My obsession.

The most popular Aspie trait that gets showcased by TV and the recent Movie, The Accountant (which I will not be reviewing thanks, ) is that to make up for the social awkwardness, crippling inability to interact and occasional difficulty finding and keeping gainful employment, all Aspies have a specialised hobby or trait. This can either be something that makes the audience put their hands up and yell "quirky!" or it can be a hyper-analytical mind that can dissect any problem and find an out of the box solution. I guess it gives NT types a warm fuzzy feeling that even though these weird people walk among us, at least they have their uses for society or can be relatable as the one kid in class who thought the history of the penny from 1974 to 1982 was important.

Sadly, idiot savant and Aspie don't over lap as much as we'd all like. Many Aspies are just regular humans with a different brain make up. Ask any one legged dog if different equals better and they will tell you no, although most dogs don't care as long as there's kibble and bits and maybe a post man to bark at, I don't know, having never been a dog and only occasionally enjoying the company of dogs, and post men. This means that more often than not, social anxiety is not cancelled out by some great ability to count cards or meld with technology.

So, aside from trains (OK, not that deeply but come one, technology) and toy soldiers, what do I obsess about? Money. Or change more exactly, and what I can do with it (buy more toy soldiers!!). Or you know, put it into savings. It's watching my savings grow, in multiple accounts, and seeing how much I can get before the money needs to be spent. It's reached the level that its hard to release the money for stuff I need, like dental work (you're welcome)or buying  a car. You know, stuff I might actually benefit from owning. So, when people say I am a contributing member of society, yeah, the building society.

This should then translate into a need to gain said money through any means necessary, right? (this is called foreshadowing kids, so NO ONE can complain when I start doing Patreon or putting ads on my blog). Well no, because money is nice but trade offs are required. Could I work a full month with no days off? Yes, but by the end of it "offensively aspie" is redundant. Could I be working in a job that pays £50K+ a year? Maybe, but I lack the imagination to know what kind of job makes that money or how to get into it (trading stocks, the hell?). Can I ask for it in job interview? Maybe, but there is nothing more off putting than someone in interview demanding money or a raise on the basic offer. Knowing how hard work is to gain for Aspies, I'm mindful that while I can change my lott in life, maybe accepting the things I can't change immediately is a good plan. You may have guessed I'm currently being interviewed for a new job and this topic has resurfaced while dealing with my new employers (I stay stum about money, it's nice to have, but not a factor in getting or keeping a job).

I also love my tech. My Lord, technology. If I don't have at least two gizmo's on the go at once, I'm either sick or asleep (or driving, let's be reasonable here). But that's for another post.......


Check out some other stuff fo distract you from work: Facebook, Twitter, Patreon (made you look)

there are times.

I'm sure I've mentioned that I was doing a second degree, but if I hadn't, I'm doing a second degree.

Why am i doing a second degree? Because, unsupported I managed to get a 3 Honours degree, and a 3 isn't enough to do a masters, so I'm doing some degree modules to try and gain enough points to do a Masters.

Or you know, i could just realise I'm dumb and jack it all in.

The benefit to being disabled, for once, is that the university support is great. I can (and have) extend my time for submission, and I have availed of support in uni (I even have a named member of staff).

I'm sure many readers know that all these things are available, but having had no academic support for my first degree, its still novel.

I suppose that, while disabilities are not an excuse, they can be included and alleviated to gain support. With the right adjustments and support, life gets a little easier.

So I had a bit of a surprise when i renewed my energy supplier (a yearly ritual that I feel I have to do to try and get the best deals etc, because i might be missing out. I might also be owed PPI or have been in a serious accident, who knows). My energy supplier asked if I was disabled. There's no point in saying no, so explained all the intricacies of my life, having to spell some of the more obscure disabilities (like cerebral palsy and aspergers) and just sum the rest up as "learning difficulties".

I thought, like everything else i've ever filled in, was just for statistics or something. However, I'm now entitled to priority energy supply should there be a power cut. This is to power my hospital bed, my electric wheelchair, tube feed pump device and iron lung, none of which I currently own (hospital beds are uncomfortable, and at present I am able to walk mostly unaided). It was  a nice and generous thought, and I am glad that my provider has the thoughtfulness to priorities those who rely on electricity to live, and it strikes me that possibly it's a law. Ofgem, the regulator of energy providers has a document about the care of vulnerable customers.

Always good to know, even if I don't need anything of the sort.

Entirely fair

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10152484390566636&id=13312631635

The link leads to the story about EastEnders actress Kiruna Stamell who successfully sued the post office for not making the reasonable adjustment of having movable teathered pin machines and humiliating her by building steps with cardboard boxes. 

Ok, hands up, at first when I spied the headline I thought: but all those pin machines are mobile and what not and I simply don't test that theory because I might end up swinging it around like a lightsaber making bing noises and then the men in blue come and I have to quietly leave. (Where's my armed response unit? usual gets a laugh and a shove).

Apparently not all pin machines are built equal. It's only a shame that a good idea that should be standard isn't, but what I suspect happened was a company rep from pin machine co came out and quoted the basic price but then gave a little talk about reasonable adjustments and how for only £XXX.XX more they could make them fully opposable and the Post Office bod baulked, thought it was a gimmicky sell with a story and quickly ushered the rep out the door. 

It's a shame it took a court case to highlight it, but it shows how simple a reasonable adjustment could be. Lower counter top, moving pin machines, ramps instead of or as well as steps. The thing about reasonable adjustments is they cannot be outlandish and the company, if they really are cruel, can claim that due to impact on profits or staff levels etc the adjustment isn't reasonable. This of course can trigger further court cases etc.

I'm a little sorry that the Post Office didn't make this more of a PR exercise, and not try to fight it. Fighting disabled people about being unreasonable does no one any favours.

Anyway, good on her.