Aspies For Freedom

It had to happen. "Collectors" is a series on the Australian govt. TV channel about people who maintain all kinds of odd and interesting collections, in a serious or even obsessive manner. I was wondering how long it would be till one of the guests admitted to being on the autistic spectrum.

http://www.abc.net.au/tv/collectors/txt/s1637488.htm

Mr Pullen has a big, big room in his house stacked with lots and lots of boxes of light bulbs, and also has a quite tolerant wife, I'd say. After watching this story my husband had good laugh as he (jokingly) told me he was going to return to collecting pieces of obsolete and bulky electronic technology, in our humble home.

I wonder if Mr Pullen is related to the fascinating and autistically talented Pullen brothers (William and James) described in the delightful book "Not even wrong: adventures in autism" by Paul Collins?

Sounds a rare name, so could be.

Ooh, I saw that one, Lili!  I thought he was so cool, collecting lightbulbs!  Vernu called me out to have a look at it - he said, "this guy is Aspie, for sure!"

Alison (collector of dust bunnies under the bed)

I had him picked as one before he said so as well, just by the technological and unsentimental nature of his collection, and the fact that he'd been collecting the same thing since he was very young.

I don't know if anyone saw an interesting bloke who won a lot of money on "Who wants to be a millionaire" a few weeks back? Someone I was watching it with picked him as an autist, as he was supposed to have some freaky savant abilities, but his job was stacking shelves, and he didn't present as any kind of sophisticated intellectual. When this man failed to emote in a positive manner (the way you are supposed to) when he won the money, Eddie McWhatshisname seemed to be disappointed and surprised.