Aspies For Freedom

When is it again?

Wow, what a coincidence!  I totally forgot about APD- but I already have a party planned for the 18th!!!  Ten of my friends are coming over to learn to cook an entire Japanese meal.  Then we will eat it while watching a Japanese movie ("Tampopo", although I doubt anyone here has seen it...), and afterward, we shall learn to do a Japanese "Para Para" dance.
I guess I can slip in a mention of APD to my friends, somewhere in there.  Most of them know about my interest in autism and some of them have even discussed Neurodiversity with me before.  I'll just have to be careful not to say anything about it while my Mom's around- she hates it when I mention anything about autism!  

On the 15th I'll be at a picnic at the Albert Memorial in London.

On 18th - not doing much but will sent out a 'Happy APD' email at work and then have a relaxing / perseverating evening!

On the 18th I'll be representing my workplace at a pub quiz, part of the Exeter Corporate Games. That should be a chance to use my Aspie skills.

It's very near to my birthday (16th) and I'll be insisting that both my spanish and english friends celebrate it in my husbands bar in town, and that anyone who walks through the doors will come on board.

Sounds like a good idea to me!  

On that day, I am working on a project with my local CIL (Center for Independent Living) and I might bring in some cookies to celebrate.

Is there a reason why your mom gets upset when you mention anything about autism? My mom does let me know about different autism related events in my hometown and let me decide if I want to attend them or not.

Some of our families try and pretend we are not autistic.  It's silly.  Sometimes parents are silly, and then they remember to be *with it now*.  The worse affected ones pretend there is nothing different about us if we have a high IQ, or speak, or remember to feed the dogs.  

As I said.

Silly.

I'm undiagnosed because my parents are in denial about my traits (to the point that, if I say I have trouble remembering to do tasks, they'll say, "no, you're just lazy" and if I say, "I have trouble socializing" they say, "no, you're lying").  When I first became interested in autism, I talked about it virtually non-stop, and every time I did, I would get into arguments with my parents.  Eventually they started getting angry anytime they heard the word "autism" or anything related, and I forced myself to stop talking to them about it.

I think it’s fair to say at this point that not all parents are unsupportive; many parents are very sympathetic and are often their child’s biggest advocate.

Sure- I totally agree with that.    But my parents definitely are not.  Of course, my parents have their own problems and could probably be considered mentally ill in some respects (like, my mom won't let me see a doctor for serious health issues like asthma, and my dad has violent outbursts), so by no means should anyone take their behavior as normal for parents of aspies/auties.

I'm over half-way through APD here. Will be going out in a bit.

Not sure exactly what time I'll do the haircut thing, it will depend on a few things; but it will definitely be today!



Oh, and I'm printing off signs to hang on my granny-walker!

Well, I WAS going to be making a call I've been putting off for weeks about a local Aspie (more parents, I think) support group.  But I lost the bit of paper.  Dang.

But I've been busy not being an activist.  

Happy APD!!!!

I was really supposed to be going with my class for some last-day-at-schol-party, but to the heck with them, it was voluntary and it's no good place to be proud of yourself when all your friends are on the internet! (WHICH IS OK! MY FRIENDS ARE COOL!)