The Long, Sad Week

Yeah, I know. It's only Wednesday.

I've already been to one funeral this week. There was a four-hour support call to a relative who's having a very rough time. Unfortunately, it won't get better. But they still have their mental health. So do I despite my various health issues.

Which leads me to the current POTUS.

I don't agree with his policies, his beliefs, or his constant need for attention no matter who he hurts.

I do believe in universal karma, and...

I find myself pitying the POTUS because his roosters have come home to roost.

I believe he's getting IV infusions of some kind. I recognize the bruises on his hands despite the makeup. Both DH and I have suffered from blown veins in our hands. They're ugly and painful. But they do heal eventually. But POTUS's aren't or are happening very frequently. That's a lot of blown veins.

The other possibility is the POTUS is on blood thinners. My friends and family who are on them bruise easily. Very easily. The question becomes what other bruises are his baggy suits hiding.

Then there's the cankles. I'm not making fun of him. I've had cankles when I suffered from congestive heart failure back in the '10's. (Needless to say, "I'm feeling MUCH better now.") The fluid retention put extreme pressure on my bones, muscles, etc., while stretching my skin. It was down-right, fucking painful! It also explains his awkward gait.

And finally, POTUS's public speaking has become more disjointed with longer lapses and forgetfulness. And again, I'm not making fun of him. Dementia stole one of my grandmothers. She taught me so many practical skills over the years. We watched Days of Our Lives together over pizza. And I drove to the East Coast with her to visit her brothers.

Also, I watched a good family friend, a literal genius engineer, fade as dementia took him from us. I'll always love him for visiting DH every single morning while DH was hospitalized for caner. Our friend's funeral is on Saturday.

Like I said, a very long, sad week.

But no one is really caring for POTUS. At a time when he should have family caring for him and enjoying his company while they still can, he's propped up in public. Nothing more than a meat puppet for the people more interested in the power he represents than the man himself. He's reaping the lack of care he gave to his family when they needed it. Like I said, I believe in karma.

And she's in a very bitchy mood.

I'm Still Alive

I have skipped writing blog posts lately for a couple of reasons. Yes, I've been writing my butt off on novels, trying to catch up after all the interruptions of the year. But thanks to the pandemic, most of my medical check-ups have moved from April and May to October and November.

For example, I had my eye exam yesterday. As I've gotten older, I have to ask the doctor to use a lesser strength of the drug administered to dilate the pupils. Otherwise, I end up with a nasty migraine. But even when the doctor uses the lesser concentration, it doesn't wear off as fast as it use to. I need to stay in a darkened room for eight to twelve hours. It kind of blows my whole day.

So, after DH drove me home yesterday, I sat in the family room and started putting together the shipping boxes for the rewards from the Soccer Moms of the Apocalypse Kickstarter campaign.

Also, DH is on vacation this week, and we finally feel comfortable enough to go to the movie theater. So, y'all will have some Monday Movie Mania to look forward to over the next week.

It finally feels like things are getting back to normal for us.

Slowing Down

2022 has been a chaotic year. I could list everything, but I'm not going to bore you. Suffice it to say, the stress has been bad enough that my blood sugars are seriously out of whack.

So I'm going to take a few months off from publishing. Not writing, mind you. I would drive myself crazy if I did that.  And I will publish the handful of volumes that are already on preorder for the next eight months, plus Invasion! Which I really need to set up the pre-order for that one, too.

But I need to focus on diet and exercise for a little while. Try to get things stable again. Slow down and smell the last roses of the season before they're gone. Maybe finish unpacking the boxes that have been sitting in the living room for the past year and a half. Pick up my OOAK Barbie hobby again.

We all need that breather. No one ever says they didn't work enough on their deathbeds.

Besides, I want a Pumpkin Spice latte when the season starts next week!

Enforced Rest for the Wicked Writer

I have a minor procedure this morning, so Bella and I will be crashing on my recliner and watching Supernatural on Netflix while I shake off the effects of the anesthesia.

Have a great weekend, everyone! We'll catch you on the other side.

I Haven't Died Yet, Though I Wish I Had at Times

By the time everything was said and done last week, I had a combination of the flu, strep throat and bronchitis on top of my chronic conditions. And add to that, a bad reaction to the antibiotic my doctor proscribed. By Wednesday, I was begging my husband for assisted-suicide.

Needless to say, I wasn't on the computer for over a week. Luckily, things have improved to where I can sit up in my recliner, rather than lay down. My couple of hours upright was needed to fill out our local income tax return.

I don't know how far I'll get this week as far as writing and editing. I've got a ton of laundry to do, though DH tried to keep up on it last week though he had the flu, too. And it was supposed to be the poor guy's vacation.

See? Murphy is the one true god.

Protecting Your Livelihood - Part 3

Currently reading - Greywalker by Kat Richardson

You hear everyone talk about writing the book of you heart, social networking, editting before submitting, etc.  But there's one very important writing asset I rarely hear anyone talk about preserving--you!

This mean excercising.  Believe me, I'd prefer to sit on the couch and watch True Blood on DVD than exercise.  However, my nag, aka Wonder Dog, pressures me for that mile and a half walk every day.

Sitting in a chair and writing is harder on the body than people realize.  Muscles and joints locked in the same positions can lead to conditions from carpal tunnel syndrome to potentially life-threatening deep vein thrombosis (DVT).  So find a form of exercise that's comfortable, enjoyable, and most importantly, SAFE for you.  Something you'll stick with.  I may complain about Wonder Dog's nagging, but a quiet walk often unsticks my plot points.

Also, make sure you eat right.  I've belabored this point in a previous post, but it's still an important one.  Even my diabetic nutritionist would say you can have an occasional treat, but if you're not on some medically restricted diet, make sure you eat reasonable portions of all the food groups during the day.

One suggestion I find irresponsible is telling new writers to skimp on sleep.  Now some people can get plenty of rest with only six hours of sleep, but most of us are not superpeople.  If you're an eight-hour person, get those eight hours and find some other way to squeeze in some writing time.  There's too many studies showing how lack of sleep leads to more accidents and heart problems.

The lesson here--take care of your primary writing tool, YOU!!