autism – The Oracle of Z

Masking Virtuoso Takes the Day Off

Image of the author, middle aged white lady with brown wavy hair, looking tired and slightly depressed but she's actually fine and neurotypical, sighted people just place too much value on appearances.

My mother was recently visiting our family for a little more than a week. Some friends have said that a week is a “long” visit. Though I understand that this statement is relative, the designation of the visit as “long” is both a gross understatement and completely untrue. It’s untrue because saying the visit isContinue reading “Masking Virtuoso Takes the Day Off”

Curated: conjuring demand and identity

I love beautiful things. Full stop. When things are not beautiful it hurts a little. I have been known to say to friends, usually when talking about things like interior or fashion design, “if you can make it beautiful, you should.” I live my life in the center of what one would call “refined aesthetics.” Continue reading “Curated: conjuring demand and identity“

#ActuallyAutistic Part 2: Masking, OR “you don’t seem autistic”

Y’all, my exhaustion is exhausted. The internet wants me to think that this is the brain fog of the late pandemic, and it isn’t not that, but it is actually a whole other thing for me personally. And that thing is called “masking.” Masking is the process of learning and implementing the behaviors required byContinue reading “#ActuallyAutistic Part 2: Masking, OR “you don’t seem autistic””

#ActuallyAutistic Part 1: Autism Awareness/Acceptance Month

So…it’s April and that is Autism Awareness month. Perhaps you are aware that autism exists? Success! But actually no, not success because there are a lot of things about being autistic that still suck and very few of them are autism itself, they are mostly trying to exist as autistic in a neurotypical world. ForContinue reading “#ActuallyAutistic Part 1: Autism Awareness/Acceptance Month”

Sonder

In high school, because of mine and my mother’s disgraced retreat from a repossessed mobile home to a rundown apartment complex resultant of her bankruptcy, I had a 45 minute commute to high school in my hand-me-down 1991 Buick Century, Bonnie. I traveled through an affluent suburb, down old state route 421 to my ruralContinue reading “Sonder”