Catching up
It’s been too long since I posted… time sure slips away. I’ve been busy and kept thinking of things I wanted to write but I was getting so much done I hated to stop work to write. When have you ever heard me say that? And now I’ve forgotten too much of it. Sigh.
Brigida came over Saturday last as planned for our white dinner, and we had a really good time. It’s been so long I can’t remember everything we fixed, but the main dish was shrimp with mushrooms in white wine sauce, served with rice. We cheated and had brown rice, but that’s still pretty damn white. Dessert was angel food cake with vanilla ice cream and a kiwi/mango topping that was delicious. Don’t blame me for all the color in the fruit-Brigida did it. Since the whole white theme was her doing, I just went with it, and it was might tasty, too. She was feeling in a mood to spoil us, and got white roses for a centerpiece. I was delighted to be able to provide a few low-drama hours in her life. I’ve had plenty of drama, and I’m just mighty damn glad I’m not having any right this minute. It’ll be back, I’m sure of it. Wait, am I supposed to knock on wood or something now? Throw salt somewhere?
I’m working on a backlog scroll, so it isn’t even a secret. It’s been fun-lately I’ve been doing mostly court scrolls, so I’ve gotten into the habit of being secretive about what I’m working on and not letting the recipient know. This is Gisele’s AoA, and I’ve had to almost force myself to ask her questions about preferences. I’ve got the calligraphy done. It actually went better than usual, which was a vast relief. Practice! I’ve got to practice more. Duh. I know I’m always amazed at the difference it makes but I still don’t do it.
I was hoping to have Gigi’s scroll done by the time I go up this weekend for Crown, since I’m staying at her place. I don’t think it’s going to happen, though-at least not if I go up early to see a museum or two as I’d planned. I’m going to blame it on Nia and Nikulai, okay? They’ve been concerned that I’ve been too hermit-like, so they’ve kept me busy the last week or two. I mean, busy. Last week I was Out Doing Stuff three nights in a row, which is unheard of for me, at least the last few years. It was great fun, and I wanted to do every bit of it. Except… I wasn’t working on Gigi’s scroll. I’m good, but even I can’t be two places at once. I admit, it wasn’t ALL their doing. They were just too damn proud of themselves, is all. But on Wednesday night I found out that hot fudge cake is absolutely delicious with champagne, (Heh! I say, and Yum!!) and on Thursday night Nikulai fixed an email thing for me before we all went out for Mexican food, and on Friday he took me to Hillsboro to the opening of an art show and then we went to dinner again. He particularly wanted me to meet some other artist friends of his.
One of the things that has had me a bit distracted is the whole question of starting a small business out of my home. This has come up before, and I’m still scared witless by the concept. However…. I am starting to feel like serendipity is knocking me upside the head pretty mercilessly, and there are way too many people being supportive of the idea. Today, in fact, a woman called me from the store where I volunteer and offered me a paying consultation job, just out of the blue. I mean, they knew my work, and they know I’ve talked about doing this, but I have never asked them for work at all.
As soon as I get Gigi’s scroll done, I am going to spend some time investigating. I dunno, like talking to a woman I used to know who is an artist locally. Looking online for several different things-like seeing what’s out there, and in what venues, as well as what resources are out there for small business owners. There were some other things I thought of but I can’t remember them right now. Think I should talk to the doc about getting off the Dopamax? It doen’t seem to be helping at all. Sigh. More on the topic of docs, etc, later.
The headaches and their effect on me have been really erratic. Some days perfectly clear, some days the headache won’t quit but I’ve been able to function fine anyway. Today hasn’t been so good, though. I feel… muzzy. Don’t tell me it isn’t a word, it’s the way my head feels. (And besides, MS Word didn’t say it’s wrong, so it must be okay……right?) I’m trying to design bits of the vinework, (14th C French) and I find myself just sitting and staring at it, unable to decide whether to put a leaf there, or maybe one of the pointy hearts or a bulb thing. (Technical terms; don’t use them without proper training and supervision.) So I finally draw something. No, that’s not right; maybe the bulb should be a pointy thing instead. Or should whatever-it-is be an eighth of an inch up? Oh, hell, the curve of that vine isn’t right anyway. So I stare at it some more and likely as not erase several square inches. Lunch didn’t help, not even the chocolate desert. Damn. (Maybe I should have had some hot fudge cake and champagne… Heh.) Taking a writing break seems to have helped, though. When I went back to drawing it went fine and I’ve got the whole thing ready to ink and gold leaf.
The single thing that made me the most excited since I posted last is that my doctor gave me a prescription for 18 Imitrex a month…. and my insurance paid for it! All 18 pills! Hot damn! That’s eased my mind a lot. I don’t feel so paranoid about taking a pill if my head starts to really hurt. If I can tell far enough ahead, I try to take a GelStat instead, which has helped prevent them several times, I think.
I’ve had a lot more energy and gotten a lot more done lately. For example, I’ve been on a cleaning kick. First I did the kitchen, then the bathroom, then night before last I was putting away laundry and got annoyed because the linen closet was a mess, so I rearranged everything in it. Wow. What’s up with that? Most days the scroll work has been equally efficient, too. Not that I’m complaining, you understand. I want to work on the apartment as much as I want to find out about the business stuff, so I’m going to be bi-i-izzzzy.
I have been reading an interesting book by a woman who has had chronic migraines for several years. The book is called All in My Head and the author’s name is Paula Kamen. It’s both entertaining and informative. It includes such insights as the following:
- A description of migraine as “a genetic disease with environmental triggers.” Interesting. That means that stress alone, or muscle spasms alone, or TMJ alone, isn’t enough to cause a migraine-you have to be genetically predisposed. (Sorry, Amy.)
- This comparison-“In general, headache sufferers are worse off than people who have arthritis, roughly similar to those who have congestive hart failure severe enough to interfere with walking up and down stairs and only slightly better than people with AIDS.”-frpom two neurologists summing up research. I don’t know that I’d go quite that far, but…. wow! They are talking about the fact that with arthritis, etc, the doc can see physical evidence that something is wrong, so they are less likely to tell you it’s mental, or you’re exaggerating, or whatever.
- Advanced types of brain imaging reveal that the brains of migraine sufferers are hypersensitive to stimuli even when a migraine is not happening, and become more stimulated by repeated exposure. (Aha! Sunlight really does give me a headache more quickly now than it used to.) And this might help with the problem noted above, too.
-In an advice section to neurologists, she writes, “Don’t forget that patients who come to you about pain might want some actual pain relief. Neurologists are often fixed on daily preventives (which often do not work) for fear of causing a rebound headache…. This focus can help matters overall but often also serves as a distraction from treating the original problem: the pain.”
- Doctors know that most daily preventives only work for about 50% of the time, but they don’t tell the patient that. This leaves the patient feeling like they are the only one who is so difficult to treat.
I definitely have to recommend that book to my neurologist.
The fiction I’ve just finished reading is With No One As Witness, which is the latest in the Thomas Lynley/ Barbara Havers series written by Elizabeth George. That sucker has depressed the hell out of me. It’s slightly less depressing now than before I knew how it ended. Still, I hated the ending, which is just … awful. Hated it. So there. She gives you one hopeful thing in the last paragraph, but I’m afraid to read the next one (whenever she writes it,) for fear of what she’ll do next. It only makes it worse that she’s such a good writer, because then you really care what happens to the people in the book. I might make someone else read it first (like Ysolt-she’s the one who got me hooked on the series) and tell me if it’s safe to read.
I was very disappointed yesterday to find that Amy had mailed me a complete set of CDs of the music from their wedding over a week ago, and I haven’t gotten it. Oddly enough, I had been thinking I’d like to have the music. I was probably thinking that about the time she mailed it. (Let’s hear it for that mother-daughter connection…. Ooooh weeeeeeoooooh…) Anyway, that’s the second item mailed to me in less than a month that I didn’t get. I knew our mail isn’t real secure but I’d never been aware of a problem before. Amy said the package was just a plain CD mailer and was obviously nothing special, so she can’t imagine that anyone would bother to take it. It’s just weird, though….
I'm going to call it a night, and hope I'm back in go-get 'em mode tomorrow. And I'll take some light reading to bed with me. A mystery that is entertaining and doesn't make you get all engrossed in the characters and then... oh, nevermind.
Brigida came over Saturday last as planned for our white dinner, and we had a really good time. It’s been so long I can’t remember everything we fixed, but the main dish was shrimp with mushrooms in white wine sauce, served with rice. We cheated and had brown rice, but that’s still pretty damn white. Dessert was angel food cake with vanilla ice cream and a kiwi/mango topping that was delicious. Don’t blame me for all the color in the fruit-Brigida did it. Since the whole white theme was her doing, I just went with it, and it was might tasty, too. She was feeling in a mood to spoil us, and got white roses for a centerpiece. I was delighted to be able to provide a few low-drama hours in her life. I’ve had plenty of drama, and I’m just mighty damn glad I’m not having any right this minute. It’ll be back, I’m sure of it. Wait, am I supposed to knock on wood or something now? Throw salt somewhere?
I’m working on a backlog scroll, so it isn’t even a secret. It’s been fun-lately I’ve been doing mostly court scrolls, so I’ve gotten into the habit of being secretive about what I’m working on and not letting the recipient know. This is Gisele’s AoA, and I’ve had to almost force myself to ask her questions about preferences. I’ve got the calligraphy done. It actually went better than usual, which was a vast relief. Practice! I’ve got to practice more. Duh. I know I’m always amazed at the difference it makes but I still don’t do it.
I was hoping to have Gigi’s scroll done by the time I go up this weekend for Crown, since I’m staying at her place. I don’t think it’s going to happen, though-at least not if I go up early to see a museum or two as I’d planned. I’m going to blame it on Nia and Nikulai, okay? They’ve been concerned that I’ve been too hermit-like, so they’ve kept me busy the last week or two. I mean, busy. Last week I was Out Doing Stuff three nights in a row, which is unheard of for me, at least the last few years. It was great fun, and I wanted to do every bit of it. Except… I wasn’t working on Gigi’s scroll. I’m good, but even I can’t be two places at once. I admit, it wasn’t ALL their doing. They were just too damn proud of themselves, is all. But on Wednesday night I found out that hot fudge cake is absolutely delicious with champagne, (Heh! I say, and Yum!!) and on Thursday night Nikulai fixed an email thing for me before we all went out for Mexican food, and on Friday he took me to Hillsboro to the opening of an art show and then we went to dinner again. He particularly wanted me to meet some other artist friends of his.
One of the things that has had me a bit distracted is the whole question of starting a small business out of my home. This has come up before, and I’m still scared witless by the concept. However…. I am starting to feel like serendipity is knocking me upside the head pretty mercilessly, and there are way too many people being supportive of the idea. Today, in fact, a woman called me from the store where I volunteer and offered me a paying consultation job, just out of the blue. I mean, they knew my work, and they know I’ve talked about doing this, but I have never asked them for work at all.
As soon as I get Gigi’s scroll done, I am going to spend some time investigating. I dunno, like talking to a woman I used to know who is an artist locally. Looking online for several different things-like seeing what’s out there, and in what venues, as well as what resources are out there for small business owners. There were some other things I thought of but I can’t remember them right now. Think I should talk to the doc about getting off the Dopamax? It doen’t seem to be helping at all. Sigh. More on the topic of docs, etc, later.
The headaches and their effect on me have been really erratic. Some days perfectly clear, some days the headache won’t quit but I’ve been able to function fine anyway. Today hasn’t been so good, though. I feel… muzzy. Don’t tell me it isn’t a word, it’s the way my head feels. (And besides, MS Word didn’t say it’s wrong, so it must be okay……right?) I’m trying to design bits of the vinework, (14th C French) and I find myself just sitting and staring at it, unable to decide whether to put a leaf there, or maybe one of the pointy hearts or a bulb thing. (Technical terms; don’t use them without proper training and supervision.) So I finally draw something. No, that’s not right; maybe the bulb should be a pointy thing instead. Or should whatever-it-is be an eighth of an inch up? Oh, hell, the curve of that vine isn’t right anyway. So I stare at it some more and likely as not erase several square inches. Lunch didn’t help, not even the chocolate desert. Damn. (Maybe I should have had some hot fudge cake and champagne… Heh.) Taking a writing break seems to have helped, though. When I went back to drawing it went fine and I’ve got the whole thing ready to ink and gold leaf.
The single thing that made me the most excited since I posted last is that my doctor gave me a prescription for 18 Imitrex a month…. and my insurance paid for it! All 18 pills! Hot damn! That’s eased my mind a lot. I don’t feel so paranoid about taking a pill if my head starts to really hurt. If I can tell far enough ahead, I try to take a GelStat instead, which has helped prevent them several times, I think.
I’ve had a lot more energy and gotten a lot more done lately. For example, I’ve been on a cleaning kick. First I did the kitchen, then the bathroom, then night before last I was putting away laundry and got annoyed because the linen closet was a mess, so I rearranged everything in it. Wow. What’s up with that? Most days the scroll work has been equally efficient, too. Not that I’m complaining, you understand. I want to work on the apartment as much as I want to find out about the business stuff, so I’m going to be bi-i-izzzzy.
I have been reading an interesting book by a woman who has had chronic migraines for several years. The book is called All in My Head and the author’s name is Paula Kamen. It’s both entertaining and informative. It includes such insights as the following:
- A description of migraine as “a genetic disease with environmental triggers.” Interesting. That means that stress alone, or muscle spasms alone, or TMJ alone, isn’t enough to cause a migraine-you have to be genetically predisposed. (Sorry, Amy.)
- This comparison-“In general, headache sufferers are worse off than people who have arthritis, roughly similar to those who have congestive hart failure severe enough to interfere with walking up and down stairs and only slightly better than people with AIDS.”-frpom two neurologists summing up research. I don’t know that I’d go quite that far, but…. wow! They are talking about the fact that with arthritis, etc, the doc can see physical evidence that something is wrong, so they are less likely to tell you it’s mental, or you’re exaggerating, or whatever.
- Advanced types of brain imaging reveal that the brains of migraine sufferers are hypersensitive to stimuli even when a migraine is not happening, and become more stimulated by repeated exposure. (Aha! Sunlight really does give me a headache more quickly now than it used to.) And this might help with the problem noted above, too.
-In an advice section to neurologists, she writes, “Don’t forget that patients who come to you about pain might want some actual pain relief. Neurologists are often fixed on daily preventives (which often do not work) for fear of causing a rebound headache…. This focus can help matters overall but often also serves as a distraction from treating the original problem: the pain.”
- Doctors know that most daily preventives only work for about 50% of the time, but they don’t tell the patient that. This leaves the patient feeling like they are the only one who is so difficult to treat.
I definitely have to recommend that book to my neurologist.
The fiction I’ve just finished reading is With No One As Witness, which is the latest in the Thomas Lynley/ Barbara Havers series written by Elizabeth George. That sucker has depressed the hell out of me. It’s slightly less depressing now than before I knew how it ended. Still, I hated the ending, which is just … awful. Hated it. So there. She gives you one hopeful thing in the last paragraph, but I’m afraid to read the next one (whenever she writes it,) for fear of what she’ll do next. It only makes it worse that she’s such a good writer, because then you really care what happens to the people in the book. I might make someone else read it first (like Ysolt-she’s the one who got me hooked on the series) and tell me if it’s safe to read.
I was very disappointed yesterday to find that Amy had mailed me a complete set of CDs of the music from their wedding over a week ago, and I haven’t gotten it. Oddly enough, I had been thinking I’d like to have the music. I was probably thinking that about the time she mailed it. (Let’s hear it for that mother-daughter connection…. Ooooh weeeeeeoooooh…) Anyway, that’s the second item mailed to me in less than a month that I didn’t get. I knew our mail isn’t real secure but I’d never been aware of a problem before. Amy said the package was just a plain CD mailer and was obviously nothing special, so she can’t imagine that anyone would bother to take it. It’s just weird, though….
I'm going to call it a night, and hope I'm back in go-get 'em mode tomorrow. And I'll take some light reading to bed with me. A mystery that is entertaining and doesn't make you get all engrossed in the characters and then... oh, nevermind.