Need a hand? Helping is what I love to do!

I am in Toronto and in Go Home Bay. I will travel to help you, within reason. For instance, I will not travel to Guelph from Toronto to clean up a garden for three hours, but would travel that far to house- or dog-sit for a weekend. In Go Home Bay, I am happy to go anywhere within 30min in a small outboard (i.e. Cognashene to the south and Wah Wah Tay-See to the north).

The "spectrum" of Autism Spectrum Disorder is just that - a spectrum for AUTISTICS, not the population as a whole.  No one "looks" or "acts" Autistic - we all deal with the world in different ways. Some Autistics do not speak, others are very verbal (like me). Some need a lot of support, some have lower support needs. I have Type 1 Autism but have spent my whole life unknowingly trying to hide it. This often happens with Autistic children (it is called masking), because, from a very young age, we don't like the reactions we get when we behave neuro-divergently. High-masking autism is especially common in women and girls because they have a strong urge to fit in. 

I am trying to unmask now, and that means dealing with overstimulation as it occurs instead of trying to hide it (which results in exhaustion, depression, and anxiety). The world is a very loud, distracting place for those of us with Autism and we, as individuals, each deal with this overwhelming world in different ways. I rock back and forth on my feet or while sitting. I often pace. My hands almost always need to be  fiddling. 

I do not recognize people by their faces because I have prosopagnosia (aka face blindness). I use context, voice, gait, associations with other people, and special features (like distinctive eye-glasses or hair styles). I may not recognize you when we next meet - but I will always remember you if you simply say "Hi Eleanor, it's So-and-So". If I see someone who looks familiar in some way, I often ask them "Is that you, So-and-So?". I am often wrong!

YES. I am late-diagnosed and have been struggling my whole life to feel like one of you (i.e. a human). Now that I know why I feel like an alien, I am happy to display that alienness and celebrate it. I enjoy open conversations about autism and the truths and stereotypes linked to Autism Spectrum Disorder.

My life-long special interest is natural history (the plants and animals that share our world, especially the flora and fauna of Georgian Bay). If you want to know the bird that is singing in the tree outside your window, I can tell you about the bird, but also the tree species in which it sits, the plants growing at the tree's base, and the insects visiting the flowers.

The answer is Autism. 

Not only do I feel instantly anxious when I hear my phone ring, I find it very hard to concentrate on what anyone says to me over the phone: There are too many sounds, feelings, and thoughts getting in the way of my concentration. Texts, emails, and in-person chats are easier for my brain to process. This being said, I will answer the phone if I recognize the number and have an inkling as to why you are calling.

The answer is Autism. 

A. I have dyscalculia (like dyslexia but for numbers), so getting my pay immediately helps me keep track. 

B. Everything in my life is more important than money - health, family, friends, experiences, learning, memories, places, the diversity and beauty of life - but I grudgingly recognize that I need money to exist. In a different world I would not ask for payment - that is how much I enjoy helping and cleaning.

C. If I do not discuss and agree upon my payment with you in the moment, I will subsequently undervalue my time and effort and charge less than I should. I am happy to provide detailed invoices for your records, but payment always comes first.