Monthly Archives: December 2013

Dec 21 2013
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Autism Spectrum, behaviours

An Aspie Wonders About Neural Pathways

How are neural pathways set?  And why do some take almost instantly while others never seem to take?

What makes me wonder about this is the weirdest thing.  When we first moved into this apartment, I put a large storage cabinet against the far left wall in the dining room.  The next day, a friend whose advice I greatly value told me I had to switch it with the china cabinet.

This meant moving the storage cabinet to just inside the dining area wall, right off the kitchen, while moving the china cabinet over to the left.  I moved them.  I nearly cried just thinking about it, because after two months of packing and days of unpacking, the thought of unloading and moving this big cabinet was enough to break my heart.

It was loaded with everything from two drawers of files, to blankets and towels and office supplies, all of which had to be removed and replaced after the cabinet was moved.  But I did it.

The point is, that cabinet sat against the far left wall for one day, maybe two.  Now, two months later, whenever I go to get anything from that cabinet?  I walk right past it to the far left wall.  Right past it!

In other words, the neural pathway that told me where that cabinet was?  Formed immediately and took well!  But the new map?  The new location of that cabinet, even though as large as the cabinet is, as highly visible and much more convenient to the kitchen, that pathway obviously has difficulty imbedding itself in my brain.

What I would dearly love to know, is why?

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Dec 16 2013
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writing on the Spectrum

Getting There In My Own Aspergerish Way

Margaret Jean and her niece, Baritta Cotton.

Margaret Jean and her niece, Baritta Cotton.

4:19 a.m.   I finally have a desk and chair in my den.  No lights, but this is an improvement.  For more than two weeks, my computer sat on a coffee table while I operated it from my perch on a needlepoint footstool.

More than a week passed before I found the right kitchen table.  Delivery and assembly was another wait.  I learned that one week of three meals a day in bed does not make one feel spoiled.  Especially annoying?  Toast crumbs.  For someone who cannot stand the irritation of tags in her clothes, toast crumbs in bed were the equivalent of having my sheets strewn with gravel.

We lived two years in a furnished house and rather than pay storage for two years, we got rid of everything except my bookcases and our bed.  Now the refurbishing begins.

Craig’s list is helpful.  If nothing else, it gives me a good idea of what people are getting rid of and what value it has on the open market.  I’ve also figured out that most of the items listed under ‘free stuff’?  Really just need someone to take them to the dump.

There are still boxes in every room that need emptying.  But I have nothing to empty them into–no cupboard or closet or shelves.  So I am still shopping.  We also have no sofa, just one chaise.  This creates a sense of incompletion, of uncertainty that makes me anxious.  But it’s getting better.  Disorganization is unbearable, but I’m slowly pulling everything together.

Now, if I could only sleep through the night!