Introduction - Me and my blog

Hey everyone and welcome to my blog about my life with Aspergers.

I think I can best begin this blog by explaining who I am in my own words.

Who am I? Well I’m an individual with my own thoughts of course. During the writing of this blog you’ll probably find I have some strong opinions on certain things. If you feel otherwise, or you feel harmed by anything I write, please remember that these are just my opinions and not facts.

My name is Ellen. I like to use the nickname Issha. Obviously I have Asperger’s Syndrome, which is part of the Autism Spectrum. Besides that I’m also Chronicly Fatigued. This basically means I’m tired faster than neurotypical people. I sometimes have symptoms like dizziness, hyperventilation, sensitivity to light and pain in muscles and joints as well. My Chronic Fatigue also has an influence on my Autism and my Autism also has an influence on my Chronic Fatigue. This is why you’ll probably also find me blogging about that.

My biggest hobby is going to Anime/Manga conventions. What is Anime/Manga you say? In short, Manga is a Japanese comic drawing style (also used in some video games). Anime is the same drawing style, but animated, so in cartoons. I like watching/reading these Anime/Manga.

Around the world there are a lot of conventions focused on Anime/Manga. I love going there and have a lot of friends there. Also, I help out at some of the Dutch conventions. I’m very good at this.

Also, I’m a great fan of the Fantasy genre and go to Fantasy Fairs. Besides that I occasionally LARP (Life Action Role Play, if you don’t know what that is: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Live_action_role-playing_game)

I also help out at Chill Aut, which is a weekly Autism Meeting inside a clubhouse, and try to do more for Autism (like attending Autism Markets and stuff like that). I’m still discovering what I can do for Autism, so if you have any ideas, don’t hesitate to tell me.

I’ve studied for Assistant Baker and currently work at La Place, which is a sort of diner at a clothing shop.

Sometimes when you see me it’ll be obvious to you that I have Aspergers. Other times it won’t be as obvious. To explain this I use the word Kansas. This word comes from Aaron Likens his blog: lifeontheothersideofthewall.blogspot.com. To explain the word ‘Kansas’ in this context, you can read his article about it here:

 “Kansas: This concept made it as the title of my book Finding Kansas. The Kansas concept was written in a chapter entitled "Situational Handicap". I learned through my job as a race director and flagman that when I was in an element that I loved I was much more functional and everything made more sense. From this I defined Kansas as "The activities, concepts, or interests that a person on the spectrum is supremely interested in". Most people on the spectrum have an area of defined interest and I define that as Kansas.”

If you want to know why he defines it as Kansas, click this link: http://www.findingkansas.com/Finding_Kansas_continued/finding_kansas_continued.html

My Kansas is helping out at events.

By the way, by events I usually don’t mean concerts and discos and the likes. I’m very sensitive to loud basses, so I won’t be found there regularly. With events I mean conventions, expo’s, fairs, Autism Markets, symposiums, meetings, etc.

So yea, that’s a big introduction to me… I hope I didn’t bore you all to death.

In future blogs I’ll be blogging about my life and my struggles and victories within it, focused on my Asperger’s.

Thanks for taking an interest!