LJ Idol - Week 0 - Introduction
Who am I? I used to think I was shy, but after high school I came out of my shell and my friends these days tell me that I’m the most outgoing of the bunch. Being able to “pass” for neurotypical allowed me to slip through the cracks, and at age 35, four years ago, I was diagnosed as autistic. I’m not sure how I feel about this diagnosis. It explains a lot. I used to think I was slow growing up but that my parents didn’t want to tell me; now I know they really didn’t know. They dropped out of high school to have me, so I don’t blame them. In the 80s only the “obvious” kiddos were noticed.
I’m a social worker, after many years of schooling and clinical hours and studying. I passed the LCSW exam in March and it took me until June to find the energy to start reading for fun again. I worked as a substance use counselor for two years, and last week I transitioned to the mental health therapist position. I’m feeling my way slowly but surely; my concentration in grad school was more of the policy/community organizing/research focus, not clinical/mental health.
I’m a birth mother in an open adoption, though it may not seem like it. I’ve spend time with my birth son and his family on several occasions, but he’s also on the autism spectrum and it’s really hard to connect. I’m Facebook friends with his mom, so instead of emails and pictures, it’s mostly reading status updates and seeing the videos and pictures she posts. I usually see him about every two years since I no longer live in the same city (or even the same state) as he does.
I’m also a dog mom. I used to be a cat person, but after my girl Charisma died at age 17 ½, I haven’t felt a connection despite having three other cats since then. I do have three dogs, one of whom I am connected with. His name is Joker, and he is a husky/blue heeler. We also have Oscar, an Australian shepherd, and Sabella, a Great Dane. Sabella is my wife’s service dog (mobility and visual assistance, if you’re wondering, as many people do). My wife’s dream is to have a dog rescue one day, but right now we just take in foster dogs as they come to us. So far they’ve both been Great Pyrenees.
Lastly, but not least, I am someone’s wife. I consider myself pansexual if we’re going to get technical. As the lovely Ani DiFranco put it, “I’ve no criteria for sex or race. I just want to hear your voice. Just want to see your face.” Twenty three years later and that song still makes my heart feel happy. We’ve been together for eight years, married for two. It’s not legal, because then she would lose her disability and I don’t make enough for the both of us. Maybe someday, though.
I guess that will do for now. I’ve only participated in LJ Idol one other time and I quite enjoyed it. I feel like grad school zapped my creativity, but I’m still going to give things a go.