I am not one for reading medical columns in the newspaper since after I finish reading one I start to see symptoms of whatever disorder was discussed in myself and I am sure I have that illness. I don’t need that.
I have noticed, though, that there is something wrong with me. As I read an article by John Usalis in our Sunday paper I had an aha moment. What he described is exactly what I have. He even had a name for it: Age-Activated Attention Deficit Disorder, AAADD.
Here is an example of how it works in me.
I thought of trying a new recipe for dinner so I went out to look in a binder where I keep recipes I cut out of magazines and newspapers. I found one I like. I also found a cookie recipe that sounded interesting so I thought I would make those as well.
I went to the cupboard to check on ingredients and found I was short on flour so a quick trip to the store was necessary. As I walked the aisles of the store I found a few things that looked good even though they weren’t on the list I didn’t write. I threw them into the care.
When I got home I unpacked the bags and got ready to bake. I looked out the window and saw that the mail had just been delivered. I went out to get it. Walking back to the house i noticed that there were a couple of bills intermingled with the junk mail.
I thought I would sit down at the desk and pay them so that I wouldn’t forget about them. I got out the checkbook and noticed I was short on checks. I needed to get some more which happened to be in a drawer in the other room.
As I was headed for them one of the cats decided this was the perfect time to leave a furball. Great. Off to the sink to get some paper towels for clean up. Luckily the cat got sick on the vinyl floor and not the living room rug.
I cleaned up the mess and decided I needed a cup of coffee. As I am filling the cup with water for the coffee I notice that one of the plants on the window sill looks a bit droopy and could probably use a little drink. As long as I was going to take care of this plant’s needs why not water the other plants as well?
I filled the watering can and took it into the living room so that I could water the plants in there. Looking at those plants I saw that some of them needed a little TLC. I put the watering can down and begin to pluck off dead leaves.
At that moment the phone rings. It is a call I have been waiting for about a luncheon I am organizing for the retired teachers. Phone call finished I put the phone down, get up and think, “Now, what was I going to do?”
At the end of the day no new recipe was tried, no cookies were made, no bills were paid, no new checks were put in the checkbook, I didn’t have my cup of coffee, and all the plants weren’t watered.
As I was going about my business I passed the bathroom several times so of course I needed to stop.
At the end of the day I am confused as to why nothing got done. I know I was busy all day because I am tired.
I need help for this condition. I need to call my doctor and make an appointment so that I can discuss treatments.
But first, I only have 25 pages left in the book I am reading.
Oh I can so relate! It feels like many of my days! I keep going back to my list of to do’s to find I did not do them but what did I do – I was busy all day!
So glad to hear that I am not tho only one suffering with this ailment. 🙂
Yikes! You are busy – I hope you find a way to reign in the tangential movements or tasks. I find that just being more mindful about what I am doing and complete one thing at a time instead of being “pulled away.” I have even written myself a note – “Do not get pulled away” My problem was (and I say was because I worked on this) getting pulled away by others in need – my husband, my kids, a text, an email. At times during each day, they can all wait – for me – I try to not get pulled away or distracted when I want to finish the task at hand. Some days it works better than others. Thanks for sharing!
It is all too easy to get distracted.
Exactly!
Spent all day ‘working” but few visible results.
Such a great slice of reality! ❤
It is a bummer when you work all day and have nothing to show for it.
This was one busy day. I am not convinced it’s age related. My hubby calls it a professor mind.
I like your husband’s terminology.
I laughed all the way through this. I hope that’s okay. “The list I didn’t make” is so telling. The cat w/ the hairball also made me giggle. I keep thinking about how little I accomplish in retirement but how busy I am. I love the Rube Goldberg quality of this post and the subtle cause-effect nature of it. Really clever. Now I must research AADD. Is it really a thing?
Yes, according to what I read this really is a condition. Laughing if fine. I hoped people who read this would get a smile. Truthfully, nothing I wrote about really happened. I am usually pretty good about finishing what I start. I was just going for a little humor here.
I am laughing and nodding! I get to the end of the weekend all the time and have the same thought! How is it nothing on my to-do list is finished when every minute was so busy?!
It is amazing how that happens.
I love this post. It so describes some of my days. Mine are especially sitting down at the computer to e-mail someone about something, but then I see all the e-mail I’ve received, and have to answer some of it, and then I read one of the articles attached to an e-mail, and then I get up from the computer wondering why I had come there at all. I consider myself lucky if I remember the original impulse.
It is so easy for one thing to lead to another to another that we forget what our original intention was.
This happens to me all the time, at work and at home! It’s like a never-ending to-do list that keeps tugging me in different directions. Sometimes it is overwhelming, and I can conquer it by falling asleep on the couch, TV blaring, book in my lap and catalogs spilling onto the floor.
Like your manner of coping.😊
I am placing myself in the same category. While reading your post, I kept thinking this sounds like me so thanks for writing a humorous slide that makes me realize I really do need to write things down or keep saying it in my head.
I sometimes think we have so much going on that we sometimes spin our wheels and get nowhere.
Sounds like my day with different distractions, ugh, I mean activities.