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Hello! I am so glad to be here : )

Thank you all very much! I'm still learning this particular forum and still need to figure out the flow. Bear with me, haha!

I really feel that this is turning a page on a wonderful new chapter of my life (well, okay, let's face it - the second half) this time a lot more relaxed and understanding of our unique needs. I've already felt a huge shift inside wherein I'm not nearly as unsettled. I feel a lot more at peace and that to me is such a beautiful start. It also tells me that I am on the right path.

I thoroughly appreciate the welcoming replies and am happy to see so many other musicians and music fans. I hope everyone has a wonderful week!
 
Gerald Wilgus said:
Welcome @AbbyRMB . Your story sounds so very typical. I did not realize that I was ASD until my diagnosis at age 60. From the 1950s through 70s few diagnoses were made if one was not severe. I do not know what masking was as I made little attempt to act in a social manner that I never could understand. Plus I don't think that I was even approaching any level of social maturity until after age 25. But it was a curse to be observant, seeing my peers progress into relationships and more, which was beyond me. When the pain became too great I started rebuilding myself and was somewhat successful at that, though I never thought of it as masking because I began liking myself. Mainly what happened was I lost my fear of social situations and new experiences.

Nice that you enjoy music. It adds so much to life. I enjoy Scruggs style Banjo and recently picked up a book of tablature for the album The Crow. I'm practicing the piece, Tin Roof, which I enjoy greatly.
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Thank you for sharing your story with me - I can really relate to it. You're right in that in those decades, nothing was really known about the spectrum - in one way, I feel so happy that we are able to know that now and rebuild the way that works better. Good on you for the work you've done to do that, and have the life you desire. VERY COOL that you like Banjo and working out tab from The Crow. Excellent music there.

Have a wonderful week and thank you again!
 
Tuffsy said:
Welcome Abby, I love the mathematics of music too, when I learnt jazz theory it all made so much sense. I play guitar, irish bouzouki, harmonica and some piano. I love The Big O and play a few of his songs. Nice to meet you.
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Hi, nice to meet you as well! Yes, Jazz theory is really cool. It's funny, it wasn't until I keyed into music that I was finally able to conceptualize certain math concepts a lot better. Now I'm teaching my daughters music theory straightaway, maybe they'll get an A in math too, haha!

Neat -the Irish bousouki is an incredible instrument. Very distinctive sound.

All this talk of the Big O has me rewatching his Black and White Nights special (on Youtube now) and picking up my guitar for the day!

Have a great one and thanks for sharing with me.
 
Forest Cat said:
You scared me for a moment if that`s you in the profile pic, you look too much like my sister! For a moment I thought she had followed me here to yell at me or something. :)
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Oh my goodness! Haha! Fear not, it is me and not your sister. This pic was taken last month when we took our family to a nearby outdoor museum and had just the best day ever.
 
Richelle-H said:
Welcome Abby,

You strike me as an interesting person that should fit in well here, should you choose to do so.

I did not have an inkling that I was anything other than an alien from another planet, who had lost their memory, when I was growing up. I never even had the word autism associated with me until I was into my mid forties. Diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome, I wound up re-examining my life until then after reading up on what High Functioning Autism was.

What I realized was that I had been masking from around 5 or 6. Over the years, I developed a personality that interacted with family, one that interacted at school, one for new people, and later one for work. All of these were under the control of my true self, though I am not sure I have completely isolated the purest components of that self yet. In regard to that, I do not give up easily, though it takes much, much longer than it would for one more organized than myself.

I hope you decide to bless us with your presence on a regular basis.
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Hello and thank you so much for your warm welcome, as well as for sharing your story with me. I really related to the masking/layers of personality for each category of interaction. I'm enjoying this forum very much already and I look forward to reading many more of your eloquent posts!
 
Welcome! :) Great to have ya! I am also a selfer (not sure where that came from, but I’m sticking with it).
Glad you like it here so far! Everyone here is so welcoming, so I’m sure they’ll make ya feel right at home.
Stay a while! Make yourself comfortable :D
 
AbbyRMB said:
Hi, nice to meet you as well! Yes, Jazz theory is really cool. It's funny, it wasn't until I keyed into music that I was finally able to conceptualize certain math concepts a lot better. Now I'm teaching my daughters music theory straightaway, maybe they'll get an A in math too, haha!

Neat -the Irish bousouki is an incredible instrument. Very distinctive sound.

All this talk of the Big O has me rewatching his Black and White Nights special (on Youtube now) and picking up my guitar for the day!

Have a great one and thanks for sharing with me.
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Have you ever seen episodes of the old TV program, Omnibus, where Leonard Bernstein would dissect musical styles of everything from Atonality to Jazz and either playing pieces himself or with a studio orchestra to highlight his discussion. I remain truly amazed at that program which never talked down to the audience.
 
Hello there and warm Wellcome (smiling)

I'm happy that you have already found this place as welcoming as i did when i came in here a few years back.

Just like you and my long-time dear friend Richelle (from WAY back pre this site) i have both felt as an alien and being treated and regarded as a retard from pre-kindergarten to adult life from most (before they have takend the time to get to know me and tried to understand me & accepted me as i am.
 
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