If someone asks you to cut some board to a length of 24 inches what do you do?
You of course cut the board to 24 inches.

It happened last week at my fill in job (until I get a “real job”) that a coworker asked me to cut some wood for a project we were working on. The pieces needed to be 24 inches long. After I cut the pieces and brought them back a sort of disagreement began. You see, he wanted 4 pieces from a 96 inch piece of 1x4 and I only gave him 3. The coworker explained that I was supposed to cut the pieces at 23 and 7/8 inches and get 4 pieces in stead of 3 pieces at 24 inches and a left over piece at 23 and ½ inches. We went back and forth for awhile about what 24 inches means and in the end I told him if you want 23 and 7/8 – ask for it. If you want 24 inches you are going to get 24 inches – I take things literally.

This incident seems to reinforce my wife’s contention that I might have Aspergers Syndrome. I have not been diagnosed with anything but it sure would explain a few things.

I posted this on the forums but it really belongs here too.

This is an extrapolation of information based on my own situation and does not mean it is fact.

I have not been diagnosed with Aspergers Syndrome or any Autism Spectrum related issues.

I’m just trying to put the pieces together for myself and hopefully help others who might read this.

The connection to being a non secretor seems to fit very well. Many of the “symptoms” of being a nonnie match to the descriptions of Aspergers Syndrome.

I’ve always known that something was different about me and how I process information. When someone is speaking at a seminar or product demonstration I always seem to be able to pick something out that was said that I took as matter of fact but others would say “that’s not what was meant.”

I have asked questions about products or the performance of products that the promoter or salesman would reply “no one has ever asked that question in the 20 years I’ve been in the business.” They do not have an answer to what I thought was an obvious question that needed to be answered.

I cannot exactly relate to someone else’s pain, suffering or emotional state. I can only relate to that situation on how I would feel and react in the same situation. The two do not mean the same thing, especially to the other person who gets the impression that you don’t care and are unsympathetic or just oblivious – which means you are stupid, ignorant, etc.

Rules: Why have rules and not enforce them? Don’t tell me I can’t do the same thing someone else is allowed to do – I don’t care! Get rid of the rule or make everyone follow it.

Learning: If you teach in a linear fashion, test in a linear fashion. Don’t expect me to be able to put together sections a, b, f, r, and z on one question and then ask me to put together sections c, d, j, m and w on the next if you are not going to teach the information that way.

My wife says that when I get on a subject like ERFYT, I just can’t stop. She claims the people I talk to lose interest and get bored. I look at it like “if they stop asking questions, I’ll stop answering.”

These are a few examples of the similarities between Nonnies and Aspergers syndrome.

I found this doing some research on Aspergers. It’s by Kate Goldfield and much - but not all of it, I can relate to.

http://aspiefrommaine.webs.com/

Here’s an online test to take that will give you an idea if you might have Aspergers Syndrome. Take the test the way it is formatted and get your score. If you are like me, I noticed on the very first question that “the way they asked the question doesn’t fit the answers provided. It should be a yes or no type question to get the desired answer.”
Many of the other questions were the same way - to me. I scored right at the median level (18) compared to others who took the test. Over the years some of the situations I have adapted to and can handle them to a certain extent.

Take the test a second time but this time only answer the extremes of definitely agree or definitely disagree even if it doesn’t apply exactly and then check your score. I scored a 38 which put me in the Aspergers range.

http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/9.12/aqtest.html

I don’t know where this might lead, but it would explain a lot.