Ok, here's my opinion.

This question cannot be answered, it is relative.

IF you could round up every aspie on the planet and IF there was a means to accurately 'measure' aspergers, then you could determine your percentage of mildness or severeness currently.

Since the above won't happen, I would calculate in this way. The mildness or severity of your aspergers is relative to the joy/pain it causes you, causes those that love you, those you love, and those around you.

Using that calculation, I would have to estimate you in the severe range based soley on your posts here for the last 5-6 years.

However, your core deficits are exactly the same, as for all others on the spectrum, albeit to greater or lesser degrees. Unfortunately, even though you are aspie, you have a poor definition of what aspergers/autism is, which is why the idea that rocking or not for instance, has anything to do with high or low functioning. Autism Spectrum Disorder, is measured by 'professionals' who look at behaviors. That's not at all accurate. When you were 5, the greatest possible delay you could have had, was 5 years. If your delay were currently 5 years, I'd say, "wow, so what!". If Brina was correct then, or wrong then, it's of no importance now, consider that evaluation nul and void. As the asd child grows along side the nt child, so will the gap between them. In that sense, although the severity of the aspergers doesn't grow, since the gap does, it would appear the aspergers 'worsened'. So, in that way, both you (currently) and she (back then) could be correct.

You were right about you not getting enough practice with the whole social thing, nt's are continually practicing - from the time they get up till the time they go to sleep. It's a lot of work, far and above the 35-40 hours of intensive aba some kids get. Sometimes being nt is fun, but it's mega learning and not necessarily an easier or better life. Because, that too is relative to the particular nt, to the joy/pain being nt causes them, those that love them, those they love, and those around them.

You have all the same 'equipment' as an nt. Or at least enough of it to not have aspergers, but you don't have the 'connections'. To me, that is what autism or aspergers is, the lack of connection...not the lack of equipment. Like a house with a great fuse box, and wiring missing from the box to a couple of the sockets.

I hope you'll look into the RDI I mentioned to you long ago. Or, you can continue endless questions that, even if all answered, really get you no further towards happiness.

For reasons I'm not even sure of, I feel close to you, very much so...not cause of my son, not cause I have aspergers too. I guess cause I believe I can see this incredible level of pain, incompetence, isolation, failure and blame and so many other things you feel, that are so crushing to your spirit. And really, none of that is your fault. Yet, I feel frustrated when you are not at proactive as I'd like to see you.

If you want to look at the www.rdiconnect.com site, and discuss core deficits and how you relate to what you're reading there, I'll be glad to sort it out with you. But you're not broken or flawed or whatnot, you might be a few wires short, but geez so what, who isn't? You are living in a time, that there is much more help than any other time - not easy to find, not easy to...well just not easy! I know. But not as hard as not having opportunity.

Well, that's it. Way longer than I meant to post...so what else is new, all my posts are monsters.

But I don't want to talk further about my opinions here, I can't prove or disprove anything I've said. It's just my opinion, and it's very frustrating to me when I have to validate or debate or discuss to death with you cause I do it all day with Vince. So that kind of poops me out for others.

Take Care!
I wish you all my best!
Mili