just had to let off the

steam so to speak.

So, I'm thinking that maybe this is better than banging myself against a wall?

(I might have enjoyed that more...)

jo

Re: HUMOR CHALLENGE

> Please could the Harvey Wall-Banger joke be explained to me, please.

> que

Hi que!

Some Auties/Aspies need motion, pressure/pain, and sound when they

stim. Those three combined, can easily lead to pounding on furniture,

or banging up against the wall (when full-body sensory is needed), in

those who have not been trained in Sensory Integration techniques to

help them find calming stims that are less dangerous.

[Guest guest]

A Harvey Wallbanger is a type of alcoholic drink, I believe.

By the way, does anyone know how to pronounce prosopagnosia (face blindness)?? I

just figured out that I have it and I'd like to be able to pronounce it!!

Carolyn, who is relieved that the inability to remember people by their faces is

not a matter of pure laziness

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[Guest guest]

Prosopagnosia <http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/prosopagnosia>

>

>

> A Harvey Wallbanger is a type of alcoholic drink, I believe.

>

> By the way, does anyone know how to pronounce prosopagnosia (face

> blindness)?? I just figured out that I have it and I'd like to be able to

> pronounce it!!

>

> Carolyn, who is relieved that the inability to remember people by their

> faces is not a matter of pure laziness

>

> __________________________________________________________

> Email and AIM finally together. You've gotta check out free AOL Mail! -

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>

>

[Guest guest]

i pronounce it like this, though i do not profess to be correct. My background

is WASP with a canadian accent

pro (soft o) so (long o) pag (long a) no (long o) si ( I pronounced like a long

e) a (soft a) with the accent on the 'no' and the last two syllables run

together...

jo

Re: Re: HUMOR CHALLENGE

Prosopagnosia <http://dictionary. reference. com/browse/

prosopagnosia>

>

>

> A Harvey Wallbanger is a type of alcoholic drink, I believe.

>

> By the way, does anyone know how to pronounce prosopagnosia (face

> blindness)?? I just figured out that I have it and I'd like to be able to

> pronounce it!!

>

> Carolyn, who is relieved that the inability to remember people by their

> faces is not a matter of pure laziness

>

> ____________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _

> Email and AIM finally together. You've gotta check out free AOL Mail! -

> http://mail. aol.com

>

>

[Guest guest]

----- Original Message -----

>I know that's happened to me from time to time, where when I do things on

>the computer (which is my stim, especially when I play video games), I have

>to have some kind of noise in the background, such as a television running

>or music playing in addition to whatever it is I'm doing on the computer,

***That's the opposite of me. I prefer quiet.

D.

[Guest guest]

----- Original Message -----

>>

>> ***That's the opposite of me. I prefer quiet.

>>

>> D

>

> I like both loud and quiet, depending.

I should have qualified my comment. I like it quiet when I'm reading or

doing other things that require concentration.

> I love loud music when I'm

> alone (but not as loud as when I was younger, I got my eardrum's to

> think about), but not if I have to be part of a conversation or I'm

> trying to perform a new task at the same time.

Right. If it's the right kind of music, i.e. music I like, then I like it

loud (but not too loud anymore, either), but if it's music I don't like, I

turn it off. Some music/songs really grate on my nerves. Unfortunately, most

others seem to love exactly those songs, so it's hard to escape them,

especially at the workplace.

> There are times when

> I've had too much stimulation from people or other intrusive sounds,

> including music, and I'll surround myself with as much quiet as

> possible for a long stretch of time.

And that's a need most NTs don't understand. They may try to humor you by

saying something like '...oh, okay', but they don't get it, that we *need*

quiet times to recuperate.

D.

[Guest guest]

Hi Carolyn,

I'm glad to know someone else who will not recognize everyone she meets a

second time! I first knew I did not do faces when i was four years old, and a

neighbor scolded me for not recignizing her. Well, she was in my front yard-

not hers! I asked my parents of everyone could really do ths- and they assured

me that others knew how. I asked them how, and my mother told me to recognize

voices. Of course, I developed many other tricks, too. Context really helps.

It also helps me that I remember names extremely well.

Lately, I have just taken to telling all my friends about being born face

blind. If I am in a group, then they will help me tell new people, because they

will vouch that I am not making it up! I still have not come out to very many

people as on the spectrum- because there are risks, I have been afraid to do it

until I am more certain how to convey it accurately (for me). Therefore, I

think that AS is much harder for me to deal with in society at present than FB.

Anyone have an opinion on this?

To be fair, I did pray about FB, and have improved quite a bit since that

time- about a year ago. I can now remember an image of a face in my head,

whereas before, I could not even do that. And, it no longer bothers me to get

my hair cut or styled differently.

CC1874@... wrote:

A Harvey Wallbanger is a type of alcoholic drink, I believe.

By the way, does anyone know how to pronounce prosopagnosia (face blindness)?? I

just figured out that I have it and I'd like to be able to pronounce it!!

Carolyn, who is relieved that the inability to remember people by their faces is

not a matter of pure laziness

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[Guest guest]

You're welcome, Franque! Since the movie was pre-1992, UI doubt that very many

people realize that Aspie was the call name of the horse. : ~ )

frank oldroyd wrote:

Hi,

Well I have not seen the film about the AS horse, but it did bring about an AS

moment. So I started to read you e-mail, then my jaw dropped and I gasped in

shock! All my brain had read was; 'there is a horse with AS'. Obviously I read

on. Again I am chuckling at myself, thanks, Franque

__,_.._,___

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[Guest guest]

The face blindness thing has been really embarassing.? I teach college and yet I

cannot recognize my students when I see them in a different context.? I ran into

a lady from church at a store and had to ask her name.? My minister came over in

a ski cap one time and I had no idea who he was.? It's really very helpful to

have a name for this because I know now that this is neurological and not just

some bad thing that I am doing or not doing.?

As for Aspergers, which I found out when I read the New Yorker article, it has

been freeing to me, psychologically, knowing that this is what I have.? I have

relaxed a lot and allowed myself to do the autistic things when I'm alone

(repetitive movements, etc.).? I have noticed some of these aspects and I think

I am going to be able to deal better with people, knowing what is going on and

being more able to be aware of myself.? I have become aware that I do talk to

myself and seemingly random words pop out.? I also get songs in my head that are

somehow related to what is going on in my life, sometimes.?

I have had a really awful midlife crisis, beginning at age 39 and now, at 47, I

think I have gotten somewhere with all of this.? A big piece of it has been

learning to be really honest about my abilities and shortcomings--and to know

that some of my shortcomings are not my fault, even if I have to figure out ways

to deal with them.? Anyway, I have a lot of peace that I did not have even a

year ago.? What a blessing that is!? It's also a blessing to get into my e-mail

and find this digest waiting for me--I enjoy reading all the posts.

Carolyn

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[Guest guest]

>

> I have become aware that I do talk to myself and seemingly random words pop

out.? I also

get songs in my head that are somehow related to what is going on in my life,

sometimes.?

> Carolyn

Carolyn,

I am really new to this Aspergers stuff though I have always been this way and

didn't know

why. It's so nice to have a word for it to explain why I am the way I am to

people who are

normal. I feel at least I have a reason now and not just because I'm crazy and

wierd.

It's also nice to know that someone else has song's that are related to what you

are doing

pop into your head. I used to drive a Truck (Lorry, 18 wheeler, Big Rig) and I

sang Willie

s " On the Road Again " an awful lot. I don't do it anymore though because

of other

people's wrong direction's and a lot of times the customer didn't know thier

left from thier

right. It was maddening. I don't know how on earth I did that for a year. But

the point is I had

the gut's and determination to go out and get my CDL and do it. Yee Haa

Thanks Kellie

[Guest guest]

I've always wanted to drive a big truck like that.? A member of my church

brought the tractor part over and let me drive it in the parking lot.? I love

big trucks, but the Ford 150 I drive has places on it where I hyperfocused on

one aspect while parking and ignored some other facet.? So I would have to have

extra training!

By the way, when I get my own post back, it has question marks between the

sentences.? Kind of reminds me of people who talk as if each sentence is a

question mark.? But I don't write or talk that way!!

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[Guest guest]

I've been meaning to ask you about the question mark thing? because there

are people who articulate each clause as if it were a question? If you ask

them their name? they respond in a question? and it really irritates me?

However, when you end your sentences in exclamation points, that doesn't

happen! Now there's an idea!

>

> I've always wanted to drive a big truck like that.? A member of my

> church brought the tractor part over and let me drive it in the parking

> lot.? I love big trucks, but the Ford 150 I drive has places on it where I

> hyperfocused on one aspect while parking and ignored some other facet.? So I

> would have to have extra training!

>

> By the way, when I get my own post back, it has question marks between the

> sentences.? Kind of reminds me of people who talk as if each sentence is a

> question mark.? But I don't write or talk that way!!

> __________________________________________________________

> Email and AIM finally together. You've gotta check out free AOL Mail! -

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>

>

[Guest guest]

I think sometimes with different computer languages some marks get changed to

others in cyberspace. I know if I bold, underline and italicize something, it

never shows up in a post - so I'm sure things can show up if they were not put

there.

Jo

Re: Re: HUMOR CHALLENGE

I've been meaning to ask you about the question mark thing? because

there

are people who articulate each clause as if it were a question? If you ask

them their name? they respond in a question? and it really irritates me?

However, when you end your sentences in exclamation points, that doesn't

happen! Now there's an idea!

>

> I've always wanted to drive a big truck like that.? A member of my

> church brought the tractor part over and let me drive it in the parking

> lot.? I love big trucks, but the Ford 150 I drive has places on it where I

> hyperfocused on one aspect while parking and ignored some other facet.? So I

> would have to have extra training!

>

> By the way, when I get my own post back, it has question marks between the

> sentences.? Kind of reminds me of people who talk as if each sentence is a

> question mark.? But I don't write or talk that way!!

> ____________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _

> Email and AIM finally together. You've gotta check out free AOL Mail! -

> http://mail. aol.com

>

>

[Guest guest]

>

> I've always wanted to drive a big truck like that.? A member of my church

brought the

tractor part over and let me drive it in the parking lot.? I love big trucks,

but the Ford 150 I

drive has places on it where I hyperfocused on one aspect while parking and

ignored some

other facet.? So I would have to have extra training!

>

It's possible you could go to truck driving school even with any disabilities if

you make

sure they know you only want to learn how and you do not intend to get your CDL.

(Commercial Drivers License) The cost is about $3,000 to $6,000 depending on

where you

go. I went to Swift and it was $4,000. The phone number there is 1-

and

there are several school's around the United States.

I don't regret doing it but it was a lot harder job than I had thought and been

led to

believe. Driving the truck around corners and going straight was not difficult.

Backing up

was not too hard once I learned how if I had plenty of room and time. Because I

was solo

(by myself) doing this job I did not have anyone telling me when I was doing a

good job,

which was most of the time. Instead I only heard when I was late and a bunch of

other

gripping and complaining that was uncalled for. As time went on I got worse and

worse

and really started doing some stupid stuff, as far as I was concerned.

All in all I did see some wonderful thing's and met some really great people.

Kellie

[Guest guest]

Thanks, Kellie, for the info on truck driving.? Right now, it remains a

daydream, because my job is looking secure and I really love it.?

So far my Aspergers is not an " official " disability.? I told my doc who handles

my depression and fibromyalgia meds that I thought I had Aspergers and I gave

him a copy of the New Yorker article.? His response:? mmmm.? I didn't get an

opinion from him, but I know this is what I have.? I'm not sure if it would be a

good thing if I go ahead and make it official.? My work gets goodie points with

accreditation groups if they hire whatever the politically correct term for us

happens to be.? The so-called handicapped.?

If anyone has experience in this direction, whether I should pursue something

official, I sure would love to hear your perspective.

Carolyn

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[Guest guest]

Hi Carolyn,

I have two other official diagnoses' but I am still going to pursue getting an

official one for

having Aspergers. I feel it can only help me to have this because it is illegal

to not hire or

to fire someone because of a disability. I am still needing more testing to get

the diagnosis

but so far the one psyciatrist who did test me say's it is very possible and

that I need more

testing. I know I have it because of all the studying I've done and from what

other's in my

family have told me. I now have a case worker to help me in finding housing and

a job that

fit's me.

Good Luck Kellie

By the way I left all of the previous message in here because I felt all of it

was pertinent.

> Thanks, Kellie, for the info on truck driving.? Right now, it remains a

daydream, because

my job is looking secure and I really love it.?

>

> So far my Aspergers is not an " official " disability.? I told my doc who

handles my

depression and fibromyalgia meds that I thought I had Aspergers and I gave him a

copy of

the New Yorker article.? His response:? mmmm.? I didn't get an opinion from him,

but I

know this is what I have.? I'm not sure if it would be a good thing if I go

ahead and make it

official.? My work gets goodie points with accreditation groups if they hire

whatever the

politically correct term for us happens to be.? The so-called handicapped.?

>

> If anyone has experience in this direction, whether I should pursue something

official, I

sure would love to hear your perspective.

>

> Carolyn

> ________________________________________________________________________

> Email and AIM finally together. You've gotta check out free AOL Mail! -

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mail.aol.com

>

>

>