I’m a Total Sucker For a Dick
My favorite story of all time is A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. I won’t tire of it even if I read it a hundred times and see every lame-ass version of it Hollywood can come up with (except the stupid musicals). The idea of someone being positively transformed by an honest look at their life, along with exposure to new people and new experiences, renews my sense of romantic optimism. Perhaps it’s naïve, but its how I prefer to view the world.You don’t have to remind me that there are some really evil muther-fuckers out there. In fact, a few of them have had a crack at me. I also know that the rest of us have some amount of darkness lurking about hither and thither inside ourselves. Hell, even Jimmy Carter committed adultery in his mind. Still, I believe people are born good, and most of us strive to remain so our entire lives. I’ve come to the conclusion that part of my optimism is related to the way my ADHD brain works.
Lately, some of my ADHD symptoms have been really disrupting my life. In an effort to learn better coping strategies, and to keep my self-esteem from plummeting, I’ve been doing more research on the positive characteristics commonly found in people with ADHD. Some of these are definitely true for me. Others are a tad iffy:
- Enthusiastic (bingo!)
- Sense of humor (comes and goes)
- Creative (all good liars are creative)
- Hyper-focused (think about the sexual applications)
- Intuitive (YEP ! … and sometimes I’m the most clueless person in the room)
- Boundless energy (kids and dogs love me)
- Warm and compassionate (very important qualities for a Love Goddess)
- Flexible (very bendy, and I don't break easily)
- Quick to grasp essentials (if I like it)
- Good judge of character (or its magic that I attract the very best people as friends)
- Charming personality (Oh yeah! Bite my ass! *tee-hee*)
- Sensitive to surrounding environment (Nope. I'm oblivious)
- Easily forgives mistakes in others (been there, done that)
- Intense (is intensity considered a positive characteristic?)
- Interested in many things (and people)
- Passionate (hey sugar! wanna make out?)
- Willing to take risks (emotionally more often than physically)
- A perfectionist (why bother if its not perfect?)
- Fast thought process (uhhhh, what?)
- Tries to do better the next time (my Mantra: "Tomorrow, I’m gonna do better".)
As I look at the list, it occurs to me that when I add in the facts that I’m a big day-dreamer and somewhat emotionally immature, it makes sense that I embrace romantic notions about the true nature of most folks, even those who seem like big dicks. I’m not making any plans to change that part about me. It’s the disorganized, fidgety, always running late for appointments parts I want to make go away.
posted by Theresa @ 4/09/2005 03:21:00 AM
9 Comments:
You got these traits from Chinese fortune cookies, right?
Theresa - you should check out a book called "Driven to Distraction". It's all about adult ADHD. My ex-hubby read it and said it made a world of difference for him.
This reminds me of...umm wait...
..like I was saying it reminds of when I was young..ever notice how rain makes a pretty sound against tin? So ..sorry..when I was a kid I had this dog..I really love warm rain too, the kind you don't shiver from... so this ...what was I saying?
Fuck....
That is me!!
Oh God I do have ADHD. I'm a fucking FREAK..Ummm ok maybe not a freak. So what do I do now? Go on meds? What are some of the not so nice things having ADHD? I left my car running with the keys locked inside a couple weeks ago. I NEVER stop bouncing my leg when I sit, I can't clean up one room in the house, I start and once I walk into another room I start cleaning that? Hmmm more reserch is needed, hey maybe we can start an ADHD blog and never write on it because we can't focus!
Larry - Believe it or not, my last fortune cookie said "Your sense of humor will be re-energized". The jury's still out on that one.
Penny - I've heard great things about that book. It's at the top of my list. Right now I'm reading "Women with ADD". Its taking a while, however, because I keep getting distracted (kinda funny, but not meant to be).
Dick - A lot of people do SOME of the things that are considered symptoms of ADHD, but not to the degree that the behaviors significantly impair their daily functioning. (across time: childhood through adulthood). In order to have behaviors identified with Adult ADHD, a person has to have had ADHD symptoms as a child.
Go here for a decent online assessment: http://www.addresources.org/article_checklist_amen.php
If the results are concerning, you might consider having a real life assessment completed.
Go here for some of the crappy things about ADHD: http://2hotchiks.blogspot.com/2004/12/things-that-suck-about-adhd.html#comments
Go here for funny: http://2hotchiks.blogspot.com/2004/11/fun-things-about-adhd.html#comments
Go here to find out how ADHD almost killed me:http://2hotchiks.blogspot.com/2004/11/death-in-mojave-or-why-im-in-awe-of.html#comments
If the blog thing is likely to be a disaster, how about we start a support group for people who lock their keys in the car while the car is still running. Yep! While running late to a final exam, I stopped at the Quickie Mart for a gallon of coffee and locked those bad boys in while she was still hummin'. The manager was a friend, so he took care of the car while I hauled ass to my exam on foot.
Hey Dick, thanks for not making me be in the club all by myself.
Theresa, Thanks for the links, I'll let you know how I did. BTW give me an idea on how you want me to do...so I can change my score if need be.
Super T! I once locked my keys in my car in front of my apartment, then went inside the apartment to call AAA, came out and flipped the lock on the apartment door - locking my dumb ass out of both my car AND my apartment.
Thank you for the links. I am interested in this.
It saddens me that you are hving disrupting symptoms. I can relate a little, as I've had a lifelong battle with anxiety attacks. Medication keeps them under control, but I can't even tell you how angry I am that I need a pill to live "normally".
Some traits of depression induced anxiety disorders are the same as the ADD ones you listed here.
Rock on, Super T. You are an amazing writer - and I'd be willing to bet a damn wonderful person in the "real" world. I hope this time of discomfort goes away quickly for you.
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