There were rules, and I had a pocket When I was in my early years of primary school, I had lunch with a nanny. She was very strict about finishing everything on our plates. Leaving food was not allowed. I hated meat. I wasn’t a fan of the taste, but I also couldn’t tolerate the texture.… Read more: The Pocket Strategy: When Food Becomes a Boundary

I can feel a nettle sting for a whole day, like a chemical burn.But I can ride home with blood running down my leg and not feel a thing. This is a contrast. I was so fascinated by my obsession and need for contrast that it eventually led me to discover that I am autistic,… Read more: When Pain Makes No Sense

Introduction Since I discovered my autism, I’ve been trying to understand how it works in detail. Along the way, I’ve fallen into what might well be a new special interest: neurodivergence itself. The more I read, the more I map, the more I notice fascinating technical topics that shape my daily life. This shift has… Read more: Pattern Anomaly Detection

It was a familiar ride. My legs were in rhythm, the wind was strong but manageable, and I was heading down a road I had taken at least a hundred times before. Cycling is usually when my body and brain settle into harmony. Then I saw it: a gate. No prior sign, no warning. The… Read more: The Gate That Spiked My Heart

People often showed they liked my personality. Teachers, adults, even CEOs. But looking back, I realise something funny: they weren’t just liking me, they were liking my autism. They just didn’t know it. As a teenager, adults found me calm and ‘mature’ because I wasn’t doing the stereotypical teenage chaos. At school, teachers loved my… Read more: When People Loved My Autism Without Knowing