Focused Distractions

Thursday, February 23. 2006

How to get this blog out in blog-land

Sometimes I wonder if anyone is reading these blogs. So...I'm going to get it listed in some blog directories, like this one: Technorati Profile

Posted by Terry at 22:06 | Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0)

Sunday, February 19. 2006

Buying Doubles, Seeing Double

It happened again. I was looking through my books, searching for one of my many resources on AD/HD, and found it. Unfortunately, two books down from my bookshelf was the exact same book. Do you know how many times this has happened to me? You too?

The reason for my searching to begin with, is because I want to buy some books at Amazon, but having had the above experience happen way too many times, I wanted to make sure I didn't repeat the error.

Which makes me wonder. Maybe I should start an ADD Book Exchange. Certainly I'm not the only one with duplicate books. Hmmmm....

Posted by Terry at 16:10 | Comments (2) | Trackbacks (0)

Thursday, February 16. 2006

I Hate to Pack

....and I'm sure I'm not alone.

It's such a problem, that I don't look forward to trips/vacations because I first have to face PACKING TORTURE. Doesn't it all make sense from an ADD perspective? You have to.....

Plan
Remember details
Face a deadline
Making decisions: how many shorts to pack? Should I bring a raincoat?
Do lots and lots of boring but necessary chores to prepare, ie:

Clean your place, especially if you have a babysitter, housesitter or pet sitter staying over.
Stop the paper/mail
Wash clothes
First FIND the clothes you need to wash
Pack (more later)
Shop for items you'll need
Leave detailed instructions for the care of your kids/pets, etc which in my case, has always been at least 10 pages long
Book a cab (uh oh...that reminds me!)
Errands!

Smart Packing

Ok, so the errands are done. Now for the absolute worst part:

MAKING DECISIONS ON WHAT TO PACK

Now, I don't know about you, but figuring out what to wear for ONE day, at home, is tough. But for a whole week? I truly agonize over this. Especially if I'm going to a conference or wedding, where there are many events going on, requiring different types of outfits.

....and the list goes on.

Then there's the ride to the airport. Do I think about the warm breezes and sandy beach waiting for me? Of course not. I'm obsessing over whether I forgot to pack my contacts, plane reservations and my youngest child.

After that comes the embarrassment. I habitually over-pack. I FORGET that wherever I'm going, there will be a Walgreens for forgotten toiletries; a Gap for tshirts or casual wear; and a mall for anything else I might need. You'd think I was going on a 6 month tour around the world, the way I pack.

Which makes me wonder:

Does the hyperactive/impulsive person overpack- just throwing things left and right into suitcases? Or does he/she grab a few basics and leaves it at that? Does the inattentive overpack, for fear of forgetting something important? Or does he/she simply forget the most important of things, and then falls apart at the destination?

I found a really helpful article on HOW TO PACK.

I'd be curious to hear how you handle packing for trips. I'm all ears....

Posted by Terry at 23:34 | Comments (3) | Trackbacks (0)

Sunday, February 12. 2006

Terry Goes To Traffic Court

Let me start by saying that I am not hyperactive, nor very impulsive. My mind is, but that is a different article for a future post.

What happened was, back in November, I got a call from my mother that she was on her way to admit my step-dad to the hospital. He was horribly ill. She had dropped off their dog, Suki, to the groomer and needed someone (me) to pick him up. I hopped in my car and sped- yes sped- to pick up Suki, and take him back to my house quickly, so that I could meet up with my folks at the hospital.

:: Bear with me- I am getting to the point ::

Anyway, yes...I must have been speeding because a cop stopped me and asked, "did you know you were speeding"? Before I could explain the situation, I was given the ticket (oy, second one in a year)and was admonished for going 5 <ahem> over in a school zone.

Now to the point.

I paid my ticket ($130!) and included a short note about how I was rushing due to a family emergency. Shortly afterward, I was sent a letter to appear in court to plead my case.

I went online to read about fighting traffic tickets. Everything I read said that if the officer didn't show up, you'd be off the hook. All I really wanted was to remove the points from my record, though getting reimbursed would be nice, too. But that was magical thinking. Descriptions about massive swarms of people sweating in courtrooms flashed on my computer screen. Suggestions on how to beg yourself out of the situation were numerous. I got records of the hospital admission and waited for the court date.

When I arrived, there were about 50 of us waiting in the corridors. One by one, our names were called. When they called mine, I was shocked when they led me to a tiny cubical where I sat across the desk from a judge (?) who briefly flipped through my file and quickly said all points would be taken off. "NEXT".

I said, "don't you even want to hear what happened?" He said, "No..you look like a decent person. Besides, I'm running behind here".

I walked out, thrilled to have the points taken off, but it made me really wonder about the system. I don't have stats, but I'm sure the great majority of motorists do not fight their traffic tickets. How many are written a day? How much money is paid a year? And it made me wonder, too...if the whole idea of traffic copping is to keep motorists safe, why are they hiding behind barracades and bushes? Why not be out in full view to remind us that we need to pay attention to the spedometer?

Ok, end of tirade.

[In case you're wondering, my dad is recuprating after major surgery...whew.]

Terry, "What sign?" Matlen

Posted by Terry at 22:55 | Comment (1) | Trackbacks (0)

Saturday, February 11. 2006

FDA Advisory Committee Meeting on Stimulants and Cardiac Deaths

I am no statistician, but I do think I have common sense.

A few days ago, the FDA's Drug Safety and Risk Management Advisory Committee met to discuss research approaches that could be used to study whether drugs used to treat ADHD increase the risk of adverse cardiovascular effects. As you can imagine, the media is having a field day with this story, because there have been a reported 24 deaths among patients who took Adderall through 2003 and another 16 deaths through 2003 in patients who took methylphenidates.

For the most part, no death is a good death, and it is wise to look into this more thoroughly. However, it is important to note that 5-6 million prescriptions per YEAR are written for stimulants. One would imagine that with any prescription drug, there would be deaths associated with them. However, from my reading of the documents from the FDA, it seems that many of those affected already had an underlying cardiac problem or a cardiac risk.

You can read the FDA documents HERE.

Sound familiar? Last year, Canada withdrew Adderall XR after concerns of its safety. It was later rescinded, after the higher powers realized that they had over-reacted.

Does anyone know how many people have died from taking antiobiotics? Blood thinners? Pain meds? Does anyone think that there is more to this story than meets the eye?

My daughter has been taking Adderall or Adderall XR for years, and you can be sure that she'll continue taking this medication, for I KNOW that it's saved her life, many times over, from the kind of trouble that hyperactive, impulsive kids can find themselves in.

By the way, I was interviewed by The Detroit Free Press regarding this whole thing. You can read it in today's paper HERE.

Terry

Posted by Terry at 22:59 | Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0)

Wednesday, February 8. 2006

How Businesses Make a Fortune on Gift Certificates

Don't bother clicking on the gift card- you won't win anything.

Neither did I, when I found an envelope full of gift cards and certificates that I had been holding on to for my now 18 year old daughter. There were all kinds of pretty, color cards. But the ones that drew my eye were two that had $50 stamped on them. They were for the local ritzy, hoytie toytie (how DO you spell that) mall nearby.

Then there was the $100 card for Best Buy. And one for the cool local mom and pop local toy store that carries the coolest educational toys in town.

You're probably wondering why I'm writing about gift cards. Well, the envelope has been sitting on my desk for exactly five years, in full sight, among all of my various desk "stuff". But it wasn't till today that I actually SAW it. See, it had fallen over, from the weight of all those cards.

As you have guessed, every card had expired. Being the tenacious type, I figured I'd call the companies to see if there was a chance in hell in getting a soft-hearted soul who would understand my dilemma. HOW was I going to face my daughter, telling her that she had about $300 worth of expired Bat Mitzvah gifts that I had been keeping safe for her. <note to Terry: never save gift cards to toy stores- cash them in before the giftee turns 18>.

At any rate, I started with Toys R Us. Three people later, I was transferred to Corporate Customer Service <shudder>, where a very sweet man named Tommy tried his best to help me. He heard my plea: "er, sir....I have a hard time keeping track of itty bitty plastic cards with giraffes on them...". He told me to hold on, which gave me time to come up with a better excuse. Before I had a chance to memorize a new script, Tommy came back on to apologize profusely that there simply wasn't anything he could do to rectify the problem. He asked if there was anything else he could help me with (haaaa), then we hung up.

Challenge #2: I called the fancy mall and was promised that someone would get back to me later. Being that it's now nearly midnight, I'd say that was one funny lie.

So it made me wonder just how much money businesses make off of us ADD "types" who simply never remember to cash in those pretty little cards. Or who lose them.

Anyone care to do a study on that?

Posted by Terry at 23:43 | Comments (6) | Trackbacks (0)

Wednesday, February 1. 2006

Need Help with Career Choices? New Online Classes Forming!

ADDConsults.com is pleased to announce an exclusive online opportunity to learn more about AD/HD and Careers from one of the most respected experts in the field of AD/HD.

If you would like to learn how to find the right career for YOU, please join my guest teacher, Wilma Fellman, M.Ed., LPC as she helps you navigate the sometimes choppy waters of career choices and changes in a groundbreaking 6 week online course offered here at ADD Consults.

In the class, "Finding a Career That Works With AD/HD", Wilma, an internationally recognized expert in the field of ADD and careers, and the author of the book, "Finding A Career That Works For You", will be teaching small groups of folks who would like individual support, guidance and information on how to choose or change a career.

Space is limited, so learn more about this exclusive opportunity and sign up today at http://www.addconsults.com/class/new.php3

First session begins March 4, 2006 and we are offering a huge discount to celebrate the launching of this new series. Classes are small, so secure a seat today!

Posted by Terry at 13:07 | Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0)

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