The Autistic Me

We celebrated the start of our four-day holiday weekend by watching three adaptations of Jane Austen novels. These were the "good" versions, written by Andrew Davies and produced by BBC with the "old" A&E that cared about Art as much as Entertainment. Pride and Prejudice remains my favorite Austen work, and the Davies script is a reasonably loyal adaptation. I have to state that I like the dialogue of Persuasion , and Emma is a masterpiece — so self-aware that it can border on being something of an Austen parody of Austen. (I do not like Mansfield Park and cannot recall Northanger Abbey , I admit to some shame.) A few days ago someone mentioned that I must love science fiction. No. I don't love science fiction. I like it, but I do not own many works of science fiction and my entertainment choices are more likely to be cartoons and romantic comedies. I enjoyed the first Star Wars movies, but I'm not an obsessed fan; we don't even own cop...

It seems every time I address a group, someone asks about "The Big Bang Theory." Even after I explain that I have never watched a complete episode — and until recently not even most of an episode — I am asked about the characters. The common questions include: Q: Don't you just love Sheldon Cooper? A: I didn't know who he was until recently. I Googled the name, honestly. Q: Couldn't you tell how much like those characters you are? A: No. I found them annoying. I don't like most science fiction or comic books, either. Though I do appreciate references to obscure scientists. Q: Didn't you go to CalTech? A: No, I went to USC. I'm a fiercely loyal Trojan. A friend from USC married a Ph.D from CalTech, but that's as close as I get. Q: Don't you have several degrees? Wouldn't you like another degree? A: Possible evidence that I make dumb choices. Q: Aren't you a genius? A: It doesn't make me funny, either. I guess I do sha...