I’m writing this in Kel’s dad’s truck while going down to the city to meet Tommy.

I spent the morning engrossed in an article by Mary H.K. Choi, in which she candidly shared her experience of being diagnosed with autism in her 40s. As I read her story, I couldn’t help but see myself reflected in it. I’ve always felt that something was slightly “off” about me. I’ve noticed my tendency to be self-absorbed and absent, even amid a bustling crowd. The notion of potentially being autistic initially seemed far-fetched. Yet, it may explain this lingering sense of “offness.” However, even if I were to pursue a diagnosis, which I haven’t done yet, would it indeed suffice? Would others even believe it? I’ve taken tests that often intersect with my existing diagnoses of PTSD, bipolar disorder, and ADHD. When answering questions, I sometimes think, “This sounds more like my ADHD.” This leaves me questioning the validity of the tests. While I recognize their importance, I’m perplexed by how they distinguish between autism and ADHD. The limited focus on adult autism is evident, as autism has long been regarded as a developmental disorder primarily affecting children. Diagnosing adults, especially women, is a challenging endeavor, as women are known to camouflage their behaviors more effectively. Consequently, women are more likely to receive misdiagnoses before eventually being identified as autistic.

Despite grappling with a general anxiety disorder, I’m often surprised that I haven’t been diagnosed with social anxiety. My struggles with social interactions usually prompt me to wonder if my evident lack of social finesse could be indicative of autism. When friends ask questions or expect me to speak up, I falter – my mind goes blank, I break into a sweat, and I stutter. I also find myself engaging in repetitive behaviors when nervous, which my therapist has noticed. I am sensitive to smells, sounds, textures, and physical contact from others. This makes it challenging for me when people touch me. On a side note, I’d like to read one of Mary H.K. Choi’s books that she has written.

The article also made me think of someone who might also be autistic. I’ve been trying to help him get some help in this area. We need to get on it and help. Maybe after the cruise, we can really set things going forward.

Earlier today, I experienced a peak of anxiety. I managed to call the medical clinic to refill my prescription and requested to see the new medication management specialist. They later called back and made an appointment for me with the latest specialist. Although everything was sorted out, my anxiety lingered. It took me quite a while to gather the courage to make that call – I’ve always struggled with using the phone. In fact, I had to make an MVD appointment for Alexis this morning, which also triggered some anxiety.

I’m currently making progress on the Rock, Paper, Scissors project. It was a bit challenging due to my anxiety, as I often felt the need to attend to other tasks and worried that I might be overlooking something crucial. I found it helpful to organize my tasks by creating a to-do list in my planner.

JavaScript notes…
—————————–
The Odin Project Rock, Paper, Scissors

What I have so far.

document.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded", () => {
    const choices = document.querySelectorAll(".choice");
    const resultText = document.getElementById("result-text");

    choices.forEach(choice => {
        choice.addEventListener("click", () => {
            const userChoice = choice.id;
            const computerChoice = getComputerChoice();
            const result = determineWinner(userChoice, computerChoice);

            resultText.textContent = `Computer chose ${computerChoice}. ${result}`;
        });
    });

    function getComputerChoice() {
        const choices = ['rock', 'paper', 'scissors'];
        return choices[Math.floor(Math.random() * choices.length)];
    }


body {
    font-family: Arial, sans-serif;
    text-align: center;
    background-color: #f0f0f0;
    margin: 0;
    padding: 0;
    display: flex;
    justify-content: center;
    align-items: center;
    height: 100vh;
}

.container {
    background-color: white;
    padding: 20px;
    border-radius: 10px;
    box-shadow: 0 0 10px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1);
}

.choices {
    margin-bottom: 20px;
}

.choice {
    background-color: #0ba7a4;
    color: white;
    border: none;
    padding: 10px 20px;
    margin: 0 10px;
    border-radius: 5px;
    cursor: pointer;
    font-size: 16px;
}

.choice:hover {
    background-color: #0ba7a4;
}

.result {
    font-size: 18px;
    font-weight: bold;
}





     	
    






        
      



      









          





Rock Paper Scissors



            



        
        








            Rock
            Paper
            Scissors




            



        
        








            
          



              







            
Make your choice!