Applied Chaos

Missing in Missouri Breeann Rodriguez

2011-08-09T13:06:00.000-05:00

Missing in Missouri Breeann Rodriguez

Review of Sterilite 20518006 Small Drawer 6 pack

2010-11-27T07:41:00.000-06:00

Review of Sterilite 20518006 Small Drawer 6 pack

Andy Andrews - 50 Famous Parental Sayings

2010-10-21T11:39:00.000-05:00

Gianna Jessen

2010-09-28T10:12:00.002-05:00

Gianna Jessen is an incredibly well spoken woman who gives a voice to those that have no voice...unborn children. Gianna Jessen is a saline abortion survivor. She defines being a survivor!

She is witty and beautiful! Gianna Jessen is God's girl and as she says "you don't mess with God's Girl!"

Please listen to her inspiring message and feel free to leave your comments below. Gianna Jessen you are my hero. Thank you for sharing your life's story!

Proper Hand Washing Kills Germs and Prevents Illness

2010-09-21T16:05:00.001-05:00

Proper Hand Washing Kills Germs and Prevents Illness

Hand washing with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer are both effective in killing germs when done properly and frequently.

Doctors, nurses and especially moms know that in order to decrease the spread of bacteria or germs that cause illness, hands must be washed frequently. Soap and water does a good job at removing surface dirt and is necessary if hands are visibly soiled, yet to kill bacteria, both soap and water and an alcohol-based hand sanitizer are effective as long as they are used properly.

Read more at Suite101: Proper Hand Washing Kills Germs and Prevents Illness

Clinique Customer Service

2010-08-30T11:05:00.001-05:00

Today more than ever customer service is the key to repeat customers and I must say that Clinique is excellent in their customer service. I have used Clinique for years, and thinking I found other products that would be better I have strayed from my customer loyalty at times, only to break out with adult acne and be troubled by Rosacea again and again. Yet, somehow I find my way back to Clinique and after a few weeks my skin is no longer breaking out and red or sore.

I am never leaving Clinique again. This is due to their excellent customer service. I hate malls and I hate shopping. I buy almost everything online. I can almost always find a better deal online than in person because I always search Google for promo/discount codes. Rarely do I pay shipping or full price at the stores I shop online at and I have rarely had any problems with my orders...until my last two.

Last order was an oversight I had a promo for a free yellow tote from Clinique and it was inadvertently left out of the order when it shopped. I simply wrote an email to customer service and it arrived within a week or less without an issue. This time I had a bottle of clarifying lotion leak in the box. Again, a simple email and I am told how to rectify the situation.

The best part of shopping at Clinique (online) is I do not have to go fight parking, teens, and traffic to get to our local mall. Also, I get free shipping and usually 1-2 free samples. The samples are always a nice size to allow you to really try a new product or receive an old favorite. A win-win situation either way and my Clinique orders always come wrapped in tissue paper with the shiny silver Clinique sticker. I always feel like I am opening a present when I open my Clinique shipment.

BusyBodyBooks - Personal & Family Organizer

2010-07-09T20:44:00.001-05:00

I love starting a new planner and now I do not have to wait until the start of a new year. I have been using the busybody book personal and family planner since January and I love this personal organizer! Joan Goldner's design is extremely user friendly, especially for people with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder or AD/HD.

I have ordered a new mid-year planner that I will begin using in August 2010. I write everything down in my planner since this incredible design allows me plenty of room to keep notes on phone calls made, bills paid, and changes to my personal and work schedule. I am learning how simple and effective this planner design is every time I make an entry and with a family of five people and one beagle I need a lot of space to write!

Even the grid boxes on the dated side of the planner allow for lengthy written information. If I have an appointment I write a phone number when I write in the time and place so if I need to change the appointment or need last minute directions I do not have to search for the number to call.

When I make a phone call I include information regarding my conversation and the name and number of the person I spoke to on the phone. Often when making a call you are transferred numerous times before reaching a living voice, so I always ask for a name and number before I end the call.

Recently we travelled to Boston and as I made our online reservations I wrote them into the note section on the week we would be travelling. I included flight numbers, times and confirmation numbers of my online reservations. I also included hotel and rental car information. Since we were renting a home near the ocean for a small part of our trip I wrote down the owners name, number, and email.

I cannot count how many times I referenced this information throughout our trip and never did I have to search more than a few seconds before finding what I needed. The hard plastic cover protects the organizer and allows me to carry my planner everywhere without damaging the book. The size is great for a purse or carryon luggage and the pockets inside allow me to carry a print out of our travel itinerary.

My daughter is going to use one for her school studies this fall and loved the new designs. I wish there were more colors to choose from. I no longer need to carry a separate small note book with me because as long as I have this planner I have everything I need to stay organized. If you are a planner junkie like me I dare you to try this one and I know you will not be dissatisfied.

This is the one I use currently.

This is the one I just ordered from Amazon and will be using at the end of this month.

This is the other one available for mid year.

If you already use this planner tell me how this planner has made your life easier and have a blessed day!

Defining ADD and ADHD

2010-01-21T19:30:00.003-06:00

Attention Deficit Disorder or ADD is a neurological based behavior disorder. Neurological based disorder means there is a real place for ADD in the medical field. ADD is not a mythical illness, although many people would like us to believe otherwise. There is no definitive medical or lab test to diagnose someone with ADD. There are however, three definite symptoms, which help doctors diagnose someone with ADD. These include inattention or difficulty paying attention, impulsivity or acting without thinking, and hyperactivity or constant high-level of energy or motion.

These symptoms of inattention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity must affect more than one aspect of a child or person’s life. A child cannot be hyperactive and impulsive at home and have no difficulties at school or in his or her social life. A situation like this would more likely be a result of inadequate or uneducated parenting. When a child is acting out only at school or home, it may signify a more severe problem exists in the family. This holds true for adults who have difficulty at work but not at home or in a social setting.

There are signs that Attention Deficit Disorder is a hereditary condition or has familial tendencies. A hereditary condition means that although not yet established more than likely, there is a genetic connection. A familial tendency means one or more family members, usually a parent, is diagnosed ADD or demonstrates similar symptoms of the disorder. Many adults diagnosed with Adult ADD did not receive a diagnosis until one or more of their own children received the diagnosis.

Other factors related to problems in pregnancy, being born too early, injury during birth or exposure to toxic chemicals, like lead paint in early childhood can be a reason a child exhibits the symptoms of ADD. ADD is not a mental illness, nor is it an excuse for bad behavior. There have been a variety of names for ADD in the past, including minimal brain dysfunction and brain damaged syndrome. Most medical professionals now refer to ADD or ADHD simply as AD/HD or Attention Deficit/Hyperactive Disorder.

Learning NOT to apologize for Appropriate ADD Behavior

2010-01-19T18:04:00.000-06:00

Life borders on the applied chaos theory when a mom and both her children have Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) or Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD). As a parent of a high-energy child with ADHD, you are constantly on alert as to when to ask him to tone it down a notch. Before you realize what is happening you turn apologizing into an art form. I was doing my children a great disservice, and although it has taken me awhile, I have learned not to apologize for what is appropriate age and situational behavior.

My children love the water, and what better way to get energy out on a scorching summer afternoon than to visit the local outdoor swimming pool. My son was 5 years old the summer he taught his mom a major life lesson. On this particular day, he was hopping through the shallow pool water imitating a frog. I could hear him yelling at me, “mom look!” which was followed by several loud frog sounds or ribits as my son proceeded to hop toward the entrance of the swimming pool. I could tell he was ready to explore one of the other three pools in the complex as I followed behind him.

As he hopped out of the pool, he inadvertently splashed a woman who was sitting on the edge of the pool soaking her feet in the water and reading a book. The woman quickly stood up acting very dismayed, waving her arms and hands around dramatically to show her discontentment at getting wet. I quickly apologized multiple times to the woman saying, “I am so sorry! He is ADHD and has so much energy!” as I followed my son to the next pool. I immediately began chiding myself for apologizing for what is essentially acceptable and anticipated behavior for his age and the situation.

Good grief my five-year-old son had been imitating a frog in a public pool! Why in the world had I apologized for him accidentally splashing a woman sitting on the edge of that same public pool? My son had not taken a bucket of water and rudely dumped it over her while she sat 20 feet away from the pool. If the woman did not wish to get wet, why was she sitting on the edge of a packed swimming pool on a hot summer afternoon?

That was a significant light bulb moment for this ADD Mom, as I realized that I had become accustomed to apologizing for my son’s high-energy behavior because it makes people uncomfortable. My child has a continuous hunger to know how the world around him works, which leads my highly intelligent son to ask frequent questions usually in a rapid-fire succession. My incredible son happens to see the world in a way very few people ever will. To him each day is a giant opportunity to explore, discover and conquer new things.

My son has no fear. He is extremely inquisitive. Always seeking answers to that which he does not know. The world intrigues and fascinates him. Yet, there is very little patience for the mundane daily tasks required of home and school. My incredible son will spend hours in the back yard with a dustpan and whisk-broom “cleaning my dirt” as he sweeps it up and puts it into his bright red wagon. Later he adds water. Two days later the mud has baked solid in the hot summer sun, and my son claims he made “concrete.”

That sizzling summer day at the local pool, this mom made a personal vow she would never again apologize for her son’s appropriate age activities. There is never a reason to justify a child’s quest to play and explore his environment when done appropriately for the situation. This is only one of many great insights I have gained through the eyes of my high-energy child. I have so much still to learn. What has your ADD child taught you as a parent? Please feel free to share your thoughts on ADD or parenting an ADD child in our free ADD forum.

Mi vida loca or welcome to my crazy life!
Erika Lyn Smith
ADD Mom with(2)AD/HD Children

2010 Busybodybooks Personal & Family Organizer

2010-01-08T16:31:00.000-06:00

It is a new year as 2010 has now rolled in for good. This year instead of making and breaking your new year's resolutions...make a daily, or if you find a daily goal is too overwhelming make a weekly goal. Goals and forward thinking is difficult for those living with Attention Deficit/Hyperactive Disorder (AD/HD).

So try to write down 1-3 things you want to accomplish each week. Yes, write them down because otherwise (if you are anything like me) you will forget what you wanted to accomplish when the daily chaos of life takes over. Out if sight truly equals out of mind.

If you are looking for a flexible planner to accommodate into your daily chaos I would highly recommend the 2010 Busybodybooks Personal & Family Organizer available from Amazon.

First off it is a dated planner. Next you have one week on the right side and it is divided into 5 columns so at the top you can name a column for each family member or make a To Do List, Bills Due or Bills Paid List and everything is side by side. The side-by-side scheduling is awesome for preventing conflicting or an overlapping of appointments.

There is a hard clear plastic cover on the front and the back which protects the 2010 Busybodybooks Personal & Family Organizer when you are writing in it at work or at a doctor's office. The colors are easy going on the eyes. The paper is a nice thickness for this Sharpie lover, leaving no bleed through from my fine point Sharpies!

This is by far the most user friendly planner I have found to date. With my AD/HD I have to write everything, I mean EVERYTHING down or I will forget what I planned on doing. The planner is a nice fit for a larger purse, a diaper bag, briefcase, or student back pack.

Already I have made notes from calling my mortgage company and this planner has the left side open for random notes or a more organized list. There is enough space to write anything and everything down.

My daily goal is to use my planner and keep writing in it and more importantly to look at my planner everyday! If I write it down and put it away and do not look at it...then I will not remember that appointment. So now find a planner or organizer you can work with and remember to write it down and then follow through and do it!

This year is just beginning and it is a perfect time to start organizing the Applied Chaos in our life.
Happy New Year everyone!
Erika Lyn Smith

Merry Christmas to ALL

2009-12-25T17:29:00.000-06:00

Merry Christmas to our service men and women and the families that support them. I am thankful this year that our armed services continue to protect and serve our country. Also thank-you to all the men and women who work in EMS and law enforcement, and the medical field. As a nurse I know the holiday drill and the difficulties of being away from family because you have to work, but I am thankful I have a job in today's economy. Peace out!

BellaOnline's Mused Literay Review Winter Solstice 2009 Issue

2009-12-21T21:26:00.001-06:00

As the Senior Editor of BellaOnline's Mused Nonfiction Team. I have been blessed to read some of the most incredibly moving personal trials and tribulations. If you have a nonfiction story to share with others and never knew where you could be published I encourage you to submit your words to the Mused Literary Review. We publish 4 times each year and are always interested in hearing from our readers.

Mused has six areas you maybe interested in submitting your creative focus -
Art/Photography
Poetry
Fiction
Non-fiction
Interviews
Plays

If any of these areas intrigue you and inspire you to submit your creative ideas and works then please follow the submission guidelines. As impossible as it seems every issue is more incredible than the last.

BellaOnline's Mused Literay Review Winter Solstice 2009 Issue

I hope you enjoy your day and take the time to read and explore Mused.

Erika Lyn Smith
Senor Editor Nonfiction Team

Welcome to Applied Chaos!

2009-10-17T22:29:00.001-05:00

Welcome to Applied Chaos: a blog about living with ADD or ADHD. I plan to cover all aspects of ADD or Attention Deficit Disorder and Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder. I also am the Editor of BellaOnline's Attention Deficit Disorder Website where there is already a ton of information regarding ADD or ADHD.

I hope to write once a week on Monday's so please keep checking back each week for new material. Living with ADD or ADHD can be frustration and I hope to show the humorous side and provide encouragement for those seeking out additional information.

Please feel free to leave a comment and let me know what you think about what is being written and also to let me know if you have a specific concern or idea about making life simpler or less chaotic. I look forward to hearing from each of you in the weeks ahead.

Have a blessed day!

Erika Lyn Smith

A Mom with ADD

Home Schedule - Seasonal

2009-10-14T11:13:00.000-05:00

The changing seasons can be difficult for people with Attention Deficit/Hyperactive Disorder (AD/HD). When summer turns to fall and the days become darker earlier, it can have an adverse affect on one’s mood and energy. It is a good idea to make sure you open your window curtains and let in the daylight, especially now that the fall season has brought with it exceptionally cool temperatures.

Start maintaining a home schedule. A home schedule means you do certain thing around the home at certain times of the year, which keeps your home more organized. Write weekly, monthly, or yearly tasks into your calendar. Try to keep a certain day as a reminder of each task. For instance the first of each month I change our furnace filters. Since most people do not have unlimited closet space, trying to keep all your clothes in a closet can lead to frustration. So, no is the time to pack away summer clothes and bring out the winter clothes.

Before packing away your summer clothes go through and separate out clothes that are too small or need to be disposed of due to stains or other wear or tear. Any clothes that are gently used can be offered to your local freecycle.org group or donated to Goodwill. By washing your summer clothes before you pack them away, you will only need to run them through an air fluff cycle in the dryer in the spring.

The reason I suggest you run any stored clothing or bedding through a dryer cycle is to remove any critters that may have taken up residence through the long winter months. This is important if you live in Missouri which is home to the brown recluse spider (the one that has a violin shape on its back). The spider likes dark quiet places to hide, especially in storage areas or boxes.

Although the brown recluse is not an aggressive spider (meaning it won’t come after you just to bite you) it will bite if provoked or surprised. So if you happen to squish one inside an arm or a leg of an article of clothing it will bite. The bite can be difficult to heal, and people have died from complications of the brown recluse bite. If you are bitten by a spider, it is important to try to capture the critter and to bring it with you to the doctor's office or emergency room for proper identification and medical treatment. A small prescription bottle is perfect for this task.

To learn more about AD/HD visit me at BellaOnline's Attention Deficit Disorder Site.

Recycle or FreeCycle

2009-09-16T17:57:00.001-05:00

ADD or ADHD people tend to make impulsive decisions, buys, and often end up with items gathering dust and left unopened and unused. I am good at buying a duplicate of a previous item, because I forgot I had bought the item originally. So, if you have items you do not know what to do with and do not want to bother holding a garage sale or to sell the items on eBay - then look for your local freecycle group.

What is freecycle? Freecycle allowss people to recycle any object you no longer need, want, or should not have acquired in the first place. At freecycle you post the item on your freecycle group which usually covers several towns or zip codes in a combined area, but in a close proximity. In your email/post to the freecycle group you list the item you are offering, as this is an offer. Be sure to accurately describe what you are offering to those who may need it, and include information like color, condition, and any known issues with the item. Always be completely honest regarding the condition of the items you offer others. If it is broke that is ok, as long as you post that it is broke in your original email, many people use broke items to get parts for another item.

What else can you post at freecycle? All the items your kids have outgrown or lost intrest in, including bikes, cloths, toys, and beds, just to name a few. If you like to recycle but have items you do not know what to do with and do not want to take time to hold a garage sale or sell the items on eBay, then look for a local freecycle group. Freecycle is free recycling of any object you no longer need, want, or should have acquired in the first place. You post the item on your freecycle group which usually covers several towns or zip codes in a combined area. In your email/post to the freecycle group you are providing an offer. In your freecycle email you describe what you are offering to those who may need it, and you should include information like color, condition, and any known issues with the item and include your pick up by deadline.

After you send your post you will receive responses from people interested in the item and you can decide who will win your offer. I personally feel the first person who responds should get first choice but I am unsure of how everyone else makes their choice. Although I hold onto emails of anyone interested in the item, so if the first person backs out I am ready to give it the next person on the list. I am getting ready to list my house on the market and have many larger items I do not wish to continue allowing to take up room at my house but at the same time do not want to sit in a landfill, as the items are still in good working condition, yet I do not hold garage sales.

So I this week I listed the following items at Freecycle and all were gone that night and the next day. The items included a large hutch which sits upon a girl's dresser with 3 drawers, a vacuum, a tall storage metal tower, a treadmill, a set of hooked on phonics, a 5 gallon water dispenser, and a white three bin plastic storage bin, and a large wired dog crate. Already I have so much more room. I usually leave the items on my front porch and let people google my address so there is minimal work on my part. Try it today and make room in your home immediately. I hate to throw things out and I hate to keep what I do not need which takes up time and space to have around.

If someone does not show up at the time agreed upon, you can repost the item, or respond to another email who was interested in the item when you first posted the item. I will report people to the list owner who say they will get something and never show up. These are called no shows. Remember one man's junk is another man's treasure, and at freecycle that should be their motto! Go to Freecycle and find a local group today and begin to regain control over the clutter in your home.

1st Day of School...(Reposted from previous blog)

2009-09-07T15:32:00.000-05:00

Today school started again. Where did the summer go? Time flew by faster than ever. Now it is time for the crazy ADD school days. If you are an ADD mom or a mom of ADD children you will understand EXACTLY what I mean when I say crazy days. Being ADD and being the mom of 2 ADD children makes life somewhat chaotic. Applied Chaos is an appropriate term for life inside the home of an ADD family.

Both children made it to school on time, had correct school supplies, and a packed lunch. Nobody got lost. The best part about the first week of school is no homework. Yipee! That means no homework power struggles. No voiced threats of bodily harm and no whining. Yeah, no whining! Ahhhhh peace and almost serene quiet, except lighting and gigi (our sweet U2) are whistling non-stop together. So, we almost have peace and quiet.

Mi Vida Loca, welcome to my crazy life!

Erika Lyn Smith

This was posted on a different blog...on August 13, 2009 at 12:03 am...that blog has been deleted.

I am an ADD Mom

2009-09-07T15:25:00.000-05:00

This was posted initially on a different blog...

I am a mom. I am an ADD mom. I am a mom of ADD and ADHD children. My daughter, Sissy, is 15 and 1/2 and a sophmore, she was dx ADD in first grade. My son, lighting, is ADHHHHHHHD and I call him my triplett child. People say where are the other 2 and I point and say right there. Lighting never stopped moving not even in my womb. When my bladder was full, he thought I had inflated a trampoline just for him. He moves even in his sleep, lighting is the perfect name for him.

My name is Erika Lyn Smith, I am an ADD mom with ADD children, life is an experiment in Applied Chaos.

Mi vida loca, welcome to my crazy life!

Erika Lyn Smith

Texting While Driving Video Review

2009-09-06T16:54:00.000-05:00

Teens are by nature impulsive. ADD or ADHD teens are even more impulsive. Teens when learning how to drive or while driving with other teens are easily distracted by their friends. A teen using their cell phone to talk or text is a disaster waiting to happen. Anyone talking, texting, eating, dressing, grooming, or reading while driving is essentially practicing distracted driving, and poses a danger to those around him or her.

Recently the UK made a real-life video titled Texting While Driving PSA (Public Service Announcement). The extremely graphic enactment shows the consequences of what can happen when a teen is driving with his or her friends while texting on a cell phone. As a mom and as an ADD mom I wish every teen driver or soon-to-be-teen driver was required to see this video.

Please feel free to read my review of the United Kingdom's Texting While Driving PSA (Public Service Announcement) video at BellaOnline Attention Deficit Disorder. After reading my review, if you decide to watch the video please come back and tell me your thoughts on its impact for our teens. Will this video have an impact and make teens think twice before texting while driving? As an adult does it make you think twice about using a cell phone behind the steering wheel?

The Paper Piles

2009-09-05T13:15:00.001-05:00

My house is not dirty, but it is cluttered. Most of the disorganization is due to three ADD/ADHD people residing here, and the fourth a non-ADD person whom is a self proclaimed pack rat. Yes, there piles of paper everywhere, yet there is a deeper organization to the applied chaos. In essence each pile of papers has meaning to me. No one else would understand my piles, unfortunately.

When dealing with the important mail, school, work, and personal information which are never-ending, those paper piles can quickly become overwhelming. I recently invested in a tall 4 drawer filing cabinet. With 4 drawers I now allocate one whole drawer for each person’s necessary papers. I am in the process of shredding unnecessary papers like old utility bills, and worksheets from my children’s school. I always keep tax, bank, paycheck and insurance papers. I also never discard artwork and handwritten essays or reports from my children.

While I continue to de-clutter, I have finally determined a 3 bedroom ranch is simply too tiny for this family of four and am in the process of deciding our next move (pun intended). For now, I will continue to conquer the paper piles and organize the file cabinet. Life is an experiment in applied chaos.

Now Playing...

2009-09-01T21:39:00.002-05:00

I have realized that when I watch a movie that I gain more insight if I watch the same movie a 2nd time with in the same week. I rarely watch movies, or television shows for that matter, mostly too noisy and overwhelming due to being ADD or Attention Deficit Disorder. I dislike watching series television shows for the simple reason I usually forget which night or what time the show is scheduled and I end up missing the show.

For years ER was on at 9 p.m. on Thursday nights, and almost invariably I would turn on the television at 8:30 p.m. to the correct channel. The only problem was at 9 p.m. Law and Order would begin, b/c I would ALWAYS remember on Wednesday night @ 9. Come Thursday night I would invariably forget. Sigh...

So, back to the movies...by watching the movie a 2nd time I picked up on information I initially missed, and was able to focus more on the background, rather than just the characters. Is it just me or does anyone else do this with movies/television shows?

BellaOnline's Attention Deficit Disorder Website

2009-08-31T22:00:00.004-05:00

If you are interested in information regarding ADD or Attention Deficit Disorder please visit BellaOnline's Attention Deficit Disorder Website.

There are hundreds of articles available for reading or research. Please do not use any information from here or BellaOnline.com without first obtaining written permission from the editor or writer of the website.

Bellaonline.com is the second largest Woman's Internet Website, The Voice ofWoman, written mostly by women, and a few good men. BellaOnline is created and owned by Lisa Shea.

Research, review, and repeat....

2009-08-31T21:54:00.001-05:00

I have noticed when I am searching to purchase something major I tend to review and research and read different opinions, get overwhelmed and shut it down. Then I repeat the same process all over the next day, or in a week or two. Part of having ADD is short term memory difficulties, and I quickly forget or begin to confuse what I have reviewed and what I liked/disliked about the item. Then I recheck what I already checked and get overwhelmed and shut it down. This process may go one for days and weeks. I have to force myself to make a conscience choice and reassure myself that if in the end I do not like what I found, I can return or exchange the item.

I take months to make a decision, and in reality I am wasting valuable time and energy that would be better spent elsewhere. I did this with my DSLR camera few years ago, and recently with a new camera bag. Interestingly enough hubby wants me to pick out the next car, which will probably be obtained in the next few months…ha with me at the wheel of the review process I should have the best car narrowed down by the time my daughter graduates high school in 3 years.

Nothing is ever simple...

2009-08-31T15:20:00.000-05:00

Why does it seem that those things that should be simple are never simple? In reality things that should take 15 minutes wind up taking hours or even days. This happens frequently and is annoying. For instance I download 3 songs last night. I have my real player open and see the songs in the queue but I cannot find them anywhere. My husband does not understand my frustrations. It is very time consuming and makes me feel rather inadequate most of the time. Does anyone else with or without ADD have this same problem?

BellaOnline's Attention Deficit Disorder Website

2009-08-27T13:49:00.000-05:00

If you have found Applied Chaos and are interested in more information regarding Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) or Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) please visit BellaOnline's Attention Deficit Disorder Website. I am the editor of the ADD website at BellaOnline. There are hundreds of ideas, articles, and helpful information right at your finger tips.

Welcome to my crazy life!

Through the Eyes of an ADHD Child...

2009-08-26T17:25:00.000-05:00

Just thought I would share a funny story. As soon as my ADHHHHHHD son woke up this morning he came in to excitedly tell me, "Guess what happened to my watch? Yesterday it got squished by a 10,000 pound school bus." Hmmmmmmm....wondering what happened...I asked. He said, "when dad dropped me off at school yesterday morning my back pack pocket was open (it is ALWAYS unzipped regardless of how many times I zip it as he goes off to school) and it must have fallen out." Then he continues, "Later that day when we were walking back in from track I saw it laying on the ground." When I picked it up I saw how cool the crystal looked, AND mom look everything else is still intact." As he excitedly ran back to his room to get ready for school, I hear him say to himself, "This is my favorite new thing!" Man, you jut have to love boys, his watch is shattered and it is his new FAVORITE thing!

Now, he tells me he wants to put it on the train tracks and have a train run it over!
Welcome to my crazy life!

Welcome to my crazy life/Mi vida loca!

2009-08-25T18:44:00.000-05:00

Applied Chaos is how life feels when you live with ADD or children who have ADD/ADHD. Life is essentially an experiment in Applied Chaos. I am a mom who was diagnosed with ADD after both living children were diagnosed years apart. When I received my diagnosis it was a lightbulb moment as everything seemed to fall into place. I finally understood how I work and why I work the way I do.

Now, many people do not think I am ADD b/c I am extremely organized in my work routine. Yet, the people who know me the best have seen how I work outside of work. THAT is a whole different pice of the puzzle. At work I am required to be there for a maximum of 12 hours (give or take a couple hours) and I know i have to do certain things EVERYTIME I work. I also write everything down and have a particular system of notetaking that works for me. I am a Behavioral Medicine Registered Nurse.

However, at home...I am in a constant state of de-cluttering and re-organization. I am constantly trying to find the best way to conquer and divide. This is not so easy considering I just married my kindred spirit who is also a pack rat. In addition, I have a daughter almost 16 (OMG) who is incredibly beautiful, independent and almost ready to drive, she is also ADD. My son is almost 12, and full of endless energy, his nickname is lighting and he is about as fast as lighting.

I am blessed to have a happy and healthy family. My life is crazy most of the time, and it is an experiment in Aplied Chaos.

Welcome to my crazy life/Mi vida loca!