ashleyspencer

ashleyspencer, 1 month ago to animals

I don’t know what kind of contortionist sleeping position this is 😄

#caturday #CatsOfMastodon

ashleyspencer, 1 month ago (edited 1 month ago) to random

I’ve been alone my whole life.

All I’ve ever known is being alone.

But the autistic community gave me a sense of belonging and a place where I fit in.

I know how awful it feels to be unloved and uncared for, and as autistics, the world can make us feel that way.

All I’ve ever wanted is to do my best to create a sense of community and bring fellow autistics together. And the fact I’m doing that is a dream come true.

So I’m glad we have each other.

I am truly grateful.

#ActuallyAutistic

ashleyspencer, 1 month ago to random

Well, I'm getting denied to do business within the EU.

Since I am not a wholesaler with products stored in warehouses in EU countries, I am not allowed to do business within. The law does not recognize print on demand.

sigh

ashleyspencer, 1 month ago to actuallyautistic

I get the “you must be high functioning” often when people ask what I do for a living. I’m really not. I can’t survive in the real world. No amount of accommodations can fix that. I struggle so much socially that I’ve been bullied at almost every job I’ve had. I’ve crafted myself a perfect autistic self-employed bubble where I flourish, because in the real world I don’t.

@actuallyautistic

#ActuallyAutistic

ashleyspencer, 1 month ago to random

Changed my profile photo to me and Dinah. Took it yesterday.

ashleyspencer, 1 month ago to random

I post very different stuff here than I do on my business social media accounts. It’s more bold statements and sharing things about myself and my life experiences as an autistic and my business. People tell me it helps them, so I keep sharing.

This isn’t the place for posts like that. The personal brand style posts. I never want to come across as salesy either, as this is also not the place for that. I’m here for community and connection with fellow autistics and we all talk to each other daily

ashleyspencer, 1 month ago to actuallyautistic

I’ve become a recluse who stays at home and only socializes online because in person makes me feel bad about myself. I get bullied and seen as a weirdo, and people think I’m selfish because I struggle so much with asking the right questions. I ask about their interests, which NTs don’t like. I’m a good listener if they just tell me things about themselves, but people like to be asked. Socializing is exhausting and stressful. I prefer being alone all the time.

@actuallyautistic

ashleyspencer, 1 month ago to random

All cats are magnificent.

They’re like amazing little cuddly and fluffy autistic beings.

#ActuallyAutistic

ashleyspencer, 1 month ago to random

I found a whole upstairs floor at the store I always go to for snacks.

Got some snacks and some art colored pencils with colors I don't have already.

I'm so much more comfortable with leaving my apartment now.

I was going to just order grocery delivery for my snacks, but then I thought why would I pay for a $35 order minimum + tip when I could go get it myself and spend less money.

Guess it's sinking in now that I'm not housebound anymore and I can leave any time I want and go anywhere.

ashleyspencer, 1 month ago to random

Accurate lol

ashleyspencer, 1 month ago to random

I got my pillow product samples in from one of my printers. I'm much happier with these. They came as a whole pillow.

My other printer sent the pillows with the case and pillow separate, and the pillow is too big for the case

I was upset they put no thought into customer experience and how bad it would be if a customer got a product like that

But this printer actually considered customer experience and sent it as a whole pillow. So they win!

#ActuallyAutistic themed everything in my home lol

ashleyspencer, 1 month ago to random

I've shared a lot about myself on my business accounts. My story, struggles, etc. It opened me up to trolls, but they don't affect me in any way, they're just annoying.

But I realized... 5 years ago when I was told I'm autistic, there were zero resources and no help. It was relating to other autistics who shared stuff about themselves that helped me figure myself out over the years.

So I figure, if sharing personal stuff helps fellow autistics figure themselves out too, then I'll keep doing it

ashleyspencer, 1 month ago to random

I made a custom emoji for the @autisticbookshop account.

:AuBook: : AuBook :

It's a book with an infinity symbol on the cover.

Feel free to use it https://autistics.life

ashleyspencer, 2 months ago to random

I went on another adventure to get cat food. Got some candy I can only get at target too.

The cats don’t like the new food, and the food they’ve been eating made Nikita fat and Dinah is throwing it up, so now got them some sensitive stomach and skin food. They were so hungry they ate it up. :)

I got 2 bags in case they didn’t like one of them, so rode all the way home with one bag in my backpack and the other on my lap. Spoiled kitties.

ashleyspencer, 2 months ago to random

Dinah was upset that Nikita was playing with the handmade toy and she didn’t have one to play with. So I made her one. She sat very patiently and quietly watching me make her toy. Then she rubbed herself all over it. :)

The first one turned out better because it was bigger. I cut the second one a little too small

ashleyspencer, 2 months ago to random

I’m asking myself do I want to become a public entrepreneur, and if I want to deal with all that comes with that.

On another social media site I said I’ve never been formally diagnosed, and self-diagnosis is valid. It’s resulted in over 24 hours of trolling. I’m just 🙄 at the trolls.

I feel like if I go towards public figure route, this is just the beginning it will get worse, and do I really want to deal with this. It’s a bit of a tiring annoyance. Some attack, some defend. How it goes.

ashleyspencer, 2 months ago to random

Give me some of that nip! 😂

The container will make a f- ton of catnip cat toys lol

ashleyspencer, 2 months ago to animals

My video won’t upload, but here’s a photo. As soon as I was done Dinah grabbed it from me and rubbed herself all over it lol.

I made a fish catnip cat toy. :)

My cats are quite high at the moment lol

#CatsOfMastodon

ashleyspencer, 2 months ago to random

I'm running Facebook and Instagram ads for Autistic Bookshop. Page like for Facebook and boosted post for Instagram.

There's more followers on both now. 🙂 I'm running the ads until Monday.

People are commenting on the Instagram post too! She's smart to post graphics with questions. I wouldn't have thought to do that.

ashleyspencer, 2 months ago to random

I ordered these weighted gloves for hand tremors. I lost mine. I want to do crafty hobbies, but my hand tremors make it very difficult to hold things.

After seeing I spent a part-time job worth of hours playing games on my Steam Deck + iPad, I'm thinking I might need to find an additional hobby. 😄

Any suggestions with crafty hobbies?

ashleyspencer, 2 months ago to random

I went on a journey to return a bunch of pants I bought on Amazon. The closest free returns place was 35 min walk away.

I went a very long way in my power chair on the way there, and it took much less time to get back since I knew where I was.

First time going through residential neighborhoods. They really do not maintain the sidewalks!

Half of the journey was through a park, so saw some nature. Found a bunch of places to go to in wheelchair distance.

It was good to get out and go places.

ashleyspencer, 2 months ago to random

I very politely asked Nikita for permission to take a photo of her with the panda plush for my store product launch email. Set it down next to her and she gave it a cheek kiss for the photo.

She hates when I take her picture and always looks away or turns her back to me if she sees me pointing the phone at her, but I guess since I asked permission this time she cooperated lol

#CatsOfMastodon

ashleyspencer, 2 months ago to random

I don’t know what Amazon thinks I have been looking at. I’ve never searched for anything like this lol

ashleyspencer, 2 months ago to random

I’ve been waking up so late at 7am the last several mornings. One morning was 4:30am. Another was 5am. Will probably just eat dinner now and go to bed earlier than 7:15pm. I like when I wake up at 2:30am after a full nights sleep.

ashleyspencer, 2 months ago (edited 2 months ago) to random

Oh my gosh this is so neat! I never in a million years would have thought to make these kinds of posts for Autistic Bookshop.

Her scheduled posts showed up in my Facebook and Instagram feed.

Yay! The store can finally get somewhere!