Originally posted April 1st 2021
https://x.com/HJ_Ellis/status/1377746577427722241
So I was going to save my original #AutisticJoy topic for tomorrow as part of WAAD but I've changed my mind (see autistic folks can do that!) so here it is today instead!
Let me introduce you to my first true love - Space and Physics!!
I first fell in love with the concept of Space when I was a child - my original plans of being an astronaut didn't survive my inability to stay fit and healthy but my dream of becoming a theoretical astrophysicist lasted all the way to starting an Undergraduate MPhys in ASSA!
The dream didn't survive 2nd year as I rapidly fell out of love with the idea of spending my entire career in a computer lab analysing images and plotting data! I still wanted to understand the origins of the universe and know more about the cosmos but it wasn't the career for me
I had an amazing time learning about physics and still retain a huge amount of joy over the subject! I often give a wry smile when someone jokes about "rocket science" as one of my modules was essentially that ("spacecraft design and operations" was the actual title I think!) 
And I get such a kick out of watching films about space related things, challenging myself to see how much I remember and if I can spot Hollywood-isms vs actual science!
Is it any wonder then that 3 of my all time favourite films are NASA/space ones?! 
#AutisticJoy
#AutisticJoy
Both my living room and bedroom still have pieces that represent my original love in amongst all my other #AutisticJoy things!
Even the kitchen technically does too! (And the blue one was a Secret Santa gift last Christmas!)
Sadly over the years I've lost half the pairings for the Astronaut and the Serotonin earrings but my shuttles are still my favourites (nicknamed Independence and Freedom!)
I've also long lost the UKC "Space Society" hoody that travelled to ESTEC, Amsterdam with me in 06 sadly
I've also long lost the UKC "Space Society" hoody that travelled to ESTEC, Amsterdam with me in 06 sadly
I had to step away from the whole subject of Space, Physics and science in general when I changed my degree in 2006, it hurt my heart and my brain too much to think about the topics having loved them for so long and yet failed (in my mind) at succeeding in them.
It took me a good year or so before I was able to watch favourite films again, before I could even think about astronomy and star gazing. Which was sad because I'd loved using the campus telescopes in the two years prior.
But when a #SpecialInterest or something that brings #AutisticJoy becomes something that causes us pain we have to retreat to protect ourselves. Sometimes that love comes back, maybe not burning as brightly though, other times it never returns, we have to heal & then wait to see.
My enduring love of physics is why flying brings me such #AutisticJoy - my favoured seat is a window behind the left wing so I can watch the flaps and slats on take off and landing!! Even mid-flight I'm often entranced by whats happening outside, spotting other planes nearby!
I adore taking off in a plane (apart from when doing a skydive, taking off with your back to the pilot is weird!!) I often feel its the closest I will ever get to (but still a long way from) the experience I really want - being launched into space!
I remember watching the launch sequence in Armageddon as a teenager and being desperate to experience it myself one day! While the flashy hi-tech ships of the sci-fi genre looked incredible with FTL capabilities they never had that amazing start to a journey!
Film and TV really did inspire a lot of my early love of science, when I was too young to understand the concepts of advanced physics that I later came to find joy in. It was the awesome fictional characters that inspired my dreams and gave me a career goal as a child!
No comments:
Post a Comment