I was chilling last night, drinking tea while eating chocolate-covered shortbread, knitting and watching the Sam & Dean sexy hour (aka Supernatural). A friend called and asked what I was doing, and I told him. He replied that that sounded amazing and I had to agree.
Sometimes your best life is relaxing and ignoring the negatives, even just for an hour or two. I've had some pretty fierce jaw pain the last month, and skin issues, but in spite of that life can be pretty good. Instead of noticing the ways I accommodate chronic health problems, which would be a very long list, I'm choosing to focus on the positives. I have a safe and warm home. My power didn't go out even during our recent wind storm. I have friends. I have internet to connect with many of those friends. And I love and am loved.
I'm also making good progress on the wedding blanket: almost halfway done with the edging. I think it's going to be beautiful. And warm :)
November 20, 2015
November 13, 2015
8,072
Last week a friend wrote that she'd had 3,000 days of constant pain. I did some calculations and I've had 8,072 days. It was the week before my 17th birthday, so needless to say that birthday sucked.
But during those thousands of days there have been bright spots. Today I mended my leaf quilt, adding embroidery over an insufficient seam allowance. I really like how it turned out.
Music has definitely been a positive. I've been listening to Tom Waits today, he is just right for a stormy afternoon.
But love is the main thing. Love is what life is all about. May you all have a happy and love filled weekend.
But during those thousands of days there have been bright spots. Today I mended my leaf quilt, adding embroidery over an insufficient seam allowance. I really like how it turned out.
Music has definitely been a positive. I've been listening to Tom Waits today, he is just right for a stormy afternoon.
But love is the main thing. Love is what life is all about. May you all have a happy and love filled weekend.
November 3, 2015
No Place on Earth
I recently read a quote:
It made me pause and think, maybe I can change at least one thing. My apartment's drains have been slow (again) and it took (again) three weeks for maintenance to show up to snake the drain. The benefits of where I am now: walkability, transit, social options, are not things I can take advantage of any more. So I've started looking at where else I might live. The list is...not long.
I am poor. When I say that I don't mean that I have to choose a home with a roommate in a less ideal neighborhood. I mean that I fall under the "extremely low" income category of below 30% the median area income. Ever tried finding subsidized housing? Not easy. Ever tried finding it when you're this broke? Practically impossible.
The real problem is that I don't belong anywhere. There is no place for me. I'm single, I don't have kids. I'm not obliged or able to help a relative with childcare. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad I'm not a burden being shuttled between relations. But not fitting into the fabric of society is painful.
I don't know how I'd find the energy to pack up and move. But if I could find a place with some real community, I'd just love that. When you have subsidized housing and talk about moving it's usually in terms of years, not weeks or months. And I haven't started anything yet. But this is a place for my thoughts, so here's another one of them.
 |
| "I am no longer accepting the things I cannot change. I'm changing the things I cannot accept." - Angela Davis, PhD |
It made me pause and think, maybe I can change at least one thing. My apartment's drains have been slow (again) and it took (again) three weeks for maintenance to show up to snake the drain. The benefits of where I am now: walkability, transit, social options, are not things I can take advantage of any more. So I've started looking at where else I might live. The list is...not long.
I am poor. When I say that I don't mean that I have to choose a home with a roommate in a less ideal neighborhood. I mean that I fall under the "extremely low" income category of below 30% the median area income. Ever tried finding subsidized housing? Not easy. Ever tried finding it when you're this broke? Practically impossible.
The real problem is that I don't belong anywhere. There is no place for me. I'm single, I don't have kids. I'm not obliged or able to help a relative with childcare. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad I'm not a burden being shuttled between relations. But not fitting into the fabric of society is painful.
I don't know how I'd find the energy to pack up and move. But if I could find a place with some real community, I'd just love that. When you have subsidized housing and talk about moving it's usually in terms of years, not weeks or months. And I haven't started anything yet. But this is a place for my thoughts, so here's another one of them.
October 26, 2015
DC in Sept
Back in mid-September I went to Washington, DC for a long weekend. I was having high fatigue and pretty severe joint pain, so I didn't get to see as much as I'd hoped. It was still a good trip!
The first couple days were spent near Dulles, where I relaxed while my traveling partner worked. I didn't bring any business clothes so couldn't sneak into happy hour networking even if I'd wanted to. Instead I hung out in a nearby park :)
Then on to DC proper, where the hotel was next to the convention center. This was during the Congressional Black Caucus--good vicarious fun. So many people happy to see each other, talk about issues important to them, and most importantly to party! At the end of the CBC convention, President Obama spoke at a dinner. I was able to see him leave the venue!
I very much enjoyed the National Gallery of Art. My Flickr album has some terrible photos of my favorite paintings.
I highly recommend taking a Capitol tour through your Senator's office. It started by riding the special Congressional train linking the Congressional office buildings to the Capitol building. Then a tour around the public areas of the Capitol, along with some history.
Afterward I sat in on a House debate--lo and behold, they were discussing defunding Planned Parenthood. Let me tell you, being silent was a real challenge! Debbie Wasserman Schultz earned my respect that day.
On the last day I saw a couple more Smithsonian museums, then walked back to the hotel. I got lunch takeout in Chinatown and picked up a few kitschy souvenirs. After that it was time to catch the airport shuttle and head home.
 |
| Cooling my feet in the park's stream |
The first couple days were spent near Dulles, where I relaxed while my traveling partner worked. I didn't bring any business clothes so couldn't sneak into happy hour networking even if I'd wanted to. Instead I hung out in a nearby park :)
Then on to DC proper, where the hotel was next to the convention center. This was during the Congressional Black Caucus--good vicarious fun. So many people happy to see each other, talk about issues important to them, and most importantly to party! At the end of the CBC convention, President Obama spoke at a dinner. I was able to see him leave the venue!
I very much enjoyed the National Gallery of Art. My Flickr album has some terrible photos of my favorite paintings.
I highly recommend taking a Capitol tour through your Senator's office. It started by riding the special Congressional train linking the Congressional office buildings to the Capitol building. Then a tour around the public areas of the Capitol, along with some history.
Afterward I sat in on a House debate--lo and behold, they were discussing defunding Planned Parenthood. Let me tell you, being silent was a real challenge! Debbie Wasserman Schultz earned my respect that day.
On the last day I saw a couple more Smithsonian museums, then walked back to the hotel. I got lunch takeout in Chinatown and picked up a few kitschy souvenirs. After that it was time to catch the airport shuttle and head home.
October 20, 2015
A Birthday
Last weekend was my birthday, I am a shocking 39yo. No, I'm not sure how that happened either. But so far I'm liking it: I have more confidence, plenty of life experience, and can happily ignore bad or annoying advice. Be grateful I'm not your aunt, I'd be telling you to go talk to that boy: he can't know you like him if you don't talk to him!
It's not a birthday without cake. I got drinks with a few friends during the week, had a party with family on the day, and saw a couple other friends as well. A well spent holiday.
"None are so old as those who have outlived enthusiasm." H D Thoreau (I used to have a copy of Bartlett's, with favorites bookmarked. This was a more recent acquisition however)
It's not a birthday without cake. I got drinks with a few friends during the week, had a party with family on the day, and saw a couple other friends as well. A well spent holiday.
 |
| Mmmm, cake |
"None are so old as those who have outlived enthusiasm." H D Thoreau (I used to have a copy of Bartlett's, with favorites bookmarked. This was a more recent acquisition however)
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