It's one of those moments I've learned to dread. Normally, I enjoy having ADHD. Yeah, really. I can, to a certain extent, control the hyperactivity to certain realms. I fidget, drum my fingers, or if I'm really supposed to "behave," I can wiggle my toes in my shoes or lightly move my legs up and down under the table. It helps me focus on the task at hand.

And, my particular version of ADHD involves flipping between hyperactivity and hyperfocus. So, I can work on a section of CSS/HTML code for hours on end before I get seriously frustrated and have to quit for a while. Normally, that means a couple of hours have passed at least - I thought it was just 10 minutes. During hyperfocus times, I can get a lot of work done.

Sure, there are the fleeting moments when a chicken walks by and completely distracts me - but if I'm in hyperfocus mode, those are very fleeting moments indeed.

Other influences in my life have created in me an intense aversion to being late for ANYTHING. I don't care if it's a doctor's appointment, work, a talk at the library, a party which has an open time span ...

I must be on time. Always. And, fortunately or unfortunately, depending on your views, "on-time" means at least 10-20 minutes earlier than the posted time.

Which means, that for things like job interviews ... I begin obsessing over the time about four hours before the interview.

So, when I'm at T minus four hours, what do I do? Nothing. I'm afraid to read or work on graphics or websites. Why? because I'm terrified I'll hyperfocus on that and lose track of time.

After all, there are these important questions to consider:

At what time should I shower so that I'm most fresh and my hair is dry and style-able?
Interview clothes have such a tendency to attract animal fur. With four cats and two dogs, I sequester the interview clothes in the one hermetically sealed room in the house to only be put on moments before walking out the door.

At what time do I take my decongestants so that my nose is least whistle-y and most clear - and most importantly, not running or all stuffed up?
Normally, I guzzle pop like I have gills and the pop is my oxygen. Prior to interview time, how much coke can I allow myself? I don't want to have to pee constantly (the only nervous reaction I seem to get EVER is having to pee - even when there is just two freaking drops in there ... oh, we're nervous, those two drops MUST come out). But, I also don't want to have such a dry mouth that my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth, either.

A glance at the clock shows 50 minutes before the interview now. It's a 5-10 minute drive there, tops. Another 5 to find a parking spot. Okay. Maybe their clocks are off. Don't want to get there too early. Leave a half hour early. Walk in the door approximately 5-10 minutes early. That should cover it. Okay, that means, I only have 20 minutes to get ready! OMG, is that enough time?

Wait. All I have to do is put the dogs in their kennels and then get dressed in the clothes that were prepped last nite. It's a five minute job.

And now we're down to about the last 15 minutes before it's time for me to leave. Here's where I always foul up. I get panicky. I don't want to be late. Surely, surely, this time I will NEED 15 full minutes to get dressed and ready to walk out the door. It will take me at least that long, right?

sigh

I'm going to be at least half an hour early. Again. I can just feel it.

UPDATE:
I was 25 minutes early. Including the three or four times I had to drive around the block before I could finally see the street number on the building. sigh

Oh, and they wanted a copy writer, not a designer. Figures.