Oh how I love you, Auntie Katekate. 

"The standard saying is people with ADHD have Farrari minds and Chevy brakes. " " Florescent lights suck weasels."

That is so awesome! lol  I completely agree.  Actually, I stayed after talking with one of my professors and he asked me to call the school psychologist because he thinks many of my "problems" stem from undiagnosed ADD.  And a few years ago my friend with ADD suspected I had it and tried to test me herself... I just wasn't paying attention, lol.  So we'll see if I do.  I just have to remember to call the lady when I have time.  The key is remembering.

This was a great, informative post and I loved getting to know more about you.  Thanks for sharing

~Snow

I am amazed by your post, I have learned so much...I sometimes wonder if my compulsive nature is a result of this, and also why it's such a struggle to stay on task...My memory is horrible, and I am distracted so easily...I also need to touch things, which got me into trouble when I was small and older, too.  I thought my obsession with color was a non-issue, and now I wonder...I am very much affected by colors...and will change a few times in the morning because the color isn't right...I also have 5 small lamps in my office and turn off the flourescent...hurts my eyes terribly...there are very sensitive to light.  When I studied when I was getting my masters, I had to stay at work to complete papers, because if I went home, I could never stay with it...too many distractions.

Honestly, I never thought about this, and I think I'll look into it now...thanks, K8te-K8te.  It was a good decision for you to leave the library, and I guess when I asked how the writing was going, I kinda knew already it was an issue for you to stay focused...since I am so used to living this way, I can definitely see how that would be a challenge for you.  Still, I think you're a marvelous wonder for all that you do and accomplish, and I am proud to be your friend. 

Thank you!

Hugs, Lowie

I understand the floresient light thing, I get miagranes, and they drive me bonkers! 

Well someday (hopefully soon) I"m going to record myself singing some of my songs for school.  It could be fun.  If you really can't wait, I'll put up some stuff from my lessons.  That stuff is usually choppy because we stop to fix stuffs.

I never knew it had to be diagnoised by a psychiatrist. 

I love you Kate.
That's a really open, candid account of things.. Thanks for writing that.
When I was a kid, eleven or twelve or thirteen, my family went to counseling.. I might get into that on my own blog someday, but it's a bit much to get into here in your comments... Anyway, my dad was forty-two or forty-three or forty-four before somebody told him he had ADD. I never did get into that with him, but I'd imagine that little bit of perspective might have been helpful to him with some then-present-day issues, and that it might also have been good if it'd have found that out thirty-five years earlier. It's easy to get down on the psych profession, but it's a pretty beautiful thing in many ways.
The museum thing cracked me up... Our State Museum is getting a major rehab, which is going to include a lot of materials from the State Library and Archives.. This past week the design firm that's doing the work was up to look at the materials that we wanted in our galleries, so many of my coworkers and superiors have been busy pulling the "treasures" of the Archives to show. (Prospective thieves can forget about it - it's all back under lock and key now.) So yesterday I got to walk through and look at literally some of the most amazing historical documents in this state, which had been laid out in an extraordinary display in the Map Room.. I thought for a moment that it would be nice if they kept them there, but then thought of people coming to see them and that folks might not be reliable for keeping their hands off. So your situation made me smile.

Hi Katers,

This reminds me why and how I learn different than so many. I think I must have a bit of this because of so many other factors. I totally get the fluorescent lights, I think they buzz horribly!!! Colors also affect me, but not as bad as the lights do. I hate blaring lights and always did well working at night (I did not have to deal with all the fluorescent lights) I too am goofy over textures in things. I must like the feel of something or its a no go. Its also why I have gone into public bathrooms only to remove my pantyhose, if they get the slightest bit twisted or turned, forget it, there is not hope in fixing them. Takes me forever to put them on. Sock are the same, they MUST ALWAYS go on the same foot, or I will throw them away!!! Cannot stand it!!! With shopping I touch and smell everything. Math is a nightmare and I can remember sitting for hours and hours with my Dad (who is a math person) going over my multiplication tables! He thought I'd never learn. Of course I didn't learn for many, many years. Imagine my horror when I had to learn and do this in college. The strange thing is by then I had something that clicked. I could do it even in my head. When we where in a high stress situation like a code they always turned to me for the answer in what dose something should be.  I see Cody struggle with many of the same. He was a kid who hated to color, and still does. Still he can do word search well (I hate these too) We did have him tested by a group of psychiatrist that deal only with ADD/ADHD and they found he too has it. Its not to the level I find that I have (like with clothes) but still it takes a lot to get through school with. We did try some of the meds, but he had a horrible reaction to 2 of them, so we have to try and do it with behavior modification and he gets some things in school that help (like extra time on tests, and help with reading if needed for these exams, ect) The organization is hard for all of us, so I might need to try and read the above book.

Thanks for putting this out there, its always good to remember that others have some of our issues and live happy and productive lives...even if the desk or kitchen need a major overhaul (but that is for another day)

Thanks too for all your kind posts and encouragement about Cody and my back. Your a precious friend who makes my life richer!               

As I was researching ADHD because of my children, I came across a book that helped me a lot. It was Quirky Kids by Peri Klass and Eileen Costello. It deals with Autism and Autistic Spectrum disorders, but it also had info that applied to kids with ADD and ADHD.

My oldest has ADHD, and I hate havingto put him on meds for it and really think they do dumb him down.  What they do do for him is make it easier for him to concenrate.  He is a very smart kid who loves sicence andmath and yes he had somelearn problems as well and it took a good many years to ge thim through it, but his were all in reading and spelling.  But we worked through those.  and in my mistake I took him off the meds for several reasons, it dumbed him down, even though it helped in some areas it still dumbed him down and he wasn't my son really any more.  Also his dad didn'thelp to keep him onthe meds cuz when he went for his summer visit his dad took him off completely that asshole.  But anyways now I am lookinginto gettin him back on meds just something different and if I don't find something i think is good then I plan on going the herbal route, there are a shit load of herbal meds some tested by the government and they work.  I much more agree with the herbal method than anything else, I feel when humans mess with stuff they destory the true balance of the substance, whenteh substance in its true form would be safer in most cases and better for the person taking them.  But that is all my views, and each person with ADHD will find somethign different that works for them, and as long as it works for the person who needs it then that is what matters.  I also think we hit and ADHD craz were everyone in some manner actually has a degree of ADHD.  I know i do to a point but i have other mental issues as well, which I am no longer medicated for andnever will be again.  i found the right method formyself and it took amny years to find but I did it, because I refused to think my only option was meds, when there are other ways to control behaviors ine ach of us.  it i just most seem to take the easy medicated ways to help their self instead of looking for the core problem and helping themselves ina natural way.  Well I ahve said enough on your site now.  But great subject by the way.  People really do need to read more about all this stuff anyways.

Nieza

My! This was so well written and kick ass! It needs to be published straight away!

It describes me in lots of ways. However, my son was diagnosed with ADD. In the 80s, I don't think they tacked on the HD part at all. It didn't matter as he was not HD. I actually had to educate his third grade teacher who had the philosophy with her own kids that they get 'spankings' if they didn't bring home A's. He did take medication and detested the feeling. So after a few years, he took himself off. High School was a drag and in his Freshman year I determined that both him and his step brother needed to be in the work program. They got in there. They both quit school early on....not unexpected. My son learned a trade which was my father's ....surveying. He's not licensed as that would take years of school in courses which would certainly frustrate him worse. Because of his techno spirit (years of video games) he became extremely proficient in the instruments used...but unappreciated. Now he's driving trucks in our community ladened with gas wells and make a pretty lucrative living at it.

In the end, don't you want your children to be upstanding citizens, hard working, with a good ethic in life and work. We do what we have to for our kids.....whether they are olympic material or ADD or cerebral palsy. They are not second rate citizens as I was made to feel when my child was growing up.

I now am raising my grandson. He's a fine boy but he too has learning problems. I've maintained that he should always have the one on one attention. Needs it and deserves it. Finally, a three week progress report with 3 A's and 2 B's. I told him that third grade was going to be a serious task (In Texas they have what they call TAKS testing which will determine his passing on to 4th grade) and that he will need to work to come from behind.

What has helped is that I was fortunate to get him into a learning program developed by Scotish Rite. It's on a local level and much cheaper than Sylvan. He hated it but the mentor gave him many focus exercises which has helped him. He says he doesn't use them but I think he does on a subconsciuos level.

Well, I've rattled on. Perhaps you will be helping someone out there ....I hope so. Congrats on making FC!