Friday randomosity

A Friday Haiku

Here’s William Shatner

Ch ch ch ah ah ah Stab!

Friday the Thirteenth

Take a letter, Maria, address it to the CEO

I’ve mentioned all my frustrations with US Cellular every since we left Verizon for them. Things like their “we’ll pay you to leave your cell phone carrier” scam to their “no activation fees” claim.

I’ve now had my service cut off twice, neither of which I feel were justified and when they reactivated service, they charged me $25 per line each time. Wait. That’s an activation fee, isn’t it?

I finally got so fed up I wrote a letter, not an email, a real sent through the Post Office with a stamp two-page letter, detailing all my grievances with their customer service, how I feel we’ve been misled, and how we are currently being charged as much as we were being charged by Verizon, despite the fact the rep said we’d be paying nearly $100 less and no one can explain why.

I doubt he’ll read it or even receive it (secretaries usually just trash crank letgers, right?), but even if he does, I doubt he’ll bother responding.

But writing complaints is the American Way. I remember back in 1993 or so, we had bought a stairstepper from Sears and it broke almost immediately. We called for service and someone came out to look at it and then said it needed a certain part that he didn’t have.

After not hearing back, I called customer service again to see what was going on. Had they ordered the part? When would it arrive? When will they fix it?

I kept getting the runaround. I kept asking to talk to their supervisor, but nothing came of it.

Finally, someone said, that product was no longer serviceable, either the company stopped making that model and it’s replacement parts or they simply went out of business. I don’t recall which it was, but I was mad.

So I wrote an angry letter to the President of Sears, complete with dates, times, what was said, and how poor their customer care was.

I didn’t expect anything to come of it, but a few days later I got a whiney phone call from the store manager.

“Why did you write the President? You should have contacted me first.” Waa waa. To be honest, it hadn’t occurred to me to contact him since my beef was with Sear’s service department and not that particular Sears store.

Anyway, he offered me a replacement piece of exercise equipment similar in cost and I picked out the CardioFit that I still have.

So yes, sometimes writing a letter does get a response.

Living la vida ADHD

One thing I’ve learned in dealing with my ADHD is, it doesn’t take much to knock me off-kilter. It’s why I need a reliable routine. Some might call it a rut, but it’s essential to preventing what I can only describe as a flare-up that can override my meds.

I have a set routine of things I do in the morning and any deviation throws me for a loop. At work it’s the same, I turn on my computer, log in, go get coffee, come back and set up my desk with notepads, reminders, and important info I’ll need throughout the day, each item has its own place.

Yesterday, I logged in and noticed all my icons were gone from the task bar. I always open Outlook first, but it’s icon was gone as well. *twitch*

Then I noticed new icons on my desktop. I only have a few icons on my desktop and they’re in a specific order. *twitch*

Overnight they had updated to Office 2016. Ok, no problem, I can just save the 2016 icons in my task bar, then I’ll start Outlook and … *TWITCH!*

Aside from Outlook nowhaving an even uglier interface, aside from it defaulting to having the emails opening in a Preview Pane, which I hate, and despite other changes that I’ve spent the last two days correcting, the *twitch* biggest problem is that all my email Archive folders are gone!

Gone.

I need my archive folders. Every project gets its own folder and I drag all the responses to it’s respective folder, so I can work on it as the deadline looms.

I have deadlines looming and all my response emails are gone! *twitch*

So yesterday, as well as today, it’s like I hadn’t even taken my Adderal. If I had foresight, I would have taken a double dose. Instead, I feel like a ball in a pinball machine bouncing this way and that waiting to Tilt!

Speaking of Fidget Spinners

In June, I was walking with my son around an outlet mall. We passed a kiosk where they were selling these weird little triangular things. My son said, “Look. They’re selling those stupid fidget spinners.” And I had no idea what he was talking about, even after he tried to explain it. “You do what? Hold it and spin it? Why?”

“Nevermind, dad.”

Fastforward to now. We both have fidget spinners. I’ve got four.

We both have ADHD and despite the fact they really don’t do anything except spin, they are oddly compelling and satisfying. Instead of constantly twitching and moving and as my grade school report cards all said, “Cannot sit still, always distrupts the class,” I’ll pull out the fidget spinner and give it a spin, then I can focus on other things a little bit better.

It’s funny though, because in researching them, I’ve seen a ton of articles declaring the fad is now dead. I find it interesting when people don’t understand the usefulness of an item, they label it a fad then try to say its dead.

If you don’t understand the point of fidget spinners, don’t get one. Problem solved. You’re welcome.

Weigh-In Friday

I lost a pound according to my scale’s app, but then I remembered I didn’t track last week, so I might have gained a few ounces.

I’m taking the pound.

That’s a wrap

Have a great weekend. I’ll spare you the political rants again. There’s just far too much stupidity and assholery to discuss.

Just keep resisting.

And here’s a song to lead into the weekend:

-30-

More thoughts and revelations of an adult with ADHD

So I had a consult with my doctor about my ADHD. He said it was something we were supposed to do every three months because Adderal is a “controlled substance” and they’re (whoever “they” are) cracking down to prevent misuse and abuse.

We laughed because it was our first real consult since I started taking meds back in 2011.

So he asked me the usual questions, Do I feel I need them? Do I see any benefit from them? Are there any issues with them?

So I mentioned that all my life I’ve been a screw-up and I couldn’t figure out why. On the job I’d put things off, I procrastinated, I did the easier job at the expense of a harder (and probably more important) one, and because of that I’ve jumped from job to job. Some were not my fault — I’ve had several small companies fold underneath me. Others were. And I’d been fired or laid off a few times because of my “poor work ethic.”

I told him my mom had finally told me that I had been diagnosed with ADHD as a child. I remember going to Chicago to see a doctor. I remember being fascinated with his automatic letter opener to the point that he gave me a bunch of envelopes to open just so I wouldn’t be so distracted. He prescribed Ritalin, which was the only drug available at the time. I also remember taking those bitter white pills; my mom would hide them inside elbow macaroni so I’d swallow them.

But I guess I had a reaction to the Ritalin, and my doctor took me off it, not believing in either the disorder or the treatment, I’m not sure which. And I never found out I had the disorder until my son was diagnosed and I noticed all the similarities. That’s when I sought out my doctor’s advice. But I’ve mentioned all this before.

And I explained that since I’ve been taking Adderal, I’ve had several outstanding personnel reviews. Numerous attaboys. I go above and beyond what is required on the job, volunteer for extra-curricular duties, and I was just recently promoted. The first promotion I’ve ever ever received… ever. I can’t stress that enough. Ever.

So yes, it is helping me. But it seems to wear out too soon, a few hours before the end of the day, so my last few hours are somewhat chaotic.

We discussed a few options and decided to try two capsules a day instead of just one.

If only… Right? If only I had known I was ADHD, I wouldn’t have spent my life wondering if I was deliberately self-destructive (do you know what it is likeliving your life thinking you’re nothing but a fuck-up?). If only I had known so I could have sought out treatment as an adult–maybe I’d be successful today.

“If only” sucks. Because you can’t change the past and dwelling on it does no good except to depress you.

So you have to focus on the present, on the future, on improving day by day.

Yes, the meds are helping. Yes, I’m slowly getting my life in order. One step at a time.

First promotion evah!

-30-