An Autistic AGM (Annual General Meeting)

FUN FACT

It takes 28 minutes to drive to Northbridge from my home

FUN FACT

The travelling distance is approximately 32.0 k

FUN FACT

I went to Northbridge on Sunday

You know the one thing I dread when I log into Facebook?

No it’s not Sally’s latest baby pic (we get it Sally you’ve had a baby congrats, I don’t need to see daily updates because that’s all your life now revolves around)

Or Carly who took a Real housewives of New Jersey quiz and is Teresa Giudice why don’t you take the same test now to find out which housewife you are?

No it’s one far worse than any of those.

It’s the dreaded

You’ve been invited to an event!!

INTERNAL AUTISTIC SCREAMS

One such event invitation came up as a notification when I logged into Facebook the other week.

As much as you try to ignore the notification it keeps somehow reminding you of its presence until you can take no more reminders and you have to click into it and make a decision either way.

It’s a simple process of clicking on yes, no, or maybe.

I needed to think and carefully consider my options.

The invite came from the Autism Group which I am a member of alerting me to their monthly get together meeting in Northbridge.

I hadn’t attended one of these meetings before as I’m not a particularly confident driver and heading into the city for me is a very overwhelming thing and an experience which I do not enjoy being implemented into my day.

Also Autism and being social are not a great match.

It can strike fear into anyone (well ok not everyone)

But if your Autistic then it doesn’t sit well with us

And we have to really overthink it and analyse it and work ourselves up to the monumental moment when the time comes to head outside of our house and into the cold, bleak, world!

Much like Avril Lavigne from her song “I’m with you” (See photo below)

An opportunity was presenting itself to me.

I leapt on it.

INTERNAL AUTISTIC SCREAMS ONCE MORE

I had committed to something!!

Deep breaths N!ck!

1400 hours AWST

The sheer amount of boredom sitting here not contributing to the conversation because I have nothing to say or add to what people are already in the midst of discussing.

14.35 AWST

I am currently listening to *Fay’s* (not her real name) constant monologue about her Bi-polar history another lady near her is unnerved by her constant swearing

14.45 AWST

The lady who has clearly now had enough of the swearing makes an excuse that she has to get back to her cat and walk it or feed it.

I later find out that she doesn’t have a cat.

15.06 AWST

Nothing of any significance has happened.

I am stuck.

Trapped.

I check my phone for messages or emails from the outside world.

I cannot leave due to the fact that I got a lift to this event with this woman.

15.15 AWST

I am currently wishing for a flash mob dance to occur outside so that I can join in

15.20 AWST

This wishing isn’t working I go and get another drink

15.25 AWST

I break from the silence to go and have a wee this is the most exciting part of the afternoon

Ok so instead of me writing comedy bullet points the rest of the afternoon dragged on.

To say I was bored was an understatement.

This meeting lacked structure and yes I could have started a conversation up myself (I can hear you all saying why didn’t you?)

I didn’t because I didn’t feel that I had anything that I wanted to discuss so I kept quiet.

I was tired.

I have to have an afternoon nap.

I didn’t get home until 4.30 AWST.

I slept for an hour.

I needed to try and block out *Fay’s bi-polar monologue.

I’m certain that Fay has enough material to make her conversation into a musical or at the very least a one-woman show that would be able to tour nationally across Australia.

I probably won’t be attending any future meetings but at least I can say that I did attend one.

The Chinese dinner get together that was happening downstairs for $8.50 (three courses) was more inviting.

I wish now that I had somehow been offered that at least I would have come away with a full belly and a smile on my face.

Carry on the Conversation

What are your thoughts on attending Autism get togethers? Have you been to one?

What was it like? Was it what you expected?

Let me know in the comments below.

As always, I can also be found on Twitter: @AutisticNick9 and at my email autisticnick9@gmail.com

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Thank you for reading and I will see you next time for more thoughts from across the spectrum.