Greeting's I am Wolf Dunaway. I have high functioning autism, cerebral palsy and other conditions. I often give motivational speeches and answer questions about my life experiences in hope that doing so I make the path for others coming after me easier. I just joined your site today. My journey from a child very much impacted by autism to a man who has learned to manage it enough to have a nice job, home and a awesome if structured life has been difficult. It took me 38 years get my first real job, a home or in other words do what most humans accomplish in 18 years. If you read my story attached to this e-mail transmission you will find, I did ok all things considered.

I got my first job at age 40. I guess if I am an expert in anything it is
the fact I have managed to hold my job for 4 years now the longest time of
continuous employment ever for me. The questions I am asked most often is
how did I manage to hold the job finally and trust me it is no easy task.
Holding on to the job is a very complex equation one I will never master.
Humans are by nature such odd creatures whose expectations shift like desert sand. Human assumptions are maddening and the illogical foundations
governing most human activity is highly confusing. Most of all the whole
concept of human socialization is a random variable that impacts every
aspect of human existence which drives me to the edge of insanity at times
in the workplace.

Human society is judgmental jealous and egotistically self centered. Humans
are style obsessed and almost demand that I become style obsessed like them.

Style is a uniquely human mass marking concept which embraces two human
emotional and cultural extremes which are the need to be different and the
need to conform merged together in what is for autistic people a bewildering
cascade of illogic that has no structure at all. For me clothing is a covering designed to keep me protected from weather extremes and cover my nakedness to aid in an orderly society. To those driven by style clothing
is about numerous illogical fanciful extensions of some idealized concept of
self developed in the mind of marketers or individual humans that gains a
mass or cult status following in the greater society. I understand the
human concept of what style is but the tons of illogic used in its application of this thing called style by humans has confounded me completely.

I think what my co-workers find so odd about me is the fact I have 37 copies
of the exact same outfit that I wear for work. Clothing is a utility for me
not an adornment. My clothing is highly non-conformist but not outlandish.
I have three job coaches and many people who help me when the illogic of
humans on the job confuse me to a point I risk reverting to old non-productive behaviors. I survive the job only because I have managed
with the help of a former psychologist to create a web of people at work who
watch out for me. Also I chose a job computers where large blocks of time
are spent alone working on issues affecting machines with minimal social
skills required. At meetings I have help dealing with humans who push me
too hard in ways that might get an unproductive response. Autistic people
like me can work and hold good jobs but it does not just happen. Autistic
people's strengths are their love of structure, their analytical or single
minded aptitudes and their tireless devotion to their systems once they have
established a pattern that works. My attached speech shows that with the
right help sometimes you can be a success despite the odds being against
you. My message is for many autistic people there is reason to hope for
unique fulfilling life that while NOT "normal" is still awesome.

My life is no where near what society calls normal. I am a unique creature
even among strange folk but my life has become enriching rewarding and
fulfilling as anyone else's in creation. Working among humans requires the
autistic person to develop some special strength's of mind and character.
To an autistic person like me all humans seem like weird illogical creatures
hell bent on confusion for confusions sake but once you accept that about
them life becomes easier to share with them. The hardest thing an autistic
person must do is develop an abiding reason to like humans and this weird
thing called society they have dreamed up a most daunting task indeed. For
an autistic person to succeed this task of finding a reason to like humans
must be successfully completed first before you have any hope of living and
working among humans. I like humans because I find their illogic and weird
ways fascinating. Granted humans think I am weird and fascinating but when
I look at most humans I am as astounded and confused by them and their odd society as they are by me and my strange ways. Finally humor the bane of my existence among humans. Humans LOVE humor as it is the lubricant that allows this massive monstrosity called human culture, civilization and
society to function as an integrated mass. Humor is a universally accepted
filler used in the voids where the logic of human society culture and
civilization do not mesh exactly as expected.

Humor is a mood lightener during stressed times for the human organism that
holds things together until a permanent agreed upon solution or course of
action can be employed by an affected society or group therein. Humor is
thus perhaps the most important aspect of understanding the human animal yet being autistic because humor mutates quickly, humor often has no basis in logic, humor often portrays itself as reality till the last minute, humor
often requires assumptions be made that all parties share the same cultural
surround frames of reference and other supporting ties to community and its
structures is what makes humor perhaps the most difficult concept for
autistic people to grasp. Slap stick comedy where the object goal and funny
occurrence are subjectively and temporally linked in a tight bond is easiest
for me to understand as an autistic being. Sarcasm and other humors
requiring a more sophisticated understanding of things that are not base and
feral in nature elude me to this day because most modern humans demand the listener to have an intimate functional and up to date stylistic sense and
insight to current culture before the nature of the joke or humorous
occurrence makes itself clear leaving me and most autistics out in the cold.
On an intellectual level I understand human humor but not having that
insight into the true human experience in practical terms I am blind as any
of my other autistic brothers and sisters when confronted with complex human humor.

I have done well at working with humans because despite the flaws
the human workplace is just structured enough in the federal system to allow
me to survive there. The human purely social environment I have no clue
about whatsoever as I have yet to even understand that well enough to enter successfully. I have no social life at all none ZERO! I have no interest
in getting married because my time alone is the only thing that keeps me
sane as I recover from the assaults of illogic and associated stresses I
face living among humans in their society and culture. Granted I have done
well but I have much more learning to do. I have made a nice life and a
good living for myself one that places my accomplishment high for an
autistic being but, what I have is by no means perfect. I would just like
to share my insights in hopes they might inspire others to try to better my
attempt to live well among the humans.

Finally if ever I can help the cause of Autism via research answering questions giving speeches working with doctors whatever just let me know. I am not rich so while I charge nothing for anything you might want me to do note I live alone so I can not afford make many money gifts to causes. I will do whatever else I can always free of charge be it speaking, answering questions, medical research into my condition or whatever is needed.

Thank you for hearing me on this.
 
Intensity without guilt,
Joy without doubt,
With Wisdom my Prey,
The Way of the Wolf.

FROM: The WOLF of ALPHASPACE