The Personal & Physical Traits of Aspergers Part 3: Doesn't always recognize faces right away (even close loved ones)

I have to say that this trait is something I am not burdened with; I am more the opposite in fact. Since I am the opposite I have no idea how this can happen to people so I will stay away from any theories I have which will certainly not be valid. In the area of face recognition I can even brag a little if I want to. You should first know that when it comes to matters of whether something is or isn't I am usually very cut and dry. On this particular subject, however, I am on the fence. What I am circling here is that my ability to remember and instantly recognize faces is possibly in the realm of being a super-recognizer. Even after reading the descriptions of what it means to be a super-recognizer I don't know if there it varies, like the autism spectrum varies, for example. At one point I was 90% sure I was (and I still feel more or less this way) and this number was based on other things I once had doubts about and they later became true, the same internal feeling I had, I mean. But like I said, what it comes down to, I am assuming, is that it is 50-50, I either am or I am not as far as science and clinical testing goes. I guess I should give you the evidence, there is quite a bit of it, now and let you decide for yourself.

Back when I was still in my teens, dad and I would be randomly watching an older movie, a western perhaps, as he tended to (and still does) flip around a lot and then stops at the first thing he likes. I would see a character and exclaim "Oh, that is so and so". He, haven grown up and seeing the movie when it first came out, would basically tell me I was mistaken or that "Naw, it couldn't be". Luckily for us on this friendly argument, the internet was invented and all I had to do was go to IMDB and check. I was correct. I must stop here and ask you this: How could a person who grew up with the characters, and just as many people do, go back and watch the same movies a few times throughout the course of their lives before seeing them yet again with their eventual son and be mistaken about who the actor is? He/she has surely seen the actor in other roles before they either died or passed into obscurity and has those images of aging to compare while the much younger person they are with recognizes the actor and, in nearly all cases that involve my dad, have only seen the actor in their older form of being. What my dad started to do was bet me. Usually it was $10-20 and he lost each time, a total of around $80-100 total before he decided it wasn't in his interest to simply hand me money. Still, poker players often know they are beat but call expecting to be shown a winner; just for knowledge/ piece of mind maybe. Back to me though.

Whenever I see people I haven't seen for a while I instantly know it is them and it doesn't matter if I haven't seen them in years. I can even recognize them in baby pictures. Something is triggered either by the way they walk or their voice and my brain just says "It's them" without question. After not believing in the ability myself for a while (and honestly not knowing if it was just in my head or if it even had a specific term) I began to just let whatever cognitive system was allowing me to do it take over. I stopped questioning it because, as they say, when you know you know. One of the most apparent instances, way more profound to me than the bets with dad, occurred in 2005 at Worcester Academy.

To fulfill some type of mandatory community service hours that were necessary to graduate, students had to help out in some way, and I chose to help Ms. Gould in her office sorting photos on the computer. My decision may have been easier because she had a golden retriever puppy named Monty that I could pet whenever I felt like it. So I was sorting photos into various folders (athletics, assembly, etc.) and also sorting photographs submitted by parents of their kids when they were younger. Ms. Gould asked me to see if I could 'decipher' who a specific photo was of that she was having trouble with. I took a quick look and told her "Mike Allen" feeling 100% with my answer. She paused for a second and said something to the effect of "Oh, my, how did you know that/I not see that?!" She had a wide eyed look on her face and even I know that is evident of genuine surprise. No here is where this bit gets interesting: I had been at the school only about seven months and of course had been exposed to hundreds of students and some of them commute because the dorms aren't big enough to house everyone. Mike and I were friends at school but he was a commuter but until Ms. Gould brought the next fact up to me and I thought about it years later did the weight of it occur to me: Mike Allen was a lifer, meaning he went to the lower and upper schools at WA. He had been there since he was in 6th grade so even if Ms. Gould didn't have him for grades 6-8 (and I still don't know what her official title was/is but she may have been exposed to him before he reached the upper school and certainly after he did) she may have met him before grades 9-12. I do not know the exact age Mike was in the picture, and I probably should ask him, but I knew it was him, no question in my mind. I don't know if it was the smile, his head shape or facial features but I knew it instantly. So how could a teacher that had known someone a minimum of four and a maximum of seven years not know and be stumped by a picture of someone they have seen number in the hundreds of times while myself, who has only known the man in question seven months, maximum, and never seen him while he was younger, recognize him right away? But wait there's more.

I see old teachers, parents of friends and I say 'hello' to them as is customary and they have no idea who I am. Saying they look at me as if I had five heads would probably be more accurate. I then explain to them the types of interaction we used to have and then they start to get it, although a few of them still have no idea and are probably internally think I am crazy. I know I have gained 25 pounds since high school but, come on, I didn't get plastic surgery or anything like that. As it relates to them in my mind, any apparent weight gain, age lines or change in appearance does not phase me in the least bit, its like I can see through the, well I guess its not a disguise because they now look like that, veil of aging that they have gone through. It is for this reason I will always be the first to notice, and subsequently point out, that you got a hair cut or even styled your hair differently that day. Something is my brain just goes off and says 'A change has occurred here', that is the best way I can describe it. What I am exploring, and not deeply yet but possibly later on, is the theory that cavemen/cave women did have something internally that let them recognize friend of foe quickly. This may have been a necessary defense mechanism for them as not being able to notice could have left them vulnerable to attack. I think I briefly discussed something like this and certainly a lot more in an earlier, and possibly popular for some reason post entitled "Call me Captain Caveman" that can be seen on this blog. I say 'possibly popular' because the post was up for a year or so before it started getting most of the hits on my blog and I am left to wonder whether people magically started searching for Captain Caveman since then and why the post had barely any views before it became as popular as it is today (although no one comments on the post itself for some reason). I am also, on that specific post, inquisitive as to whether or not people on the higher autism spectrum share key parts of the brain with Neanderthals to this day. Things such as anxiety as it relates to the obvious, at least for me in my experiences, the sudden and almost explainable 'fight or flight' reaction that often kicks in as it relates to social situations and the possible face recognition capabilities that I mentioned earlier. Being a super-recognizer is not really a super rarity but it can be of value to police and, before computers, casino use to catch possible cheaters. The really odd thing is, I can't recall to a sketch artist everything about a persons face in the most extreme details you may expect, but put ten jokers in a lineup and I will pick the person who's face it belongs to and just like that, they are off to jail. I'm positive seeing them again triggers something, something that is beyond doubt. As far as testing goes, I did pretty well.

Before I knew the term super-recognizer, I considered and used the term for what I perceive to be called facial-photographic and this term, as I explained, isn't accurate at all. I am unable to accurately describe most faces in detail although I can see the image of the person in my mind very quickly but upon seeing them again, and knowing it, is another matter entirely. I was watching 60 Minutes by sheer dumb luck when they reported on people who suffered from what is called Prosopagnosia or face blindness. They then reported on the opposite side of that, naturally, as they always try to do with any rare condition that has an opposite to compare it to. The super-recognize they were featuring was given the Before they were famous' test. I got every one of them right as well, quickly. I'm no good at math but things seemed to be adding up. I don't think the test was fool proof, and neither was the one that I scored borderline on. In the other one they take faces and then take the hair off or put hooded sweatshirts on the people and you need to try and guess if you saw them before. I, of course, had never seen the faces as they were totally random so it wasn't anything to go off of, just another bunch of faces in the crowd. I do have a theory, non technical, about how the super-recognizer brain my work.

What I think, and this is what I surmised on my own, is that the system works like this: Once you see and process a face it goes into the 'Bank' so to speak. Upon seeing the face again information from the 'bank' is called up or some sort of trigger goes off that alerts you that you have seen this face before, or one like it. It gets sort of tricky here and the next part is from my own experiences. Everyone seems to have a doppelganger out there in the world. I have seen many people who resemble celebrities but not fully, something with a combination of their facial features just screams it, to me. When I am with someone else they try to do what I can by saying that some random person we both can see looks like so and so. It takes me one look to decide whether they are close or not and a lot of the time they are either,  partially correct and I agree, I bring up another person who they didn't think of and they say "Oh, wow, you're right" or, and this is where it can get really funny, an 'amalgam' (as I call it) of a few different people. I had a ton of fun with a few people at my old roommate Heather's (yes, the last year in college I lived with not one, but two girls; and that is another story entirely that I am saving for my book) graduation party. Her dad is an obvious Christoper Walken while some, unfortunate may not be the right word, lady was an amalgam of John Denver and Axl Rose, spot on. She had the long Axl hair and the vintage Denver glasses and everyone who was in the circle laughed until they cried. The ability to come up with the amalgam is perhaps one of the most telling sign for me. If I am not, than what am I with regards to how I recognize faces. Am I stuck somewhere in the middle of nowhere, as I am on the autism spectrum or am I totally wrong here?

So what do you think, am I a super-recognizer of not? I may have to add more, but for now I will let you tell me what you think.

The Personal & Physical Traits of Aspergers Part 2: Blank expression much of the time

I have touched on this subject in earlier posts but I feel like including it again here, just in case you missed it. Have you ever seen someone walking around with a blank face? It's not uncommon at all as you can sometimes catch a person deep in thought or spacing out. But, if that person happened to be me, than that would be a different story. My standard expression doesn't change much and you can't easily tell sometimes when I am happy or sad, although at other times it will be quite obvious. I can't really help that I started out as a more unemotional person and then tempered myself ever further. I don't let most small instances bother me. If someone cuts me off in traffic, I don't beep the horn especially if it was by accident. What would beeping at them do, they know they screwed up so beating a dead horse is pointless in this case. If you're really going to let simple things get in your way then you may as well give up now. Getting mad lead to feeling angry and being stressed, I don't need that one bit. So back to the matter at hand, why do I have a blank face more often then not?

The first reason is comfort. They say 'comfort is king' and I feel most comfortable with my standard facial expression the way it is. You may have heard other people on the autism spectrum tell you this next fact: Smiling feels awkward, especially when it is forced. When I laugh, I smile. When I see something heartwarming or am playing with a kitten or a puppy, I smile. When I don't need to, I don't smile. To me a smile is like making small talk; I only like to have a conversation and a genuine smile is just that, something with substance, not something pointless. The next reason I don't smile may surprise you, but you will be able to see why just as easy.

If I am mentally tired and have things out in public I need to do and there is no way around it, or I'm in a mood where I simply don't feel like talking to anyone besides the people I need to deal with, I make my face as uninviting as humanly possible. People are less apt to talk to or even approach you when you are not smiling vs. smiling. The lack of a smile is a defense mechanism for me at times. Also, I routinely wear sunglasses to the supermarket or anywhere else that has a lot of people and I need to stay there for an extended period of time. I got a comment on this blog saying something to the effect of "Oh, the sunglasses are so you can cut down the amount of visual stimulation and you won't be overwhelmed, right?" Sorry, wrong. All people/cases are different and I myself am a professional goldsmith. I work with fire daily and it can get very intense/loud, especially if I am doing platinum work which is done with a hissing jet-engine like flame at 4,000F coming out of the torch head, and before that it was learning to drive a car, which I see everything and anything on the road. So the amount of visual stimulation is not the problem. The sunglasses are so people cannot see the blank expression my eyes also have. Have you ever seen the way zombies 'stare' in older movies? Yes, it is like that. I appear to be looking through objects, not at them. If you pair that with the blank expression on my face then you have the look of say, a psycho killer. There doesn't appear to be anything going on upstairs or there may be a few too many toys in the attic. I do shop without sunglasses sometimes and the people seem to take it well, although I 'feel' they are creeped out, but that may just be mild and unnecessary paranoia.

I think I have covered what I needed to, so until next time. Next trait up: Doesn't always recognize faces right away (even close loved ones), which I am going to completely blow your mind with why this one does NOT apply to me, at all. 

The Personal & Physical Traits of Aspergers Part 1: Repetitive Routines or Rituals

I'll admit that I do a lot of things often, and in certain ways. We all have a little bit of OCD in us but people, such as myself, on the autism spectrum tend to take it further and the level of which all depends on the person. If you can recall the scene from Rain Man when Charlie took Ray's book off of the shelf and Ray started to pace around and mutter to himself. I like to think of my room/workshop as an area where I have controlled chaos. The room in particular seems to get to a level of critical mass where it stays constant and it won't get any dirtier, but the minute I clean it is when it starts the cycle all over again. if you took a picture of my clean room every day for a month on the last day it would be back to where it was before I cleaned it. I like to do something and then, once done, move on. I am not a person who stops to clean up things that are harmless, like clothes. I do dishes and if I spill something it gets taken care of right away but things that are not time sensitive get lost in the mix. "I can always do this later" I think to myself, actually I stopped thinking that all together and simply move onto the next thing. My jewelers bench in my workshop (for those of you readers who don't already know I am a profession goldsmith and have worked on many pieces with a few  in the $15,000-$25,000 range, so I take it very serious) is a complete mess but this is a little more acceptable than a dirty room. I messy bench is a busy bench, it means you have work to do so that is good thing. I know where things are so it isn't really a problem. I'd like to get more organized in there but since I am the only one using it I keep it the way I see fit. Besides work and sleep there are other things that I do with only a loose repetition, which I will explain why I use that specific term later.

Whenever I open up a new pack of chewing gum (I have been cutting back on the habit these days) I always, after taking the plastic wrap off, open the flap and take an audible whiff of the contents, much in way a person taking in the fresh air high atop a hill in springtime would. I don't care who is around when I do this and I can't say for sure when I started it, but I do it each time. I would like to use an example of something more structured that I do a lot of repetition. I have been doing Bikram Yoga for a while now and I think what I do illustrates how I feel quite well. Each class is the same postures, in the same order for about the same time, each time, all in a 105F room with around 40% humidity. The poses don't change, only your body does.

My yoga routine is very much the same each time, but with the loose repetitive nature I mentioned earlier. I arrive a half hour early and park in the same area nearest the pole I always do. I am already chewing a piece of gum at this point and I walk into the building and sort of sprint up the stairs to the third floor where the studio is. I make sure the stairs are clear before I do this as I don't want any accidents. I then enter and drop my mat down while I take my shoes off before signing in. I chat with the teacher perhaps but this may be more so after I go into the hot room and drop my mat in my spot. It is first come first serve and I like my spot, hence the reason I get there early. After that is locked up I then leave the room and talk to whoever is coming in. I do a runners stretch resting each leg, in time, on the window sill while I watch for my fellow yogis. I then return to the hot room and do some other stretches, I have a first and second (and possibly third) wave of things that I do. I make sure my nostrils are clear and fill up my big water bottle, which I had left at the entrance to the hot room,  at the filtered tap. I then go the bathroom, wet my hair and spit my gum out in the trash ( you can't have anything in your mouth when class starts). I do my final bit of stretching while I talk to whomever is near me if I feel I can add something to the conversation. Once class starts I am all business. If people are looking at me, which they are usually focused on their own practice, then they would on a couple occasions see the blank 'zombie' stare people rarely ever get to see from me. After all I am in the front row directly in front of the mirror, and everyone is looking forward. This may seem a bit odd for a person who 99% of the time prefers stealth in social situations but I have my spot in the room and I stick to it, always, and it doesn't matter if the hottest woman in the world is over on the other side (if she liked me I'm sure she would move to where I am so I don't worry about it). When it comes to lay down on our backs I seek out my fourteen boards. They are right above me and I count them, up and down being once, a total of seven times. If I mess up, I scrap that specific pass over the boards with my eyes only. I typically do four during the long break on the floor and then the last three peppered throughout the entire floor set. If I am still counting when the teacher is at one of the many points where we do a sit up I continue counting and then do the sit up, I don't like to interrupt myself for anyone. I only do, at maximum a total of ten counts of the boards and that includes mess ups; I don't let it run my life. After the class is over I lay there with everyone else and once the door is opened and closed twice, it doesn't matter how many people go out at a time, I do a thirty three second leg lift with the last four seconds (30-33) being counted three times each. I then grab my stuff and exit the studio entirely and put my mat outside the lobby and then get a piece of gum from my shorts and greedily pop it into my mouth. I take this as a reward for a class well done. I then sit down on the benches just out of the inner studio and talk with the others who are slick with sweat and looking half dead sometimes. After I feel I've cooled down enough I exit the building entirely, start my car, roll down my windows, turn the radio up and I'm off. I do not know when this routine started and I have varied it a little over the nearly four years I have been doing yoga but I like it and feel very comfortable there, even when we are packed in the studio like sardines. The thing that does set me apart from most people with OCD/others on the spectrum is that I can vary my routine and not entirely freak out about it.

I do get a little annoyed when I have planned something and then it falls apart due to something that came up but I shake it off. That is life. Long ago I learned that things can and will change or go wrong entirely, and dealing with it is a necessity. Whenever I have planned on going to a concert or some other big even I prepare in advance. I haven't had one cancelled, yet, and I am not sure how that would go; I'd probably just be mad for a little while longer than usual and move on to the next thing. You should know that when I say a while I mean an hour at most. I do have a hybrid child-like brain that can get over things quickly and shift gears rapidly. If I didn't have this trait I don't know where I would be now, but it is a mixed bag, more on that phenomenon in a later post perhaps.

As far as other things that were brought up in Rain Man, I do not eat my meals the same each night of the week, buy my underwear at K-Mart or count cards like a computer, but I do share many of the traits, just with less of an effect on my mental state. I will get to those in further posts of this series but for now I feel I have said almost enough.


Questions or Comments? Let me know.

New Post Topic Series: The Personal & Physical Traits of Asperger's

There is a list of personal & physical traits of Asperger's on the website help4aspergers.com and I and going to delve into each of them, individually. I will highlight the severity or lack thereof of each one and I will be sure to pepper in stories along the way. This is going to be both fun and revealing, and you will get details straight from the horses mouth (or ass, as I tend to make a fool out of myself more often then not). Enjoy! 

The Last Couple Months (Work Stuff)

I realize it's been a while since my last post. I have been busy, for once. Along with my own jewelry business, which has grown and I am starting to do a lot more I am working for a guy who's getting audited. my dad helped him out of a jam and he needed someone to run the numbers that didn't mind working long hours, mainly alone. That sounded like a perfect fit and I have been with the company for over three months and it's basically my boss, myself and his son who pitches in when his insomnia isn't too bad. My job involves data entry for all the employees that have worked for the three companies that my boss owned. The data goes back to 2007.

A couple of years ago he sort of just pulled a Dave Chappelle and checked out, and all the big contracts the companies had went with him. I have no doubt he knows how to be successful,and will be again, but he can be abrasive, sort of like myself. Also, and I told my dad this after my first day, that I think my boss and his son are both somewhere on the spectrum. The son is quiet, but they both make a lot of off color jokes and don't really handle stress well. Both are very smart and will ramble on if given the chance to speak of something they are passionate about. One thing I found odd, though, is that after 17 of not smoking my boss started up again four years ago. I asked him why and he couldn't give me a clear answer. I told him I thought it was a pretty stupid idea and he agreed.

The funny thing about working where I do is that it is sort of relaxed but you have to get your work done. my 'office' is actually just a separate space in the basement with everything I need. My commute is only a mile and a half and that is only one or two turns and I'm there or home. The pay is all right, but not high. Every Wednesday, payday, I ask him if he's "fired the printer up yet", a way of asking for my money. We are pretty open with how we feel about things, not much subtlety like at the other jobs I have worked in the past.

I don't have to deal with anyone really. I'm in a room, given work and I do it. I don't even see my boss most of the time. He checks in and answers any questions, but often he Houdini's for hours at a time. I text him, or call if he is really needed, and he says he'll be back soon or to just wait, and I understand that I'll be paid for it. Last Friday I arrived and just as I was getting out of my car he yells to me "Get back in your car, I have a meeting with my lawyer so there won't be any work today, but pay yourself for four hours and head on home". He didn't need to tell me twice.

Since it is steady work, I got nine to five most days, I'll try to hold onto it until the audit is complete. It seems to be getting there as he has been to the IRS and had a bunch of lawyer meetings lately. I mean, realistically, how long can those guys give you to get your stuff together? For now I will take the money as it comes, spend it as I have been on jewelry that will only make me more money (I am a pro at this) and save the rest and reinvest what I make off what I just bought. Whenever it ends I will be in a much better place than when I started, that is for sure. 

Asperger's vs. Fiery Latino Passion

Outspoken, loud, fiery, passionate: these words describe what most people associate with people of Latino/Hispanic descent. But, these four words are almost always left out when talking about someone on the autism spectrum. I am a member of both of these circles and I am here to tell you that one of them is clearly dominate over the other. I don't know if it was really ever a choice for me. For me, Asperger's and its character traits win out over raw emotion.

Now of course there are times when I express emotions over certain situations. I feel excitement and the effects of drama when I watch or take part in sports. My competitive nature whist taking part in athletics has always been fierce, I don't like to lose that is for sure, but I'm not about to pull a John Mcenroe tantrum when I wind up on the losing end. I take my losses like a man. But other than that, I am as even keel as they come. In fact I am not easily angered by the usual stupidity in the world that other people are, although I do have some simple things that can get to me. And when things do happen, say when someone cuts me off when driving, I rarely if ever beep the horn. If I were to use the horn what would the person I used it against learn anyhow? I see more reasons not to react than to in most of life's situations, so why waste energy doing so? That is how I feel any way.

Being outspoken is not one of my strengths and I only am so when I think something really matters. I am not talking about general chit chat here, either, as I can be quite the chatterbox if you get me going. This is when I feel that there is something so wrong with the situation I'm witnessing that I have to take a stand. I don't do so unless it is something I truly care about. When the teacher used to ask "Now are there any questions" I was always hoping that someone else would ask why I was too embarrassed to. There is a certain type of situation that I do experience some of both parts of the four words stated earlier; situations that involve money.

I tend to get a little more stressed when there is money on the line. Whether it be bidding on eBay or negotiating prices in a store I find an arousal of emotion occurs in me. This isn't always the case, as some negotiating must be kept close to the vest, a good example being when I buy diamonds at the jewelers building. I like to 'play the game' when people try to negotiate with me on some of my merchandise, usually jewelry, though. I find it fun. By 'play the game' I don't mean that I'm trying to screw people over, just I like to think of it as a sport that leaves each side satisfied in the end; dissatisfied people tend to end things before an agreement is reached and you don't get paid.

When I argue with people they tend to do most of the yelling, just ask my mom. She has been set to tears on numerous occasion while I just sat there and watched. All I can do is sit there and wait, even exiting the situation and waiting until the next day when she has calmed down to discuss matters. Sorry, but I don't like dealing with emotional wrecks. The thing about that is you get into a situation where nothing can be agreed upon and anything THEY say is right and its as if your opinion doesn't matter. I tend to be the one who keeps my composure, and if other people were to watch they would clearly agree, but too bad the kinds of heated arguments between two people usually occur without an audience.

So that's about all I have for this one. The bottom line is I don't express emotions when I feel it is fine to do without them. I  make a great third party moderator and look at issues in an unbiased manner, allegiances be damned. If you want to hear the truth then ask me, I'll give it to you with a strait face, just don't ask and expect me to sugarcoat things or to go along with your view point; we Aspy's have never been good at lying.    

Comparing Asperger's (at least my own version) to Platinum

I have long since figured out that I can compare two seemingly incomparable things to make people understand. All you have to know how to do is find something that works, and then run with it. I did another example of something else that I am saving for the book, but this one will be how working with the precious metal platinum is like dealing with an Aspy. Just like in the other example I will first do the run through with one thing and then the other. You may get confused, but don't skip to the end, just read and wait for it, trust me, in the end, it will all make sense ( I hope).

Many bench jewelers/goldsmiths are used to the everyday tasks that are expected in their job. Gold, no matter what alloy or color, is pretty similar in terms of what you can and can't do with it, and what to expect out of the metal when you are working with it. True, white gold has some special rules that need to be followed, such as not quenching it in water when it is still hot and the colored gold alloys have some other certain characteristics but, overall, gold is gold. It can be sold easily enough to buyers all around the world and has been used as a currency for millenia. Although it can take many forms, people usually know gold when they see it, but not all that glitters is gold, clearly. There is a more recently discovered metal used in jewelry, although it was used long ago and then almost forgotten and then remembered again. Platinum is a metal that does not wear away with constant use and hardly tarnishes. It stays very constant and can be made into very thin pieces that, if made from gold, would break easily. Platinum does have plenty of cautions and drawbacks, however, that must be considered before working with it.

In terms of alloy type, there are a few main ones that are used in jewelry. There is 95/5 platinum-ruthenium which is good for casting and is OK for hand fabrication, 95/5 platinum-cobalt is ideal for casting because it flows really well when cast and can be easily polished, but it does oxidize when being welded. A long time favorite is 90/10 Platinum-Iridium which works well in nearly every jewelry application, whether it be casting or hand fabrication. This alloy suits most jewelers well. Different alloys are used specifically for certain procedures and that is why they were invented in the first place. After an alloy is chosen then begins task of making something out of it. I prefer 90/10 Platinum-Iridium and this alloy is what most of the older platinum rings from the late 19th and early 20th century were made of. One thing to watch out for when working with any platinum alloy is contamination, i.e. the exposure to certain things that can effect its work-ability  The same tools and techniques that work wonders on gold do not work at all when making jewelry out of platinum. An oxygen-propane torch is preferred over oxy-acetylene because the latter expels carbon that the platinum can absorb, making it brittle. A special ceramic surface should be used instead of a charcoal block, again because of carbon. No flux should be used, as the high temperatures used in soldering and welding render to flux noneffective and can even contaminate the alloy. Only tungsten, with its high melting point, should be used when handling hot platinum. Steel will only leave a mark of oxidation that could be difficult to remove. Platinum is a fickle metal, unforgiving and a lot of things can go wrong without the use of proper techniques. Even the rolling mill must be cleaned and freshly oiled to avoid pressing other metals into it. All tools must be lubricated when cutting and filing because the incredible density makes platinum hard to cut through. 

Heat is the most important thing when working with platinum. It has to get very, very hot and the heat has to be direct. While most flames used in jewelry are neutral to only slightly oxidized, a platinum flame has to be nearly all oxygen, with a trademark 'hiss'. Trust me, you will know you are using the proper flame by the sound of it. The first time inexperienced jewelers work with platinum they have no idea how hot and direct the flame has to be and what they end up using has very little effect on the metal. Quickly enough, though, they do learn that you have to adapt to the metal you are working with. There is no fluttering around the piece when you heat it, just move the flame in and be direct and you should have no problem. It should be noted that proper eye wear must be used in order to filter the highly dangerous UV rays that glowing platinum emits and only a #5 shade or above will work. There is little danger of melting platinum when you use the proper flame size, but if you use the wrong one then the metal will collapse just like any other. This is hard to do, but if you feel the metal is about to melt then back the flame off a little and let the metal cool before reapply heat. It may seem a little odd, but freshly heated platinum will still glow for a while before cooling. It is not uncommon when melting it to put the piece underwater and still have it glow red for a time before it fully cools. Soldering and fusing platinum is also something of a different nature.

Platinum fusion involves melting the metal to itself, no solder needed. I have actually done this with a bracelet I am making at the moment, see picture. It can be scary at first to do (I only do the in-hand holding to prove a point) but it is always a thrill. Soldering the metal is also interesting, again due to heat, but it is still just soldering in the end. The one very hard aspect of platinum is polishing it.

You have to start polishing with the lowest grit possible, and this can really take a while. While with gold and silver you can simply do Tripoli to remove the surface scratches and then Rouge to polish, platinum involves using 200, 400 grit, then 800, 1500, 4000, 8,000 and even 12,000 with the lower numbers coming from hand files and polishing papers. Platinum does NOT wear away with constant use and ordinary polishing agents will not affect it, trust me I have tried. If you skip a step, you will wish you didn't. You can't polish a scratch out of platinum, it only becomes shinier. Every step of the way you must make sure you have a uniform finish before moving onto the next grit, and then you need to clean the piece and use a different buff to apply the next step because it won't work properly if you don't. In the end, though, it is worth it, and the piece shines with a luster, almost looking 'neon' in some cases. You may be asking yourself, are all of these special techniques & processes worth it and how do they relate to me as a person on the autism spectrum?

People on the autism spectrum are similar to others, but with some major differences that make us seem like our own category of human being, and even then there are many different alloys (although platinum is a metal, it is not like working with silver and gold, at all and certain knowledge is needed in order to avoid disaster).  As far as my character goes, I am hard to change. There needs to be extreme forces at work in order for me to make changes happen (the high heat of the torch). If you put too much heat on me for too long then a melt-down is inevitable and it can take me longer than you think to get my head right (I need a mental rest after extended social interaction to cool down, and if you try to converse with me before that time you are wasting your breathe, and may get burned or at least feel like you did). I will resist some change, I have learned to go with the flow, and if I don't like what is happening I will not comply at all and even take myself out of the situation (any 'other' metal, or even the wrong fuel system, that gets into a platinum alloy and then heat is applied, will contaminate it and you will need to remove the affected pieces before proceeding). In terms of social interaction, it was hard for me to act appropriate sometimes (take a 'polish' or a 'shine' to people) and learn how people are supposed to interact with one another. This was mainly in my younger years. I have, with time and many embarrassing experiences, learned how to act around others. All of these mistakes I made (by learning not to skip steps and focus on the little things) have helped me to start to shine. So is it all worth it in the end?

If you want to know someone of the spectrum then you have no choice. If your son or daughter, friend or relative, someone you want to know but they seem to have a barrier up that you want to break down the wall of communication and understanding, then yes, it is all worth it.

We can be hard to deal with, you may think you did everything right, but missed one important detail, and that is why it hasn't worked out in the past. This last statement can either be true of me looking at you, or you looking at me. I try harder than ever to get on the same page as other people but still lack polish in that area. I know it will come, and I have shown measured improvement, but it takes a while.