Wave, Current, Cascade 2.0 beta

The Basics

What does “P.J.” stand for?

It stands for the name I prefer to be referred to as, namely, “P.J.” Next question?

No, really. What does it stand for?

If you insist, P is for Paula, J is either Jean or Jacobsen. Please see above.

When’s your birthday?

February 19.

So, that makes you an Aquarius, then?

No, Pisces actually, one full degree in. Funny about those cusp dates. They can be one sign one year, another sign the next. Not that it matters anyway.

So how old are you?

I’m [cough-cough-cough]. Next?

Where are you from?

Short answer: The U.S.

Long answer: Upstate New York, Kansas, South Dakota, Montana, Texas and Oregon. For some reason not entirely clear to me, the state of Tennessee wants to adopt me, too.

Marital status and children?

Married for [cough]teen years. Matt’s an absolute sweetie. No children.

Why don’t you have any children?

Didn’t your mama teach you anything about asking rude questions?

Education

Tell us a little about yourself as a student.

I’m now in my third year of grad school, working on a Ph.D. in English (New Media) at UCLA, where I also received my B.A. in English. I’m also formerly of Pasadena City College, majoring in English.

Huh, English. So, are you going to be a teacher?

Is that not the most knee-jerk follow-up question to “I’m an English major”?

Well, maybe. If I do, it will at be at the post-secondary level. OTOH if I don’t get my master’s degree, I may take up sheepherding in the Andes. The Jacobsen family tradition, only with a Peruvian accent and those cool reed pipes.

Oh, and I like writing too. Because, just like any creative, intelligent person with the ego to match, I’d rather write the novel that generates a thousand critical questions than the critical essay that answers every last one of them.

Why UCLA?

1) It’s within commuting distance of Pasadena.

2) It’s got a kickass English program.

3) There is some interest in New Media around here. The literary implications of New Media fascinate me, and even though the book isn’t going away anytime soon, I see great confluence between computers and books and I think it’s a great vantage point to watch the action (given the two reasons above).

The AD/HD Thing

Is it true you have AD/HD?

I was diagnosed at PCC’s Psychological Services in December 2001 with AD/HD. I got some classroom accommodations at PCC, and I’ve been receiving services through the Office for Students with Disabilities at UCLA since I arrived as an undergrad.

What is AD/HD, anyway?

From the organization Children and Adults With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD):

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder — A medical condition which includes ADD (Inattentive type-sometimes referred to as Attention-Deficit Disorder), AD/HD-impulsive type and AD/HD-Combined Type.

They follow this up with a reference to the DSM-IV, which inlcudes a very specific, thorough diagnostic standard for the condition.

The way I tend to describe it is, most people have a mechanism in their brains which enables them to pick out of their (internal and external) environment the things that are important and act on them accordingly. People like myself with AD/HD don’t have that mechanism, also known as “executive function.” In my case, it leads to an inability to prioritize, organize, or stay on task with something that can’t hold my attention.

I also find it important to emphasize that everybody has this happen sometimes; it’s about the degree to which it happens, and whether it creates significant problems in everyday life, which in my case, it does!

I don’t understand. You can’t have anything wrong with you. You’re so smart.

AD/HD and intelligence aren’t related – it’s about a different brain function altogether.

I liken this to saying to a blind person: “I don’t get it. I mean, maybe you run into things sometimes, but you can’t be blind. After all, you hear so well.”

As a last resort, I expect people to blame it on my being a Pisces.