Hugs for Sean and anyone else who's feeling lonely or bummed out tonight. I'm ignoring the appliance masturbation talk because our washer/dryer is stacked in a closet, so no love for me when ND is out of town.

Annnyway. I've had an extremely frustrating night. I really (really) need to finish grading 14 papers. 14 really isn't that bad, but my ADD has been kicking my ass lately. This new med I'm on works great for anxiety and depression, but it's not helping the ADD at all the way the Wellbutrin did. This is vastly preferable, but ARGH. I'm feeling the time crunch something fierce right now, and it isn't pretty. I have to have initial senior grades done by Thursday, and I have to get these freshmen papers back tomorrow or (at the very latest) Wednesday if I'm going to give them enough time to finish their revisions by next week (which I can't change). I think I'm going to have to try to do some work during class while they work in groups tomorrow, and I hate having to do that. I made a plan for the weekend and was on track until Zoe had to go back into the vet yesterday, and another big vet bill and stress (though thankfully things look like they're going to be okay) knocked me off course and reduced me to a procrastinating stress machine. I hate this so much. I hate myself like this. I just want to force my brain into submission, but it's fighting me tooth and nail.

My problems are not big ones; please don't listen to me whine here and think I'm not still very grateful for my life. I'm just really annoyed with myself right now, and it's frustrating.

{{{Kristin}}} Have you considered going on ADD meds in addition to the antidepressant?

Kristin, when I have to quickly hand back a paper set so students can revise it, I try to focus my comments on big fixes, either structural or conceptual. I find if I can give them something concrete to work on, they at least have a shot at fixing it before they turn the paper back in.

Burrell, thanks. I'm trying, I really am, but I've been having issues even opening the school bag. Like major can't bring myself to do it issues. It's crazy-making. And sj, ADD meds haven't worked well for me, unfortunately, but I'm just about desperate enough to dig out my Ritalin and try again. The Wellbutrin was the first medication ever to help significantly.

but I've been having issues even opening the school bag

That's not ADD, that's just dread. I feel it every paper set.

I hate grading.

I understand the dread, but the ADD is a very real condition. I've watched Kristin when the Wellbutrin was working and it really made a huge difference in being able to focus. I've been there with her when she's fighting the ADD and it's terribly frustrating for her.

I understand the dread, but the ADD is a very real condition. I've watched Kristin when the Wellbutrin was working and it really made a huge difference in being able to focus. I've been there with her when she's fighting the ADD and it's terribly frustrating for her.

I agree with this, and I think that specific kind of dread is very much a part of ADD. You just know when you're not going to be able to concentrate enough to get a task done, so it makes starting harder.

{{{Kristin}}}

I'm ignoring the appliance masturbation talk because our washer/dryer is stacked in a closet, so no love for me when ND is out of town.

I pretty sure I could rig up a workable attachment.

In other news I have found something that is not improved with the addition of bacon. French onion dip. It tasted like roast beef hash. Not good cold on potato chips.

{{Kristin}}

I hope your brain will obey your will ASAP.

Well, I moved house, unpacked a lot of stuff, came back up to uni, added the finishing touches to the first of the two 6000-word papers on which my grades for this semester are based, and went out for celebratory drink with friends (most of whom have finished both papers, so I was jealous). Now my back is screaming at me that I did too much standing up this weekend. As if I didn't already know. Owwww. OK - final-6000-word-paper-of-the-year marathon begins here!

Kristin, I have ADD-like tendencies as part of a non-verbal learning difficulty. The inability to focus on anything for more than a few minutes, when you have things to achieve, is really, seriously, overwhelmingly, throw-things-at-the-wall annoying. Best of luck with the grading. (Best of luck with finding meds that work, too. I find Celexa fairly helpful for my anxiety and distractedness.)

Raq, niiiice purse. I want to buy things. I have no need of things, but online shopping would make me really happy right about now. Maybe I'll just pop into the Marks and Spencers online store...