Glaucia.README
Hey! Thank you for dedicating time to read a little about me. I promise it will not take much time :)
You might wonder, "Why does she have a self-guide? ". The answer is quite simple: I am autistic. As an autistic person, I have some struggles and sometimes a different way of expressing myself, which can cause confusion on certain occasions.
I am a tech geek, which means I like to go to tech events and read about it. I also like the Operations area, and learning about infrastructure, servers, networks, and distributed processing is part of my daily readings.
Quick fun facts!
- I switched careers 10 years ago, from the biomedical (nutrition) field to IT, and I don't regret it :)
- I have a gamer PC, but the game I have more hours played is Stardew Valley.
- I wrote a book!
- Have two dogs.
- Completely affectionate about coffee.
- I don't know how many tattoos I have at this point.
Being an autistic person doesn't mean I am an alien or that the people around me cannot interact with me. Actually, this `README`is a funny way I found to tell you how I normally operate.
- I have a very structured routine, which helps me self-regulate and avoid the chaos in my life. This means I will woke-up, work, have lunch, etc., at the same time every day. However, I can adapt to things! I just need to know it with some advice on when possible. :)
- I have serious difficulties with "verbal instructions". When I need to do something, I will take some seconds to write it down and even draw it if there is an order to follow.
- I often forget words, and if my thoughts are accelerated, I may need some time to structure phrases before saying them.
- Dyscalculia is a b*tch.
The social stuff
Interacting with people is very exhausting for me, and it is not because I don't like you; it is because my brain was born with some social "disconnected" wires, and to speak for a while or make eye contact raises my anxiety levels.
So, if I look away when you speak, I am just self-regulating my anxiety. Don't worry! I am listening. :)
There will be situations where I don't understand what is going on based on other people's facial expressions:
"Is she concerned about something? Angry? MAKE IT WORK, BRAIN!"
And, yes, I take some stuff "by the book" or literally:
Person 1: "Is there someone sitting here?"
Me: "Can't they see no one is sitting here?"
The sensory stuff
Again, the brain wires. For some reason, noises, smells, touch, and lights are highly perceived (hyperstimulation). That's why I like to work in quiet places, without many smells or lights.
Being in a place with some people can be also exhausting because of environmental stimulation. There are people speaking at the same time, different types of perfume, and some strong lights depending on where we are.
Don't worry if I use a headset with noise canceling, sunglasses, or even if I don't spend much time with a group of people. My internal batteries need to be recharged :)
The stims
Remember I said I have different ways to communicate? Sometimes I don’t know how to express my feelings and may seem “cold” or don’t care. It is not. I just don’t know how to say it neurotypically.
"Is now where I should smile? But I want to jump!"
One way I have to express how I feel is by stimming (flapping hands, raising both arms, bouncing back and forth, making funny facial expressions…). I like to use some fidget toys to stim when I am stressed, worried, or trying to organize thoughts (I know, weird…).
Don't hesitate to ask!
If you have any questions for me, don't hesitate! I will be happy to answer :D
