2010-09-20:

"Dear Dr. Donohue: Will you write about Asperger's disorder?

T.Y.

Dear T.Y.: Asperger's disorder makes normal socialization and conformity to social norms difficult. Asperger's patients have trouble interacting with others. They're unable to make sustained eye contact with people and express little emotion. They don't understand the facial expressions of others and what their tone of voice implies.

They pursue isolated interests and find it difficult to involve themselves in things that others do and say. Their life is marked by inflexibility and adherence to rigid rules. They are socially inept.

The language skills of Asperger's patients develop normally.

Asperger children often are the object of bullying because they are viewed as different by schoolmates.

Something has gone wrong with the part of the brain that allows people to develop interests in others and appropriately integrate into social groups.

A team of mental health professions can help Asperger patients adopt the socialization skills necessary to lead life successfully." 

 

As if I needed more evidence, reading that article was like reading someone's report on me, personally. It's a little late for "a team of mental health professions" (I think you mean professionals there, Dr. D) in my case, but at least I am aware of the "problem" and am working to adjust to it. It's funny, I can take someone's computer apart and put it back together again leaving them astonished, but they'll make some passing comment and I'll be totally stumped. Either it'll be completely obvious to me and I wonder why they are even mentioning it, or I take their meaning literally which then makes no sense, or be just at a loss at how to respond. At least THAT I've gotten better at in eight years. I'm much more comfortable working with people in an official capacity, which is a step in the right direction.

Anyway! Reason(s) I didn't write much this week: not much to tell, general laziness, Mass Effect 2. Not too busy this week, more of the same old stuff, actually. Reseated a HD cable and it brought a system back. Slowness- took out AVG 8.5. He claimed to have some AOL problem (the last person in the world on AOL dial up, at least I hope) but I didn't see it. Setting up a new system. Dusted out an eMac. Some stuff for Bert. Some audio questions answered. Replaced a HD in an iMac G5. See, all routine stuff.

Won Mass Effect 2, destroyed the Collector base. That much power and technology in human hands? We aren't ready for it. I would rather see us die at the hands of the reapers then sell our souls at the alter of the very technology they use to kill us. The temptation would be too great to use that power to dominate other species in the universe. Hope it was the right choice.

Ran my Sprite World game Saturday, didn't go quite in the direction I had anticipated, had to make some stuff up, but I think I did okay.

Started Dead Rising, stupidest save system ever? Yes? However, beating zombies over the head with a cash register, or a helium cylinder, or a shopping cart, or a display mannequin is quite amusing. Forget guns, they're useless. Trying to aim them sucks big time. I did a little trick to level up, so I'm back at the very start of the game, but I'm at level 9 rather then 1, that may make it easier. But that save system? Ugh. Save systems make or break games for me, you know. I'm still bitter about having to enter a game shark code to "save anywhere" in FF7. If I can save anywhere by flipping a software switch, then let me save everywhere without flipping it, stupids! 

Had Dad over, watched the last two Dr Who. Bought most a system from Heather, haven't even looked at it yet. I still have like five others in the queue before that one, what's with all the dead/half missing systems lately? Hum.

More DS9 of course. 

Squeaker is fine. He's funny, he's either nowhere to be found, or demanding attention. He'll sometimes just lay in the room I'm in, but usually it's one or the other.

The family leaves for Penn. on Wednesday, so I get the honor of watching the dog and feeding everycat over there the rest of the week. I've run out of Wilbur chocolate, I better get more! :)

Soon it will be autumn, and time to rake freaking leaves. Mom said she would pay me what Grandma did last year to take care of it, I told her she paid me $2000. And my own mother, do you know she didn't believe me? Can't imagine why.