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I Guess I Never Introduced Myself

Hi, my name is Sarah, I actually have been on here a bit but never thought to introduce myself properly.

I have been growing non native plants since age 5, in which I actually managed to grow a lemon tree in Michigan of all places, from a seed I pulled out of a store bought lemon. It survived for more than a decade, until my grandmother, suffering from chemo brain, tossed it out. But from that start, I never stopped attempting to plant pretty much any seed I could get a hold of, much to the ire of my mother :-))

Orchids, cacti, multiple sorts of trees, from various places and climates I have managed to grow successfully, and my favorite is growing things from seed when I can get a hold of them. However, while I have been interested in carnivorous plants ever since age 10 when I noticed the "death cubes" of Venus flytraps in the general store, I have owned them relatively recently. So far every attempted care and germination has been successful, leaving me with a lot more plants than I bargained for, and some dirty looks from my mother, who better not try to throw out my plants again :nono:

As an autistic person often not understood by people, plants make me feel safe. I can't offend a plant, and yet they rely on me for their care and succeed with my efforts. I don't talk to them or anything weird like that, although I'm sure I probably stare at them a bit too much.

Oh, and I am a college student in the Biomedical Sciences. I guess I just add that right in there.
 
Kind of late, but welcome to Terraforums!
 
Thank you for that introduction, Sarah. Knowing that your experiences are filtered through autism puts your contributions to the group in a different context. I can't imagine the challenges you deal with. Welcome (finally!) to TF.
 
I never stopped attempting to plant pretty much any seed I could get a hold o

Ha! That describes my experience as well. My folks still have a bottle tree, Brachychiton rupestris, that I grew from seed. It must be 20 years old now. Anyway, welcome (formally) to TF!
 
hi Sarah,i'm a bit gutted you think talking to plants is weird:-D welcome and good growing
 
Hmmm, I thought you did do an introduction. I guess I was imagining things. Anyway, welcome (officially) :wave:
 
hi Sarah,i'm a bit gutted you think talking to plants is weird:-D welcome and good growing

I don't talk to stuff that doesn't respond to noise. I'll talk about plants for hours, I'll stare at them, but I won't talk to them.
 
I don't talk to stuff that doesn't respond to noise. I'll talk about plants for hours, I'll stare at them, but I won't talk to them.

A quick google search will bring up many tests conducted showing a relationship between plants and ambient noise.

Some people think that the simple fact of your exhaling Co2 in their general direction makes a difference as well.
 
Thank you for that introduction, Sarah. Knowing that your experiences are filtered through autism puts your contributions to the group in a different context. I can't imagine the challenges you deal with. Welcome (finally!) to TF.

Every day is a journey down the social rabbit hole. I'm like Alice, trying to get through Wonderland and having no idea why the people around me appear to be doing nutty or illogical things, which somehow make perfect sense to everyone else. Every conversation like talking to the Mad Hatter, with emotional outbursts from others appearing to me to have no obvious source. And more than half the time, those patient enough to try to explain it, aren't making sense. It's interesting, but it isn't fun.
 
  • #10
A quick google search will bring up many tests conducted showing a relationship between plants and ambient noise.

Some people think that the simple fact of your exhaling Co2 in their general direction makes a difference as well.

I think my humidifier makes enough noise. Also, too much CO2 in plants can cause a sort of overgrowth of larger, but weaker and sickly leaves. Not that I think 1 person breathing on them could ever do that much damage.
 
  • #11
Every day is a journey down the social rabbit hole. I'm like Alice, trying to get through Wonderland and having no idea why the people around me appear to be doing nutty or illogical things, which somehow make perfect sense to everyone else. Every conversation like talking to the Mad Hatter, with emotional outbursts from others appearing to me to have no obvious source. And more than half the time, those patient enough to try to explain it, aren't making sense. It's interesting, but it isn't fun.

Yup, that is the kind of experience I have witnessed some Asperger friends having when they were in their twenties; totally unfathomable behavior from everyone they met, and no idea how to navigate other people's conspicuous emotional presences. I can tell you, however, that as they got older things became much easier as they at least started to see patterns in people's behaviors, and learned how to not be upset by the emotions of others.
 
  • #12
Welcome to the neighborhood, Ma'am! I have a neighbor who told me once that she could not throw away a seed. I sometimes feel the same way. Shoot me a pm is you decide to get into aquatics and I will
send you a few starters.
 
  • #13
Hmmm, I thought you did do an introduction. I guess I was imagining things. Anyway, welcome (officially) :wave:

LOL! I thought so, too.
 
  • #14
Every day is a journey down the social rabbit hole. I'm like Alice, trying to get through Wonderland and having no idea why the people around me appear to be doing nutty or illogical things, which somehow make perfect sense to everyone else. Every conversation like talking to the Mad Hatter, with emotional outbursts from others appearing to me to have no obvious source. And more than half the time, those patient enough to try to explain it, aren't making sense. It's interesting, but it isn't fun.

I know a thing or two about Autism. I have an Asperger's Syndrome son. He was finally officially diagnosed with A.S, as well ADD, and Anxiety Disorder. You're NOT psycho. You're just 'wired' a little differently, through no fault of your own. We've had at least 2 other forum members come through with Autism Spectrum.
 
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  • #15
I know a thing or two about Autism. I have an Asperger's Syndrome son. He was finally officially diagnosed with A.S, as well ADD, and Anxiety Disorder. You're NOT psycho. You're just 'wired' a little differently, through no fault of your own. We've had at least 2 other forum members come through with Autism Spectrum.

Psycho Sarah is just the name I use for video games. Yeah, I have autism related anxiety and ADHD also, combined with face blindness (an inability to properly process faces well enough to recognize people by them to the extent that 98% of the human population can recognize faces better than me) and trichotillomania (compulsion to pull out my own hair, thankfully haven't done that for a while). Thankfully I only ever did that with my eyebrows and eyelashes, and not the hair on my head like most people with the condition do.
 
  • #16
The fact that you are in college gives me some hope that my son, who is afraid to continue on, academically, can do so. He is also afraid to get a job. Are you commuting from home or living in a dorm, sharing a room?
 
  • #17
The fact that you are in college gives me some hope that my son, who is afraid to continue on, academically, can do so. He is also afraid to get a job. Are you commuting from home or living in a dorm, sharing a room?

I live in a dorm, take a bus home when I have less busy weekends. Single dorm, initially I was going to have a roommate, but they changed plans when I informed them I was autistic. So I ended up with a single. If you tell me the state you live in, I might be able to list out some close colleges which have good programs to accomodate autistic students.

The stress is there, sure, but a good college environment made all the difference for me.
 
  • #18
Having spent 4 years in a dorm, with roommates, I can tell you that sharing a room is a challenge. It's been said that the quickest way to lose a friend is share a room with them. You never know just how much a friendship will be taxed. It's probably wiser that you have a single. It isn't easy to transition from home to college, as it is. It's even tougher when one has something neurological going on, whether it's Autism Spectrum or ADD, ADHD,....

We live near Buffalo, NY.
 
  • #20
...I'm sure I probably stare at them a bit too much....

Well then your in good company.:bigthumpup: I think EVERYONE on here stares at their plants a bit too much. (I know I do!)

Welcome (officially!)
 
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