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Name: My name is Alan, but I usually go by my nickname Raven, on the net. Interests, hobbies, obsessions, perseverations etc: Many...Animals, specifically Birds, Reptiles, and Dinosaurs, Natural history, Cycleing, Photography, Fishing, Art, including - Watercolor, Pen and ink, and Charcoal, Oragami, Taxidermy, Wood and stone carveing, Birdwatching, Fossil collecting, Bones and Skeletons and thier preperation, Anatomy, Orchids, and Gardening. Year of birth: 1981 Profession, area of study, etc: I do animal education programs, and wildlife art. Where you live in the world: Pennsylvania Marital status, # of kids etc.: Single, no children, many animals in my care. In the photo I have included, I am holding a remarkable alligator named Osceola, that was rescued from a very bad situation, and now lives with me and my friend Dave. Comments: I recently (in the last 2 years) found out about aspergers, and was simply amazed by how similar many of the people I have read of with this disorder have experianced the same things I do that have always singled me out as "excessively odd". I hope to have a formal diagnosis as soon as I work up the corage to go see someone. While my friend Dave that I live with is wonderfull, (I can not drive, and he helps me get around, and many other things, and is verry supportive) Unfortunetly my mother and sister have not really taken my approching them about Aspergers seriously. I have had a verry hard time with "fitting in" all my life, and usually could not figure out why someone would want to. I saw therapists from a verry young age, and I was diagnosed ADHD, with manic depression and post traumatic stress syndrome in high school. It never seemed "me". Problems with formal education, and School were extremely difficult, (I have to see and have my hands on what I learn) even with the incredably late implamented IEP I had, and collage did not fare better, after getting a scolarship on my art, and going for a single semester at Beaver Collage, (now Arcadia) I dropped out, as It was too much "everything" for me. I am currently doing live animal programs at nature centers, functions and schools, and the many animals (who I get along with unusually well) act as liaison between me and new people, and help me stay grounded when I get nervous, or "spooked". Its sort of "working" therapy for me, and the animals, many of which were rescued from bad situations. |