Diagnosis: Sensory Addiction

My whole life I've had those moments where I realize that things I'm studying and things I'm interested in bring about realizations of an entirely unexpected nature. I chose to do my research on ADHD because of my want to learn more about ways to better the lives of young children who are mistakenly diagnosed and put on drugs at a young age. This week...one of the texts I've been reading brought about great information for my dissertation...and an unexpected realization about myself. What is it you ask?

"Hi...my name is Heather...and I have a sensory addiction."

It's not as severe as it may sound. Frankly...everyone has a sensory addiction as a result of the speeding up of our culture. On a daily basis I use my computer...am bombarded by ads and billboards around town....I listen to my ipod. There are very few moments in my life where absolutely nothing is going on. We are used to immediate gratification...where we are used to being passively stimulated rather than actively engaged. I am one of the millions guilty of using the "I don't have time" as an excuse despite the fact that new technology is meant to help us save time. Instead...we don't know what to do with extra time...and so we fill it with TV, movies, music, food...the list goes on. With regard to ADHD...this is one of the explanations for explaining a child's behavior in the classroom. They're used to being constantly stimulated so in a classroom where things move slower...they have to get up and act out to keep the stimulation level high. Makes sense. Turns out...I have the same problem. Today...there I was sitting in a beautiful serene park...attempting to read..and realizing that every couple of minutes I had to move my legs...look up at passers by...check the time on my cell phone...re-read a paragraph because I'd been daydreaming or thinking about the rest of my evening. All in all...really stupid things. But I've apparently gotten so used to constantly doing something...that when it comes to sitting down to focus...I find it to be one of the most difficult things to do. The most devastating part is the recognition that by constantly seeking stimulation...we have a tendency to overlook and be insensitive to the richness of the simple, mundane life around us.

They say the first step is admitting addiction. Step 2...an attempt at deliberate living and a slowing down of my life. I don't ever want to over-do, over-think, over-thing my life to the point at which I can't enjoy a silent moment to myself. Just goes to show that even the things you do deliberately will never turn out as you expect. I didn't know when I began my research that I'd be learning as much to help young children as to help myself. It's a late realization about why I feel I've been guided to do this research and also to be in London...a place full of stimulation, but where, amazingly I've been able to simplify my life and come into greater connection with myself. It's why I can't leave yet...there's still too much to do :)

[Side note...10 minutes later...I realize that I'm so into needing to find things to do that I've spent the last 10 minutes searching for a picture to go with this blog cause...well...who doesn't love a blog AND a picture?!? That is until I realized I was trying to overstimulate the readers of my blog! Ooops! Realized...and therefore...no picture]

Jumping Back to June

I know June is LONG gone...but I forgot to blog one of the funnest days I had with my American Girls. It was just days before Lynn left to head home to the states and was our outing to relax and just spend time together. It was soooo much fun! We went to the Thermae Bath Spa and swam in a heated rooftop pool in the rain, got all sauna'd aroma steam rooms and acted like 5 year olds (I may have started that) in the Minerva hot bath which had a fun current meant to, I assume, circulate the water, but when floating on noodles, it made a super rad lazy river ride! Had us giggling for long time!! After that we had a wonderful meal at a pub with a not so appetizing name (The Slug and Lettuce) - but name aside...fantastic food. All in all...it was a much needed respite with 3 of my favorite girlfriends. Lucky for me Molly and Rebecca are staying in London too (Yay!) and Lynn is with us in spirit and via Skype. Here are some of the pics from our day out.


Lynn and Rebecca on the Train


Me and Molly being hammy on the train


Bath's a little place full of character


Pretty pretty


Bridge look familiar? It was modeled after the Ponte Vecchio in Florence, Italy


The girls peeking over at the bridge


The river Avon


Bath Cathedral


Old pump room for the old Roman baths


Creepy guy sitting on top of a trashcan. By far one of the best human statues (and heart attack inducers) I've seen in the UK.


Jacob's Ladder on the outside of the cathedral


Cathedral from afar


From the train platform

Park Wanderings

Here are some more of my totally random pictures from afternoons spent wandering through Hyde Park and Kensington park.

I must note for all you people out there that think London is gray and dreary, we get some of the most beautiful blue skies with huge white puffy clouds. Sometimes it looks like a painting in the sky. Just a little known fact about London.


Baby geese...sooo cute!


Aww...feathered family


Wonder if the owner knows its gone


Sitting next to the water


Pretty little flowers


This view took my breath away...the picture doesn't do the sky justice. In the background...Kensington palace.


Statue is called Power and Courage


A section of the Serpentine I'd been by before but never truly noticed.

London Unplugged

Yesterday I went out to dinner with my friend Alison on the SouthBank near Tower Bridge. As we were leaving the restaurant we saw a couple of big guitars sitting out. Turns out...it was a huge art installation of 7 ft tall Gibson guitars that had all been painted by artists and signed by different musicians. I got camera happy so here they all are!!

Actually...before we get to the guitars...on our walk which is also part of my regular run, there is this rad looking head sculpture thing I'd always wanted to get a picture of, but...well..I don't run with my camera. So here that is first...


Here's the head...


The quote on the bottom of the head reads: "Though human genius in its various inventions with various instruments may answer the same end, it will never find an invention more beautiful or more simple or direct than nature, because in her inventions, nothing is lacking and nothing superfluous." - Leonardo Da Vinci


Picture of a building I run by that's right on the water and where my imaginary flat is.


Not the fanciest of the guitars...but you can see Tower Bridge so it's the most photogenic.


See...all lined up and they're HUGE!


Pretty abstract one


And the Crowd Goes Wild! (Aptly named)


He he...butt.


Pretty


Creepy


Beware the Fire Monkey


See...Gibsons!


This one plays itself


They call him the Guitar Man


Can you feel the love?


The Golden Oldie


Animal print is in


This one is signed by Ozzy Osborne...looks like him peeking over the skull.


Evidently the girl wears it well. I don't get it...but it's signed by Rod Stewart.

Grounded

One of my favorite things to do at Greenwich is lay on the grass and watch the clouds. After the hustle and bustle of the Tour de France, that's exactly what I did. Here was my view.


Uh..not actually in the clouds. These were funny giraffe things at the park...I must have missed a parade or something.

Faster than the speed of my camera...

This morning I woke up and wandered to Greenwich to watch the Tour de France! I was so excited to finally see something the whole world knows about and watches on TV...only...I had the opportunity to see it in person. When you see it on TV it seems like there's a never ending line of cyclists and you could spend all afternoon sitting there and watching. Really...those cyclists are stinkin' fast and they're there and gone in a flash. Literally! Below are some of the pictures I was able to get. Short or not...it was still really cool to say I saw the Tour de France on its way out of Central London and back to France. Rad!

Sidenote...I guess it's a good thing they block off all the roads used for the tour de france, because the french cars kept driving on the wrong...(that's the right) side of the street here. Made me giggle.


Someone on the sidelines with British Pride.


There's the mob on approach...can you see em?


I nearly got run over...whoops!


That guy looks too relaxed considering he's doing the Tour de France


Frankly...there are more cars in the Tour de France than cycles. These ones carry all the extra cycles.