Voting

  As I recently turned eighteen, I now have a say in my country's government. It is important that young people voice their opinions. People before us have fought, died, and risked their lives so that we could have a say, and we should never just throw that opportunity away.
  The most important example of a group of  men who had this willingness to die and sacrifice themselves I think is America's Founding Fathers. I mean, even my British readers should give them some credit. At the end of the Declaration of Independence, they pledged one another their lives and their honor as gentlemen so America could be free. You have to admit that it took some guts to do that.
   The man who crafted these words was no idiot bumpkin himself. He was Thomas Jefferson: a brilliant, quiet, and thoughtful man who became America's third president. Though not one to stand in the front of a room and speak (he was rather soft spoken), he could write exceptionally well and that was why he was chosen to write the Declaration in the first place.
   A little known fact is that many experts today believe Jefferson had Asperger's Syndrome. It's not very hard to believe: a quiet genius who managed to double the size of America during his presidency. It would take an exceptional man to do that, and Jefferson did it. He was also far more casual than his predecessors: he often met people for issues in his bathrobe and slippers and walked to his inauguration.
  So, in this voting season, keep in mind Thomas Jefferson. The man fought for what he believed in in every way he knew how and became one of the most popular presidents today. I cannot not vote because I know a fellow Aspie fought to give me the right to vote, and I, for one, am not going to disappoint him.

The Teenage...Vampire?

    Our culture today seems to be obsessed with vampires.  From the sparkling vampires of Twilight, the terror of Bram Stoker's Dracula, to the kid movies of Hotel Transylvania and The Little Vampire, vampires seem to be everywhere these days. And why not? They make great characters with interesting morals: in Dracula, Stoker makes his title character the evil bloodsucker who preys on innocent human life, yet in the more modern takes on vampires, they can be friendly, even reluctant vampires . It's quite the question: who exactly are these vampires? What makes them who they are?
   Sometimes, I feel like being an Aspie is a lot like being a vampire. No, no, we don't drink blood. That's not what I meant. I mean that there are a lot of representations about Aspies that are false out there in the world, so many people don't know exactly what to make of us because they are presented with so much mixed information.  Some people, for example, just lump Asperger's with autism. However, we are in our own special category with our own odd quirks and interesting ideas. See what I mean?
   While we may never know the correct 'definition' of an Aspie, like we will never quite be able to 'define' vampires, I think we can go out and try to help people understand. You truly can never know someone until you talk to them and start learning. I think the world could learn a great deal from us, but first we have to show them the correct representation of who we are. We are not the stupid, sparkly vampires of Twilight or the ruthless Count Draculas the world sometimes makes us out to be but the kind and often misunderstood 'vampires' who only want to be like you.  We can prove to be steadfast friends, loyal students, and interested intellectuals...someone you would enjoy knowing . Just give us a try.

P.S. If you have not heard of and want to see these movies (The Little Vampire and Hotel Transylvania) or read Dracula, I highly recommend them.

Opals

   If you go to the average jewelry store and look in the cases, you will see many sorts of gems. Sapphires, diamonds, rubies and emeralds are among the many you will find.
   However, there is one gem that you won't see very often in jewelry stores.  The opal is the birthstone of October, but it is hard to find it in stores. Some jewelers will even substitute pink tourmaline as the October birthstone. Why is the opal not a popular choice?
  Actually, the opal is one of the more interesting stones because of all the stigmas attached to it. The reason the opal is the birthstone of October is that legend says that if one wears an opal and  is not born in October, the wearer will be cursed.  Jewelers are surprisingly superstitious, and many won't touch opals because of the supposed 'curse' . They will swear it's true because it has happened to someone they know.
    Sometimes, I feel that Asperger's is a label almost like that of the opal. That we are almost 'cursed' to lead a lonely, friendless life. However, this isn't true, not in the least. Aspies are not cursed, and we can have friends, we just need people who are willing to work with us, and we bloom under care. So Aspies, don't worry if someone shies away because of the stigmas of who we are. They don't deserve your opal-esque brilliance.

You're not alone

   So I was checking on my page view numbers (couldn't resist) and I saw that this blog is being read all over the world and I have reached over 1,000 page views. I am so flattered and honored that you guys keep reading my blog. You are the best!
   But while I was doing a happy dance for my blog, I realized exactly what this means. People all over the world are uniting and reading my blog because of one thing: we all have Asperger's Syndrome. I remember when I was first told about my Asperger's at the age of thirteen. I was terrified and there seemed to be nobody to turn to, since Asperger's had only become an "official" diagnosis in 1994. Suffice it to say, nobody really knew about Asperger's and it was lumped together with other syndromes.
    It was never easy. In fact, there were times I seriously considered giving up. I would be sick of people not understanding and others who turned their noses up at me. But through it all, I decided to stay strong, like you should, and make the best of my situation.
   Looking at my page views today, I realized I wasn't and never have been alone. There are people out there just like me. We all have simliar stories because they have lived through the exact same situations that I have.
   Aspies: you are not alone. I know it may be hard now, but believe in yourself. There will come a day when all is put right. In the meantime, remember that you are not alone. We are all here to support you and we feel what you feel. We will always have each other's back, no matter what.

Titanium

   Last year, as happens in every high school, my class finally got to choose their class rings. As I go to an all-girls' school, this was naturally a big deal. What metal to use, black fill in(or not), what the side of the ring should look like, all of these choices were going through my mind.
   I knew I wanted a silver-colored band because silver goes with everything (one of the best pieces of jewelery advice I have ever received). However, I also wanted it durable because I am constantly running about and don't want to get it damaged easily. Anyway, I filled out the form and knew I got an alloy, and the ring came out perfect.
   Fast forward to the present. I was looking for something the other day and came across the box my ring came in and upon reading, my ring is a silver and titanium alloy.
   If anyone out there has heard the song "Titanium" you will understand why. Titanium is one of the hardest metals known to man. Its name echos of strength. Even in the song, the singer tells her naysayers "Fire away, fire away. Shoot me down, but I won't fall. I am Titanium."
   I think Aspies are a lot like titanium. We are shot down, fall, but we will always get back up again. No matter what, we are strong and resilient. And we will always be able to be strong, no matter what the circumstance.
    Aspies, be Titanium. I know you can be.

Why entertainment can be beneficial

    My brother, who is fifteen, loves to watch TV. Whenever he has free time, he particularly enjoys shows like How I Met Your Mother and 24. My younger brother, who is ten, enjoys shows like Adventure Time and Regular Show. As into these shows as they are, I never quite understood it. These shows seemed boring to me, without real depth.
   One problem we as Aspies seem to have is the inability to recognise body language and facial expressions. It's not that we don't want to understand, it is simply that we don't know how. We love and cherish our alone time, reading, talking to ourselves, and thinking. As great as this time alone is, we cannot transfer it into our modern socializing. We don't understand what people mean, and it frustrates us.
   One way to help us Aspies learn body language is to, when they have free time, let them watch TV with real people on it. Aspies can watch these shows and get caught up in the plot, helping us focus on something other than school. Also, a TV show can show and Aspie how people react in a certain way and how they express it through their body. Then, when a similar situation happens in life, an Aspie can recognise it and respond accordingly. It's also a good way to start conversation for Aspies who need something to talk about.
   But, some will say, there is not anything good on! It's all boring and flat these days, how can I find a good show? Netflix, actually, can be very helpful with that. They see what you watch and recommend shows they think you will like, and some of the time, they are actually right. Listening to your friends' recommendations also help. Without my friends, I never would have found my shows that I love to watch: Doctor Who, Merlin, and Sherlock. I love them and recommend all three of these shows highly, and they have actually benefited from them.
   When you have time, try watching a show. You may be really glad that you did.

Anything you can do, I can do better!

  I don't know if any of my readers recognised the title of this blog from the musical Annie Get Your Gun, but that was where I got the idea from for this blog. If you listen to the song, it is about a boy and a girl saying that girls can be equal to and even surpass boys in some things. While I agree with the fact that women are equal to men, I actually thought of Aspies (and kids on the autism spectrum in general) who can do things that other people think we cannot, even surpassing people's expectations.
   Allow me to explain. I have a really good guy friend who is autistic. Let's call him Mark. Mark is a high functioning autistic boy who  I have become very close with. He, like myself, is a swimmer and enjoys his routine.
   Like all autistic kids, Mark has his problems with sound, and many things seem intense for him. However, a few years ago, he was able to swim Alcatraz. This involves swimming from the former prison to the shore in a wetsuit with who knows what floating around and  many people around you. Not the ideal environment for an autistic kid or an Aspie, period.
   But Mark is different. He swam that race and, remarkably, finished. The thing people said he could not do he managed to accomplish without any help whatsoever, completely by himself. I call him the wonder swimmer not because he could do it, but because he proved all of those people wrong who claimed that because he was autistic, he could never finish. Mark did, and is contemplating swimming it again because he enjoyed it so much!
   Moral of the story: just because someone says you cannot do something, doesn't mean you can't. Mark went against all his naysayers and came out on top. So remember Aspies and autistic kids everywhere: don't let someone's opinion of what you can do. You can do anything if you set your mind to, even if it seems impossible.