Finding this stuff about 'socialising' at work interesting. In a way I can relate, but it depends so much on what I'm doing and who the other people are that I'm not sure if it's an ASD thing or not! I can totally understand the difficulty in the easter egg example from BatFoxHippo, although I bet NT's would find it awkward too.
I once worked stacking shelves in a supermarket and used to love ANY interaction because I was bored out of my skull (it was such a thankless task, replacing items on shelves only to have them bought by customers, like being a cog in a machine, a never-ending task... ugh.) I also worked cleaning hotel rooms once and that was a nightmare BECAUSE we were on our own cleaning, I just couldn't keep my spirits up enough to clean fast enough, I NEEDED the 'entertainment'/distraction of someone else there... mind you, on the occasions we DID work in pairs, it was such a clearly defined role, with hoovers/noise and having to work so fast, that we didn't always talk much, it was just having another person there that made it seem easier... more worthwhile, perhaps.
Another job was working in a cafe where I loved the social side - it was just me and this other woman and we got on well and laughed soooo much at silly, in-jokes between us. But again, we were both focussed on running the cafe too... what I find difficult is when you want to get on with your job and do it well and the other pople don't seem so bothered, so you don't want to look out of place by being too keen. My style (once I've stoped procrastinating!) is to get on with what needs doing quickly and efficiently, THEN sit down with a cuppa and gossip. And I find doing stuff makes the time in work pass faster. So is it a clash of working styles or something to do with interaction/ASD?!
In addition, the times I've felt "Eughh, just let me get on with my job and don't expect me to be sociable" have been when I have very little in common with my colleauges. Eg. being in my very early 20's living the backpacker/work to save up lifestyle (when not too depressed/unstable to work) and working with women 50+ or in their late 20's-30's but with several children each. [Also.. argh... how relevent is social class? I hate the concept but it is there. Being a fairly timid, middle-class background young southerner, perceived as 'posh' due to home counties accent, in a smallish northern town, working in 'working class' occupations...] There were two people who I felt 'on the same wavelength' as though - one, a lady in her late 40's who seemed much younger (despite being a gran), and one, a lady in her late 20's with 2 DC, who gave me some advice one day along the lines of "I can see something in you that I relate to". She actually said something about "Sometimes I look at other people and wish I could be ignorant and happy", and it sort of clicked... we are on the same wavelength.... oooh... as I type that... I rememeber... her DS was in the process of being asessed for ASD!!! Argh, maybe that explains it! (ie. she is on the spectrum too.)
On that subject - what about how people on the spectrum relate to each other? Would we 'click', or be awkward with each other? Suppose, for some bizarre reason, the people on this thread were gathered together to do something - a week's voluntary work as a team, say. Would we, at the end of the week, all be thinking "Wow, I've never met so many people I get on with so easily"?
I have a (male) friend who is on the spectrum. I often (less so now I'm used to it) feel a bit uncomfortable in his presence. People are surpised we are friends because I'm seen as 'emotional' and he 'rational'. He says if something's neutral I read it as negative because of my own internal biases (probably right). So if he's doing a neutral expression I feel uncomfortable, or something (expressions/learning them is something he's had to learn 'manually'). Anyway, I sort of get the feeling I'm scanning his face for signals or clues as to how to act/react/put him at ease (the good hostess thing)... and they're not there. I'm not sure if this means I'm ASD and thus panicking without 'clues' as to how to act, or whether I'm NT and a bit insecure/led by others.
Finally, I've come across the concept of the "wider autism phenotype" - what do people think about this? I mean, the idea that there's a spectrum from NT to ASD and obvs. some people would not be 'autistic enough' for the diagnosis but stll struggle with one or two 'traits', seems pretty likely. (* fill in general disparaging comment about humans' need to divide everything into simple catergories that don't actually go.) What do you think?