Latest Blog Posts
Aug. 7th, 2011 08:48 pmAll of the following have trigger warnings for discussion of suicide.
It's been 5 years since I didn't die
What being suicidal meant for me
Things that kept me from killing myself
What ultimately kept me from killing myself
It's been 5 years since I didn't die
What being suicidal meant for me
Things that kept me from killing myself
What ultimately kept me from killing myself
Latest Blog Posts
Jul. 31st, 2011 09:28 pmMy 4-week emotional cycle [Possible trigger warning for discussion of how my mental illness makes me feel on a regular basis.]
Don't drink, don't smoke, what do I do?
Dealing with the not-so-good days [Trigger warning for discussion of self-injury.]
Back to feeling (somewhat) normal
The mental illness closet: are you in or out?
The headache of celebrating the harvest
Don't drink, don't smoke, what do I do?
Dealing with the not-so-good days [Trigger warning for discussion of self-injury.]
Back to feeling (somewhat) normal
The mental illness closet: are you in or out?
The headache of celebrating the harvest
Latest Blog Posts
Jul. 22nd, 2011 08:34 pmMental health symptoms which are not obvious
Thank you, thank you, thank you - any requests?
How my brain (doesn't) work [Trigger warning for discussion of depressive thoughts.]
Happy News!
Why are you making me defend Michele Bachmann?
Preparing for the good kind of pain
Does mental illness give us great art? (Spoiler alert: no)
Thank you, thank you, thank you - any requests?
How my brain (doesn't) work [Trigger warning for discussion of depressive thoughts.]
Happy News!
Why are you making me defend Michele Bachmann?
Preparing for the good kind of pain
Does mental illness give us great art? (Spoiler alert: no)
New blog updates
Jul. 14th, 2011 09:49 pmWords of depression-related wisdom from my mom [trigger warning for discussion of depression and suicide]
When my depression went from bad to worse
What mental illness is and is not
On mental illness and meds
When my depression went from bad to worse
What mental illness is and is not
On mental illness and meds
New blog updates
Jul. 10th, 2011 08:42 pmGot a few posts for you today. Trigger warnings, when noted, are for depressive thoughts, discussion of suicide, and discussion of self-injury.
Whatever you call it, my mental health sucked. About the onset of my illness and my diagnosis. (trigger warning)
The when, why, and how of my self-injuries. Exactly what it says on the tin. (trigger warning)
Depression isn't cured by putting on a happy face. A response to a blog post about how to handle depression.
Weekend meditations.
New Pastel: Personal Transformation.
Whatever you call it, my mental health sucked. About the onset of my illness and my diagnosis. (trigger warning)
The when, why, and how of my self-injuries. Exactly what it says on the tin. (trigger warning)
Depression isn't cured by putting on a happy face. A response to a blog post about how to handle depression.
Weekend meditations.
New Pastel: Personal Transformation.
New blog updates
Jul. 5th, 2011 09:04 pmTips for an underactive thyroid - based on my personal experience, I am not a doctor, all due grains of salt and what have you.
Don't call it a happy pill - what the right antidepressant feels like.
Don't call it a happy pill - what the right antidepressant feels like.
2 new posts
Jun. 30th, 2011 02:49 pmTwo posts for you this time.
I'm OK, which is about my current status in general and what I'm writing on the new blog.
A picture of depression, which is my attempt to show what the two kinds of depression can feel like.
I'm OK, which is about my current status in general and what I'm writing on the new blog.
A picture of depression, which is my attempt to show what the two kinds of depression can feel like.
New day, new blog post: Side effects may include thoughts of suicide (wait - what?). As the title indicates, trigger warning for discussion of suicide and depressive thoughts.
My current thinking re: linking new blog posts here is that I'll do it per post for a few days more, then maybe switch to a once a week summary of links. Reasoning being that at that point anybody who wants to follow the blog via RSS feeds or what have you will have set up the ability to do so, and anybody who just wanted to keep a general eye on it can skim the link posts when I do them.
Just my current brainstorming though. I'm open to suggestions.
My current thinking re: linking new blog posts here is that I'll do it per post for a few days more, then maybe switch to a once a week summary of links. Reasoning being that at that point anybody who wants to follow the blog via RSS feeds or what have you will have set up the ability to do so, and anybody who just wanted to keep a general eye on it can skim the link posts when I do them.
Just my current brainstorming though. I'm open to suggestions.
New Blog Post: The Thyroid Thing
Jun. 28th, 2011 11:31 amNew post on the new blog: The Thyroid Thing. What it's like living with a wonky thyroid (or at least my version of one).
Further new blog updates
Jun. 27th, 2011 08:43 pmThanks muchly to everyone who commented re: the new blog. The suggestions and support is much appreciated.
I've done a few tweaks since the last post (some based on feedback) so here's the latest list of links:
Why the new blog - for those who missed it earliser
Something I won't be talking about - new post on one thing I will not mention on the new blog.
Feeds:
General blog feed
Blog feed on Dreamwidth
Blog feed on LJ
I believe that covers it for now. =)
I've done a few tweaks since the last post (some based on feedback) so here's the latest list of links:
Why the new blog - for those who missed it earliser
Something I won't be talking about - new post on one thing I will not mention on the new blog.
Feeds:
General blog feed
Blog feed on Dreamwidth
Blog feed on LJ
I believe that covers it for now. =)
I've started a new blog. You can read all about why over at the link, but the short version is I had stuff I wanted to talk about regarding me and my health and what have you and I wanted a specific place to do it in.
This is not replacing the Dreamwidth/LJ or anything like that. It's in addition to. I'm still figuring out what will go there vs. here, and how much cross-posting (just of links, not entire posts) there will be, so my appreciation for everyone's patience on that front.
So... yeah. New blog. By me. Check it out.
This is not replacing the Dreamwidth/LJ or anything like that. It's in addition to. I'm still figuring out what will go there vs. here, and how much cross-posting (just of links, not entire posts) there will be, so my appreciation for everyone's patience on that front.
So... yeah. New blog. By me. Check it out.
Purrs or it didn't happen
Jun. 26th, 2011 03:08 pmFor those who asked, a picture of Mac taken mere minutes ago. He was bribed with treats to put up with this. I'm not sure if the picture gives proper perspective but he is a big kitty. I call him my panther kitty because that's what he looks like. I've had contractors come to my house, see him, and go "Woah!" because they assume he could easily bite their heads off. Little do they know that he is a purr monster and all he wants is to make sure my lap is clear so that he can snuggle in it.
( Mac! )
Also a picture of Luna so she is not left out. I apologize that she's not facing the camera. Every time I tried she would squint thanks to the flash and it gave her a look like she was terribly cross with you all, which is not her usual demeanor. She has BIG! YELLOW! EYES! if you want to fill that in with your imagination. But she is also made entirely out of fluff, which this picture shows clearly.
( Luna! )
( Mac! )
Also a picture of Luna so she is not left out. I apologize that she's not facing the camera. Every time I tried she would squint thanks to the flash and it gave her a look like she was terribly cross with you all, which is not her usual demeanor. She has BIG! YELLOW! EYES! if you want to fill that in with your imagination. But she is also made entirely out of fluff, which this picture shows clearly.
( Luna! )
Miracle kitty!
Jun. 25th, 2011 12:59 pmMac had his six month checkup today. He is currently 15.2 pounds, up from 13 & change six months ago. This puts him back at his pre-illness fighting weight! Everyone at the vet's marveled at how great he looks. Assuming all is well with his bloodwork his next vet visit will be in a year.
WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!! \o/ \o/ \o/
WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!! \o/ \o/ \o/
Many thanks!
Jun. 11th, 2011 10:03 pmBack from vacation! I left right after the walk last Sunday and entered into the wilds where internet was elusive. Which means I didn't get a chance to thank everyone who donated for my walk for Hope in Motion. My team was able to raise $1,035 this year, which was more than we did last year! Many many thanks to those who donated!
Signal boost: Help home a kitty?
Jun. 2nd, 2011 08:51 pmAnybody in the Michigan area who can provide a temporary home for a 12 year old kitty whose human mommy is dealing with illness? If so, or you have leads on places/people who could help, please head on over here. The kitty mommy in question is
anomilygrace who is a good friend of mine so this signal boost comes with a personal reference, not just a link-sharing.
Much appreciated to anyone who can lend a hand.
Much appreciated to anyone who can lend a hand.
Still not the apocalypse
Jun. 1st, 2011 11:19 pmWhen I was in high school (aka decades ago) I remember watching the news one day and being told that a tornado had been spotted off a NYC bridge.
Given that at the time there had been no tornados in New York in, oh, EVER, I sat there, stunned, and wondered how the newscaster could be so calm given that clearly this freak action of Nature was a sign that THE WORLD WAS ENDING HOLY FUCK!!!!!
Fast forward to now, when New York and New England get so many tornado warnings that Kansas is looking to sue for copyright infringement.
No such thing as climate change though. That's just silly!!
(Hope everyone who was in the path of a tornado tonight is okay.)
Given that at the time there had been no tornados in New York in, oh, EVER, I sat there, stunned, and wondered how the newscaster could be so calm given that clearly this freak action of Nature was a sign that THE WORLD WAS ENDING HOLY FUCK!!!!!
Fast forward to now, when New York and New England get so many tornado warnings that Kansas is looking to sue for copyright infringement.
No such thing as climate change though. That's just silly!!
(Hope everyone who was in the path of a tornado tonight is okay.)
Now you've woken the dragon
May. 30th, 2011 03:25 pmI realize the subject heading might not be fully appropriate given how Viserys would probably make this exact same decision if it was up to him, but even so -
Alabama mayor bans FEMA trailers for those who have lost their homes in recent tornadoes.
( Full article )
There's so many levels of fail to be found here that one hardly knows where to begin. For starters, it takes a special person to look at the situation of those still living in the trailers in New Orleans and conclude that the problem there was the trailers.
Second, there's the "even when you're wrong you're wrong" aspect in that even if these people had the money to rebuild they still need somewhere to live in the meanwhile. Where exactly are they supposed to go? Because unless the mayor is offering his spare bedroom it's trailers, tents, or somewhere the hell else. And if I have money and the only option my mayor is giving me during my time of need is living somewhere the hell else, I'm going to spend my money somewhere the hell else too.
Third, and for those of you going into politics I really can't stress this enough, you have to at least try to pretend to not be evil. Placing the nice appearance of your town in the future over the health and safety of your current residents is one of those ones you do with your inside voice. I mean dear God, if this guy has no problem saying this shit out loud what the hell is he doing that he thinks he shouldn't mention to news people?
Frankly I'm amazed he didn't go whole hog and charge everyone for littering while he was at it.
Alabama mayor bans FEMA trailers for those who have lost their homes in recent tornadoes.
( Full article )
There's so many levels of fail to be found here that one hardly knows where to begin. For starters, it takes a special person to look at the situation of those still living in the trailers in New Orleans and conclude that the problem there was the trailers.
Second, there's the "even when you're wrong you're wrong" aspect in that even if these people had the money to rebuild they still need somewhere to live in the meanwhile. Where exactly are they supposed to go? Because unless the mayor is offering his spare bedroom it's trailers, tents, or somewhere the hell else. And if I have money and the only option my mayor is giving me during my time of need is living somewhere the hell else, I'm going to spend my money somewhere the hell else too.
Third, and for those of you going into politics I really can't stress this enough, you have to at least try to pretend to not be evil. Placing the nice appearance of your town in the future over the health and safety of your current residents is one of those ones you do with your inside voice. I mean dear God, if this guy has no problem saying this shit out loud what the hell is he doing that he thinks he shouldn't mention to news people?
Frankly I'm amazed he didn't go whole hog and charge everyone for littering while he was at it.
Charity Donation Request
May. 24th, 2011 09:20 pmAttention! On June 5 I will once again be participating in a charity walk to benefit a local cancer center. For a snapshot image of said center I shall shamelessly steal from the first post I did when I did this:
[T]he Carl & Dorothy Bennett Cancer Center is a place for healing, where they like to say that science and soul come together. Their patients are provided with a superior level of clinical care and access to world-class physicians, skilled nurses and the latest in treatment options, research protocols and supportive services. A full-range of cancer services is available in both the inpatient and outpatient settings, with the oncology team working together to provide the best possible outcome for their patients.
The June 5 Walk, Run, & Ride is their biggest fundraising event. All money goes directly to the cancer center and is 100% tax-deductible.
Why do I mention this? So you can SPONSOR ME!!! You can donate online via that oh so handy and easy to use link and pay by credit card. If you would rather mail your donation in feel free to let me know and I can email you the relevant information.
I know the economy sucks, but every little bit helps. Even weetiny donations are welcome. The Bennett Cancer Center is where my Uncle Tommy got some of his treatment. It also does research so it's not like a donation here only benefits the center.
So please please please please sponsor me. Also please feel free to pimp this link and plea for help in your personal LJs or blogs or what have you, if you are so inclined.
Thank you thank you thank you!
[T]he Carl & Dorothy Bennett Cancer Center is a place for healing, where they like to say that science and soul come together. Their patients are provided with a superior level of clinical care and access to world-class physicians, skilled nurses and the latest in treatment options, research protocols and supportive services. A full-range of cancer services is available in both the inpatient and outpatient settings, with the oncology team working together to provide the best possible outcome for their patients.
The June 5 Walk, Run, & Ride is their biggest fundraising event. All money goes directly to the cancer center and is 100% tax-deductible.
Why do I mention this? So you can SPONSOR ME!!! You can donate online via that oh so handy and easy to use link and pay by credit card. If you would rather mail your donation in feel free to let me know and I can email you the relevant information.
I know the economy sucks, but every little bit helps. Even weetiny donations are welcome. The Bennett Cancer Center is where my Uncle Tommy got some of his treatment. It also does research so it's not like a donation here only benefits the center.
So please please please please sponsor me. Also please feel free to pimp this link and plea for help in your personal LJs or blogs or what have you, if you are so inclined.
Thank you thank you thank you!