A Splintered Mind

I've spent quite a bit of time on the quest for a library ebook reader for the Apple iPad . I've sifted through that great spam link & outdated forum post directory known as Google, and I've come to the sad conclusion that there aren't any iPad ereaders that can handle Adobe DRMed library books. The closest nibble for iOS was in February 2009 when Stanza announced upcoming Adobe DRM support. Even if Stanza hadn't been bought out by Amazon a few months later, causing their forthcoming Adobe DRM support to be abandoned faster than a pair of out of style pants, there was no guarantee that Stanza's reader would have supported library books.  The problem is that the most popular library ebook lending system is Overdrive. They deliver a double-fisted DRM smack down by wrapping Adobe DRM in a server side authorization mechanism. Basically, Overdrive files point to the DRMed book on Overdrive servers which an Overdrive authorized reader must be given permission to...

Sometimes my mind wanders. You may be familiar with this fact. I mention it from time to time. This photo represents a shining moment for me of complete and clueless random impulse. Sitting in church. Not listening to the speaker. Looking up in a bored fashion. Suddenly seized upon by the idea that THEN would be a perfect time to whip out my iPhone and take a discreet photo. I sat the iPhone on my lap, close to my belly, and tilted it up to capture the scene. Then I felt a little sheepish. It's not even a good photo, but there it is. It would have been nice to feel sheepish before snapping a photo during Sacrament Meeting, however, that wouldn't have been as entertaining.   Follow me on Twitter for my ADHD escapades at @SplinteredMind or my novel writing project over at @DouglasCootey . And if you're a glutton for punishment you can friend me on Facebook as well.  

I completed Chapter 5 of #snkrz on Saturday night. I ended up sitting in a Smith's grocery store in their closed cafe area because family and ticking had taken up every waking moment of my two work days. When I was finally free to write there was no place other then my own apartment to go write in. Since that sounded boring, my wife helpfully suggested I write at Smith's. There was a moment where I stood there simply blinking as I contemplated her suggestion, but eventually I decided I had no better ideas. I ended up tucked away in a corner next to a cleaning cart while the store speakers pumped out 70s music. Thank heavens for headphones. Obviously, I'm always on call for full-time Dad duty, but technically I'm supposed to have Friday and Saturday to get my personal work done—work like being free to go off writing in my book, being allowed to work on my part-time web design job, plus other personal pursuits like eating and using the bathroom. It rarely works out t...

When I changed the focus of this blog last January to be more about the process of overcoming my obstacles while working towards a goal than doling out tips on dealing with ADHD or Depression, I assumed my list of ten things that could possibly prevent me from writing a novel would be whittled away. It hadn't occurred to me that I was looking at THE ten obstacles that might possibly stay with me for life.  I'm not trying to be defeatist here. I think we are all built with flaws. Maybe I'm lucky that I figured out specifically what mine were. At any rate, I thought the struggle would be interesting to write about. Working out troubles takes time, though, and I may have underestimated some people's patience with this blog journey of mine.  You see, I was accused of being uninteresting lately.   @SplinteredMind I've read tweets and blog for two months now. Flat tires... papers on fridge... some scavenger game. Do you really think that is interesting? Actually, ...

It is not the greatest photo. The artificial border is in greater definition than the actual landscape. However, I am glad I took the shot. I wonder what my family makes of Daddy's sudden, emergency stops on the sides of various roads, as he leaps from the car, camera in hand, to capture something on film that had already captured his fancy. This time I was a passenger and begged my wife to pull over so that I could record this moment. I was ticking and the camera was not held very firmly, but I can look on this and remember a moment that otherwise would have flittered away from my memory like an aimless Summer butterfly.      Follow me on Twitter for my ADHD escapades at @SplinteredMind or my novel writing project over at @DouglasCootey . And if you're a glutton for punishment you can friend me on Facebook as well.  

  I was supposed to pick up the Chinese medicine for the Goblin's seizures, but they had closed early. Instead of rushing home, I let myself become distracted with my new toy camera app, Plastic Bullet. There was a canal with embankments, a rusty fence, and run down elements galore. I got busy. Then suddenly I noticed two pigeons flapping around. They came to rest on a nearby billboard and I thought, "Wouldn't that make for a great shot if I could catch them in flight?" So I waited with camera poised. And I waited. And I waited. The previously energetic pigeons had apparently tuckered themselves out. Even with an approaching storm, I waited patiently, but they moved not an inch, never mind performed for me. Eventually, I became bored and suddenly remembered I had other things to do. Fortunately, I have their rebellious rumps immortalized in this photograph to help me remember how much time I can spill on a whim.      Follow me on Twitter for my ADHD escap...

With great effort, and not a little wrestling with the Embodiment of Boredom itself, I have completed my novel's revision and laid the groundwork for its rapid completion. Hahaha! I kill myself with statements like that. As if somehow this will be my last stumbling block, and writing will be no more difficult than plucking dandelions from here on out. What this does represent for me, however, is victory, no matter how small. As I have detailed over and over again, my cognitive issues are major obstacles for my writing goals. However, I have remained convinced that I can train myself via Cognitive Behavioral Techniques and sheer will to be a better, more productive writer. It's not as if I can pop a pill and make my troubles go away. It has not been an easy task.  My attention span is strung out thin over a wide chasm of distraction. For instance, have you noticed my flurry of activity on Twitter over the weekend with the new social photography app, Instagram? How typic...

When I look at this photograph, part of me thinks, "Man, the iPhone2G sure takes lousy pictures in low lighting." A mere blip of a thought. Nanoseconds. This is because everytime I look at this picture and begin to analyze its flaws, I am transported by the carpet of flowers into another realm. I stop analyzing. I can't look at this picture and not have my imagination engaged. Did fairy feet flit upon the petals? Did lovers recently crush the carpet in their passionate kissing? Is there something macabre lying beneath the beauty? Perhaps because the camera captured the scene in painterly blobs I am not fettered by reality when I look upon it. The red and blue dithered noise adds an ephemeral quality to the scene for me. Instead of limitations, I only see possibilities. Wouldn't it be wonderful if I looked upon everything in my life that way?      Follow me on Twitter for my ADHD escapades at @SplinteredMind or my novel writing project over at @DouglasCoot...

My mind has been turning and mulching and plowing and harrowing something I read on Friday. It fit in perfectly with concerns I've been having with my productivity. As you likely know if you've been following this blog, I am trying to overcome my disabilities in order to write a book or three. I've had success. I've had a lot of success, to be honest. However, I haven't met my goals completely. ADHD and Insomnia still remain my greatest hurdles. In addition, my gig at HealthyPlace set me behind further than I had feared. Now I must suddenly not have my problems so that I can meet the goal by December 23rd . Obviously, minds don't work that way. Since I can't wave a magic will-wand to make my disabilities disappear, I have to deal with them the hard way. This calls for lots of thinking and truthful frankness as I assess the obstacles, the goals, and the methods at my disposal to put the disabilities in their place. That is why I was so delighted to disco...

A year and a half ago, David Wolverton wrote in his "Daily Kick in the Pants" about mental health issues and writing. He had many insights that were interesting, but when discussing ADHD he wrote, "Being ADHD makes it almost impossible to write—period." Was the writing on the wall for me, or was there a way I could beat ADHD and meet my goals? You can imagine I wasn't thrilled to see that in my inbox. I didn't get angry at him, however. I simply couldn't accept his comment as the definitive sentence passed upon my struggle.  I wrote back, "I'm not published yet, so writing may indeed be impossible with ADHD, but one day soon I hope to be able to say ADHD just makes things difficult."   I meant what I wrote, and determined to defy the odds. He later wrote me, "Thank you for the feedback.  I do know of some folks with ADHD who have been able to write, including some very successful nonfiction authors, but I know that it's ver...