It’s much easier to say something if you’ve practiced it beforehand, and that’s never truer than when you’re struggling with overload. I’m posting my favourite stock-phrases below. Use these, or think up your own, but I encourage you to have a handful of responses to standard situations, you can use when you can’t think of … Read more Stock Phrases
Last weekend I watched a boy, aged about six, standing on the chair in my local coffee shop (Costa, if you’re wondering): his parents just let him stand there, calling out, and clearly disturbing other customers. Some people stared with open disapproval and muttered to their companions. Others – in true British style – pretended … Read more The Boy in the Coffee Shop
I’m vexed at how the word “meltdown” is being slowly hijacked by the general population, and used to describe someone having a massive tantrum. Let’s be clear right from the start: an autistic meltdown is not a tantrum. Not even remotely. Not ever. A tantrum is defined by Chambers (12th ed.) as “a sudden fit … Read more Meltdowns and tantrums: know the difference
Christmas is an intense time, even for neurotypical people, and it can be so much harder for autistic people, especially if you are undiagnosed or your family do not accept your diagnosis. There is more social pressure at Christmas than at any other time of year, to “do the right thing”, and you might feel … Read more The Aspie Guide to Surviving a Family Christmas
I was sitting in a meeting, on the first floor of one of a local autism-charity’s support centres, considering that particular room’s suitability for people with sensory difficulties, when my aspie colleague observed how bright the glare from the window was. I couldn’t help adding that the sun’s reflections off passing traffic sent sequential flashes … Read more Assaulted by the Detail
My sister says it was always me who knocked over my coke in the Wimpy when we were kids. I remember exasperated cries of “it would be you” and “not again” and “why don’t you take more care?” But I never knew the answers. Over the years, I developed strategies to avoid knocking over my … Read more Why Don’t You Take More Care?
According to Twitter, Monday is: red, yellow, blue, brown, aquamarine, gray, pink, the colours of each letter the word contains (black, white, blue, orange, red, yellow), bigger than Tuesday, male, and “I have no idea what you’re talking about”. Welcome to my world! Days have always been coloured for me, and for many others it … Read more What Colour is Monday?
Although I did a bit of bouldering as a student, I didn’t take up climbing again until 2010, and I wish I’d come back to it sooner – it has turned out to be so good for me and my inner aspie in so many ways: Coordination I can sew (apparently unusual for an aspie), … Read more Climbing
A is for Autism, Asperger’s, Aspies, Ability, Abuse, Attwood, Acceptance. B is for Bullying. C is for Clumsiness, Communication, Colour, Crowds, Confusion, Claustrophobia. D is for Detail, Diagnosis, Doctors, Depression, Disability, Distress. E is for Education, Employment. F is for Focus, Fascination, Friends. G is for Genetics. H is for Humiliation, Honesty, Headphones, Humour. I … Read more A-Z of Autism
