A blog of a writer with high-functioning autistic savant syndrome
Monday, July 10, 2006
Welcome to my blog!
I have finally entered the blogosphere. Many thanks to my friend, Ian Williams, for all his help with the new website design. I hope to update my blog regularly with news, updates and comments. Thanks for visiting and happy reading!
Hi Daniel, have you looked into cognitive visual therapy (known as behavioural optometry in the UK). This therapy helps develop the links between eyes and brain to enable people to do a wide variety of gross and fine motor skills, e.g. driving. It has changed my son's life. If you want to know more the following are useful websites: www.inpp.org.uk www.babo.co.uk www.cognitivevisualtherapyandcreativethinking.co.uk The US and South Africa are a long way ahead in this field.
I was thrilled to hear an interview you did with BBC last week during the late-night BBC broadcasts heard here in the U.S. on National Public Radio. What a fascinating set of characteristics and abilities you have! I do not have Asperger's syndrome nor particular language/math gifts above the average, but I have, in recent months, realized that I am "synaesthetic". All my life I've secretly experienced sound (music, particularly), letters, numbers, people and even intellectual concepts in terms of color, texture, sound, and even emotion.I also inwardly perceive people as numbers/letters with their own individualized set of colors, design, texture and in some cases, pressure touch. Outside of a recent conversation with a physician friend, no one I've admitted this to had ever heard of such a thing and, indeed, when I was little, I was ridiculed and accused of lying to get attention and later, being "crazy." Then this spring I heard someone being interviewed on a radio program who spoke of a poet friend who experienced and wrote of emotions having colors. The interviewee mentioned that this is a condition known as "synaesthesia" in which many perceptual senses interact with one another without the usual "wiring" barriers to keep them separated. Upon hearing this I was amazed to discover that I was (1) not crazy and (2) had a name for something that others have also experienced. There are several website/research sources to investigate this and I was totally amazed to hear your story the other night. I'm anxiously looking forward to obtaining a copy of your book since there is so little available in print by those of us who have this perceptual condition. It is such an exciting thing to find validation with others sharing this phenomenon. (Personal note: I was born in 1940 on Tuesday, February 13th. Tuesday for me is mid-soft yellow, February a mix of deep cranberry and very dark green, 13 has a white "1" outlined in delicate black and the 3 is a vibrant yellow with thicker black outline. The number 1940 sequences with a white 1, mustard 9, deep cranberry 4 and white 0. I personally am, and have always been, a deep forest-green "5".) Do you perceive people as numbers/letters also? Thanks so much for your time. It's wonderful to know that there are others of us out there. All the best to you. Marcia Lee Diefendorf. I have no website but there is email if you choose to respond: M.Diefendorf@Dartmouth.edu
Hi Daniel, I saw you on TV a week ago and came across your blog while Googling "synaesthetic." I'm not synaesthetic myself, but I've always been interested in everything of the sort. I'm not normal either though... Is it fun? Could you tell me more about what it really is like being synaesthetic?
Hi Daneil, I am so fascinated with you and your abilities! I love to observe people, animals and nature and I could probably sit and observe you for weeks without boredom. You and truely a gifted young mind. I was wondering if you could answer a question for me which I'm sure you've answered for plenty of people but I can't seem to find your answer anywhere. What comes to your mind when you hear the number 2, 4 and 8? And my birthday is September 24th 1986, I would love to hear what you have to say about the day I was born! Thank you so much! PS-i live in Hawaii and if you ever come here for anything please let us know!
Hey Daniel! My friend just showed me your info on wikipedia and you strike me as a very cool person indeed. I'm currently in my second year in medical school and throughout the last year have found out that I have synesthesia and also began the coming-out process to friends (we'll save family for another day). I definitely agree with a lot of your preferences for words and numbers (i.e. 333 is pretty and yummy on the tongue! and of course, isn't it nice that words like tan are colored somewhat similar to what it represents and that words like buttercup and teakettle exist?). With all that being said, do you have any advice for a 23 year-old queer synaesthete who is just becoming acquainted to all this? Surviving? Making the most of it? Life? Universe? Everything? Do you have an e-mail address that you don't mind sharing (I'm not a spammer, I swear!)?
Hola Daniel Es la primera vez que entre a tu blog y sinceramente me parecio muy bueno. Me gustaria que escribas algo mas acerca de manti.Me resulto interesante. Ok saludos desde Argentina
Daniel, I view you as a gift of knowledge and gifted thought. Could you please help this generation realize the power of the mind and the abilities that it holds. Bring our lazy society to cultivate and grow our intelligence and rid them of these so called illusions of fame and wealth. Knowledge is all that we have in this life. We need more philosophers, physicists, mathematicians, etc. Humanity and technology will be at a standstill if we value material objects over intelligence. Peace Daniel. From a bored college student in Hawaii studying for a test.
I heard an interview you had with Tom Ashbrook on a podcast I listen to, and was just writing about Synesthesia in my blog when I watched a youtube clip of you appearing on David Letterman. I was floored to find out we share the same birthday (Jan 31st) and both on Wednesdays (I was born in 1990). It was nice to hear about you!
13 comments:
Thanks for sharing!
Hi Daniel,
have you looked into cognitive visual therapy (known as behavioural optometry in the UK).
This therapy helps develop the links between eyes and brain to enable people to do a wide variety of gross and fine motor skills, e.g. driving. It has changed my son's life.
If you want to know more the following are useful websites:
www.inpp.org.uk
www.babo.co.uk
www.cognitivevisualtherapyandcreativethinking.co.uk
The US and South Africa are a long way ahead in this field.
Welcome to the Blogsphere :)
Cheers
Jeremy
Nice blog, Daniel!
Not knowing your tolerance for computers, have you considered learning any computer programming languages?
They are probably much simpler than what you are used to, and I think your mathematical genious would allow you to code beautifully.
If you're curious, check out Ruby on Rails :) It is the latest web development craze:
http://www.rubyonrails.org/
Hello Daniel,
I wanted to ask you about the mathematical Pi but was not sure where to put my question.
I want to know, please, how did you manage to recite Pi to the 22,514th digit?
For example, what is the method by which somebody can learn pi (aside from memorising it)?
Is there an equation or anything by which I can get to pi?
I understand that this may be a difficult thing for you to explain, but I would appreciate it very much if you would try.
Thanks :)
I know your fave number is 4 because you see it as a shy number.
Just interested to know, is there any number you dislike?
I personally don't like even numbers much.
09/25/06
Monday
Mr. Tammet:
I was thrilled to hear an interview you did with BBC last week during the late-night BBC broadcasts heard here in the U.S. on National Public Radio. What a fascinating set of characteristics and abilities you have! I do not have Asperger's syndrome nor particular language/math gifts above the average, but I have, in recent months, realized that I am "synaesthetic". All my life I've secretly experienced sound (music, particularly), letters, numbers, people and even intellectual concepts in terms of color, texture, sound, and even emotion.I also inwardly perceive people as numbers/letters with their own individualized set of colors, design, texture and in some cases, pressure touch. Outside of a recent conversation with a physician friend, no one I've admitted this to had ever heard of such a thing and, indeed, when I was little, I was ridiculed and accused of lying to get attention and later, being "crazy." Then this spring I heard someone being interviewed on a radio program who spoke of a poet friend who experienced and wrote of emotions having colors. The interviewee mentioned that this is a condition known as "synaesthesia" in which many perceptual senses interact with one another without the usual "wiring" barriers to keep them separated. Upon hearing this I was amazed to discover that I was (1) not crazy and (2) had a name for something that others have also experienced. There are several website/research sources to investigate this and I was totally amazed to hear your story the other night. I'm anxiously looking forward to obtaining a copy of your book since there is so little available in print by those of us who have this perceptual condition. It is such an exciting thing to find validation with others sharing this phenomenon. (Personal note: I was born in 1940 on Tuesday, February 13th. Tuesday for me is mid-soft yellow, February a mix of deep cranberry and very dark green, 13 has a white "1" outlined in delicate black and the 3 is a vibrant yellow with thicker black outline. The number 1940 sequences with a white 1, mustard 9, deep cranberry 4 and white 0. I personally am, and have always been, a deep forest-green "5".) Do you perceive people as numbers/letters also? Thanks so much for your time. It's wonderful to know that there are others of us out there. All the best to you. Marcia Lee Diefendorf. I have no website but there is email if you choose to respond: M.Diefendorf@Dartmouth.edu
Hi Daniel,
I saw you on TV a week ago and came across your blog while Googling "synaesthetic."
I'm not synaesthetic myself, but I've always been interested in everything of the sort. I'm not normal either though...
Is it fun? Could you tell me more about what it really is like being synaesthetic?
Hi Daneil,
I am so fascinated with you and your abilities! I love to observe people, animals and nature and I could probably sit and observe you for weeks without boredom. You and truely a gifted young mind. I was wondering if you could answer a question for me which I'm sure you've answered for plenty of people but I can't seem to find your answer anywhere. What comes to your mind when you hear the number 2, 4 and 8? And my birthday is September 24th 1986, I would love to hear what you have to say about the day I was born! Thank you so much! PS-i live in Hawaii and if you ever come here for anything please let us know!
Hey Daniel!
My friend just showed me your info on wikipedia and you strike me as a very cool person indeed. I'm currently in my second year in medical school and throughout the last year have found out that I have synesthesia and also began the coming-out process to friends (we'll save family for another day). I definitely agree with a lot of your preferences for words and numbers (i.e. 333 is pretty and yummy on the tongue! and of course, isn't it nice that words like tan are colored somewhat similar to what it represents and that words like buttercup and teakettle exist?). With all that being said, do you have any advice for a 23 year-old queer synaesthete who is just becoming acquainted to all this? Surviving? Making the most of it? Life? Universe? Everything? Do you have an e-mail address that you don't mind sharing (I'm not a spammer, I swear!)?
Hola Daniel
Es la primera vez que entre a tu blog y sinceramente me parecio muy bueno.
Me gustaria que escribas algo mas acerca de manti.Me resulto interesante.
Ok saludos desde Argentina
Daniel,
I view you as a gift of knowledge and gifted thought. Could you please help this generation realize the power of the mind and the abilities that it holds. Bring our lazy society to cultivate and grow our intelligence and rid them of these so called illusions of fame and wealth. Knowledge is all that we have in this life. We need more philosophers, physicists, mathematicians, etc. Humanity and technology will be at a standstill if we value material objects over intelligence.
Peace Daniel.
From a bored college student in Hawaii studying for a test.
I heard an interview you had with Tom Ashbrook on a podcast I listen to, and was just writing about Synesthesia in my blog when I watched a youtube clip of you appearing on David Letterman. I was floored to find out we share the same birthday (Jan 31st) and both on Wednesdays (I was born in 1990). It was nice to hear about you!
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