The Aspie #1 – Explaining… Autism 101 (Part 1): Life on the Spectrum

Right then… You’ve read the Introduction to this website and I’m going to assume there are two questions you are curious about straight away: Where did the nickname Aspie ADog come from? And / or what is Autism and being autistic? Well, I think it’s probably appropriate, especially if you are a new visitor, to read this post here before reading anything else as I explain Autism in my own words.

Nickname Origins

So, ADog is a nickname I originally accepted from people in secondary school when I was around 14 because I liked the sound of it, particularly since I was a big sceptic of having a nickname assigned to me at the time. That’s because I personally wasn’t prepared to just accept ANY old nickname for myself, let alone one that may have offensive connotations if I dig deep enough. And Aspie is, in my eyes anyway, a colloquial way of saying I am autistic that I picked up from a Facebook Group I was in in my teen years.

Then, when I was about 17, I decided to combine the two together and turn ADog into an acronym for the things I believe autistic people can represent when they are at their best and supported properly.

However, I personally embrace nuance, which is why each of those words have an asterisk next to them. Why so? Well, just because I am Ambitious does not mean my goals have to be pie in the sky to make myself sound more interesting. Just because I am Dignified & Respectful doesn’t mean I am afraid to call a spade a spade, when necessary, even against myself. Just because I am an Opportunity Taker doesn’t mean I seize everything that is offered to me, especially if it is likely to be more harmful than beneficial. And just because I can be Gritty & Determined doesn’t mean I never consider quitting a viable option whatsoever. Lieutenant-Commander Tuvok said in the Star Trek Voyager Episode Learning Curve:

“The strongest tactical move is always the one in which you will reap the highest gain at the lowest cost. Going out with phasers firing may seem heroic, but in the long run it is merely foolish. Retreat is often the best possible option.” [1]

And I’ve not been afraid to do exactly that in the past. For example, I was a member of a local photography club here in Limerick for a period of time in 2022. I joined because I had a Nikon Camera just sitting in a camera bag under my bed (which it still is) and I wanted to see if I could learn the skills and put it to use. Sadly, I didn’t enjoy my experience there because I was often intimidated rather than inspired by the competitions and presentations that frequented every night I attended. Plus, I was the youngest member by miles, which is not a good look for any club, in my opinion. So, I decided, three months after joining, to stop attending and not pursue a full membership. But I still receive daily photography tips in my Inbox because what’s wrong with trying to learn something independently?

I also put the entire nickname into suspended animation throughout 2020 and 2021 because I wasn’t executing any of it during the various COVID-19 Lockdowns and also because my Mental Health was a mess for other reasons. In fact, I would say I was being the Anti-ADog, the opposite of Aspie ADog that can come out in ways I’ll give an idea into in Part 2.

But I decided to revive the former after what you’ve come to visit was crafted in a dream at the start of 2022. I had a more adult concept in my head initially, but I eventually settled on the simple idea of explaining who I am (well most of me), what my interests are and how I manage Autism on a daily basis. At least for starters. I made a WordPress skeleton while I was still in college in 2022, found that ADog and Blog rhymed well together in my mind and after lots and lots of procrastination and good ideas buzzing around in my head, here we are at last! Now switch over to Page 2 of this post for the basics of Autism.