User Profile

I have Asperger's Disorder. Asperger's Disorder is a type of high-functioning autism characterized by oral communication dysfunction, and sometimes by obsessive/compulsive behaviors and both generalized and specific anxiety (especially acute in social situations which require unstructured communication). People with Asperger's tend to be of above average intelligence. As a child I was misdiagnosed as, in chronological order: ADHD, then OCD, then bipolar, then depressive, and, finally, much later, Asperger's. I was tested for autism four times as a child (due to the compulsive rocking, gyrations, hand-wringing, lack of eye contact when conversing, and difficulties in moderating the tone, inflection and volume of my voice -- I still mumble a lot... and wring my hands when I'm stressed... but all of that other stuff is long gone). My language skills and sociability confounded medical professionals, so treatments were never pursued.
I started collecting books when I was five years old. I now have a garage and two sheds full of them. I've read most of the books, but that isn't why I collect them (I like the smell and texture of books, the way they feel in my hands).
I've been collecting DVDs for three years, but I've been attempting to curtail that so I don't need another two sheds and a larger garage.
I love domestic animals and children.
I am incapable of making "small talk."
I discovered humor about a decade ago, but it didn't become an obsession until fairly recently. There is a common misconception about folks with Asperger's, that we are humorless and lack compassion for others. I am living proof that this is not the case, and I am far from unique among those with AD/AS.
I was born in southern Missouri, and was raised in Colorado, Indiana and Missouri. I am a Marine Corps veteran. I have family in Florida, Texas, Arizona and California. My adopted home town is Felton, California (near the western end of the Scots Valley... not to be confused with the nearby town of Scots Valley). I live in Central Texas. STUFF I LIKE: Order and structure, punctuality, honesty, directness, working, wine (even though I'm not supposed to drink it, sometimes I cheat if I've had a really stressful day) and being with my family. STUFF I DON'T LIKE: bright lights, strobe lights, flourescent lights, audible alarms, confined spaces, crowds, physical contact with unfamiliar humans, liquor, and waiting (I'm quite impatient).

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