I dunno if it’s an autistic thing or just a me thing, but I’ve recently got back into the habit of sleeping on the floor with my blanket between me and all the junk on it because my bed is too smooth and feels wrooooong.

[ IS IT STILL ECHOLALIA / IF I’M ECHOING MYSELF? ]

Not according to the Wikipedia article, but I still echo myself if I just said a fun-to-say word. With modifications to the phrasing. (Balls! Balls balls balls, balls made of balls, balls made of balls on a mountain of balllls…) (Hugs made of hugs!)

[Caption - Will touch other people and their clothing compulsively / Hates being touched]

Actually, I personally don’t mind touch in general. It’s only strangers touching me, or when it’s a sudden touch, that I actually mind. In general I actually require touch, since I’m hypotactile and need lots of textures to stop myself melting down. This often results in hugs. LOTS of hugs. All the time. It makes people uncomfortable. And I need hard pressure, so I have a lot of blankets on my bed, and I wear heavy clothing with semi-rough textures (not enough to chafe but not too little so that I can’t feel it).

— Sam

(Wow, I’m flip-flopping between Sam and Abby today like no-body’s business)

[Caption - Connects more with characters in TV shows / Than real people]

ABED. That is all.

— Abby

[Caption - Spends three days coding / can’t spend three minutes paying attention in class]

This is a real issue, because class is just plain dull. I learn something, then don’t need to keep hearing or practising it, because I know it now. I can’t cope with having to slow down to the same speed as everyone else. As a result, I generally have to flick through the book to learn something new, or just ignore the lesson completely and do other work once I’ve finished. Drives the other kids and the teachers mad.

— Abby

Top text: Change hair once. Friends make a huge fuss complimenting it, meaning well.

Bottom text: Never change your hair again

Yeah, I don’t understand why so many people (usually neurotypical girls) get so excited when you go and change your hairstyle. You’d think you’d just won the world cup the way some people overreact!

(I made some editing errors, so whoever submitted this, please tell us!)

[Caption - TOP: Do not touch
BOTTOM: my special mug]

Seriously. Just don’t. No-one but me may touch my special mug, and even I’m only allowed to touch it for special reasons, like if I’m having hot chocolate. Drink from my special mug without permission, and you will lose teeth.

— Sam

[Caption - TOP: Using your autism as an excuse
BOTTOM: Is not excusable]

I doubt this would apply to anyone here, but still, it’s an important issue.

There is a massive difference between a valid excuse and an “I can use this to get out of trouble” excuse.

I won’t give examples because all examples are context dependent, however it’s usually fairly obvious even to us when someone’s just “playing the autism card” as it were, versus a requirement that they actually need.

— Sam

[Caption - TOP: My headphones are not a fashion statement
BOTTOM: They are a necessity]

This is in response to people who say that my wearing headphones in public rather than earbuds or earphones is just a phase or a fashion statement.

Yeah, no. I need these to function. I’m not as easily overstimulated as most hyperauditory aspies, mostly because of extensive occupational therapy, but I need some form of dampening device to prevent my ears from exploding in pain and confusion.

— Sam

Note, I changed the caption template. Better/worse?

[Caption - Waits for the end of each season of favourite TV show / So that they can marathon their special interest]

This might just apply to me, but I definitely do this, especially if I’m halfway through the series/season when I join it or notice a new season has started.

— Sam

Facebook’s newest change has left me twitching, and has made me mostly shut down. Super.

ALL THEY DID WAS FLIP EVERYTHING AROUND. WHAT IS THE POINT OF THAT? WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT TO ME?!

I’m just gonna go cuddle my dogs and cry now.

-Lindsay

I had to..

MY PSYCHOLOGIST FINALLY SENT IN THE LETTER FOR ME TO QUALIFY FOR A FREE SERVICE DOG!!! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!

I happy stimmed so hard I fell over and hurt my wrist.

This is my favorite part of it:

“Lindsay’s particular preoccupied area of interest is with dogs. When I first met Lindsay, she was sitting on the floor in my waiting room, having found a giant book about dogs in the stack of materials available for clients to peruse. Lindsay quickly shared with me everything she knew about every type of dog, and quickly described to me the manners in which dogs are not only an interest of hers, but also quite soothing to her.”

Oh Doc, trust me; that wasn’t NEARLY everything I knew about every type of dog. I only infodumped about Great Pyrenees, which, incidentally, is the breed I want to get for my service dog. :{D

Let’s just hope I get approved.

-Lindsay