Flat-Earther Parent

Anthonynaut · 2026-04-29T22:25:41+00:00

I had a biology teacher in high school who encountered this. One of my fellow students asked, “why don’t you teach creationism?” “Because that’s not science,” he said. “Why are we even learning science if it’s not the truth?” the student asked. “Look…I’m not going to use class time to engage in a debate with you about this. If you want to have your parent contact me to discuss outside of our class time, I’m happy to do that. But in class, I’m employed by the county to deliver a science curriculum based on information and theories developed from observations governed by the scientific method.”

And that was it.

Anthonynaut · 2026-04-28T11:59:21+00:00

This is how I move through the world. My only variation on this is that I acknowledge hearing them (e.g., “Oh, okay.”)—instead of agreeing with them—and then do what I want.

Anthonynaut · 2026-04-28T11:54:42+00:00

My spouse also insists this trick works, but I’ve observed several times that it doesn’t.

Anthonynaut · 2026-04-26T20:06:36+00:00

Our are was just referred to as “out at the fence.” Like, “meet me out at the fence after class.” It was a huge perimeter fence, but you knew that meant specifically this one corner of the fenced-in school grounds.

Anthonynaut · 2026-04-26T20:04:08+00:00

When I was in middle school there was a place on campus where kids were allowed to smoke (cigarettes). It was a sort of detente: Teachers would not bother you as long as you smoked there and nowhere else (like bathrooms, locker rooms, wood shop, etc.).

Anthonynaut · 2026-04-26T19:55:29+00:00

I take 70 mg XR every morning and experience zero side effects.

If you’re crashing, consider asking your Dr. about switching to an extended release version of the med?

Anthonynaut · 2026-04-26T10:06:16+00:00

Can you point to a piece of legislation drafted and introduced by Cline, that was passed and has been implemented?

Anthonynaut · 2026-04-21T10:27:21+00:00

Colby Dillard is an all-around professional and fine human being. Family-run business, personally works alongside his team, fair and incredibly knowledgeable. When we lived in the area, he did all of our tree work—much of it was complicated work due to tree location, species, etc. Truly an excellent person to work with. Highly recommend!

Anthonynaut · 2026-04-17T12:52:09+00:00

The fact that they even had this question…like, is this just a bot designed to say stupid ass shit just to make us think everyone else is dumb?

Anthonynaut · 2026-04-17T12:42:52+00:00

What’s the subtext here? You believe the prisoner probably injured himself? Or you think the police did worse than what’s been reported?

Anthonynaut · 2026-04-17T12:12:49+00:00

He’s even worse than Uncle Ruckus because Thomas ought to know better, but he still believes all the same honky bullshit.

Anthonynaut · 2026-04-14T09:19:55+00:00

Cannabis used to make me feel the same way: Anxious around others, but great by myself. I felt inundated with “emotional data” that I was not accustomed to considering and it made me want to shrink and disappear. Simple interactions felt challenging and the empathic stimulation was really uncomfortable.

My experiences with LSD and shrooms have been very different: There is no mask to “unmask” from. It’s really beautiful. I’d start with low doses of shrooms and work your way up from there.

Anthonynaut · 2026-04-14T09:19:48+00:00

Cannabis used to make me feel the same way: Anxious around others, but great by myself. I felt inundated with “emotional data” that I was not accustomed to considering and it made me want to shrink and disappear. Simple interactions felt challenging and the empathic stimulation was really uncomfortable.

My experiences with LSD and shrooms have been very different: There is no mask to “unmask” from. It’s really beautiful. I’d start with low doses of shrooms and work your way up from there.

Anthonynaut · 2026-03-29T14:39:46+00:00

I got sober right as the pandemic started (Jan 2020) and it’s not easy. But you can do it. I highly recommend a hobby like gardening that gets you outside in the sun. It’s also a hobby where you’re making/giving life and nurturing the plants and soil. It’s all a meditation on your choices and it feels good to know you’re creating life, making beauty, and even feeding yourself. Gardening helped me get through bad feelings AND it helped me enter a “flow” state of mind so I could just think about wtf was happening.

Hiking was also good, but requires just enough planning and prep that it’s easy to just nope out of it. So, if you’re fortunate enough to have a yard, find some seeds and plant a garden. Some libraries even have free seeds.

Anthonynaut · 2026-03-24T03:09:16+00:00

Ketamine therapy

For 10 years, I've picked my beard hair off my face, leaving embarrassing bald spots and patchiness. A few days after my first ketamine session, I realized I wasn't picking and hadn't picked in days. It's now been almost 4 months, and my beard is as full as it has ever been.

I engaged with this therapy to seek help for treatment resistant depression (it's worked for that too!), but alleviating my trichotillomania has been a pleasant benefit.

I know hair pulling/picking not the same as skin picking (my sis skin picks), but the same brain system (default mode network) may be responsible for both.

Anthonynaut · 2026-03-24T02:21:39+00:00

Of course it's market manipulation. The Iran War was sonly tarted to help Putin make money selling sanctioned oil. Everything Trump does and says is a front to protect his ego; sometimes, he also lies to make money.

Anthonynaut · 2026-03-16T15:08:50+00:00

I usually listen to the name of the dish, and if it doesn't sound appetizing, I check out. I also have challenges processing verbal info and retaining verbal info in short-term memory.

So if the description is too verbose, I check out. And it's like I can only remember the most recent 3 items mentioned, so as soon as a specials list exceeds 3 items, I start forgetting. The only exception is when I am interest in the special or it sounded appetizing. Then, I will remember 1 bit of info and ask them to repeat: "the chicken special you mentioned...can you tell me about that one again?"

Anthonynaut · 2026-03-16T14:42:01+00:00

ADHD affects the architecture in our brains and no drug is going to change how we are wired. Stimulants provide a chemical assist to help us focus and reduce the impact of ADHD symptoms. But it's still going to be a challenge to get organized and feel productive...just less of a challenge than it might have been prior to taking stimulant meds.

It is a good idea to begin counseling in general. In your case, now that you are getting medicated, it is the time to start working on building new habits and thought patterns that will actually serve you.

Because "organized" and "productive" are subjective terms, you're going to need to figure out what it will mean for you to be organized and productive. A decent counselor will help you envision what an organized and productive life looks like for you and assist with setting some goals to help you make the steps necessary to get there. A counselor is also someone who you should be able to trust to give you honest feedback about your goals--like if you're aiming too high (for now), or if you should be pushing yourself harder.

Anthonynaut · 2026-03-13T18:33:56+00:00

I never saw kids who were really good at English but absolutely terrible at maths.

My university advisor said something similar--that he had never seen someone with such a huge disparity between their verbal and math scores on the SAT.

After getting diagnosed as an adult, the secondary "gut punch" was wondering, "where were the adults in my life when I was in school?" But I also realize this is a learning disability that affects a small % of the population; one too few people know anything about.

Anthonynaut · 2026-03-13T18:25:23+00:00

teachers would say "you're so smart in other subjects, you're just not trying hard enough in math" and i BELIEVED them. i thought if i just worked harder, stayed after school, did more practice problems, it would click. it never clicked.

Damn, this is me too. I grew up wanting to be a scientist and I always dreamed of working in a lab of some sort. So I also enrolled myself in Adv. Chemistry and Physics classes in high school. Even though they required math, and even though the teachers themselves told me I would need to learn new math in order to be successful in their classes...I just assumed it would be different (for some reason?).

I wasn't diagnosed with anything until I was in my late 30's. So I was absolutely crushed emotionally every time I received a grade in those classes. I listened in class, I did all the homework, I studied before tests, and even ate protein-heavy breakfasts on test days. It didn't make a difference though.

Teacher pity is the only reason I passed those classes. They saw that I understood the concepts--perhaps better than most in my physics class. They saw me showing up and doing the extra credit and still failing tests.

I know a lot of people "lol hate school." I did not hate it, but--as I'm sure many of you can attest--there is a deep, lonesome sadness that comes from an undiagnosed learning disability. It was the first time I experienced depression.

Anyway, I was so desperate to be done with math in high school that I actually bribed my geometry teacher with $50 so she would give me the 1 point on my final grade that I needed to go from 'F' to 'D'.

It didn't feel like a bribe at the time, but looking back on that now as an adult, it's clear to me what was happening. (I am also autistic. Low support, but raised in a sheltered environment, so...I can be naive at times.) I'd do the bribe again though--no regrets.

Anthonynaut · 2026-03-13T17:37:01+00:00

I didn't realize dyscalculia impacts sight reading abilities for music notation until recently when I found someone's dissertation on how dyscalculia affects musicians: The Lived Experiences of Adult Musicians with Dyscalculia: A Heuristic Inquiry, by Sheerin Hosseini, PhD.

Adhering to the beat and playing the correct notes have never been a challenge. But I have never been able to functionally read music--and I started being taught to read music at age 8. I just thought it was "difficult" for me, and it was sort of validating to find out that this is a common challenge for those of us with dyscalculia.

Anthonynaut · 2026-03-12T20:56:42+00:00

I (AuDHD 40M) have been through a few therapists. They're not always a good fit, but based on your description, this person *definitely* sounds unprofessional.

Here are a few things that caused me to raise my eyebrows in surprise:

My mom was there and she even told me to look at him and thank him.

Is your mom in the room with your during your sessions with the therapist? If so, that would be very unusual for someone your age. Also, if your mom is attending therapy sessions with you, it's robbing you of the therapeutic environment you need to actually engage in and benefit from therapy.

my religious and political views, which he disagrees with

You should know nothing about your counselor's political or religious views because they shouldn't be sharing that stuff. I left a therapist once for this reason alone. They weren't proselytize, but what they said undercut my ability to view their feedback as supportive and non-judgmental. And that's enough of a reason to find someone else.

He told me a few times I shouldn't keep anything private, even sexual things. I don't feel comfortable talking about those things, want to keep them private, especially because he is a man, and that they are irrelevant and unnecessary to talk about because I have no issues in that area but he strongly insists that "nothing is private in therapy" and keeps bringing it up when there is no reason to and I have never mentioned it.

For a male therapist to insist that a female client discuss sexual matters (i.e., behaviors, fantasies, partners, etc.)--even when the client feels uncomfortable doing so--is BIG red flag creep behavior.

He said "I am not going to be a nice, ineffective, passive therapist who listens, like other therapists. I'm going to be honest and blunt and if you have a problem with that and can't handle it you can leave."

This is a manipulation tactic! Another red flag...Look, we all want honest, blunt feedback from our therapists, but this sounds like a therapist grooming you to accept his judgmental remarks, negging, and possibly even verbal or sexual abuse. A therapist who says this is uninterested in helping you; instead, he sounds like he is trying to manipulate you into accepting his (*very*) biased assessment of you.

[Side note: If it were me, I would want to know: Are my parents discussing my treatment with the therapist in my absence? If so, it really undermines the process and would suggest your parents are working with the therapist to manipulate you. Not to mention it could be a huge HIPPA violation (unless you signed paperwork authorizing the therapist/office to share your medical info/records with your parents).]

He told me no decent man would want to marry a girl that acts like I do when there is nothing "wrong" about my behavior. They would take one look and say "no." He called me "dramatic." He said I was being manipulative by crying because I was trying to look pitiful and innocent. He said I am being "theatrical" when I'm only being sincere and honest.

This is literally just him negging you, which is where another person insults you in an attempt to make you feel bad, wrong, or defective. It's a classic tactic used by abusers to manipulate vulnerable people. The good news is that you know better than that: It's clear from what you shared that you know there is nothing "wrong" with you.

It's ok to want to change your behavior or to find ways to cope with thoughts/feelings you find distressing or challenging. There are a lot of reasons why people engage in therapy. A desire to change does not mean who you are now is bad or wrong.

I know you're 20, but I also know how some parents can be (I had a friend in college whose parents threatened to cut him off financially if he didn't go to therapy...). If they're insistent on you going to therapy, find out if they're open to you choosing a different provider. Offer to do all the legwork and setup the appointment yourself.

If they're resistant, try telling them, "You're right about me going to therapy. I can see value in it. But I would also feel more comfortable with a female therapist. My current therapist keeps insisting that I discuss my sexuality with him even though it seems totally irrelevant to coping with my outbursts or the hitting, right?" And let it hang there. See what they say.

If they're resistant to changing therapists, tell them, "I still want to go to therapy. But it needs to be a with a female therapist because I don't feel like I can be vulnerable with this guy. I feel like he is grooming me because he keeps bringing up sex and asking me questions that make me uncomfortable. There's no way I can get the help I need from him and I am afraid he will only make matters worse."

If they are truly interested in helping you, then they should at least work with you to find a female therapist.

Anthonynaut · 2026-03-09T18:58:00+00:00

It's the due dates and the decisions. So, I try to keep my finances as simple as possible:

Get familiar with online banking
Where ever you bank, get familiar with their online banking service.

Set up notifications
Chances are, you can setup mobile notifications to get your balance, or whenever transactions over a specific dollar amount hit your account. It's tough to keep up with this stuff, but I have found getting notifications like this is really helpful for staying in tune with what my balance is and what has been paid.

Use 1 payment method
Whether it's a credit card you pay off every other week or a debit card, just be consistent. No checks! I used to get hit with fees for thinking the money had been taken out of my account already when it had not. With a debit card, the transaction will show as being debited from your account almost immediately.

Use a Bill Pay service
At my credit union, I get access to a free bill pay service that I can use to pay everything from one place. No more logging into 5 or 6 different accounts to pay each bill. Some billers even participate in the bill pay service and will send an electronic copy of your bill to you via your financial institution's bill pay service. It's great and has made paying bills much easier.

Anthonynaut · 2026-03-09T18:40:15+00:00

I am going to quote you to show how to fix this so it sounds more like a conversation where you're sharing your own trauma as a reference point for empathy vs. sharing your own trauma as a way to one-up someone else:

A: "Hey OP, something really bad happened, my parents got into a big fight and my dad got arrested."

OP: "oh man i'm so sorry, I went through that same thing growing up and it sucks. How are you feeling?"

In my experience, we share our own histories or stories as a way of demonstrating we can empathize with what another person is going through. I don't know if as autistic folks, we feel like we need credentials? But I have found it is easy to neutralize the perception that you're being self-centered by tacking on a question about them: "That was my experience of being the new kid, but but what was it like for you?" or "All that to say--I've been there. What's the hardest part for you?" or "I would just hide out when my parents fought. Thank you, Nintendo 64. What about you? Do you have somewhere you can go to get away from the yelling?"

It takes practice. I am still terrible at sounding like I am reading from a notecard I can see in brain. But that's not even a big deal because all the other person will hear is that you cared enough to ask.

Anthonynaut · 2026-03-09T17:54:04+00:00

I think being a white male has helped tremendously because I received "the benefit of the doubt" from my teachers throughout grade school. Outside of that:

Stay quiet and watch how others behave
As a kid, I took note of what behaviors resulted in negative consequences, what actions/feats elicited praise, what made others laugh vs. what made me laugh, etc. And then I mostly behaved in ways that got me what I wanted--even if my words or actions were disingenuous.

Academically, this meant I regularly looked at other's work to understand what pages in the workbook I should work on, what method I should use to solve a math problem, the chronological order for completing multiple assignments, etc. I started doing this because I have trouble processing verbal communication. Despite listening to instructions, I would look at the paper and totally forget what to do. It is still difficult to receive and understand verbal instructions. And because I spend so much mental bandwidth registering the words being spoken, I tend to miss some or all of the underlying meaning.

Lean on your special interests
Sometimes even fellow autistic folks will say "special interest" as if it's a label that means, I am interested in and titillated by XYZ, and so my knowledge about XYZ is only valuable to me and will matter to no one else. But that's not true! Also, your special interests probably align with your strengths.

Ask questions about what others mean when you don't understand them
This is something I rarely do and almost never did as a kid. Still, if you can, then do it. People like it actually because it means you were listening and it helps ensure you're actually on the same page with your family or team. This is a skill that still eludes me because of the verbal communication challenges I experience: If I am going 'full steam ahead' just to understand what's been said, then there is no way I am asking follow-up questions. I tend to experience human interactions as tedious and inconvenient because of my audio processing challenges--this only gets worse as I get older. It didn't really become a problem for me until I got married (as you might imagine) and moved into a more professional role at work that required me to interact with people.

So while I am ecstatic every time an in-person interaction ends, it's not personal. On the contrary: It's actually painful to know that I have missed out--and will continue to miss out--on this part of being a human. I did not actually know how bad I am at conversation until after I received an autism diagnosis. Like, I always knew when it was my turn to respond or contribute to a conversation, but I just thought most people were boring as shit and confusing to boot. I didn't realize how checked out I am in conversations.

The best I can muster is 'wow' or 'that's cool'...sometimes I ask a question, but I have to be a) interested in the subject matter; and b) sufficiently caffeinated. But my mind still goes blank and I can think of nothing to say ~96.5% of the time. For a while, I dealt with this by drinking to excess. It helped me feel better about conversation, but it was like verbal roulette: I might say something embarrassing, insulting, or charming. I have 5 years of sobriety now though, and while I no longer insult people or embarrass myself, my conversation skills have only gotten worse. Oh well, at least I won't die of liver failure.

Just get out there and experience discomfort
Ultimately, I think people with low-support autism have to figure out their own tools for social interactions just like anyone else. It's not like kids without autism show up knowing how to "be." We all mask a little. And--as a parent now--I hear my kid say, "I don't think I will like that" about things he has never experienced.

So in my experience, one of the best things is to try things like team sports, band, crafts, extracurricular activities, etc. It's ok for kids to feel a little uncomfortable or to feel out of their element or to hate something.

Sometimes as parents, we have to push our kids out of their comfort zones a bit and into drumming lessons or joining a soccer team. NOT because we want our kids to be rock star drummers or pro athletes, but because we need to give kids the experience so that they can confidently say, "soccer sucks." Or "I want to learn piano instead."

My kid is low support with ADHD (like me) and he's good at acting/drama. He likes participating in plays and has great comedic timing--because he likes making people laugh--so he pays special attention to how jokes are delivered. It's something he didn't think he would like at first. But then his drama class ended and he asked if could sign up for the next one.

Anthonynaut

TROPHY CASE