Ever had successful social interactions as special interest?

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I have.

I wasted rather a lot of time on it before I discovered Aspergers a couple years ago and realised I was totally wasting my time.

It did help, I guess ~ I mean it made the gap a little bigger.

I still have an ability to operate in the world (a good one) and an ability to have
actual personal relationships (quite a bad one).
But I spend my time on chemistry and things where I learn a lot faster.

Learning social rules isn't a complete waste of time for everyone with Asperger's Syndrome. There are people on these forums that state they can pass for NT, by their assessment anyhow. For some that isn't the case though, but any knowledge of social intricacies is an advantage-- no matter how small.

I've never been interested in such though. My interests usually relate to culture or people in some way however.

Yes. What worked for me though, was to focus my interactions onto the people that I had the most in common with: mostly alternative, intelligent people who didn't quite fit the mold. If you find your people, you'll find your place in the world a lot easier.

I never did learn how to get along with those sport obsessed, TNA pant wearing, blackberry wielding jock types, and I like it that way!

Can't say that I did. I just wanted to lecture people about my special intrests and not be treated like a criminal by everyone.

Thanks for your replies.

PunkyKat, I think that is cute

anneurysm .. yes, I can see your point. I have found a similar thing, I guess. It does frustrate me sometimes that I can never seem to find anyone who's 'my people' exactly, but ont he other hand I have such a diverse range of interests that I have a diverse range of peoples.

buryuntime .. I can see how learning social rules is not a complete waste of time for everyone with AS. And thanks for saying it, because .. it does make it seem a little more like maybe I've learned something worthwhile.
I guess, I was just disappointed after learning about AS ~ I can certainly pass for NT!! Most people I have dared to tell don't believe I have AS. It's only those that know me very, very well that would know, and that I would talk about it with.

I guess I'm a little upset, as that after all that effort attempting to find a lucky break in the world I've ended up back at university, as a mature age student. University is hard because of sensory issues and things, but I have a good idea of where I'm going and why, now. It's really hard not to feel like I'm behind, and alone.
But, I will get there.

Luckily my obsessions are music (I'm a musician), science (once upon a time I wanted to be an astro-physicist) and politics (I also wanted to be a politician), so I feel kind of lucky in that way.

I still have trouble, but specifically at social events when people are trying to get to know you they tend to ask what you're into and talk about that so it helps.

That was my special interest in college.

What was Cockney?

Actually...

While social interactions are not my special interest, I've found that my special interest leads to social interactions.

I had better luck with more quality and quantity in relationships, with people I've talked to in music-related stuff (special interest) as opposed to the five years of being on the football team.

I'm very glad that you have that though, myassyself...the more interests you have, the more likely you are to find people who can relate to, evern if it's just for one thing you enjoy together. I have never found "my people" either: instead I have poetry friends, music friends, goth friends, tea friends, AS friends, and friends who like to party...and although I can't share every aspect of myself with everyone I meet, I at least can relate to each in some form. Finding your niches is a great way to make friends and connect with people who share your interests, even if you don't totally fit in with them, it's something rather than nothing.

agreed

Exactly. Being able to navigate the NT shoals can make one's life a bit more trouble free.

It would be nice to live in a world where I don't have to accomadate other people's peculiarities, but we do live in a social order and it is necessary for most of us to interact with others. So "passing" has its uses.

ruveyn