Christopher Moore’s Showcase

is common in ASD patients and how incredibly depressed I was. I had no intention of killing myself. If anything, I felt angry.

Just before I cut the wheel hard, I was thinking about how one of the clients at that job said I had such a good handshake. I’ve heard that a few times before. That’s when I cut the wheel. I remember I screamed “God damn it” as I cut the wheel.

I have come to realize that therapy requires a great deal of trial and error. Getting proper care in this country can be challenging since our insurance is tied to our employment. After high school, I had to find my own therapists and ways of paying for it.

As I said, I was in and out of jobs quite often. Even if I found someone, sometimes I didn’t feel they were the right fit for me. Some health care providers can be jaded. Perhaps even just in it for the money. Which then becomes an obstacle in getting consistent care.

It can also be very easy to fall into a sort of “friendship” feeling with your therapist. With that, you may find yourself just chatting with the therapist, rather than actually working on any issues. I feel this is where I stood with the majority of my therapists until recently.

In summary, experiences following the car crash and the hospital stay have helped more often than not. It has really made a huge difference at my recent job. I’m now working for a major pharmaceutical company as a professional in their Tech Bar. Employees bring their tech to me to repair and ask questions. I also do a lot of work remotely.

Aside from tons of verbal accolades saying what a great job I am doing and how helpful I am, numerous emails have been voluntarily sent to upper management regarding my performance. With that, I was eventually given responsibilities supporting the executives and CEO, as well as awarded several bonuses and raises in pay. I was also granted an award for outstanding customer service.

Today, I don’t necessarily adopt or stick to any routines or habits. Though, I am sure some exercise would help me and I intend to persue that.

However, I now often analyze situations and my own behaviors. I pause and reflect more; I consider how I may be reacting and why. This helps me to gain better perspective and make better choices.

It can be extremely challenging, especially in the heat of the moment, but I believe stopping to think before I act has benefited me in several aspects of my life.

Apart from information technology, I also studied Studio Art in college and love to sketch cartoons and caricatures. I am into construction and use my self-taught skills to create both digital art and toys and various utility objects (such as lamps and music boxes). I prefer the steampunk look and use old toys, equipment and computer parts to create it.

“Winter Landscape,” oil in canvas, c. 1625 - 1630, by Joose de Momper II (the Younger) Public Domain via Google Arts & Culture Original at North Carolina Museum of Art

Drone photography

“Sand Dunes at the beach,” Ouddorp, Niederlande.

“Holly bush in snow.”

By Autumn Dirksen, Western Washington University, Bellingham, United States. Unsplash License.