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Still alive over here...
May. 14th, 2013 02:49 amOne of the most depressing things I've encountered recently was a review for ABP that described it as "abandoned". Its not, although i understand why people would think so.
Bug and I talk about it often, and try writing in fits and spurts.
Those that have followed us closest might remember we've been dealing with things like both of us having pain issues (joint disease for me, while Bug was diagnosed with MS a couple yrs ago). So there's the stress and anxiety and depression with that. About 2.5 yrs ago we moved to our first house we bought.
I know there is lot sof stuff between then and now, but to be honest, I can't remember. Heck, if you asked me to list our stressors just inthe past month, I'd not remember half of them, let alone put them in chronological order. Its just like before we have finished with stressor A, stressor B hits us. We finally take care of A, only to have C hit us, before we are finished with B, and so on.
I'll have to write about the current shit we'll dealing with for anyone who is interested, but not now as i have to get to bed very soon and that needs to be flocked anyway.
Anyway, back to ABP...
For a while, I had been resolving to get the current book finished... and since is was so long since an update, i figured that since people would likely need to re-read to remember WTF was going on, I might aw well just make it one big update - like "update: book finished!" yeah, that worked well, didn't it? I mean, just give myself an impossibly big task, with no positive feedback as I went along, while life continues to throw shit at me... why i thought that was a good idea, again, i don't know.
So, new idea!
i'm going to go back to posting updates- even if just a few pages at a time. I can't promise they will be regular, but I should actually make some progress instead of just falling into despair at my ongoing failure, and hopefully prevent any further encounters of "warning: abandoned fic".
Bug and I talk about it often, and try writing in fits and spurts.
Those that have followed us closest might remember we've been dealing with things like both of us having pain issues (joint disease for me, while Bug was diagnosed with MS a couple yrs ago). So there's the stress and anxiety and depression with that. About 2.5 yrs ago we moved to our first house we bought.
I know there is lot sof stuff between then and now, but to be honest, I can't remember. Heck, if you asked me to list our stressors just inthe past month, I'd not remember half of them, let alone put them in chronological order. Its just like before we have finished with stressor A, stressor B hits us. We finally take care of A, only to have C hit us, before we are finished with B, and so on.
I'll have to write about the current shit we'll dealing with for anyone who is interested, but not now as i have to get to bed very soon and that needs to be flocked anyway.
Anyway, back to ABP...
For a while, I had been resolving to get the current book finished... and since is was so long since an update, i figured that since people would likely need to re-read to remember WTF was going on, I might aw well just make it one big update - like "update: book finished!" yeah, that worked well, didn't it? I mean, just give myself an impossibly big task, with no positive feedback as I went along, while life continues to throw shit at me... why i thought that was a good idea, again, i don't know.
So, new idea!
i'm going to go back to posting updates- even if just a few pages at a time. I can't promise they will be regular, but I should actually make some progress instead of just falling into despair at my ongoing failure, and hopefully prevent any further encounters of "warning: abandoned fic".
Book Gift!
Apr. 28th, 2013 03:34 amThank you who ever sent me the Chicken Health Handbook! Awesome surprise and very useful.
DUMPSTER DIVING!
Apr. 19th, 2013 10:32 pmInstead of visiting the Dunkin Donuts for the usual 3 garbage bags full of perfectly fresh bagels...
I went to answer a FreeCycle post for
Along the way I found:
I went to answer a FreeCycle post for
- a mini-fridge....
Along the way I found:
- nice solid wood shelves that I converted into a chicken nesting center
- a nice and sturdy white painted wooden shelf that matches the guest room
- a mini roll-top desk that Bug can use even when in their wheel chair and it matches the living the living room
- a plant stand to match the same room
- an old photo album of wedding photos,
- cute little wooden box I have a craft/art idea for
- a wooden TOY CHEST,
- a really cool looking toy circus train with tracks!!!
- A DVD of Finding Nemo
- a sturdy wooden dvd-holder that is supposed to be on a lazy-susan, but i unscrewed that and now its a toy tower for the rat play table!!!!
- A red glass candlestick holder that can double as a bud vase (or maybe a bud vase that doubles as a candlestick holder....)
- A little wall hanging wire heart thing to hold a votive candle in!
Autism Awareness
Apr. 12th, 2013 04:13 amApril is Autism Awareness Month. So there is something I'd like to caution people about when it comes to making charitable donations.
Despite the misleading name, "Autism Speaks", the largest and most vocal autism organisation, does not have any one on its board or leadership that is on the autistic spectrum. They've caused much grief in the autistic community by bullying autistics into silence, and presenting autism in a way that dehumanises us.
There are many others groups that need support, such as the Autism Society of America in the US and the National Autistic Society in the UK, both of which, despite having flaws (as all groups do) at least make an effort to have people on the spectrum on their boards/committees, to support Autistics in all life stages, and to be sensitive to the feelings of actual Autistic people.
National Autism Society, UK: http://www.nas.org.uk
Autism Society of America: http://www.autism-society.org
So if you make a donation- please, make it to groups that care about what Autistics have to say, rather than a group that ironically goes out of its way to silence us.
Despite the misleading name, "Autism Speaks", the largest and most vocal autism organisation, does not have any one on its board or leadership that is on the autistic spectrum. They've caused much grief in the autistic community by bullying autistics into silence, and presenting autism in a way that dehumanises us.
There are many others groups that need support, such as the Autism Society of America in the US and the National Autistic Society in the UK, both of which, despite having flaws (as all groups do) at least make an effort to have people on the spectrum on their boards/committees, to support Autistics in all life stages, and to be sensitive to the feelings of actual Autistic people.
National Autism Society, UK: http://www.nas.org.uk
Autism Society of America: http://www.autism-society.org
So if you make a donation- please, make it to groups that care about what Autistics have to say, rather than a group that ironically goes out of its way to silence us.
Artwork for Autism Awareness Month
Apr. 11th, 2013 06:17 amI've had this multimedia piece hanging around for a couple years now so i figured I'd finish it finally for Autism Awareness Month. I'm not that happy with how it turned out, but it's one less thing sitting here unfinished at least.
Title: Notes on Style
Artist Notes: This is mixed media on canvas board, involving paint, torn book pages, paper cut outs, and zip-tone press type; with some additional editing done on the computer. The text is from a page torn out of the book "Autism: Explaining the Enigma" by Uta Frith.
Click to enlarge.
Title: Notes on Style
Artist Notes: This is mixed media on canvas board, involving paint, torn book pages, paper cut outs, and zip-tone press type; with some additional editing done on the computer. The text is from a page torn out of the book "Autism: Explaining the Enigma" by Uta Frith.
Click to enlarge.
I'd like to find who ever refurbished this originally and put stripped screws inside it (and in the outer case which we had to use a @#$%^& drill to get out) and... uhm, i dunno... make their life unpleasant somehow... Possibly involving stripped screws.
I'd also like to know who invented those damn star-shaped screws. I shouldn't have to go buy a special screw to finish taking this thing apart >:(
Also, Our local Dunkin Donuts is so wasteful.
How do I explain to people I thought were friends that a user icon someone else is using showing 1 man, 1 woman, under a cross is is akin to having a sign showing same-race only couples when Loving vs Virgina was being decided in the Supreme court.; that is is calling for discrimination / continued hate and is not simply "personal opinion". they even have a rule in their group that says no hate speech, discrimination, racism etc.... but they are permitting this person to use this icon, and insistent that it does not express anything negative, or that its not comparable even to interracial marriage, that i'm taking it "too far" by making the comparison etc. They even got a sole lesbian on board to tell me the icon is not offensive..
How do I explain?
FWIW- the group is mostly middle class white women
How do I explain?
FWIW- the group is mostly middle class white women
Look at me, making a post...
Feb. 15th, 2013 02:20 amI am going to try really hard to post here more, even though I do not have any fic updates yet (i don't know why its so hard to post, or why i don't want to really think about why.)
For my first post, I have two, unrelated things to post on...
1. Any one have any recs for gardening communities where I could post photos of Squash and get feedback on what varieties they most likely are?
2. I have noticed (since Bugland asked me to co-write a relatively short one-shot (HP travelling back in time to meet a Snape just a few years older than he is) that I have a strong preference for Teacher Snape / Student Harry. If I MUST write outside of this (eg a gift request that has teacher/student or underage listed as a squick), that I prefer future fics rather than fics that attempt to make them closer ina ge (eg: (de)-aging potions, time travel, etc)
This is not because I prefer older/younger pairings or underage characters, pairings that are considered controversial or illegal in the fic' setting, or a preference for one character to be one in a position of authority. I like plenty of pairings that do not fit the moulds that Teacher Snape / Student Harry fit into. Why should this be? Two possibilities that came to mind are:
A. Canonically, the characters have a teacher/student relationship (the non-sexual type of relationship I mean here). I thought about, and found in support of this, that I would not care for Remus/Sirius fic where they were significantly different ages.
and/or
B. I think they are more psychologically/emotionally/developmenta
I suspect there maybe even other reasons, I've yet to put a finger on, as this is a new revelation for me.
laptop help
Dec. 17th, 2012 07:12 amBug's laptop is about to die. Ive no idea how we're going to get a new one; but if we can manage to, we need something to accommodate her medical problems (MS & epilepsy). The problem with her last one is that the case is *aluminum*. Every time she'd have a seizure, or her arm would spasm when closing it/putting it away, it gets banged up. Badly. Its popping apart at almost all of the "seams", the screen is coming off from broken hinges, etc.. It's not about being careless, she can't control if/when she's going to have a seizure. Insurance/warranties won't cover it (even if we paid extra for such a thing at Microcenter, its alot of extra money, for only 2 years of coverage and then, the computer will end up damaged again in a few months leaving us in this same situation).
The only thing i can think of, is that the laptop needs to be in a *steel* case. But everything on the market seems to be Aluminum.
I've tried to search for steel cased latops (or just the case by itself, I would not mind building it and getting warrenties on the indivual parts as I did with my desk top- the service center at microcenter seems to give one much less hassle about replacements if they know you know what you are doing, instead of just an average joe they can talk into believing that it was their fault and thus not coverable) But when I search for this, all I get is steel external cases (like a briefcase thing). I think that might also work- but only if there was a way to A) keep the computer SECURLY inside even if it was knocked over while open and B) was well vented (Bug likes gaming and the computer gets VERY hot). I'm more inclined to go with a an actual steel cased laptop though, if there is one on the market that is also suitable for gaming, or as a component to build it from scratch (I can't seem to find much online for building laptops... i know its harder than a desk top, but there's got to be some people that do it?)
Can anyone help/advise?
The only thing i can think of, is that the laptop needs to be in a *steel* case. But everything on the market seems to be Aluminum.
I've tried to search for steel cased latops (or just the case by itself, I would not mind building it and getting warrenties on the indivual parts as I did with my desk top- the service center at microcenter seems to give one much less hassle about replacements if they know you know what you are doing, instead of just an average joe they can talk into believing that it was their fault and thus not coverable) But when I search for this, all I get is steel external cases (like a briefcase thing). I think that might also work- but only if there was a way to A) keep the computer SECURLY inside even if it was knocked over while open and B) was well vented (Bug likes gaming and the computer gets VERY hot). I'm more inclined to go with a an actual steel cased laptop though, if there is one on the market that is also suitable for gaming, or as a component to build it from scratch (I can't seem to find much online for building laptops... i know its harder than a desk top, but there's got to be some people that do it?)
Can anyone help/advise?
suggestions on how to magically come up with $800 would also be great, lol.
Bug is going to be SO depressed without a laptop - they're in bed almost all day every day :-(
So ANGRY, so TIRED....
Sep. 2nd, 2012 01:10 amONE DAY we will post fic again.
But not today.
Today, like most days, we continued to work on beating The Mirror of Maybe's update record while focusing on not going bat-shit insane because we are surrounded by bat-shit insanity. Like this....
( Read more... )
Any guidance on how to make sure karma gets around to the substitute at-home doctor, the ER doctor and ER Nurse, and/or how to cope/get Bug's MS and Pain properly treated is most appreciated!
But not today.
Today, like most days, we continued to work on beating The Mirror of Maybe's update record while focusing on not going bat-shit insane because we are surrounded by bat-shit insanity. Like this....
( Read more... )
Any guidance on how to make sure karma gets around to the substitute at-home doctor, the ER doctor and ER Nurse, and/or how to cope/get Bug's MS and Pain properly treated is most appreciated!
The long story (Caution for Animal Abuse)
Aug. 19th, 2012 01:01 amthis is expanded from the post here: Neighbour attacked our dog - need advice.
Questions about whether or not to file a report/press charges etc are in THAT post.
THIS post has only questions about dog behaviour. But the story details might still be useful for those answering the questions about reports/charges in the earlier post.
( Read more... )
Questions about whether or not to file a report/press charges etc are in THAT post.
THIS post has only questions about dog behaviour. But the story details might still be useful for those answering the questions about reports/charges in the earlier post.
( Read more... )
Neighbour attacked our dog - need advice.
Aug. 18th, 2012 09:26 pmI have the "short" version of the story here, and I will do the "long version" in the next post. I apologise the other one is so long, but I want to provide background, and the situation itself had a lot going on in it, and finally, i have lots of questions about it. I greatly appreciate reading this all and feedback (for those who can)
Short story:
While walking our dog, Mikołaj, tonight, a neighbour (at the opposite end of the block) physically assaulted him without provocation (our dog went passive and did not fight back).
Interfering with, let alone hitting, a service dog (or one in training as ours is), even when off duty, is a misdemenor in our state; intentionally causing injury to one is a felony.
I do not yet know if Mikołaj has injuries. We're keeping an eye on him and will take him to the vet on Monday (or earlier if he suddenly starts have symptoms of concern).
The only witness was the assailant's family member who I doubt will tell the truth (but who knows). Unless Mickey has internal injuries, we have no proof.
Do we:
Just avoid them (not too difficult)
File a Police Report and/or Press Charges
Go over there and tell them that if they do something like that again, we will press charges
Ditto, but instead of telling them, tell the woman that lives there if we can find out when she's around and the guys are not
Ditto, but tell them via a written letter.
Something Else
Please note they have a Rottweiler Puppy. After this, I would suspect they treat her the same or worse. :-(
However, I am also CONCERNED that if we do something, they will retaliate, and having a backyard full of chickens and sheep, which while legal, is a tad uncommon, might appear as an easy thing for them to target us by, either by filing false complaints with the county/animal control, or causing harm to them (eg: throwing poison over the fence etc).
Short story:
While walking our dog, Mikołaj, tonight, a neighbour (at the opposite end of the block) physically assaulted him without provocation (our dog went passive and did not fight back).
Interfering with, let alone hitting, a service dog (or one in training as ours is), even when off duty, is a misdemenor in our state; intentionally causing injury to one is a felony.
I do not yet know if Mikołaj has injuries. We're keeping an eye on him and will take him to the vet on Monday (or earlier if he suddenly starts have symptoms of concern).
The only witness was the assailant's family member who I doubt will tell the truth (but who knows). Unless Mickey has internal injuries, we have no proof.
Do we:
Please note they have a Rottweiler Puppy. After this, I would suspect they treat her the same or worse. :-(
However, I am also CONCERNED that if we do something, they will retaliate, and having a backyard full of chickens and sheep, which while legal, is a tad uncommon, might appear as an easy thing for them to target us by, either by filing false complaints with the county/animal control, or causing harm to them (eg: throwing poison over the fence etc).
Embarassing Request for Help
Aug. 5th, 2012 06:24 pmI have an embarrassing request. Can any of my friends here help out with some $$$ even if its just a few bucks. the reason is under the cut, and affects Intertexius/ABP among other things, thank you....
( Read more... )
( Read more... )
ABP explaination
Aug. 5th, 2012 06:18 pmI have had some people ask in private messages/emails about if we ever plan to finish ABP. The answer is YES. Bug's MS has just been very bad and they have recently developed grandmal seizures (a few a week sometimes) so we have been spending a lot of time at dr's which wears them out. My own meds stopped working well, so the dr tried me on different ones- the first of which did not work, the second of which seem to be working but have the side effect of making me sleep 15 hrs a day (i'm told this will go away as I get used to it). Besides illness, in the past couple yrs we've just been incredibly distracted by things like that huge storm that smashed thru our town last month, buying a house/moving in/fixing up, training an aide dog, health issues of other family members etc.
We have a lot of the story scripted out, and I am inspired to write, I just need to 1) find time, and 2) be not in too much pain so I can sit still at the computer for a significant length of time and concentrate.
We have a lot of the story scripted out, and I am inspired to write, I just need to 1) find time, and 2) be not in too much pain so I can sit still at the computer for a significant length of time and concentrate.
(no subject)
Jul. 5th, 2012 12:59 amUGH, probably going to be another day and a half.... :-(
"ComEd expects to have the vast majority of customers restored on July 4 with isolated, smaller outages extending into the evening of July 5. This area’s boundaries are at approximately Route 43 (Harlem) to the east, the DuPage County Line to the west, Route 64 (North Avenue) to the north and Route 34 (Ogden) and I-88 to the south. This area took the brunt of 90 mile per hour winds and intense lightening and experienced significant damage. Mature trees were completely uprooted and destroyed power lines. ComEd is effectively rebuilding much of its infrastructure in these communities..."
"ComEd expects to have the vast majority of customers restored on July 4 with isolated, smaller outages extending into the evening of July 5. This area’s boundaries are at approximately Route 43 (Harlem) to the east, the DuPage County Line to the west, Route 64 (North Avenue) to the north and Route 34 (Ogden) and I-88 to the south. This area took the brunt of 90 mile per hour winds and intense lightening and experienced significant damage. Mature trees were completely uprooted and destroyed power lines. ComEd is effectively rebuilding much of its infrastructure in these communities..."
welcome to my neighbourhood:
Jul. 1st, 2012 02:48 pmPhotos under cut: ( Read more... )
This is old news but July 1st we had 1"+ hail and 90mph winds. House and pets are fine. Yard is a mess. And its now July 4th and we still have no electricity (and thus, no water, as we have a private well), and its been around 100'f going on a week now. We have a generator and a portable AC unit but it barely manages to keep the one room it is installed in below 86'F during the afternoon. There are still some side roads blocked by large trees and downed wires.
Bugland also has a new home aide, who seems fine, except that I can't understand 80% of what she says. I'm impatient with the drs, they're not really treating anything other than the pain, and even that, not as well as could be IMHO. Their "excuse" is that there is always some new symptom that they must explore before they can treat anything. So, the RSD was sort of put aside to explore the MS, the MS is put aside because they want to explore the epilepsy, and now they are distracted by bug's lungs- which I don't quite understand.
One day I'll find time to write and post a fic update. I'm sadly tempted to post raw script/notes, rather than the final story form.
This is old news but July 1st we had 1"+ hail and 90mph winds. House and pets are fine. Yard is a mess. And its now July 4th and we still have no electricity (and thus, no water, as we have a private well), and its been around 100'f going on a week now. We have a generator and a portable AC unit but it barely manages to keep the one room it is installed in below 86'F during the afternoon. There are still some side roads blocked by large trees and downed wires.
Bugland also has a new home aide, who seems fine, except that I can't understand 80% of what she says. I'm impatient with the drs, they're not really treating anything other than the pain, and even that, not as well as could be IMHO. Their "excuse" is that there is always some new symptom that they must explore before they can treat anything. So, the RSD was sort of put aside to explore the MS, the MS is put aside because they want to explore the epilepsy, and now they are distracted by bug's lungs- which I don't quite understand.
One day I'll find time to write and post a fic update. I'm sadly tempted to post raw script/notes, rather than the final story form.
(no subject)
May. 10th, 2012 06:10 pmSo, This story about Mitt Romney's so called "pranks" is supposed to horrify and make people not want to vote for him. But I doubt it will impact many people that way. It reminds me of the Maurader's pranks- and the less dangerous/mean ones at that- and those, both in the books, and by most of the readers, were dismissed as "boys will be boys", especially since they were, by virtue of birth/the-author-says-so, gryffindors/chosen.w
(no subject)
May. 9th, 2012 09:37 pmA chick/poult (baby chickens/turkeys) order i've been waiting on just came back to me b/c they didn't get payment- Why? PayPal only knows. I have a backup credit card that they are supposed to use in such cases (and regularly DO use). I checked the card- there's more than enough $ on it. But Paypal claims there isn't.... WTF.
So Now I have to call the hatchery tomorrow, explain, and have them just debit the credit card directly instead of going thru paypal (and have Bug pretend to be me if they need to verify why the name on the Credit Card (birth name) doesn't match the name I use for shipping or even my PayPal card).
This (paypal thinking I either don't have a back up fundign source, or thinking I don't have money available when I DO) has happened to me before- once online, and once when checking out at a store. It seems completely random. Does anyone else have this problem happen?
So Now I have to call the hatchery tomorrow, explain, and have them just debit the credit card directly instead of going thru paypal (and have Bug pretend to be me if they need to verify why the name on the Credit Card (birth name) doesn't match the name I use for shipping or even my PayPal card).
This (paypal thinking I either don't have a back up fundign source, or thinking I don't have money available when I DO) has happened to me before- once online, and once when checking out at a store. It seems completely random. Does anyone else have this problem happen?
