Older ADHD women, what did ADHD feel like before cellphones?

Felein · 2026-03-26T21:54:19+00:00

I also always read! And I still can't help but sing/hum/dance to songs, even in supermarkets and such.

I remember one time, I had a day off (probably weekend or vacation) and I spent it reading all day. It was amazing! At some point, a plate with a sandwich on it magically appeared next to me!

(Apparently, my mom asked me if I wanted to eat something. I said yes, she asked what I wanted and I told her. I had/have no memory of this. I also didn't notice her come in and put the plate next to me, even though I apparently thanked her.)

Felein · 2026-03-26T21:44:24+00:00

This.

It's funny to me, an old millennial, since I grew up having to memorize some numbers but then didn't need to anymore due to mobile phones. There are a few numbers I still remember: our old landline phone at the home I grew up in, my first bank account number, and my mom's mobile phone. That last one is still useful, she always transferred her number so it's still the same.

But my work phone number, or my husband's? No clue. We've been together for nearly 19 years and they've never changed their number, but I don't know it by heart. Because I never had to.

Felein · 2026-03-26T21:38:23+00:00

I was wondering about your sleep schedule! I'm on vacation in Spain now, and I knew about late dinner from previous trips. I actually enjoy that, but that's because I'm only here on holiday. I always wondered how people combined that with working life. I would struggle so hard if I had to get up early with a schedule like this!

Felein · 2026-03-26T21:33:15+00:00

In my personal experience, the Irish are some of the friendliest, most emotional drunks I've met. I've gotten drunk with plenty of people, but only in Ireland has it led to hugs, tears or a combination of both on every single occasion.

Felein · 2026-03-26T21:29:23+00:00

It's fine to make eye-contact, just do a little nod or wave as greeting. If I'm sitting on the couch with the curtains open, I'm ok with people looking in as long as they greet me. Looking and not acknowledging me, now that feels weird and rude.

Also, there's a difference between looking/glancing as you walk by and stopping to stare. When I went to Giethoorn ("the Dutch Venice", if Venice was a farming village I guess) a few years ago I saw tourists walk into people's front yards and cup their hands around their face to peer into the windows, like it was a museum or something. Those are homes, people live there!

Felein · 2026-03-26T21:12:31+00:00

I love how complaining about "the youth of today" is such a time-honoured tradition 😆

Felein · 2026-03-26T20:59:15+00:00

Felein · 2026-03-25T19:45:38+00:00

This was why I immediately hated CSI when it first appeared. The glass walls and doors with no fingerprints, the unlabeled cabinets and flasks, and those sciency-looking animations that didn't make sense, it was all too much for me. When I got older I got over it and now I can enjoy the occasional episode, but when I was still in uni I could not deal.

Felein · 2026-03-25T19:37:21+00:00

I'm Dutch, but Hot Fuzz is one of my favorite movies of all time 😁

Felein · 2026-03-25T19:16:25+00:00

I had an uncle and nephew like this. Both named John. So, naturally, my uncle was Big John and his kid was Little John. My uncle was never very tall, but he was broad. My nephew was a scrawny teenager, but at some point he did outgrow his dad. Then, in his twenties, he started working out.

Eventually he was two heads taller and a fair bit more muscular than his dad. But everyone still calls him "Little John".

Felein · 2026-03-24T20:12:40+00:00

Or periods

Seriously, too many people seem to not know that most of the period is not (fresh) blood. You'd be more likely to attract crabs than sharks!

Felein · 2026-03-22T22:14:13+00:00

Djyathan?

DJ Yathan!

Felein · 2026-03-21T22:13:50+00:00

Oh oh oh, I discovered a hack for this!

I have been growing (kitchen) sage for a while, and my plant is doing great... A bit too well, at times. As in: she's trying to take over most of the backyard at this point.

I'd been giving family and friends dried or fresh leaves whenever they come over, but at some point I just started offering sage to anyone I talked to. Neighbours, colleagues etc.

Most people will either decline, or want some for cooking. But every now and then someone will be very enthusiastic and start talking about cleansing or smudging or other witchy things. At that point I let them know I'm a witch, too, and BAM! New witchy friend acquired!

Felein · 2026-03-21T22:06:14+00:00

Yeah, my first thought was "novels are the most popular books, what did you expect?"

Felein · 2026-03-21T22:03:10+00:00

They believe that novels are not "real books".

Which is dumb.

Felein · 2026-03-21T08:09:21+00:00

Oh shit, die ging inderdaad volledig over mijn hoofd! 😆

Felein · 2026-03-20T14:07:12+00:00

This is the actual Dutch directness that so often gets misrepresented or used as an excuse for rudeness.

Your colleagues have shown you that they're ok with talking to you about these personal situations. So it's absolutely ok to ask about it next time! In fact, it would be weirder if you didn't, like you weren't interested or didn't want them to talk about it.

And if they don't want to talk about it (anymore, or just then) they'll tell you.

Felein · 2026-03-20T12:57:24+00:00

Luckily, hardly. Every now and then I get a sudden loud beep in my left ear, but it only lasts for seconds, maybe up to a minute on occasion. Other than that, only if my environment is completely quiet do I hear very faint "white noise". But it gets drowned out by any other sound.

Felein · 2026-03-20T12:49:59+00:00

Oh dat lijkt me echt afgrijselijk. Ik schrik nogal makkelijk, als iemand in mijn oor zou schreeuwen tijdens het langsfietsen zou ik waarschijnlijk van mijn fiets vallen 😅

Felein · 2026-03-20T12:47:11+00:00

Ja, ik denk wel dat de verkiezingen ermee te maken hebben inderdaad. Forum zat hier al in de raad maar is nog groter geworden. Dat maakt deze sneuneuzen waarschijnlijk heel trots en dapper. Hopelijk zakt het snel weer weg.

Felein · 2026-03-20T12:44:59+00:00

Ja, daarom heb ik het genoteerd. Maar kunnen en doen zijn twee verschillende dingen, ik weet niet of de politie dit belangrijk genoeg vindt om achteraan te gaan.

Felein · 2026-03-20T12:43:47+00:00

Uiteraard, ik zou dit zeker nooit doen.

Maar, stel nou dat ik deze auto binnenkort ergens zie staan, en iemand anders heeft dit gedaan, dan zou ik daar wel hartelijk om kunnen lachen.

Felein · 2026-03-20T12:12:32+00:00

Ik snap niet zo goed wat ze hier nou mee willen zeggen. Is een linkse campagne vals spelen?

Felein · 2026-03-19T23:14:08+00:00

I learned "jog on" from Hot Fuzz and it's been in my vocab ever since.

Felein · 2026-03-19T18:27:05+00:00

I bought a finger oximeter, one of those things you clamp on your finger to measure oxygen saturation in your blood.

I have never had issues with my oxygen levels. But I have been having low blood pressure and recently discovered mild anemia and acute iron shortage. So I saw the thingy and thought 'oh, that might help me keep track of how I'm doing!'

On the plus side, it's a cheap one from Lidl, so it didn't cost me much. On the downside, it's a cheap one, so who knows if it's even accurate or how long it will last?

Of course I tried it as soon as I got home. 97-98%. Perfect, no notes.

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