My dog is hyperfocused

My dog is like me when I am hyper-focused....



Make sure to enjoy a sample of original music from my band Molly and Sonny Boy's newest CD release http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/mollysonnyboy2

Daily Tip: Eat nothing bigger than your head...and #CelebrityADHDSunday

A lot of us who have A.D.H.D or A.D.D. tend to have challenges with our appetites.  We have been blessed with BIG appetites and love every morsel of every meal AND snack.  We are enormously fond of love, life, grand emotions and most of all FOOD!
How to cope when you are HUNGRY?  Eat!  Right?  Weeeellllll, truth be told, we of the A.D.H.D, or A.D.D.-stripe often eat when we are not physically hungry, but out of a want to satisfy our taste-buds and comfort our souls.  This hunger is disguised as the craving to chow down, but the hunger is often a different one and can run a lot deeper.  It is a big hunger for happiness and a remedy to relieve stress.
I find

• blogging, dog-walking and doing any number of interesting activities helps,
• so does playing video games or activities that prevent you from having hands free to eat,

can help a little.  Maybe you can think of something else, like crafts or playing guitar.

Keep busy and keep in touch with your feelings.  Otherwise, get some exercise into your life, and make healthier food choices and then you will live longer and look better.

#CelebrityADHDSunday
Here is a glimpse of our celeb of the week who exhibits the traits and accompanying consequences of over-eating that might be led by A.D.D., or not.  Nevertheless, despite his wealth, Hollywood movie director, Kevin Smith still has not got a handle on his healthy weight, then again, he is like many obese Americans, myself included, a victim of the abundant food temptations here. 
Mr. Smith is also openly in favor of the legalization of pot, (a favorite drug of choice of many who claim to have A.D.D.)   He shares his views on weed as shown in this Tweet he sent to the Governor of California quoted from the L.A. Times online  “I said ‘Gov -- can I give you a piece of California advice?' He said sure," Smith wrote. "I said 'Before you ever leave office, legalize weed. Lead the way. You know it's the right thing to do.’ He laughed and said goodbye." 
Anyone who understands pot knows that it can create a condition called, "the munchies."  Don't allow marijuana to beat you down.  Personally-speaking, I've noticed among pot-smoking associates I have met at school and at work, that using pot OFTEN leads them to obesity, sloth, a lack of motivation, low self-esteem, poverty, alcohol abuse, (alcohol known to many as "liquid fat,") nasty relationships, breaking things, alienating family and adding to the A.D.H.D. symptoms in the hopes of feeling good. 


Take care of yourself movie director, Kevin Smith.
Dear reader have a great week, er feast, and don't just say, "No," to damaging health habits, say, "I'll stay safe and sober." 
Having A.D.H.D. is one burden, don't automatically add more by abusing your health, and finances.  Remember: you are totally cool already.
Amy Zents
© Amalia Zents 2010

Daily Tip: Self-Discipline is easier than Self- Doubt in the long wrong

Should I go or should I stay?  Sometimes due to a self-esteem issue some folks with A.D.D. or A.D.H.D. are loathe to try and assert their own ideas and try and become successful in their chosen fields of interest.  It is just because failure is so common among those with A.D.H.D. or A.D.D. 
The time to believe in yourself is now.  Today's gratitude is for my blog.  Here, for me and you!
© Amalia Zents 2010

Daily Tip: Hyperfocus Zone and Internet Temptations

There is a ton of information online, and a great chance to waste a lot of your time.  You can start a search at Google and wind spending 12 hours watching videos on YouTube or staring at Celebrity photos on Tweetphoto.
Time disappears if you have A.D.D. or A.D.H.D and when you have entered into: a phrase I have coined, the Hyperfocus Zone.
In HZ, you can fritter precious momemts of life in many unconnected, mundane ways, or you can decide to take use your skills, experience, and interest and channel your energies into making YOUR life the best it can be, and succeed wonderfully!
Alas, what generaaly occurs in the HZ, is we get so caught up in our Internet fun, that we create an atmosphere of obssessive attention  forming a type of self-hypnosis, that mesmerizes us and glues our bums to our chairs. so that even the thought of taking a potty break does not appeal to us!
How do we counteract this Internet addiction, or hyperfocused zone?
Well, the first things we need to do are Prioritize, Plan and decide.
Then we need to act.
1 hour on spent on Facebook, or Twitter is fine to catch up. 
10 hours is not really very wise, unless you want to, and can afford to.
Do your best to get real, and get offline, and I will too. 
It is hard. 
What good are your opportunities to visit the library, go to the ice rink, the park, the pool, the playground, the community centre, or your job when you have the Internet?
You decide.  You have the Internet now, like a giant fun temptation, a huge personal amusement park, and you also own an awesome ability to hyperfocus on what you like for hours on end.  Will you use your power to hyperfocus for good time use, or for evil time wasting?
Will I?
I shall make my list and hop to it.
I hope you will too.
Hyperfocusedly yours,
Amy Zents
© Amalia Zents 2010

Daily Tip: Happy Valentine's to dear ones & you too, plus it is #CelebrityADHDSunday

Want a Life? Find a good wife! Want a band? Find the right man!

I used to tear around the state looking for fun and exciting things to see and do.  Now I stay home.  I used to spend every cent I earned binge-shopping and racking up credit card debt.  Now I put my money in the bank, or shop with a debit card using monies I already have earned.
There is a saying, it does not matter how much you have, but what it is you do with it.
As the ADHD'er makes mistakes, and is "burned," by errors in judgement, accidents, fights, boo-boos, he or she will learn, it is OK to relax and just enjoy the computer, the TV, and the pleasures and treasures of being at home.
When you have three "babies," that is, my 2 dogs, my cat. plus the 2 aquariums of fish...all listed here, (see following) you tend to stay close to home to make them happy.

The Pets of Molly and Sonny Boy - Jim and Amy Zents 
Our Official Bandsite: http://www.mollyandsonnyboy.com/
May I introduce to you first: COLE, also known by various other names too numerous to mention depending on what he did..
 
Our Coley is a frisky doggy with his own free daily comic online called, "Cole's Kibble"

Meet our dear darling Pixie:

The sweetness and delight Pixie brings with her makes you want to cuddle and kiss Pixie the whole day long,  She is so cute and adorable.  We have other names for her too...Licky, and Heavy-Breather.

Next. I am pleased to introduce to you our El gato, la familia el gato...the family cat:

our sweet, purring Rascal, boy-kitty extraordinaire.

Meet Sugar (a carnivore that has a tank all to himself, he is rumored to be about 10-15 years old)

Meet the "Aquatics." (Saltwater fish)

So a lot to keep us very busy.  Then there is our music, my husband and I rehearse and make CD recordings and the like.
We have a knack for writing fuuny songs.  Comic Relief.  Check out free samples of our product at CD Baby.  Also, available on all the other online retailers like iTunes, and Amazon.
http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/mollysonnyboy2

If you have ADHD it is very important to seek out your niche.  That is find your place in this crazy world.  It took me decades to finally "settle down."  Yet still, I continually enjoy traveling, and learning, going places and doing things, and that is why the housework is still often neglected.
Right now, I am going to make the doggies happy and take them for a nice walk outside.
It is wickedly cold again today, so we must bundle up!  If I failed to mention one member of the family, I will make good now.

The man who makes all things possible for our menagerie and me is pictured in the background. 
He is my Sonny Boy, my honey-boy, Dr. James Zents, my tolerant, magnificent husband, Jim.  Happy Valentine's Day to you, to all my family, and you too dear reader!

#CelebrityADHDSunday

Before I leave you here is our #CelebrityADHDSunday
Paris admits her attention-deficit disorder to Larry King on TV.
Her behavior of doing what she likes when she feels like it makes it hard for her to obey rules, like with most impulsive types who have ADHD and Attention-deficit.



Have a happy Valentine's day.

Amy Zents
© Amalia Zents 2010

Daily Tip: Avoid Medical Marijuana for ADHD

I can't take the idea of marijuana use for ADHD seriously.  The ne'er-do-well pals I have known that use drugs to cope with their ADHD have claimed it helps them, but from all appearances, all I have seen it do for any and all of them is turn them into slovenly, lazy and worthless human beings.  That is my opinion on using marijuana to help combat ADHD.  I think every one of us with ADHD is looking for a quick fix.
Well, friends, let me say, there IS NO QUICK FIX.  For the highly-regarded medical profession to advocate use of marijuana to get people to focus, get good grades, hold a steady job, manage their clutter, and deal with employees and employers sanely, is ridiculous!
All the drug has shown is what doctors have known all along.  Smoking or using only damages the precious brain all the more.
And that is my opinion.  I don't use, and I hope you won't either.
As you know I am doing an experiment called "Sing out, Clean up, and Work out." Today is Day 5 of the project.  I am delighted to say yesterday my efforts at healthy eating and portion-control was a fabulous success.  Thank goodness for modern food production, and that huge bag of oranges I got on sale that are full of fibre, sweet and delish!
Hope you are having a fine Friday.
I just walked the pooches to stretch my hamstrings and calves and to make the dogs happy.
Perhaps you do not know, for comic relief, I share a daily one-panel comic online called, Cole's Kibble
I am also a singer-songwriter with a BIG SENSE OF HUMOR, again, comic relief.  Enjoy this song I performed and wrote a couple of years ago called, "Good Morning Appetite."  I will lick the weight problem with your help and portion-control, calorie-counting and busy blogging! :-)
Have a great day!
Amy Zents
© Amalia Zents

Daily Tip: Online and Out of Time, or 'Tis the Gift to be simple

Hello my fellow blog reader,

It is amazing how the Internet can be a tool for success and a tool for failure.  It can be a time-sucker or a life-line.  It all depends on you!
If you have ADHD or are prone to being seduced into the magic of the World Wide Web, to the detriment of yourself and others, then let me tell you something: 
YOU ARE NOT ALONE!
There is nothing wrong in enjoying yourself, and nothing wrong in enriching your mind, or amusing yourself by surfing, or "networking," playing video games, or socializing online.
There IS something wrong in screwing up at work, neglecting your family and duties in exchange for a headrush or a "computer" fix.
I struggle with this continually because I am mesmerized by Twitter, Facebook and the like.
So, today is the first day I am going to try to limit myself to only 60 minutes of "on-line time."
I will let you know how I do on tomorrow's blog.

     Like a fish in a fishtank, I am going to look out of my glassy manse, from my corner, and soak in the World Wide Web on my computer screen, but then, unlike a fish in a fish tank, I am going to breathe the real air, in my real world.  And in my real home I will set to: cleaning the fridge, showering, tidying up, cooking, and work-at-home teaching my music students, and then rehearsing, and readying for my 3 upcoming music gigs with my music duo Molly and Sonny Boy, instead of, frittering away most of my precious life-time online.  Here is a great discipline quote I found online on Twitter yesterday:
"Self-respect is the root of discipline: The sense of dignity grows with the ability to say no to oneself." — A.J Heschel
Peace to you and yours, and I hope you follow the advice of that old shaker song written by Elder Joseph while he was at the Shaker community in Alfred, Maine in 1848:

'Tis the gift to be simple

'Tis the gift to be simple, 'tis the gift to be free,

'Tis the gift to come down where we ought to be,

And when we find ourselves in the place just right,

'Twill be in the valley of love and delight.

When true simplicity is gain'd,

To bow and to bend we shan't be asham'd,

To turn, turn will be our delight,

Till by turning, turning we come round right.

 
So, until tomorrow, let's keep turning, turning, and doing what it takes, 'til we come round right, even if it means turning off the 'puter to get our work done.
 
Happy Hump Day, 
I remain yours truly,
(continually coping with my ADHD,)
Amy Zents
© Amalia Zents

Daily Tip: Do Make Me Laugh, and don't make me eat Rabbit Poop again.

630am
Humor can save a life. It can mitigate strife. I am starting to write this post now and will continue it when I get back from work this morning. It will highlight how ADHD'ers are so often the so-called "Sucker" that is born every minute. I will describe how I got induced into signing on to rip-off MLM scams, and how I wound up getting ripped off online, and how failure to read the small print has cost me, and some of my fellow impulsive-shoppers to get ripped off time and time again.
Why this sad state of affairs? Well, a lot of factors are involved, but it is the ADHD, with it's inherent exciteability, short-sightedness, carelessness, and desire to please, that create a cocktail of self-sabotage.
Enjoy your day and I will check back later. I am off to Truman, MN this morning for a direct broadcast. I am a Radio DJ and must go to work.

1030am
Well, I am back from the broadcast and sure enough: umbrellas, sunglasses, scarves, capes, reading glasses, and now, my thick warm mittens, all lost or left behind somewhere, out there....
It seems no matter how often I purchase things to replace what I have lost, when I need to use them they seem nowhere to be found. I am slowly trying to keep track of my necessary items, cell phone, wallet, keys, but it is an uphill climb..which reminds me I should put the keys on the hook, instead of just slopping them down somewhere...
OK, my keys are on the hook.
Back to the original discussion regarding humor. The premise, and the moral is this:
"If u laugh at ur mistakes u have a lifetime of entertainment!" That quote told to me by my husband this morning.
Speaking of lessons learned here is a silly joke with a poignant message:

One day two boys were walking through the woods when they saw some rabbit poop. One of the boys said, "What is that?"

"They're smart pills," said the other boy. "Eat them and they'll make you smarter."

So he ate them and said, "These taste like poop."

"See," said the other boy, "you're already getting smarter."

I had been in college, looking to earn some money, and found myself spending more money than ever going to MLM meetings, buying self-improvement products and not getting any richer, but distressing and annoying my fellow friends, instructors and family trying to pressure them to join my downline..ha! That was the most humiliating experience, it was like eating rabbit poop. I was smarter, when a man approached me in line at the Automotive store offering me work.
I let him take me to Perkins to hear his proposition. It was the same old line. "Get Rich Quick!" I just said, "No." I'd figured out the old familiar yellow-pad thing by now, after having learned it myself. I watched him walk away, and I had to pay for my own coffee. Something told me it was a lot cheaper for me to buy my own coffee, than for me to get suckered into the MLM scam again. Now don't get me wrong. I am not opposed to networking. Roots and wings is the hallmark of good business in my opinion. You want a network of loyal clients for the long haul, and you want to soar in your profession. But, you don't want to be ripped off. The MLM I was involved in was later taken to court and it was found out that the business was a hotbed of fraud.
I went online to buy a car stereo from this company:
http://www.streetbeatcustoms.com/
Here was the bill I got in an email:
1P-350 DVD/MPEG4/WMA/USB RADIO PLAYER 2005 Nissan Frontier$329.99

Coupon Discount('DEALTAKER'):-$16.49

Total Item Cost:$313.51

Total Shipping:$19.99

Total Cost:$333.50
They never replied to any of my email queries and their 1-800 number is a dead line.
When I got the stereo it was not the right kind for my truck amd the bill found inside the package said it came from the People's Republic of China, and the stereo was only $40.
I tried to get a refund, but did not receive much of my money back in my bank account since there were so many penalties involved for trying to return it, and I bought it with my debit card instead of my credit card.
In the final analysis, it was a big rip-off to me to shop online from such a shady company who sends you cheap stock from China, cutting themselves huge profits. To give a #shoutout to Best Buy, I must say I finally got the perfect car stereo, with modern USB and Mp3 inputs/CD player, warranty and installation for $200 bucks in Mankato, MN. But I wasted a lot of emotion, time and money shopping online. I have had 2 bad experiences with Amazon too since they opened their trade with outside vendors.
Yesterday I wanted to enter a daily contest on Martha Stewart's Radio Blog.
http://bit.ly/8DmJnC
Then today I received this bill in an email. 
BODY + SOUL 1 year
(10 issues) $10.00
"Good News! Your BODY + SOUL magazine order has been processed.
Please take this time to confirm your order information below."
I cannot believe it!  Just by entering the "FREE" Daily sweepstakes, I was now being billed for a subscription to a magazine subscription I do not wish to purchase!  Now I have to waste time trying to undo that subscription mess.  I don't subscribe to magazines because they are CLUTTER! 
Now, $200 lost in an MLM, or $300 dollars wasted on a cheap, junky car stereo, or $10 for a subscription one doesn't want, may not seem much to you. Nevertheless, it cannot compare to a dear lady I met who got suckered into buying a timeshare she poured thousands of dollars into, that made her lose the affections of her husband and that she hates herself for buying into. She says she cannot recoup her losses, at all levels. There is nothing wrong in my opinion with purchasing anything if you want it and can afford it, but a quick financial decision can cause you years of untold grief and suffering, not to mention humiliation, bankruptcy and a poor credit rating.
Get wise: check out the Better Business Bureau, http://www.bbb.org/ call your local fire department, police department, someone who knows somethimg before you buy or invest in junk you are being forced or driven or duped through high-pressure sales, subtle tricks, an appeal to your greed, desperation, or other reasons. The message is slow down, breathe, be wise and don't be in such a hurry to buy, or to TRUST.
Peace,
Amy
© Amalia Zents

Daily Tip: TV, Twitter and List-making

Yesterday all it felt like was that the majority of my hours were filled with watching TV and social-networking. Not a good strategy when the living room is turning into a dump and the kitchen is becoming a hot mess.
So, today i decided I would limit my time spent visiting online and watching TV. I need to try and follow the master list I created outlining my mandatory responsibilities and general daily schedule. Then I need to pick and choose the most pressing priorities and write them down and do them.
Perhaps it is a passion, or an obsession, but a lot of ADHD'ers, including myself love to make lists. Now, a list can keep you organized, and it really doesn't need to be electronically-generated, the back of an old envelope will do.
Try to keep your list short and concise. Then get the gratifying pleasure of checking off your accomplishments, or not. You decide.
A little list can go a long way in making you a great success.
Peace.
Til tomorrow, I remain, yours truly,
Amy Zents
© Amalia Zents
Check out my song, "A.D.D. Blues," available at CD baby, and sample all my band, Molly and Sonny Boy's original homemade numbers on our latest album, Rhythm 'N Blues Grass.
http://cdbaby.com/cd/mollysonnyboy2

Daily Tip: You Deserve the Best, and #CelebrityADHDSunday

Good morning Friends, and Happy Sunday!
Before I reveal my blog for today, let me mention my most recent trying experiences with ADHD. I nearly stabbed my hand with scissors impatiently trying to open a stick of foundation makeup, and I dropped my new Nexus Cell phone a couple of times on the hardwood floor, and on the icy sidewalk yesterday. Why these banana-fingers, or butter-fingers, or whatever you call it? And why this impatience in handling sharp objects? We know the name of the disorder, ADHD! And the saga continues. But, let's move ahead to today's message, talking about your "best guest." Also, today I will feature one celebrity who seems to me to exhibit traits of ADHD.
Your Best Guest
Who is your best Guest, whose companionship do you think you ought to enjoy?
Of course, the answer is this: Your best GUEST is YOU!!!
First, why not talk about you? With ADHD, the mind is buzzing so much, that (much to the chagrin of family, friends and colleagues) the emphasis is often on you and what you feel you want, think, or need to satisfy that insatiable urge for stimulation and variety. Others may think you are narcissistic, but that is furthest from the truth, IMHO.
You may or may not believe this, but here is what I believe you deserve...
You deserve a world free from clutter, stress and emotional angst.
You deserve to wear clean clothes, take a daily bath or shower, have a nice hairdo, work out often by walking or going to the gym, by enjoying the blessings of family, recreation and romance.
You deserve traveling and visiting places without driving 100 miles off track winding up in another state because you couldn't prepare directions before the trip, you deserve laughter and good times, proper rest and happy, productive and fulfilling work.
You deserve the best because you are your best GUEST, and HOST. You can come home to a place of peace, order and harmony without opening the fridge or the closet and having an avalanche occur, you can decide NOT to binge-eat, binge-drink, binge-shop, or indulge in obsessive-compulsive actions that hurt you and others. You can treat your mind, body, self, dreams, lover, family and friends with respect and attention. You can avoid giving them the brush-off because you are so uptight from all your fears and pain.
You can find fulfillment with a goal and a plan to make it happen.
But you need to develop the will-power muscle and the organization to get to where you want to go.
In this blog, I am going to bring to mind different areas of life that deserve our attention, so that you (and myself) can continually transform our own lives in ways that will support and assist us in the quest for sane, happy, relationships and contentment while coping with our ADHD. Sound good? Stay tuned for each daily installment and subscribe to this blog. I am also on Twitter at http://twitter.com/therealamyzents

#CelebrityADHDSunday
Now here is your #CelebrityADHDSunday feature.  It highlights a star who I think exhibits impulsive, and high-risk ADHD behavior.  I am only stating my opinion, and do not wish to upset anyone with my conjecture, but take a look at Andy Dick with Ivanka Trump.


Til tomorrow, try to stay as focused as you can on what you really, really want to happen for your best and highest aspirations in life! And, I hope you will check out my song, "A.D.D. Blues," off my band, Molly and Sonny Boy's, latest CD called, "Rhythm 'N Blues Grass." Available for download at
CD Baby.
Here is a video clip with a part of the song featured in it.

Have a great day! Musically yours,
Amy Zents
© Amalia Zents