Why doesn’t life have a snooze button? This is a question that I often find myself asking when I’m feeling as drained as I am right now. Let’s rewind a little shall we, and start at the beginning (as good a place as any right?).

I have been working all week and we have been really busy. This is nothing new – I’m getting home late and by the time I’ve eaten and relaxed with Mrs Bob it’s time to sleep. My brain needs a while to shut down enough to sleep and it’s usually late by the time it’s done so. This is fine, but I’m then woken up from 0530hrs onwards by my cat and other things.

During a normal week I get two days off to recuperate and recharge my batteries not only from the sleep deprivation but also the effects that having to be social has on my health.  This may sound far-fetched, but I find that as an Aspie, I can engage in small-talk and friendly chat, but it takes a lot out of me emotionally and physically.

One day this week I had a busy day scheduled as I had press passes for a ComicCon that was an hour away from my home. This meant an early start so I could be there when the doors opened. I find that you can get interviews, photos, etc, done before if gets really busy and so peopley that I can’t cope.

So, a very early start after late night.  I did the ComicCon then came home for an hour or so, then headed off to work On my own. Then by the time I’ve walked back, eaten, etc, it was 01.35am.  Then I was woken at 05.30, 07.20 and 08.42.

So now I’m drained, not able to process things properly and don’t have another day off work til next week.  I’m wondering why life has no snooze button!

Stay Safe X

It occurred to me recently that with the numbers increasing on my blog that I would just give my social media pages a shout.

Facebook Page

Twitter Page

E mail me

I have been thinking more and more recently about how much exercise I get (or don’t get).  I used to go to the gym 3-4 times a week, but now with being at work so much, I just don’t have the time. I also used to enjoy walking in the woods and being very outdoorsy. This has all taken a back seat now and I’m left wondering if it’s too late.  Now I’m getting on a bit, I’m realising that I’m not as physically attractive as I used to be.  I notice little things like the beer belly (I don’t even drink beer) my baldness, though I like having a shaven head – it suits me. I’m just getting to the point where I really should act and dress my age. My friends all dress respectably when they are socialising; I’m the only guy in jeans t-shirt and skate shoes. I find it comfy to dress that way, but I can dress smartly when it’s needed.  I love wearing a suit for a formal “do”.

I’m very curious as to whether it’s an Aspie thing to not act or dress your age, and whether it’s also an Aspie thing to be very over-critical of yourself. Or am I having a bad day due to lack of sleep and other things?

Stay safe X

I had a day off today, which was nice as the weather was perfect.  It’s been a shorts and t-shirt day and I’ve been working on more poetry, maintaining my geeky website and playing online games.

This was a needed day off, as yesterday I had a very difficult day.  My colleagues said I had changed in the time they’d known me, as I wouldn’t look them in the eye when they first met me.  I so wanted to explain that it’s part of being an Aspie, but I didn’t know if that would be taken the wrong way. i didn’t pick up that someone had said something sarcastic to me, and, as with most Aspies, I just done understand sarcasm.  I do take things very literally.  I’m not sure how to learn to tell when someone is being sarcastic… it’s a mystery to me.

Stay safe X

After a conversation with a colleague yesterday where they looked at my face and proceeded to read my emotional state completely wrongly, I got to thinking that it’s not just us Aspies that can’t read facial expressions – most NT’s (neurotypical) can’t read us either. Why is that?

I’m told that we Aspies have unusual, misleading or inappropriate facial expressions. I do a lot of time, mainly because I’m lost in thought or my face is reacting to something in my head. I’m not trying to copy the NT facial expressions, my brain is passing information and making connections. Figuring out what was said, etc, I have to do all this with various other things going on in my head, before I can react “appropriately”.  But the reaction isn’t a natural one, it’s one I have to work out to go with the conversation. I haven’t totally mastered it, because it’s like learning a foreign language.

So, in the interests of science, I want to try an experiment to show how NT’s can do what we can’t, and vice versa.

The link below is for a recognised test where all you have is a set of eyes and four emotions to pick from! Can you link the emotional state to the eyes.

Social Intelligence Test

Stay safe X

While I work on my new book I thought I would treat you to a sneak peak of some of my work.

Happy Sunday everyone

Stay safe X

Home Movie

We remember it like
It happened yesterday
We fondly reminisce

Those tweets and texts
Stolen moments, shared
They still raise a smile.

The moment we met
That tune was playing
All part of the soundtrack…

We had Skype, emails, texts
To keep us connected
Between the hugs and kisses

We finally moved in together
Making this a lovely home
With our one-eyed cat

If you don’t believe me, dear,
Ask your mother later on.
We both giggle so fondly.

It’s all like one big film
The highs and lows
This one has had them all.

“One star – too free thinking”
Daily Mail

“Five stars – freaking awesome”
K Magazine

The only thing left is a question
21 December 2013: Will you press record
and make our eternal home movie?

Well it was a very hectic day yesterday at work. I was not feeling quite right (see yesterday’s blog entitled Sleep) so I guessed the day would be a challenge. Little did I know that my regular partner in crime was also not feeling her best. So we were both going to have a challenging time of it.

I must point out that my colleague is one of the best members of staff to have in your corner when it stupidly busy. She is quick, resourceful, witty and very clever. We work together like a well-oiled machine.  I can rely on her totally, and like to think she can rely on me.

What I’m trying to say in a round about way, is that I realise I need friends. My colleague is a friend, and makes me laugh, smile and also realise that at times NTs do these things and not just us Aspies.  My friend has really taken the time to get to know me and to make me feel like less of an outsider (like all the other staff) and more like a real person. There are times when I wish I could say “thank you” for this to her,  but I’m guessing she knows.  Plus it could make things weird, and I don’t want to do that at all.  I really struggle with knowing what is acceptable and what isn’t in this situation.  I don’t want to give anyone the wrong idea!

I hope you all find friends like mine in your journey through this life. Stay true to yourself, and….

Stay safe X

Today I’m left wondering about wheather, and how, sleep can affect the way I am and the way I interact with the world. I’m left wondering this after I had about 6 hours sleep (that’s nothing new) and was woken by my alarm clock of the furry variety. This in itself is not an issue.  What was an issue was the fact that while I was still half asleep. I had Mrs Bob cuddling me and talking to me.

I know I shouldn’t complain at having such a loving wife, but it just felt like too much stimulation for my half-firing neurons to cope with. Since then, I have tried to sleep as I was still tired and have to work today. I managed to get another hour but now I’m not feeling myself – I’m crabby and impatient and my neurological functions seem slower. I’m not tired, I just don’t seem to be working right.

This led me to wonder if it was the amount of sleep we get or if the way we were brought out of that sleep was the responsible for this result. It’s time to science this.

stay safe X

Well I have had a very busy but productive few days.  What with my day job being very busy and the weather being nice, it has made it a very hectic week.

In between the madness, I have managed to find the time to send off the draft of my scribbles (poetry) to Be proofread and corrected. This is something that, as a dyslexic, I cannot do myself, and I have to rely on others to do it for me.

While the final draft is being polished and worked on, I have been working on the cover and thought I would show you a rough work in progress.  What do you think?

. 

Well what a day off, which, after the last couple of days (which included being asked to do a video-type recording thing on comic books, etc). I needed a day off to unwind and relax.

Cue a call from my favourite (and local) comic book store Gnash Comics of Ashburton, to say that a graphic novel they were keeping hold of until the artist  (Jock) happened to make one of his many trips in, so they could ask him to sign it, had been signed. By golly I’m so happy with it. It is a thing of beauty (see below)

That, plus a nice walk and a relaxing afternoon followed by my favourite podcast – The Lazarus Pit Pod – talking about comic book and movie type stuff. This week was top 5 heroes (and my favourite, Batman, was number 1), while relaxing with a really nice bath in my very own “Lazarus Pit”.

Stay safe X