One of my assignments this semester was to examine HTML and XML, two markup languages written by humans and processed by computers to codify information. The assignment was to explain how XML is better than HTML. That’s a loaded question, as we’ll see. HTML, hypertext markup language, is a markup language specifically designed for the … Read more
One of the things I’ve learned in my time as an autistic student is that I have to adapt neurotypical learning strategies to fit the way my brain works. Rather than taking the instructions provided by my teachers at face value, I have to dig into the underlying concepts and find ways to reverse engineer … Read more
I will say up front that this is not a how-to guide. This balance is essential to my well-being, but I’m not very good at it. Maybe in writing this I will find some insights I can use. Maybe you will too. If you have any suggestions, please get in touch. Self-care is about managing … Read more
Classifying people into different personality types is a favorite exercise among psychologists. Meyers-Briggs is a well-known model for this, though it’s scientific validity remains in question. The “Big Five” model of personality traits is currently considered the best supported system for this, as far as I’m aware. Assessments for this model are pretty frequently included … Read more
I am autistic. This affects every aspect of the way that I interact with the world, and presents me with challenges not experienced by my neurotypical peers. I’ve talked here about how moving through a world designed for neurotypicals can be frustrating, and the accommodations I need in order to be on equal footing. Sometimes … Read more
I like libraries. The traditional domain of libraries is information, often in the form of books. But there are a lot of other things that can be the domain of a library. The foundational principle of a library is its temporary lending economy. A central public repository that any individual in the community can come … Read more
I’ve wrapped up my third semester of my MLIS grad school program, marking one year of academic progress. I wanted to take a few minutes to think back about the experiences I’ve had so far. First up, grades. This year I’ve maintained a 4.0 every semester. This is a huge difference from how things went … Read more
Being an autistic grad student comes with a lot of challenges. Many of those stem from the different experiences I have compared to my neurotypical peers. Some of the challenges can be addressed through avenues like the school’s accessibility office, getting support from academic advisors and professors. Others might be better suited to a professional … Read more
I’ve written a few posts this semester about my experience interviewing a senior librarian for a school assignment. We discussed the topic of the mentorship program within her library, its strengths and weaknesses, and the experiences of the people on both sides of the mentoring relationship. She gave me a little mentoring at the end … Read more
I’m autistic. One of the ways that manifests in me is that I interpret communication literally most of the time. I distinctly remember watching an episode of Big Bang Theory with my roommates (right at the beginning, when it was a funny show for nerds rather than a show that made fun of nerds), where … Read more
