Posting is such a rare and treasured treat...Random Ramblings

Ok~ So it's been a really long time since I have posted anything in here. I won't berate the fact that I am working two jobs, working weekends and now my son is playing football on the weekends.

Really...There must be some time in there, I just can't find it!

So, I am wondering if there is something out there that I can take for my Adult ADD. I have been off the meds now for 4 months now. The positive thing is that I am WAY more creative lately and I sleep better. The downside is that I am forgetting a lot of things lately (like leaving my show prep at the station the other night.) It's not huge things, but I have a hard time remembering what my wife tells me (I need to start writing down things again.)

I was wondering if there is anything out there that is natural that I can take. I know that fish oil is good (I do have some of those at home that I could start taking again.)

If anyone knows of a good store either online or on the Seacoast of NH, let me know.

Ok...random thought time:

~Why is it that so many people are obsessed with Brittany Spears? Who cares if she goes down the street to buy her smokes? Why does the media have to have 5000 cameras there following her? I think there should be a law that only 2 cameras are allowed to follow celebs. They there should have to distribute those pics to anyone in the media that wants them.


~Why is it that the United States hasn't tapped into its oil supplies? I was told we will only use the suppy in case of emergency. HELLO???? Gas prices at over $3.00 a gallon sure seems like an EMERGENCY to me!


~Those signs on the back of construction trucks. They read "Do Not Follow." What if I am driving behind one with a sign? Do I have to pull over until he is out of sight? An what if I DO follow him? Is there a dump truck police officer that will pull me over and give me a ticket?

~Why, if I live in America, do I have to "dial one for english?" This is America and the last time I knew it the official language here is ENGLISH! I know that this is the century of "being PC" but this is taking it a bit far. Sorry, if you come to our country LEARN our language. If we went to YOUR country to live we would certainly have to learn YOUR language!

~Why do hot dogs come in a package of 12 and buns come in a package of 6? Who was the brilliant mind that came up with this? Someone once told me that they do that so that you will buy extra buns. This tees me off. I think I will just boycott hot dogs makers and hot dog bun makers and buy hamburgers instead!


~Why is it ok to go all out on Halloween (decorating your house or public area with spooky things etc) but at Christmas time people will get all bent out of shape if you put "religious" decorations on your front lawn or public area? Decorations are the individuals choice and I am sick and tired of reading about some NUT who thinks that anything about God shouldn't be allowed. When did we get so narrow minded?

~Why does the name Lloyd have two "L's?" Did the person who came up with the name studder? I can see it now: "And how will we spell that name?" "It will be L (studder) loyd." I think it looks better as "Loyd."

~How come TV's shows got rid of characters and think we wouldn't notice? The older son on "Happy Days" and the middle daughter on "Family Matters" were just gone one season. Why? And did they think we didn't notice that the little black haired drummer on "The Partridge Family" turned into a blonde hairded one all of a sudden? If you're gonna change the kid...get one that kinda looks like the last one! Jeez!

Ok....I'm done now. Thanks for letting me vent!

Blessings :)

What's been happening in my life

I know that I have been so bad about putting in more information about Adult ADD (which is why I had originally started this blog...and I will...I promise!)

So...it has been a month since I have updated this blog. I am now working overnights at B95.3. Actually, I voicetrack it at night and it runs on overnights.

So here is what my week looks like:

6:30 am- Get up, get the Codeman out to the bus by 7:25

8:00 am - 5:00 pm- Got to the full time job (Chameleon Group) lead generation (basically, on the phone all day long.)

6:00 pm- 7:00pm ish- Voicetrack my show for the following day (this can get confusing, especially when you want to talk about something topical. I have to be VERY generic.)

7:30 ish- Go home and be with the fam.

It can be tiring, but I'm having so much fun! It makes me week really interesting. I am still doing the races on the weekends as well. The other cool thing is that the new PD is allowing me to do events as well. I hosted a scavenger hunt for our sister station WERZ a week ago.

This weekend I will be hosting the Colgate Country Showdown at The Rochester Fair. I will be introducing the singers for the event. Jeff, our PD, said that if I did well (which he was confident that I would do) he said there would be more events for me to do!

I am really excited about this. My shows are going well (as I am being told that they sound good by some other on air personalities at the station!) and I am working hard to see if there is opportunities to do voice over work. It is a slow thing getting this going, but I have been patient and diligent about showing people here that I can do it.

I will continue to keep you updated.

Thanks for all of you who continue to pray for me!

Blessings...

:)

It's official...I'm back on the air

Well, it's official...I am back on the airwaves! I guess the old sayings is true...persistance does pay off. After two years of working part-time at WUBB-FM (B95.3) I was given the overnight shift (Mon-Fri). The really cool thing is that I don't actually have to WORK the graveyard shift, but I am still on the air.

Let me explain...

I go to the station on the weekends to still work the MRN/PRN Nascar Races. That show is now on auto-pilot (which means I just have to make sure it runs...I don't have to push the buttons for the commercials anymore.) Our new Program Director Jeff thought it would be good for me (since I have on air experience) to do a show. What I do is voicetrack it while Nascar is running and I then load my show onto the computer which plays it at the appropiate time. Everything today in radio is runned by the computer...it's cool and weird at the same time!

Jeff has even given me some remotes to do during the week as well. For the last four Thursdays I've been at the Seacoast Science Center in Rye, NH as a rep for the station. I have seen all of their concert series and got to meet the director the center, Wendy Lull...who is hysterical! A few weeks ago the band Jumbo Circus Peanuts was playing. This band dresses up in wild outfits and wigs. Wendy decided that I needed a colorful wig to be on stage when I did my giveaways (when the band took a break.) So she went in her office and came out with this bright purple mullet wig! Of course I wore it on stage! I wish someone had taken I picture because I would've posted it here!

Last week, Hot Like Fire was the band (they play reggae zydico music.) I had this rastafarrian hat (with dreadlocks included) that I had borrowed from my son. The trouble was it didn't fit me. Wendy came back and mentioned that she had tried to make a hat for the event. I waited until she got on stage to introduce the band and gave her the appropiate "hat" for the night. She LOVED IT!.

I've been really having a blast working these events and on the air. This is what I was hoping to do a year ago and had all but given up. The former PD, although nice guy, didn't seem to think I had enough experience to do anything like this. I think a "changing of the guards" was a GREAT thing. I will eventually have a "personality page" on the station website. When it is done, I will let you know.

So, if you happen to be up after midnight some night and want to hear my show: go to www.wubbfm.com and click on the "listen live" link (if you don't live in the area.) If you do, just go to 95.3 on your dial...and there I am!

Don't say I didn't warn you!

Blessings... :)

What's happenin' at The "B"

When I mention "The B" I am referring to the radio station that I work at...WUBB-FM B95.3. Things are going quite well since our new program director arrived. Jeff is from the old school of radio (like me.) We have an interesting similarity in our radio history...we both worked for the infamous Jack O'Brien in our WERZ days. We were both given our first radio job by Jack!

I wasn't sure what Jeff wanted to do with me (since I have felt I have stagnated as a board operator for the NASCAR/MRN racing for two years now.) I decided that I should meet him, so one morning when I wasn't working my other job, I went to a "jock" meeting. I liked the guy. He and I seem to have the same kind of weird humor. At the end of the meeting I had a chance to talk to him. I told him that when he had a chance I would like to talk with him and see where I fit into his plans for the "B" and ClearChannel Radio. It only took a week for him to email me...email ME! This was amazing as well as encouraging. I liked the last PD,but he never seemed to be accessible...Jeff was making me realize that all PD's were not the same!

When we met, he told me that he would like to hear a voicetrack from me (this is a "mock" air shift on a CD that shows your talent....or sometimes, lack of it.) I've been doing this for about a year and have noticed my "talent" is improving. He said that if I sounded good he would like to start me on overnights on the "B." This is what I have wanted for over 2 yrs now!

He has also given me other opportunites. For the past two thursday nights I've been the spokesperson for ClearChannel at the Seacoast Science Center's summer concert series. I go on mike during the bands break and give away t-shirts and other assorted prizes. It's fun!

This past thursday, Wendy, who is the host from Seacoast Science Center said I was from Citidel Communications (which is our competitor in Dover NH.) I was sitting a bit away from her and when she looked at me, I cupped my hands around my mouth and yelled "CLEARCHANNEL RADIO!" You should've seen her face....she was humbly embarassed.

During the break I turned her blunder into an opportunity. I went up and reintroduced myself AND ClearChannel. Then we played the dollar bill game (to give away the prizes.) I used the call letters (B953, WQSO 69.7, WERZ 107.1 and WHEB 100.3) and if you had those number in some sort of order...you got a prize. The game was a HUGE success and everyone wanted my free-bees!

I look forward to more fun events at ClearChannel. I also hope to be doing some voice tracking for the "B" soon. So if you're up really late at night...put on the "B" and here a familiar voice...it's just me!

Blessings...

What I want to do when I grow up....a bit late

So here I sit at the radio station running the MRN racing. It isn't that difficult to do...I just hit some buttons to run local commercials when they take a break (usually when someone crashes and a yellow flag is thrown.) If you follow Nascar, you know what I am taking about...if not, don't worry about it.

This time alone gives me time to multi-task and think about life. I've been thinking about doing something to help those with ADD and ADHD. Since I have this entertainment gift, I thought I could do two things.

First, do a show about ADD. I would take it from a perspective of a someone WITH Add, and what I've learned about it. I spoke with some people at Portsmouth Public Radio about the idea and they seemed interested. I filled out a form about the show I wanted to do and did a "mock" show here at Clear Channel. I didn't sound half bad. I even had a co-worker listen to it and he liked it as well.

Second, I would also like to go to schools and other facilities and do a workshop about ADD and ADHD. I also knew that I would need to have some sort of degree to do this. I'm not sure what this degree would be or where I would get it, but I do believe I can find out. I once worked for a college and my job was doing speaking workshops at area high schools...I LOVED IT! I liked talking to the kids on subjects like: Job Interview Skills, How to Apply for Scholarships etc.

I can see using my humor about my ADD and what my life was like and is now. I think that there are a lot of people out there who suffer with ADD/ADHD and don't even know about it. I had it for years and didn't know, so it would be safe to assume that there are others. Third, I have been off my meds for about 4 weeks now. I ran out of my adderoll and thought I would see if I could function without it. I noticed that my creative juices came back. I had a lot of great ideas. I also found that I COULD, in fact, function.

A few months ago I started going to a new counselor who started giving me Staterra with my Adderoll. I didn't see a difference. I began to feel like the meds weren't doing anything. Could it have been what I was doing for work? It was very physical. Was I becoming immuned to the meds? IS that possible? I don't know. All I knew was that I felt tired a lot and that I didn't seem to care about anything. I used to have a zest for things beyond work...this had disappeared.

I didn't like this.

So, I feel great now. I am back at the old job...as I have mentioned. I also found out that it's quite possible that I could go back to being a full time employee there again. This is a great thing.

I know I need to write down my ideas and start thinking about how I am going to successfully complete them. First, I need to look into school. I also need talk to the main headquaters at CHADD to see if there is opportunities to speak about ADD at school, meetings etc. I have a lot of work to do. Pray for me and that if this is God's will that I will find it challenging and rewarding.

Blessings...

Reminiscing about the "Old Blueberry"

Tonight it was a hot friday night and the house was full. My mother and father in law and my nephew John are up from Georgia. I decided that it would be nice to take my son for a drive and get out for a while.

We stopped at Golick's Ice Cream Stand down the road. I got my usual: Maple Walnut and Cody, the favor of the month kid, got cotton candy (I tried it and it wasn't that bad!) I was multi-tasking my listening between the Red Sox game on the radio and Cody's chatter about day camp. I looked at him and noticed how big he was getting. At 9 and a half he is a good size and solid. This fall he wants to play pop-warner football. And it starts.

When we got home, we decided to play around on the computer. Cody loves what he calls "sick cars" (that is any fast sleek looking car.) He know them all by sight: Lamborgini's, Porche's, BMW's ...all the really expensive ones! I told him that he might want to get good grades in school and get a good paying job if wants cars like the ones he was looking at.

I did a google search to see if I could find MY first car. A 1973 Dodge Dart. Not the most glamorous car in history (to really make it worse it was a four door!) I let my parents talk me into buying it (I figured they were co-signing I better listen to them.) It cost me $1500.00, I put $500.00 down on it and financed $1000.00. I remember the excitment as I drove away....my car! ALL MINE! Ok, so it was blueberry blue and was about as fast as a snail going uphill, but it was mine!

Now that I think about it....it was probably a good thing the car was slow. I had a heavy foot back then and IF I had a car any faster, I probably would've had a ton of speeding tickets (or I would've had a car on blocks...mom and dad wouldn't have allowed me to drive!) I have fond memories of the blueberry...times with friends, girls etc. It was a good little car. I traded it in the summer of '82 for a 1980 Datsun (this was before they changed their name to Nissan) 310GX. It was the dawn of smaller cars and better gas mileage. Ronald Reagan was President and we were changing with the times!

I miss you old Blueberry wherever you are! RIP....

Blessings :)

Old guy back at the new job...which is the old job

I know...I know. You're saying, "What's up with that title?" I was thinking that it's was good to be back at the old job. I kind of modeled my title after that show with Julia Louise Dryfuss "The New Adventures of Old Christine. For those of you who haven't seen the show the premise is this: Christine (Julia) gets divorced and her husband marries a younger woman (MUCH younger) whose name happens to be...CHRISTINE. So Julia is now the OLD Christine who now has to have NEW advertures. Get it? I digress...let's get back on track. For those of you who don't know it...I went back to the job I used to have back about a year ago. There are a few difference this time...

-I only work part time

-I work at night

- I won't stick my nose up to this gify from God (given to me again..

even though I don't deserve it.)

I departed from this job July 2006, exactly ten months ago, thinking I could do better. I now know that I didn't think it through and almost threw a good job away. Sometime I feel like Homer Simpson after he does something stupid. He always utters that famous phrase...

The job is good and I am making good money for calling people on the phone and inviting them to some technology show or offering them some free piece of software for their website. A lot of the same people are still here (fortunately, they did get rid of some people who made the workplace difficult.) It is a lot quieter now. That was usually my issue...it got so loud during the day that I couldn't concerntrate (a HUGE issue for those of us with Adult ADD.)

The funny thing in all those 10 months of working jobs I didn't like or working for people who couldn't seem to pay me weekly, I found out it was all for nothing. All I had to do was call my old boss back and ask him if he would forgive me for leaving and take me back. He told me he would've. I realize now that he did like me and I was doing a good job. I was working an account who's owner liked me..a lot. I was building a business relationship with him (imagine that...I am in business development and that is EXACTLY what I was doing...kudos for me!)

However my ADD brain was bored. I was frustrated because I was doing well and it wasn't a struggle. I know weird, but that is how this old cranium works sometimes! If I had just gone to my boss and told him what was frustrating me....instead of thinking all these stupid things in my head, he probably would've told me I was doing well and gave me what I wanted.

To those non-ADD brains out there this is simple logic. To me it's an assertive effort. This is NOT an excuse either. It seems that I figure these things out AFTER the fact. I am working hard to correct that.

Pray for me....and....thanks :)

Blessings....

A family reunion brings back some memories

This spring I got a call from my cousin Kathy. She wants to have a family reunion this summer. What a great idea. I am not sure what prompted her to do this, but I think it has to do with the passing of our Uncle Arthur. He was only 67 years old and lost his battle to cancer early this spring.

My uncle was one of those guys who was always the life of any gathering. He was funny, but not in an over the top kind of a way...his humor was more like David Letterman...more subtle. I used to love when he would tell one of his colorful stories...he always had a way of giving you a funny visual that, by the end of the story, had you laughing so hard you stomach would hurt!

When I was about nine, I went over to his and my aunt's house. He had just arrived home and had a bag of what looked like candy. I LOVED CANDY! He looked at me and asked if I wanted a piece....HELLO? YES! I started munching on the candy and he looked at me and started to smile. "Do you like that candy?" Oh ooo! "Yes," I said. "Good cause it's chocolate covered ants!" he said laughing. I thought he was kidding until my aunt came out, "Art, you didn't give him some of those chocolate covered ants did you?"

He wasn't kidding!

He hooked me like a trout on a shiny lure! After that I was always a bit gun-shy whenever he offered me something to eat or drink. "What did you do to it Uncle Arthur?" "Nothing" he would say with a grin. I used to always check with my aunt just to make sure.

When he wasn't joking he was a dad to four kids and a loving husband to my Aunt. I remember many Thanksgivings and Christmas dinners at his home in New Hampshire. He would help with the cooking of the turkey or making his homemade stuffing. There were jokes and lots of laughter.

I remember one pre-christmas party we had a "Yankee Swap." This is when you get a wrapped gift, it can be new or old, and everyone puts the gifts under the tree. Then you draw numbers and pick a gift. You can keep it or swap with someone else (who has already opened their gift. We decided that year to give old or used ones.) I found this old ship in my cellar....wrapped it up, dust, cobwebs and all and brought it to the party. Well, guess who opened up that gift? You got it... Uncle Arthur...of course he swaped it with his son! I think I got that ship back a year or so later. I'm not sure who has it now...it probably ended up being firewood.

My uncle ran a successful window shade and blinds business for many years until his retirement. He and my aunt moved to Florida where he was until his passing. Looking back I think he had a pretty full life. His love for humor and people will remain with us forever.

Uncle Arthur...when Jesus takes me home to be with him...meet me at the gate, just don't bring any food for me... cause I still don't think I will eat it.

Blessings... :-)

ADD Humor of the day

I was goggling the other day and decided to see if I could find any sites with Adult ADD humor. Google, as it usually does, gave me this cool site. I am not sure if you could find it by the web address, but it's called ADD-Link by Categorey...and no I didn't mispell "Catagory"...they did!.

The web address is: http://user.cybrzn.com. Again, I don't know if you can pull it up this way, but feel free to try. Enjoy!


You Know You've Got ADD When . . .

. . .your parents are both grey haired and have a rather perplexed look on their face.

. . .you finally find your pencil in your book bag, look up and the rest of the class are no longer in the room.

. . . you ask your parents,"can I borrow the car"...and they hand you the insurace policy AND the car keys.

. . . your spouse asks if it was good and you say "What?"

. . . you have lost your cars keys more than once in the last 10mins.

. . . a fairy steals your homework out of your bookbag...EVERY day...

. . .you haven't sent out the baby announcements yet...and you're at his commencement.

. . .the stack of papers on your desk is as high as you are.

. . .your kid tells you that you gave him permission to stay out all night, but you just forgot.

. . .you don't have to buy and write out Christmas cards this year...because you just found last year's stamped and ready to mail...in the trunk.

. . .you realize that you've forgotten to schedule the sitter for tommorrow night and your 7 year old informs you that SHE took care of it yesterday!

. . .your very ADHD child looks at you with a concerned look on his face and says, "Mom, sometimes you pay less attention than I do."

. . .you find the peanut butter in the freezer and you have no idea how it got there.

. . .the car is never parked where you think you left it.

. . .one little patch of poison Ivey turns into cortazone city because you can't stop scratching it.

. . .you suddenly realize that you're girlfriend has left the room ... one hour later.

. . .you return to your desk only to realize that you forgot what you went for in the first place.

. . .you can't remember what you got up for until you sit down again.

. . .with 6 of us in this house, 5 of us diagnosed I keep threatening to put a sign up next to the front door: PLEASE IGNORE THE MESS WE ALL HAVE ADD!!

. . .you lose your car keys before you even get out of the car!

. . .you can't remember the thing you were not supposed to forget, or the key word you thought up to remind yourself with.

. . .you tell your child it's time to organize his room and he tells you NEVER to use the "O" word in his presence.

Paris Hilton....from party-girl to jail-bird

So....let me assume that you have all heard the news about Paris Hilton arrest and then release from LA County Jail last week? Who hasn't. I guess poor Paris needs to really get a clue about life....when the judge ordered her back to court for the hearing to find out why she was released to house arrest, she wanted to do the hearing via a telephone!

Wow...talk about out of touch with reality. As we know, her 24 hour house arrest came to a quick end and now she is serving her remaining 45 days (which ironically it is written that she will serve more time than others who have received the same sentence for the same offense!) I guess, unlike OJ Simpson, celebs do have to serve their time for their crime! It was rumored that Paris was suicidal...she was crying all night long in her cell. I know that prison is no picnic, but being in for 45 days made her suicidal (allegedly) yike! I don't know about you, but I would call that a bit unnerving...even unstable.

I find it interesting that Sherriff Lee Baca wouldn't give a reason for his decision for releasing her to house arrest. I know a lot of you are thinking bad things, but I think it had to do with her unstability (is that a word???) He made a HUGE mistake and, I think, probably paid for it dearly. He makes Mayberry's Barney Fife look like a brilliant officer! Today the Sherriff's Department Spokesman Steve Whitmore said that Paris medical condition was "stable." What I want to know is what IS this condition?

So, what do we really know about Paris Hilton? She is the great graddaugher of Conrad Hilton, the mastermind behind what is now known as The Hilton Hotel Empire. That empire has an estimated value of $300 million....I thought it would be more. She is listed online as a "socialite" which basically means she gets paid large sums of money (like she needs it) to "appear" at the hottest parties in Tinseltown! Oh...she was also a model...apprearing in GQ, Vogue and others.

Her Hollywood movies career (excluding the X rated stuff) was a movie called "House of Wax" a horror flick. She did such a great job on it that she was awarded 2 razzies for "Worst Supporting Actress." Sad. I really feel bad for this young girl...all that money and has it made her happy? No.

I was thinking about the last known Hollywood socialite to get arrested. Not Lindsey Lohan, not Matthew Perry....rememeber Zza Zza Gabor? She was the one who slapped the LA Police officer back in the 90's? That didn't work out too well for her either! What will Paris do when she gets out in a month? Will she change her ways? It was said that she told a reporter (was it BaBa Walters??) that she found "religion" while in jail.

Really? Interested. Being a christian I know that the definition of "religion" means to "bind up." What you need Paris is to be set free! Maybe Jesus CAN change you. If you really meant what you said. Heck, he saved Saul who became the apostle Paul....he used to persecute Christians.

If Jesus can do that....He can do anything! I am waited with baited breath to see where Paris will go when is gets out. Make us proud Paris.

Blessings,

Is it June ALREADY???!!!

It seems to me that time is flying by and everytime I turn around it's the beginning of another month! I have been working hard with my brother and his business...it is physical work and my lazy butt is not used to physical work (I've been doing the cube farm thing for over 15 years...that's office work in case you don't know the term "cube farm" or cubicle office worker.)

I like being outside (even though my body pains at the end of the day) and the time seems to fly as I wash windows or help my brother with pressure washing homes. I still needed to have another full time job until we get the business as a year round one. I was having a really bad time finding something because it had to be night work. I was online and saw an ad for the lead generation company I once worked for was looking for people. I emailed them and asked him if he would hire me back for night work. Long story short...I start on Monday.

I was really happy to go back there because I did a dumb thing and left this job over a year and a half ago...thinking a found a better job...which ended up being a HUGE mistake. I thought I had burned a bridge by leaving (I later found out I hadn't and could've gone back once the job I left to go to didn't work out.) When I worked there I found that I was successful and happy with what I was doing. I was making good money and the owners liked me.

So what happend?

I guess I could blame my Adult ADD and my tendency to have a restless side. In layman's terms...I get bored easily. Aside from my ADD, I think I got caught up in the outside effects of those that I work with (actually, this IS an ADD trait.) I have a hard time concentrating when there is a lot of outside noise (and there was.) I thought I found a job that was closer to home. Basically, I jumped without thinking it through...a spontaneous decision...not a good thing for those with ADD.

So now I am gainfully employed (as well as the weekend job at the radio station) and things are good. I feel less stress and my wife feels A LOT less stress! I began to think about how there are so many instances for those of us with ADD to see all of the negative things about it. I decided to google "positive things about having ADD." I love Google! I found some really interesting articles that I would like to share with you.

I found a CNN health minute article which grabbed my attention because it was written by Judy Fortin. I used to work with Judy at a local TV station in Manchester NH. The article quoted Stephanie Moulton Sarkis who stated that 4% of Americans have a diagnosed ADD, but those who have it and don't know it is not known. ADD is still thought of as a child/adolescents condition. What is really alarming is that 70% "grow into Adult ADD." I am not sure what they meant by this, but I will assume it means that the "unknown percentage" not knowing they have it, discover it later in life....that's my story as you already know.

Sarkis' book "10 Simple Solutions to Adult ADD" ( www.stephaniesarkis.com) states that medication is NOT a cure to the condition. Meds should be used in conjunction with counseling...I agree. She said to also take a look at your lifestyle, exercise and get enough sleep.
She said to choose a flexible job...hmmmm...working for my brother is flexible! What I found really funny is she suggests that most people with ADD don't do well in a 9-5 cubile-type job! That makes me laugh as that is what I've been doing for the past 15 yrs. I thought about this.

I think the reason that I did so well at the Lead Generations job is because I had full control over what I did. I found it challenging to call people and get their interest in what I had to offer them. I also found a good way to talk to people and immediately know if they were interested. The job also allowed me to multitask while I was there. I could look up a company and get info on them before calling. I also could surf the net while waiting for someone to answer the phone. Normally, surfing the net wouldn't allow someone to perform. For me it worked. I was usually looking at the company's website while on hold. It worked for me.

The more I read about the aspects of ADD, the more I wanted to see if there were anymore articles praising the positives of Adult ADD. I will share more of what I found out next time.

Blessings...

What's up with this passport mess????

For those of you who aren't aware of it, getting a passport is a long process. I know this because I took a temporary job working for a center where I live. My job was to answer the phone of customer calling in to find out the progress of their passports.

It sounded like a simple job....it didn't end up being that simple. What I found out was the the DOS (Department of State) has a HUGE mess on their hands. What happened was that our government decided that it would be a good matter of security (and the idea IS a good one) that as of January 2008, any US citizen traveling outside the continental United States MUST have a passport to travel. Unfortunately, the government didn't anticipate how many people would apply for the passports.

Here are the statistics

- The DOS expects to issue 17 million passports this year. This is up from last years record of 12 million. I have a friend who works at one of the processing centers and he told me that last year they processed approximately 2 million and this year they expected to do 3-5 million!

-33% of Americans will have passports by the end of this year, perhaps even 40%. Considering that the population of the U.S. is 300 million, a jump from 25% to 33% represents 25 million new passport holders this year. If 40% of Americans wish to have passports by 2008, then 45 million passports will need to be issued by the end of the year (www.workpermit.com)

- Currently, passport applications filed between October and March are up 44% from the same period a year ago, the department told lawmakers this week. In February alone, applications were up 25%. The scary part is that, to meet a target of 33% of Americans holding passports, more than 2 million passports should be applied for and issued each month, or nearly 4 million per month to meet a demand of 40% of the U.S. population receiving new passports.

- Because of the current rush in demand, it could take 10 weeks instead of the usual six to process routine applications, according to the department. Expedited requests, which cost an extra $60 on top of the normal $97 fee, could take four weeks instead of two.

I am in agreement with all of this, but the last part. It may have changed since I left (and I will get to why I am no longer there in a second) but when I was there it seemed more like 12 weeks for routine and 8-10 weeks for expedited. Here is what I think is the biggest failure by the DOS...there are thousands of people trying to travel who WILL miss their travel date. Why? Because the current system to get a passport is a mess. The post offices, where you can get and fill out an application are not being updated (and possibly NOT being told the truth) about how long it will take people to get the passport. So what happens to someone who had never gone through the process? Let's set up the scenario and tell me if this wouldn't upset you.

You plan a trip to Mexico and are taking your spouse and two children. For this "trip" I went to Priceline.com. I found a modestly priced package (which includes plane, car and hotel) my stay at The Radisson Hotel Hacienda Cancun. Total package: $2,858.00. I book the trip because I found out from a friend that it only takes 2 weeks if I pay the extra and expedite it (remember on www.travel.state.gov it tells you that expedited passports will only take a couple of weeks!)

The trouble is checking the status of your passport. Online only tells you that it is "in process." What does THAT mean? Is it done? You check again and one of your son's application doesn't even show up when you check it. Did it get lost? Now you start to panic. Your travel date is coming soon. You don't want to miss your trip.

So you call the number for the National Passport Center to check. You then go through the annoying prompts (choosing "1" for this and "2" for that!) The automated voice tells you a customer service rep will be with you shortly....and you wait and wait and wait. Forty-five minutes on hold and someone finally comes on the phone. After answering questions about where you are calling from, your travel date and social security number....you are told that your application is "in process." No kidding. You already know this!! What does that mean? The CSR really can't tell you, but says that the DOS will do everything to get you the passports before your travel date. "I will strongly recommend you call back next week and check on status again." he says "It should be finished by then."

Next week you call back and are told (after another 40 minute wait) that the passports are done and you should get them on Thursday. GREAT! It was worth the call and wait. Fast forward to Thursday. No passport. Friday... no passport. Now you're days away from your travel date. You call the passport center again. This time you the CSR tells you that it is in process...WHAT? " I was told the last time I called that it was done." The CSR apologizes for the mistake. So when will it be done? The CSR tells you that the process is very slow and he can't really be sure.

You can see where this is going? So your travel date arrives and you miss your trip, lose $2800.00 on a trip (I have yet to be told that travel companies are giving back this money.) You might say...well it's only $2800, but if I booked the Hyatt it would've been $7,700 and if I went for the Omni, it would've been $14,900!

So...what do you do? The CSR might suggest you go to a passport processing centers. There are approximately 14 across the US (yeah...14! Why not more....no one could ever tell me.) Workpermit.com suggest this:

Americans who had not received their passports two weeks before their trips are generally told to go to one of 14 big-city passport offices across the country. There, they were mostly confronted with long lines and no guarantee they will leave with a passport.

This sounds great, but due to so many people applying for passports and NOT able to get them and more and more people opting to go to these "processing centers" it backlogs them up. The last I heard these processing centers didn't have appointments until the middle of May (probably the END of May by now.) So it is a catch 22. You can't get a passport by the "regular" way...you can't get it the secondary way...so what do you do? Why doesn't the government do something?

I have no idea. This is what frustrated me to no end. I have over 15 years of customer service experience and I could do NOTHING! The DOS gave us no tools to work with to help customers. You had to basically pacify the customer and HOPE that the passport would get to them before their travel date. There were some customer whose passports DID arrive on time. Those, however, were far and few between. So my day job got really busy so I decided that it was time to leave.

I do hope that whoever becomes Commander and Chief will seriously consider revamping this mess called The Passport Agency. I know that there are far more important things to work on, but maybe...just maybe this will be something that can be fixed.

If you are someone who is waiting for a passport...my prayers are with you. If you have travel plans outside the US...my best advise...don't plan it UNTIL you get your passport!

Thanks for letting me vent!

Five Essential Skills for Managing Adult ADD

I thought I would get back to covering more topics about Adult ADD. I found something really interesting on www.addmanagement.com. The site has free workshops and assignments that will allow you to understand you ADD more. Please check out the site and listen to their streaming audio section.

It said that there are two types of people with ADD. First, is the really successful type who, despite their ADD, has forged ahead and done some amazing things...some have even gone onto the counseling field to help those with ADD. Drs. Edward M. Hallowell and John J. Ratey who co-wrote the book "Driven to Distraction" come to mind. This is a wonderful book I have read (and am currently re-reading) that decribes ADD from a different perspective (both Drs have ADD and are able to effectively treat patients with it from a way most doctors who don't have it are unable to.) Dr. Hallowell has his own website: www.drhallowell.com. This is the Hallowell Center, a site that has information as well as events for those with ADD and the people who live with them.

Ok....I kind of went on a tangent there. My apologies. The other type of person with ADD can't seem to get ahead and struggles their whole life...this was me. I seemed to always be struggling in my work environment. At first, when I was doing manual labor (like janitorial work, or working as a CSR) I seemed to be ok. I never seemed to be considered for "upper level jobs" and never understood why. I would leave the job for something I thought was "better." At the new job, I would get motivated and then the vicious circle would start again. When I was finally diagnosed with Adult ADD, I had to learn to stop this cycle. This has been and continues to be difficult for me. How do I manage the ADD so that I can live life at its fullest?

This is where the essential steps come in. Try applying these five steps to your life. Give yourself some time to work on them....they will be difficult at first, so cut yourself some slack if you struggle (ADD'rs tend to be hardest on themselves.)

1) Break the cycle of feeling of "overwhelmed." This is what leads to feeling burnt out. Life is hard, but continuing to feel like you have to accomplish EVERYTHING is unrealistic. As my mom once said to my dad when he had overcommitted himself, "Hon, remember that you head also goes to the left and right." What she meant was that you can always say NO. Sometimes those of us with ADD think we can help with so many things as we are the creative type with LOTS of energy. Remember though, you are telling someone you will do it for them. If you begin to feel overwhelmed, it is ok to ask for help or tell them that you have too much on your plate. I tell people that I will help, but preface it by saying that if I DO get too busy, I will let them know. They appreciate my honesty. I also found out that they are willing to find someone to help me or lend their hand in the project. This way everyone is happy.

2) Work with you ADD instead of against it. We are the creative types with lots of ideas. We do things differently and we need to do it that way because of the ADD. I write a lot of lists. I carry a small notebook with me and if someone tells me something that is important...I write it down. I can transfer them to my datebook (GET ONE THEY HELP SO MUCH!!!) or get an electronic notebook or PDA. They have a place where you can put in a date or event and set an alarm. When it goes off you look at the PDA and it tells you what you need to do! Someone with ADD must've invented the PDA!

If you find that you need to move around when someone is talking to you, explain that it helps you pay attention. I find that if I am in a meeting and I dont have paper to write notes on, I stand up. This helps me focus. Sitting still tends to make me drift. Also, stay away from being across from a window or open door. This will only cause you to daydream. If you have someone you trust, ask them to be next to you when you are in a meeting. They might be able to take notes for you (in case you do drift or daydream.) Talk with them after the meeting to see if you got all the information.

Finally, don't be afraid to ask a question if you think you missed something. Be honest..."Mr. Jones, can you go over that last part about...so that I fully understand it." The boss will be appreciative that you care. Plus...there are probably others who will miss it as well (you might not be the only ADD'r in that room!!!)

3) Adjust your attitude. ADD'rs tend to have low self esteems that, over time, leads them to be negative about themselves. Stop looking at what you do wrong and start looking at what you do RIGHT! Apply the skills that you excel in.

(Example: most people with ADD aren't real detail oriented. I know I hate anything to do with numbers. I also know that if I do the best at it and find someone, either at work or at home, to check it for me...then I am fine. I also look for formulas on how to do things. If I learn that formula {and can practice it until I get it right} I am fine as well.) I once worked for a finanace company and did quite well because my boss allowed me to learn the formulas and become proficient at it. If you can delegate work that you aren't good or possibly find someone who you can trade tasks with...this work too! Remember, you may never be the best at something, but as long as you do it as best you can it will be ok.

4) Become organized enough to reach your goals. The prime thing to remember is to focus on areas that NEED to be done to help you achieve your goals. Being on time for an interview for a job is EXTREMELY important. If you meet that goal their is a good chance you will get the job (as long as you are qualified for that job.) Being organized is something that I was blessing with having, but it is not the usual characteristic of someone with Adult ADD. A super-clean desk may be something you'll never achieve, but if that desk is organized so that YOU know where everything is...you achieved that goal.

I had a manager at the finance company that I worked for whose desk, to me, was a complete mess. I once asked her for a file that I have given her and she had it to me in under a minute. I was amazed! Her desk was oranized so that SHE knew where everything was...and she was and still is a successful person!

5) Live out Loud. This doesn't mean to talk all the time (although if ADDr's aren't in check, we have a tendency to do this!) What this means is...be a risk taker. This can be a positive quality for those with Adult ADD. If you want something...go for it, but know when the door of opportunity is closed. I wanted to get back into radio, so I applied for a board operations job at a local station...and GOT IT! Then I sent all the off time working on voiceovers and commercials (thinking that if I did the diligently, that I would get a full time job.) Nothing happened. Then I found out about a promotions assistant job at the station. I applied and was again diligent about talking the hiring manager (maybe a bit too much) about the job. They ended up hiring someone else. I finally came to the realization that this station only wanted me as a board operator. I finally accepted and realized that the job gave me some extra spending cash I didn't have before I got it. Will I ever find a job either on air or as a promotions person in radio? Only God knows. If I don't then that is how it will be.

Understand that success and challenges will come. No matter how they turn out, accept them and look at what you learned from it. If it is a mistake you made, look at what you did and how you can avoid not doing that again. I once walked away from a good job because I thought I had a better opportunity. It wasn't and I had to find other work. I learned to make sure that I fully investigated a job before leaving one that was good. Stop focusing on character flaws or what you can't do in life (we all fall short somewhere in life...look at the positive skills sets you have. If you feel you need to improve them, take a college class or trade skill class or whatever you need to do to improve on those positive skills.)

I have a friend who is a talented writer. He writes these beautiful stories that capture your attention and keep you reading. He is, however, what I call a "gonna doer." He says things like, "I don't like working at XXXX I think I'm gonna take a writing class." Then he NEVER follows through. He makes excuses as to why he can't go to school (I can't afford it etc.) I told him that if he waits until he can afford it, he will never do it. So he continues to waste his talents and never writes stories that a) he would probably make a decient living at and b) give people some wonderful hours of enjoyment reading his wonderfully crafted stories.

Look deep inside yourself and take those dreams and turn them into realities. I wish you are happiness and success.

Blessings,

D

Brad Delp- A childhood hero dead at 55

If you are 35 years or older (or if you are just a classic rock fan) you may have heard the news about Brad Delp, lead singer from the 70's rock band Boston. He was found dead at his home in Londonderry, New Hampshire on Friday (3/9/07.) He was 55 years old.

The 70's were a time of transition. In the span of of three years; President Nixon left the presidency to avoid being impeached, Gerald Ford made history by becoming the first president NOT to be voted in office by the people, and finally, a peanut farmer named Jimmy Carter became "The Commander and Chief." The 70's, needless to say, were weird!

One of the things that was consistent in my life at that time, was music. I listened to Dale Dorman on WRKO-AM on my little transistor radio at night. In 1975, I discovered FM radio. No static, great music and not as many commercials! I fell in love with bands like: The Eagles, Foreigner, BTO and others. In short, I became a rock fan.

In 1976, I was introduced to Boston. I thought, "What a great name for a band!". Living about 15 minutes from Beantown, a band celebrating my beloved city, MUST be cool. I figured there was a band named "Chicago" why not one named "Boston?" About this time, I had joined a "record club." My first album was, of course, Boston. My favorite station, F105 was playing "More than a feeling" on a high rotation (this is radio talk for saying they were playing the heck out of it.)

So, I waited daily for my Boston album to come in the mail. I remember when I got home one day to see my Columbia House package. I was with my friend Carl and we couldn't wait to hear more songs on this album. We weren't disappointed! Songs like: "Peace of Mind" "Long Time" and "Rock and Roll Band" became songs we loved to listen to (not too bad considering we were only 12 at the time.)

Boston's first album sold over 17 million copies. The voice of Brad Delp was one that was instantly noticable once you heard it. Boston seemed to tour forever (although I never got the opportunity to see them live.) And then....nothing. It seemed that the band was gone. No second album. The end of the 70's came to an end and disco ruled the airwaves....I liked it only due to the fact that lots of pretty girls seemed to like it (when you are in your teens and can get close to a girl by dancing with her...you go with it.) I know...WHAT was I thinking???

It wasn't until the mid 80's before we heard back from Boston. Brad was back and "Amanda" hit high rotation. Brad's high notes were a welcome relief! But, it didn't last long. One album and it was over. I had heard (being in radio I heard the conversations about how they were done, that Brad now lived in New Hampshire and was recording in his home studio.)

A DJ friend of mine, who met him, told me that he had formed a band named "Beatlejuice" that sang all Beatles covers. I remember hearing that they came to the seacoast of New Hampshire where I lived. Again, I never got a chance to see them. Brad and Boston will always be a favorite band of mine. From reading about his life and from talking to my friend, I have learned that Brad was a generous man who did a lot for those less fortunate than himself.

Athough he wasn't a " 70's mega-superstar" like: Jagger, Bowie, Frampton or Tyler, Brad will always remain a superstar in my life.

RIP Brad.

Where does the time go....I'll catch ya' up

"Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in awhile, you could miss it"~ Ferris Bueller

If you are a fan of the sleeper movie "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" you will remember how Matthew Broderick managed to talk his friend Cameron into "taking a day off." I sometimes feel like that myself...meaning that life is moving so fast that if I don't stop and look...it will pass me by. I spent the last few months looking for work. Although it sounds like it would be easy, believe me, it's not. It actually becomes a full time job. The difference is you don't get paid to LOOK for a job. You do get unemployment, but it's not something you can live on. Actually, I hate getting a check from the state. I look at it this way...if I have the faculties to work...I should be working.

After sending out about 60 resumes, I was getting really discouraged. Having ADD, getting down on yourself is not really NOT something that is good for you. Most ADD'rs have spent their whole lives feeling like they screw up everything (or that they can't keep a good job.) I know in my own life that I have messed up a lot of good opportunities by thinking I could do better somewhere else (this has something to do with ADD, but I will reserve this for another blog.)

I also was approached by my brother to work with him as well. I have been doing business development for his business, but will wait until the work he does gets going (this is a seasonal job, but we will be working on getting it to be "year round business.") This is actually exciting, but will take a lot of work. So, now...this coming spring, summer and fall I will be working an average of 60-80 hours a week. I thank God for allowing me to be able to do this.

I also ask for prayers for good health and lots of rest (while I am not working) so that I can do both jobs. I think I can do it. My brother is really depending on me and I don't want to let him down.

Not forgetting what this site is for, I will be bringing more information to this site about ADD diets, surveys and other items...so stay tuned.

Can ADD be cured without meds~Part III

Actually let's rename this "Altenative treatments for ADD~Do they work?" I did some extensive research (actually I googled a bunch of stuff and looked at a ton of websites....is that research?) What I found out only hits the tip of the iceburg when it comes to treatment for ADD.

First on my list is a company called www.extend-life.com. When I first went to the site all I saw was price lists for natual suppliments, however, upon further review I now see a site with information about natural and other drugs that treat all different types of ailments. I seached under ADD and found a natural suppliment called "Neuro Natual Memory." The pill helps concentrates on brain functions and memory enhancement. It is used for Alzheimer patients. For 90 tablets you pay $39.45. There was also a host of conventional treatment drugs: Tacrine, Donepezil and Rivastigmine (I will have to do more research on these drugs as it didn't say exactly what they did.)

I found a blog called Gym in a suitcase (www.gyminasuitcase.com.) There was some wonderful information about Omega3 Fatty acid. It said that not all supplements are not alike. Some can be contaminated with toxic levels of mercury and other organic pollutants. I went back to the site for more info, but now it is an exercise site. Check it out anyway.

From other random sites I did find out that there are 3 different Omega3 oils. Docosahexaenoc Acid (DHA) Eicosapentaeonic Acid (EPA...I talked about this one in my last post) and Alphalinolenic Acid (ALA). DHA and EPA are found in most fish oils. DHA is more important that EPA and ALA. It is suggested that when you consume Omega3 it should have as much DHA in it as possible.

Edison Factor is a tablet with calcium, zinc, sodium and other natural suppliments (used for young children and teens.) A site called www.nativeremedies.com had a suppliment called BrightSpark (125 tablets for $29.95 + $5.99 s&h.)

Next I found another pill called Pycnogenol. It protects blood cells and crosses the blood brain barrier to protect brain cells. We all know that ADD is a lack of blood flow to the frontal regions of the brain, so this product got my interest. It is made from an extract from the bark of French Maritine Pine Trees. It stated that it was less costly than traditional drugs, was as safe as vitamin C and 20 times more powerful than it. It also stated that it was 50 times more powerful than vitamin E.

The first case study using Pycnogenol was in 95 to treat someone with ADHD. After using this product for her daughter, the mom was able to take her off Ritalin. Another study (this time using an ADD study group) with Pycnogenol. They stated that they saw vast improvements after taking it. They were more alert, less depressed, anxious and no longer needed antidepressant drugs. They also said they had an increase in energy.

The next question is: Is it safe? Dr. Peter Rohdewald of The Pharmacology Institute of The University of Munster in Germany stated that it indeed was. He said it was a natual product with NO side effects.

Maybe you have read all this and said to yourself...isn't there anything else beside filling myself with drugs or suppliments? The answer is YES. There is something called a "Neurophycholgical Assesment." It measures cognitive abilities like: learning & memory, attention & concentration, language & communication and visual perception. I found a facility in Boston Massachusetts called Commonwealth Psychology Associates, which is a clinical & consulting service. Their website is: www.commpsych.com. If this facility is not near you then I would suggest that you email them and see if there's a facility closer to where you live.

Well....there is so much more I could list, but I don't want to ramble on. I hope this will help those of you out there who might be searching for an answer. Any question or comments, please feel free to leave them here.

And the Quest continues!!!!

Can ADD be cured without meds~ Part II

After about a week of research (thanks Google....you are a great search engine) I have found a TON of information regarding alternatives to medication for ADD/ADHD. Do they work? I have yet to find out. I know from all that I have I won't be able to cover it all in this blog (so bear with me.) I want to step back for a moment because I found a really disturbing post in the "Stratterra Forum" of the 3stepsADD.com site. It was from a woman named Sabrina. Here is her letter (edited for space.)

I have a 7yr old boy. He used to be helpful, loving and loved to learn. He was always more hyper than the other kids, but never violent. He had trouble focusing and needed a lot of redirecting. I feel that the school ganged up and forced him to take all sorts of IQ, and other tests. He was labeled as ADD, ADHD and PDD NOS. He is on Stratterra now. It doesn't seem to help him. He is experiencing nightmares and says he hates going to school and all his teachers. He is having new anxieties. The teachers won't allow him to be full time in 1st grade. They say he can't handle it. I really do not think there is a drug out there {that will help him}. He feels everything he does in school is never right and he is always in time out. The drugs are not working. Maybe it is the school?

First off Sabrina, why did you allow the school to test him? It's YOUR child! This is why I am a huge proponent of testing by TRAINED PROFESSIONALS who DEAL WITH ADD/ADHD. If Stratterra isn't working (and it didn't work for me) seek other medication. Talk to a doctor about ADD coaching for you son. He sounds like he needs it. The school is obviously NOT supportive and you need to find a special school for him or a counselor for him to see. Maybe a different drug or a different diet would help him? Don't just give up!I also noticed from reading the letter (and editing it) that I believe that Sabrina may have ADD herself. She seemed to run from one subject to another. Maybe mom and son need to see someone so that she is able to deal with her son in a logical way.

I feel bad for both of them. Someone needs to educate BOTH of them.Ok...I will get off my soapbox now. I did request some information from the 3StepsADD site (in the form of an ebook....hoping that it would explain HOW to live with ADD and not rely on meds.) The ebook did arrive the next day, but it was more claims about how I could be MED FREE. It claimed it would explain the "new technique" in FULL DETAIL if I would just pay $19.95 for their book! Can you say bait and switch? I got subsequent emails from them, all with the same claims and all asking me to buy the book....I have unsubscribed from their mailings. You be the judge of this site...I for one am skeptical.

(FYI: Still no reply from Dr. Graham regarding his mention on the above site....I do hope he will reply, but I am getting doubtful.)

I also found a VERY interesting article from a forum section in http://www.thomhartmann.org/ from a Teresa Gieschen:

The web site is www.3stepsadd.com I found it somehow through this site - through some of the vitamin links. Don't bother buying it though - it is like everything else...opinions but no firm hard data. You just buy his special formula and life is good. I admit - I bought them and not only didn't I notice a difference in my son but the dosage was impractical - 3X/day before meals, melts in your mouth.

In a later post she writes:

I also took everyone's advice here and ordered lots of the vitamins and started my son on the omega-3's, a hefty dose of B-complex and a strong multi (still trying to find these in liquid but haven't given up) anyway the results are that my son even is noticing that he can focus better.

So with that endorsement... let's begin our investigation into IF ADD/ADHD can be cured without drugs by looking first at Fish Oil. I found out (from the help of http://www.mind1st.co.uk/) that Fish oil can regulate cholesterol in the body because it contains Omega3 fatty acids (these acids are in fish that we normally eat.) Omega3 fatty acids are also an anti-inflammatory. So what does this have to do with ADD/ADHD? A study was done where prisoners were fed seafood that contained Omega3 fatty acids which resulted in a drop in inmate homicides. In Finland, prisoners of violent crimes had lower levels of Omega3 fatty acids. As Arsenio Hall used to say, "Things that make you go hmmmmm." Could it be that the violent reactions from some ADD'rs could be a lack of Omega3 fatty acids? I need to do more investigation on this.

There are also EPA acids or "eicosapentainoic acids" in fish oil. EPA are the "good fats" extracted from Omega3 fatty acids and are found in: sardines, salmon and mackerel. It is believed that these acids or fats improve eye and brain functions (so your grandmother was right....fish IS brain food!)Reason for adding fish oil to your life:- You will feel & look great...Have thick healthy hair (WOW...I need this NOW!) Healthy skin, a stronger immune system, more energy, a positive life outlook AND a VASTLY improved MEMORY (we add'r love hearing this!) As a result of extensive clinical trials, EPA has been found to be beneficial for: Lower cholesterol, depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder) Low moods (depression) Heart health, Huntington's Disease (degeneration of brain cells which causes uncontrolled movements, loss of intellectual faculties, and emotional disturbance) concentration, ADHD and ADD.

So why are doctor’s not telling patients of these diseases about these products that COULD help lessen their symptoms? Why is the public not more aware of this? Where is the news media? If these items do help, even a little bit, shouldn't someone be out there as a voice to educate those who don't know? Maybe God is tasking me with this...could be.I am going to continue this topic, in part III, and cover pills, natural remedies and antioxidants. So stay with me...we will get this covered once and for all.

Can ADD be cured without meds?

It all started when I decided to make my site more accessible and added AdSense to it. When I got done with all the "paperwork" I went to my "new and improved site."

And there it was...that AD!

AdSense adds website links to your blog that are relevant to what you blog topic is. However this one ad caught my eye. Its heading claimed that it could "cure ADD without using drugs" (my paraphrase.) This intrigued me, so I went to the www.3stepsadd.com. This site claimed that drugs like Stratterra and Adderall were dangerous and causing things like liver damage. It claimed that these drugs were "highly addictive" and that they were only "band-aids" and was bound to fail its patients. It claimed that Stratterra and Adderall (which, I was told, had a high potential for abuse) caused: upset stomach/nausea, cramps, fatigue, headaches, sleep disorders, heart palpitation and rapid heartbeats etc. I found this all very interesting because I have been on both medications and the only things I experienced was dry mouth and some sleeplessness (which was solved by cutting my dosage.)

There was also a news flash section that the drug company Eli Lily stated that Stratterra had caused severe liver damage in patients (I went to the Lily site and found out that this was true, but only to two patients.) Undaunted, I did a Google search on the author, Jon Bennett. At first I thought he was a doctor because on the site was this picture. I found out later that Jon Bennett... is a writer NOT a doctor. So who is this distinguished man? I have no idea. He might just be some actor posing for a picture.

So, again I googled "Jon Bennett-Writer." I find...nothing. So my assumption is that Jon Bennett wrote only ONE book!Fortunately for me, Mr. Bennett also quoted Dr. David Graham. He claims that Dr. Graham told Nightline that we have a "system that is biased toward approving drugs almost regardless of the safety risk." His appearance on the show was after the incident with the drug Vioxx, which harmed 88,000 people and killed a third of them. Ok, but what does this have to do with Stratterra and Adderall?

All we can claim now is that Stratterra caused liver damage to two people (and I found no other information on this claim except on the Lily site.) So what's next?I googled Dr. Graham...who IS a real doctor...in fact, he is a top FDA Scientist. I found more information on the Vioxx incident on www.whistleblowers.org. Dr. Graham did "blow the whistle" on The Merck Corporation for manufacturing Vioxx which did harm "at least 88,000 patients and killed 1/3 of them." Solid proof...thanks you.

Dr. Graham's personal website (www.davidgraham.org.uk) had more about this case. I wanted to see if he knew about the 3stepsADD site, so I emailed him. I told him about my blog and asked him for his opinion on this site's claim. I am still waiting to hear back from the good doctor.All this research has NOT gone to waste. I did get a lot of good information about alternatives to the traditional path to medication like Stratterra, Adderall and Ritalin. I don't, however, want to ramble on (as I have a tendency to do) so I will gather my facts and post a "part II" to this blog.

I have information on everything from "Neuropsychological Assessments" to a natural drug that uses the extract from a pine tree and fish oil!This is going to be really interesting....stay tuned!

This posting was originally written back in December...and I still have had no word from the good Doctor!