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chevalier26

@[email protected]

• Reformed Christian
• Too left for "righties," too right for "lefties"
• Grad student getting my M.A. in History at Liberty University; got my B.S. in Government: Politics & Policy in May 2023
• Medievalist, but really love the 15th century and Hundred Years' War
• Constitutional originalist
• Amateur theologian, meteorologist, astronomer, and photographer
• PC gamer and nerd
#ActuallyAutistic

"Authority is not given to you to deny the return of the king, steward."

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chevalier26 , to ActuallyAutistic group
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@actuallyautistic Another day of being told I’m “British” and “don’t understand U.S. weather” on social media because I don’t enjoy summer time and temps above about 72°F because of sensory issues. Have to school them right back by telling them I’m from the southern U.S. 😂

chevalier26 OP ,
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@punishmenthurts @actuallyautistic They are definitely “something”, not sure what though 😂

chevalier26 OP ,
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@Aerliss @actuallyautistic Even the winters where I live are sometimes too much for me. Every January and February we will get an odd few days where the high is between 70-80°F 🥴. And even on “typical” winter days the high temp hovers in the 40s.

chevalier26 , to ActuallyAutistic group
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@actuallyautistic Just found out that NT people have REAL habits that happen basically on autopilot. This is news to me.

What most NT people think of as a "habit" I think of as a "task," even if it is a part of my routine. For example, brushing and flossing my teeth is a part of my daily routine, but I have to make myself think about each action separately. I wouldn't call them habits because I literally remind myself to do them every night. It isn't automatic.

chevalier26 , to ActuallyAutistic group
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@actuallyautistic Wish more YouTubers and content creators added a toggle to their videos that could switch off background music. Idk about y'all, but so many videos have added music that is unnecessary, distracting, and overstimulating.

I have seen videos on YouTube where the closed captions settings have been programmed with a separate audio track with no commentary, so I know it can be done! Would probably be so helpful for so many people!

chevalier26 OP ,
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@EVDHmn @actuallyautistic A lot of the autistic YouTubers I watch already create content with no background music.

Other than that, I don't think there are any specific YouTubers, but generally a lot of gaming and reaction video/commentary content includes a lot of background music.

Most of the time it doesn't bother me (like if it's quiet piano music), but if it's overly loud it can start to grate my nerves.

chevalier26 OP ,
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@matty @actuallyautistic Usually background music doesn't bother me unless it's an overused song (like in Instagram reels, TikToks, YouTube shorts, etc.). Quiet, calm music in long-form videos is great and sometimes even preferable to no music at all in certain scenarios.

But yeah I think the short-form content having overused background music is what annoys me. It's completely unnecessary but is added in as a way to farm views and likes.

chevalier26 OP ,
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@EVDHmn @actuallyautistic For example, Chris from the channel Chris and Debby does a great job of making "no music" versions of his videos, like this one: https://youtu.be/87CO8ldUv3I?si=iVgKRDVw1g5_Jgr3

chevalier26 , to ActuallyAutistic group
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@actuallyautistic How did y'all discover which parts of yourself were masking and which parts are genuine? Or, figuring out when you are masking in the moment it happens? Sometimes I feel off in certain scenarios but I can never pinpoint what is masking and what isn't. Any advice or resources would be appreciated!

chevalier26 OP ,
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@Zumbador @actuallyautistic Oof, pretending to agree when I don't is a huge one for me and is painful like you said. Not fun lol.

olena , to ActuallyAutistic group
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“Don’t assume, ask” - is the approach I share. However, there are many people to whom asking seems like something rude and inappropriate. And those people would assume.
The thing is, I am one of those people that usually can’t be accurately assumed: if you’d think a person that does this and this would also do that, the one who likes this and this would hate that and so on - most probably, I’d not follow that pattern. For that very reason I’ve been called ‘eclectic’, or less politely - ‘messy’, ‘illogical’, and all sorts of weird - most of my life, and for that very reason some people are kinda afraid of me: they can’t predict because their assumptions aren’t correct.
In turn, for me it’s very frustrating/confusing to see that someone is offended by me asking directly instead of assuming because all I want is to avoid any misunderstanding and clarify things.
I feel like is quite an eclectic thing per se(due to some aspects looking from a certain point of view as opposite to those of ), so maybe that is the key to me being so, well, contradictory in eyes of other people.
I wonder, if that asking is just desire to have things clear and precise, or assuming/asking divide does not correspond to the NT/ND one

@actuallyautistic

chevalier26 ,
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@pathfinder @olena @actuallyautistic I feel like I am simultaneously hard to read and predictable, but in different areas. If I asked my friend to guess what I would most likely eat for lunch tomorrow, they would be correct 90% of the time, but if I asked them what music I was listening to right now, they would get it wrong 90% of the time. Idk how to explain it.

chevalier26 , to ActuallyAutistic group
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@actuallyautistic Another vent incoming about this faculty training course:

The instructions for everything are SO VAGUE! And on top of that, the tutorials for using the programs in Canvas, like SpeedGrader for grading assignments, don't even match how the programs look on my own laptop. I am, quite literally, floundering. Aye, aye, aye... :blobugh:

chevalier26 OP ,
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@actuallyautistic I am literally forced to delay my completion of this course because someone in admin didn't think about possible Canvas updates or software changes between when the tutorials were published and when the rest of the applicants would watch them. FWIW, the training videos are all from 2020. Sigh.

chevalier26 , to ActuallyAutistic group
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@actuallyautistic Rare footage of me floundering in literally every social situation:
https://www.instagram.com/reel/C8chkKMpBia/?igsh=MXY0cHVvbHJja25iOA==

chevalier26 , to ActuallyAutistic group
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@actuallyautistic Do y'all know if it's an autistic trait to be super skeptical of stuff? Like, for example, my parents watch some questionable "health" people on YouTube, and when they show me a video from said people, I can tell IMMEDIATELY that they are grifters in it for money. Idk what gives it away but it's like a flashing warning sign in my brain.

I wonder if it has to do with social influence and the effects of charisma/agreeableness that NDs might not fall for.

chevalier26 OP ,
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@actuallyautistic Also: made a post a few weeks back about advertising potentially having less of an impact on NDs/autistics, and I wonder if this is related in any way.

chevalier26 OP ,
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@actuallyautistic Somewhat unrelated but not really: My parents have also started falling down the rabbithole of denying the moon landing and even that the earth is flat. I can't even fathom how someone can fall into those delusions, and I discuss these topics CONSTANTLY with my parents, but all they can respond with is "well, I watched these videos on YouTube/Facebook/Rumble..." 🤦‍♀️

chevalier26 OP ,
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@Vincarsi @actuallyautistic I think that's the most probable answer. As a kid I would get into a lot of trouble with my parents because I either let myself be an emotional doormat or allowed others to take advantage of my kindness (e.g., letting them using my school supplies and never getting them back). I learned the hard way that freely bestowing trust is the quickest way to get burned.

chevalier26 OP ,
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@Adventurer @actuallyautistic Your story about Dr. Oz makes me think of my mom's current obsession with Dr. Eric Berg because of his Keto diet stuff. I had heard of him before, so when my mom showed me one of his videos I took everything with several grains of salt. He is nothing more than a chiropractor yet pretends to be a licensed MD. I haven't looked into the supplements he sells but I'm sure they are probably artificial/scams.

chevalier26 OP ,
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@erosdiscordia @actuallyautistic Yes!!

chevalier26 OP ,
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@actuallyautistic Oh my goodness 🤦‍♀️my mom just played this video for my dad and grandparents acting like it was legit information: https://www.instagram.com/reel/C7nWqALNI2n/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

The Puss Caterpillar is not a "bioweapon," but a native caterpillar to the eastern and southern United States and parts of Central and South America. It is literally a native species. Takes less than 30 seconds to find this out. Why fearmonger?

chevalier26 OP ,
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@maggiejk @actuallyautistic Interesting theory! I think that could be a part of it for sure.

chevalier26 OP ,
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@maggiejk @actuallyautistic The classic "common sense isn't common" scenario lol. For what it's worth, my parents are also the type of people who HEAVILY doubt anything mental health related, including autism and ADHD. So anytime I try to discuss it or the possibility of me having autism with them, they shut me down immediately. So it goes...

chevalier26 OP ,
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@Greenseer @maggiejk @samhainnight @actuallyautistic Yes!! I despise peer pressure, but especially "positive" peer pressure. I don't care if my friends "really want me to go to that football game," I know I will get overstimulated and I'm going to stand my ground! And guess what? I never have the regret everyone tries to guilt trip me about.

chevalier26 , to ActuallyAutistic group
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@actuallyautistic Do any of y'all have EXTREME heat intolerance? It's like the older I get the more I can't put up with hot weather. I've always been very "hot-natured," prefer winter over summer, etc. but this year I think my intolerance has been the worst yet. Friends are telling me how it's peak summer weather (90 degrees is comfortable?!?) meanwhile I start sweating when it's 70+ degrees Fahrenheit outside. What gives?

chevalier26 OP ,
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@aevole @actuallyautistic It's actually 86F here where I live right now...and I almost passed out walking up the block to my grandparents' house earlier 😭

chevalier26 OP ,
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@arisummerland @actuallyautistic Yes! I have fans blasting in my room 24/7 for the same reasons. I think part of my intolerance is also a sensory thing because I can't stand the feeling of sweating and/or sweat on my skin.

chevalier26 OP ,
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@arisummerland @actuallyautistic You sound just like me! I also wear glasses and sweating makes wearing them absolute torture...can't keep them from sliding down my nose! Unfortunately my bedroom is on the side of the house with the worst ventilation, so it stays about 2-3 degrees warmer than the rest of the house. Not sure if a vent is clogged with dust or what but sometimes it can get unbearable even with the fans running.

chevalier26 OP ,
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@woozle @arisummerland @actuallyautistic It's the worst if I get sweaty right after I take a shower, like I just brushed up against a cactus. I know exactly what you mean!

chevalier26 OP ,
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@andrewhinton @actuallyautistic Yep, I'm the same way. It's not as easy for me to get cold, but at least I can add layers if I do. Heat is entirely different, I can only remove so many layers before someone calls the cops 😭 😂

chevalier26 OP ,
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@arisummerland @actuallyautistic Great news! My mom found a vent guard so I'm finally able to redirect all the cold air coming through my bedroom vent. I think all the cold air was being trapped under my bed, and that's why my room always felt stuffy, not because the vent was clogged. It's not even been 10 minutes and I already feel a substantial difference in the temperature.

chevalier26 , to ActuallyAutistic group
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@actuallyautistic Maybe y’all can help me with this question:

Over the past few months I have really been ruminating on what “masculinity” and “femininity” even are, and those terms are mostly defined by stereotypes. Like, I know I’m a woman but I’ve always felt like “just some guy.” I’ve never had dysphoria or anything, and I have a biblical understanding of sexuality, but cultural ideas about gender make no sense to me. All of this is so confusing. Any ideas?

chevalier26 , to ActuallyAutistic group
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@actuallyautistic Every now and then I’ll see a video like this on Instagram and just shake my head…like why do “issues” like this have to be made into a gender war? Plenty of women do this same thing, or, at least, by “women” I mean myself 😂. Thought it was logical to leave things out that will be used again…so you don’t have to unnecessarily dirty other dishes. Guess that’s just an alpha male thing /s

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C8XGHT7usUh/?igsh=ZmhxMXU2OGpzcm41

chevalier26 , to ActuallyAutistic group
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@actuallyautistic Does anyone else find that their music taste is extremely unconventional? I can enjoy most types of music with others, but when I'm alone I listen to stuff that most people would never listen to. Like historical folk songs, military marches, courtly dance music, sea shanties, etc.

I enjoy other music too but I feel like the above categories are things I am "ashamed" to play around others. Idk if that makes sense lol.

chevalier26 OP ,
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@homelessjun @actuallyautistic There was this weird moment in my Medieval Experience class this past semester where the professor played the Agincourt Carol, and I was enthralled, but everyone else was complaining and holding their ears. I thought, FINALLY, y’all are experiencing what I experience every time I turn on the radio!

chevalier26 OP ,
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@felyashono @actuallyautistic That's awesome! I don't know if you're familiar with Alastair McDonald or not, but his renditions of folk songs from the Jacobite Rebellion in the album "Bonnie Prince Charlie" are phenomenal.

Some of my favorites are Ye Jacobites By Name, Cam Ye O'er Frae France, and Charlie Is My Darlin'!

Also...The Wellerman gets on my nerves so bad! I feel your pain lol.

chevalier26 OP ,
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@Autisticaurochs @actuallyautistic Yes!! One of the things I've struggled with for a long time is how to answer any "what is your favorite ___?" questions because any and every form of media that I've ever seen immediately crosses my mind. Recently found out that when NT people ask this, they want a surface level response 🙃

chevalier26 OP ,
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@EVDHmn @Autisticaurochs @actuallyautistic I've never thought of responding that way, might be stealing that 😂

chevalier26 OP ,
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@tkk13909 @homelessjun @actuallyautistic Yep. Know the feeling well lol.

chevalier26 OP ,
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@tkk13909 @actuallyautistic I just did this Obscurify thing and it gave me a 93% rating, and I use Spotify pretty frequently 😂 not sure how accurate it is though

Almost half of my "most obscure" list are songs from Mannheim Steamroller, which I thought was pretty mainstream. At least, their Christmas tunes are. Hmm.

chevalier26 OP ,
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@krafty @actuallyautistic Me too! This song has been on repeat for me lately. I like Martin Carthy's version a lot: https://youtu.be/kv98UySDhs0?si=Y9Q5PpiI5juFODev

chevalier26 , to ActuallyAutistic group
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@actuallyautistic Never can win sometimes when it comes to diagnosis. https://www.instagram.com/reel/C7UWi_0JK6C/?igsh=MWl2NW5oNHZ1Z25vaA==

chevalier26 , to ActuallyAutistic group
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@actuallyautistic In the process of completing my online faculty training course to be a GSA next year...literally EVERYTHING is so vague and confusing.

Emailed the faculty coordinator about it and he told me that I was so ahead in the course that I was outpacing the course administrators. So basically, I'm working ahead so quickly that IT and my course instructor haven't had a chance to update my course info, so that's why everything is confusing.

massive eyeroll

chevalier26 OP ,
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@actuallyautistic Additionally, I texted one of my friends who is already a GSA about how she navigated the training, and she told me that she asked her instructor questions about things that confused her. I responded back asking how to find who my instructor is...and I eventually found out by accident because he was cc'd in the reply I got from the faculty coordinator.

Do people just automatically "know" how to do these things in the work world? Or is everyone else just as confused as me??

chevalier26 OP ,
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@actuallyautistic I know it's an autism thing to feel like everyone has a manual or guidebook to life that you didn't get, but it seems exacerbated in the work world because, at least to me, asking clarifying questions feels like a huge burden. I worry that the answers to my questions are "common sense," whether they actually are or not.

chevalier26 OP ,
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@catswhocode @actuallyautistic I am so thankful that my university is accommodating and patient with everyone, but I still get this nagging feeling that I'm being a nuisance by asking questions.

chevalier26 OP ,
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@catswhocode @actuallyautistic The faculty coordinator commended me for jumping on the training as soon as it began because most if not all the rest of the applicants hadn't made any progress.

I have until July 12th to complete it (it's 8 modules total and I'm essentially done with module 4 except for the sections I have to wait to complete) which makes me feel even more crazy that I jumped on it early but I want to be done with it lol!

chevalier26 OP ,
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@catswhocode @actuallyautistic Yes! Eventually my concern outweighs my anxiety and I HAVE to ask or else I won't be able to complete the assignment or whatever the task is with confidence.

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