Video Blog About Asperger's

[Willow-Tree]

I think the "problem" here is that you do very good renditions of the songs, and I guess that may make it appear as though you were "imitating" them, which I think happens with pretty much everyone who sings a cover of another artisit's song. I dunno...I reckon you have a more unique voice (in good way ) than some of the vocalists in the bands you've covered. It'd be great if you did ever write and perform your own material

 

Ohh well. Didn't start this thread to talk about my singing anyway, so it's neither here nor there!

[LordGorse]

Sorry, didn't mean to be offensive or anything.

[Willow-Tree]

Sorry, didn't mean to be offensive or anything.

No it's okay. I just didn't aim to have people comment more on the singing than the video blogs, as singing is just a hobby and I'm aware that I'm not brilliant at it!

xx

[LordGorse]

Phew, that's good then! I sometimes wind people up trying (badly) to explain things.

 

There's a kid next door to me (Sarah, 16) who probably has Aspergers (not diagnosed yet ); she's starting college in September. Think I'll have to recommend she checks out your video blogs (via mother-to-mother message ).

[chris54]

Just a few comments about Autism / Asperger.

 

There is some debate amongst professionals about whether Aspergers is a separate condition or whether it is part of the autistic spectrum.

One of the criteria for determining between High Functioning Autism's and Aspergers Syndrome is the persons developmental history.

In our case my sons history does not fit in with Aspergers although when diagnosed at the age of 7 he presented as having Aspergers. His final diagnosis says HFA presenting as AS.

 

As I understand it the "high" of HFA means having a IQ of over 80. Not that this means to much as the way in which IQ are measured does not fit well with ASD.

 

 

 

 

 

[Willow-Tree]

As I understand it the "high" of HFA means having a IQ of over 80. Not that this means to much as the way in which IQ are measured does not fit well with ASD.

Hiya,

I only got diagnosed last year, and they weren't specific, it officially says that I have Autistic Spectrum Disorder, but that I lean towards the Asperger's side. My IQ was 121 last July (2008) when I had it officially tested during a Dyspraxia assessment.

Willow

[Willow-Tree]

Hiya,

 

Just to update you all, it was my first day back at school today after the summer holidays, and I got sent home before I even got through the door. Because I wear a plain black jumper, not the offical burgundy school jumper. Because the official one is intolerable to me. I have just put a video blog up about it. And I have loads of other video blogs now too. I'm devastated that I got sent home, because last term the same thing happened, only they were so ignorant of my disability and they wouldn't listen that I had a panic attack. And so I now have anxieties about the whole situation making it really difficult to go back at all, but I did and I was okay with it. Only to be told I had to go home. And I can't go back until I get a suitable jumper. But, for almost an entire school year they allowed me to wear the black jumper, and so now I am used to it and it is in my routine and it's where my comfort zone is and everything so it's just all so terrible right now. I went to see a solicitor with my Mum today, and they are going to contact the school. I didn't say that in the blog though because people from my school might see it and I don't want the school to find out before they get the letter.

 

Blog about getting sent home: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KwtKZQpXRhI

 

My YouTube page: http://www.youtube.com/user/WillowMarsden

 

Anyway,

 

Thanks for reading/watching,

 

Willow

[smiley1590]

i write poetry about AS/MH problems to show the negative side of late official diagnosis bullying lack of understanding within the education system and support n knowledge i want to professionally publish my life experiences /story n poems within one book i've already had 2 poems published by london publisher my uncle nan was good at poetry runs through the genes what she always said lol i love the youtube videos you do so informative about how it affects our everyday life from different subjects you do about!!! i think it powerful message you sending out to society i hope to do same kinda thing how's things going with you ??? and your mum and brother??

 

i find poetry is different way and style of telling a story behind things of what you want people to know i think it does wonders for awareness and understanding of 'our world' i love the song 'hurt' by christina aguilera it's how i personally feel at the moment with personal situations i going through is hard difficult and challenging but can relate to the lyrics i keep playing your take on the song i think you've got a lovely voice wish mine was that goo! but you've helped me trust me! i don't know you that well! but i feel i do in some way! know sounds weird and strange! i think your an inspirational with strength you have determination!!! poetry is like a diary to me i write down my emotions/feelings otherwise tends take over overwhelm suffocate drag me under so to speak!

 

have you got msn at all?

or facebook? so we can speak more in depth one on one good to know you more and swap personal experiences and stories! i'm struggling to cope and deal with things in my head and life at the present way making me feel inside!

 

take care

xKLX

 

 

[Juno20]

Hi Willow, I love your blogs. How are the driving lessons going?

 

I am a driving instructor, I am not diadnosed with AS but have been refered by my GP and am hoping to get my apointment soon.

 

Sarah

[smiley1590]

i can't drive as not only have AS but dyspraxia so struggle to drive as find hard to tell which left and right hand /way etc and rubbish with directions road signs anything like that so look like public transport for me lol safer and better option for me and public on the roads i have no hand -eye co ordination my dad used to be driving instructor though my family tease him to teach me he said he'd need high insurance or brace himself hehe he only joking!! i'd be like frank spencer .... on a bad day on drugs .....

 

but good luck to you with seeking a official AS assessment and diagnosis lert us know how you get on though * fingers crossed* for you ....

[Meethoss]

Hi Willow,

 

Have been watching your blogs (like, all of them) as Smiley resurrected your thread and I have only just seen it today. I've found them quite interesting and notice many similarities with myself such as going to bed late even without good reason, needing a routine (I had the same problem during school holidays and even now if I'm off work for a while), not knowing what to say to people in the street, eye contact and, funnily enough, not saying Asperger's with a hard g!

 

Oh and on accents I'm often told I don't have an accent. I'm Welsh and a lot of my friends sound Welsh, to varying degrees, but lots of people think I'm English. Most of my family is Welsh and my dad has always taught me to pronounce words correctly rather than use Welsh slang, so maybe that's the reason - I've never really known. However I also get told that I'm very monotone and I've noticed that myself sometimes also.

 

In response to your question about phobias...Not sure if I'd call a lot of them phobia's but I have lots of "food issues", whether they are linked to AS or not. I really, really despise mushrooms - not sure what it is exactly but the texture, the smell, the look, the taste, the thought of them being fungus etc. just really...uuggghhhh! Other things are milk (which you mentioned) I've never got on with but have found it just about bearable in recent years. Um, broccoli and cauliflower which remind me of lungs and brains respectively. Um, what else...I used to eat different food groups separately e.g. peas first, then sweetcorn, then chicken etc. I've largely gotten over a lot of these things through being force fed by a couple of my ex-girlfriends!! It was a bit of a chore but I guess it helped in the end.

 

Um. I also hate spiders and heights. And the sea. I'm not scared of water but just the thought of anything touching me freaks me out.

 

Just on the subject of school, as I figure it might help you to hear about my experiences...I've only recently been diagnosed with AS (I'm 26) and nobody really picked up anything about me during school. Well they noticed stuff but not in a medical sense. I was pretty "normal" I guess, or at least I got away with seeming normal - was always good at covering things up. I had plenty of friends and did lots of stuff with them but always felt...odd. I've never been able to explain what that meant, but just didn't feel the same as how I interpreted them as feeling. I could sometimes joke along with them but often missed things or took their sarcasm seriously. I also never knew if they liked me and wondered why they hung out with me.

 

In terms of how I got on with education...I was pretty good I'd say. Definitely better than average and certainly exceptional in some areas. Most of my teachers liked me but some really didn't - especially my IT teacher. I was far better than him at pretty much everything (although having a more narrow knowledge of course) and he really hated it. I completed an entire year or two's worth of work in 3 months and didn't have anything to do. He refused to help me with my coursework and I was quite stubborn about it so ended up getting a C at A-level instead of the A that I could have easily achieved. I was also good at other topics but didn't try very hard because I had no interest. The areas I really lacked were those which required imagination such as English - I have absolutely no creativity or imagination and it sucks. When I read a book I find it nigh on impossible to imagine what I am reading and will either read the same thing literally like 5 times or will just get fed up and just concentrate on the plot.

 

On a separate note, I don't at all consider myself as having a disability - I think I'm different to other people and I struggle with some things but that's it; in fact I think that the positive aspects of my personality give me distinct advantages over others.

 

Oh and I signed your petition, good luck with that. I think you've been very brave by putting up these video blogs. I've only told 3 family members, 3 friends and a work colleague so far and I'm probably not going to tell anyone else beyond that, at least not for a long time. The psychologist who diagnosed me in fact advised I don't tell anyone unless I really need to because I get on so well with it that people won't understand or believe me - I'm just gonna keep schtum until I've thought it through properly.

 

Sorry, a bit of babble there - I do tend to get carried away when I'm not trying, erm, not to

 

Steve

[Juno20]

Hi smiley,

 

I have been teaching a boy with dispraxia and he's been getting on ok in an Automatic. I do 2 days a week in a centre that specialises in teaching people with disabilities. We get a vast range of pupils from people with ASD's, ceribal palsy and strokes to brain injuries and MS.

 

It can be a real challenge but most people have the cabability to drive, its just finding way around the persons weakneses.

 

One thing many AS learners struggle with is other people breaking the rules, as aspies tend to stick to rules religiously they can often find it messes them up if someone else does something unexpected and they have to make a quick adjustment. Its not always the case but it can be a problem. Also getting angry with other drivers breaking rules can come into it. I know the only accidents in my driving life have been down to others not doing the right thing and i've just not made any adjustment whatsoever as at the time i believed so strongly i was doing the right thing and they weren't. In hindsight i've looked back and thought "i knew they were going to do that and i could have stopped it happening so why the hell din't i?" Its probably taken me 10 years to realise that though. ha ha

Edited January 3, 2010 by Juno20

[Meethoss]

One thing many AS learners struggle with is other people breaking the rules, as aspies tend to stick to rules religiously they can often find it messes them up if someone else does something unexpected and they have to make a quick adjustment. Its not always the case but it can be a problem. Also getting angry with other drivers breaking rules can come into it. I know the only accidents in my driving life have been down to others not doing the right thing and i've just not made any adjustment whatsoever as at the time i believed so strongly i was doing the right thing and they weren't. In hindsight i've looked back and thought "i knew they were going to do that and i could have stopped it happening so why the hell din't i?" Its probably taken me 10 years to realise that though. ha ha

 

Haha, this reminds me so much of me. I get annoyed when other people break the rules - generally it's only minor annoyance but it can lead more to anger and then me being too stubborn to react appropriately. This also applies to other aspects of my life but generally I'm able to keep the anger in but it's not so bad in the car when people can't observe your reaction.