another piece of the puzzle

Another random thing I thought of regarding Asperger's is the fact that I hate the telephone and love the internet. Most people I know say they hate or have trouble with email and IM because they can't pick up on or convey tone in typed words. This, of course, is why emoticons were invented. But I've always preferred email because I had so much trouble with the phone. I really have mostly trained myself to understand facial expressions (compulsive sketching of faces, anyone??), but what I still have TONS of trouble with is vocal tone. This is why I always think people are yelling or angry when they're not, or, conversely why I always yell when I think I'm not. And this is why I hate the phone. I feel so disoriented talking to a disembodied voice, and I never really knew why before. By contrast, email is the great equalizer. NOBODY can understand tonal subtleties through most email, without the benefit of vocal inflection or facial expression. So they dislike it, and I like it. I like how there are certain signs clearly associated with how I want the other person to know I feel. When I see :) I am reassured, and I only wish there were something like that for the telephone. XD

Anyway, yeah. I think I get it!