Dealing with reality

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Today is my birthday - 28 years young.

Also today something happened that made me think. I went down to the DMV to get my plates transferred over since my Wisconsin registration expires on the 30th. When I got I done I found myself staring at my old plates for a long period of time. Thinking about it later I realized that despite the fact that I've been living here in Wyoming for the past two months, everything that has gone on since my move has had the feel of one giagantic dream. Mentally I still have yet to attach myself to Wyoming. For those that have had to make sudden and giagantic moves like me, have you experienced or felt the same?

Yes!

I recently moved as well, and have this sense of being detached, 'floating'. I think shrinks call it dissociation.

I'd guess it's because we're so firmly anchored to familiar stimuli, we get a little unhinged til we readapt.

The feeling of 'dissociation' is something I can say with confidence I've felt my whole life. You aren't alone.

yes, i've moved states twice and it takes quite a long time to feel like you're real. Usually when the Jehovahs call, that's when I start to feel like I actually live somewhere. Can take a year or two otherwise.

Yes! There is a massive lag for me; I need time to acclimate whereas others can seemingly instantly feel 'at home.' I have a huge transition period time. Sometimes I never catch up. It's like jet lag increased by an order of magnitude. I have had 5 addresses in less than 2 years and I am disoriented - really. This is incredibly hard for an Aspie/HFA. Others, NTs, may find this sort of thing exciting or embracing. Conversely, I'm panicked out of my mind, then lost. Oh, fist numb. When I first moved back, I had a screaming meltdown because I could not geographically find a building I had never been to before, had to go to a cafe, crying uncontrollably, and write that I was lost. I was devastated. It's just rough. You'll catch up soon enough (hopefully better than I adjust).

Scoots5012,

So you got bronc riders? Yee Haw!

You have been neglectful on keeping us posted, one of us might move, someday, what was it like, how is the new you, job, the improved climate?

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!! !! !!

Do you speak with the local accent?

Do you drive your truck to go across the street?

How is cultural adaption coming along?

yeah, what's the new job (I might have missed this info) and happy birthday.

Really, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!! !!
I don't adjust to change very well at all, and I've moved before and been in such shock over it that I moved back to where I was, still didn't like "home" so moved again, same thing happened, went back home, but the third time was a charm, and I buckled down and eventually got over that "lost" feeling and made a new home for myself and my child, now she's grown and I've been in this town for 17 years and I'm very happy and contented here, but I'm sure I'd flip out if I moved again, and it would take me forever to not have the feeling like I was observing myself from a distance...hell, I freak out if they change my favorite tv programs to another night---I DO NOT LIKE CHANGE---I do best if I'm warned something is going to be different and I have a chance to get used to the idea....

yes
and can take, does take , surprisingly long time to "live" there, rather than "be on holiday" or some sort of visit.
Years.
Definitely. Body and mind takes ages to connect with new surroundings. Have to start small, walk around neighbourhood etc. If only take leaps on bus or in someones car to shops at distance for instance it feels as if the area round where live doesn't exist.

Happy Birthday!

Its been a long time since I made any big moves and they were short lived so I'm not really sure how long it would have taken me to acclimate. I know I feel this way when I travel, like everything is more of a dream than reality.

Meh, I once talked to some guy called "Einstein" and it's his opinion that Reality is just a distraction, though frankly I think he's a bloody wackjob.

Yes, I have the dissociation thing. I tend to move abroad or up and down the UK every two or three years and have done for the past 20 years. I've felt dissociated for so long that it usually takes a couple of years for me to start to feel 'settled' and then, because that doesn't feel like I though it would, I move again.

I also get the 'time distortion' thing, where such a lot changes in a short space of time (like a couple of months) that it doesn't seem possible and it's all been a vivid dream.

Anyway, Happy Birthday

happy birthday scoots. ive never had that feeling but in april i will know what it feels like

Hey man, nice to see ya posting again. Happy birthday! The last time I moved (perminatly) I was 8, and I think after a little adjustment I did fine, did ok settling down quickly. I dont know if I felt the way you did, i dont think so tho, i woulda remembered it. I hope you are enjoying yourself in your new home and all is well.

I did recently take a trip back to where I used to live, have not been their since summer of 91. I went to my neghboorhood and felt as if nothing changed at all, same neghboors for the most part, the houses were the same as I had remembered them, that was like a dream! One of the happiest moments of my life.

Reality is difficult to deal with, 'nuff said.

And happy birthday

To update those who were not around back at the end of september I moved to Cheyenne Wyoming to take a job at KGWN television as a news photographer. I follow the reporters around for daily assignments and videotape what ever they want as well as what I think might look good. I also have to edit our assigments for air during the newscasts we do each day.

I left wisconsin on 9/24, stayed overnight in Newton Iowa, and then spent 11 hours on the road day two to finally arrive in cheyenne. The move went smoothly and I had mentally prepared myself in advance for this since I realized early on that I was gonna have to move out of state for my first job out of college. I just didn't know when or where it was gonna be so I had to be ready for any location since I was sending out resumes to all over the place. I just happened to end up here in cheyenne.

Local culture isn't much different than in wisconsin. There's a lot more black and hispanic people than wisconsin, but the only people that speak and dress the part of the cowboy are the ranchers who live out in the country. Oh, and the entire city is laid back, so laid back (I'm talking Eric Idle from 'National Lampoons European vacation' laid back) that I'm amazed that people even get up in the morning to go to work. People here drive 10 miles/hr BELOW the speed limit and no one passes each other, yet there are still like two or three accidents every hour becasue people don't bother to look where their driving. Customer service in the local stores in non-existant. When I go grocrey shopping I've noticed that the fastest checkers do one item every five seconds. For me this has been the most aggravating thing about Cheyenne, but the locals don't mind it at all.

And through it all I still feel like I'm living in a dream land.