CI, CP, and other life changing acronyms

Something that bothers me quite a bit (partly because it happens in so many situations) is when people accuse me of any number of things based on my age. I can think of a few situations in which it has happened recently: In a recent gathering of adults, the comment was made that medical problems occur due to age and that those who are under X age should appreciate the time they have. Then a joke was made about how awesome life is in your younger years.  In a somewhat recent social media post, the request was made to spark discussion of a favourite childhood musician. Upon sharing mine, I was informed that I was "too young" to have ever really listened to them or appreciated them. Very similar things often happen when speaking to someone in person if they feel I am "not allowed" to like or appreciate a particular aspect of popular culture.  In somewhat regular discussions I am reminded that I am one of the youngest teachers in a particular group. This can play ...

Today, I find myself reminding myself of this. For a few reasons. I am working on my drawing ability. There are some things I draw "well" but in a very particular cartoony way. I am working on more realistic drawings and widening my skill set. I am working with mixed media. I have spent a little time each day working with a variety of mixed media to work on my creative side. It is a lot of fun, but can be frustrating if I don't have the supplies I need. So, I am trying to work around it without spending a lot of money. My glasses broke, for the second time, in such a way that I can no longer glue them together. I have made an appointment with the eye doctor, but it will still take a week to get new glasses. In that time, I can still function mostly normally, but I am having trouble focusing my eyes, and reading. I am also plagued with a constant headache from the astigmatism. Patience is key here because sound sensitivity is a big thing for me when headaches are pres...

It's that time of year! You step outside and, provided you've taken your allergy meds, you take in the sweet sights and smells of new life. Today I stepped out into my garden to start the hard and rewarding work of cleaning up the Winter yard and setting up the Spring and Summer garden. My to do list is long and, with my feet, I can only get in about 30 minutes to an hour of work before I have to stop, but it is so worth it. I've gotten a lot of feedback over the years on my gardens and harvest and it amazes me how little people seem to know about maintaining your own garden in that: If you don't put in chemicals and insecticides... no one else will.  Which means... you can eat some food right off the vine/stalk. How much good composting actually  does.  And if you do it right, you don't need chemical help to grow a great garden. I love  gardening. I've loved it since I was a kid, so you can imagine when I did a tour of my house before buying it my sh...

Today I visited my neurologist (3rd of 4 in person doctors' visits in the past month). We've been working to get past this migraine cycle I've had for a while (a month or so). I'm super happy with my medications, so we aren't changing it, and the doctor doesn't want to increase the dosage as my blood pressure is fairly low (but still healthy). What we did decide to do was change the breakdown of the dosage (from 2x a day to 3), continue with B12 supplements, and take a closer look at what I am eating. I had already made some changes due to my podiatrist's recommendations: cut most/all gluten out cut most/all dairy out I had already changed how often I eat for myself as well. So, we went over the details. For the sake of this post, I'll post a typical day in my food world.  Breakfast - 1-2 eggs + 1-2 turkey sausage/bacon/sausage Morning snack  - fruit/seaweed/veggies and hummus Lunch - leftovers from the night before OR tuna fish Afternoon ...

Last night, I participated in a sleep study. For a long time, I've had issues with sleep that I considered normal and part of my sleep pattern. As of late, however, some things have gotten worse and I was referred to the sleep study. I won't receive the full results for a week or two, but right now the diagnosis is one of sleep apnea and I will be part of a program that has people use a machine at home that "forces" oxygen into their system to ensure proper sleep. For this post, however, I want to "debrief" the process that is a sleep study. When you first sign up for it, you receive an onslaught of paperwork and phone calls which, quite often, overlap with each other. You fill out insurance information and then, when they call, you give them this same information. You fill out surveys on your caffeine habits, sleep habits, and weird things you experience while sleeping. You also receive a plethora of information. Some of it will contradict itself: ...

So, I'm getting personal here. This is your "warning". I have long struggled with my sense of spiritual self. I have looked at this from just about every angle - spiritual, historical, literary, scientific, etc. and there is still little that I am *certain* of. But, there are a few things I know, for sure: Every living thing is aware. Every tree, every flower, every insect. Recent science proves it. Trees have been shown to move themselves and communicate with each other through their root systems. Dogs can have the intelligence of a seven year old child and wolf mothers mourn the loss of their pups. Elephants make friends for life and recognise each other even after years of abuse and separation. Cats understand us, they just don't care.  Energy is important . We all have energy. Our energy effects us and those around us. Energy can have a huge impact on thoughts, words, and actions. Intent falls into this.  There are messages everywhere . So, the last po...

... to bring you this real life day. We had a series of serious storms move through the night before last. All five (yes 5) of our animals were beside themselves. On the positive side, I got to see each of their personalities: Charlie is fairly stoic. He will come right up to you, nearly in your face to let you know that he is unsure, but once you comfort him and give him a warm spot, he won't budge again. Chibs is a crier... and a shaker... and a worrier. He lets his discomfort be known and can shake an entire bed with his shivers. Bao is also a crier. She will get mere centimeters from your face, put her paws near/on your head, and wake you up with the loudest meow she can muster. Then she will spend 20 minutes settling and finally fall asleep on your chest. Li is a fairly chill animal no matter what. She will notice each light and sound in the sky and then decide to busy herself with "cleaning" your hair. Lil Mane.... he is... a unique beast. With each crac...