Donna Williams’ Blog

Jason Taylor is a creative spirit full of talent waiting for opportunities. He’s a world traveller, an historian, mathematician, sportman, art lover, performer, into dancing, reading and writing. He’s a fascinating young man and I invite you to enjoy what he has to share. He’s also one of the many people on the autism spectrum listing on www.auties.org .

DONNA:
Hi Jason. You’re a young man with Asperger’s with University majors in History and Maths and went on to do honours and then an MA in history. My husband, Chris, is somewhat Aspie and he loves history, archeology, docos but he’s also deeply a teckie mind working in super computing.

How do history and maths relate in your world. Are they completely different world, different head space, or do you think there’s aspects of how you think where these two subjects use some related ability.

JASON:
This is a topic that I haven’t really thought about too much, but I think analytical ability is the first time to mind, especially when it comes to statistics. My M.A. thesis is a good example of history and maths coming together. In one chapter, I worked out a mathematical formula to try and work out the relationship between wealth and fines for each Cornish parish (My M.A. thesis was on major rebellions that began in Cornwall in 1497) . Examining the results for each parish. I found what parishes and what areas of Cornwall were fined the heaviest, therefore finding the most prominent areas of rebellion in the county.

To me, remembering dates has a mathematical dimension to it. I can relate a set of digits to a certain event, for example 1789 - the storming of the Bastille.

DONNA:
Wild. I used to memorise how many of each name was in the phone book. But now I use that encyclopedic thing for learning lists of facts, often in the medical-developmental or social-psych areas but I’ve also been applying it in relation to film.
You also have an interest in politics. An inspiring UK Aspie, Richard Exley became an local representative for his district. Do you see yourself as ever becoming a politician? And do you think Mr Rudd, our new PM has a bit of an Aspie air to him?

JASON:
At times, I have considered running for parliament. In fact, when I was 8-9, I wanted to be a politician when I grew up. Maybe in 2010 or the next federal election I’ll have a tilt, but I probably won’t win as I will run as an independent or for some minor party, such as the Greens or Socialist Alliance, rather than with any of the major parties.
At the last federal election, I worked as a polling assistant at the Patterson Lakes booth in the seat of Isaacs. This job gave me a insight, at the grassroots level, in the electoral process.
In regards to Kevin Rudd, I would agree that there is a bit of Aspie air to the man. I don’t need to elaborate why.

DONNA:
Well, how fab we have an Aspie type running the country
You are into both reading and writing. I’m a prolific writer who observes life and patterns deeply but I’m not much of a reader at all due to a receptive language processing disorder. Do you feel that being a reader has helped you become a better writer? And does your writing reflect the kinds of things you read or are the two quite different?

JASON:
I don’t know, I’ve never really thought about it really. Maybe it has, at least in inspiration, that leads me to respond to the second question. I would say that my writing probably does reflect the kinds of things I read. A lot of the topics, themes and genres of works that I have read I find fascinating.

DONNA:
As a screenwriter and artist, I’m pleased to see you’re into film and art. What type of films and art inspire you, move you, make you buzz? Do you think you’ll ever try screenwriting? And if so, how do you think screenwriting might fit into being on the autism spectrum?

JASON:
I prefer to watch arthouse films rather than the usual, mainstream Hollywood fare. I have also quite a broad taste in art, but at the moment I am really fascinated with modern and contemporary art. I love wandering through art galleries and also public art exhibits.

I’d like to try screenwriting someday, as well as writing plays. I haven’t really thought about how screenwriting might fit into being on the autistic spectrum.

DONNA:
I’m sure there’s some arty types out there may like to come to galleries with you. I also go to galleries, they’re often pretty autie friendly… kind of like libraries but where the books are art

I can’t stand team sports. It’s the a visual processing and a verbal thing. Can’t follow teams if you keep forgetting hwo is who and can’t recognise faces. I often feel like the cat watching the ball go ping-pong across the TV screen and the rest means zippo. Sports commentaries are a form of mental torture, I’m sure. Their blah-dee-quack drills my brain and the backlog makes me want to attack so you won’t find me staying in a room with it. You’re into football, soccer and cricket. Do you play or just watch?

JASON:
I used to play football when I was a teenager on the Mornington Peninsula. Mainly I played up forward and I did love kicking a goal. At times, I feel like I would love to play again. Since I was nine years old, I have been playing cricket. First I played for Boneo on the Mornington Peninsula, juniors and then -from fourteen - seniors. For the last couple of seasons, I have played for the Reds, a club based in the city that was founded by socialists and unionists. They are a great bunch of guys and it was one of the best decisions I have ever made. I won a special award this year at the club, the Peacock, for the “keenest man in cricket”.

DONNA:
So much for the stereotype that people on the spectrum don’t play team sports . I always love contradicting a good stereotype

We’ve both backpacked through the UK and Europe, wildly both for 3 months! What were the highlights, good and bad of the various places you went through? How did it challenge your Asperger’s and do you think there were times that having Asperger’s put you at some risk backpacking? Would you still encourage others to be this adventurous?

JASON:
Well where can I start!!!! I loved travelling to almost all the places I went to while overseas. I went to London, Oxford, Bath, Cornwall, Wales, Manchester, the Low Countries, Germany and France. It was just about the best thing I have ever done to this point of time.

It did challenge my Asperger’s in that I was going to be on the other side of the world, in unfamiliar places, away from everyone I knew. Before the trip, at times I felt it possible that I could freak out, but that didn’t really eventuate.
I met a lot of people, fellow backpackers and locals, I saw many fascinating places and I managed to find a cousin in Wales whom I had never met before. I can’t wait to go overseas again!!! I would definitely encourage others to be this adventurous.

DONNA:
You have an interest in amateur theatre. I LOVE theatre from a viewer’s perspective. I love the layout, the atmosphere, the performances. I’ve been in one play, that was enough to get the experience, but I also had such fear I’ve never really had to bottle to pursue it. But I know many auties have enjoyed performing and some have done really well with it. Have you been in productions? Tell us about them?

JASON:
I have only just got around to commit myself into performing in amateur theatre. When I was a kid, I put on plays, comedy skits and other performance acts at camps and other school activities. At high school, I studied drama. But as I grew up, I withdrew from these kind of activities and closed myself up from the world, that I now regret.
I auditioned for a play called “Disposal of the Body” at the Brighton Theatre Company three or four weeks ago. A play set in the UK, I was aiming for the part of the main protagnosits’ twenty-something son. I read it well, but the director felt I didn’t have the right English accent for the role. I love to be involved in performing and would like to pursue it further.  I should tell you that I was involved in a shooting of an ad for Asperger’s Syndrome over the weekend.  I had the longest lines in the piece.  Also on May 22nd I will be a contestant in an episode of the ABC’s “The Einstein Factor”.

DONNA:
I have the Brit accent… a range of them, and a few US ones. I can also do Italian, French, German…I’m quite a good mimick with accents… love them.  Good luck with your budding TV career!

Artists live for creativity. Stagnation destroys us. I know you’d like a career as a historian and writer and would welcome opportunities to be involved in other creative projects. What kind of personal qualities would you bring to those projects and opportunities?

JASON:
I have an intelligent and creative mind and I want to contribute and to also share my ideas and will show great dedication to any creative project that I am involved in. I just want to express myself and feel alive and creative!!!

DONNA:
I hope this interview inspires some people to make contact and talk about opportunities for you. You’re Melbourne based, here in Australia, but you would be happy to travel more too if the opportunity arose. How might people contact you?

JASON:
Well I can be contacted on e-mail at jjtaylor_2@yahoo.com.au or mobile phone on 0417150613.

DONNA:
Thanks for the interview.
Thanks for your time

Warmly,

Donna Williams *)
author, artist, composer, screenwriter
http://www.donnawilliams.net
http://www.auties.org