Newsletter | Life Stories | Personal
Autistic Widower’s Newsletter #5
Welcome to this week’s newsletter.
I was expecting to write that it’s been a fairly normal week for once. But then, out of the blue, my eldest son came in and told me how he’s been struggling with anxiety for a long time.
Back in 2017, when I was assessed for autism, I talked to my children about it in detail. I could see some traits in them, and I didn’t want them to experience the same struggles at school and college that I had in the 80s.
But my children were against the idea of being assessed, so we took no action at the time. (They felt it would result in them being labelled and bullied.)
I now regret not trying harder to get them to agree to an assessment, especially my eldest son.
I have let him down.
But we will speak to our GP and see what can be done.
In other news, I’ve had some first world problems this week.
My tumble dryer failed after 7.5 years of use, so I am surrounded by laundry. And my bonded retainer broke for the third time in 18 months.
I’m starting to regret having my teeth straightened now. I did not expect there to be ongoing costs, not to mention the five uncomfortable days waiting for my appointment.
When my retainer was fitted in 2020, the orthodontist said they were using a different method due to COVID, to reduce the risk of aerosol transmission. Unfortunately, it is inferior in terms of bonding strength.
However, compared to the awful things happening to the people of Ukraine, my problems are insignificant.
Finally, I would like to thank all my readers and subscribers. I hope you find something that amuses or interests you.
Best wishes, and see you again next week.
This Week’s Stories
I’ve tried to mix things up a little bit this week, so there are four very different stories.
My Surprising First eBay Sale In 2004
I could hardly believe it!
A couple of years after joining eBay in 2002, I tried my hand at selling — and it turned out better than I could have imagined.
Real Life vs Online Friendships
Some personal thoughts about friendships from someone who is autistic and has ADHD
In this article, I describe some of my real-life experiences and difficulties with friendships. Then I give my thoughts about online friendships.
The photo is the actual guitar amplifier mentioned in the article, which I repaired for a friend. When I took the picture in 2007, I could never have imagined what I would end up using it for!
My Favourite Music, Part 3: Philly Soul
Nine Philadelphia soul songs that I love
One of my friends on Twitter recently read my article about Britfunk. So I added this one about Philadelphia soul.
I also renamed my article about sad songs, so it is now part 2 of my series about music.
The photo for this one was easy — I put three CDs on the floor!
My Painful Experiences When Trying to Get in Shape
I did some silly things when exercising in my twenties, but things worked out in the end
In the late 80s and early 90s, I decided I needed to get in shape. This story is about some of the silly mistakes I made.
The photo is my slant board, about 16 years after I bought it. (There was a logo and model number on the board which I erased using Affinity Photo.)
I was inspired to write this story after reading a story about CrossFit by Sandra Jasionowska. (Sorry for tagging you yet again, Sandra!)
This Week’s Recommended Writer
This is the part where I draw attention to another writer on Medium.
I have chosen Bernie Pullen this time, who has written about a range of topics including some very moving stories about grief and loss, as well as more light-hearted subjects such as chocolate. (I’m hungry now!)
- Bernie Pullen’s Master List of Stories
- Why Eating Chocolate is Not Always Bad?
- When Life Gives You Lemons, Sometimes You Can’t Hand Them Back
All of us will face predicaments in our lives; it’s how you deal with them that counts - The Last Holiday
This short piece is based on a true story about my younger sister.
Thank you for reading!
