Aspergers

According to one on-line source, Asperger syndrome is "a developmental disorder that is characterized by:

• limited interests or an unusual preoccupation with a particular subject to the exclusion of other activities.
• repetitive routines or rituals.
• peculiarities in speech and language, such as speaking in an overly formal manner or in a monotone, or taking figures of speech literally.
• socially and emotionally inappropriate behaviour and the inability to interact successfully with peers.
• problems with non-verbal communication, including the restricted use of gestures, limited or inappropriate facial expressions, or a peculiar, stiff gaze.
• clumsy and uncoordinated motor movements".

This was the subject last night of a lengthy telephone discussion with my friend, Vlad. We agreed that we both suffer from this so-called disorder, to some degree (him, more than me, of course). Indeed, we thought most older men do.

I certainly can get preoccupied with a given subject for days on end (with him, it's more like months on end, maybe suggesting a compulsive-obsessive twist). And, with my back pain this week, my motor movements certainly were clumsy and uncoordinated (more than usual).

I also seem to have some repetitive routines. One of my favourites is my afternoon nap. Another is sharing a bowl of Cheetos with my dog at bed-time.

One routine I've developed that I'm not impressed with is waking up about 3 a.m. and having a cup of coffee while I review the latest interesting photos on Flickriver. That, of course, reinforces the need for a nap, later in the day.

Okay, enough of the self-analysis. Note that I made two posts today, proving that I haven't lost my touch in that regard.