Thursday, October 30, 2008

History Trivia

Good Morning.

I asked a trivia question in "My Chat" room (the comment) section of my post that did not receive an answer.
I did some research on the individual I asked about and learned some interesting facts.
My question was/is who is known for asking the following question?

Who Am I?
Why Am I Here?

For some reason, I occasionally remember the speech he made asking those questions and I am wondering if anyone else remembers is. It wasn't that long ago....early 1990's. I won't give the date because that would give away who he is.

(1923-2005)
He was one of the most highly decorated officers in the history of the United States Navy.
He was a POW in Vietnam for 7 years.
Four of those years he was kept in solitary confinement.
When the enemy tried to use him as propaganda, he slit his scalp with a razor so that they couldn't.
They put a hat on him so he beat himself with a stool until his face was swollen beyond recognition.
He refused to capitulate.
When he finally returned to the United States he had been tortured, beaten, his shoulders wrenched from their sockets, his leg shattered and his back broken.
He received 26 personal combat decorations.
He is known for saying "You must never confuse faith that you will prevail in the end, which you can never afford to lose, with the discipline to confront the most brutal facts of your current reality, whatever that may be."
He was known for his articulate frankness.
he was the author of a number of books.
He became president of the Citadel, The military college of South Carolina.
In the early 1990's he was asked to fill a certain spot TEMPORARILY, and therefore had to make a speech with very little time to prepare.

The following places and things have been named after him and/or in his honor:
Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer.
A main gate at Naval Air Station North Island in Coronado, California.
The headquarters building for The Pacific Fleets Survival.
Evasion, Resistance and Escape (SERE) School at Naval Air Station ( NAS ) North Island.
The USS (his name here).
A statue at the entrance of the Luce Hall Naval Academy.
A luxury suite at the Loews Annapolis Hotel.

He passed away in 2005 from Alzheimer's and is buried at the United States Naval Academy Cemetery.

He is known by millions only as a fumbling and senile old man who began a very important speech, that he had been given close to no time to prepare for, with the questions "Who Am I? Why Am I Here?

That is a shame. He was obviously SO MUCH MORE.

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

SO CLOSE...yet so far



Yesterday and today, in my personal chat room (the comment section of my posts), we discussed the album cover of The Mama's and The Papa's If You Can Believe Your Eyes And Ears. I had used a picture found on Google. Sue J commented that the original cover was declared indecent and was quickly edited. The originals are considered collector's items.

I went on a scavenger hunt, quite sure I was about to become an instant millionaire. After searching boxes and thumbing through old albums I finally found my copy. ALAS, the EDITED version.

This is a copy of mine. (note the mustache and beard drawn on John Phillips face).

So close.....yet so far.

Surprisingly....NOT....I got sidetracked while looking for the cover. Now I need to go dust off the record player, yes I have one, and jam out.

What to choose! Simon & Garfunkle, Queen, Olivia Newton John, Eric Clapton, John Denver, The Who, Peter Paul & Mary, AC/DC, Earth wind & Fire, Soundtrack of Hair, Led Zepplin, Barry Manilow (sshhh, don't tell anyone), Karen Carpenter, ZZ Top.........

No wonder I have ADHD......even then I never stayed on track!

Oh GOOD! Steve Martin Live Stand up.....I'd like to thank each and every one of you for coming tonight...thank you....thank you....thank you.....thank you....thank you.....thank you.....thank you....thank you.....thank you....thank you......................

Monday, October 27, 2008

Monday, Monday



Ba Da Ba Da Da Da
Ba Da Ba Da Da Da

Monday, Monday.
So Good to Me.
Monday Mornin'
It was all I hoped it would be.

Ah yes, The Mama's and The Papa's. I think most of you remember them. They were a little before my time but we had all the albums and I listened to them growing up.

The Mama's and The Papa's were cool. Also, I could relate....Mama Cass had Rosanne RosannaDanna hair....and well, you all know I can definitely relate to that! I have so many posts referring to my Rosanne RosannaDanna hair that I'm not going to even bother linking you to them. I'm getting to know you all pretty well, and well, a lot of work goes into those links that you so nonchalantly skip over. OK, I will direct you to one, Rosanne RosannaDanna and Me because I'm sure everyone of you can easily relate to almost drowning in the bathtub when your hair gets stuck in the drain. Whether or not you read it is entirely up to you. I will just say that I spent a good 6-7 minutes scrolling through my old posts to find it but really, it's entirely up to you.

Wait a minute, you almost got me off track. But I caught you! We aren't talking about accidentally drowning yourself in the bathtub...although I imagine it is a rather common occurrence. Actually, if you notice in the picture, they ARE all sitting in a bathtub. Of course when I almost drowned while washing my hair in the bathtub I was alone. Luckily for them, if it happens to them, someone else is there to save them.

HHmmm. I think I did it again.

Monday, Monday....

I Love Monday's.
It's Quiet and Peaceful.
I can relax.
I do need to go and wash my hair.......If you hear sirens don't worry.....I'll be careful. Thank you, however, for your concern.

Monday, Monday
Ba Da Ba Da Da Da.

Sunday, October 26, 2008

Ignorance is Bliss.....NOT


I go to Edie's Blog, Rich Gifts, regularly. Every Friday she asks a Random Question and if they are not too far over my scope of comprehension, I answer them.

I read her Random Question last Friday. The title was Take Your Pick. I particularly liked the thought that I would be sure to find one question that I could answer.

I believe I have mentioned once or twice that I am computer illiterate.
Anyway, under the box that says Random Question, The following is typed:

Right click in the box below.
Select All-Copy (ctrl+c)
Paste in HTML (ctrl+v)

Underneath those words there is a box.

Anyway, under the box is a Random Question. She wrote about what those verses were saying to her and it really was great, (probably exactly as I would have worded it myself.....ok, maybe not exactly).

Where were the other Random Questions?
Did I mention that not only am I computer illiterate but It appears I am also just plain illiterate.

I went back to the little box, followed the directions and kept waiting for the other question choices to pop up on my screen. Finally I gave up.

Chatty Kelly and I are on the phone and she mentions that I had said I was doing the Random Question but hadn't yet. I explained "computer" problems to her. There was a moment of silence and then, holding back extreme laughter I am sure, she responded....."Honey, oh honey...let me explain...." It seems I may have been looking for Random Questions inside the box where her logo is.

OH..............Now I get it!

Duh.

Anyway, so my answer to Edie's Random Question is "Ditto". I think she answered it just perfectly!

Thursday, October 23, 2008

Guess Who's Coming to Dinner


OK, There are a lot of decisions to make regarding JM, driving, insurance and sanity.
I'll think about that tomorrow.

Tonight we had our family dinner get away. No, not just the 4 of us...but THE FAMILY. About every 4-6 weeks my dad, his wife Edna, Chatty Kelly and her family, ET and her family, My brother and his girlfriend (and sometimes his daughter), and my family all meet at a local pizza restaurant for dinner. Also, although not tonight, my son JM usually brings a friend because everyone is either much older or much younger than he is. That means there can easily end up being a total of 18 of us. 10 adults, 8 kids (ok, 6 kids and 2- 17 year olds).

Sounds Fun, right?.....

Stress- (Webster)-Mental or Physical Tension or Strain.

Stress- (Thesaurus)-affliction, agony, alarm, anxiety, apprehensiveness, dread, hardship, hassle, intensity, nervousness, nervous tension, overextension, strain, tautness, tenseness, tension, trauma, trepidation, trial, worry....just to name a few

Family Dinners=Stress.

We always go to the same shady little pizza parlor. By shady I don't mean to picture a beautiful apple tree with glorious shade to keep the sun off the back of your neck. Nope, by shady I mean, this pizza parlor is probably a front for well, who know what! We've suggested other places but my dad and Edna (his wife....who is a very sweet lady) always insist on this place.

They usually arrive about 30 minutes early. So even if we get there 15 minutes early, my dad will look up and say something like "We weren't sure you were coming". or "Well, finally" or something of that nature. If we get there on time exactly, he has probably already called out house to make sure we are still coming and if we are 5 minutes late....well, lets just say it isn't a good idea to be 5 minutes late. Stress.

My brother is usually there just a few minutes after my dad and Edna. He's probably started his 2nd pitcher of beer by now and through slurred words is exclaiming either his newest business venture or his political views....Stress.

At some point soon afterwards Chatty Kelly, ET, Myself and our families arrive. Chaos.

Before we have even sat down we will be told:

A. To ET or Me "You have lost too much weight or You better slow down because you're getting fat." STRESS
B. To Chatty Kelly "Are you ever going to finish typing up those papers for me?" STRESS
C. To all 3 of us if one of our husbands couldn't come due to work or another excuse they could come up with. "Why isn't (insert husband's name) here? Are ya'll having problems? Ya'll aren't getting along are you?, Are things bad at work?, Do you think they are going to keep their jobs (each has had the same job for anywhere between 10-30 years), Are you making any money? STRESS.
D. To all three of us again, "Have you talked to your mama lately?" (He knows we haven't talked to her in years.) Stress
E. I talked to your mama today or yesterday. She said (insert awful gossip or mean saying) about you. Why don't you call her and see how she is? S-T-R-E-S-S!!
F. When I die (this is my dad talking) Who's going to take care of her? Stress.

OK, we sit down.

Everyone is talking at once. No-one hears what everyone else is saying. Don't forget I have ADHD so when more than one conversation is coming my way, I'm completely lost......Did I mention my Dad doesn't believe in ADHD?

15-20 minutes later the waitress comes and gets our drink order. 10-15 more minutes we get our drinks.
Waitress runs off with a quick "be right back"
20 minutes later she takes our order. usually it is a few salads and 3-5 large pizzas.---Not to difficult for a pizza restaurant. There is always that quick spark of hope that dad will order 1,000 Island dressing instead of the I-talian (Pronouncing it as Eye-talian, over emphasize the long I sound) dressing.
3 hours later (OK, major exaggeration....but it feels like it) 30-45 minutes later (still longer than it should take) the pizza's arrive.

My dad to ET or Me "I Don't think you need to eat that second piece of pizza, you don't want to get fat...... OR........ You better eat some more, you're too skinny".

My dad to Chatty Kelly- "Your husband is doing pretty well at work, you should pay for everyones meal".

My brother to anyone within earshot...."Thish ish pretty gooood peetesha."

The checks finally arrive after we've finally flagged down the waitress (who always happens to be walking fast and looking the opposite way when she walks by. They add in a mandatory 18% tip to each person's bill in parties of 15 or more. She always slips it in but never mentions it...hoping we won't notice and double tip maybe?

FINALLY it is time to go. There are hugs, kisses and I love yous all around. Everyone is exhausted.

The last words out of my dad's mouth "Don't forget to check your calendars and see what day we can all do it next time." (he'll also call each of us 6-8 times to see if we have set a new date for the next one and then call each of us 6-8 times to confirm that we are going.) Stress

Don't get me wrong. I really do love my dad and Edna. I also know that he looks forward to these family dinners. As I tell JM (my 17 year old) when he doesn't want to go, it's just one of those things. You do it because you love the person. You do it because it makes them happy. It's a matter of respect.

Oh, and guess what else it is....STRESS!

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Please, Please Step Away From the Car!



Sometimes when I am reading a post and the writer refers or links to a past post I don't go back and read it. Now before you act all shocked and appalled, you have to admit that there are times when each and everyone of you do the same thing.

However, to get the full impact of this post, you really need to go back and read Step Away From The Car . and Step Away From the Car Again.

Go ahead and read them. We'll wait.

Well, you may remember that the car was replaced and JM was able to be free again! Yea! He was SO happy. I was no longer a chauffeur AND had someone to run quick errands for me. I was SO happy.

That was less than 3 weeks ago.
I've included a picture of the car the day he got it in case you missed that post.
I've also included the most recent picture of the car. He had it for 16 days.
It was raining, the car in front of him was turning, he hit the brakes, slid, pulled up emergency brake, kept sliding....and well, you see what happened. (The policeman did say that usually he would write up the ticket for reckless driving but it didn't appear that they were speeding or doing anything reckless. Mainly just inexperience, bad judgement and rainy weather).

The other car, a large SUV showed no damage except for a few paint flecks from JM's car.
JM's car will probably be considered totaled by the insurance company.

2 totaled cars in 2 months. (3 including that the other person's car was totaled last time also)

Our insurance before he was added--approx 1,000 to 1,200 a year.
Adding him-before accidents---approx $3,200 a year.
We haven't even seen the rise in the cost from the first accident yet. (sigh).

On the other hand, if the judge takes his license, maybe we can temporarily remove him from the policy...not to mention sleep a little better at night.

Last but definitely not least...MAJOR THANK YOU PRAYERS. AGAIN, NO INJURIES!!

Monday, October 20, 2008

ALERT ALERT!! CODE RED!!


SPECIAL NOTICE!

ALERT!!

CODE RED!!!

Please let it be known that the individual FORMALLY known as FBI Special Agent Manziola is under investigation. It seems that ever since he finished his last assignment, he has been acting strangely. He has been on 24 hour watch but somehow has slipped past our detectives and now he is on the loose. He is causing MASS DESTRUCTION. He is considered armed and dangerous. It is imperative that you take this warning seriously! Please watch your blogs, as he has made it is primary obsession to stop ADHD everywhere and we, The REAL FBI, have NOT authorized this action. The FBI not only condones ADHD, but employs agents with this so-called disorder.

HELP US FIND HIM! He is considered ARMED and DANGEROUS!

Please go and see the chaos he is causing. He MUST be stopped. Look What He Did!! Again, He must be stopped!! Do you understand what chaos this will cause? We are serious, you must go to the above link to see the chaos he is causing.

If you see him please do not take matters into your own hands. Please stay as far away as you can from this individual. Send all sightings to MyADHDMe's comment section.

With the citizens of the United States and other countries too. We know we will have this individual apprehended. But we must act immediately.

Sincerely,

Special LEAD Task Force Agent Esperello.

Saturday, October 18, 2008

Ode to a Fly


Hello. I am a fly. No, I'm not Jeff Goldblum, Al Hedison, or Vincent Price. My name is A. Fly (the A stands for Artie) but my friends just call me Fly. I am a very good friend of the June bug. You remember the June Bug don't You. If you don't, you MUST click here and read his story. He hasn't been around for a while so I thought I would stop by and visit MyADHDMe.

She's trying to write a new post for her blog but for some reason, she's having a difficult time. Maybe if I hum a little louder she'll realize I'm just a fly and that I won't bother her.

Gee, I wonder what she's swatting at. Maybe she's enjoying my dance and wants me to buzz around faster.

Ok. She's typing again. Looks like she's starting to focus again. That's good. Oh excuse me. My left wing is itchy and I have to scratch it. I love the buzzing noise it makes when I scratch my wings. Oh, I wonder why MyADHDMe has stopped typing again.

This is odd. When I stopped scratching and buzzing, she started typing again. I wonder what she's writing about. I'll go sit on that machine in front of her with all the words on it to get a closer look. OK, I'm being very quiet now but she still stopped typing.

I'll leave her alone and go check out those bread crumbs in the kitchen.

Boy, I can hear her in there just typing away. I think I'll yell out a buzz to let her know I appreciate the work she does. BUZZ BUZZ.

She stopped again. She must really have issues. It seems that she can't focus at all. She keeps typing and deleting and typing and deleting. I think I'll go and whisper some ideas into her ear to help her get started.

WOW! Now that was rude. She swatted me away like I was just a mosquito. (everyone KNOWS mosquitoes are at the bottom of the insect chain. They have NO class....what, you think only humans can have prejudices?) Anyway, there was no reason at all for her to swat at me like that. Rude, buzz, Rude, buzz, Rude, buzz.

Hey, where is she going? Oh here she is. She's back. What is that strange toy she has. It looks like a plastic stick with a 4 inch square on the end. It doesn't look like she is enjoying it very much. As soon as she brought it in, she sat it on the floor beside her chair. She's obviously having a hard time staying on task. First typing, then swatting, now getting toys. no wonder she has a hard time getting anything done.

I'll sing her a pretty buzzing song to help her work. Oh look, she must like it. My song is making her want to play with the toy. Maybe it's like a baseball bat. I wonder what she'll use as the ball. Actually it's more like a golf club because she's moving very slow.

I wonder what she's going to XXXXXXXXXXX

BEEP BEEP BEEP

We're sorry, but the post that was going to be written tonight has been postponed until another day. ......(does anyone have some Windex and a paper towel?................)

Friday, October 17, 2008

MyADHDMe's Random Question



Do your ears hang low?
Do they wobble to and fro?
Can you tie them in a knot?
Can you tie them in a bow?
Can you throw them o'er your shoulder,
Like a Continental Soldier?
Do Your Ears Hang Low?

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

THE CONCLUSION!! FBI Case Number 85427...No Longer Pending


FBI Document: Case Number 85427
Segment 4
Conclusion.

Good Afternoon. I am Special Agent Manziola of the FBI. I am a member of a Special Task Force.I have been working on a case concerning the conspiracy of MY ADHD Me and her effort to spread ADHD around the world. It has been decided that there is no way a single individual could accomplish such a thing. Or is there? Not even with the help of friends. I have friends of my own. We aren't always out shooting and spying. Sometimes we go fishing. I once caught a fish in a contest that was enormous (the fish, not the contest). My friend went with me. We had a great.......STOP. SOMEONE SOUND THE ALARM! THE ADHD IS CONTAGIOUS!

There are just too many of them! And there aren't just the regular readers. There are also the ones that stop by randomly and check her out. Don't they know that each visit to this blog can cause serious problems. Don't they know that, as with potato chips, it's hard to visit just once? Do they really want to feel like Alice in Wonderland? Do they, too, want to be a whirling dervish? Why are they putting themselves in this situation. What kind of spell does she have!!

There have been other visitors also.
There was, of course, The Number One Fan,
The Junebug,
Multiple Attornies.

There have been people that have stopped by for a visit, but are sure to return one day. We're talking about Responsible, Sane individuals! people that actually tuned in to watch ADHD in a Monkey Mask (we haven't figured out the secret meaning of the mask...but we will.)

There is
Lea, at the shabby olde potting shed,
Marina,
didilyn,
Becky,
Greg C,
Sara,
growing w/it,
skoots1mom,
Rachel,
huse blog is it anyway,
Wanda,
Amy B,
edwina @ the picket fence,
deven
and more!

And then there are the hundreds of thousands of anonymous fans that visit daily but are undercover and are unable to leave comments.

There is also Chen, Shun Chun. We aren't worried about him having ADHD problems. It is obvious that ADHD would be at the very bottom of his list of issues.

There is also Meyers on the Hood...she's been affected. She, and she alone, created a dessert that even ADHD affected individuals can make without burning it, (candy corn snack).

Daddios Daily Dose who wrote an incredible tribute about 9-11 and posted it on 9-27.

Notes in the Key of life has been looking for a comedy movie that doesn't involve cursing, sexual innuendos, and violence. Is it possible she has been scouting out MyADHDMe to make a movie? If that was the case there would be no stopping this epidemic.

So, in conclusion, it has been decided that the only way to handle this MyADHDMe character is watch her closely. STOP, LOOK, and Listen. Stop, Drop and Roll, Stop, In the Name of Love, Stop Mr Postman,Stop sign, Stop light, Stop and Go.....STOP IT!! Don't you all see what she is capable of!!!! Stay aware of what she is doing and saying at all times. Do not allow her to make your mind spin like a whirling dervish. Do not fall into the web that Agents Mac and Bob were so easily coerced into. (Please take a moment to wish them both a speedy recovery). Tell your friends about this blog and make sure they read too. That way, when ever you feel yourself start to slip into the AHDH trap, you can hold each other accountable. Tell your co-workers, car mechanics, assistants and accountants. I had an accountant a few years ago but I wasn't sure if he was keeping all my figures straight so I had to let him go. I don't know where he went. The last I heard he had a few new clients. I miss him. We were friends. When you work for the FBI, it's hard to have many friends. There is that trust issue. Speaking of issues, have you read the latest issue of The FBI Weekly Magazine? It had a great article in it about focusing on the job. I really like my job. I like mint chocolate chip ice-cream too. I hate it when it drips down the cone but that's just a minor problem. COULD I HAVE A NAPKIN PLEASE!!!!!!....................

Monday, October 13, 2008

PART 3 ........ FBI Case 85427 ....pending


PART 3

To Whom it May Concern,

To Whom it May Concern? Whom may it concern? Maybe it doesn't concern everyone. Maybe it doesn't concern anyone. Surely it must concern somebody. It will surely concern many if this conspiracy becomes a world wide phenomenon.

I am Agent Manziola. I am with the special forces of the FBI. I will be taking over this case from agent Bob. He is on vacation. YES! That's it...vacation. That is where he is. It is unknown when he will be returning as it was an unexpected vacation.

This is the 3rd segment of the case regarding the conspiracy of MyADHDMe. As you may know by this point, this individual has been under close scrutiny with the FBI. It is our concern that this individual is trying to create a worldwide epidemic of ADHD. The result, of course, would be PANDEMONIUM!

To continue with Our ("Our" meaning the FBI, which actually meant Agent Bob, which meant Agent Mack and ultimately means me) investigation, there are more individuals on our list to check out as suspects.

The Irritable Mother--A-HAH! What a great cover. To actually ADMIT to being Irritable, would actually fool a lot of people into thinking that if she says she IS Irritable...then maybe she REALLY isn't Irritable!! THAT would be a perfect cover-up for someone who really IS Irritable! This so-called Irritable individual had a drawing for a free giveaway on her blog. It was a copy of her new book. Actually it was for 2 copies (no, not to the same winner but TWO different winners). We thought this individual was in the clear and that she had not been a part of the ADHD conspiracy when suddenly, the ADHD logo was showing up in her comment section, over...and over .... and over...Obviously ADHD had her eye on this "so-called" Irritable MOTHER. Sure enough, it was just a matter of time before this Irritable Mother was visiting ADHD's blog. We purchased her first book and have discovered that this woman isn't quite as Irritable as she lets on. Now in her second book, not only is she Claiming to being Irritable but admits to FIND JOY in being Irritable! Is that possible? (to find out more, please send a check or money order to Irritable Mother.com for a copy of Confessions of An Irritable Mother. Allow 4-6 weeks for delivery. COD's not accepted) And why is she writing about armpit stains all of the sudden? Do they make her IRRITABLE!!
Irritable-Bad-tempered, crabby, annoyed, cantankerous, brooding, exasperated, grouchy, snappy, testy, quick-tempered, etc....we think not.

Rebecca's Place- We have done extensive research on this individual. She must obviously be somewhere in the upper realms of the ADHD conspiracy. The reason is, we cannot find ANYTHING ADHD about her. Therefore, she must be very good at hiding it. We (you all do know by now that "We" means "Me", right?) have noticed that this individual is ALSO southern AND is also a Sound of Music Fan. DEFINITE TREND! He haven't had any reports of her running and sing on a hilltop, but she's been doing alot of book signing lately. We actually purchased her book to see if there are any hidden messages in it. AND THERE ARE! Unfortunately for our investigation, they are all positive messages. Fortunately for you, again, they are all positive messages. Don't believe me? (send check or money order to the address given at her website for Season of Change, Parenting Your Middle Schooler. No COD's excepted. Offer expires when it does. (did I mention I may be on the look out for a job as a literary agent?)). An interesting fact about this book, when you read about what middle schoolers are going through, it may just bring back a few memories of your own. ANYWAY, we're sure there is something ADHD here. We just haven't found it yet. But we're watching....

Streams of Living Water- Here is another individual that hides her ADHD well. Her name means "One who is blessed" but also, Bonita means pretty. And she is. Inside and out. (yes, I have studied extensively in Spanish. I took the complete Spanish 1 and Spanish 2 in Middle School. Example..Ella es bonita. No es fea. (OK, that is about the extent of it)). oh yeah, Juan es guapo. No es feo. OK, I'm done showing off. I know you are all impressed.
Bonita writes about goals, decorating, journaling, and especially about GOD. We at the FBI think that perhaps through her vast array of interests and charming "southern" (definite trend) writing, she could possibly attract millions of people. We will be watching her too.

Alert & Oriented X 4. This is a woman that ADHD can definitely relate too. We will be watching her closely. She has handbags that talk and often dreams of being a pair of shoes. Alert & Oriented X 4 (A&OX4)is a medical term (you'll need to check out her profile to see what it means). At EMT class, MyADHDMe learned it as A&OX3, but that may be because in Virginia, they can't expect everyone to be X4 even on a good day.. Alert and Oriented could definitely be a phase for conspirators of ADHD. Although ADHD people are usually alert...it is the oriented that can cause problems. We believe that this woman may possibly be helping the group of ADHD conspiraters portray "Orientation" as well as alertness. We aren't too worried about that as the words oriented and ADHD are seldom seen in the same sentence. BUT WAIT. I just put them in the same sentence, so now they are. A-HAH! This A&OX4 may be trickier than we realized!

This case has become much more complex than we originally expected it to be. However, we are on the job and hard at work. We are expecting to wrap things up at our next post and then after that we will be handing this blog back to MyADHDMe.

So tune in next time.
Same Bat-Place.
Same-Bat-Blog.

Respectfully Yours,

Special Forces Agent Manziola of the FBI.

"Take me for a ride in your, your...oh forget it."

Saturday, October 11, 2008

We Interupt This FBI Report For A Random Question

We interrupt this FBI Report for a Random Question from Edie at Rich Gifts. Our report will continue after this post, but for now, we are handing the post back toMyADHDMe.

"Thank you gentlemen. Hi everyone, it's nice to be back."

Edie's Random Question:

"What specific qualities did God implant in you when He designed you? Things that you do well. Talents, skills, passions etc. Things you could spend hours doing without feeling the time pass."

That's easy for me to answer. Most people might think it would be ability to make people laugh. But that isn't it. Actually, as I think I mentioned once before, if I had to make people laugh or say something "On Demand" it would never happen. My humor is, well, random....bet you never ever would have guessed that. And many things that I think are hilarious, many people just stare at with blank eyes. You know the kind of people I'm talking about....the normal ones.

I think God designed me to help people during times of crisis. Not the little everyday problems. I'm talking about the big, this could change your life, matter or life and death problems. That is why I adore being a firefighter. When that alarm goes off, something happens to me. I change from this random,ADHD , mind off in Never-Never land to "someone on a mission". That is one of the only times in my life where I can focus. There is a job to do and I can do it. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying it doesn't give me a rush of adrenalin. It's that rush that allows us to "go in" when everyone else is running out.

Many people say it is bravery. Maybe it is a little bit but that really isn't what it is all about. What it is, is that feeling of making a difference. Someone in my community, my neighbor, my friend, even my family,... ANYONE.... is depending on me to help them.

We are taught to protect 3 things, in this order....1. Human Life. 2. Property (house, car, etc) 3. Environment. Some people may argue that environment should be before property but if your house was on fire and we said that we needed to hold back and conserve water...well, you get the picture.

Back to the bravery part. I am not any braver than anyone else. I've been trained, I have the tools and equipment and I have a job to do....just like everyone else does. However, unlike many people, I ABSOLUTELY LOVE MY JOB. It changed my life. Before becoming a firefighter, I, Like Edie, felt like I was plodding through life. Was this it? Was this all I was supposed to do until the end of my life? I loved and adored my children but I KNEW I had to do something else.

Another gift God gave me was compassion and the ability to empathise . I have seen so many firefighters and emergency response workers who become oblivious to the fact that although we are doing what we do everyday, the people involved are probably experiencing the worst day of their entire life. After the people are safe and we know the house isn't going to collapse on us, I try to think about what I would want from my house if I knew almost everything was going to be lost. Yes we are trying to save furniture from fire, smoke and water damage. But there are other things that cannot be replaced. Many victims have told me where they keep their special boxes of photos etc and that is something that I want to be able to retrieve for them before the water and smoke destroy them. For some people it is a set of videos, or maybe a teenager's clothes, handbags, medication, a wedding portrait or anything that is important to that person. In other words, in addition to helping get victims out and helping to save their homes, I try to empathize with them. I think that the day that doesn't matter to me, is the day I need to step back and re-evaluate what I am doing.

After saying all that, there is a problem. First of all, although I dreamed of firefighting most of my life, I never thought I could do it. Therefore I didn't join our department until the summer of 2002. It was after the tragedy of 9-11 and I HAD to do something. I was 38 years old. It was hard and I was training with mostly 19-25 year old men. But I had made up my mind and nothing was going to stop me. And nothing did. I became a Virginia Certified Firefighter and EMT. It was absolutely incredible to me.

Chatty Kelly gave me support but also, using her gift of talking and teaching, tried to warn me that I should not let it become Who or What I am. It could be what I DO but not what I AM.

Did I listen to her? Yes, of course (if I hadn't listened, I wouldn't be able to tell you what she said). Did I follow her advise ...you guessed it....No.

Now I am 44 years old. I have fibromyalgia and degenerative disc problems. I've had these for years but have been able to keep doing my job, with the help of muscle relaxers, heating pads, chiropractors and the "occasional" vicoden.

I am not as healthy as I need to be, there is pain, and the time has come to step down. The only reason I haven't done it yet it that awful thing called PRIDE......not to mention I will miss it SO much. But it is time. If I continue to work in my condition, someone could get hurt. Perhaps my partner would need my help and I couldn't help him or I could be trapped and he would have to spend time helping me instead of doing what he is there to do. Perhaps the victim is calling for me and I can't move properly to get to him. The Adrenalin helps, but only so much.

People have suggested working on the ambulance or something similar. I'm not sure why, but that isn't what I am supposed to be doing.

So now I need to go back to the beginning of this post and ask again. "What specific qualities did God implant in you when he designed you? What are the things you do well, your talents, skills, passions, and things you could spend hours doing without feeling the time pass.?"

At this moment, I don't know. I'm looking. I'm trying to figure out what I am supposed to do for the rest of my life. But right this moment...I just don't know.

Thursday, October 9, 2008

PART 2 !!!! !!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!! FBI Case Number 85427....Pending




PART 2

To Whom it may concern,

My name is Bob. I am an agent for the FBI. At this time, I will be taking over the case for Mack. Please join me wishing him a speedy recovery.

From this point on, or until further notice, all references made regarding we, previously meaning him, now mean me.

We, at the FBI (and by "we", it is quite apparent who is being referred to), have been studying Agent Mack's notes. They were found beside him, at his desk, covered with ashes and coffee stains. He hadn't completed them or any of his daily routines. He just kept saying over and over...."bubbles ....bubbles ......bubbles .....bubbles.....". He has been "reassigned".

And so, to continue.
The next suspect on our (my) list is...

Nichole- It has come to my attention that this woman, who purposely is -- Living Her Life on Purpose -- may have an agenda of her own. I believe that she is trying to single-handedly take over the entire shoe industry. This of course would make an impact on the hosiery and sock industry. This, in effect, could end up jeopardizing the entire clothing industry...and eventually...the world. It is also apparent that she has made it her goal to spread the word of God. This, of course, is a very noble endeavor. It has been decided (by me) that this obsession with shoes has come into effect in her attempt to stomp out the devil. OR maybe she is a huge, closet, Nancy Sinatra fan.... HHmmm, we'll be watching her...

"These boots were made for walking.
And that's just what they'll do.
One of these days these boots are going to
Walk all over you!"

ah hem. Excuse me.

The pinkshoelady...hhmmm, note to self...trend on shoes. Here is another seemingly kind, wonderful, Christian woman. Yet, like the others, she has been drawn into MyADHDMe's web. She, like Edie, also fell into the "free giveaway" trap and ADHD was able to get her address in return for a free gift. I have heard (from an undisclosed source) that this generous and loving mother actually argued with her 9 year old over a homemade keychain! (another note to self....arguing with her 9 year old is very out of character for this women...or is it just out of the character she portrays..?) I have come to the conclusion that this southern, "laugh til you cry", minister's wife from South Carolina may very well be one of ADHD's ringleaders. There have been reports that she is in charge of the New York division and that she is actually a fast talking conspirator working side by side with ADHD to ......to......hhmmmm, "THAT' is the question!

beverlydru....I think I am on to another trend. Another SOUTHERN woman. (no, not Ann Sothern). here again..a kind, wonderful, Christian woman who has fallen under the ADHD spell. Although I haven't quite figured out her "Role" in this conspiracy. It has been noted that she has posted a recipe for Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies on her blog. It is obvious she is one of the most recent arrivals to the ADHD conspiracy. Otherwise, those cookies would still be in the oven, burning, while she was on the computer typing about them. She was last seen running on a hilltop singing about hills being alive. A-HAH! A clue. How many open plains are there with mountains in the background in Florida! We will definitely be watching this woman!

Speaking of running on a hill and singing about hills being alive brings us ("Us" being me) to 2nd Cup of Coffee. Although she may not be aware of it, she has been our biggest asset to solving this case. Because of this woman, we now have a face to go with most of our suspects. This woman, singlehandidly put the entire blogging community into a frenzy and actually stopped all productivity in households across the United States and possibly worldwide. There have been reports that for an entire day, normally responsible and hardworking women, sat in front of their computers watching videos. One source reported that many women are still finding paperwork hidden under desks, laundry stuffed under beds and multiple coffee stained glasses that are a result of this halt in productivity. It only makes us think...what chaos could she create with a THIRD cup!!!

The Notorious Missionary in Spain.....She came crashing into this conspiracy during a contest. At first ADHD wasn't sure how to handle this woman that quietly put in her ballot for a free gift (we'll get to THAT later). But ADHD quickly regrouped and visited this woman's blog and found that she would be a wonderful member of her conspiracy. What better way to spread ADHD throughout the world than to give it to missionaries! Within a matter of days, this notorious missionary became part of the "clan" of blogging women. It is obvious that this was her plan all along. It is our concern that in the months to follow, the entire Spanish community will be baking odd shaped pound cakes, taking cold showers and driving maxi-vans around and around in circles trying to find a parking spot. CHAU

I am now going to conclude this segment of Case Number 85427 (which, by the way EDIE, is a RANDOM number). I am off (who knew?). I am off now to research more members of this conspiracy.

Signing off,

Bob

"Take me for a ride on your bobsled.
Take me for a ride on your Sled Bob.
Take me for a ride.
Take me for a ride.
take me for a ride on your Bobsled....Bob."

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

FBI Case Number 85427....Pending


To whom it may concern,

My name is Mac. I am an agent for the FBI. It has come to my attention that there are some questionable activities going on within this blog and any others that are associated with it. By associated, I am talking about people who follow, read, or even glance at the blog written by an individual that goes by the name of My ADHD Me.

Although we do not have any solid evidence that there is a problem, there are just too many strange things going on for us, the FBI, to ignore it.

First of all, there is this business about Monkeys. Monkeys are Funny? What kind of code is that. Sure, monkeys can be silly and they do tend to act goofy at times, but to base ones entire personality on the actions of monkeys is just odd.

My ADHD Me? How can one individual claim that the ADHD disorder/syndrome is their's alone? I do not believe I have seen a patent or petition of ownership in this situation. I am quite sure that there are other individuals out there with the same diagnosis. Also, after extensive readings of the above mentioned's blog, I do believe she is trying to spread this ADHD phenomenon throughout the blogosphere. We ("we" meaning I) have been investigating this individual and the people that read her blog. It seems that everyday, perfectly sane, responsible, and intelligent people are falling under this ADHD spell.

Although inconclusive, we ("we" meaning I) have observed the following strange occurrences spreading quickly through other seemingly innocent blogs....

Chatty Kelly- A seemingly fine upstanding member of the blogging community. A few weeks after Chatty Kelly began blogging, this My ADHD Me character enters into the blog world and claims to be her sister. The next thing you know, there are coded references being made in MyADHD Me's comment section. In the past, it has not been typical blogging procedure for the comment section of one's blog to turn into a forum. It isn't just the forums that have us ("us" meaning me) concerned. it is the jibberish nonsensical banter and referrals to songs that makes us ("us" meaning me) believe there is some underlying secret coding going on here. If this is the case, how many other people is Kelly "chatting" to? It is enough to make a Wonder Woman wonder.

Edie- A seemingly kind and loving woman gets drawn into the conspiracy. The next thing you know, MyADHDMe has convinced Edie to send her address to myADHDMe, in return for the promise of an undisclosed prize. There also seems to be a secret regarding Edie's middle name. Our records indicate that this name is confidential and is not to be mentioned, however, MyADHDMe has made several attempts to draw it out of her. And these Rich Gifts.....there are absolutely no records of any income tax forms filled out. There is also a so called "Bubble-Game" on her site that has the ability to mesmerise people and make them lose complete track of time. It is almost as if this so-called Edie wants you to waste your time popping bubbles. Is she participating in some sort of conspiracy while the rest of us ("us" meaning me) are wasting our (meaning my) time popping bubbles? In other words, this is another person that we ("we" meaning I) will be watching.

Sue J- An incredibly intelligent woman who is able to Create; Make Something of today. Regardless of all of our ("our" meaning my) research, we ("we" meaning I) have been unable to understand how this woman could have fallen under the spell of My ADHD Me's blog. Also, the comments that she leaves on ADHD's posts seem to have an underlining meaning that we (you know, I) have been unable to de-code...yet. This woman is entirely too intelligent to be ignored. We ("we" meaning I) will be assembling a special task force, armed with multiple Bibles, dictionaries and Thesauruseseses to investigate. I am calling this the Brown Project.

His Princess- It is completely beyond my comprehension that any member of royalty, whether she be a queen or a princess, would have any interest in this blog. Now it has been brought to my attention that the cloned sheep, Dolly, is being held in Australia. HHHmmmm, I hear that people there actually prefer January to July because January is too hot? Stange. It seems she is trying to convince the entire world that, contrary to popular belief, the entire world does not rotate on the same time system as the United States. This, of course, is a ridiculous theory. We ("we" meaning I) will be keeping an eye on her.

The Patterson Five- "Mrs P". We (meaning I) are not even sure if this individual actually exists. It is our (my) conclusion that the entire "P" family is a fabrication that has been made solely to make everyone else think that there actually IS a family that, on paper, seems as close to perfect as any family could possibly be. Has My ADHD Me invented this wonderful woman and her family to distract us (me)? It has been noted that around the blogging community, more and more women have been kinder and more loving towards their husbands and children after reading this blog. We ("we" meaning I) will be keeping and eye on this mysterious Mrs. P.

It is quite obvious that something strange is going on around here.There are quite a few other individuals and blogs that we ("we" meaning I) need to check out. I ("I" meaning I) am on my way now to investigate these individuals. I will report back with my findings.

To be continued on next post.

Sincerely,
Mac

"Take me for a ride on your Mack Truck.
Take me for a ride on your truck, Mac.
Take me for a ride.
Take me for a ride.
Take me for a ride on your Mack Truck....Mac."

Sunday, October 5, 2008

Here We Go Again...



Perhaps you all remember the "minor Mishaps" my son had with my Nissan. If that was before you started reading, you can check them out at Step Away From The Car and
Step Away From The Car...Again.

Anyway...Here we go again....

Cost of a 2004 Chevy Cavalier with only 54,000 miles......... $2,000 (bought from a towing company after owner didn't pick up. After 90 days it becomes their property) (Blue Book Value $4500-$5000).

Minor repairs needed.........Approx $350.00

Registrations/License Plates/County Stickers etc....Approx $100.00

Cost of NOT having to Chauffeur my 17 year old everywhere.....PRICELESS!!!

Thursday, October 2, 2008

I AM Relaxing!!

This is another one of my favorite comic strips, (at the bottom of this post). I have 4 or 5 that I have that are just SO "me" that I had to save them. If you are very lucky, I may post the others at some point.

OK, This is driving me crazy-er. I didn't do anything to the setting and yet the top few sentences are blue and underlined. I was about to give up and stop typing and then it just randomly changed back to normal. I wonder if my computer is catching my Randomness? I hope I don't give it my cold. It hasn't been acting right lately. I don't think it's a cold though. More like a virus...HAHA!! I crack myself up. (Even if that is probably the most overused joke in computer history...it was my delivery that made it unique).

You know, it's really hard to get that delivery to come across when you're typing. Everything is so monotone. No emotion. Yes, I know YOU CAN YELL. That works if you are angry or just REALLY REALLY ARE TRYING TO GET YOUR POINT ACROSS!!

Then there are also things like " :) ; ) :D " That means, "Hey, what I said might seem rude but I promise it isn't, I just couldn't word it properly. And I still love you".

Then there is the "HAHA" which means either "That was a joke I was telling", "Get it?", or it can also be the all-time greatest response to all those forwarded e-mails that people send that are SO funny (note the emphasized SO) even though you've received them all at least a half a dozen times.

"Thanks" That's for the email you just received reminding you that if you forward this email, you will receive $100.00 for each person it goes to. "Thanks" is just easier than trying to explain to someone that IT JUST ISN'T GOING TO HAPPEN!!

And last of all.....here's one we've all used. You know, you read the person's blog. You read the post. You just don't have anything to add. You do want to leave a comment though.....because we all LOVE comments! You just don't know what to say...so you say it..."Great Post!" & "Love your Blog". Now, please know that I am a step ahead of you and I know that at least one of you are already thinking that is how you are going to comment to this post. Then I will have to leave the mandatory "HAHA".

Of course maybe you can't even comment because you are too busy ROTFLOL.

That's another thing, "LOL" What if I tell someone that I am Laughing Out Loud" and they think I am sending "Lots Of Love"? That could be uncomfortable. Then again, anyone that knows me, already knows that there is is much better chance that I am "laughing out loud" as opposed to sending "Lots of Love". No offense... :) ......that's just me.

Ok, Hope you like the comic strip. Hope it showed up. I'm almost positive it did because CK added it for me. Guess which character I am?! Gotta Go Now! BRB!!

And the Winners Are....

I know, that was mean. There you were, all excited to see who won the contest and I left you hanging.

I couldn't pick just one winner, so there are 2. I won't say what the prize is until after they receive it in the mail.

Pink Shoe Lady
and
Edie (at Rich Gifts)

YEA!!!!!!!

I'll come to your blogs and let you know you won. I'll give you my e-mail address AND THEN if you trust me enough to e-mail me your mailing address....your prize will be on the way.

All rights reserved. No purchase necessary. Winners must be 18 years old or older and must be citizens of the United States or any other country. Any members of the Bill Gates family are excluded from this contest and their entries will be disqualified. Prizes will be mailed within 48 hrs of receiving address. The contest remains the property of MyADHDMe and any copyright infringements will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

(Now if I could only get back to the regular size letters......)

Wednesday, October 1, 2008

Drum Roll Please............





Today's the Big Day!!
The Day you've all been waiting for!
It's time to find out who won the "Win Something But I Don't Know What SO Don't Get Too Excited About It " Contest!

Drum Roll Please............

You know, isn't it funny how a drum roll precedes something exciting? Do you realize how difficult it must be to take yeast, milk, butter, salt, sugar, eggs and flour and then cook it, wait for it to rise, shape it like a drum, bake it and butter it (butter optional, margarine acceptable but not as yummy) ? All that just to proceed an exciting moment! There really should be an easier way!
I wanted to give you all a drum roll but I believe I have mentioned before that my cooking skills aren't exactly up to par.

I could give you all a Drum Role, but that would consist of you all trying out for the part, which would be another contest. You would have to act like a drum and although it would be interesting to watch, I don't think it would be fair to do that to you.

There are Drum Rolls
Drum Roles
Roller Skates
Roller Derbys
Rock & Roll
Roll Over Beethoven
Roly Poly
Rolling in Dough (haha, I never thought about the pun there)
Role Call
ROTFLOL-Rolling on the floor laughing out loud
Rollin' On the River
Rolling Pin-to roll the dough
The Rolling Stones
A rolling stone (a person incapable of settling down in any one place)

Not to mention that my Thesaurus has 182 words for Roll, ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY TWO!! And that's not counting the words for Role! That is CRAZY!

Next time you ask for a drum roll, think twice about all that goes into it.
Have a Great Day!!