asian-invasion

I had begun this blog with the intent of exposing you, the English-speaking world, to Japanese entertainment and culture. I still will, although I have recently decided that it can’t be the main focus…because I can’t focus. I have an entry which is only started and, in spite of my intentions and desire to finish and publish it, will likely never be completed. The possibility exists for its completion, but not right now.

See, I have what is called Aspergers Syndrome. In a nutshell, it is a “high-functioning” form of autism. That means I can live independently and fend for myself but not without a lot of difficulty in certain areas of my life. The one which suffers the most is social. I have trouble establishing and maintaining close relationships with people, and not just because I’m not good with idle chatter, banter, or “small talk.” This will be brought into better light later.

What I intend to display by this sudden change of focus on this blog (notice the previous entries) is one small aspect of Aspergers which often affects my ability to complete tasks in progress. I have a touch of ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder). In my case, I am easily distracted and drawn away from whatever I may be doing at the time.

It has happened many times on the job and, fortunately, no one has noticed so far because I usually catch myself and go back to the original task. Many college class projects have suffered from my leaving them half-done and noticing the incomplete status only the day before deadline. During speeches and lectures when I’m supposed to be taking notes, my mind wanders or races to other places if things are too quiet. If the class were engaged in debate or I am involved in hands-on activity, I’d have no problem with classroom studies. Alas, only a scant minority of them are dynamic to that extent.

I’ll spare you further examples of my inability to maintain focus for now, although you’ll see future instances of it and how it interferes with my life in general. Today, the latest victim is this blog. I can keep the entries coming, but for someone like me to focus on a topic which doesn’t affect my daily routines would be counterproductive at best. This is just one reason why I wish to shift focus from Japanese culture to AS.

I feel there are people out there in my position who can learn from my experiences and trials with Aspergers, as its effects tend to be suited to the individuals who have it. This is what some people call an “invisible illness,” but that’s minimizing its scope and affect. It is neurological rather than psychological. It is something every parent needs to test their children for before they enter school for first grade (Aspergers wasn’t made official until the early 1990s - I am now 40 and wasn’t diagnosed until 2004) for the best chance of conditioning and “reprogramming.”

The incomplete blog entry I mentioned earlier means a great deal to me because of my penchant for character analysis. You’ll know it when it finally is published. You’ll see by it my powers of observation in spite of the lack of ability to stay on topic for an extended length of time. Depending on how the moderators of this blog network decide to handle this sudden shift, you’ll understand that Aspergers Syndrome, let alone autism itself, is a serious problem.

Stick around. Observe. Discuss. Learn. Most importantly, understand.

By the way, I left many links to informative sites and articles for your consideration…