Stacey Turis

Content warning: This book contains stories of child abuse.

Alternating between laugh-out-loud hilarity and tear-invoking "I can totally relate to that" moments, this is certainly not a boring book. The difference between being a total disaster and keeping some sanity seems to be having a good support system. Turis has this, especially in her husband, but also her parents (before their divorce, apparently).

"...when someone tells you that you can do anything (as my parents did), then you truly believe you can do anything, and if you believe you can do anything, there is nothing you can't do. If you don't believe me, just try it for yourself; you'll be shocked at your own superpowers!"

Of course, Turin also seems to be a little hyperverbal, but that's to be expected.

For the most part, the appeal of this book is that I could identify with so much of what's in it. About procrastination:

"Without stress and pressure, it's a free-for-all in this brain. "Oh... just do it tomorrow...you need to relax. It'll still be there tomorrow"...on and on, until three years later nothing is accomplished."

On career goals (although I don't do everything I want to do):
"I've finally come to the conclusion that what I want to do "when I grow up" will be a constantly evolving idea, and I simply have to evolve with it. That way when it's all said and done, I will have done everything I've ever wanted to do, instead of wasting time and energy focusing on finding that one elusive thing that will never appear."

On hiding your true self to make others happy (I've spent 12 years trying to be what someone else thinks I should be. Trust me, it's much less stressful to be able to be yourself rather than hiding your true nature.):
"Being myself comes much more naturally to me. Isn't that a ridiculous statement? You would think that would be common sense, but it isn't! Look at all of the people in the world either asking someone else to change or trying to change for someone else."

If cursing offends you, you don't want to read this book, but otherwise it's a very interesting, and fairly quick, read.
… (mais)

As an adult with ADHD, I loved reading this book! I could really relate to many of Stacey's experiences, such as switching jobs a lot, being forgetful, and having difficulty with subtle social skills like the expectation that when someone is crying you should hug them. (Spontaneously hugging someone who is neither a child or a pet goes against my nature, so it usually never occurs to me to try and comfort someone that way!)

People who DON'T have ADHD may sometimes be confused while reading this book, because it tends to jump from topic to topic. This is a lot like how my own mind works. I can start out thinking about a particular TV show or a certain memory, and my brain just goes off on a string of somewhat related thoughts, until I am contemplating whether chipmunks eat grapes and I have no idea how I got there.

The style of this book is a lot like someone having a conversation with you, or writing you a letter. By the time you finish, you will feel like Stacey is a personal friend of yours.

So, whether or not you have ADHD, I think you should read this book!… (mais)