Dreamer,

There is a lot to be said in the lyrics of Sting (Englishman in New York)

http://www.lyricsfreak.com/s/sting/132036.html

We are strange beings and we can't change that. If Sting isn't another Aspie, then I don't know  :lol:

That's certainly true, especially for those of us who have a rather fluid self-concept.

Be somebody else.  Give the world a vacation from yourself.  I'm going to be Sean Connery for a while.

When you feel depressed, go for a walk on the ceiling.  It'll either tire you out or piss you off.  Either way, you'll forget about the depression for a couple of minutes--but then you'll be depressed again and be pissed at me for this silly advice.

If you are worried about something, just forget where you put your keys.  Then you'll be worried about something different.

Remember, the NTs need us occupationally.
America is a post-industrial society with increasing emphasis on applied science and computer technology.
Ding!  Asperger is strongly correlated with math, science, engineering and computers.
Exactly what the state of Maryland thought when I and six other guys were the first graduating class in a computer programming vocational rehabilitation program in 1999.

This might be tangential -- it's not quite what you meant to talk about with the topic -- but self-identifying as an aspie has indeed helped me a lot become gradually more comfortable with just being myself. I've done the rocking thing in public for a while now, for example, and no one seems to have taken it badly -- as far as I can estimate the level of social acceptance I get. I also explicitly probe for context when lost, often with a quip like "Oh, I guess I'm a tad bit autistic, I'm not quite getting this part: ____".

People laught the "autistic" bit off, but I don't care. As long as it gets the point across and helps me out on my daily life...

[This song is simplistic, but relieving in times of distress:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V757zzhMLnk

]

It's easier to feel okay about being yourself after you've decided that you genuinely like yourself.  For me, that took awhile.

(I had someone on a different forum once write to me:  Could you please try and be less yourself?  LOL)

omg .....I said that to someone in the chat room just last night. oops.
Really sorry guys!  Its just that I figure if someone knows you are AS and understands what AS is , and what that means then you "being yourself" with them should be ok.  For what it is worth pretty much everyone I've met at this site is great.  I'm learning a ton from you all and am most appreciative of it... and as a future course of action I'll abstain from ever telling an aspie to "just be who they are".

Can I add though that I think I alot of aspies let NT's do a real head trip on them. Not that I don't understand .... it is kind of like sticking a lone black person  in the middle of an all white population. (or visa versa).  As an alternate culture you end up sticking out like a sore thumb.
mom of hrick

I guess "not yourself" is when you put an effort into your behavior.

I wonder do NTs put a lot of effort into their behaviour?

Nah, they just use their instincts.

5 years ago someone said to me "just smoke a butt, it'll take your mind off whatever's getting to you".  Although that advice worked and continues to work well for me, I don't reccomend it.

Then there's my favorite "you only have Asperger's if you think you have Asperger's, you just have to stop looking at yourself as different".  Me being drunk at the time caused that little gem to earn the guy who said it a nice push into the fountain he was standing in front of.

Went to doc's today cause not had a good few days off it and she suggested I go for walk, hell no, its cold and its raining, I stay indoor's thankyou very much.

funnily enough I dont think Ive ever been told to "be myself" Ive always been an individual & Ive always had the attituade of 'if u decided u dont like me after 30 secs I dont have time for u'. Im sure I annoyed my teachers at school lol espically when I was little cos they had all the normal NT kids behaving properly & doing all the work & then me not listening & doing my own thing & not understanding why I have to learn how to play a freckin "recorder" for 3 years or why I had to know how to speak Greek?

As I got older I learnt more about social situations & am offically at a point where if some1 doesnt like me I dont give a flying F**k its their problem I know Im odd & im fine with that

/rant/In year 11 some moron was trying to pay me out by saying I like "Hi-5" (which is a lil kids show) & i just looked at him & was like "God get ur facts straight if ur going to pay me out atleast pay me out about the right thing" & then he just looked at me for a few secs & was like "ur gay" & snickerd & the class laughed so somehow I ended up looking like an idiot when it was the NT who was the moron/rant/