On ADHD, and the World

Well, it looks like another MONTH went by since my last post.

It should come as no surprise, given that it took me three hours this morning to sit down and open a new word document for this post. 

Yes, three hours. During which I:

1. Sat down for a cappuccino at the newly opened Eataly near the library (verdict: disappointing. Not half as good as the San Ambroeus cappuccino, which remains my platonic ideal of a cappuccino).

   
   

2. Sat down in the Society Library’s member room, which means I didn’t have it in me to go up to the normal reading room where I can sit at a proper table. So what always happens, happened: the time for deep reflexion in the plush armchair by the fireplace, became a time for deep scrolling on my phone, between bouts of impulse-buying of some winter essentials for the kids – and my son’s graduation gown! – and doom-scrolling on various social media platforms in fits of indignation and rage over the events of the past 48 hours – and week – in the United States.

3. Sat down in a different armchair where I could use my computer and finally started writing these lines, but only after I replied to my daughter’s pediatrician’s urgent message.

   
   

   The other day my yoga teacher was wondering if her distraction comes from undiagnosed ADHD, or just from the modern world. 

The other day my yoga teacher was wondering if her distraction comes from undiagnosed ADHD, or just from the modern world. 

I am sitting in the same place of wonderment. 

Have symptoms of an invisible brain deficiency come to the fore, and become worse with age? Or is the world spinning ever more out of control?

The news cycle certainly hasn’t helped. We are reaching levels of hubris and brutality that I am finding hard to process.

Meanwhile, my oldest child spent his Christmas break writing endless essays for absurdly demanding college applications. He filmed videos too. 

There was always one more thing that needed to be done, one more display of excellence - if not utter genius - to be made, one more piece of evidence of his impeccable character to provide. 

As the whole family huddled at home to bring support and sustenance – I had to say goodbye to both our vacation plans and my dream of going on a cooking strike the week after Christmas, - I was left wondering where on earth such exceptional individuals are to be found.

Definitely not in the United States, it turns out.

Don’t get me wrong, I know there are exceptional people in the United States, as there are everywhere in the world. People of remarkable intelligence and undisputed moral character. I’m sure many are to be found on those college campuses, be it among professors of students. Heck, if all students put so much effort and soul-searching into their college applications as my son had to, they must be a remarkable group.

Still, it is hard to make sense of all that is required of teenagers and young adults in this country, when we watch what is going on around us. 

Where are the remarkable people in our government right now? And I’m not just talking about the mad king in charge, and his spineless minions – yes, sorry, this is a more political post than usual, because the anger is that strong. I am also talking about those whose job it is to mount an opposition, and whose voices have gone silent. 

I used to be so full of admiration for the courage and strength of Americans, the can-do attitude that I thought was missing sometimes in my home country. 

I now see so much apathy and cowardice, with a healthy dose of hypocrisy. 

A country spinning out of control while our youth hangs on to the dream of exceptionalism, of breaking into the rarefied world of elite colleges that demand the impossible and promise a future that feels less guaranteed than ever. 

Meanwhile parents are supposed to bankroll the dream without being sure they believe in it anymore – at least, I know don’t. For someone who grew up in Europe and benefitted from an elite education at no cost, the bill was always going to be hard to swallow. But these days the expense seems downright absurd. 

So, yes, distracting, upsetting news. And a busy, anxious household as we wonder where our son will be off to in the Fall.

I probably should look no further when trying to understand why it feels particularly hard to sit down and write these lines.

At least, there is always cooking. After the post-Christmas burn out and overall domestic lassitude this Fall, I find that a good meal has become comforting again. 

Last night I made this lamb tajine, and it was glorious. 

I’m never a fan of searing meat in batches for what seems like hours and ending up with a smoky, smelly kitchen with scent hanging on for days. 

But sometimes the trouble is worth it, and for a few precious minutes a family can gather and not yell at each other too much. A stressed teenager can sit down and tease his brothers and just be himself. No need to strive or impress anyone. No need to be a profoundly moral genius when our elites are going to seed.

Julie Andrieu’s Lamb Tajine

Ingredients

• 2 kg boneless lamb shoulder, cut into pieces (ask the butcher to keep the bones aside)

  
  

• 400 ml/ about 2 cups chicken stock

  
  

• 2 onions

  
  

• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

  
  

• 1 cinnamon stick

  
  

• 1 tablespoon fresh grated or ground ginger

  
  

• A generous pinch of saffron threads (or 2 sachets of saffron powder)

  
  

• 5 tablespoons olive oil

  
  

• 1 tablespoon sunflower oil

  
  

• 50 g pine nuts

  
  

• 40 g whole almonds

  
  

• 2 dried apricots

  
  

• 80 g raisins

  
  

• 3 to 4 teaspoons salt

  
  

• Pepper

Instructions

1. Place the meat in a large bowl, drizzle with 3 tablespoons of olive oil, add the ground cinnamon, ginger, and pepper, and mix. Let it marinate while you prepare the rest (overnight is even better).

   
   

2. Preheat oven to 150°C (300°F).

   
   

3. Peel and chop the two onions. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large dutch oven pan and brown the meat on all sides. Add the onion and let it soften for a few minutes.

   
   

4. Pour in the hot stock, add the bones, the cinnamon stick, salt and pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover, then place in the oven. Cook for 1 hour. Add the dried fruits and continue cooking for another 30 minutes.       I personally left the meat in the large All Clad deep skillet I use for just about everything and it turned out great.

   
   

5. Before serving, toast the almonds and pine nuts in a pan with 1 tablespoon of sunflower oil. Scatter them over the tagine and garnish with coriander. Serve with couscous or bulgur.