Friday, September 03, 2010

In Which I Showcase My Lack of Focus

Preschool still hasn't started yet over here. In fact, it isn't even starting next week. We don't start until Sept. 13. Is my kid the last kid in the entire world to start school this fall? Is this the longest summer on record? Or is it just me?

So, we re-did our front living room, making it into a grown-up TV room. A sectional, two chairs, an ottoman, TV mounted on the wall, nice comfy rug. It is wonderful. John doesn't run off to the basement anymore to watch TV. We both end up in there at night. The family room is now completely overtaken by toys. I don't even bother cleaning them up anymore. Andrew's diaper leaked on the couch in there yesterday and I just cleaned it up as best as I could and vowed to never sit down in there again. I just walk out of there and into the living room where it is (relatively) toy-free. It seems a bit weird to have two TVs one one floor of the house, but it is the best thing we ever did.

Although, alas, my home improvement ADD has kicked in. It is ALMOST finished. All the room needs is a media table/console under the TV and some more stuff on the walls. The tiny little hallway off the garage still needs to be painted. And what do you think I'm doing about that? NOTHING. I just can't seem to complete anything. I have time to do it, I'm just NOT doing it.

I've started wondering if I have ADD. I never thought I had it while I was in school. But, now I can't seem to stay focused. I could just blame the fact that I have two small kids at home, and that may be part of it, but I also think I just can't stay focused on one thing very long.

Like the laundry. I will dump a load out on my bed and start folding it. There is no reason for me to stop folding it, but I get bored and think, "Oh, I'll come back and finish before bedtime." Then I go decide to pay the bills. I write out a couple of them, don't stamp the envelopes, leave the pile unfinished. I think, "Hey! I'm going to go order those online photos I've been meaning to order!" I screw around online uploading, enlarging, but...wait. I can't order yet because I need to go dig around and see where I stopped ordering last time. Then I decide that I need to finish the breakfast dishes. Oh wait! I've been meaning to clean that glass door. Let me just do the inside. I'll do the outside later. I'll just leave the Windex out on the counter. Oh hey! I need to make a phone call.

So, the end result is that I'm crazy busy all day. Flitting around. Never sitting down. Always doing something. But yet, never finishing a damn thing.

Is that what ADD is like? Or have I just started imitating the fruit flies that I can't seem to get rid of?

7 comments:

joanna said...

I do that too. It's so disappointing to be ready to fall into bed and walk in to see the basket and piles I left half folded when I remembered something else I just had to do right then...

Unknown said...

I'm exactly like that. I don't know if I can be cured or not. I have a very disorganized mind. Very frustrating. Good luck with it.

Angie said...

If it's ADD, I've got it, too.

Katie said...

So we are all ADD? What is the deal?

lisa said...

No, thats it EXACTLY-- my days? You hit the nail on the head. I do exactly the same thing. All the time. All day long. PC laughs at me because I'll ask him in the morning "do you want coffee" and then 20 minutes later when he's about to walk out the door I'll remember it. Because I'll fill the water, but while I fill the water I switch a load of laundry. And then always ALWAYS there is a load left in the dryer so I'll go throw that on our bed. So I run upstairs and then think....hmm, I better empty those diapers, smells like pee up here. So then I'll start emptying garbage cans and take the trash out. And then on my way back in from the trash I'll notice the flowers need some water. So I'll water them. And I'll come back in and think how 'bout I load the dishwasher? Oh wait, I can't scrape this crusty oatmeal mess into the trash because I need a new trash bag. Oh crap- I was switching the laundry, oh WAIT- I WAS MAKING COFFEE. I can't even brush my teeth without doing at least 2-3 things while brushing. Im so SO glad its not just me.

Katie said...

So glad I'm not alone, ladies. This may be the new epidemic. TODAY'S GOAL: Finish tasks to completion (unless interrupted by a child, but I will NOT do my own interrupting!)

Bevo said...

LQTM. Advice you gave me has helped with my ADD - something about finishing one room or task so that when you come back later you notice it is done... That must work when you live alone.