![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
mizarchivistOverview time!!
Exercise- I've been able to go swimming 5 days in a row. I've always hated laps, but now it's something I look forward to. Before I'd be impatient and anxious and bored. With nobody else around and time to myself, it's gotten easy. My first few times I was sore later/the next day and I had to stop a fair bit. Now I can have the 15 minutes go by and be surprised it's over already.
Work- Despite chaos 'round the edges, work has been going alright. I've been taking on more "leadership" stuff and managerial stuff. The people I work with are easy to get on with and talk to. We just lack resources. Story of our life?
EMDR- have gone 4 times now and still working on building my tools. I like the new therapist very well and hope I get to keep her when my insurance changes.
ART!! - At this time last year, I still didn't even know about painting scarves. I've already sold 15 this year- 3 shy from what I did in the last 2 months of last year. Very gratifying to have an external indicator. The work itself is rewarding, although I often wish for an apprentice to do the boring bits like stretch the silk and clean the frames.
Books- I continue to love reading the feminist romance writers thatursa_cerulean has shared with me: Alisha Rai, Alyssa Cole, Courtney Milan, and Rose Lerner. I just finished Duke by Default by Alyssa this week and have been focused entirely on Naomi Novik's Spinning Silver, which was a bit of a slow start but now I am engrossed entirely. And no idea what I'll read next.
Telly- Jaime and I have been watching back eps of Elementary regularly, getting back to the last few Dark Matter, and will probably come back to The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel pretty soon. I'm happy The Good Place has season 2 on Netflix, and when in need, I apply a liberal application of Queer Eye.
Political Action- I will probably never feel like I'm doing enough. WTFJHT and The Skimm are my savior on figuring out the big picture, at least. Freedom For All Mass does in-person volunteer opportunities, which I've done some of. Been calling rep offices, ready to vote on Tuesday... Being mindful of sequestering all email requests for money-- apparently 96 since I started keeping track on June 27. Oops, make that 97. Nope. 98. 98. I also had to step back from cold-calling strangers. The biggest issue behind this is that I think it's a tactic that doesn't work. If I don't believe in the efficacy of the strategy, I can't keep myself doing it. I've also signed up to research Massachusetts re: safe community legislation, town by town with the ACLU. The cobbler's children rarely has shoes. I find even this is a hard thing to focus on once I'm home after being an information professional all day.
Meetings (al anon)- I have been managing to go about once a week. A good way to stay grounded and be mindful.
Kid- Is 7.The party, it has happened, and it was Harry Potter themed. School starts Tuesday, 1st grade...whut?? The principal met with me earlier this week to talk abt bathrooms. The Kindergarten had its own, but now it'll be shared. I wanted to make sure staff were on the same page with gender expression, and that meeting went better than expected. This gap-week has been super-tough. Not enough structure leading to more melt-downs and battles of will.
Jaime-Job! She started a new job at [unnamed] church, which was part time and temporary. We can charitably say that was not a great match, but an excellent learning opportunity. There's now a whole new permanent full time job with benefits in a different near town, and that's going to be a good thing. Facilities instead of office, good interactions with staff, and an actual office for her and everything. Now it's a matter of shifting insurance from the platinum level union grade to Mass Health. Lots of small practitioners esp. for mental health can't accommodate Mass Health regulations. Hoping whatever type of plan we have will let me keep my new therapist at least, who participates in a cut-out w/ Beacon Health.
House/garden- Thank god for central air. The garden is going nuts with the rain and the heat. Next year- fewer zucchini. Maybe fewer vine-ing tomatoes, too. The peach tree is getting there, although the fruits are teeny tiny. We now have a chest freezer, so that's exciting!
People-tikibar , ursa_cerulean and I have been watching the recent season of So You Think You Can Dance, which is our summer tradition. I have been able to see Eamon about once a week and in 2 weeks it'll be our 1 year anniversary. I don't feel like I've gotten to see as many of my favorite folk much the last few months, and then sometimes when face to face with a social thing I end up bailing out, depending on how complicated the working parts are. I'm looking forward to chilling with lifecollage this weekend at least
TL:DR? I'm relieved that compared to where I was at this time last year, I'm feeling alright, like there's lots of little progress and a lot of big progress, too. How are you??
Exercise- I've been able to go swimming 5 days in a row. I've always hated laps, but now it's something I look forward to. Before I'd be impatient and anxious and bored. With nobody else around and time to myself, it's gotten easy. My first few times I was sore later/the next day and I had to stop a fair bit. Now I can have the 15 minutes go by and be surprised it's over already.
Work- Despite chaos 'round the edges, work has been going alright. I've been taking on more "leadership" stuff and managerial stuff. The people I work with are easy to get on with and talk to. We just lack resources. Story of our life?
EMDR- have gone 4 times now and still working on building my tools. I like the new therapist very well and hope I get to keep her when my insurance changes.
ART!! - At this time last year, I still didn't even know about painting scarves. I've already sold 15 this year- 3 shy from what I did in the last 2 months of last year. Very gratifying to have an external indicator. The work itself is rewarding, although I often wish for an apprentice to do the boring bits like stretch the silk and clean the frames.
Books- I continue to love reading the feminist romance writers that
ursa_cerulean has shared with me: Alisha Rai, Alyssa Cole, Courtney Milan, and Rose Lerner. I just finished Duke by Default by Alyssa this week and have been focused entirely on Naomi Novik's Spinning Silver, which was a bit of a slow start but now I am engrossed entirely. And no idea what I'll read next.Telly- Jaime and I have been watching back eps of Elementary regularly, getting back to the last few Dark Matter, and will probably come back to The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel pretty soon. I'm happy The Good Place has season 2 on Netflix, and when in need, I apply a liberal application of Queer Eye.
Political Action- I will probably never feel like I'm doing enough. WTFJHT and The Skimm are my savior on figuring out the big picture, at least. Freedom For All Mass does in-person volunteer opportunities, which I've done some of. Been calling rep offices, ready to vote on Tuesday... Being mindful of sequestering all email requests for money-- apparently 96 since I started keeping track on June 27. Oops, make that 97. Nope. 98. 98. I also had to step back from cold-calling strangers. The biggest issue behind this is that I think it's a tactic that doesn't work. If I don't believe in the efficacy of the strategy, I can't keep myself doing it. I've also signed up to research Massachusetts re: safe community legislation, town by town with the ACLU. The cobbler's children rarely has shoes. I find even this is a hard thing to focus on once I'm home after being an information professional all day.
Meetings (al anon)- I have been managing to go about once a week. A good way to stay grounded and be mindful.
Kid- Is 7.The party, it has happened, and it was Harry Potter themed. School starts Tuesday, 1st grade...whut?? The principal met with me earlier this week to talk abt bathrooms. The Kindergarten had its own, but now it'll be shared. I wanted to make sure staff were on the same page with gender expression, and that meeting went better than expected. This gap-week has been super-tough. Not enough structure leading to more melt-downs and battles of will.
Jaime-Job! She started a new job at [unnamed] church, which was part time and temporary. We can charitably say that was not a great match, but an excellent learning opportunity. There's now a whole new permanent full time job with benefits in a different near town, and that's going to be a good thing. Facilities instead of office, good interactions with staff, and an actual office for her and everything. Now it's a matter of shifting insurance from the platinum level union grade to Mass Health. Lots of small practitioners esp. for mental health can't accommodate Mass Health regulations. Hoping whatever type of plan we have will let me keep my new therapist at least, who participates in a cut-out w/ Beacon Health.
House/garden- Thank god for central air. The garden is going nuts with the rain and the heat. Next year- fewer zucchini. Maybe fewer vine-ing tomatoes, too. The peach tree is getting there, although the fruits are teeny tiny. We now have a chest freezer, so that's exciting!
People-
tikibar , ursa_cerulean and I have been watching the recent season of So You Think You Can Dance, which is our summer tradition. I have been able to see Eamon about once a week and in 2 weeks it'll be our 1 year anniversary. I don't feel like I've gotten to see as many of my favorite folk much the last few months, and then sometimes when face to face with a social thing I end up bailing out, depending on how complicated the working parts are. I'm looking forward to chilling with lifecollage this weekend at leastTL:DR? I'm relieved that compared to where I was at this time last year, I'm feeling alright, like there's lots of little progress and a lot of big progress, too. How are you??
