The weekly column here that's a little chatty and personal so you can get to know me and my creative weird sometimes silly sometimes mundane little brain ...
Came here for pics of Bumi and Kya, was not disappointed! But that beet salad... holy crap that thing looks amazing!
Side note: I can also now walk to my dentist. It's an odd feeling for me, generally having to drive through some suburbs or something to get to my dentist in the past.
I stopped driving when I moved here 17 years ago. I used to be really great about walking most places and taking public transit everywhere else. Then Lyft and Waymo came along and I got lazy about it but I'm trying to get back into it.
Gorgeous pics of you and your dogs- and that salad looks scrumptious! HNY- and glad the dentist went OK. I recommend getting a hot dentist ( which I inadvertently did many years ago when my previous one left!!) He gives me every reason to keep up with my dental health, as well as being an excellent dentist, too, so a ‘win/win’! 😂🤗
What’s true for me is that our youngest, our teenager, is going away for 2 weeks! It’s going to be strange without her. She’s our extrovert of the family, so it’s going to be a lot quieter at home. ❤️
I haven't been checking in with the chat threads because I removed the 'Stack app from my phone last month. Found myself doomscrolling and went, "Nope, ya gotta go now!" I realized that I can't chat without the app (boo hiss!), so it's back on my phone for now.
That beet salad looks amazing. I had salad with beets the other day and realized how much I have missed them. Looking to add them back into my daily salads.
This past week I've been catching up on appointments I had to cancel because I was sick nearly all of December. Checking off some more appointments this next week, and I also have a routine dental appointment this month. No nitrous for me, though; I have auditory hallucinations when I'm on it, which amps my anxiety. I have a "worry stone" I take with me to hold, which works just fine.
Oh I definitely wouldn't want auditory hallucinations. Nitrous works for me. Honestly, at this point, it's probably more about the ritual and the breathing and I can probably do the appointment without it but one step at a time for me. I've had some really bad dental trauma so whatever gets me to the cleaning!
I have periodically removed the app from my phone as well when I realize I'm getting compulsive or habitual with it instead of engaging mindfully. It's a tricky balance. I love the connection here but it does have the trappings of other social media.
I liked your exercise. I wish I could have landed in a better place. Someday I hope to. Now I am going to share what is true for me...
I think I have ADHD. It’s not something that I’ve ever considered. My life has a lack of focus in daily activities that prevents me from following through with whatever it is I intend to do.
Some days are worse than others. There are times that my conversations are very on queue, others, extremely irrational and they jump from subject to subject. I can’t sit down and read, or watch television, or work on a project for more than a couple of minutes before I have to hop to the next thing. My mind is constantly racing to one, two, and as many as four or five things ahead of what I’m currently doing.
The only thing that slows me down is writing. I think it’s because I do it on my phone these days and so the tapping motion keeps my thoughts in patterns with what I can physically place on the screen and I have to go back for mistakes.
I definitely know that AI will be a definite disservice to me. And I think I’ve come to the realization that my problem of focusing has been getting worse. So the next thing that’s true for me is that I am going to discuss this with my therapist to get her read on this. My community mental health worker who comes to my residence is the first person who thinks it’s a problem. And she sees how I live - with about eight different things going on at the same time. Truthfully, it’s more like 30 plus as I have several things just in my bed to do and that I do to calm my mind. I keep them lined up against the wall. There are another six right in front of where I’m sitting.
Part of my creative process though is sometimes having to put things down for a few days, or weeks, until I can resolve how I want to finish them. Most get done soon. Some may take a year or longer. But there are the frenzied things I keep shuffling. So I’m determined to sort things out with my brain.
Thanks for sharing all of this Margaret. I would still really love to have an interview or guest post from you ... we never worked out the best way of doing that did we? What do you think might feel right (if anything?)
It sounds like your experience could be ADHD. Or could be related to mania. Or could just be the way that your brain works that doesn't have a name. It could definitely be helpful to explore ADHD and see what fits and doesn't fit for you ... whether or not that's the exact diagnosis, I find it's often helpful to get tips and tricks from other people's experiences. I hope that your therapist will be able to assist you in these next steps.
That would be just fine with me. I’m not nearly as talented as the people that have appeared in your interviews! My writing might be better than my paper art. I’m not really sure. I’m on Facebook. Then we can do Messenger from there.
A majority of the people interviewed have been certain that they weren't as talented or didn't have as much of importance to share. It's never true. <3
Been like that most of my long life, realized it Can Be A Problem, When - one - has - many - interests...... Then Realized that it goes with the territory, which gave me the little control that is sometimes necessary and now accept/embrace it as a blessing. Peace, Maurice
Nervous pills.... hmm ....When I started playing paid gigs, I would get very slightly stoned an hour or two before starting. That meant I was coming down but calm for the first few songs - it worked. For my 10th gig, I had nothing to draw on but the thought that I didn't need to do it again And Never Did. Not even for the Dentist, Kathryn.... Peace is internal, Maurice
Came here for pics of Bumi and Kya, was not disappointed! But that beet salad... holy crap that thing looks amazing!
Side note: I can also now walk to my dentist. It's an odd feeling for me, generally having to drive through some suburbs or something to get to my dentist in the past.
I stopped driving when I moved here 17 years ago. I used to be really great about walking most places and taking public transit everywhere else. Then Lyft and Waymo came along and I got lazy about it but I'm trying to get back into it.
I love walking when I can. As modes of transportation go, it's pretty amazing.
https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/flaneur
My legs refuse to carry me at the tempo my brain desires. My old electric trike can take me out all day. Lovely !!
Yay to facials and beet salad and cute dogs. How are you liking Natalie’s book? I haven’t read that one.
I love it. It's really moving.
I am going to try and get it. I love her books and credit her to getting me going with writing.
I'm planning to read/re-read her more this year as well.
Gorgeous pics of you and your dogs- and that salad looks scrumptious! HNY- and glad the dentist went OK. I recommend getting a hot dentist ( which I inadvertently did many years ago when my previous one left!!) He gives me every reason to keep up with my dental health, as well as being an excellent dentist, too, so a ‘win/win’! 😂🤗
LOL, good option :) I chose mine because they specialize in dental care for really anxious people.
Now hey !! That's an oxymoron !!
What’s true for me is that our youngest, our teenager, is going away for 2 weeks! It’s going to be strange without her. She’s our extrovert of the family, so it’s going to be a lot quieter at home. ❤️
Hope that goes well for everyone!
I haven't been checking in with the chat threads because I removed the 'Stack app from my phone last month. Found myself doomscrolling and went, "Nope, ya gotta go now!" I realized that I can't chat without the app (boo hiss!), so it's back on my phone for now.
That beet salad looks amazing. I had salad with beets the other day and realized how much I have missed them. Looking to add them back into my daily salads.
This past week I've been catching up on appointments I had to cancel because I was sick nearly all of December. Checking off some more appointments this next week, and I also have a routine dental appointment this month. No nitrous for me, though; I have auditory hallucinations when I'm on it, which amps my anxiety. I have a "worry stone" I take with me to hold, which works just fine.
Oh I definitely wouldn't want auditory hallucinations. Nitrous works for me. Honestly, at this point, it's probably more about the ritual and the breathing and I can probably do the appointment without it but one step at a time for me. I've had some really bad dental trauma so whatever gets me to the cleaning!
I have periodically removed the app from my phone as well when I realize I'm getting compulsive or habitual with it instead of engaging mindfully. It's a tricky balance. I love the connection here but it does have the trappings of other social media.
I liked your exercise. I wish I could have landed in a better place. Someday I hope to. Now I am going to share what is true for me...
I think I have ADHD. It’s not something that I’ve ever considered. My life has a lack of focus in daily activities that prevents me from following through with whatever it is I intend to do.
Some days are worse than others. There are times that my conversations are very on queue, others, extremely irrational and they jump from subject to subject. I can’t sit down and read, or watch television, or work on a project for more than a couple of minutes before I have to hop to the next thing. My mind is constantly racing to one, two, and as many as four or five things ahead of what I’m currently doing.
The only thing that slows me down is writing. I think it’s because I do it on my phone these days and so the tapping motion keeps my thoughts in patterns with what I can physically place on the screen and I have to go back for mistakes.
I definitely know that AI will be a definite disservice to me. And I think I’ve come to the realization that my problem of focusing has been getting worse. So the next thing that’s true for me is that I am going to discuss this with my therapist to get her read on this. My community mental health worker who comes to my residence is the first person who thinks it’s a problem. And she sees how I live - with about eight different things going on at the same time. Truthfully, it’s more like 30 plus as I have several things just in my bed to do and that I do to calm my mind. I keep them lined up against the wall. There are another six right in front of where I’m sitting.
Part of my creative process though is sometimes having to put things down for a few days, or weeks, until I can resolve how I want to finish them. Most get done soon. Some may take a year or longer. But there are the frenzied things I keep shuffling. So I’m determined to sort things out with my brain.
Thanks for sharing all of this Margaret. I would still really love to have an interview or guest post from you ... we never worked out the best way of doing that did we? What do you think might feel right (if anything?)
It sounds like your experience could be ADHD. Or could be related to mania. Or could just be the way that your brain works that doesn't have a name. It could definitely be helpful to explore ADHD and see what fits and doesn't fit for you ... whether or not that's the exact diagnosis, I find it's often helpful to get tips and tricks from other people's experiences. I hope that your therapist will be able to assist you in these next steps.
That would be just fine with me. I’m not nearly as talented as the people that have appeared in your interviews! My writing might be better than my paper art. I’m not really sure. I’m on Facebook. Then we can do Messenger from there.
A majority of the people interviewed have been certain that they weren't as talented or didn't have as much of importance to share. It's never true. <3
Been like that most of my long life, realized it Can Be A Problem, When - one - has - many - interests...... Then Realized that it goes with the territory, which gave me the little control that is sometimes necessary and now accept/embrace it as a blessing. Peace, Maurice
Nervous pills.... hmm ....When I started playing paid gigs, I would get very slightly stoned an hour or two before starting. That meant I was coming down but calm for the first few songs - it worked. For my 10th gig, I had nothing to draw on but the thought that I didn't need to do it again And Never Did. Not even for the Dentist, Kathryn.... Peace is internal, Maurice
It is internal. And it’s also a process. Getting there.