She Makes A Fine Addition To My Collection

[Captain Mars]

I don't often get all that much for Christmas. Money's always an issue. My sister goes above and beyond each year to do something nice for most of us, and usually hosts it a week early at her place with her fiance.
After I'd had my confrontation with my mother and we began trying to rebuild our relationship in earnest this time, she got me a couple gifts, but NONE of them hold a candle to this one.

Just LOOK at her! She's SO CUTE AAAAHHHH!!!! Yeah, I'm no longer hiding from or repressing any of my childish traits or tendencies. Since I stopped doing that, life has felt so much more relaxed. I'm not ashamed to admit, this kind of stuff just makes me feel...safe. Safe, and WAY more emotionally stable.
Didn't think I'd be 27, using comfort objects to cope with my steady barrage of stress and anxiety. But if it helps me, why do I care how it looks to someone else? Why conform to what the world expects of me? What has the world done for ME lately? So, Bow Kid joins her best friend Hat Kid and Asriel on the bed. My small but meaningful little posse of stuffed friends.

They've really helped ground me at home. Something about how soft they are, how nice it feels to just squeeze them tight or rub my face against them, it just melts the stress away. I even started talking to them. And talking back THROUGH them! And you know what? I don't care how silly it is anymore. It feels great to allow myself some small, simple measure of comfort again.
Besides, the felt she's made of allows me to draw little dimples on her with my fingers! That's so ADORABLE!!! I could be having the WORST possible day, but I can't possibly come home to this face and NOT smile. Any other fellow autists collect or use plushies as comfort or stimming objects? As a side note, I've always had a habit of personifying objects, always figured it was part of the autism.

 

[Misery]

These are mine. And yes I'm a big fan of Minecraft. I got some other things beyond just plushies too, like these:

And yes I'm aware that's like the stupidest spot for a can of Pringles. They all need a bit of a dusting too, come to think of it. The figures, I mean, not the Pringles.

Also got a lot of anime figures and whatnot, though I havent seen them since we moved and I've been too lazy to figure it out. At some point I'll find them.

Didn't think I'd be 27, using comfort objects to cope with my steady barrage of stress and anxiety. But if it helps me, why do I care how it looks to someone else? Why conform to what the world expects of me?

I'm 43 myself, and ya know what, I stopped caring about whether or not I seem childish ages ago. Particularly after getting involved in both the geek & board game communities. A lot of the "geek" group loves plushies as well, regardless of age, and board gamers, well, holy funky heck do they LOVE figures (usually called "minis" in that hobby). People of all ages in both groups.

I dont do any stimming with these (and really I need to find a better place for them all to sit, I'm reluctant to touch them lest I accidentally knock the sand thing off the table), but I've got my keychain for that. It is 3 feet long, I can wrap it around my arm. When I'm out of the house, it's always the first thing people notice.

Kinda weird? Dont care, I like it and it helps me. Besides, I tend to find that most people I run into also like it.

 

[Aspychata]

I brought a super soft pushy blanket to my guy at hospital, and he loved it. Not a plushie but served the same purpose

 

[Captain Mars]

I'm 43 myself, and ya know what, I stopped caring about whether or not I seem childish ages ago. Particularly after getting involved in both the geek & board game communities. A lot of the "geek" group loves plushies as well, regardless of age, and board gamers, well, holy funky heck do they LOVE figures (usually called "minis" in that hobby). People of all ages in both groups.

I dont do any stimming with these (and really I need to find a better place for them all to sit, I'm reluctant to touch them lest I accidentally knock the sand thing off the table), but I've got my keychain for that. It is 3 feet long, I can wrap it around my arm. When I'm out of the house, it's always the first thing people notice.

I recognize Pomni and Ena in that bunch. Wish I could've grabbed them too, but again, money. I'll probably focus on filling out the Hat In Time and Undertale/Deltarune characters I started with first.

No offense intended, but that keychain definitely catches eyes I'm sure. I find it funny in a good way. I wish I had your confidence. I bet you rock that thing everywhere you go, it's pretty inspiring.