When Martha first met me, I was anxious and jumpy. I was always tapping my foot, rocking, or exhibiting some other behavioral aberration. Of course, now we know that's just normal Aspergian behavior, but back then other people thought it was weird, so of course I did, too. One day, for some reason, she decided to try petting my arm, and I immediately stopped rocking and fidgeting. The result was so dramatic, she never stopped. It didn't take long for me to realize the calming effect, too. I like being petted and scratched. "Can you pet me?" I say when I sit next to her.

Unlike some older brothers, I never set him on fire, or cut off an arm or leg, or drowned him in the tub.

Simply making myself aware of others has remarkably improved my social life. People accept me much faster now that I ignore them less.

Building up a weakness just makes you less disabled. Building a strength can take you to the top of the world.

It does not matter what sixty-six percent of people do in any particular situation. All that matters is what you do.

Saying you "have" something implies that it's temporary and undesirable. Asperger's isn't like that. You've been Aspergian as long as you can remember, and you'll be that way all your life. It's a way of being, not a disease.

This is a f***ing mess," I said tactfully.