WAIT... I'M... AUTISTIC? | Something Curious I Might've Learned About Myself Last Night.

After taking an online personality assessment, I discovered I exhibit very high traits associated with autism — not a formal diagnosis, but an explanation for patterns I've lived with my entire life. The results helped make sense of why I thrive during structured performances like stand-up comedy, stage acting, radio broadcasting, and podcasting, yet feel completely drained by unstructured social interaction afterward. I recount how remote broadcasts and convention appearances left me counting the minutes until I could escape to solitude, and how my favorite parts of traveling in the Weird Darkness Beast were always the quiet hours alone on the road or in hotel rooms — not the events themselves.The assessment also shed light on smaller quirks, like my tendency to let my beard grow wild before trimming it all at once (efficiency over daily maintenance), and deeper emotional patterns, like processing my father's death without tears or visible sadness. A medical professional once reassured me that being naturally stoic is simply a different way of experiencing life, not a sign that something is missing.I reflect on my earlier depression diagnosis and wonder whether some of what was treated might have been the cumulative effect of decades spent not understanding how my own brain operates. Ultimately, the experience gave me context rather than a label — a quiet recognition of why certain things drain me and others restore me. I encourage you to examine your own patterns and see if perhaps you can learn something new about yourself - or explain some of your own personality quirks.