I was always a grade 'A' student, depsite changing schools every month (LITERALLY).  Though I was great at math, I could never make 100% on a test.  91 to 98%, but rarely 100%.  I could never figure out why.  Since I moved so much, nobody ever took the time to figure it out.

     One day, while I was in the USMC, I was given a position where I had to read the serial numbers off of radio equipment, write them down on a work order as well as in a log book.  I then had to match the work order number to the serial number in the log book, and put both of those numbers into a database.

     Before I knew it, I had a GySgt yelling at me.  He showed me my mistakes, but I could not beleive it.  I mean, it was my handwritting, but I sure did not understand how this could happen.  I told a friend of mine as we went to chow.  He asked to see my work; so when we got back he pointed the errors out.  4123 might have been written 3214 or 4132 or 1432 or 1423 depending on how my mind broke the digit down at the time.  I was dyslexic, and it was quite obvious.  No learning disorder, just simply dyslexic.

     After having that pointed out to me, I could control most of it.  I went home on leave, and found some of my old math tests.  Yep, in EVERY INSTANCE, I did the work correctly, but I transposed a set of numbers somewhere. 

     The worst case I ever had was looking at a database print-out.  I saw two unique numbers LVE23 but they were the same number.  I looked at it and looked at it.  I even wrote each one down individually.  Finally, I asked a junior Marine what was wrong with that report.  He said nothing.  I pointed to the entries and asked him to read each one. LVE23 and LVE32.  As soon as he read 32, those numbers LITERALLY lifted off of the page about half way up and crossed over.  I got the worst headache I had ever had.  I looked at my Officer in Charge and said, "I'm going home Sir".  His reply was simply, "Ok."  I guess I must have looked pretty ill for him to not question it, or require me to put in paperwork.

     Dyslexia is worse when you are tired, drunk, or hungry.  Mental retardation does not change.  One does not get "more dumb" with being tired.  Stupid, yes, but not dumb.  There is a major difference.  Dyslexia is simply the mind crossing the image of what you see, incorrectly.  Most people have some degree of dyslexia.  It does NOT have to do with one's inability to learn.  SO, at the risk of angering the owner of my soul, I wanted to set that record straight.  Yes, if you know you are dyslexic, you do have to watch for things, espeically when you're tired; but it does NOT mean that you are any less smart than anybody else.  I would be willing to compare IQ scores with anybody anytime.  I would not be embarrassed.  Im not the smartest person on earth, but I am well above average, and there's nothing wrong with that.

     But... I guess I'm not smart enough to resist posting this....LOL.