Let's play a game! How distractible are you?

[Faithr]

You have to finish the sentence:  I am so distractible, one time I . . . . .

 

I'll go first.  

 

I am so distractible that I started cleaning two bathrooms yesterday.  Sprayed the master bathroom shower down with tile cleaner and sprinkled the hall bathroom's tub with Bon Ami and then completely forget until 5 a.m. when I bolted awake suddenly remembering. 

 

So now I have to go scrub two bathrooms before my husband and son get up to go to work.

 

So how distractible are you?

[Carrie12345]

... I've walked away from the vacuum, leaving it running.

[creekland]

Let me count the ways... (sigh)

 

I think the one I dislike the most is when I go to the store just to pick up something and forget that item.

 

All the rest I can deal with better.  Fortunately, when I'm going to the bathroom I rarely wait to the last minute, so I can finish cleaning it first.  I have had to lecture the males in the family that if they see blue in the water, they need to clean it first rather than pretending not to see it.

[ktgrok]

I've paid for gas, then driven away without actually getting the gas. More than once. 

 

Speaking of gas, my ADHD is so bad that I almost never fill the tank, because I get boared and can't handle standing there just watching it fill for even another second. It's painfully boring and I just can't handle it. (FYI, if you admit this to your husband he will think you are insane.)

[Carrie12345]

I've paid for gas, then driven away without actually getting the gas. More than once. 

 

Speaking of gas, my ADHD is so bad that I almost never fill the tank, because I get boared and can't handle standing there just watching it fill for even another second. It's painfully boring and I just can't handle it. (FYI, if you admit this to your husband he will think you are insane.)

 

I HATE waiting for my tank to fill!  I miss NJ every single time.

[luuknam]

I've paid for gas, then driven away without actually getting the gas. More than once. 

 

Speaking of gas, my ADHD is so bad that I almost never fill the tank, because I get boared and can't handle standing there just watching it fill for even another second. It's painfully boring and I just can't handle it. (FYI, if you admit this to your husband he will think you are insane.)

 

I've gotten into the habit of getting gas when my tank is only half-empty, so that we always have plenty of gas in case of an emergency. Which then also means it takes only half as long for the tank to fill up. Just a thought. Some gas stations are much faster than others btw.

 

There's the obvious going upstairs to get something and don't remembering what I went to get - everybody's done that though, right?

 

My wife is more distractable than I am. When she's driving somewhere, I'll sometimes say "turn left at the next light", and then 100ft later have to tell her to "left, NOW". She's got an ADD diagnosis though.

[Faithr]

Has anyone bought groceries but then gone to car and driven home without ever actually putting them in the car?  I've done that twice. 

 

I have never paid for gas but then forgotten to actually buy it, but just last week I forgot to close the gas tank and drove around town with the cap hanging down.  

[luuknam]

Has anyone bought groceries but then gone to car and driven home without ever actually putting them in the car?  I've done that twice.

 

 I've forgotten something that was on the bottom rack of the shopping cart (since I almost never use that), but not all the groceries, no.

 

I've also put something on the table to take with me when leaving the house, and then forgotten to actually take it 30 seconds to a minute later. I've done that multiple times. Mad dashes out the door with the kids to get them to some activity don't count though, do they? Especially when you have to take multiple things with you and the forgotten thing was not exactly essential.

[Faithr]

I drive my dh crazy because I get in the turn lane way before I need to, but it is because I might be deep in thought or in a conversation or a great song comes on the radio or whatever and then I'll just drive right past the turn or the exit!  Deliberately positioning myself way beforehand helps me focus.

[ktgrok]

Has anyone bought groceries but then gone to car and driven home without ever actually putting them in the car?  I've done that twice. 

 

 

 

Not at the grocery store, but at Ikea and a few other stores. yup. I load the kids in the car, then drive away. 

[ktgrok]

I drive my dh crazy because I get in the turn lane way before I need to, but it is because I might be deep in thought or in a conversation or a great song comes on the radio or whatever and then I'll just drive right past the turn or the exit!  Deliberately positioning myself way beforehand helps me focus.

 

I do this too, and never thought about why. But you are right, it helps make sure I actually turn. My father and I (and I think my sister) all are notorious for missing our exits because we are singing, thinking, etc. Luckily, we are all laid back and don't get upset about it, just turn around at the next one. 

[MomtoCandJ]

Putting stuff by the door so I remember it... And still forget whatever it was (ok in my defense, it's a rare day that I don't have a child with me).

Going to the back seat to get a child out, only to realize there isn't a child with me.

Edited December 23, 2015 by MomtoCandJ

[momee]

I...

came on the boards to check for a recipe and ended up Amazon ordering something I hadn't thought about in months

[RebeccaS]

I...

came on the boards to check for a recipe and ended up Amazon ordering something I hadn't thought about in months

 

I do things like this all the time.  

[DawnM]

Left my pre-made coffee sitting in the travel mug on the counter when I drive off-----wish I could say once, but it is MANY, MANY times.

 

I lose keys regularly.  Sometimes even looking for them when they are in my hands!

 

I look for glasses when they are on my head.

 

Can't even count the ways......oh, look, squirrel!!!!

[Julie Smith]

I admit I have two pretty much identical sets of keys. I always know where one of them is.

 

I don't think my Dh realizes I have two sets, .. No need to tell him. :$

[dirty ethel rackham]

I am so distractable that I ...

 

• when I fill my water bottle from the filtered water spigot, I regularly forget to turn it off and let it overflow.  Several times a week.  I even managed to do that to my 8 cup tea kettle.
• called my husband to help me find my phone ... the one I used to call him with in the first place.
• locked my keys in my running car ... more than once. 
• forgot to feed my dog one day and could not figure out why he was so whiney and clingy that day. 
• I'm so distractable, I'm forgetting all the boneheaded things I have done.

[Seeking Squirrels]

I am so distractable.....

 

I once made myself a pb&j sandwich for lunch and later wondered why I was so hungry. I never ate it. Looked everywhere for it and couldn't find it. Decided to make a new sandwich and found the fully made sandwich in the bread bag.

 

I've found a bag of veggies in the microwave that I forgot to get out and serve more times than I'd like to admit.

 

My list could be quite long if I thought about it, but I'm so used to my distractability that I don't really notice most of the things I do because of it anymore.

[Guest]

I've gotten worse with pregnancy brain.

 

- putting milk away in the cupboard

- forgetting to turn off the oven. Multiple times.

- forgotten soap in the laundry and to actually *turn on* the loaded dishwasher

- forgotten business trips or my husband until he is at the airport

 

I am usually a very good multitasker and well organized, but some days my brain just goes out the window.

[Minerva]

I am so distractable that I

[KungFuPanda]

I put juice in the cabinet last week. It was opened and should go in the fridge, but I just stuck it up where the cups go. I found it later when I went for another cup :-/

[nd293]

I asked ds8 to switch off the oven timer, switch off the oven and open the door. He went over to the oven, and replied "OK, but there's nothing in it". - I'd set the timer but forgotten to put the food in the oven...

[nd293]

I am so distractable that I

😄😄

[Faithr]

Oh my goodness. I am trying to wrap dh's gifts and I can't remember where I hid them all! I am missing two and one of them is big enough, I can't imagine what I did with it! Holy cow. My brain really is a sieve!

[maize]

There was the day I decided to go check on my toddler and when I tried to stand up realized that said toddler was on my lap nursing...

[UncleEJ]

I am so distractible...

 

that I threw away a large bag full of brand new clothes! 😱 I had bought a bunch of new clothes for DD. I was cutting the tags off of it all and putting the clothes in one bag and the trash in another. I carried the trash bag to the laundry room to wash and threw the clothes away. And didn't realize it for a week, long after trash day. I never told DH.

 

I also ran over my stroller. It was 8 million degrees and all three kids were freaking out. I loaded them all up, jumped in the truck and backed over my stroller. A very expensive double Chariot. I cried.

[sassenach]

 

I am so distractable that I ...

 

• when I fill my water bottle from the filtered water spigot, I regularly forget to turn it off and let it overflow.  Several times a week.  I even managed to do that to my 8 cup tea kettle.
• called my husband to help me find my phone ... the one I used to call him with in the first place.
• locked my keys in my running car ... more than once. 
• forgot to feed my dog one day and could not figure out why he was so whiney and clingy that day. 
• I'm so distractable, I'm forgetting all the boneheaded things I have done.

 

My dog has that one figured out. He sits in front of my and stares deep into my eyes. I can feel him willing me to remember that he hasn't been fed. He'll follow me around and do that until I remember.

 

He's also learned to play that system. We realized that he was getting fat because he would do the hungry dog routine even when he had been fed, and I couldn't remember if I had already fed him so I would feed him again. We had to institute a tally mark system for awhile to break him of that.

[Onceuponatime]

Sometimes I forget to wash my hair when I take a shower. When I am standing around any where my mind is having a good time elsewhere, so I don't mind waiting in lines or waiting for a gas tank to fill, but I might forget why I was in the line to begin with.

 

The worst is not turning off the stove when I am done.

[Joules]

Our old Ford dealership had a drive-thru for service.  You pull in the garage, talk to the service person and then they pull it out.  I pulled in, talked to the guy and then went to get in the car with my mom and ds to head back home...and took the keys with me.  Had a voice mail when I got home to come back!  They weren't too happy with me.

 

[trulycrabby]

Squirrel!

 

I regularly put on glasses, when I am wearing glasses. Does that count?

Edited December 24, 2015 by trulycrabby

[*Jessica*]

I am so distractible, one time I.....

 

 

Wait, what were we talking about?

 

 

:-p There are really just too many examples. Today I put a full bag of ice cubes in the fridge instead of the freezer. We may have to use an ice pick to have ice for drinks tomorrow.

[Guest]

How 'bout that time when I was going to fill the laundry room sink, to soak cloth dipes, but left the room while it was filling to do something, forgot ALLLLLLLL about it, until I was in the kitchen (second floor laundry) and water started pouring through the light fixtures?

 

Fun times.

[rebcoola]

I am so distracted that I forgot how many presents I hid for DD's birthday she found the package a week later.   I  also forgot to give my BFF her Birthday present for like 4 months we see each other at least twice a week.  

[BooksandBoys]

I used to be focused and orderly. Having at least two severely ADHD children, plus one more child, plus some other significant behavioral challenges has turned me into the picture of ADHD myself.

 

Today, I started wrapping gifts at least six different times. I regularly start cleaning a room only to reattempt cleaning it ten more times that day because I'm correcting children nonstop, cooking four meals in three hours (they are always eating), redirecting the kids who can't remember what I said, or even that I said anything, and, simultaneously, cleaning two other rooms at the same time because I forgot I was cleaning the others. Oh, and I'm probably trying to and forgetting to do laundry that whole time too.

 

I've never left a kid behind. I'm lucky, I think.. But, I've definitely left paid for groceries at the store and left paid for groceries in my cart. At least once every other month, I forget the library bag until I've made the twenty minutes drive to the library. I remember to time the drive around traffic and to go to the library in time to avoid late fees, but remembering the books that are due? Nope!

 

My husband is constantly telling me that I just need to focus. So helpful! :-)

Edited December 25, 2015 by BooksandBoys

[knoxinsox]

Where do I start?  

Back in the day, I had two white bottles in the bathroom.  I spritzed my hair with saline, and then went to put on my contacts....I was putting my drop of saline in them when I realized it was hairspray.  

Many key issues--locking them in the car multiple times, even with the car running, losing them in the house, although sometimes it was not my fault when I found them behind the toddler bed.

Putting things in the fridge that belong in the cupboard and vice versa.

Dropping off my child at taekwondo, and driving off, not seeing him running after me thru the parking lot, apparently they were closed because of sickness and the door was locked.  

And so deep in thought on my way home from work that I didn't remember driving home. Numerous times. 

Mommy brain is real.  Decluttering my mind and home has helped tremendously.  

[Ausmumof3]

Many of these.

 

We don't use the coffee pot all the time. I thought I might make a nice coffee this morning since we were home and discovered I never cleaned or emptied it last time! Ick.

 

I've also got 20 mins from home and couldn't remember if I'd turned the coffee off. I got home and found I had.

 

I can't keep plants alive because I forget to water them and they don't follow me with sad eyes.

 

I empty the cat litter tray and wash it then forget to fill it up.

 

I ordered two sets of cuisenaire rods because I forgot about the first set.

[zoobie]

I have 14 browser "tabs" open on my phone, and three are this thread where I keep wandering off instead of replying.

[ktgrok]

I am so distractible...

 

that I threw away a large bag full of brand new clothes! 😱 I had bought a bunch of new clothes for DD. I was cutting the tags off of it all and putting the clothes in one bag and the trash in another. I carried the trash bag to the laundry room to wash and threw the clothes away. And didn't realize it for a week, long after trash day. I never told DH.

 

I also ran over my stroller. It was 8 million degrees and all three kids were freaking out. I loaded them all up, jumped in the truck and backed over my stroller. A very expensive double Chariot. I cried.

 

I have also thrown away clothes. It was stuff to be washed after a bout of stomach flu, and in a trashbag, so I hardly blame myself. 

 

And although I haven't run over my stroller, I did leave one on the side of the road. Also hot out, and my toddler (my first) was getting sunburned. I threw him in the car, went around to turn the AC on before packing up the stroller, but then just droveo ff and left it there. I didn't miss the stroller much but my sling was in it and I was very mad about that. 

[Catwoman]

I'm sorry but I never read all of the responses to this thread.

 

I got distracted by my dh when he mentioned the word "pie" and I completely forgot about everything else. ;)

[Guest]

I have a fish aquarium, but it's in the basement. I don't go to that room on purpose very often and I will say one thing: my fish tank is like a living experiment to see what types of fish are hardiest. I forget to feed, I forget to turn the lights on/off, their biological clocks must be some kinda hot mess, I go for months without adjusting the water or cleaning the filters or any other sort of basic maintenance. Fish have "disappeared," and I have no clue what exactly happened to them. For all I know, we had an angelfish stuck to the filter for a month until he just dissolved.

 

I am a terrible fish keeper. The fish in my freezer have a more certain future than the fish in my tank. Poor things.

[The Girls' Mom]

I forget what I'm saying mid-sentence.  

 

I drive off without my kids.  (they are older....never forgot them as babies, I promise!)

 

I wash the same load of laundry 4 times because I keep forgetting to take it out of the washer.

 

I am forever leaving just made cups of coffee sitting somewhere to be found hours later.  Sometimes multiple cups will be made.

I can never find my *insert any number of items here* because I set them down in the middle of doing something else. 

 

I make shopping lists and forget to bring them shopping with me.

 

I will go to the store for milk, buy $50 worth of groceries, and never get the milk.  

 

I used to rely on my dd to help me remember things.  Like when she was 5...lol.  


I beautiful example of my scatterbrained-ness:

This morning I was in the kitchen making myself a cup of coffee.  I noticed a bowl of leftover pop-corn on the table and thought the chickens would like it.  I started to take it out to the lot, then thought that they would also like the leftover beans in the fridge.  Got the beans and popcorn and took them to the chickens.  As I walked back up to the house, I noticed that some toys were in the yard.  I stopped and picked up the toys.  I then noticed a bag of sunflower seeds for the bird feeders had fallen off the porch.  I picked it up and found that it had gotten wet and sprouted.  So I took them to the chickens.  I came back and wandered through the flower garden and marveled at my cilantro that is growing like mad in December.  Realized I had the seed bag in my hand an went to throw it away.  Headed to the house to wash my hands and realized I'd left the popcorn bowl on the porch.  Got the popcorn bowl, and realized that our outside cat needed food.  Fed the cat.  Finally made it into the house with the popcorn bowl.  Started a sink of dishwater to wash the bowl and other things.  Began loading the dishwasher.  Picked up my full cup of coffee, now cold, that I had made 30 minutes earlier before I noticed the popcorn.

My dh asked if I'd happened to see a moose with a muffin this morning.

Edited December 25, 2015 by The Girls' Mom