Bright, brilliant, bold idea! Write a blog! she said (to herself). Yeah, but like, what about? Sharks, ADHD, stars, abortion, God, kayaking, quirky people? I don’t give a baboon’s bottom quite frankly, just write, ‘cause that’s what you want to do. Well alrighty then!
I think it’s because I have these kinds of conversations with myself – often in some kind of accent and not just my own English one – that I decided to put it all out there, my thoughts and opinions, expose myself to ridicule and wrath and possible termination of employment. It’s not on Maslow’s hierarchy, yet, but for me it’s a need, communication that is, not exposure, not in most circumstances anyway. Oh yes, I do talk to (and sometimes with) other people, animals and the like. I’m known as a talker, and a loud one. But writing is so much more peaceful don’t you find?
So, onward and…on and on…
First though, have you ever tried to navigate your way round a blog-building site? Simple they said. Er, no. And no. Pay a few bucks, click a few buttons and walla! as they say in the U.S., where I live so I know. (It’s ‘voila’ people. Shoot, no rolling eyes emoji, what will I do?!) Then you find all the tutorials, A Lot Of Tutorials, and a superfluity of upgrades, and after 5 hours and a month’s wages you’re well on your way to thinking why the Hell did I bother? So after hitting the back button again and again, and again, and looping back to the start several times, I just decided to do my own thing; that’s what all this is about after all.
Here you will discover that I have a wide range of interests and hopefully some that will interest you too. If not, skip it. Opinions, yep, lots of those though aging definitely makes you more open-minded. You’re not so sure that you’re right all the time. It’s liberating really. You don’t have to argue with people all the time, you just say, yeah maybe you’re right and then go and watch Netflix. I prefer Prime, but each to her own. See?! So I’ll probably be writing a lot of stuff I don’t necessarily have a strong conviction about just to, you know, stir things up a bit. You’ll know when I mean it though, oh boy will you? A right ferocious beast, me (Northern English accent that one). But I do invite you to disagree and tell me why. Oh go on, do. I mean, otherwise why am I doing this? To elicit sympathy? Edify? Be ‘thought provoking’? (Ahh those high school essays.) Well yes, all of that and more, I sincerely hope.
Let’s just start with this, on the subject of aging. Discovering at 54 that you have ADHD, and not just stress-related-early-onset senility is quite a shocker. A relief in many ways because I’m sure it’s better than senility – sorry, age-related cognitive changes – but maybe I still have that to look forward to. Yippee. In any case, a diagnosis of ADHD will elicit less sympathy that’s for sure: Oh, ummmm, ok, ADHD?? But you were always good at school. But that’s not a real thing is it? Yeah right, you’re just forgetful and procrastinate. Oh yeah I think I’ve got that, I forgot my keys the other day. Oh I’m sure we can say that everyone has that can’t we, isn’t it just the human condition? And blah blah blah. Well it’s definitely a spectrum. Actually I’m not definite about that but for sure other people forget their keys. But do they put them in the fridge, lock the dog out of the house for hours, ride their motorcycles at168mph (ssshhhhh)? Do they run their watch through a washing machine cycle then cook it in the oven? Do they drink coffee by the gallon before bed then fall asleep like a baby? A kind baby that is. Do they wear their food and build towers of mail on the kitchen counter? Do they forget instructions instantly? The scathing words ‘want me to draw a picture for you?!’ were definitely first addressed to an ADHDer. Yeah, actually, pictures would really help!
But here’s the good part. When everyone else calls you weird and over-emotional all your life – oh the shame – and then you get this diagnosis, you suddenly realize that it’s because you are in fact a genius! Yep! We are creative thinkers, risk-takers, innovators, funny, artistic, musical, multitasking, multi-talented, energetic, empathic, compassionate, direct, expressive, spontaneous, resilient, ingenious and all-round bad-asses! But these are qualities that aren’t top of the list in a method-obsessed, efficiency-driven, work-hard play-hard Western society (isn’t play hard an oxymoron, moron?!) And if those of us living across the pond from my old, comfy armchair of a country were ensconced in a more chill culture we’d feel more at home I suspect. As it is, round peg, square hole is where I’m at. Which is fine in many ways. I do so love to ruffle feathers.
Anyway I’m all ADHD’d out for the time-being. But I’ll come back to it because it’s who I am and I like me, I really like me. Thanks for reading. Going now. Got watches to cook and dinner to wear.
Boudicca.
Bold and Brilliant Site 