The Treadmill, LJ Idol, and Life - Yadda, Yadda LOL

DH was insistent that I show him how to operate the treadmill yesterday, so I did. He refuses to clean more than the hand rails, which he complains he doesn't like. He wants a towel on each side and I nixed that immediately - he has the left side. but I get the right side. He "just wants to run" and doesn't care about any of the other stuff. He wants a treadmill bed that has more give to it (the only reason the old one had more give is because it was VERY old), etc, etc. Yadda, yadda. I'm resigned to cleaning the treadmill carefully after my uses and will hope I can keep things clean enough for my purposes. If not, I might be able to lock him out. (It's tempting - LOL). 

I'm not sure I could lock DH out of the treadmill, 
but if he abuses my equipment, I'm sure going to 
look into it. I can always text my rep, she's a lot 
of fun and knows her stuff. We hit it off really 
well and have chatted several times since I 
bought the equipment. 

Today I took a 30 minute fast-walk through New Zealand's South Island. So beautiful! I didn't super push things, my thigh is still twinging a bit after last week's pull/tear, but I did a decent distance, 30+ minutes on the tread, and I'm sure that Friday, after three days in the pool, I'll be totally ready to get back to a sturdy 45-60 minute schedule. I love the Virtual Reality hikes on the treadmill. I like scenery to look at, while I'm hooked into my favorite heavy metal rock station on my phone with my ear buds. It's just me ... one more example of how differently DH and I use the same equipment. 

Today I was hiking through the South Island of New 
Zealand. Such gorgeous and stunning scenery, with 
wonderful mountains, lots of greenery, and some 
challenging terrain. I'd love to do some of these 
hikes in person. Wouldn't that be fun? 

I'm turning around the latest writing challenge prompt in my head, not really sure of the direction I want to try. It's due Thursday night, so I don't have a lot of time to spend on it. But ... I might pull in from some older sources, put it squarely into the fantasy realm. and see what happens - whether the words flow or not. If the words don't flow, it won't be a successful write. If they do, they'll ring clearly like a bell. The fact that I've made it this far astonishes me and makes me very happy. I've never won a challenge, but I'm solidly in the pack. Of course, that pack is growing smaller and smaller - LOL. 

I'm rolling the latest prompt through my head. There are 
pathways I could take, but I don't have a lot of time to 
spare, and can't afford too many start-overs before I submit 
a final on Thursday. So far, every thought I've pursued has 
been a dead end. Hopefully I can came up with something 
worthwhile over the next 48 hours or so. 

So, I hope all of you have a wonderful Monday. If you wanted to vote early, today is your last chance. Otherwise, you can join DH and a lot of other people who want to vote in person on Voting Day. Me, I'm delighted that I've already done all of this and can stay nice and warm. I'm very disappointed that it's such a contentious election, but given the candidates - it's not really a surprise. I just hope we make it through the next four years without any catastrophes, depending on who actually wins the election this time (and whether or not the Capital and House of Representatives are assailed one more time). Have a good, quiet Monday before we enter "no man's land" over the next few days. Slava Ukraini. 

Heading Into the Big, Brave New World - Peace and Quiet

Yesterday was a minimal day - I started the day out with my one-day checkup at the eye doctor (I'm currently seeing 20/30 which he says is pretty good, so I'm happy with that). I know my eye will heal in the usual amount of time that any bodily injury heals - 6-8 weeks for total healing for most people. I decided to grab an older set of eyeglasses for the day, instead of my current set. I might pack both old and new in my backpack since I have the ability to carry both with my laptop. 

Seeing 20/30 is a big improvement for my vision, and 
I'm already looking forward to my next surgery on 
the 24th. After all of this, I should have perfect vision 
for a while. Of course, my eyes are old, so that perfect 
vision won't stick around for long. But I'll enjoy it 
while I have it. 

I went to Target and to the grocery store, picked up a TON of veggies, and came home to make a BUNCH of Ogre Juice (Alkagizer). I have four glasses in the fridge for the next four days of work, and four containers in the freezer for the other days. I want to increase my intake of Alkagizers from four a week to 6-7 a week to help my healing. The nutrition I get from my Ogre Juice is massive, so I wanted to build that nutrition to help my body heal before my next eye surgery on the 24th. 

I actually did end up buying some fresh broccoli to 
add to my Ogre Juice in these eight glasses. Of course, 
I'm always changing from one to another thing anyway. 
I don't think I've made the recipe the same way twice 
in more than two years. This time I also added some 
baby cucumbers that the store had on sale. They were SO 
cute! Not even a full finger length long. 

I have to agree with everyone who told me, "If you have to get surgery, get cataract surgery. No pain, quick results, all good." I'm agreeing, 100% with everyone who said that to me. I'm getting slight flashes of light or color on the edges of my eye, but those will also go away. Unfortunately, I didn't get the "psychedelic" experience with the anesthetic that some patients report. Oh well, LOL. 

I always wanted to experience a psychedelic vision when 
I was young, and still want to. But my body simply isn't 
wired to that, and I've never had one - even in circumstances 
where other people report them. *sigh* I'm too planted 
in reality, I guess.  

I allowed myself to sleep in until 4:00 am instead of my usual 3:15 am, and I'm regretting it right now. I had a lovely sleep, and an excellent meditation round, but shortly after my shower, while heating my water for my morning tea, DH awakened and he's in the computer room right now, the TV is on the financial channel (loudly) and he's in the middle of a sneezing attack. I love peace and quiet in my mornings. There's no peace and quiet once DH has awakened. *sigh* 

I'm all in favor of peace and quiet. It's something I 
don't get often, although I try to get some every 
morning in my morning meditation time. Sometimes 
that's the only peace and quiet I get during the day. 

So, on that note, I'm wrapping this up. I'll be at the shop today, so trial by fire for my new eye. I'm wearing my favorite set of older eyeglasses since it's weaker than what I've been wearing. This is the set that I'll get re-lensed when my eyes finally settle down. If I'm actually seeing really well - 20/20 or so - I'll just get them redone without a prescription, but with clear lenses or photo-sensitive lenses. I like wearing glasses - they're face jewelry and I'm all into that. My eyes without glasses aren't attractive, so I love wearing them - just at the correct prescription. So ... I'm out of here. I'll try to catch up with the past two days of your posts and comment by the end of Saturday. It'll take me a bit of time, but it's so worth it to find out what all of you, my on-line friends, have been up to lately. Slava Ukraini. 

Headphones, Boosters, Healing and Fairy Godmothers - I'm All Over the Place Today

DH had decided he wanted some bone induction headphone for his tablet, similar to what I use. I use the underwater ones because I wear mine in the swimming pool as well as on the treadmill, but he just needed a more standard set. So I purchased a non-submersible version of AfterShokz which arrived at the store on Wednesday. I got it unpacked yesterday and charged it for him this morning. He's set to go as soon as he pairs it up with his phone and tablet. I have a feeling he'll love it as much as Chickie, ChickieMama and the rest of us love our own AfterShokz headsets. 

The AfterShokz Aeropex is quite different than 
the underwater version I have. The buttons are 
much easier and the charging cable is totally 
different - also much easier. Still, I love mine and 
use it every day. I suspect DH will get a lot of 
use from his as well. 

I have to build my schedule around my Covid booster shot this morning. I've got an 11:00 am appointment. I'm not 100% sure why I chose that time - possibly because I wanted to be finished with the grocery shopping and have everything home and in the refrigerator before heading over to the pharmacy. It's not a huge deal, and I probably could still make an earlier appointment, but I'll keep my schedule - go early to the store and then back to the pharmacy. It's tempting to take a brisk walk over to the pharmacy. It'll be sunny but not too hot. I'll think about it. It's only a mile away, so no real issue walking there and back home again. 

Last time I got the Moderna booster, and I'm getting 
a Moderna booster again this time. Hopefully I won't 
have any reaction to it because I still have a lot of 
things I need to get done this afternoon. 

After I'm finally finished with my outside errands, I'll get my next batch of "Ogre Juice" made. I have three portions left, but those are for Saturday, Monday and Tuesday. I could make my next batch on Wednesday, but I prefer to be ahead of things on this one, not backed into an "I must make this today because I need it tomorrow" corner. 

I've been called "unconventional" by many people throughout 
my life, but I'm not sure I want to go autobiographical 
in this tale. I try to stay with fiction as much as possible - 
my private life is kept semi-private. Still, I certainly fit 
the basic definition of the word. 

I'm still whirling away with my story for "Unconventional". I've come up with a lot of very boring things - I'm not fond of boring. I'll continue to think about it, but I really want to get something posted and move on from there. It doesn't make much sense to be a part of this awesome group if I don't push myself a bit. 

Please keep sending those healing thoughts in 
Keiliss' direction. They're doing real good, 
and hopefully will continue to help her heal to 
return home to her family once again. 

And for those of you thinking lots of positive thoughts for my friend Keiliss, she's out of ICU and into the general care ward now, but still has a lot of healing ahead of her. Please keep those positive healing thoughts coming for her - healing thoughts like that can only help and she (and others in hospital) need all of the positive help we can give to them. Thanks to all of you for your thoughts and prayers *hugs*. 

There is some truth to this. Cinderella annoyed me in 
many ways.  (Actually, most of the "fairy tales" of
my youth were quite annoying). 

So, I'm out of here. A busy "day off" as usual - LOL. Since I have Sharon's flight schedule in hand, I suppose I should spend much of my afternoon on a preliminary housecleaning. That's ideal, of course, and probably won't happen since I'll be making Ogre Juice, but a girl can dream. Where's a Fairy Godmother when you need one? LOL Have an excellent Friday and I'll be back tomorrow. Slava Ukraini. 

A Post of "Owie" - Mine and Others

 I have one "owie" on my head that is just not healing. It's not part of the tattoo, it's a part of "klutz me" instead. I have this habit of forgetting I have a cabinet or cutting board or desk top over my head after I'm picking something up from the floor or mopping up a mess. I rise up, and I immediately hit my head against a hard surface. I do it frequently. This particular wound, however, is just not healing well. Today I finally broke down and slapped some iodine onto it. So many healing topical creams can't be used above neck height, by iodine is a go-to for me. We'll see if it manages to work long enough to allow healing to commence. 

My personal area of klutz is items above my 
head - shelves, pull-out cutting boards, desks, 
etc. I never fail to hit my head while trying 
to stand upright once again. 

I got super sunburned on the back of my neck and upper back at Ren Faire on Sunday. After a while of watching the Highland Games, I grabbed my new scarf and nestled under it, with fairly good success, but until then, my upper back had gotten too much sun. It's not painful, and just a little warm now (two days later), but it is a reminder of how stupid I can be. I might have been putting on sunscreen over my head and face (several times, in fact), but my upper back never occurred to me. Stupid, really, but lesson learned. 

My head and face survived the sun very well. I did use my 
parasol for a good part of the day, but I also was diligent 
about putting on my 110 Broad Spectrum Sun Screen lotion. 
Unfortunately, I didn't think about the back of my neck and 
upper back. I'll know better this coming weekend. 

Yesterday, my final customer of the day, "Scottie", was a really interesting dude who's getting into beading. He's missing his left eye and left leg below the knee, but he's teaching himself beading and making some really nice stuff. I gave him a lot of tips and tricks, and hope he'll do well on his next project. He was fun to work with, very into his new craft, and I think he lives in the neighborhood. I hope we'll be able to help him make some outstanding stuff in future. 

Although I noticed Scottie's eye, I didn't 
notice his leg until he popped back into the 
shop with one more question. Guess I'm 
just not very observant, but it certainly 
didn't seem to be slowing him down in 
any way. 

Today is going to be a very busy day, so I'm going to wrap this up and get going. I hope you have a wonderful and safe day, that your projects and interactions go smoothly, and that you continue to be kind and stay safe. I'll be back tomorrow. 

A Funeral and a Celebration of Life with a Little Healing Thrown In

I checked my schedule and the funeral for Prince Phillip begins at 8:30 am local time. I'll make sure I have a TV on at work to listen/watch. I've watched most of the major events happening in Britain over the past decades - the weddings and the funerals. I can't imagine not watching this as well, although it certainly will be different given Covid restrictions. I wonder if the crowds will come out, despite the risks of contagion. I suspect they will be there, good idea or not. 

It's a bit appalling how those paying their respects in this 
photo are almost all white males in dark suits without a 
mask in sight. They rather look like a mass of penguins 
returning to their nesting area. 

The first thing on my agenda yesterday was a quick trip to Mississippi Market Co-op for veggies and miscellaneous. I had no idea what the miscellaneous would be, but knew I wanted to stock up on veggies for my veggie smoothies. I ended up scoring the mother lode! I not only found my Coconut Butter on the shelves there, but also the Fenugreek Seeds spice I had been unable to find at any other outlet. I also found a pure roiboos tea without fillers or added "Natural" flavors. I immediately made myself a lovely cup of tea when I returned home. 

Roiboos tea is from the South African roiboos bush. The 
leaves are harvested for the tea, which has a slightly 
earthy flavor with an underlying sweetness. I've loved 
Roiboos tea for years, but finding some that doesn't have 
any additional additives has been hard. Finally I 
succeeded at my co-op. 

Fridays are Zoom check-in days for my WildFit food program and it's always wonderful to see so many people who have become friends on-line. We're all stumbling through this together, and each of us have our own problems either with the program, or because of it. Our Coach, Monica, recommended I change my eating patterns slightly, adding in one more category of food for my evening meal, so I made sure to start that last night by adding Butternut squash to my dinner plate. It was quite good, so no objections from me - LOL. 

Dinner emphasized variety - we're really supposed 
to push for variety in veggies to help our bodies 
and keep from getting bored. Here I had a small 
tuna steak with sauteed mushrooms, fresh green 
beans, roasted Brussels sprouts and roasted 
Butternut squash with a small side salad. It 
was very tasty. 

I start a new class on Monday - a class in Energy Healing from Donna Eden, a world-renowned energy healer. It's a fascinating course, one I'm really looking forward to knowing more about. I know that I don't see energy fields, but that doesn't mean I can't have effective healing or that I can't do things that might be effective for others. At any rate, I'll understand much more about the way the body can heal after I'm finished with the course. I know it's a little "woo-woo" for some people, but I think it can be an effective course of treatment in many cases. It will intersect with WildFit for several weeks, but there's nothing I can do about that. My main focus is WildFit, anything else will have to be secondary. 

I'm not fond of taking two classes at the same time, and 
my WildFit program goes through most of May, but I 
couldn't turn down the chance to work on Energy Healing 
from one of the leaders in the field. I'm looking forward 
to this class, which is actually given in an 8-week format 
of download on Monday and take the week to look through 
the class materials and work through any exercises. 
At the very least I'll learn much more about meridians, 
chakras and polarities. 

On that note, I'd better get moving. I want to have breakfast before I head out and I can't be late for the funeral. (Oh good grief...I'm so ridiculous. Despite the fact that the dead won't give a darn if I'm watching or not, I still want to watch.) Have an excellent weekend and please continue to be kind, stay safe and wear your mask. I'll be back on Monday. 

A WildFit Success and Thoughts for the Weekend

I had a lot of fun interacting and listening to fellow members of my WildFit "Tribe" on yesterday's zoom interactive call. We had a lot of new faces in the group, and a lot of older "friends" from the program, people who are usually there for the weekly call. I got the support I needed for this weekend's challenges, and gave others positive reinforcement for their own goals and issues. 

I didn't join WildFit because of health issues, but many of 
our group did. To have it work so splendidly for so many 
of our group is outstanding. To hear Harpreet's story of 
success was massively uplifting. 

One wonderful thing ... WildFit is known for its success with Diabetes 2 patients. One of our group came on and told us her blood sugars had been normal the previous day, so she stayed off her medications for the day thinking to see if it was a fluke. On Friday, her blood sugar levels were in the "normal" range once again, and she hadn't taken the daily dose of medication she has had to take for the past 15 years. She ascribes this to the food program we're on, and she was almost in tears as she shared her success with the Tribe. I admit I got a tear in my eye as she was explaining her results and how much this meant to her. What a triumph! 

Diabetes has been growing massively over the past 50 
years. It's expected to jump an additional 55% in less 
than 20 years. Diabetes 2 is curable. But rarely is. 

I know the program is working with several different physicians and institutes for this very thing - Diabetes 2 is epidemic in our society, and if we can get levels back down and healthy people through the food plan, it's a total win/win for everyone. I know I'm feeling fantastic, I'm down almost ten pounds now, and I have energy. I'm working on my cooking ... I'm still learning flavors and which things go well together. Sunday will be a challenge - a set of ribs in the slow cooker with Bar-B-Que sauce for DH, a second batch of ribs in the oven with a dry rub for me. I need to figure out my marinades today, and I'll have to clear out some refrigerator room so the ribs can marinate overnight. 

I actually have two of these old crock pots, I use them in my 
studio for chemicals that need to be used heated, such as 
pickle for my sterling silver work. The one I use in my 
kitchen is slightly newer than this - the lid is plastic instead 
of the glass of the older version that always broke when 
you didn't want it to. 

DH says he's just crabby about everything, and he doesn't want to be crabby, which makes him even crabbier. He says that nothing brings him joy anymore. (I'm not sure if anything ever DID bring him joy ... but who am I to judge?) I told him if he concentrated on not being crabby, perhaps he would find something to bring him joy. It's like talking to a brick wall. I know this can sometimes be the prelude to something much more dangerous - Alzheimer and other medical conditions. I'm really hoping this is temporary and that nicer weather and an easing of Covid restrictions will let him have some fun again. But who knows. 

Here's a Bouncing Spring Chicken for all of you - a 
little smile to start off your day. Enjoy your weekend! 

On that note, I'm out of here. Have an absolutely fantastic Saturday and I'll be back on Monday. Remember to be kind, stay safe and please wear your mask. *Hugs* to everyone. 

Update, Medicines and a Look Towards Tonight

I finally made it to the Urgent Care Clinic yesterday morning and was the first person checked in when they opened at 8:00 am. Of course I would have rather seen my primary care physician, but she's a really popular doctor and is scheduled out for months. I was determined to get some help for what I felt was a bladder infection that was only going to get worse without some antibiotics. 

Allina Health Urgent Care takes the southern end of their very
large Bandana Square clinic, close to the lab testing department.
It's a comfortable space, geared to get people in to be cared for
as fast as possible and still provide a high level of care. 

Things actually went quite smoothly. After an hour, I had a prescription sent to my pharmacy for pick-up later in the day and was on my way home. I picked up the prescription late in the morning and after picking up the week's groceries, headed home to take my first pill. I grabbed a nap because I was exhausted and cold, then had a nice chat with Aearwen, made dinner, and took my night pill after my meal. 

I had a very nice MD, but it was a bit unusual for me, I
usually see female doctors. Still, he was very kind
and as soon as my labs were analyzed, got my prescription
going and I was on my way. 

I could tell the difference when the meds started really working around 3:00 am when I suddenly wasn't shivering with cold any more and was actually comfortable. I have six more days of meds to go, but I'm optimistic that I caught this quickly and I'll be fine. I took one more day off from the gym, but if I have a good day today, I'll be back on schedule tomorrow. 

We started Project Runway Season 18 with a lot of contestants, and
we're down to six tonight, four after tonight. It's been a great ride and
I'm looking forward to the last few episodes. 

A reminder - tonight is a Project Runway night, and since they didn't dismiss any contestants last week, two people are going to be sent home today, leaving the Final Four to move on. It's going to be a fun episode to watch because the theme is "Avant Guarde". Of course I'll take notes throughout the show and if the photos are available, I'll post them tomorrow, Saturday if the photos are delayed. 

Have an excellent Thursday and enjoy your day. It's nice to be back - I missed my posting. 

Group Hug

I leave in a few hours, and of course my thoughts are all over the place. I'm making this short and sweet, because I'm not really focused right now. I just want to thank all of you who have reached out to me. I'll be pulling all of your positive thoughts and wishes around me like a warm blanket for the next two days. Thank you and I'll be back on Monday morning - tired, drained, and happy to be back home. *Hugs* to everyone and have a wonderful weekend. 

Antibiotics - A (Very) Short History

The new meds are working and I'm breathing a sigh of relief. I'm not out of the woods yet - I'll stick to the treatment course my new dermatologist prescribed - but I haven't had things looking this good or this pain-free for months. Antibiotics are a total miracle. 

Alexander Fleming won the Nobel Prize for his work
in the discovery of penicillan. 

Today's world tends to take antibiotics for granted, but really, they are a relatively recent discovery. Alexander Fleming discovered penicillan in 1928, but it really didn't get widely used until the late 1930's and World War II, where it saved thousands of lives. 

Antibiotics come in all different looks, types and dosages. 

The Golden Age of antibiotic development was 1940-1962 where various classes of antibiotics gave rise to more specific drugs. These classes, penicillans, beta-lactams and cephalosporins featured a variety of medications under their umbrellas. 

Antibiotic drug resistant bacteria is becoming a
serious problem and knocking the effectiveness
of antibiotics down. Fortunately, I seem to have
a good response to the antibiotics I was prescribed. 

Unfortunately, a patient can develop resistance to antibiotics, and they can be overprescribed which also can result in disease resistance. This has created a new grouping of ailments and infections that are antibiotic resistant and people are dying from the cure. Also, antibiotics work against bacterial infection, not viral, so all sorts of health issues can't be resolved by the administration of a course of antibiotics. 

I'm amazed at how quickly an antibiotic can show results
when they are used properly and against bacteria that
they can attach successfully. I don't think I've felt
this good for months, even though I still have some
major healing to do. 

I'm well aware of how important an antibiotic can be. I'll be taking my meds for the full ten days and using the various ointments and creams for the time prescribed because I really would like to keep myself in good shape for a while. I know my health can go up and down, but this time it was worse than it had been for many years. Since 48 hours has made such a dramatic change, the treatments are doing the trick. Now to keep things going smoothly. 

Enjoy your Friday. I'm totally stoked for the end of the week. Today the outdoor pool will be crowded, so I'll use the indoor pool, but tomorrow I'll be back outdoors again. So much fun, and a good workout too! I'll be back tomorrow. 

Snow...in April...ARGH!

Winter is trying to give us one last blast before Spring truly arrives for good, and of course it would be on a day when I have to go all over town for errands before I can sit down with my sketchbook and some repairs that are LONG overdue.  I'm not looking forward to driving on the ice bottom that is below the small amount of snow we got overnight. We're expecting another 1-3 inches this afternoon and overnight anything from one to twelve more inches *sigh*.

Aren't they beautiful? (They're NOT mine, but still pretty.) Unfortunately,
by tomorrow they'll be totally buried under snow. 

Winter - you were a beautiful season and we enjoyed (and cursed) you well and thoroughly. I think it's time for you to leave now, though, and allow Spring to come and join us. Argh!

Income taxes are due on April 15th. It's like the knell of DOOM, Doom, doom.....

I need to see my accountant about one small part of my taxes, I need to get to the bank - again for our taxes. Since everything is due in to the Federal and State governments by Monday, I am running out of time. Tick, tock... I have to do the grocery shopping, and Michael's is having a one-day sale on all artist pads. I used up a lot of pages in one doing the illustrations for CB's Big Bang story, so I might get a replacement ... or not. I'm not sure I can actually afford it so I'll have to check out my bank balance before going off the wild edge.

Can you see the letters? Y M C A

Groceries, and a treat for breakfast to keep my weight loss going. My friend Chickie joined the YMCA last week and is indulging in all sorts of fitness classes both after work and before. I am totally envious. I looked at joining LA Fitness, but I just can't work it into my schedule right now. I think I could swing the dollars, although the first payment would be a steep one, but if I can't take full advantage of it, joining would make no sense. Right now I just can't see myself meshing into their schedule as easily as I want. I'm hoping things will change down the line, though, and I'll be able to join a gym again in the future.

This is Smudge (photo borrowed). Isn't is a darling? He's 18 years old and a total lover.

And finally, hugs and healing thoughts going out to Smudge and his family of humans and cats. Smudge is an old dog, but such a lover. He shares his life with friends of mine from Wisconsin and he has been having a rough time of it. He pulled through surgery yesterday and will be pampered today. I'm not there to add to the love fest, but am sending healing prayers and mentioning him here in my blog because I know that others will add their healing prayers to mine and help him and his people out.

Jump Start Yourself

Do you ever get to the point where you are so tired that nothing seems to penetrate? I have the last holiday cards to decorate. I have a Yule Fic to review because I'm not happy with where my muse took me at the end of it, and I have another story to complete and submit by the end of the month. I have another Santa fic or graphic to make. I have stories to beta, drabbles to write, packages to wrap, and I was even thinking about putting up our tree. But I'm so tired and worn out from holiday ick that I have no energy left.

This is an easy season to let depression take over. Those of us who fight with that demon are familiar with the holiday season and approach it with a bit of trepidation. We know that the sugarplums, carols, tinsel and bows only hide and decorate an emptiness that exists in us and hides well. It's not that I'm a grinch or that other people who are depressed at this season are, it's that we are fighting the sugar plums of artificial happiness wrapped in a big bow. It's a balancing act and right now, because I am tired and a little bit spread thin, I'm feeling gritty and a bit rocky. I know I'll get my balance back, but there is a reason why the holiday season is the season of the highest number of suicides. This "season of love" can also be a "season of emptiness".

So, I want each of you reading this today to reach out to someone and tell them that they make a difference in your life. Don't just give them a physical gift, those are too easy to lose, break, or regift. Tell them, to their face if possible, that you are the person that you are today because of something that they did. Let them know that their footprint on this earth matters. Hopefully they will pay it forward and some of the pain of the Holiday Season will be minimized by just one small action on your part. Have a good weekend!

Working a Six-Day Week

So, since this is the start of my six-day weeks, I don't have another day off for a week. I only have to work for four hours on Sunday, but it still means that I won't be able to spend the day raking leaves or playing LOTRO or whatever (reading fanfic, perhaps). However, even though we are putting handouts into every customer's bag, I probably will have a really easy day. I wanted to have a Constant Contact Email ready to go, but I think I'll actually aim for next week instead. I want to offer a serious discount on a single item to kick off our holiday season. We have to do something, the people just aren't coming through the door.

 Working a six-day week. Aack!!!

There is a beaded bracelet using the Tila beads that I think would make a really nice display item, and possibly a good holiday gift. I will be doing a combination of reading on-screen and beading at the same time pretty darned soon, now. I have several people that I need to make gifts for, and I have two things in mine that might work. And I think I'll make my DH at least two pairs of pants. He really needs them and I already have the fabric for them. So it would be a Wednesday or two of my time, but wouldn't cost me any more money unless I need another spool of thread, so I could afford to do it and it would be a good gift. Of course, his birthday is the day after Christmas, and that double whammy is what always kills my budget. I don't have a lot (say next-to-none) discretionary income for this holiday season, so I have to be creative with my gifts this year.

White Light is healing light.

Thanks to all of you who sent white light for my friend Cindy yesterday. I haven't heard anything yet (probably won't for a few days), but as soon as I know, I'll let you know too.

Insurance for Artists

Well, health care has passed in America. Will this allow us to have comprehensive insurance for all Americans as if we lived in Canada, England or Sweden? Nah. That's asking too much. In fact, a lot of this legislation won't even take effect until 2014! But it's a start. And maybe when people discover that the sky won't fall and the ground won't disappear beneath their feet, additional coverage might be legislated into law and we might, eventually, truly have comprehensive health care. Of course, taxes will raise because of this, and among those taxes are ones imposed on businesses. So I'll not only be paying my own insurance (which I already do) and insurance for my full-time employees (which I also already do), but I'll be paying for everyone else through an increased tax. In these days of scraping by, that's not good news for any small businessperson. But it might enable some artists who have not had health care before to be able to have some now, so I'll try and look on the positive side for my allies in creativity.

I'll continue to try and support better health care on an individual basis by working with Beading For A Cure. Today I'm spotlighting my friend Kate Ball's wonderful "Self Portrait" doll. Kate lives in New Jersey and I had the opportunity to meet her in person several years ago at the Bead & Button Show. She is a true delight and this doll is fantastic. I would love to own it, but I have sworn off from anything that is not functional - I have enough things to dust in my home. But I know it will find a great home - maybe yours! Take a look, and bid high. It's well worth it and the monies raised go towards a great cause!

Health?

So, do I have a big target on my back saying "hit me here"? It's crazy. Over the past two weeks my DH had ear surgery and my Assistant Manager had gall bladder surgery. Now, I get home from work last night and my DH is complaining about intestinal blockage and severe pain. So, I did a bit of research on all of this early this morning and it doesn't seem good. If he still has pain tomorrow, I'm sending him to the clinic on an emergency basis. The main problem is that he is scheduled to leave for a friend's funeral next Wednesday, so we're running a tight time frame here, especially if he ends up having to have surgery. So I'm hoping that whatever Powers can hear pleas that this will work itself out within the next 24 hours and our schedules can remain intact. But this is worrisome.

And today is my studio day. Since I promised Gina I would have my personal website up and running by tomorrow morning, that's what I'm going to be working on today after my morning errands. I'll have to work for the next two Wednesdays, so I'd better get everything that I can finished today. After I get the website finished (or at least together enough that I won't be embarrassed by it) I can work on my cape for whatever time I have left.

Remember and Honor

Today is September 11th. I remember where I was when I saw the attacks on the Twin Towers - do you? In so many ways the death of the Towers was the start of the next phase of American history. With their destruction, we entered wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and entered the serious financial epoch that we are currently in. Looking back from a long history, the Towers will join a long list of "causes" that were pivotal in ensuing conflicts including the Alamo, the Main and even the Bastille.

Rather than concentrate on the conflicts that came to us because of Sept 11th, I will concentrate on the remarkable human side that was shown on that day. The heroism, the above-the-bar actions of simple human beings that made such a difference. We, as a nation, showed our mettle that day. We joined together. We buried the dead and comforted the living. We went on, united in a single platform and goal. In small places over the ensuing years we have had cracks occur in our unity. But when push comes to shove, we will defend our freedoms down to the last child. Among those freedoms is the freedom to chase your bliss as long as that chase does no harm to others. So I urge you to honor the dead of September 11th today, and renew your personal decision to chase your own bliss as a way to memorialize the freedom that they gave their lives for eight years ago.

Yes We Can???

What happened to "Yes We Can"? What happened to optimism and the internal knowledge that we as a people could accomplish anything if we banded together? I think it got lost in a lack of respect and a belief that politics is a way of life for personal riches and gain and not for public service. I saw that exemplified a lot during President Obama's speech last night.

It is a total disservice to our populace that so many people are either uninsured or underinsured for health in this nation. It is totally wrong that the savings that people have carefully amassed over the years can be wiped out by a single catestrophic illness. Health insurance in this country is a joke and offers plans that are overpriced for services that are undercovered. The system is not non-functional, but it is broken and the broken parts need to be fixed. President Obama brought his case for health care reform to the people and the joint houses of Congress last night.

I was raised to have respect for the President of the United States, whether or not I agreed with his political views. I can, and often do, criticize the President, but I respect him. Shouting him down when he is addressing the nation and the joint Houses was wrong and shame on the Representative from South Carolina for showing such disrespect! Even though he apologized immediately after the speech was over, the damage was done. It's just as well that I don't live in his state because he would have just lost my vote for his poor judgment.

And on that note, exercise good artistic and creative judgment in your actions today. Choose harmonious colors, look for interesting textures, and celebrate this day of life shared with others. It is a precious gift.

Timing is Everything...

The worst arguments arise over a lack of communication and an inability to pay attention to the moods of the other person involved. I knew that I needed to tell my husband that I was in contact with my ex-fiance, but also knew that timing was everything to avoid an explosion of jealousy. (It's a long process to learn that ownership of a person does not transfer with a marriage license.) But I finally managed to fit it into a conversation in a rather flip way on Sunday, and so the worst is over and I am now free to communicate as I see fit. I think that's important, because I'm enjoying finding out about how the last 30 years have been for my ex, and I have always considered him to be a friend. I don't really know why, after marriage, your friends are supposed to be the same sex only. It seems to cut off a lot of people. I've always chosem my friends because they are interesting people. I suppose my DH is lucky because most of my friends are female and he doesn't need to be jealous of them. Jealousy is stupid.

And I am shooting lots of white light and Goddess Bless towards several friends of mine who are having some serious health issues. It's rather like everything has hit the basket at the same time. So - good thoughts to my friends Marilee and VerLaine, and my friend and her husband, Pat and Jon. If you would care to add your white light to mine, please feel free to aid these friends in addition to any others that you may be helping. Tomorrow, I'll be back to creativity, but today....walk a line of love. A little love and kindness can spread a long, long way.