Monday, December 15, 2008

Adult Onset Attention Deficit Disorder

I was recently self-diagnosed with Adult Onset Attention Deficit Disorder (AOADD). The disease presented in a session in which my boss was teaching us how to use a new software. Normally we have to figure these out on our own, but this one is a tricky little devil and my boss likes to lecture so it was the perfect opportunity for him to get attention without showing up in public sans underpants. He scheduled three consecutive all-day sessions.
An hour and 15 minutes into the session, we had theoretically learned how to check out a file. This procedure consists of 5 mouse clicks, but with my AOADD I was unable to follow the lecture. His pointer was going, his mouth was going, words were coming out, small words, English words. They floated right past me where I could almost reach out and touch them, like the monster in Young Frankenstein, trying to catch the music, but I couldn't seem to grasp them. I found myself making a grocery list and building my own Sudoku.
My coworkers seemed to be following. I hated them as they smugly blurted out their comments and questions. I hated them for having a higher boredom threshold than mine.
My husband agrees that I have a problem as I get fidgety during simple instructions such as "Do not go shopping", and cannot sit still throughout the daily lecture on topics such as Turning Out the Lights as the TV/Computer Screen Provides its Own Light Source, and Why We Don't Need Someone to Paint the House Since it Would Cost Less if I (Lady Offramp) Took a Day Off Work to Do It.

4 comments:

  1. Brilliant! I also have a low boredom threshold...you're lucky to have made it 1hr 15 minutes!!
    PS> Tell mr Offramp that its very very bad for your eyes to work on the computer when the rest of the room is dark.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I was trying to think up a nasty comment as per your request on the sidebar, but just couldn't do it. But I wasn't sure you'd be able to follow it. :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Que - check your email.
    Konnie - thank you!
    Unfinishedrambler - Now I'm curious, don't hold back!

    ReplyDelete
  4. There is an important clinical distinction between "early adult onset ADD", "early adult onset ADHD", "late adult onset ADD", and "late adult onset ADHD". All can be cured in the same way: decapitation of boss.

    ReplyDelete

Any and all comments welcome...