By John Counsel
This profile was written by me for my personal profile at About.me, a couple of years after my diagnosis with Asperger’s Syndrome in December 2002. It appears here as an example of how I declared my condition as an Aspie to the world. I still use this explanation. Dates and relative ages have been updated,
I’m a 20 year old in a 73 year old body. Father of five, grandfather (“Pa”) of 14. Great-grandpa of one very small boy. Married to the same NT (Neurotypical) girl for more than 50 years. Author, speaker, columnist, entrepreneur. I advise on marketing, branding, advertising, productivity and LEVERAGE.
I wrote children’s musicals when my kids were young. (Real ones — pantomimes, school musicals, etc.) Example
Intelligent, articulate, wry sense of humour, incorrigible and fearless/foolhardy warrior-philosopher, professional writer, speaker and entrepreneur.
I’m interested in people, ideas, creativity, visual and performing arts, spirituality, innovation and sheer joy of life.
I’m committed to principles, not dogma or doctrinaire politics. I detest hypocrisy, venality, bigotry, brutality, betrayal, boorishness and bad manners.
I’m easy-going, fun-loving, mix with anyone and make friends easily. I’m ferocious in defending the defenceless and I understand commitment. I make waves in pursuit of just causes, but I don’t crowd, I’m not possessive and I’m non-judgmental, generous, tolerant and forgiving. I embrace change and I’m at ease with myself. (All observations written by my five adult children.)
I’m articulate, engaging, erudite, enigmatic… passionate and outgoing at times, reserved and introspective at others. But I’m not moody or intimidating. I’m the eternal optimist… a pragmatic visionary.
I create intellectual property and enjoy an international reputation, but there’s no ego to feed and I invest emotion only in people, not ideas, money or ‘stuff.’
But wait… there’s more!
I also have Asperger’s Syndrome, a neurological condition on the mild end of the autism spectrum. I’m mildly affected and exceptionally self-aware and I deal with it. But I prize integrity, so I mention it now… I’m an open book.
I share this condition with some well known Aspies including Einstein, Newton, Mozart and Bill Gates. (See list of famous Aspies.)
We also have difficulty judging what value others place on information, so we tend to “dump” data and leave it to them to decide.
Just like this profile. 😉
(The associated risk is that body language is largely invisible to Aspies, so I won’t see your eyes glaze over… sorry!)
PS: Did you find Wally/Waldo yet?
PROFESSION
Marketing Doctor at The Profit Clinic in Melbourne, Australia
EDUCATION
Deakin University (Education, Psychology), Monash University (Arts, Psychology), Federation University (Graphic Design, Visual Communications), RMIT University (Graphic Design, Business, Marketing, Advertising)
©2003-2019 John Counsel. All rights reserved.
My Aspie World 