Ever have a brain fart?

[Roody]

The other night I walked out of work, carrying my headlight and blinky in my helmet. When I got down to my bike, I put my helmet on with a jaunty flourish. Of course, the lights went flying across the parking lot!

Luckily, after 15 minutes searching for all the parts in the darkness, both lights worked fine.

[Alekhine]

Take a seat. Relax on a tree stump and catch your breath. Now, pull my finger.
No, really, pull it. I promise, nothing will happen.
Go ahead.
Go ahead, pull it.

What?

[Bikepacker67]

I bet that jaunty flourish turned into florid tirade pretty quick ;)

[becnal]

Brain fart? Ya mean a "poofta"? Oh yeah, I get 'em all the time. Leave my apartment, go downstairs, and then remember I left the bike lock's key upstairs, so gotta go back. The list goes on and on.

[Cyclaholic]

How about arriving at work (30 mile ride) and realising that the pannier with your clean clothes, food, wallet, and security key is still sitting on the garage floor. :o

[Buglady]

All. The. Time. Stupid frigging ADHD. I just want my brain to work once in a while, is that too much to ask? Pretty well every day I have to go back inside to get my helmet, or my water bottle, and yesterday I forgot my lock and had to hide my bike outside the psychologist's office. (It was still there when I came out, phew).

(I went in for a psycho-educational assessment before I go back to university - I wanted to know why I crashed and burned so badly the first time. Turns out I'm plenty smart enough, but my attention and planning ability comperehensively suck. The effect is a little like trying to steer a bike that you are pedalling at full speed with the front fork flipped around backwards - wild swerving and no brakes...)

[wahoonc]

All. The. Time. Stupid frigging ADHD. I just want my brain to work once in a while, is that too much to ask? Pretty well every day I have to go back inside to get my helmet, or my water bottle, and yesterday I forgot my lock and had to hide my bike outside the psychologist's office. (It was still there when I came out, phew).

(I went in for a psycho-educational assessment before I go back to university - I wanted to know why I crashed and burned so badly the first time. Turns out I'm plenty smart enough, but my attention and planning ability comperehensively suck. The effect is a little like trying to steer a bike that you are pedalling at full speed with the front fork flipped around backwards - wild swerving and no brakes...)

Ain't it fun...and they just thought I was blonde;) :p I agree it is frustrating to not be able to stay on task.

Aaron:)

[gerv]

All. The. Time. Stupid frigging ADHD. I just want my brain to work once in a while, is that too much to ask? Pretty well every day I have to go back inside to get my helmet, or my water bottle, and yesterday I forgot my lock and had to hide my bike outside the psychologist's office. (It was still there when I came out, phew).

(I went in for a psycho-educational assessment before I go back to university - I wanted to know why I crashed and burned so badly the first time. Turns out I'm plenty smart enough, but my attention and planning ability comperehensively suck. The effect is a little like trying to steer a bike that you are pedalling at full speed with the front fork flipped around backwards - wild swerving and no brakes...)

I used to do this all the time, until I finally resolved to leaved the lock on the bike at all times. Now I only forget it when my commuter is down and I switch bikes. Planning ability...? I admit it is a bit of a re-training experience for me. I keep a mental list of things that I need for my commute. If that list gets too long, I might write it down. Side effect of being an old geezer.

[Buglady]

Ain't it fun...and they just thought I was blonde;) :p I agree it is frustrating to not be able to stay on task.

Aaron:)

They just thought I was bored and acting out, in elementary/high school. :rolleyes: They did recognize that I had the raw intelligence, but they didn't do a lot in terms of helping me harness or direct it. And after about age 16 or so I just got a lot of "well you need to buckle down and concentrate young lady! Get some self discipline! This is serious, it's the real world, you'll never make it if you don't try harder!". Argh. They might as well have told me to squint harder to see the board, rather than giving me eyeglasses...

Oh well. I guess I can chalk the last 20 years or so up to learning experience. At the very least it should make me a better psychologist and counsellor, since I will cut my own tongue out before I ever say "you should just...." to anyone who is struggling. And this time round in University I will be able to access some coaching and tutoring help, as well as having permission to use whatever fidget toys I need to stay focused during lectures, and the chance to take a short "wiggle break" during exams so I don't lose focus.

I'm still terrified though. And I'm bungee-cording that lock to my bike rack right now.

[vulpes]

All. The. Time. Stupid frigging ADHD. I just want my brain to work once in a while, is that too much to ask? Pretty well every day I have to go back inside to get my helmet, or my water bottle, and yesterday I forgot my lock and had to hide my bike outside the psychologist's office. (It was still there when I came out, phew).

(I went in for a psycho-educational assessment before I go back to university - I wanted to know why I crashed and burned so badly the first time. Turns out I'm plenty smart enough, but my attention and planning ability comperehensively suck. The effect is a little like trying to steer a bike that you are pedalling at full speed with the front fork flipped around backwards - wild swerving and no brakes...)

My son was extremely ADHD. He ended up maxing out the Ridalin dosage. He got it from me. I did Ridalin and Dexidrine as an adult for a while, but I got tired of taking drugs. I guess after living with it for over 50 years, I've just learned how to compensate.

[diff_lock2]

I thought you meant an infarct. you took it a bit lightly.

[turkdc]

If you have ADD please note there is a disclaimer at the bottom of the post.


Fish oils, containing the omega-3 fatty acids DHA and EPA have been shown to be more effective than Ritalin in children with ADD. Recommended dosage would be 1-3 teaspoons a day so taking the capsules is pretty much out of the question.

A company called Nordic Naturals makes a very tasty Arctic Cod Liver Oil!


Disclaimer: I only play a doctor on TV. Check with your D.C./M.D. before starting any health improving program.

[vulpes]

If you have ADD please note there is a disclaimer at the bottom of the post.


Fish oils, containing the omega-3 fatty acids DHA and EPA have been shown to be more effective than Ritalin in children with ADD. Recommended dosage would be 1-3 teaspoons a day so taking the capsules is pretty much out of the question.

A company called Nordic Naturals makes a very tasty Arctic Cod Liver Oil!


Disclaimer: I only play a doctor on TV. Check with your D.C./M.D. before starting any health improving program.

It may be Omega-3 suppliments and avoiding partially saturated fatty acids that has done my ADD the most good.

[becnal]

How about arriving at work (30 mile ride) and realising that the pannier with your clean clothes, food, wallet, and security key is still sitting on the garage floor. :o

I have NIGHTMARES about doing that!!!

[Artkansas]

All. The. Time. Stupid frigging ADHD. I just want my brain to work once in a while, is that too much to ask?


You have company. I lost so many things that I even lost my wife. :eek: I have always loved the cartoon of Snoopy carrying a bubble between his teeth and then tripping over a rock. That is so me. Able to do such great things, and so often tripped up by the mundane.

But I've gotten pretty good at recovering. Seems like all of my life is spent getting back on track. :p

[Roody]

You have company. I lost so many things that I even lost my wife. :eek: I have always loved the cartoon of Snoopy carrying a bubble between his teeth and then tripping over a rock. That is so me. Able to do such great things, and so often tripped up by the mundane.

But I've gotten pretty good at recovering. Seems like all of my life is spent getting back on track. :p

You use humor, but I'm sure there's been some pain too. My stepson has some cognitive defecits that are similar to ADD. He's been on disability for this ever since he was a kid. I'll tell you, living with him hasn't always been easy, but he has a loving spirit and his "different" mind comes up with some amazingly beautiful thoughts sometimes. (Sorta like Snoopy with the bubble. :) ) I wrote about him here a year or two ago, about how he used bikes as part of his physical and emotional recovery after a car crash that nearly killed him.

[Roody]

How about arriving at work (30 mile ride) and realising that the pannier with your clean clothes, food, wallet, and security key is still sitting on the garage floor. :o

Never quite that bad, but I have forgotten to take my underwear to work a couple times. It's pretty uncomfortable sitting around in wet bike shorts for 8 hours! But the only option is go commando. :eek:

I basically keep my backpack ready to go all the time, with the tools, keys, wallet and so forth in it. The only thing I have to pack is my clean clothes, so that's what I usually forget.

[dynodonn]

Arriving home one day after a long day at work, I discovered that my house/work keys were still at work in another coat, I also discovered that of the other family members didn't put back the spare house key, and nobody was going to be home for several hours. So it was back on the bike and putting in a few more miles back to work retrieving my keys. I now have my own spare key hidden away, even though it was fun doing the extra miles, I really like my bike trips to be planned out ahead of time. :D

[Buglady]

If you have ADD please note there is a disclaimer at the bottom of the post.


Fish oils, containing the omega-3 fatty acids DHA and EPA have been shown to be more effective than Ritalin in children with ADD. Recommended dosage would be 1-3 teaspoons a day so taking the capsules is pretty much out of the question.

A company called Nordic Naturals makes a very tasty Arctic Cod Liver Oil!


Disclaimer: I only play a doctor on TV. Check with your D.C./M.D. before starting any health improving program.

I find that fish oil supplements and Vitamin B complex do a lot for my anxiety, and a little bit for my concentration, but it's not enough. Cycling helps a lot, something about the balanced and rhythmic nature of the exercise as well as the physical effort.

There are a LOT of different medications out there beyond Ritalin, though, and the newer generation of treatments are very effective without the side effect profile. There are certainly many options available for each person and I think it's very individual.

Personally I believe in a treatment approach that includes coaching/counselling, physical exercise, behaviour modification (scheduling, a reward system, etc), and medications/supplements. Each person will need a different balance among those factors, and needed emphasis may change over time for that person as well.

[Buglady]

You have company. I lost so many things that I even lost my wife.

I'm fairly sure it was my ADHD that led to the end of my first marriage also. It happens; we learn and grow. But the process really, really sucks sometimes. :(

[acroy]

Most recent Brain Fart:

bike upside down, spinning the cranks & rear wheel, working on the drivetrain.

make sure rear qr is tight. Hand slips.

I loose a chunk of thumb in still-spinning brake disc.

[Buglady]

I loose a chunk of thumb in still-spinning brake disc.

Ow. (Note to self, do not get disk brakes, they sound scary!!)

You have my sympathy, I've run my finger through the sewing machine once or twice....

[acroy]

Ow. (Note to self, do not get disk brakes, they sound scary!!)

You have my sympathy, I've run my finger through the sewing machine once or twice....

it was really dumb... you ride a bike a lot then forget it's still a machine with the capacity to injure you. i forgot one of the most basic rules of safety around any machine: beware of mving sharp parts! apparently a lot of fixie riders loose bits of fingers running their digits through the chain/cog:eek:

note to (my) self - never get a sewing machine! :D ouch!

[Buglady]

Heh. Probably we should both avoid hobbies such as stained glass or lampworking... dunno about you, but fire and I do not generally get along well, and molten solder or glass just don't sound like a good idea!

Too bad creativity and brain hiccups so often go together.