#MiniCooper – Manual Transmission: Shifting Gears as an Adult with Autism

Cool Cars Are Therapeutic

Admitting needs is tough for many of us – even those of us on the autism spectrum. Part of the reason I blog is to be more transparent about my weaknesses. If I can share anything helpful, whether it is from a moment of victory, or of a moment of struggle, I want to doContinue reading “Cool Cars Are Therapeutic”

Earth Day Birthday

This year, I worked on my birthday. Happens all the time – adults often work on their birthdays. I was spoiled in years past; my previous employer offered a day off with pay for birthdays! But this year, I not only went to work, but I did a tiny bit more manual labor than usual.Continue reading “Earth Day Birthday”

Boldly Going with ASD

Sometimes, my enthusiasms can be another’s irritations. Not that the thing I am enthusiastic about is irritating in and of itself; it’s me. I become irritating when I spew my enthusiasm about some things all around, “getting it” all over those around me. This year, May the Fourth was one of those sometimes. Science FictionContinue reading “Boldly Going with ASD”

Higher Octane – Good Recalls

The Mini takes 5W-30 oil. But, because I’ve owned several other cars that needed other oil weights, sometimes I forget which weight to purchase. Fortunately, Mini has printed the Paceman’s required oil weight on a sticker — right under the hood. A big black sticker with yellow print — extremely hard to miss. I feelContinue reading “Higher Octane – Good Recalls”

Revolutionary Thinking – First Year

Hi, I’m Bart, and I have autism. Sound like an AA meeting? Well, it took some humility and self-admission on my part to say anything about autism to anyone. I’ve written before about my feelings at the time of my diagnosis; one of the self-imposed scripts that began to haunt me was, “Tell no one.” Continue reading “Revolutionary Thinking – First Year”

Connections Make Community – Part 2

A few posts ago, I wrote about a mall that went under several years ago. This week, coincidentally, I visited two other malls in RVA in one day! Are malls making a comeback? Or did they only serve me and my family’s purposes that day? The mall from the past that is now non-existent hadContinue reading “Connections Make Community – Part 2”

Driving, Delivering, Deodorizing

The Mini is getting a lot more highway miles than it used to. I changed jobs about three months ago, and my commute went from about 14 miles of weaving through Richmond, to 55 miles of highway driving. My average MPG has gone up, but I’m spending more on gas. Neither the extra miles norContinue reading “Driving, Delivering, Deodorizing”