Long Time No Post

[Guest guest]

Hi! I happened to notice the other day that I hadn't posted anything here in nearly four years, and while I have been following the messages on and off, it seemed like it might be a good idea to reintroduce myself rather than just jump back in without warning.My name is and I'm a 61 year old Aspie who belonged to the Aspires list for a few months back in 2002, although much has changed since then including my name. I am in a long-term relationship, though not a traditional one. It has been difficult at times, but we have been together for nearly six years and we are doing well now.I joined the earlier Aspires list soon after figuring out for myself that I had Asperger's. (It's been confirmed by therapists since then, but not really formally diagnosed -- what's the point at my age?) The list proved to be more "stimulating" that I could cope with and I soon dropped out. In the next year I went on to deal with a second lifelong issue, that of being a transsexual. Asperger's and transsexualism/transgenderism together are not that rare, but the combination is highly "understudied." I transitioned (male-to-female) over the next several years, resolving many issues, but of course the autistic spectrum issues remained. By this time I was in a new relationship, and after my life settled down a bit (post-transition) I joined this Yahoo group. But then I started a new job and it seems like I have hardly had time to think since that. I am trying to do something about it now (for about the 3rd time in 3 years).The "status" of our relationship is hard to define, so I won't try. We are both women, although I arrived there the hard way. Before we met I had no clue about AS can affect a relationship. I have gone in six years from being optimistic to disappointed to resigned to optimistic. I have grown a lot, but many things about human relationships still mystify me. I could make a long list of things I don't seem to be able to do, but I am trying to focus now on what I can do. Which, it turns out, is a lot.--