Inspired by Why do we think so much? (http://www.addforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=45576)

I am supposed to help people stay on topic but I often find that it is hard to stay on topic myself? Rabbit trails are simply to easy for me to wander down.

Why is it we ADDers find it so hard to stick to a topic for longer then ten post while NTer threads can go on for Centuries and never stray?

What is up with that any way?

i dunno i think for me its cuz the subjet always leads onto something else like how the persons day is and etc.
I dont even realise im going off topic ay

It's an addiction for me to go off topic constantly, when you are hyper it is a good distraction because it also includes a lot of energy so it goes together, it can serve a purpose sometimes, can drain others and steer off nosy people.

two words..bloody impossible..
to stay on topic dat is ay

in a normal converastion, does ANYONE stay on TOPIC?

gee..
"how was maths"
"maths was good"
"good, I am glad you like maths"
yes. I like maths
maths..so do I
what did you do in maths
I did sums
yes I do sums in maths too
do you like maths
Did you learn about PI in maths
yes..Pi was taught in math class..

now..if we were TALKING..
that would be plain rediculous...its
not NATURAL to stay on the original topic

from there it would go

yep..we did PI today..it was cool
wow..what is PI
Pi is an equation to find a theory
cool..did you find it
no..but we talked about long division
cool..did you like it..
no, it was hard, so we talked about problems with our calculator

etc etc..

thats why we go off topic..perfectly NORMAL

or we'd still be talking about maths in 2 years

I dunno, woman. I go OT for several reasons, and my posting pattern while OT will naturally match up to the reason.

Most Obvious ADHD Reason To Go OT is....

Somebody else started a rabbit trail. Some days I will not notice the trail, other days I see it and don't find it interesting. Inevitably, there will come a day when something sort of comes awake inside of me and says:


"LET...ME...OUT...I...MUST...WRITE!" It's a hard state of mind to decribe, but it does come and go for me. When I am in that state of mind?

Any rabbit trail at all might as well have a flashing neon sign on it, reading "COME THIS WAY, CRAZY~FEET!". I try very hard not to have any illusions about myself, and I know perfectly well that I have flaws and weaknesses. I also have strengths and skills that I do not always use. Writing is one of them.

My posting pattern on those days will have a common thread of humor running through it. I will slip a little humor into my on topic posts too, but a good rabbit trail is a gift for me when comedic images are bubbling up and need to be traslated into typewritten words.



Another reason I go OT...

This happens a lot in my section, for obvious reasons, but it might happen anywhere at all on the boards. Wherever I am, I can feel somebody else's pain coming through, loud and clear. I will respond to this person and see what I can do to help them. I offer what help I am able to in the normal fashion, links, info, advice, etc. but you know what?

Sometimes what a person in pain like that really needs is human interaction...what will make them feel better is to just talk to someone.

Heck, I am supposed to be keeping threads on topic too, in my area, and I am not supposed to make it harder on my fellow mods by going OT in their areas. I know that is part of my role here at ADDF. Yet I just cannot bring myself to abruptly withdraw from the thread, just turn my back on somebody like that and walk off whistling. When I am in that situation, and I must make a choice between preserving thread continuity and staying with somebody crying out for the contact I can offer them over the internet?

I just can't do it. I agreed to be a mod, and I try to do my best, but I cannot change who I am on that level. So I stay. I reply to the post that is drifting OT, and if they keep responding, if that OT conversation makes them feel less alone and makes them happier in some way...then I am OT for the duration.



A reason I go OT that not everybody will relate to...and some surely will...


One person alone on ADDF figures into this scenario. I never see this one coming, but I find it nearly impossible to resist. Maybe the planets line up in just the right pattern. Maybe evil garden gnomes are controlling my mind by remote control and laughing about it. Who knows, maybe a rift appears in the space/time continuum.

No matter what the cause is, it happens. Not very often, because the synergy has to be JUST RIGHT...and if it is, somebody please come and save me, because I do feel bad if another mod has to edit due to something I am a party to. It's not all my fault though!

SB_UK and I are about to have one of those moments when we know exactly what we are saying to each other. We have somehow tuned into the same wavelength and never mind that not only does it appear as though the thread topic is not plugged into our wavelength, very few if any of the other posters realize that a wavelength is involved in the first place.

It's awful. Our posts might be going along with the thread, they are just phrased in such a way that we seem incomprehensible and therefore appear to be wildly OT. Ok maybe the posts that do not appear to incomprehensible come a little late and the timing doesn't make sense, but hey...we are perfectionists and perfection takes TIME. ADDers are not very good with time anyway,

Inevitably, somebody will complain and a staff member will have to investigate. For some odd reason, this staff member is usually HighFunctioning. He's excellent with editing and he knows that this wavelength driven madness is not as far from the topic as it appears to be, but we are not exactly helping to advance the thread properly either.

Clip! Done. The wavelength drifts off, back to the place it came from, and the synergy dissolves. We knew it would end this way right from the start.

I cannot explain this any better than I already have. :o

I always stay on topic.
And I am never rude.

Thank you for your attention.


:-)

Yeah me too SB too right, Adders random?? never!

Random ADDers are easy to find. An ADDer who has elevated it to an artform does not just come along every day.

SB_UK and I are about to have one of those moments when we know exactly what we are saying to each other. We have somehow tuned into the same wavelength and never mind that not only does it appear as though the thread topic is not plugged into our wavelength, very few if any of the other posters realize that a wavelength is involved in the first place.

well.....maybe everyone else should bow out of that thread and leave you to your *moment*..

unless the other posters can get on the *same wavelength* and enjoy the moment with you both:faint:

SB_UK and I are about to have one of those moments when we know exactly what we are saying to each other. We have somehow tuned into the same wavelength and never mind that not only does it appear as though the thread topic is not plugged into our wavelength, very few if any of the other posters realize that a wavelength is involved in the first place.



Well some may notice but simply decide not to "intrude". I often notice more than it appears I do I just don't think any thing of it because I understand and am accustom to most regular members patterns especially those who have been here a while and with whom I have interacted.


unless the other posters can get on the *same wavelength* and enjoy the moment with you both

95% of the time I can normally understand the wave length and even see how it relates to the topic. Some times I respond but other times I do not depends upon how the planets line up I guess or maybe it is a mood thing.

Instead of every one blowing out many times people just continue talking about the topic and let them do their thing - like a room full of people will often have several groups discussion different things.



now..if we were TALKING..
that would be plain rediculous...its
not NATURAL to stay on the original topic

Discussion evolution is another fun moderating duh which way did he go moment because you are right conversations do tend to evolve over time. One of the things that has to be looked at before declaring a thread or post off topic. Some of the NTer thread evolve they just don't seem to do so as quickly nor do they "evolve" in soooooo many different directions.




I always stay on topic.
And I am never rude.


The secret being is every thing is connected to every thing else.

For reasons unknown when I read this it reminded me of responses given when one gets pulled over by a cop. The police here often ask

"Do have any illegal drugs or weapons in the vehicle"

I am always thinking

"What is the pre-programed response to this question?

Like has any one ever said "yes"?"

Maybe my brain just connects things that seem off topic - because soo much goes on between post and response that I can not really translate into writing. Like while reading the above quote I see the cop scenario in my head to me they are connected.



It's an addiction for me to go off topic constantly, when you are hyper it is a good distraction because it also includes a lot of energy so it goes together, it can serve a purpose sometimes, can drain others and steer off nosy people

or have ADD moderators scrolling to the top because they forgot what the topic was.


I just can't do it. I agreed to be a mod, and I try to do my best, but I cannot change who I am on that level. So I stay. I reply to the post that is drifting OT, and if they keep responding, if that OT conversation makes them feel less alone and makes them happier in some way...then I am OT for the duration.
I understand this position completely . . . however
I have such a huge problem with staying on topic I acquired the art of tyeing in the OT rant to the topic and have been pretty amazed at how easily one can connected auto repair to dopamine receptors - connecting two unrelated things seem to be a natural talent.

I am not sure if I should be embarrassed about this - but I can be sure I will forget about and move on before deciding one way or the other.

threads like this crak me up..dunno why lol
tracey always cracks me up...
i dont stay on topic, everything to me has something to do with th main topic in some way.

Over time I've developed the tactic of pulling myself back on topic after I wander off. In conversation, it gives the impression that I'm a bit of a scatterbrain, but it works for me.
So instead of following rabbit trails I often sort of zig-zag. :p

Me :D

i'm sorry. What was that? i got distracted by a shiny object.

Ahh the shiny object syndrome - that would be a more accurate name for ADD {IMHO}

I have made a HUGE effort to stay on topics lately..did you notice? LOL
Does anyone notice anything? :-)

I am supposed to help people stay on topic but I often find that it is hard to stay on topic myself?

Real insight is seeing the tangent points and going with them. Keeping topics
on topics I guaranteed leads to fewer users willing to post and fewer active
members on a forum. It leads to a smaller community with less insight.

I don't know. Your zones with more active dopamine stimulated neurons fight over the control of the frontal lobe, maybe? (hahaha that was random).
I can only tell that I can't remain on topic not even when writing a paper. I need to edit it many times to delete all the trash and sometimes even delete half of the essay because it has nothing to do with the subject.