BUBBLYRAT - that was woeful: Besides which, Teachers Whisky is rubbish; I prefer a nice Glenfiddich, Tomatin or even the odd Dalwhinnie or Talisker (can't get Tomatin over here so I have to wait for someone going to Britain to bring one back with them).

Anyone migrating soon???

CAPT. GINGER - no perjorative was implied as far as I could see and no offence taken, I was just curious as to why you felt Aspies might be attracted - I cab see your point is well made and I probably DO have a bit of an obsession with folk (like I need another one) but I guess I'm not familiar enough with the folk scene with regard to clubs and festivals to apply a valid counter observation - so you could well be correct.

However, as opposed to folk as a tradition or music style which attracts Aspies; I do have a couple of (possibly) more valid observations as to why we are attracted to folk MUSIC, as such.

ONE - it's generally low-key and relaxing with soothing sounds and these are things a lot of Aspies enjoy; sudden loud noises tend to rattle us or even alarm and agitate us. Though I love rock music and especially Heavy Metal, I probably learned to love it because that's what a lot of people were listening to when I was a teen and I started doing so because it looked like a way to gain acceptance to a social grouping I didn't understand or relate to well. Generally an Aspie will unreasoningly despise a new music form until he or she sees a lot of people enjoying it and will then listen to it and 'pretend' to like it until they actually DO - it happened to me with an Australian Glam Rock group ca;;ed 'Skyhooks' - hated them at first, listened to them because others liked them (trying to fit in) and then ended up obsessing about them - went to 11 of their concerts in Melbourne over the course of about 3 or 4 years.

TWO - word play.   Aspies, in the main, tend to love word play, puns, word puzzles, language variation, old word usage etc. It fascinates many of us. The use of old language - especially really old English tends to excite me no end; especially in cases like the Steeleye Span song 'Gaudete'; absolutely thrills me. Another is the song that goes:
"I had four brothers across the sea
Peri, Meri, Dixi, Dominie
And each they sent a present to me
Peri, Meri, Dixi, Domini . . . . .

and the chorus

Petrum, Partrum, Paradisi, Tempore,
Peri, Meri, Dixi, Domini

The flow of these words is like honey and just soothes me every time I hear them (anyone know the name of the song / have the lyrics / have the chords ????)

So. In essence - word play might attract them.

Lastly, the observation about 'tics' - Aspies don't display them. What you are seeing is hand "flapping" or "flutterin". Aspies tend to odd arm and especially hand movements that don't appear connected to what they are doing. You'll see them most often when they are alone (which is MOST of the time - most other people don't want us around) and especially if talking to themselves - imagination talk; reliving conversations or (more likely) rebuttals - but these are not 'tics' as such.

If an Aspie actually displays a 'tic' it's asymptomatic of their condition and probably one they have picked up like any "normal" would. Actual 'tics' are usually associated with Torettes; (or Huntington's Chorea - where the "tics" tend to be "whole body extreme" and more like convulsive movements.

Muttley

Good observation, otherwise - might have to investigate it in my own growing understanding of my "condition".