The Autistic Book Club discussion
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Ten Steps to Nanette
Did you find 'Ten Steps to Nanette' relatable?
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Aug 10, 2022 06:46PM
We are reading 'Ten Steps to Nanette' by Hannah Gadsby at the Autistic Book Club this month, have you read it and did you find it relatable?
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I’m excited to have found this group. I just downloaded the audiobook for this month’s book, so I’ll have to update later. But I have so much love for Hannah Gadsby. Excited to listen to her book. It’s actually narrated by her, which l greatly appreciate because you get her exact intended inflection/vocal pacing for how she wanted it communicated when she wrote it. I also plan to get a hard copy so I can make notations and highlight meaningful-to-me/relatable/artistic passages as well, but it’s nice to have the audio too so I can start right away.
I definitely related to the "leaving my bubble" line.
Oh man. Chapter 2. Her story about the sandwiches at school was me 100%. I don’t think I’ve ever heard tone with such a similar story. I always got in trouble for throwing them away but I did so for yeeeears because my mom couldn’t figure out why I couldn’t eat them at school when I could eat them super fresh at home. We eventually switched in high school to crackers with a side of peanut butter I could apply at lunch. That was such a huge issue for me. And all the times I got caught throwing them away at school too - and all the calls/notices to my parents about me throwing away my lunches.
I also very much remember that feeling about school- I loved the structure of it, but hated the down time. I spent recess reading as long as I could either near the teachers or on the swings until travers thought I should be doing something else. In middle school, down time was spent in the library. And high school I joined a teachers assistant club where I helped teachers with copies and laminating. Anything to get me out of study hall where everyone was just hanging out.
I didn't know that hating down time was an autistic thing. One time my boss tried to give me the afternoon off and I said no.
It was interesting to hear her description of dealing with social anxiety in high school. That she plays out possible scenarios and conversations in her head so she has every possible response ready and rehearsed. I definitely do this too. It helps me to have pre-established responses for conversations, and even more so when I’m expecting drama cuz I know I’ll likely freeze and have zero response to someone crossing my boundaries in the moment. I thought this was just from my own personal anxiety playing out in my imagination; I don’t think it particularly occurred to me that that thought process and needing contingency plans for my contingency plans and conversations was common to anyone else. Does anyone else go through that process?
Deneje(burlapandlacebookworm) wrote: "It was interesting to hear her description of dealing with social anxiety in high school. That she plays out possible scenarios and conversations in her head so she has every possible response read..."Yes!
“Contingency plans for my contingency plans”, absolutely yes! 😆 And the rehearsal of what to say… !
