Who is Andy? What is this blog?

To all of those that have found this blog - hello!  I am Andy, a college student in the United States, and this is my blog - a space where I'll be sharing writing and thoughts of mine about various interests and topics that have impact on my life (and that, I like to think, are interesting to other people as well).  And while the topics that I discuss here could vary, some of the common topics and themes that you might encounter include:

• The Natural World.  There is a lot that I like about nature that will undoubtedly filter into this blog, including my interest in traditional (or 'primitive') living skills, and my view of nature as a place that we can all learn from and grow in.  I have had many positive and significant experiences in natural environments, and will no doubt write about some of them here.

• Autism, being Autistic, and the Autism Spectrum.  I was diagnosed as on the Autism Spectrum around the time that I was headed into sixth grade.  The reality of my being Autistic has been a defining aspect of how I view and perceive the world around me, on a whole variety of levels. And, while some hold a perception that Autism is 'an undesirable thing for a person to have shape their life,' I have yet to find this to be true for myself.  If anything, my Autistic characteristics have their ups and downs, and I hope to navigate them as best as I can for myself and others - just like anyone who navigates their own life to the best of their ability, and sees value in it.  I hope to share my perspective on being an Autistic human being, and help educate others about what that means for me, in some of my writings here, while also hopefully  being supportive and friendly to others on the spectrum as well.

• Writing and Poetry.  I am a writer, and have appreciation for poetry, stories, and non-narrative writing that engages a reader.  And while I sometimes struggle with writing, my written or typed words commonly speak better about how I feel and why than my spoken words ever manage to.  

• Orchestral Music and Composition.  This became an interest of mine in an unusual way: I found my love for orchestral music through the less electronic-focused, and more cinematic pieces of video game soundtracks.  And, I have been practicing composing songs that mirror songs of the related genres for around five years, with the hope of one day sharing them in a game.

• The Subject of Spirituality.  Being a person who tends to be philosophical, and who actually enjoys learning in a friendly classroom environment a lot, I like to ask questions, and think about what I am curious about in the world around me almost non-stop.  So, it follows that questions about the nature, design, and potential causal explanations for why things are the way they are end up cropping up a lot in my head.  As a result of wanting to ask and answer and learn form this questioning process, I do not identify under any religious, specific faith, or faith-questioning label with relatively concrete connotations, and I desire to be non-judgmental towards others of any ideology, be it religious, counter to common themes of religion, or definable in some other way.  I do have my own beliefs that will no doubt show through my writing on here, though, and will no doubt crop up in relation to other topics that I write about on here.

These topics will definitely crop up, and sometimes they may crop up in relation to one another, in the same piece of writing, the same poem, or in other blog entries that I make.  I hope that all people who visit this blog will find some of what I have to share insightful, thought-provoking, curious, or otherwise worth the time that they may spend here in some way.