Ohhh, for the Great Outdoors! Hiking, Camping, Site Seeing

Y’all,

I don’t know about you but I just love going on a Hike in the great outdoors  . . . not only is it great exercise (extra good for us ADD ers) but it is a great way to bond with your family.  In this case South Eastern AZ is the setting.  We went from a hike in Cochise Stronghold (an amazing place) and then on to Tombstone for a picnic Lunch and then drove 40 miles to the Cheracawa Mountain range (breathtaking spires of Rock) and hiked around this beautiful area for about an hour and a half.  Then on our way back down a most beautiful winding road we came upon several deer. They were right up at the side of the road and did not even seem afraid of us as we drove up close to them and rolled down our window to get a picture. We had such a fun time and by the end of the day . . . we were completely worn out. But it was well worth it. Take your family on a hike or go camping this weekend . . . you will be glad you did!  Check out this slide show (below) of our fun day and a few other photos thrown in just because I wanted to.  lol

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HyperFocus . . . One of our (AD/HD folks) Greatest ASSETS!

Hew!

I just got finished with a long and very tiring day of HYPERFOCUSING . . . an AD/HD Asset I have come to Love . . . and hate. I spent almost the entire day uploading an advertising Video I created for A+ Roofing Solutions http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GiIA3iKlu4 onto multiple video sites. I’m sure glad its over. Just as I started writing this post I decided to Google the word Hyperfocus and ran across a wonderful website worth checking out. Pete Quily has a great Blog with some really helpful information for ADD AD/HD folks. He is also a certified Coach and has found his life’s mission in helping ADD AD/HD people with toxic job liberation! A very worthy goal . . . from my perspective. You can find Pete’s Bio at:
http://www.addcoach4u.com/whoispetequily.html

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AD/HD People need help BUILDING their WP Sites so . . .

Top 10 plugins for WordPress newbie

Posted 10 February 2007, by Aaron Russel

Aaron Russell is a multimedia creative designer and miLienzo.com is his creative canvas.

I am officially a WordPress ‘noob’. My site has been live for eight whole days and I’ve a staggering two previous posts under my belt. “Steady on there,” I hear you say. Well that’s not the half of it - I’ve already got 10 plugins installed. And activated!

The WordPress Plugin Database can be a daunting place for the uninitiated. There are hundreds of the little PHP scripts just waiting to be bolted on to your site, and it can be a mystery what half of them do. Even if you know exactly what you need a plugin for, often there can be dozens of them doing seemingly the same thing.

So where does the newbie start? I personally just jumped in, spent hour upon hour of searching, experimentation and trial and error. To help save you the hassle I have gone through, I am listing below my top 10 WordPress plugins one week in.

10. PingFix

As a WordPress noob, I didn’t know what a ‘ping’ was, or what it did. Now I do - WordPress automatically notifies popular Update Services that you’ve updated your blog by sending a ping each time you create a post.

PingFix enhances the built-in ping functionality by pinging only when publishing new posts, not when editing older posts. This prevents excessive pinging which many Update Services may interpret as spam.

Get PingFix now.

9. FeedList

FeedList is a simple little script that allows you to insert any RSS stream anywhere into your site. For instance, you can include your del.icio.us bookmarks, your Diggs, or even the BBC News in your site. This can be used as part of your template (in your sidebar) or placed directly into a blog posting.

Get FeedList now.

8. Another WordPress Meta Plugin

For some reason the standard WordPress install puts no meta data (keywords and descriptions) in your HTML headings. No good if you want people to be able to find your site through search engines.

The rather imaginatively titled Another WordPress Meta Plugin allows you to specify keywords and descriptions for every blog post or page. For category pages keywords are made up of all the keywords from every individual post on that page, after removing the duplicates. This should ensure a unique set of keywords for every page.

Get Another WordPress Meta Plugin now.

7. Ultimate Google Analytics

If you love stats, and who doesn’t, then you’ll love Google Analytics. It crunches numbers like you’ve never seen numbers crunched before. There are pie-charts, bar-charts, and funky little maps that tell you how many people from Azerbaijan are visiting your site. Best of all, it’s free!

The Ultimate Google Analytics plugin automatically inserts the tiny bit of code that allows Google to count all your visitors and create all those lovely charts. It also allows tracking of outgoing links and downloads, which some of the other Google Analytics plugins don’t.

Get Ultimate Google Analytics now.

6. Secure and Accessible PHP Contact Form

I love it when I get an email from a complete stranger. I really do. That’s what the Internet is all about - connecting with people. I don’t like it so much when that complete stranger then sends dozens of emails trying to sell me pharmaceuticals of a dubious nature.

The Secure and Accessible PHP Contact Form allows you to effortlessly slip a contact form into your site to enable those strangers to get in touch, whilst preventing those pesky spammers from peddling their wares. It offers 16 individual abuse countermeasures and is also customisable, so you can make it fit in with your site’s ‘look and feel’.

Get the Secure and Accessible PHP Contact Form now.

5. WP-Print

Don’t you hate it when you try to print a web-page and the first page comes out blank, the second page only displays the navigation column, and then the main content comes out but is so wide that the last word on every line doesn’t fit on the sheet? You can guarantee your readers will hate it when it happens to them on your site.

The WP-Print plugin enables you to insert a link to a printer-friendly version for each of all your blog entries and pages, with all navigation and styling stripped down.

Get WP-Print now.

4. Google Sitemap Generator

More search engine goodness here. XML-Sitemaps were invented by Google in 2005 as an easy way for webmasters to inform Google of pages on their site that can be indexed. In November 2006, Yahoo! and Microsoft also decided to support the XML-Sitemap format, making it a pretty important standard.

The Google Sitemap Generator creates and keeps updated the all important XML file, and automatically pings Google and Yahoo! each time you add a new post.

Get Google Sitemap Generator now.

3. ImageManager

As mentioned in this previous post, image management in WordPress sucks. No two ways about it.

ImageManager provides an interface for browsing and uploading image files, and integrates simple image editing capabilities such as crop, rotate and re-size. So say goodbye to the native WordPress upload tool.

Get ImageManager now.

2. Category Tagging

Categories are soooo 2005, man. Today it’s all about the tag.

WordPress’ categories can actually be used like tags simply by applying multiple categories (or tags) to each post. The Category Tagging plugin allows you to easily slip a tag cloud into your blog. It also offers a cool little hook that displays related posts containing the same tags as the post being read.

This is an excellent way to enable your visitors to browse deeper into your site in a relevant and useful way to them.

Get Category Tagging now.

1. Sociable

Today in this world of Web 2.0, social networking is all the craze, and the way people search for and consume news and information increasingly revolves around social bookmarking sites like del.icio.us and Digg. A completely democratic system for delivering news where popular and reputable articles receive more ‘votes’, and consequently move to the top of the news roster.

Like young rock stars dream to be on Top of the Pops, young bloggers dream to be on the homepage of Digg. For this to happen you need to enable your readers to quickly vote for your post with the minimum of effort on their part.

See those cute little icons at the bottom of this post? They are links to various social bookmarking sites and they are powered by my number one plugin for a WordPress newbie, Sociable. This plugin supports an amazing 61 individual sites and is an essential plugin for all WordPress users, new or not.

Get Sociable now.

Have you got a BUG . . . Like me? . . . CABIN FEVER?

Hey, are you like me the older I get the sooner CABIN FEVER starts to set in every YEAR! I have been battling a severe case of this Nasty Winter time BUG for the last 3 weeks! It has been clouding, misty, snowy and rainy most of the last 3 weeks and frankly I am ready to get out of here and go some place warm. Maybe someplace I have been before . . . . that I really loved . . . ST. Martin, Tortola, St. Kits, etc . . . NO! . . . I am thinking someplace much less touristy where the people DON”T all know your name. . . . Watch the VIDEO (BELOW) and see if you agree with me.

Overly Frustrated . . . a sign that I might have ADD AD/HD

I was talking to Paul (not the persons real name) today about his child’s recent struggles in school. Paul had just described to me classic ADD symptoms and he mentioned how frustrating it was to see his own offspring go through such difficult times with his teachers. Noting the emphasis on “FRUSTRATION” in Paul’s voice, I mentioned that I had noticed that it was my own reaction (feeling overly Frustrated) to my sons struggles that should have been a sign to me that I might have Adult ADD as well. Seeing our own shortcomings, struggles and frustrations in our kids is often too painful for us to admit (our over-reactions should tip us off). So, we live in denial or worse yet fail to see that we too are suffering from the same symptoms of ADD AD/HD we see in them . . . to be continued.

My Request . . . If you find Great Stories of Famous People who had ADD ADHD . . . Contact Me! Dave 260 918 4707

Hi World,

Thanks for joining me here. I don’t have allot of time to sit down and write tonight so I am just going to leave another excerpt of ADD information I thought you might like to take a look at. Also, I have a request for anyone who is reading. I am trying to pull together a list of people in history who have made a difference for the good of all. If you happen to find a great success story about someone who has/had ADD AD/HD please contact me directly. You can leave a me a comment here or call (between 9:00 am EST and 9:00pm EST (260 918 4707), I would really enjoy hearing from you! Dave

Lastly if you find a spelling error in this document (I won’t be surprised) I don’t want to hear about it. I have always sucked at spelling and if my spell checker fails to suggest what I deem to be a good alternative to my badly spelled word . . . I will go with my word (Misspellings and all) !

God is Good!

Hyperactivity

Excessive activity is the most visible sign of AD/HD [ A.D.D. OR ADHD ]. The hyperactive toddler/preschooler is generally described as “always on the go” or “motor driven.” With age, activity levels may diminish. By adolescence and adulthood, the overactivity may appear as restless, fidgety behavior (American Psychiatric Association, 1994).^*

Symptoms of hyperactivity, as listed in the DSM-IV, are:

• often fidgets with hands or feet or squirms in seat;
• often leaves seat in classroom or in other situations in which remaining seated is expected;
• often runs about or climbs excessively in situations in which it is inappropriate (in adolescents or adults, may be limited to subjective feelings of restlessness);
• often has difficulty playing or engaging in leisure activities quietly;
• is often “on the go” or often act as if “driven by a motor;”
• often talks excessively.

---

^* (APA, 1994, p. 84)
Impulsivity When people think of impulsivity, they most often think about cognitive impulsivity, which is acting without thinking. The impulsivity of children with AD/HD [ A.D.D. OR ADHD ] is slightly different. These children act before thinking, because they have difficulty waiting or delaying gratification. The impulsivity leads these children to speak out of turn, interrupt others, and engage in what looks like risk-taking behavior. The child may run across the street without looking or climb to the top of very tall trees. Although such behavior is risky, the child is not really a risk-taker but, rather, a child who has great difficulty controlling impulse. Often,the child is surprised to discover that he or she has gotten into a dangerous situation and has no idea of how to get out of it. Symptoms of impulsivity, as listed in the DSM-IV (p. 84), are:

• often blurts out answers before questions have been completed;
• often has difficulty awaiting turn;
• often interrupts or intrudes on others (e.g., butts into conversations or games).

It is important to note that, in the DSM-IV, hyperactivity and impulsivity are no longer considered as separate features. According to Barkley (1990), hyperactivity-impulsivity is a pattern stemming from an overall difficulty in inhibiting behavior. In addition to problems with inattention or hyperactivity-impulsivity, the disorder is often seen with associated features. Depending on the child’s age and developmental stage, parents and teachers may see low frustration tolerance, temper outburts, bossiness, difficulty in following rules, disorganization, social rejection, poor self-esteem, academic underachievement, and inadequate self-application (American Psychiatric Association, 1994).

Defining Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder^*

Instead of a single list of 14 possible symptoms as listed in the prior edition of the DSM (the DSM-III-R), the DSM-IV categorically sorts the symptoms into three subtypes of the disorder:

• Combined Type — multiple symptoms of inattention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity;
• Predominantly Inattentive Type — multiple symptoms of inattention with few, if any,of hyperactivity-impulsivity;
• Predominantly Hyperactive-Impulsive Type — multiple symptoms of hyperactivity-impulsivity with few, if any, of inattention.

Other essential diagnostic features of AD/HD [ A.D.D. OR ADHD ] include:

• Symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity, or impulsivity must persist for at least six months and be maladaptive and inconsistent with developmental levels;
• Some of the symptoms causing impairment must be present before age 7 years;
• Some impairment from the symptoms is present in two or more settings (e.g., at school/work, and at home);
• Evidence of clinically significant impairment is present in social, academic, or occupational functioning;
• Symptoms do not occur exclusively during the course of Pervasive Developmental Disorder, Schizophrenia, or other Psychotic Disorder and are not better accounted for by another mental disorder (e.g., Mood Disorder, Anxiety Disorder, Dissociative Disorder, or Personality Disorder).

The above information originates from the National Information Center for Children and Youth with Disabilities (NICHCY)

Dave’s Super Short ADD AD/HD Bio

My name is Dave and I am the father of 9 amazing children (from 2 marriages). At least three of my children have ADD or ADHD and one has a severe case along with Learning Disabilities. After many years of struggle and a then recent divorce I was diagnosed with ADHD at the age of 40. Now at 51 my I am fulfilling my passion is to help people (young and old) diagnosed with ADD ADHD lead a successful, productive, Life by sharing some of my failures as well as my successes. I hope to help at least one person find hope to move ahead as I have by the Grace of God.

I will be including some info from my research (below) from time to time. Here is a New Definition of AD/HD (Medical Community) I found that Might be helpful.

What is Attention-Deficit Disorder? ADD is officially called Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, or AD/HD (American Psychiatric Association, 1994), although most lay people, and even some professionals, still call it ADD or A.D.D. (the names given in 1980) or ADHD . The disorder’s name has changed as a result of scientific advances and the findings of careful field trials; researchers now have strong evidence to support the position that AD/HD [ A.D.D. or ADHD ] [as we will refer to the disorder throughout the remainder of this Briefing Paper] is not one specific disorder with different variations. In keeping with this evidence, AD/HD [ A.D.D. OR ADHD ] is now divided into three subtypes, according to the main features associated with the disorder: inattentiveness, impulsivity, and hyperactivity. The three subtypes are:

• AD/HD [ A.D.D. OR ADHD ] Predominantly Combined Type,
• AD/HD [ A.D.D. OR ADHD ] Predominantly Inattentive Type, and
• AD/HD [ A.D.D. OR ADHD ] Predominantly Hyperactive-Impulsive Type.

These subtypes take into account that some children with AD/HD [ A.D.D. OR ADHD ] have little or no trouble sitting still or inhibiting behavior, but may be predominantly inattentive and, as a result, have great difficulty getting or staying focused on a task or activity. Others with AD/HD [ A.D.D. OR ADHD ] may be able to pay attention to a task but lose focus because they may be predominantly hyperactive-impulsive and, thus, have trouble controlling impulse and activity. The most prevalent subtype is the Combined Type. These children will have significant symptoms of all three characteristics.

What Causes AD/HD [ A.D.D. OR ADHD ]?

AD/HD [ A.D.D. OR ADHD ] is a neurobiologically-based developmental disability estimated to affect between 3-5% of the school age population (Professional Group for Attention and Related Disorders,1991). No one knows exactly what causes AD/HD [ A.D.D. OR ADHD ]. Scientific evidence suggests that the disorder is genetically transmitted in many cases and results from a chemical imbalance or deficiency in certain neurotransmitters, which are chemicals that help the brain regulate behavior. In addition, a landmark study conducted by the National Institute of Mental Health showed that the rate at which the brain uses glucose, its main energy source, is lower in subjects with AD/HD [ A.D.D. OR ADHD ] than in subjects without AD/HD [ A.D.D. OR ADHD ] (Zametkin et al., 1990).

Even though the exact cause of AD/HD [ A.D.D. OR ADHD ] remains unknown, we do know that AD/HD [ A.D.D. OR ADHD ] is a neurologically-based medical problem. Parents and teachers do not cause AD/HD [ A.D.D. OR ADHD ]. Still, there are many things that both can do to help a child manage his or her AD/HD [ A.D.D. OR ADHD ]-related difficulties. Before we look at what needs to be done, however, let us look at what AD/HD [ A.D.D. OR ADHD ] is and how it is diagnosed.

What Are the Signs of AD/HD [ A.D.D. OR ADHD ]?

Professionals who diagnose AD/HD [ A.D.D. OR ADHD ] use the diagnostic criteria set forth by the American Psychiatric Association (1994) in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; the fourth edition of this manual, known as the DSM-IV, was released in May 1994. The criteria in the DSM-IV (discussed below) and the other essential diagnostic features listed in the box labeled “Defining Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder” are the signs of AD/HD [ A.D.D. OR ADHD ].

As can be seen, the primary features associated with the disability are inattention,hyperactivity, and impulsivity. The discussion below describes each of these features and lists their symptoms, as given in the DSM-IV.

Inattention

A child with AD/HD [ A.D.D. OR ADHD ] is usually described as having a short attention span and as being distractible. In actuality, distractibility and inattentiveness are not synonymous. Distractibility refers to the short attention span and the ease with which some children can be pulled off-task. Attention, on the other hand, is a process that has different parts. We focus (pick something on which to pay attention), we select (pick something that needs attention at that moment) and we sustain (pay attention for as long as is needed). We also resist (avoid things that remove our attention from where it needs to be), and we shift (move our attention to something else when needed).

When we refer to someone as distractible, we are saying that a part of that person’s attention process is disrupted. Children with AD/HD [ A.D.D. OR ADHD ] can have difficulty with one or all parts of the attention process. Some children may have difficulty concentrating on tasks (particularly on tasks that are routine or boring). Others may have trouble knowing where to start a task. Still others may get lost in the directions along the way. A careful observer can watch and see where the attention process breaks down for a particular child.

Symptoms of inattention, as listed in the DSM-IV, are:^*

• often fails to give close attention to details or makes careless mistakes in schoolwork, work, or other activities;
• often has difficulty sustaining attention in tasks or play activities;
• often does not seem to listen when spoken to directly;
• often does not follow through on instructions and fails to finish schoolwork, chores, or duties in the workplace (not due to oppositional behavior or failure to understand instructions);
• often has difficulty organizing tasks and activities;
• often avoids, dislikes, or is reluctant to engage in tasks that require sustained mental effort (such as schoolwork or homework);
• often loses things necessary for tasks or activities (e.g., toys, school assignments,pencils, books, or tools);
• is often easily distracted by extraneous stimuli;
• is often forgetful in daily activities.