Echo

That's awesome Trekster - let us know if it's any good

I am too. It's so frustrating and patronising. But, hey ho, that's life at the moment I suppose. However, I do really wish that your luck will change The only thing that I can do from now on is: wait for my diagnostic process to be over/get an official diagnosis - not disclose anything on my application forms - wait for a letter of confirmation that I have been accepted for a job and then tell the employer via a letter (recorded delivery) and a dated e-mail (keeping copies for myself). I think it is also very important to help the employer to understand, make reasonable adjustments and raise awareness - disclosure and education for the rest of the workforce. If I am then discriminated against in anyway (in reference to the autism act/equality act), I believe I will at least "have a leg to stand on". However, I don't know whether this is illegal or not. Can anyone on here clarify this for me please (as I do not know what the correct procedures are)? Thanks K

Thanks Ellie. I will have a sit-down chat with them at some point. I'll have to wait for a while for my thoughts and emotions to calm down though x Still a bit

Sorry for the spelling, grammar etc... from this point on-wards, a little "miffed" and disorientated today (all the words look wrong). It wasn't until recently that I have had the same reaction from prospective employers as yourself. In fact, I hadn't been turned down for any job since the age of 16. I was lucky enough to have a position created for me - by a college who thought I was a perfect student - they made me a tutor, however, I was made redundant last September. A year on - I have applied for many jobs (32ish + ). Succeeded in getting an interview for every one that I applied for (I didn't disclose a disability on my forms). They seemed to really like me until I disclosed that I might have Asperger's. So, 32+ jobs applied for = No - 0 jobs for me...over-qualified or they don't think that a person with autism can do the job - I'm not diagnosed yet. However, because of the lack of success with job hunting, I decided to go on a PT degree course. For this course I had to do a work based placement - I haven't done it yet, but have met with the mentor at the work-place a few times and he's created a job for me - I haven't disclosed my possible "aspie-ness" yet. I'll let him see my work first I think and then tell him.

Yesterday, I offered to take my parents dog (a lab) for a walk (as they were busy painting fences etc and the dog was doing everything he knows he is not supposed to do to get their attention). I don't live with my parents but I consider the dog to be mine too. I'm not allowed to have one where I'm living (which is silently tearing me apart) and I spend a lot of time with him as a result. My father is his master (I do nothing to undermine this as I think it is very important that the dog knows where he stands), he does whatever my father tells him to do. On the other hand, he doesn't want to know my mother unless she has food. She hardly tries with him. She thinks that he is an annoyance, despite being the one who wanted a dog in the first place and spends a lot of her time telling him off for no reason at all. With me, we are best friends, we wrestle, play ball, cuddle... I chose him from the litter, trained him to: sit, shake hands, hide his teeth, show his teeth (for dental inspection), heel, look before crossing the road, play dead, not to jump, when to bark, fetch, the names of over 120 toys...you get the picture. Anyway my father, without hesitation agreed to let me take the dog as far as I wanted to go (as long as I returned within the next hour as it was the dogs routine to have his dinner around that time). My mother however, insisted that I only took him up to the bus stop and back (which is less than 100 meters - there and back from their house). I agreed to take him a little further (not much) to where he usually does his big business in case he needed to - because there is a bin across the road from his usual spot. Both parents agreed. So, I set off, saying hi to all the sunbathers and gardeners out in their front gardens along the way (there are 21 hoses in the street where I grew up - that's how small the area is). At the top of the road, a family friend stopped for a brief chat and off I went again. I loved every second of the walk, there we no problems at all, it was extremely relaxing seeing him having say hello to his fellow canine friends etc... It was one of the best few moments of my life (a little dramatic maybe ). Less than 3 minutes after leaving the house, I was walking back towards the top of the small street mentioned, when my father appeared and took the dog from me - marching both me and the dog back home. The guy at the top of the street whom I had spoken to moments before remarked; "don't you trust her?" And that's how I feel now: untrustworthy, embarrassed, confused, frustrated and angry. All those people in the street were watching as I was marched back to the house as if I was a naughty child who had stolen their dog. This was all my mother's doing - she forced my father after me as she couldn't see me at the bus stop - even after explaining to her where I was going and gaining her agreement - she said this was in case the other dogs in the street attacked me. What ????????? There are no other dogs in the street! And why watch me every step of the way? A bit excessive? Without making a big deal of anything (biting my tongue and agreeing with her), I returned home as normal (every Sunday same routine). Now I'm sat here spinning my thoughts. Why would she not say anything before I left the house? Why, since I was 6 years old would she let me walk the other dog that we had many years ago anywhere I wanted to go without a second thought? Not one incident occurred during that time either... Little children around the estate are taking their dogs for walks (large and small terriers). Why am I suddenly not allowed to when they have let fairly new acquaintances take the dog for the whole day? They even let my 13 year old nephew take him out for much longer than that alone! And he is very nervous of dogs! I'm 28 years old, strong enough to handle a dog, know his routine inside out (where he goes, turns, which dogs he knows and doesn't)... a good point to note here is: they do not know about my dyslexia, ADHD or possible Aspergers (as far as my mother is concerned - "there's nothing wrong with my kids!" - Even if I did tell them, they wouldn't believe me as I have excelled in everything I do without anybody's help - true to say I look and perform completely normal as far as other people are concerned - and they have trusted me with everything up to this point and I haven't done anything to change this (trust me; they would have said - my mother would never let it go if I had). I may dress like a teenager, but I am a fully developed adult! Despite the fact that I have to produce ID to shop assistants who are much younger than me when I want to buy baccy. Grrr! So anyway - without knowing what she has just done - I feel as if I am looked upon as incompetent and spoken to as a child - even the babies of the family (gran-children etc are given more responsibility than me)...my confidence has been shattered and I can't talk to them about it because although I love my mother, she can be ignorant, loud and over the top and no matter how my father feels, it's my mother's way or no way. Any thoughts or advice is very much appreciated Thanks

Same here - can't wait for Thor 2 to come out Too right - Batman has the best villains ever! However, I hate the way Bane was portrayed in the last film (his voice is too comical for me to take anything he says seriously). In regards to Buffy, I can't really choose a favourite episode. But, I have to say that "Normal Again" and "Hush" are in my top 5. Justice League - I hope they do it justice XD lol I know, Bane's voice makes him sound like; 1. he's a polite Englishman and 2. he's Darth Vader =D

Hi Ellie and welcome I love superheros too! Batman is my favourite however, I also really enjoy X-Men, the Avengers (Hulk), fantastic 4... Do you like things like: Fringe, X-files, 4400, Heroes, Warehouse 13, Buffy etc too? K

Echo (like my profile name). The ability to change peoples' memories/experiences and time-travel. With a name like Echo, I suppose I could also control sound (warp it, affect volume, pitch, wave, attack, sustain, decay and release).

Hi Skaro7, I tend to externalize internal thoughts too. Everyone I've met with ASD so far, have also reported: that they do this as well. As I am still in the learning process (in regards to ASD's), I can't tell you with absolute certainty that it's an Aspie thing. When I was in school (studying psychology), it was pointed out to me by the teacher that this type of behaviour is completely natural - a part of everyone's - cognitive process. It will be interesting to see what others' thoughts are on this topic

Hi and welcome I'm a multi-instrumentalist composer too!

My partner. Petting my dog and seeing its reaction to my signs of affection. Music, computer games, sunny weather...

I am absolutely terrified of escalators!!! The ones going up are easier to navigate (it takes me a while and I mean a while to psyche myself up to go on one), however, I'll only enter the shops if they have a lift or a set of stairs as an alternate route back out/down. Shopping trips in cities with me are a nightmare when almost all the shops we want to go to are up the escalators This has been a lifetime thing, as a child I'd meltdown at the thought of going to a shop that had one.

Hi AmyPond, I received my initial assessment yesterday morning and it wasn't as daunting as I thought it would be. I had seen this doctor before (in regards to A.D.H.D), so he already knew about some of the traits I posses (and my medical/developmental history). Although he didn't know much about ASD's, he was willing to learn about the differences between male and female traits etc... We talked for a while (he was very friendly - was willing to listen to my partner, ask him questions etc), then he said that he had no reason (seeing as I had scored highly in the past for A.D.H.D and had brought my Dyslexia report and AQ/Aspie test scores... with me) to test me at all in any way (as everything to him seemed to tie in together). So, my next step is waiting for my diagnostic assessment(s) date(s). It was a good experience. He told me that instead of one big test, what is going to happen is; the psychologist he is referring me to is going to do it over multiple sessions in a center less than 3 miles from where I live. Anyone done a diagnostic over multiple sessions before? If so, can you give me a rough idea of what it might entail? Best of luck Amy

Hi Emma, when I went to talk with my doctor, I took a list of traits that I posses with me and explained to him how this had a detrimental effect on my day to day life. That's the only advice that I can give you at the present time. Please keep me posted on how it goes. I'm awaiting my appointment with the second stage of assessment at the mo (initial). Hopefully, I'll be sent for a DX(diagnostic) soon.

understanding

Hi guys and girls, As time goes by, my situation at home is dramatically deteriorating. Both my partner and I have recently lost our jobs (self-employment is not going well either due to the economic climate and living in one of the poorest areas around Wales). All of our skills and qualifications are in our specialist interest areas (music/digital media/creative industries)... we are running out of our savings (in fact, well into our overdrafts), are not on working tax credit and it seems that there are no jobs out there which I can do at all! So, the only option I have at the moment is going on the DOLE Now, I understand that if I go on the Dole/JSA etc... when they offer me a job, I have no option but to take it (even if it means working in a supermarket or a cleaning company...). IT'S NOT THAT I WON'T DO THAT! I CAN'T DO THAT!!! The people, smells, noise, light etc...would be way too much for me to handle (I also have a severe skin condition and can't go anywhere near bleach etc) . I'll end up either having a meltdown, becoming really ill, walking out or being fired. If I do that, they will not allow me to go back on benefits (even though I don't particularly want to go anywhere near benefits IF i can help it - in the first place). So, I won't be able to have the necessary resources to sustain any kind of healthy life. I am currently on a part-time degree course at the moment and will have to give that up if I have to have a part time job even, because there is no way I'll be able to handle the over stimulation of doing these two things at once. My partner, music and degree are the only things left in my life that keep me (partially)sane. I do not currently hold a AS diagnosis, but am waiting for my referral appointment to come through. How do I explain to them that I cannot take certain jobs on or that I can't do two things at once? Especially without a diagnosis (or even a degree of understanding of he syndrome/process etc... on their part). Anyone out there with any other ideas on what I should do? Thanks

Hi and welcome to the forum.

@BruceCM - Evanescence Bring me to life (takes me straight back to my teenage years ). K Klass (old school!!!) vaguely remember listening to this on Atlantic 252 back in the day. Fallen in love with this track recently (Blue October - Worry List)

REM - The Great Beyond

Good news!!! Congrats!! Now we are both on the same level

Best of luck tomorrow

Hi INimz1995