Aspie Holiday Party

Aspie Holiday Party December 21, 2013

We threw a really nice party at Rob's house today, a holiday party. It started about 5pm, and Chantel was the first to arrive, followed by Guy, his wife and his cute 5 year old son Jack. Then Nate came with Reid, Amber, W and N. J arrived later. We had about 12 people in all. We had food because it was a potluck. I had made some rosemary roasted potatoes that everyone liked very much. We also had a big bowl of candy, most of which gotten eaten, surprisingly, because it was all gummy stuff that I didn't think looked appetizing, and some chocolate truffles. People brought other stuff as well.

The highlight for me was meeting the two new female Aspies, N and J. I couldn't get enough of them. J said that she had seen my website before when she googled Asperger's and Maine and it was the first thing that came up! She said she read it and it really helped her feel better about having Asperger's, really helped her accept it. She said she had wanted to email me many times but was too scared to! Omg. I was so flattered I couldn't believe it. She kept saying "I'm sitting next to a celebrity." She didn't know I was going to be at the party. If I hadn't tried so hard to arrange the two women getting transportation here, it might not have happened, also. Wow. She had read everything I'd ever written. She lives in Portland. Also, she is as sensitive to fragrances and chemicals as I am - that is the SECOND time in the last two days that I have met someone who is sensitive to nearly the same degree as I am, I couldn't believe it, that never happens - so already we had two big things in common. Also, by pure chance, she had spent a month at Lost Valley in Eugene, just as I did. Omg, I couldn't get enough of her. We were drinking each other up.

It was like trying to drink a really tasty but thick beverage with just a straw - you couldn't get enough. I showed her pictures of Lost Valley I had on my computer .What a coincendence. I showed them the book my essay had been in. Everyone kept talking about what a good writer I was. I was just blown away by the praise. N, the other Aspie woman, was also very enjoyable to talk to as well. She had a very kind and friendly energy to her. The three of us sat talking and they were hanging on to my every word, I couldn't believe it. I felt so loved, so included, so valued. The three of us talked for a long time at the beginning before we mingled with the others. We talked about maybe creating a female Aspie support group at another location. The guys were definitely into conversation as well. Their conversation centered more on things like science, math ,and economics though. It's interesting, put a group of people together, approximately 5 girls and 5 guys, and a very natural split occurs, even with Aspies... the guys break away to discuss more impersonal topics like the above, and the women break away and talk about relational things like their lives. Interesting, that.

Guy's son Jack was very cute and so photogenic. I love taking pictures of kids. He kept making pipe cleaner toys for me and saying "This is for you." Kids can be great. I talked to a few other people in the group I hadn;'t talked to in a while. We did the Yankee Swap, which was my idea and I created. I bought a few extra presents today at the toy store for those who forgot to bring one or chose not to bring one, so everyone had a gift. And as it turned out, everyone liked their gift! Everyone just by chance got the gift that was perfect for them. I even got as a joke some fake dog poo, because it was cheap and it was funny, and the person who got it loved it. He works in a grocery store and says he can use that for jokes at the store. It was nice to arrange my own Yankee swap.

We didn't even have time for any games or a movie because everyone was talking. We talked as much as any group of NTs could, for three hours. =) I was pretty happy with the outcome, although I am a little tired now.

It's a lot of information to process! I write this not to be a piece of art but to help me process what went on and remember it for the future. I think I have made a new friend. It's the most female contact I've had in ages, and female Aspies at that. I would like to see more of them. Maybe we'll have to make our own little group. I love my guy friends, but I would *love* to have a group of women peers to be with. I've never had that in my entire life. I think it would be so very nice. I will have to be patient and see if it happens. And be patient with relaxing from all the excitement from tonight! I think we got some good pictures. Wow, how nice to think I can throw a party, or Rob and I can throw a party, for our friends just like other people do and have it be a success. That's definitely saying something. I've been a lot more social lately.