STEAMER'S BLOG
Aspies of the World Unite
Tuesday, April 15, 2008 5:57 PM
I got this from a fellow Aspie on Myspace - a little somethin' from the Asperger's Syndrome Education Network. Now mind you, I've never been formally diagnosed with Asperger's, but after reading this list....ye nonbelievers beware.Characteristics of Asperger Syndrome
Each person is different. An individual might have all or only some of the described behaviors to have a diagnosis of AS.
These behaviors include the following:
1) Marked impairment in the use of multiple nonverbal behaviors such as: eye gaze, facial expression, body posture, and gestures to regulate social interaction.
(What was it, about two, three years ago that I stopped having trouble making eye contact et al?)
2) Extreme difficulty in developing age-appropriate peer relationships. (e.g. AS children may be more comfortable with adults than with other children).
(And here I always thought it was just because my folks wouldn't let me hang out with kids my own age. Not that that was objectionable, the little shitheads. And it's such a wonder why I hated kids even when I was one.)
3) Inflexible adherence to routines and perseveration.
(FIRST I sort out the damn yard, THEN I build pick-ups and local trains, THEN I think about running out and screwing around with overhyped interchanges. You want it done, you moron, DO NOT GET IN MY WAY.)
4) Fascination with maps, globes, and routes.
(Especially when I'm thinking about taking a road trip.)
5) Superior rote memory.
(In second grade, I memorised an entire school play to the point where I could remind just about anyone of their lines. In high school, I could recite the entire 'Due South' series and several war movies line by line. Today, I can do the same for 'Firefly' and several other war movies.)
6) Preoccupation with a particular subject to the exclusion of all others. Amasses many related facts.
(One word: Yamato. )
(Oh yeah, and one fandom at a time [read: Firefly]. I wonder how many of my fellow geeks are fellow Aspies as well?)
7) Difficulty judging personal space, motor clumsiness.
(Not so much with the personal space thing, but if you've ever noticed the scar under my right eye, oh boy is there a horror story behind that.)
8) Sensitivity to the environment, loud noises, clothing and food textures, and odors.
(For God's sake, turn the gorram radio down before you call the dispatcher!!!)
9) Speech and language skills impaired in the area of semantics, pragmatics, and prosody (volume, intonation, inflection, and rhythm).
(Funny, that's never been a problem - but keep reading.)
10) Difficulty understanding others' feelings.
(Depends on the feeling. Even if somebody tells me they aren't mad at me, I still tend to think they are. And if a girl is taking a shine to me, as never seldom as THAT happens....yeah, she'll have to let me know right out.)
11) Pedantic, formal style of speaking; often called "little professor," verbose.
(Further operations will not be possible due to extenuating circumstances beyond our control.)
12) Extreme difficulty reading and/or interpreting social cues.
(Body language is alien language. You want me to know something, say it out loud, dammit. Oh yeah, and feminine wiles won't get you anywhere.)
13) Socially and emotionally inappropriate responses.
(As I was saying....)
14) Literal interpretation of language. Difficulty comprehending implied meanings.
(If you say 'a dollar twenty-five', chances are I'll pull out a buck and a quarter and not the one hundred and twenty-five big ones you're looking for.)
15) Extensive vocabulary. Reading commences at an early age (hyperlexia).
(Learned to read when I was two and a half, and I was self-taught. My kindergarten teacher hated me for it.)
16) Stereotyped or repetitive motor mannerisms.
(Long as we're talking about literal interpretations, does this have to do with how I accelerate and decelerate in speed zones?)
17) Difficulty with "
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