Hello from South Bucks!

[Amethyst_Aspie]

I've been an occasional lurker here on and off for about the past 4 years, so I thought I'd better do the decent thing and register.

Well, I guess I'd better get the intro out the way then, hadn't I...?

My name's Sarah, I'm Old and, as you've probably gathered from my username, I'm an Aspie.

As always, when I join a new place (and start placing your bets now how long I last here before I'm banned! I reckon I won't last until my birthday in 6 days' time!) I read the forum rules but this one has me completely confuzzled

Don't be creepy! - You know the sort of guys we're talking about...don't be one of those guys!

No, I don't have a clue the sort of guys you're talking about - not the foggiest! How am I supposed to get along in a place when the forum rules are written in coded riddles?

What if I turn out to be one of "those guys" without even realising it, because I don't understand what one of "those guys" is? No, I know I can't use ignorance as any kind of defence, but surely autism is a valid enough reason?

It actually frightens me a little because I could be banned, not for ignorance, but for simply not understanding the social nuances of the life of this forum - and that scares me.

At the moment, I have no help and support because I cannot get a shrink to commit to a diagnosis (why? It's simple - I'm a girlie! It still seems to be a very widely held belief that only boys can be on the autistic spectrum (and the BBC did nothing to dispel that myth when they only featured boys in the recent Autism & Me season on BBC3. Still attempting to find an email address for Mark Thompson (the DG) so I can register a formal complaint for gender bias.)

I was told in Liverpool I was definitely spectrum - so I asked the shrink to statement me. He told me he couldn't do that. When I enquired as to why, his reply was simple "Well, you're female and it's our policy to only statement boys, because there is no proof as of yet that ASDs can - and do - affect girls." I had to run out of that office, because I wanted to flatten him!

Sorry this isn't a very good intro, is it - not very good at this forum malarkey - I always end up coming across as very egocentric (it's not intentional, I can assure you, it's just one of the joys of being me!)

As far as the subject matter of this site goes, NH has been a passion of mine ever since I can remember. I was clearing up my room the other day (I still live like a teenager!) and I found an Usborne Nature Notebook (bit like an I-Spy book - remember those...?) on insects and spiders, that I'd started completing when I was around 4/5 and was around 7 when it was full. I'd used proper terminology ('antennae' for example) and proper what my mum's late dad would've called 'military time'. I remember being incredibly bored as a child (particularly at school (I went to a convent school, and I loathed every nanosecond I spent there) and I used to 'forget' to go back to class after breaktimes and lunch (particularly if it was a warm spring - or summer's - day) and I'd go a-wandering with this book and make notes, and I also had several journals on the go: - invertebrates, mammals (subdivided into habitats) birds (again, same as mammals) the weather, the night sky (I remember sneaking down to watch Sir Patrick on The Sky At Night when I was very wee). Whenever I was given a new pack of felt-tips, I remember drawing the Solar System (to scale, each planet having its requisite number of moons, and even drawing rings round Neptune and giving Jupiter its GRS!) I was an oddity - most little girls would have drawn flowers, fairies, butterflies, etc., but, nope - I drew planets!

So, there you go, that's me. I'm really joining in memory of my grandpa, Dick Balfour, who taught me much of what I knew and nurtured my interest in the natural world, from when I was tiny. He was also responsible for the controlled growing of patches of ragwort to prevent the extinction of the 5-Spot Burnet and Cinnabar moths. He lived in Little Waltham, on the Braintree Road, and I miss him terribly! His enthusiasm was infectious (bit like Sir David Attenborough's, another 'hero' of mine (and I'm sure the same can be said for many here). I was lucky to meet him at a 4Ape Alliance seminar about 15 years ago (where I also met one of my literary 'heroes' - Sir Terence Pratchett (supporting, of course, The Orang-Utan Foundation)).

Right, I need to go and get my head in the right place to go have a shower. I apologise profusely if I've said anything wrong, or which might be construed as 'creepy' in this post, because I HONESTLY don't have a clue as to what that means!

Peace,

Sarah xxx

[artdemole]

Welcome to wab.Hope you will enjoy the site.Like the bit about I spy books.Being 62 yrs old I know they are still around.Purchased 4 books last month online from Book depository.

[sunnydale]

Welcome Sarah....and thank you for taking the time to intoroduce yourself to us by way of a very interesting post.

I hope you enjoy being here.

Tracey

[posie]

And Welcome from me too Sarah.....Posie,

[Deer Stalker]

Hi Sarah.

[AshLee]

Hi Sarah,

I really don't think you need to worry about that rule - it only really applies to men, I think.

What a lovely thought, joining in memory of someone special,

Welcome to WAB,

Ash

[Jez]

I loved reading your post Sarah. Welcome to the forum!

[NickCantle]

Originally Posted by AshLee

I really don't think you need to worry about that rule - it only really applies to men, I think.

Steady on Ash, she'll have WAB reported for gender bias!

Welcome to WAB Sarah

[treecreeper]

A warm welcome from me Sarah . Your introduction is a delight. I am sorry you are unable to find a psychiatrist willing to give you a diagnosis. For my part I am more than happy to accept that you are a complete fruitcake. I am sure you will enjoy our company. You need not fear being expelled from WAB. That is only for the very naughtiest.

[Kayleigh]

Hi and welcome to WAB Sarah..