Hi, my name is Tim Chan. I am 22 years old.

I guess you already know I have autism, at the severe end of the spectrum. 

How does autism affect me? I have no speech, high anxiety levels and lots of movement difficulties, meaning, I don't write independently, and have to communicate by typing with someone's hand on my shoulder or back.  I also have problems with controlling some of my humming, and movements, like hand flapping. I have a lot of rituals to help me get through the day as I am hypersensitive as well. That means when people move around and talk, it feels like I am at the Grand Prix, with the cars revving up and thundering down the course. 

There are advantages, of course, like

my memory. It's not photographic but

pretty close. Once I get something,

I don't forget, the delete button does

not exist. The downside is, who

wants to know what you had for

breakfast a week ago. But then,

when people ask me the most trivial 

things, like the name of someone's pet turtle, I can usually impress them with the answers.  

If you like to know more about my life as a non-verbal autie, go to the first post, "Living with autism".

I've included some pieces on people who have inspired me, which together with other pieces, I hope to put together into a book tentatively entitled, "Back From the Brink". Round of applause for Anne Carson, poet, author and artist among her many achievements, who has taken on the task as editor. 

I've also posted some poems, in the posts, including "Footprints", "The Journey", "Homecoming" which seem to have come from deep inside me from time to time.

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Thanks for your visit. I love to hear your feedback, any time, any kind, any way.