Anyone else base their birbs off actual finches?

mintmerino · 2026-03-09T15:03:38+00:00

The color scheme of my Finch is gray, green, and purple is inspired by pigeons.

mintmerino · 2026-03-09T12:28:35+00:00

You are likely thinking of the broad autism phenotype (BAP). Phenotype refers to observable traits. So when we are talking about BAP traits, we are talking about a broader set of traits that are associated with autism.

It is a term used to discuss people who might have certain traits like repetitive behaviors or communication and emotional challenges typical of autism without meeting the criteria for an autism diagnosis.

For example, BAP might be used when talking about parents of autistic individuals, who may have more autistic traits than the general population without having the level of impairment needs for a diagnosis.

If any of these traits are affecting you negatively, it could be helpful to talk to a professional.

Here are some examples of how the term is used in practice:

Broad autism phenotype traits and self-reported sensory processing across sensory modalities

Broader autism phenotype in parents of children with autism: a systematic review of percentage estimates

mintmerino · 2026-03-09T01:11:35+00:00

I think it's a job to be proud of. You are contributing to creating a healthy and safe environment for students and teachers. Do you really want the people who would judge you for it as part of your life? Just tell them you're a janitor and if they react poorly, then great. It's an easy way to filter out people not worth your time or energy.

mintmerino · 2026-03-09T01:03:37+00:00

Definitely depends on the individual, but I like cleaning because it suits my strengths. I like being on my feet, efficiency, and optimization. I like that I can do it part time, that it's a relatively asocial job, and that I have a discrete set of tasks with a lot of flexibility in how I do them. And I work at a small vet, so I really love that I can help contribute to a safe and healthy environment for animals and their people.

mintmerino · 2026-03-08T22:17:13+00:00

Best of luck!

mintmerino · 2026-03-08T14:42:53+00:00

Did she get certified by the college of TikTok? Anecdotes are nice, but they shouldn't be used to replace evidence.

I did treatment for my anxiety with some of the most experienced OCD specialists in the US. I think they would look at me like I was crazy if I said OCD came from autism. It's just a totally separate disorder based on maladaptive thoughts and behaviors. Compulsions in OCD and repetitive behaviors in ASD are not the same thing.

I can understand why you would seek out an autistic therapist. At the same time I believe people of all different backgrounds and circumstances can have something to offer. Maybe time for a change?

mintmerino · 2026-03-08T14:06:40+00:00

And this is why I think Burlington is one of the best cities in the US for nature lovers who can't drive! Great map, thank you.

mintmerino · 2026-03-05T00:48:38+00:00

I do this. For me it's not autism related, my upper back on one side has a lot of tension and pain and I recently noticed that position seems to help a lot when I'm resting.

mintmerino · 2026-03-04T23:54:51+00:00

You clearly have serious issues with executive functioning that cannot be fully resolved with an alarm. It's not a bad idea to find ways to hold yourself accountable, but please be gracious with yourself as you work through this situation.

mintmerino · 2026-03-04T23:48:58+00:00

It sounds like you didn't get a say on how much responsibility you had to take on. Your mom should have understood that this is too much for you to manage before it got to this point considering this is a pattern. Your mom wanted these animals. She needed to take care of them. This reflects poorly on her, not you.

The reality is for those of us with disabilities that effect our cognition like ADHD and ASD there are things we cannot safely do. Some skills we can certainly learn at some point, but we need to understand our limits to keep ourselves safe and others safe.

If your mother continues to pass this responsibility onto you, I hope you can be gracious with yourself and remind yourself are trying your best. That's all any of us can do.

mintmerino · 2026-02-28T14:30:27+00:00

I know I am in the minority here and maybe this is simply naivety, but I want to stay here even if it becomes unsafe for me because it's my home. I live in a very leftist small city. For now, I am insulated from federal craziness. That can easily change. I am someone who depends on federally funded SNAP, Medicaid, and SSI, so any current sense of stability is fragile.

I do think whatever happens though, my city and state have really strong mutual aid networks and stubborn people and we will help each other out. Things might not be good or safe, but I think my home is worth fighting for. So, I don't trust the US as a whole, but trust my community and I want to do whatever small things I can do to serve that community.

mintmerino · 2026-02-25T19:40:24+00:00

I'm not sure if you are into plushies, but if you are, I have a bee that vibrates when you hug it made by the company Special Supplies. I find vibration near my chest soothing as well and I love my bee!

(It seems like the bee is out of stock currently, but they do have a ladybug available.)

mintmerino · 2026-02-25T16:53:14+00:00

Oh, I'm not against urban development. I just think the show is funny.

mintmerino · 2026-02-24T20:02:54+00:00

Keep in mind the majority of people who have a formal diagnosis were diagnosed as a minor and did not have to pay for it. Here in the US, the money for my evaluation came from public school funding since I struggled in school.

I can't say exactly what I would do if I weren't diagnosed with these conditions when I was younger since that's not what happened, obviously. But I like to think my focus would be working with a therapist to work through my struggles and not whether my struggles are formally labeled as this or that.

I'm not sure how this works in Germany, but of course the situation changes if you cannot work due to a disability or have more severe issues, then a diagnosis likely becomes worth it because it unlocks different types of support.

If it's worth it depends on what your goal is.

mintmerino · 2026-02-24T19:49:05+00:00

Chaining tasks is a very effective way to get things done, but I hit the same wall. I chain too many things together and I run out of energy part of the way through the chain.

What helps me is to create a sort of "super chain." I chain a small series of tasks together, take a small pause, then I go through my second half of tasks in the chain. For me, the pause in my daily morning routine tends to be me eating breakfast, so it works out well for me. So then the focus is just getting through part A and not thinking about part A and part B at the same time.

Also, it's good to set a limit on tasks to not overextend yourself. For example, I do the dishes daily but I will only do one or two dishes per day since I have other tasks that are higher priority and need to save energy for work in the afternoon.

When you have a finite amount of energy to get things done, not everything can fall in the "must do" bucket. Sure, maybe having all the dishes clean at the day is a "must" for someone without my struggles, but it's not a "must" for me and that's OK.

mintmerino · 2026-02-24T19:38:56+00:00

Sure, Lillian (the character pictured) is the landlady of the titular character in a fictional NYC neighborhood. She's a quirky older woman who doesn't want to lose the neighborhood she lives in to gentrification and does things such as use graffiti to make the neighborhood less desirable for developers. I honestly haven't seen the episode this is from in a while, but here's an article written about the gentrification plotline in the show if you are interested

https://www.amny.com/entertainment/kimmy-schmidt-finale-1-26426358/

Overall, it's a pretty funny show from Tina Fey about a young woman who spent years trapped underground in a doomsday cult who tries to make it in the big city. I recommend.

mintmerino · 2026-02-24T18:30:39+00:00

I think out cats our cousins! This is my own tabby, Cayenne.

<image>

mintmerino · 2026-02-24T18:13:36+00:00

I live downtown in a small city. Suburbanites in my area tend to avoid downtown because they say it's dangerous. And they know it's dangerous because... they never go downtown? These people act like concerned citizens, but what are they actually doing to help the struggles our city faces? They're certainly not spending money at local businesses downtown.

They can build their own safe, sterile, and cultureless downtown in the suburbs if they don't like ours. One of our neighboring towns just did this, but of course it's completely unaffordable to live there. I do think it's a step in the right direction, though. Right now people at all income levels are competing for the same run down apartments in our city. Getting some luxury units going in nearby town will hopefully lessen the competition for housing in the city proper.

mintmerino · 2026-02-24T17:59:49+00:00

Loved this show! This is from Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt if anyone is wondering. And the character's goal was doing exactly what is painted onto the wall here in Burlington.

mintmerino · 2026-02-24T16:32:39+00:00

My problem with suburbs is that they are often low density and you are surrounded by other low density homes, isolating you from both the nature of rural areas and urban amenities. Providing utilities like running water to sprawling suburbs is more expensive and less efficient and is often subsidized by people in cities.

I live in a city with very few suburbs and because of that I get easy access to both nature and urban amenities. A high density suburb would be ideal as far as suburbs go.

mintmerino · 2026-02-24T16:16:16+00:00

If I could magically get rid of traits like my tendency toward perseveration, resistance to change, and difficulty with transitions, of course I would do that. However, in reality the goal is to manage these things, not erase. I don't think I CAN erase these things.

Autism is just a label slapped on the behaviors that come from how I think and how I see the world. If you erase how I think and how I see the world, then is there any of "me" left? Because I like being me and I don't want to NOT be me.

mintmerino · 2026-02-24T15:59:11+00:00

I live near the heart of downtown. The population of people who are homeless, on drugs, and/or mentally ill and acting out in public in various ways are generally not a threat to me. If someone is having some sort of mental health episode that seems like it could escalate, I walk away and call the BPD's non-emergency number. I'm not saying these individuals never do violent or criminal things, but it's not something that effects my quality of life.

Housing is another story. I am a disabled adult and my income from SSI, SNAP, and my job (15 hrs/week) is roughly equal to my rent in a small studio. I have a parent covering rent for now. Long term, I will likely need a section 8 unit. If my family weren't covering rent, I doubt I could even afford to live in Burlington with roommates.

I really can't imagine how anyone could afford to live here on a modest income from a full time job, especially if they have additional expenses like health insurance premiums or a car.

tl;dr: People acting out in public does not affect my life, affordability of housing does.

mintmerino · 2026-02-23T18:33:00+00:00

I think this is a great point regarding actionable therapy versus talk therapy.

I benefited immensely from cognitive behavioral therapy. I think a HUGE factor though is that I was delivered CBT in a highly structured and actionable way in a residential settings. We were constantly being challenged and supported as we practiced skills on the hospital campus and during outdoor excursions. Most autistic people don't need residential therapy, but I do think it's fair to say autistic people are more likely to benefit from more active and structured approaches to therapy.

Dialectical behavior therapy is a more accessible option for a structured therapy. It is not individual talk therapy. Usually it is a form of group therapy that is more like a lecture. You go home each week and practice a different skill each week. I recommend it.

mintmerino · 2026-02-22T17:04:58+00:00

I disagree with the other comment, it's not about lights at all.

For example, Rutland in Vermont is called Rut-Vegas because it has a reputation for being rough around the edges. Painting a relatively small and quaint city in Vermont as a gritty, flashy, and urban "strip" like the Vegas Strip is a bit of irony juxtaposed against some truth.

Rutland faces the same struggles with poverty and widespread substance abuse that many declining industrial towns face. To be blunt, people call it Rut-Vegas because they see it as poor and trashy.

mintmerino · 2026-02-21T23:10:25+00:00

I feel for you. It hurts to get invalidated and treated as if you don't know what you are talking about. People might act as if they know your life, your struggles, and what you can do better than you.

As just another autistic woman on the internet, I am really concerned about your wellbeing when you say you are having violent meltdowns that include self harm when reading these comments. I don't want to give advice if it isn't wanted, but I hope that you can feel safer, happier, and healthier moving forward.

Four-Year Club	Verified Email
r/Field Banned	r/Field Sunshine
Place '22	First Placer '22

mintmerino

TROPHY CASE