Herding Cats

Today I sat through a lecture on ADHD. Dr. Stuart Chesner visited from his school for religious ADHD kids in Jerusalem to give a talk at our school. What was particularly interesting is that he claims, with statistical proof, that most kids overcome their ADHD after they finish school. Once they reach the age of 18-20 they have learned coping strategies that enable them to lead pretty close to normal lives.

So why do I have a company of squints, most with the concentration span of a fruit fly? Is it that people that can "hyper focus", as all good programmers must, are usually a little ADD? Certainly the H (hyperactive) part seems to have been forgotten by the time adhders teach college. In my field, squints hardly move. But, man, try holding an extended conversation or worse yet a meeting and their thoughts dart around from idea to idea like bees on pollinating flowers. Dr. Chesner said that creating a warm nurturing environment is key to helping one deal with ADHD. Criticism, insults, ridicule and impatience do not work. O Well, this blackpetero, is clearly not cut out for the job. If ever there was a commercial that would be perfect for squint central (and for life here on HaNevel Street) this one by EDS, says it all.