There are times when Left of Normal folks are tripped up.  Usually it has to do with jokes, sarcasm, and otherwise using words that sound like one thing, but mean another.

Over the years, of course, I have become well adept at sarcasm and incorporate it into my every day life.  But I can still be confused at times.

We talk about that, and other funny word usage in today's 'cast.

Sharing, both letting other people use our items and sharing about our personal lives can be difficult for the Left of Normal person.

Today we look at why it's hard to share toys, and what the expectations are for sharing about emotions, experiences, and the like... and what the barriers are when it comes to conversations and maintaining them.

When looking at those with ASD, there's often a defining characteristic of having a special interest.

Today, we're looking at what that even means, a talking about a handful of my own, poking the Hans Asperger topic, and looking at whether or not this is something unique to the autism community, or if it's more studied and researched as it pertains to Left of Normals.

Conversating can be hard.  Sometimes it's a matter of paying attention to too many things and forgetting to say your "yups" "uh-huhs" "dangs" and "wows"

Sometimes it's not knowing what to say or how to respond.

Sometimes we just don't want to talk but other people think that everyone wants to talk to them.

One of the fringe benefits of being on the spectrum is lower executive functioning skills.  Those skills include things like being able to transition from one topic to another.

While it can be used for better, to really hone in on a particular topic or task, it often makes things harder as small interruptions can cause major setbacks or delays.

The fastest way to discourage a child from greatness is to tell them that they're smart, talented, unique, etc.

Giving praise shouldn't be about the outcome, it should be about the process.

Today we look at some of the ways that those on the autism spectrum see praise, interpret it, and try to apply it.  We look at better ways to encourage our kids, and how many compliments don't really spur us toward greatness, but rather hold us back.

This week we have been talking about the Zeigarnik effect, and how it uses up a ton of brain energy when we don't close out projects, thoughts, and tasks.

It goes hand in hand with procrastination.

We'll look into that, and I give a tip on how you can be more persuasive with anyone using this one simple trick (scientists hate it... or maybe they love it and doctors hate it).

When dealing with people on the spectrum, they are often seen as lacking emotion.  They're also seen as not being able to show empathy or sympathy.

That's only part true.  We do experience the emotions, and understand what is going on, but the outward display is often lost somewhere between our brains and our appearance.

Today we look at what these words mean, and those with ASD process these emotions.

One of the things we see a lot of is that those on the spectrum have food quirks.

Why though?  Everyone has likes and dislikes, so what makes the LoN unique?

That and a handful of my likes and dislikes (and why I like and dislike them) in today's episode.

There are a lot of myths out there surrounding autism.  Probably because it's really not well understood, and has largely only been studied the last 40ish years.

Along come celebrities that spout pseudo-science, and people that refuse to pursue education go ahead and repeat them.

Today we're looking at those myths, discovering why they persist, and laying down the facts around this condition.