In Relationship Train Wrecks, Part I, Jeff and I explored our various estrangements from family, friends, and work colleagues. We talked about our feelings of alienation, strategies for going back in time (or not) to ameliorate past derailments.  Our discussion ended with Zoë ruminating over whether or not to write Christmas cards this year announcing that she’s already received her “Gift:” ADHD.

We pick up the blogchat there.

One of the things I’ve been doing with this blog is not only sharing my personal trials and tribulations, but also sharing my perceived successes.

I’ve been amazed and uplifted at how many blog visitors have written in with their own struggles and triumphs, and thought it was high time to celebrate and congratulate all of you.

The following comments were submitted publicly here at ADHD: from A to Zoë. I’ve edited them for brevity, and also for spelling, punctuation, etc., but the content remains true to the  original.

PART I

10:25 am  Zoë   Jeff, I’ve been thinking about how ADHD has impacted my family relationships. Yet again, as Christmas approaches, I find myself composing a letter to my entire family saying, “Hey, guess what? I was diagnosed with ADHD…yadda yadda” and listing the applicable symptoms, in an effort to re-connect, let them know I feel estranged, and try to explain some of my past behaviour. I’m wondering how your own diagnosis relates to your family connections?

Today’s Pet Peeve is:  me.

I’ve been thinking about these Pet Peeves for a while now. And you know what? I’m not really a complain-y person. Honest.

I’ve painted myself into a box. I created Friday’s Pet Peeves, and I’m proud that this is the 33rd week that I’ve kept my promise to myself, and my commitment to you. But, more and more, I’m finding it hard to find things to complain about. More to the point, I don’t spend the rest of my life looking for bad things, but rather seeing the positive, so why should this blog be any different?  It is, after all, MY blog!  (Well, more like our blog, the way I see it, but you know what I mean).

So what, I wonder, does one wear to a Brain Gym?

Hopefully not bloomers or a baggy “gym-suit” á la public school.

When I saw that Rick Green (of totallyadd.com), one of my favorite ADHD gurus, was teaming up with Brain Gym instructor Jill Hewlett of brain works global inc. for an evening of ADHD Awareness combined with cognitive fitness strategies, I was intrigued.

I spoke with Rick to find out a bit about the session, which is this Thursday, Oct. 21 @ 7:00 p.m. in Markham, ON (for more info., click HERE). I also spoke with Sharon Todd, Brain Works Global Inc.’s Director of Sales and Operations and Educational Kinesiologist.

Here’s what they had to say about the upcoming workshop and their experiences with Brain Gym and cognitive fitness strategies.

It’s not easy being a double agent: professional journalist by day, ADHDer by… well… ok, all the time.

But today, I had to sublimate my full-time identity to the professional journalist.

Mission: Possible?

The Mission: ADHD woman goes undercover to an ADHD Clinic to interview a psychiatrist specializing in treating adult ADHDers.

Agent Zoë?

Yes, Chief?

You’re there to interview him, not the other way around.

No problem, Chief.