#not getting things

[verslecygne]

Autism & Work

Colleague 1 : Haha, you'd never find the door and sleep there.

Me : Do you often get lost, Colleague 2 ?

Colleague 2 : Not at all.

Colleague 1 : That was a joke. You'll learn, don't worry.

Me : But... Doesn't jokes need to be based on something ?

Colleague 1 : No, not really.

Me : *lost and definitly not understing things more*

[verslecygne]

To end talks

To autistic people

Do some of you have trouble when a talk with someone comes to its end ? 

For example, last year, I was talking with a teacher and the nurse after a meltdown and we went out of the classroom. I didn’t know what to do, if it was time to say goodbye or not, and I ended up to be very awkward. 

It happens to me a lot at work. I don”t know what to say, if we’re done talking or not and usually end up saying :

 “Well, er...” Oh, they’ve stopped talking. They probably are fed up with me now. “Goodbye ? See you... later ?”

[verslecygne]

Autism thing

[Preparing a play about communication last year]

Classmate : Yes, that's like when people say "how are you", it is simply to say "hello", they don't expect any other answer than "Good thanks, you ?"

Me, opening eyes wide : What ? Oh, that's why people always seems upset when I answer ? Because I answer truthfully... I thought they asked me because they wanted to know !

[verslecygne]

Autistic ?

Me, at home for the third day : I don't know... maybe I'm not autistic... I don't feel... I mean, I don't do anything one would consider 'weird'...?

Me, at work for two hours : Whoops. Okay, nevermind. It appears I can't hold a conversation and that my manners are apparently awkward. Also, whatever I say is never the good thing.

Me, thinking : Then... Maybe being autistic is not the problem ? Maybe the problem is the way people are intolerant and make you feel weird for being different ?

[verslecygne]

Social habilities & Work

Me : *talking about anything*

Collegue : *answering but not looking exiting and too neutral for me to know whether she's interested, bored or annoyed*

Me, hours later : I still don't know if she hates, despise or like me. Did I do anything wrong ? Should I ask her ? Am I annoying her ? Am I unable to fit ? What should I do ?

[verslecygne]

Autism thing

I now realise that implicit things aren’t always “talk subtext”, like when someone says something and you’re supposed to deduce what they mean even though they aren’t saying it exactly. 

Implicits are in what you’re supposed to do. And I’m not flexible enough. I was told ‘You’re doing this activity for an hour’. I didn’t think I could STOP for some minutes if it was needed. No one told me. 

Apparently, it’s called common sense. Well... I’ve been told many times by my mom that I don’t have any !

[verslecygne]

Autism problem

Collegue : *Make sarcasm*

Me : Really ?

Collegue : I do a lot of sarcasm, don't pay attention.

[Later]

Me : What is this child doing ?

Collegue : Must be knocking their head against the wall.

Me, internally : Oh, right, sarcasm !

Me : *Try to cleverly reply to it, with teasing.*

Collegue : *WASN'T being sarcastic and is vexed.*