My Autistic (and Artistic) Perspective on GIFs
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Sometimes, I'll even turn myself into a GIF. For example, I made this cool one to commemorate the time I won an N64 game on YTV's Video & Arcade Top 10 in 1999...for simply sitting in the audience!
"Look at this stuff. Isn't it neat? Wouldn't you think my collection's complete?" - Ariel, Part of Your World, The Little Mermaid
As you may have noticed, I've been under the weather for a while. I assure you I have new content on the way, but for the time being, I'm grateful that GIFs have provided me a steady stream of material to share while recovering from Coldthulhu and my lower-back injuries. That's just one of the many things I love about GIFs; they allow me to blend all my interests into a fun visual package, and through them, explore a wide range of topics and ideas much quicker than I could via my regular content. Given this, I thought I'd share my autistic (and artistic) perspective on GIFs and why I love them so much.
Just as some folks enjoy collecting buttons, coins, stamps, trading cards, stickers, comic books, Pogs, bottle caps, marbles, rubber bands, cars, or Pokémon, I enjoy collecting and making GIFs, which are so much more than mere memes to me. GIFs are an artistic medium, creative outlet, and therapeutic hobby that helps regulate my autism-related anxieties. They're a port in a storm when I'm feeling overwhelmed by the maelstrom of negativity happening in the real world. They're a window into my mind, heart, and soul, offering a glimpse of my inner-most thoughts, feelings, kinks, quirks, humour, and interests. GIFs also provide a great mental workout, as collecting and making them involves creativity, resourcefulness, puzzle-solving, exploration, decision-making, organizational skills, and data management. From brainstorming all sorts of cool new themes I wish to explore, to scouring the annals of nostalgia and popular culture for suitable GIFs, I'm always ready to dive headfirst down the rabbit hole in pursuit of my quarry.
Given that my nostalgic and pop cultural interests range from the widely known to the largely niche, the outcomes of my GIF hunts can go either way. Sometimes, I find exactly what I'm looking for, tout de suite. Other times, I need to really think outside the box and get extremely creative with my queries. Tracking down the more unusual GIFs on my wish list can be tedious and time-consuming, but it's so rewarding when I finally find them. Then, there are times when no amount of determination or gumption can get the job done, as the GIFs I seek simply don't exist yet, in which case I must make them myself, a process I learned entirely through trial and error. If not for keeping at it and learning this fun online skill, I'd otherwise have to abandon certain themes due to a lack of suitable GIFs, so it feels great to solve these problems on my own and succeed in realizing my creative visions.
I also enjoy experimenting with the placement of my themes and GIFs, moving everything around until I feel satisfied with the arrangement. Then, when all the hard work is done, I sit back and gleefully watch as my latest batch of GIFs animate in unison, which has a pleasurable, calming effect on me. It's especially cool when certain GIFs complement their neighbours. I always try to make my themes and GIFs fun, interesting, weird, educational, gross, or humorous, so I really hope you enjoy watching them as much as I enjoy collecting, making, and sharing them with you all! Thanks for reading! Do you have any thoughts on this post? If so, feel free to reach out by leaving a comment, dropping me a line, or signing my guestbook to share your opinions on this or any other topic. Also, feel free to press the "like" button if you enjoyed this post, as "likes" help me gauge audience interest in the content I post. After all, I don't want to bore anyone, ha-ha. Until next time, love, peace, and chicken grease!
Posted in "Autistic Perspectives" on Sunday, January 26, 2025.