David Ralphs

hmmm - by math do you mean arithmetic and manipulation of numbers?Asking becausing there is a lot more to maths, I have a degree in pure mathematics and can bore most people to death discussing infinity, countable sets and other amazing concepts. Had plenty of subjects where there were no numbers or arithmetic. The more abstract the better!Simple arithmetic is often just manipulating numbers and memorising rules and tables. My addition and multiplication tables are words i say back. Like i remember song lyrics. Not the sounds, just memorised the words but also like a "pacing" to how imsay them back.Rules, algorithms, procedures, my brain is good at remembering. So I can just apply them.Im not bad a sequences of numbers, they just stick. Probably better than names. A few weeks ago was at a mechanics picking up my car when a couple came in, the mechanic told them about their error code and then had a few minute discussion. At the end he said "and the code...", he paused while trying to remember it, I just repeated the code back. The couple looked at me and i said "Im good with numbers". A few days later I was at the supermarket and they were there. They looked at me and I could see they recognised me but couldnt place me - I told them "at the mechanics - code P0154". They were shocked and said yes you are good at numbers. BTW that was 2 months ago and I still have the error code stuck in my head. Just googled it (busted oxygen sensor) and only now remembered what the mechanic said about the busted sensor.Can remember phone numbers from my teen years. Friends university ids, 7 digit numbers.I did find that at university that I was better at some geometric stuff than my friends. They would visualise it, while I would "conceptualise it". It meant i could handle some things in 4 or more dimensions, where they couldnt see it as it couldnt be done as a simple visual. And yes, I am wild fun at parties.

i find it depends on the author. If they get too descriptive in "building a picture", I get bored and skip to the next paragraph. I need plot!Short stories are often good, they need to keep things moving. I found Mathhew Reilly good!I mostly read non-fiction but Im a science nerd so thats easy to find.Really hated English at high school, but I also hadnt realised I was different. The books we read for school just bored me silly.

that is pretty close to me. none of the 5 senses, especially not smell, which so many people is a strong trigger. im very good at kinestetics, can remember where things are just by position. my sister has poor eyesight and will open the fridge to find something and i can say "middle shelf on the right", which ive remembered by "feel" and then translate that into a description. Can be tricky as i might not remember how many shelves, but can imagine how much i need to bend and position my hand to get it. Also excellent at navigation, especially good at backtracking. Most people seem to struggle as things can look quite different driving out than in. But i remember a sense of position and turns and can just reverse that. Even if i get it wrong, I can adjust and just know where i am and where i need to be. So my spacial strengths is not just body feedback. I get tunes stuck in my head, usually me saying the lyrics and some vague amount of rhythm and melody. Like you my recognising skills are great.

i found out 35 years ago, but i was a bit older, 20 and at university. I never met another aphanasic in that time. Not that you ask everyone, but i had have the discussion with most friends and lots of people when the subject turns to "imagination" or "minds eye". Spent many years thinking it was extremely rare, surprised to find out it could be 3%.

Im similar, no visual or other sensory input, Im just "aware" of whats happening. If there is a specific person in my dream, I just know its them, I dont see or recognise them. Sometimes there is a person and its only later i will know its a perticular person. And that can change, they just become someone else. Its mostly like im reading a narrative, there is a plot, very few details and just general feeling of whats happening. Often they are anxiety based, the "one last exam and i havent studied" and thats after finishning university more than 30 years ago (and i rocked exams) I can find some dreams confusing with real life, after Ive woken, that my memories and dreams can be hard to tell apart. Classic example is I dream Ive misplaced my car keys, cant find them, panic etc. I will wake and maybe as im having breakfast a panic will hit - oh no, where are my keys, ive lost them. Then I look and they are exactly where they should be. BTW im aphantasic on all senses