Ok folks here is an example of what I like to call The #ADHD Snowball. So... I have a system - of course - for getting out the door in the morning. But today I'm travelling long distance for work. Which means 1. I have to get up super early 2. My system is out of wack. I did some prep... 1/16
...the night before but forgot to put my transit pass with the rest of my stuff. I had the thought when I was in the bathroom "dont forget the trans pass" but by the time I walked out of the bathroom, it was gone. Now it's the next morning and I'm gathering all my stuff to leave....2/16
...because it is soooo early I haven't had my usual 4 cups of coffee I need to jump start the brain, so add in extra brain fog. My wife and I joke about me forgetting something, ha ha. Becaue of my #adhd I have to carry everything in one trip - or I forget things - but the travel means...3/16
...I have to carry extra stuff. So my arms are overflowing with keys, coffee, etc. I get out the door, standing on my porch and the thought from the night before returns: Transit Pass! But I have all this other stuff gathered in my arms. To make sure I dont forget any of it...4/16
...I just drop it all right there by the front door so I will literally trip over it on my way back out. Run inside, past the wife, ha ha forgot something, upstairs to the bedroom. I normally keep the transit pass sitting on top of the dresser where it stares me in the face...5/16
...so I dont lose track of it. (I only use the T pass maybe once a month at most) BUT we recently "straightened up" - cuz the NT world tells us ND people we need to keep our stuff "tidy" - so now I can't find the pass. A brief panicked search reveals it's location. Whew! Back down stairs...6/16
...to the front door where I see (!!!!) the door slightly ajar and one my cats peeking their head outside! (Indoor only cats) One of the items I dropped on the porch prevented the door from closing all the way. I chase the cat back in but now we have to look around and make sure...7/16
...the other cat didn't get out. Find Cat 2, we're good, OK back out the door. Fortunately, I have learned to give myself extra extra time because stuff like this happens ALL THE TIME when you're #ADHD. So I still managed to get to the train station with time to spare. But the fun continues...8/16
...As noted earlier, I have not ingested enough caffeine. Hit the coffee shop in the station and get a large coffee and a breakfast sandwich. Sit down in the terminal to eat my sandwich but they dont believe in flat surfaces in train stations so I have to put my coffee on the floor by my feet...9/16
...my fellow #neurodivergent folks know where this is going. I eat my sandwich, then get up to throw out the wrapper. In the time it takes to walk to the trash and back I have completely forgotten about my cup of coffee and I kick it over. Now there's a giant pool of coffee rapidly spreading...10/16
...across the floor heading right for all my stuff. Frantically move things away from the puddle while dropping the handful of napkins I have to absorb some of the damage. Now I need to inform the custodial staff cuz this was a full 20oz beverage & will require a mop. Go find the info booth...11/16