HI, Bookworm257 -- it sounds like you have aspergers rather than full blown autism. Like with everything, there is a spectrum and by the sounds of it, you seem to be ''high functioning'' which is in aspergers territory. I have aspergers, too and have had wonderful friendships with other aspies and to be honest the only significance in knowing that we had aspergers was getting the right support in school. For instance, teachers understood that we're not being rude; it's our aspergers!!

I would recommend you do what you can in getting a formal diagnosis because this will 100% benefit you when you get a job -- your employer and co-workers will know and hopefully understand why you are the way you are. You're not being rude, you have aspergers and that's okay. I'm not sure what the rules are like in your country in terms of what help you can get regarding your day-to-day business but in the UK there are social and support groups where everyone is dealing with the same thing as you. If you do have aspergers, it's nothing to worry about Your dads gf shouldn't worry either.