Visitor Q&A: Diet, Clothes, School, Books
I have received a few questions via e-mail and Twitter. As promised I will answer questions as best I can. You can contact me on this blog's "Ask the Author" page or via Twitter (@autisticme).
Q: Have you tried different diets? If so, do they have any effect?
A: I have a chlorophyl allergy (seriously), so I cannot eat a lot of green vegetables without incurring a lot of pain and misery. Unfortunately, I also love salads, so I must limit the amount to a small, small serving. We tend to eat fish and chicken. I react to grease and oil, so we bake and grill with fruit juices, coconut milk, and various marinades.
I absolutely adore breads and cookies. Not about to skip those, but we also try to control carbs because I want to lose weight. I've been avoiding pasta and other starchy foods.
Q: Are you sensitive to clothing?
A: Yes. I have always removed tags. I hate "itchy" clothes and really hate itchy bedsheets. I don't like wool, despise "sticky" clothing in summer and don't like seams. The list of what I do like is shorter than what I dislike. I like jeans, loose polo shirts, and lightweight canvas court shoes (Converse, Vans). When I have to dress "nicely" I wear high-end cotton shirts, lined slacks (to reduce itching), and well-padded dress shoes. I will say that Men's Wearhouse has been great at helping me deal with some custom needs. I also received great service at Brooks Brothers. No tags! Custom (loose) fit! Ideal.
Q: Were you bullied in school?
A: Do teachers count?
Q: What types of books do you read? I've heard students with Asperger's like science fiction and history.
A: I don't know if people with AS or any ASDs have particular book preferences. I like classic English literature, children's books, history, language, psychology, and art books. If I had an endless budget and more bookcases, I'd have every art book I could find. The problem with many art books is that they are little more than "coffee table" books. I want the history, some criticism, and insights.
The last two works of fiction I read were mysteries. The books I am reading currently: a history of America (1870-1940), an educational philosophy text from 1966, and one of the Sherlock Holmes collections. I have a long to-read list posted on both Goodreads and Visual Bookshelf ("LivingSocial"). I should check those accounts to see if my lists are updated.
Q: Have you tried different diets? If so, do they have any effect?
A: I have a chlorophyl allergy (seriously), so I cannot eat a lot of green vegetables without incurring a lot of pain and misery. Unfortunately, I also love salads, so I must limit the amount to a small, small serving. We tend to eat fish and chicken. I react to grease and oil, so we bake and grill with fruit juices, coconut milk, and various marinades.
I absolutely adore breads and cookies. Not about to skip those, but we also try to control carbs because I want to lose weight. I've been avoiding pasta and other starchy foods.
Q: Are you sensitive to clothing?
A: Yes. I have always removed tags. I hate "itchy" clothes and really hate itchy bedsheets. I don't like wool, despise "sticky" clothing in summer and don't like seams. The list of what I do like is shorter than what I dislike. I like jeans, loose polo shirts, and lightweight canvas court shoes (Converse, Vans). When I have to dress "nicely" I wear high-end cotton shirts, lined slacks (to reduce itching), and well-padded dress shoes. I will say that Men's Wearhouse has been great at helping me deal with some custom needs. I also received great service at Brooks Brothers. No tags! Custom (loose) fit! Ideal.
Q: Were you bullied in school?
A: Do teachers count?
Q: What types of books do you read? I've heard students with Asperger's like science fiction and history.
A: I don't know if people with AS or any ASDs have particular book preferences. I like classic English literature, children's books, history, language, psychology, and art books. If I had an endless budget and more bookcases, I'd have every art book I could find. The problem with many art books is that they are little more than "coffee table" books. I want the history, some criticism, and insights.
The last two works of fiction I read were mysteries. The books I am reading currently: a history of America (1870-1940), an educational philosophy text from 1966, and one of the Sherlock Holmes collections. I have a long to-read list posted on both Goodreads and Visual Bookshelf ("LivingSocial"). I should check those accounts to see if my lists are updated.
When I was a girl, my father had a art book series/collection. And they had biographies of the artists and information about the picures. Oh, it was terrific. I'll see if I can get the name of it.
ReplyDeleteI remember the books were a medium-light green in color. I love art books too.
I am glad to hear that you like to read. My aspie hates reading novels and never reads for pleasure.
I can spend hours alone with books. I love wandering bookstores and libraries. We need to do a much better job of encouraging children and teens (especially young boys) to read. From books, I learned about science, math, and art. In our office, we have nearly 200 books: half on writing, half on page design.
ReplyDeleteI'll read and take notes, which lead to more books and online research. I want to know everything I can learn about topics.