Reevaluations
Have been costume-fretting again this week. But today I managed to at least refocus that energy on the costume I'm actually *making* right now. Still trying to figure out how I'm going to do the head-piece and jewelry, but I've done some internet research and sketched some ideas, so will see what happens. But yay, getting interested in shiny things again.
Aside from the head piece, there's a belt buckle, a brooch, and possibly a clockwork prop I want to make. Am trying to look into whether K'nex work for simple movable parts in costume pieces and props, but I'm not really finding consistent answers or tutorials. Not sure if that means it won't work, or if people just aren't putting it on the internet. *shrugs*
Still not sure if I'm making the Regency costume or Doom Coat next. The DC is all ready to go, and I'm tired of having those big bolts of fabric in my closet. And I would probably be wearing it sooner than November. This would give me more time to mull over the extras I want to add to the Regency costume, and slowly collect and test materials.
On the other bobbin, the Regency costume may haunt and taunt the anxiety-riddled spots in my brain until I finish it :-/. And there are lining-embroideries I'd like to do on both coats, which might me simpler to practice on the Regency costume first. Especially since I'm planning to wear the DC in my usual wardrobe, and I don't have that many places to wear costumes these days. And I can't decide on whether to go with an old familiar pattern for the dress until I finish the coat, so I can see whether or not the necklines match. And if I end up not liking the purple version, I need more time to shop for other fabrics for another try at the coat.
Not to mention all the other sewing projects I have lined up that are less costumey, and would probably be comfy to wear by early fall. Ugh, the desire to COMPLETE ALL THE THINGS is not helping my chill-out-discipline :-P
As for my Etsy shop ... I'm still not giving it up, but I'm making an effort to care less about how much stuff is up there and whether or not I'm updating regularly. Energy wise, I'm going to keep this at 'hobby' level rather than 'important alternative revenue stream' level. The personal-finance-blogosphere may be all about the side hustle, but I don't think any of the ppl I read have a fatigue problem. So the continued pattern of not-regular or frequent updates will continue, and I will stop feeling guilty about it. As hobbies go, mine is way less expensive than some others I could think of now that I know how to keep myself on-track.
Doing an hour of work each evening with my sewing was working pretty well until the summer fried my brain, but I'll see if I can get back to that if my system acclimates enough. Or just pick it up again in September. Also, if I can just will myself to do an hour of *something* each week night, it doesn't have to be sewing. Could write or bead for an hour, or get ahead on chores before spacing out again on youtube.
Tho I'm also too brain-fried to go out as I'd planned for this month, b/c when I made those plans I completely forgot that summer makes me feel yucky. So its annoying that I can't do fun things at home either. But this is already a familiar groove for me :-P
Looking back over the last couple of months, I've noticed another correlation between my habits and my increase of energy that started in early June: a more regular sleep schedule. Summer hours at work started after my b'day, and then I also started eating starchy carbs again, and then I was feeling better.
I usually synch my sleep schedule to my morning startup time. Set my bedtime for eight hours of sleep before wake up time, followed by one hour of getting ready, one hour of commuting, and then I'm at work. Since late May that's always been the same times, except for Monday where I don't get out of work until 9pm, so getting home can be weird depending on what's wrong with the trains this week.
The fall semester is still a few months away, but last spring my start-up times were 12pm (Mondays I see my therapist in the morning at work, so that's 12pm and then work is 1:30), 10am, 9am, 9am, 11am (tho sometimes Fridays started with a 10am allergy shot). So my sleep times will bounce around a lot.
So far I seem to have two options. First, I could sleep 11pm-7am every night regardless of my work schedule. But this would shift some of my 'leisure' time to the mornings before work, and historically that causes me to be super late to work. Especially if I turn on my computer, omg late. While the weather holds, I could sit in the park near work reading for a while, but there's no guarantee I'll have the brain power for that.
And the weather will probably turn sometime in October. In that case, there's no law that says I can't show up at 9am every morning at work and not officially clock-in until my usual start time, but that typically means I'm staring at the internet for one to two extra hours every morning, and that's how I get eye strain headaches. Tho I guess I could also bring extra beadwork, or bead photos to edit? Hmm.
But the second option is to ask my supervisor if I can have the opening 9am shift at work *every* day Tuesday thru Friday. On one hand, the 9am-12pm circ desk shift is usually the least busy. On the other, I'm not sure what that will do to everyone else's shifts, or if that will be welcome. I've told my supervisor in the past about my sleep disorder problems (back when I was told the only way to fix them was to shoot me up with lots of weird medications, and I wasn't sure what they would do to my work performance) so he'd probably be sympathetic. But my coworkers have life schedules too. And I'm not sure how weird things would get if I needed a long absence for illness or vacation.
I only need my allergy shots every three weeks now, and if I'm getting out at 5pm every day I should be able to make an after-work appointment with my allergist (will ask about their schedules first, tho). However, Monday nights I'd work until 9:30pm, which sometimes means I don't get home by 11pm, let alone into bed. So Tuesdays will be a bit extra sleep dep'd, but they already are. It will also be extra incentive to *not* turn on the pc when I get home, b/c that also delays my bedtime. Oh computer, thou art a treacherous companion.
By now I'm pretty used to not having a social life, so the fact that an 11pm bedtime means I'm on the train home by 9pm at the latest does not bother me. If ppl want me to show up to things like shows or meetups, they can start them at 6pm instead of 8pm :-P And some nights I'm conking out by 9 or 10pm anyway, so its not like I'm awesome company late at night anymore.
I could try to stomach through the fall semester on my typical schedule, but then if I crash again I won't be able to change my schedule again until January. I guess I ask my supervisor about it sometime in August and see what he thinks. Like I said, he'd be sympathetic for sure, but other librarians have needs too.
Tho in that case, I also noticed that Saturn's gone direct recently, having been in retrograde since February, which is when I reeeeealy started to crash out again. Darnit astrology, I wish I could quit you. But Saturn is the teacher of cause and effect, and it may have taken regular sleep and starchy carbs to wake me up again, so ... does this mean I pass?
Feeling better energy today, and my brain is a bit more active thanx to jewelry-tutorial research (I remembered my Pinterest login on the first try, after months away, OMG progress), but I'm not sure that I want to go to a meetup full of new people tonight in unknown territory. I remembered to pack an extra lunch, and 7pm is a good time for me, but my stomach has been extra cranky today. If I were at 4+ I would probably go, but at 3 with stomach probs I should probably bow out for this month. Socializing + feeling ick does not go well with me. Also, there's ice cream and peaches and sewing at home, and its too hot outside to wear my Ravenclaw vest to a Potter meetup :-P
Browncoats is this weekend if I feel up for it (and I've already simplified cooking plans just in case), and next Thursday I have dinner plans with another friend, so I'm not without other more-comfortable options. Or maybe I'll feel much better within the next 2 hours and go anyway. *shrugs*
I'm also slowly going through my new full and sample sized gluten free makeups to see how they work. At least one lipstick sample is a 100% yes, and I'm happy with the full sizes, but the *staying power* of the products hasn't really been proven yet. However, all of the lip stuff feels AMAZING. Lipstick and gloss that doesn't dry out my lips after 10 mins? OMG!
So at least I'm increasing my glamour pool, although my health levels still elude me ;-)
<3 Chrysilla
Crossposted from Dreamwidth, http://chrysilla.dreamwidth.org/
Aside from the head piece, there's a belt buckle, a brooch, and possibly a clockwork prop I want to make. Am trying to look into whether K'nex work for simple movable parts in costume pieces and props, but I'm not really finding consistent answers or tutorials. Not sure if that means it won't work, or if people just aren't putting it on the internet. *shrugs*
Still not sure if I'm making the Regency costume or Doom Coat next. The DC is all ready to go, and I'm tired of having those big bolts of fabric in my closet. And I would probably be wearing it sooner than November. This would give me more time to mull over the extras I want to add to the Regency costume, and slowly collect and test materials.
On the other bobbin, the Regency costume may haunt and taunt the anxiety-riddled spots in my brain until I finish it :-/. And there are lining-embroideries I'd like to do on both coats, which might me simpler to practice on the Regency costume first. Especially since I'm planning to wear the DC in my usual wardrobe, and I don't have that many places to wear costumes these days. And I can't decide on whether to go with an old familiar pattern for the dress until I finish the coat, so I can see whether or not the necklines match. And if I end up not liking the purple version, I need more time to shop for other fabrics for another try at the coat.
Not to mention all the other sewing projects I have lined up that are less costumey, and would probably be comfy to wear by early fall. Ugh, the desire to COMPLETE ALL THE THINGS is not helping my chill-out-discipline :-P
As for my Etsy shop ... I'm still not giving it up, but I'm making an effort to care less about how much stuff is up there and whether or not I'm updating regularly. Energy wise, I'm going to keep this at 'hobby' level rather than 'important alternative revenue stream' level. The personal-finance-blogosphere may be all about the side hustle, but I don't think any of the ppl I read have a fatigue problem. So the continued pattern of not-regular or frequent updates will continue, and I will stop feeling guilty about it. As hobbies go, mine is way less expensive than some others I could think of now that I know how to keep myself on-track.
Doing an hour of work each evening with my sewing was working pretty well until the summer fried my brain, but I'll see if I can get back to that if my system acclimates enough. Or just pick it up again in September. Also, if I can just will myself to do an hour of *something* each week night, it doesn't have to be sewing. Could write or bead for an hour, or get ahead on chores before spacing out again on youtube.
Tho I'm also too brain-fried to go out as I'd planned for this month, b/c when I made those plans I completely forgot that summer makes me feel yucky. So its annoying that I can't do fun things at home either. But this is already a familiar groove for me :-P
Looking back over the last couple of months, I've noticed another correlation between my habits and my increase of energy that started in early June: a more regular sleep schedule. Summer hours at work started after my b'day, and then I also started eating starchy carbs again, and then I was feeling better.
I usually synch my sleep schedule to my morning startup time. Set my bedtime for eight hours of sleep before wake up time, followed by one hour of getting ready, one hour of commuting, and then I'm at work. Since late May that's always been the same times, except for Monday where I don't get out of work until 9pm, so getting home can be weird depending on what's wrong with the trains this week.
The fall semester is still a few months away, but last spring my start-up times were 12pm (Mondays I see my therapist in the morning at work, so that's 12pm and then work is 1:30), 10am, 9am, 9am, 11am (tho sometimes Fridays started with a 10am allergy shot). So my sleep times will bounce around a lot.
So far I seem to have two options. First, I could sleep 11pm-7am every night regardless of my work schedule. But this would shift some of my 'leisure' time to the mornings before work, and historically that causes me to be super late to work. Especially if I turn on my computer, omg late. While the weather holds, I could sit in the park near work reading for a while, but there's no guarantee I'll have the brain power for that.
And the weather will probably turn sometime in October. In that case, there's no law that says I can't show up at 9am every morning at work and not officially clock-in until my usual start time, but that typically means I'm staring at the internet for one to two extra hours every morning, and that's how I get eye strain headaches. Tho I guess I could also bring extra beadwork, or bead photos to edit? Hmm.
But the second option is to ask my supervisor if I can have the opening 9am shift at work *every* day Tuesday thru Friday. On one hand, the 9am-12pm circ desk shift is usually the least busy. On the other, I'm not sure what that will do to everyone else's shifts, or if that will be welcome. I've told my supervisor in the past about my sleep disorder problems (back when I was told the only way to fix them was to shoot me up with lots of weird medications, and I wasn't sure what they would do to my work performance) so he'd probably be sympathetic. But my coworkers have life schedules too. And I'm not sure how weird things would get if I needed a long absence for illness or vacation.
I only need my allergy shots every three weeks now, and if I'm getting out at 5pm every day I should be able to make an after-work appointment with my allergist (will ask about their schedules first, tho). However, Monday nights I'd work until 9:30pm, which sometimes means I don't get home by 11pm, let alone into bed. So Tuesdays will be a bit extra sleep dep'd, but they already are. It will also be extra incentive to *not* turn on the pc when I get home, b/c that also delays my bedtime. Oh computer, thou art a treacherous companion.
By now I'm pretty used to not having a social life, so the fact that an 11pm bedtime means I'm on the train home by 9pm at the latest does not bother me. If ppl want me to show up to things like shows or meetups, they can start them at 6pm instead of 8pm :-P And some nights I'm conking out by 9 or 10pm anyway, so its not like I'm awesome company late at night anymore.
I could try to stomach through the fall semester on my typical schedule, but then if I crash again I won't be able to change my schedule again until January. I guess I ask my supervisor about it sometime in August and see what he thinks. Like I said, he'd be sympathetic for sure, but other librarians have needs too.
Tho in that case, I also noticed that Saturn's gone direct recently, having been in retrograde since February, which is when I reeeeealy started to crash out again. Darnit astrology, I wish I could quit you. But Saturn is the teacher of cause and effect, and it may have taken regular sleep and starchy carbs to wake me up again, so ... does this mean I pass?
Feeling better energy today, and my brain is a bit more active thanx to jewelry-tutorial research (I remembered my Pinterest login on the first try, after months away, OMG progress), but I'm not sure that I want to go to a meetup full of new people tonight in unknown territory. I remembered to pack an extra lunch, and 7pm is a good time for me, but my stomach has been extra cranky today. If I were at 4+ I would probably go, but at 3 with stomach probs I should probably bow out for this month. Socializing + feeling ick does not go well with me. Also, there's ice cream and peaches and sewing at home, and its too hot outside to wear my Ravenclaw vest to a Potter meetup :-P
Browncoats is this weekend if I feel up for it (and I've already simplified cooking plans just in case), and next Thursday I have dinner plans with another friend, so I'm not without other more-comfortable options. Or maybe I'll feel much better within the next 2 hours and go anyway. *shrugs*
I'm also slowly going through my new full and sample sized gluten free makeups to see how they work. At least one lipstick sample is a 100% yes, and I'm happy with the full sizes, but the *staying power* of the products hasn't really been proven yet. However, all of the lip stuff feels AMAZING. Lipstick and gloss that doesn't dry out my lips after 10 mins? OMG!
So at least I'm increasing my glamour pool, although my health levels still elude me ;-)
<3 Chrysilla
Crossposted from Dreamwidth, http://chrysilla.dreamwidth.org/