I shake my fist at you, stupid mistakes!

I am not stupid, but I make many stupid mistakes and that's just how it is.

Ever since I was a little kid, I have been plagued by nonsensical errors and omissions. "Well, you would have aced this test, but you kept making these stupid mistakes. Next time, just don't make these stupid mistakes."

Just don't. Just stop. We won't tell you how. Why should we bother? It's obvious that these mistakes are stupid. Why did you think that it was a good idea to forget to carry the two? Why?

Okay, first of all, are there any smart mistakes? Perhaps I should switch to making those, then I would be famous and revered in spite of my errors. Alan Greenspan comes to mind. I'll bet he was never scolded for forgetting to carry the two.

Today, I know that I have some power over the number of stupid mistakes I make, but that power is limited. I have fewer mental glitches when I am well-rested and I can put a quality control routine in place. That requires time. I can also delegate boring, detailed, or repetitive tasks when help is available. Still, I can't always control my work circumstances. Work piles up though a combination of my time management problems and outside factors. I can't always set aside extra time to double check things when I am given a last minute assignment. I can't stop people from asking me questions when I am tired or hungry. And when something seems obvious, it's harder for me to remember to check. Well, even top surgical teams have benefited from check lists. They are great when I remember to read them.

Some ADHD support web site or pamphlet would tell me to embrace my stupid mistakes. They can lead to wonderful discoveries, so long as the discoveries don't result in loss of life or limb. But mostly, they just make me look like a dingbat and lead people to talk to me as if I was an imbecile.