New Jobber!

Well, after much perseverance, I scored a job at my local autism agency! Yes, the one I attend Aspie group at :) I had a great feeling about it when I went through both of my interviews, and on the day after my second day interview, I got the call!

Today started training, which was fantastic. I really, REALLY love the philosophy of this agency, which is that autism is something to be celebrated rather than cured. If you know me, you know that this is HUGE in my book. The agency focuses on embracing people for who they were meant to be, and allowing their many gifts to shine. We had two trainers, one of them being the head of the training department. Remember that Asperger's presentation I did last summer? He was the one with whom I presented!

The training started with some fun exercises. Everyone was asked to introduce themselves and state their favorite food (mine being pizza, of course). We also broke down into groups and discussed what led us to seek a career in the field. I explained to the other two people in my circle how I first became interested in pursuing a position with people who have developmental disabilities. I mentioned that my best friend moved into a group home when she was 19, and that after hanging out at her house and getting a sense of the staff's duties, I learned it was something I'd love to do myself! I then went on to discuss how I've been in said field for 12 years now, and after learning I'm on the spectrum myself, I really have a passion for working with others on the spectrum.

We broke for dinner, and I went to the restaurant across the street from the office, which has great hot dogs and fries! Another girl from training happened to have the same idea, so we sat together. We had a nice chat. Once we got back, we did a really fun exercise in which we had to try to solve a word search while the lights in the room were flashing and kind of loud music was playing. To add to the challenge, the puzzle was in Dutch! I managed to find 3 words. The purpose of the exercise was to give us an example of what sensory overload feels like. This was even a good learning experience for me, because although I am autistic, sensory overload isn't something I really experience. I now will have this to keep in mind if a person with whom I am working is experiencing an overload. We also watched a film by Carly Fleischmann titled "Carla's Cafe" in which she gives a firsthand account of what life is like for her.

Lastly, we were given information about the different autistic traits, and talked about the fact that many people believe that vaccines cause autism. The head of the training department even told us that it has been proven that vaccines indeed do NOT cause autism, and described Dr. Andrew Wakefield (who made up the false claim) as a "bad man." I agreed wholeheartedly! :) He then stated that at this organization, they don't focus on what causes autism, which I also was very happy to hear. They instead focus on the individual themselves. I interjected with a few pieces of information and the fact I feel that everyone is born to be who they are for a reason. To make things a little interesting, we even had a fire drill! It was a good thing today happened to be a beautiful day.

I can't wait to go to training again tomorrow and Friday. I've always known that this is an agency with whom I've wanted to work, but I know feel that it's a definite that I'm in the right place! :)

Happy Halloween!

What's everyone doing for Halloween? Well, to start the day off on a not-so-great note, my grandma and I went for blood work, which isn't at all an issue in itself...however, add to that the fact that after cleaning out the whole back of my car, my paper order was nowhere to be found. Thus, I wasn't able to get my blood work today. I'll have to call my doctor and have them fax the order over, as I have no clue where in the universe my order is. It's probably wherever my birth certificate is hiding. Gotta love having executive functioning deficits!

I'm now getting my PPD for my new job read, which I meant do do yesterday but totally forgot about until I glanced at my arm late last night. Luckily, I have until 11am today! After that, my grandma and I are going to enjoy a wonderful breakfast at Cracker Barrel :) I haven't been there in ages!

Next is a trip to Aldi, which I wasn't counting on, but it is what it is. Anyone who knows me knows how much I loathe grocery shopping, especially when I already have a million and one things to do. Then I'll squeeze a shower in the mix somewhere, and go to pick up and cash my check from my other relief job.

Last but not least, the fun will start! My BFF and I are going to grab dinner at Denny's, and then see Boo! A Madea Halloween! Afterwards, we will imbibe on plenty of candy and other munchies. It will be a fun time! :D

The Dog Days of Summer

It's hard to believe that this summer has been flying by so fast! It has been a fulfilling and fun one, though. I've made sure to make the most of it, as always :)

I've gotten to the pool, albeit only a couple times. This is due to my heel, which continues to give me pain and prevents me from doing a whole lot. I found out a couple months ago that I most likely have torn ligaments with bursitis underneath. I go to see the orthopedic surgeon in October. Wish me luck!

My family has taken our boat out a good number of times. I've been to the Niagara River and Canandaigua. Cruising on the boat has always been a sort of therapy for me. There's something about plugging my headphones in, and the wind blowing against my face, complete with the occasional splash, that I find extremely calming.

I attended an Asperger's presentation by Rudy Simone last weekend. She was amazing, and gave a very clear glimpse into life as an Aspie. My parents really enjoyed it as well.  I made a couple new friends, too!

One of said friends co-facilitates an Aspie group in Rochester called Square Pegs. I attended last Thursday, and it was well worth the hour and a half drive! We met at a restaurant called Lindburgers, which was amazing. I made some more new friends. Everyone was impressed that I came all the way from Buffalo!

Next Saturday will be the Rochester (yes, we like it there a lot) Clothesline Festival, which will have art vendors and musical performances. I will be working my other job next Sunday. The following weekend, my family is going away to lake Oneida for a long weekend! We will be taking the boat :)

It's safe to say that this summer was a good one. How has everyone else's been this year?

Flap Away the Frustration!

One thing that I've learned in my research that is a hallmark autistic trait is hand flapping. It's actually been something I never realized I did gave much of a thought to doing...until recently.

After giving it some thought, I recalled that sometimes, while super SUPER stressed, I actually do flap my hands. It is a sort of outlet. It's almost as if the stress builds up, and flapping "releases" it.

This happened earlier today. I felt kind of cranky and on edge, but for no apparent reason. I felt as if I could just slam down or hit something, but instead, I flapped my hands in front of me. It helped! I immediately felt a little calmer. After heating up my pizza, I tried to pick it up when it was still too hot, sort of burning my finger. "Ouch!" I exclaimed and then started flapping again, as I tried to cool off my finger. It worked! I felt better and enjoyed my diet Dr. Pepper.

Now that I'm more conscious of this, and especially the fact that it works, I'll report to flapping away the next time I feel like punching something. It also helps to let out a "grrrr!" or an "eeeee!" As strange as it sounds, and probably looks, give it a try next time you feel compelled to break something. It just might work for you, too! :)

Learning You're On The Spectrum

At some point in every autistic's journey, okay, maybe not those who were diagnosed from a very young age, but rather those who flew under the radar for a long time, we have certain "light bulb" moments that lead us to presume we're on the spectrum. Maybe it's the fact we've always been a little bit "different." Perhaps we have become more aware of social struggles as time goes on. Whatever the case, I'd like to talk about my personal experience.

I didn't first hear of Asperger's until I was 22 and in my second to last year of college, when I'd learned of student's kids who had it. Other than the fact it sounded an awful lot like "asparagus" to me, I didn't give it much thought. I knew it was a form of autism, but that was about all I knew. I had the common misconception that it meant one was "in their own world" as that's what I had been fed by the world.

Fast forward about 4 years. I was working as a Supported Housing Specialist for the same agency I currently work for. I had always known I was different, but had attributed it to the fact that I was diagnosed with ADHD at 25. Something still seemed to set me apart from others, though. My literal thinking. The fact I couldn't read between the lines. I had this genuineness and innocence about me. Jokes often went right over my head.

I don't recall how it happened, but I somehow stumbled upon a blog by a girl with Asperger's. As I read her story, I had that "light bulb" moment and thought, "wow, I could have written this!" The author talked about her sensory experiences. I had always had sensory sensitivities for as long as I could remember. She talked about other things which I could totally relate to as well.

Taking what I now knew, I began to research Asperger's. After taking online quizzes, and looking at lists of female traits, I was convinced that I too, was an Aspie! I spent the next 5 years involved in the community and made several friends in Facebook communities. Though nothing was set in stone, I learned that it was okay to self-identify until I got the answers I was looking for.

When it finally became official, on March 19, 2014, the first thing I felt appropriate to do was to share my story with the world! The pieces of the puzzle finally fit together, hence the name of my blog, "The Pieces Fit!" I had validation. My suspicions were confirmed.

Whether you have been suspecting for a long time that something is a little different about you, or you learn something later on that gives you an "aha!" moment, we all take different paths down the road to self-discovery. It truly is one of the most rewarding experiences one can live!

Traits, Traits, Traits.

You may wonder, what exactly is it that makes one autistic? The answer is, there are several traits which place one on the spectrum! Here, I'll outline the traits, or features, which I attribute to autism.

- Literal thinking: I interpret what people say word for word, in black and white.
- Not reading between the lines: I take what people say at face value and don't pick up on "hidden" messages.
- Genuineness: I am who I am, and don't know how to be any other way.
- Naivety: I am overly trusting and look for the good in others.
- Sensory sensitivities: I have strong aversions to certain tastes and textures.
- Logical thinking: I think about things in a methodological way.
- Misinterpretation: I sometimes take what others tell me the wrong way, and vice versa.
- Using humor: jokes often go over my head, and people tend to think I'm serious when trying to crack a joke.
- Youthfulness: I'm younger than most of my peers developmentally and mentally.
- Innocence: I have always had a sense of this, as I look at the world through rose-colored glasses.
- Attention to detail: I notice the little things; I stop and smell the roses.
- Gift for gadgets: I can figure out how things work just by taking them into my own hands.
- Zest for life: I live each day to the fullest and have fun every moment I can!

In a nutshell, that's the majority of the traits which make up my own unique autistic experience! What are some of your traits?

What's It Like To Be Autistic?

A lot of people might ask, "what's it like to be autistic?" Well, I'll tell you about it! :)

While most people see the big picture, I take it in bit by bit, detail by detail. If I look at a picture of the beach, for example, the sparkling water might catch my attention first. Maybe it's the dog running after the frisbee its owner just threw. Perhaps it's the grainy sand. I notice the little things, and appreciate them.

I take things very literally. When I was 13, a girl told me that her friend stabbed her in the back. My response: "what did she stab you with?" Figures of speech, unless I've become familiar with them, will often mean to me how they sound word for word.

I'm honest to a fault, and often assume everyone else is the same way. While this is usually a good thing, it has gotten me taken advantage of. I've learned how to be more careful so that I don't run into the same problem in the future. I take things at face value, and am transparently, unapologetically me.

I have my special interests: Sonic the Hedgehog and Android. I've been a die-hard Sonic fan since I was 9, and my interest hasn't wavered over the past 24 years. You can often find me rooting my newest devices and flashing the latest ROMs. I'm a flashaholic (for those of you scratching your head, that means someone who likes to install the latest operating system, in excess) XD

So there you have it: a little glimpse into what it's like to see the world through autistic eyes. I wouldn't want to be any other way, as I wouldn't be me! Autism is ausome :)