I agree with Charlie. Really interesting and honest stuff, thank you for sharing it.

I'm glad you were brave enough to post this. I hope people are more mindful about this sort of thing now

Fantastic!

that was cute.

have you been to las vegas? ;-)

I would have never guess you felt any different about the world.

I am concerned for you about the cigarettes, try to stop that habit or you might end up like FuzzyDave. vimeo.com/clip:103088

Yes, thanks for sharing. I think this video explains it all pretty well too.

I like the Japanese sign off aswell.

yes, thank you. i learned a lot by watching this.

Have you seen "Mozart and the Whale"?

I'd be interested to know if you think it's an accurate depiction of people with Asperger's or if you think it is too stereotypically autistic.

I plan to keep watching these. Thanks for posting.

hey, and thank you for sharing this.
it's truely interesting to listen to what you have to say. so i will definetly keep watching your upcoming videos.

awetisome!

Your parenthesis have fingers attached to them.

I enjoyed watching this. Do you have an online portfolio of your art?

i know that suprized-confused look. thanks for sharing.

very insightful. id like to see some of your work :)

Respectfully I might submit that every one of us struggles with life, we learn slowly or badly, we are all different and we all suffer mild or acute forms of one thing or the other, some compensate, some wallow, some use a crutch, no-one is normal, thankfully, but you seem a wordy, sharp, quick, humorous, questioning individual and that sure puts you ahead of most other people.

I like this. A lot. :)

It's something I've thought I've had for a while, and I've been debating whether to go through the hassle of getting tested for a diagnosis, but still- I'm not certain...

I'm very glad to see someone out there who's insightful about this, and I look forward to seeing more!

This is amazing. I've been aware of Asperger's (Hasperger's?) for a few years now; in fact, when I first learned a bit about the symptoms, I wondered if I might have it. Thus far, nobody's diagnosed me with it, and it's probable I'm simply a bit hypochondriacal (as I'm most *certainly* a worry-wart), but you never know, you know?

I'll be subscribed to your videos; thanks for posting this.

I plan what I'm going to say to people way in advance too. And I am weird. I wonder if I have Aspergers.

Very interesting. Thanks for letting me know!

your candor has not only helped you get stuff off your chest but educated a few of us. totally interested in further vimeo clips and/or video blogs

It's so cool that you're doing this. I'm actually a psychologist and have been on the side of diagnosing Asperger's Syndrome. I love it when I meet people with AS (well, anyone really) who are aware of their shortcomings and are able to talk about them. I think that you probably have a lot to teach others, especially since it seems like you have been able to help yourself learn to "appear normal". It sucks, but in order for others to "let you in", that kind of acting is sometimes necessary. I will definitely watch more of these as they emerge.

i do those hand parentheses too!

can't wait for your next videos.

-i'm gonna start using those parenth's

-cool, thank you for being open and unashamed about both your weaknesses and your sweet skills

-i'm in japan, too! we should, i don't know, do something with all the vimeojapan folks

mata atode-

Thank you for sharing.

Really great clip. Very interesting and you presented it in a very captivating manner.

hey you have aspergers?

Im nearly jealous

does that sound wrong?

thanks for sharing that

as an art teacher I found this really informative, when you go to school for teaching they throw all this crazy verbage at you about different 'spectrums of austism' and it was refreshing to hear it from a personal perpective. Thank you

After visiting your site, I was very impressed with a unique artistic (painterly) talent. Perhaps being “a little different” has some positive side effects when it stimulates creativity. Art(aut)istic talent can be a “weird” and wonderful gift.

NPR has had a couple good segments about autism recently.

npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=7382362
npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5285721
npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5165123

"I got really good early on at noticing my own inabilities and quickly patching them up.. however, I still feel it every day-- I still feel how I'm a little different and I don't get it the way everyone else gets it."

Have you considered rejecting a clinical explanation for this feeling? I am totally missing what the benefits are to accepting that your struggles are merely the result of a not-uncommon malfunction of the seratonin glands... or the mirror neurons of the inferior parietal cortex... or the malevolent humours brought on by demonic possession, or however they attempt to scientifically describe your behavior tomorrow..

Maybe I'm the only one, but I am CREEPED out by this waterfall of smiling faces rushing to congratulate somebody for embracing victimhood.

"I have no heart!"
"I can relate, I have no courage!"
"I think I need a brain! Keep in mind that I have no brain, though, so my opinion may be totally wrong!"

Not trying to be harsh, but I honestly find this whole page surreal in its acceptance of the modern medical institution's idea of "mental health"--- seriously, ppl actually still believe ADD/ADHD is real???

My Wizard-of-Oz reference was an attempt to illustrate what these comments look like to me, not to put words in your mouth. Remember how it turned out that the Tin Man, Lion, and Scarecrow actually had the things they thought they were missing all along? I'd say people who doctors convince to accept this kind of "hereditary brain chemistry malfunctions=the source of your anguish" BS as part of their identity have a similar issue.

I can understand that people who have embraced this idea that they're not "normal" may feel some comfort knowing that they have a rare disease which makes them kind of special and which makes anything they do twice as amazing (because they had to overcome this handicap to do it) but at the same time, it seems pretty obvious that there is a big downside to walking around believing that the main source of the distance you feel from your fellow humans is a miscalibration of chemicals caused by inherited genes you have no possibility of influencing whatsoever...

And it's hardly "silly" to reject the clinical explanation for your feelings. Not when you consider that 50 years ago these same doctors routinely suggested ECT or a partial frontal lobotomy to help people like you "act normal" so they could, you know, get a degree and drive a car without difficulty, like "healthy" human beings are supposed to.

Seriously, there are a lot more perspectives out there about this kind of experience besides the one that old men with degrees make millions of dollars off of/millions of victims out of...

This is not a bad place to start, if you're at all interested in what other people think about these pruported conditions, syndromes, and diseases of the mind: deoxy.org/evasion/

I have to admit, uNDERL!ON has got an interesting perspective here to offer. (This coming from someone who regularly visits a psychiatrist and has self-diagnosed himself as possibly having Asperger's. Please read my previous comment posted to this thread.) It'd be nice to at least *entertain* the possibility of the views he's offered here, and to respect that as (at the very least) another resource in our life's book of instructions.

I'm serious. I mean this thread of comments -- the latest ones, anyway -- is becoming reminescent of the public backlash against Tom Cruise, when he made his opinion(s) about psychiatry public. The mistake he (Mr. Cruise) made was personalizing his attack (by criticising Brooke Shields). Folks get real touchy about that stuff. Fact is, however, that there are alot of people -- though certainly not the majority, at this point in time -- that share his views regarding psychiatry.

All respect to everyone for having their points of view.

Very brave!
I congratulate you on reaching out.

interesting. thanks for sharing.

I know a kid with asperger's; you described it very well. He may be kind of awkward if you don't know him, but he's really good at figuring out puzzles (especially in video games).

I like your shirt, by the way, very cute.

Thanks! My one and only grand son is autistic. It is, I think, the most difficult and confusing aspect of life. Extremely hard to get a handle on it. Makes one really think about the definition of "normal". What is normal? Thanks for sharing.

Thanks for sharing! I would have never known about it! and I love to learn.
Cheers!

You've come a long way. I grew up very close to an autistic cousin and even though he's progressed A LOT, his autism is not that very mild. I never had any trouble understanding him or the way he behaves sometimes. He has a great sense of humor and I love him.

this sucks
me too

There is a great animated short film called A Is For Autism made by a 10 year old British boy. He hand drew thousands of seperate frames in A4 size note pads which were then shot single frame on a film/video camera. They detail the layout of an imagined landscape through it's rail track system (he was obsessed by trains; not just engines and rolling stock but track guages, signalling systems, timetables etc.). It also talks about his condition, as you might guess from the title, and did a lot to raise awareness about Autism (and later Asperger's) in this country. It seems your vblog is doing the same for the net, power to you.

Mentioned in a thread above that I'm also Asperger's, how about this for an Asperger's sign off: ')' , eyes averted, blank expression?

very well put together...and the cynical naysayers can go find something else to malign because it doesn't fit their worldview...
Diagnosed with borderline Aspberger's myself several years ago, I gotcha well. We're not victims, and we're not "weird" or "crazy" either...we're people....and that's all that should matter.
(ok, maybe I'm a little weird...but that's because I choose to be. :-) )

What do you do in Japan and how do I get there. It's a huge dream of mine to live there one day. But not just a couple months, I'm talking years. I'm going to go check out your visual work now.

Learning just what you put in this video has made my day worth while, thank you :) xx

i enjoyed watching your video.

I appreciate the honesty and openness of this clip. And although I was never diagnosed, i'm pretty positive I fall somewhere in that autistic spectrum. Was also mildly dyslexic, pretty much developed my own coping mechanisms for both.

Asperger's is extremely common... especially if you look towards slighly gifted computer people, programmers are often quite symptomatic. At least half my friends are. I find I am better off socially than some of them, but worse than others.

That some replies in this thread hint towards the controversial nature of diagnosing aspergers is appropriate. It's not the existence of the condition that is in question, it's the benefit of letting someone know they exhibit it in any official capacity, can lead to other problems.

I really like your video. You are such a great person for doing this. My little sister has autism.. and it makes me sad to see her trapped in her own mind, doctors say she is like in her own little world.. and it makes me sad sometimes when she throws a fit or tantrum. Because she really cannot help it. That is her natural reaction to things. Although she is only 3 years old, she still cannot help it. And it just makes me so sad. Or when she tries to tell me, her big brother, or mom or dad, what she wants.. and she can't quite communicate it.. what she wants or needs. You can see she is trying so hard to communicate a simple sentence. And it makes me appreciate how hard especially people with Autism work, at getting their point accross and telling people how they feel. I have learned a lot about Autism since she was born.. and it is just mind boggleing to me.

I really appreciate your honesty and courage to post a video like this... I myself have Muscular Dystrophy.. and you now have motivated me to make a video like you did. About how hard it is to deal with it everyday, mentally, emotionally, and physically. And how I feel when people irritate me and make fun of me. Good job.. :-).

Thanks. I learned a thing or five from your talk and I even have an uncle who has Asperger's.

Pretty interesting. Awesome clip! Love video blogs and it is interesting to learn more about other people and their struggles and their life.

Emily. I really appreciated your video-most especially because I believe that my son has Asperger's Syndrome or High Functioning Autism. I have Multiple Sclerosis, daughter Justice, 10 has ADD, and he is 9, has ADHD and OCD, Severe Allergies/Asthma all his life, and speaks very similar to what you are speaking about. His thought patterns are definitely different from that of other normal 9 years olds. If you go to my page here tomarrow, you will see that handsome little guy on video from when he was little, till now. He scored a failing score on on his tests except visuo-spatial, where out of 10 being a perfect score, he was off the charts at 15. He also is extremely creative and definitely has an engineer mindset. Give him some Legos and tell him to build you anything in the worled, and he unbelievably can and will. Amazing you speak of maps-my son can read most any map geared for those under 15. He can also draw anything and will sit and draw elaborate drawings for 5-6 hours straight-using paper after paper after paper. He always wins Art contests, and is a perfectionist in any ONE thing he chooses to do, (but only that ONE thing, sadly.) I am concerned about reading and writing and social skills as he also makes noises at innappropriate times and blurting is a really big deal without any realization of consequences because of it. In other words, he says things not thinking they may hurt someone's feelings. Having already said that though, he is THE most polite, caring (if he notices you), his feelings get hurt terribly, you cry-he cries, huggy lovey type but only really shows 2 emotions really well. Anger and Excited. EVERYTHING is black or white-period. There is no middle ground to anything. He also has no concept of time either, although he always wants to know the time. Always holds open door for ladies, and tells them all, that to him, they are beautiful and he likes their hair style. Everyone loves him because of his nature, but as soon as kids get to know him, they do not stay friends with him, and I think it is cause they are scared of him thinking he is stupid and it will spread to him, so he is drawn to younger kids (LOVES to make them laugh), that look up to him and appreciate him. I also would love to see the rest of your videos, and will do that. With your permission, I also would love to share your website and videos on my website, (have to cut out the smoking part because kids under 12 will see this), but that is all. Maybe others would be interested in buying your Artwork from there, and I have many types people from everywhere that visit. The rest is fantastic and want to show it to my son and see if he feels the same thoughts you do. If any of what I told you makes sense or sounds familiar to you, PLEASE let me know. I am trying to get an appointment with Children's Hospital for assessment although his Psychiatrist says she does not think he has it. (I disagree). My website(s), BeQuick2Click.org will be totally completed and set to be introduced by July 15. It is still in construction, but there are 25 interlocking sites that are all linked together. You may by all means see PART of what will all be addressed there and go ahead and participate. Art is a big deal for all of us, so you certainly may highlight your work on the Art Showcases, as well. I know this was long, but I hope you get to read this and maybe we can chat together or coorrespond together on this issue at one point. Good luck and yes more videos!
Have a wonderful day!
Carey Law

thx for sharing, doog to know something new
I used to be knowing more and more. So... thank you.

I enjoyed watching this with my 15 yr hfa aspie daughter. You're brave to do video's. I'm still trying to get up enough nerve and also buy the hardware for it. My daughter loves art also. Wish she could interract with you and learn. You're impressive.

right at the beginning you say "and i have Asperger's syndrome"
the first time i watched it sounded like ASS BURGERS
it made LOL pretty hard...
ASS BURGERS haha

You´re an artist you say!That´s a humble attitude....

What do you think of the idea that 'autism' is just the disease du jour for the average bore (or whore)?

Informative video.

I'm guessing that it was recorded in the presence of a actively working Toshiba laptop HDD, as something is making an identical read noise.

In reply to Autistic Olympics:
It's called dyslexia.

I know these videos have been posted for over a year & you probably aren't reading these comments - but...

There is a lot of artistry & a lot of humor in the way you have edited these videos. That makes them so much more effective than the average AS-themed videos. You get your point across in a very entertaining way. Thank you!!!

hello! thanks for putting this up, it helped me a lot to understand what asperger means. Do you know that there is a nice Tv series called "the big bang theory"?. The character called Sheldon Cooper has asperger there.
I think you "look" pretty normal but still sometimes I can see that your expressions do not match very well with what you are saying or that your eyes looks a bit... void. I hope you know what you mean. Well I suffer from BPD so i kinda know what having a mental issue means.

bye!

here you have some great moments of sheldon cooper youtube.com/watch?v=NaUanDIwzhY