always been crazy

1. Things never change. Overwhelmed and crazy seems to be a default life status, but you never get used to it.

2. My friend Chrissy has been having issues with her diabetes (type 1; she was diagnosed when she was 6 and she's 31 now, and this past year has been more problematic than anything she's had to deal with before) and is also a new mom (she had a newborn foster placement in October). Yesterday morning, she was running late anyway, had to come back to the house after she left the first time because she left her insulin and her lunch, and then called me around 10am because her insulin pump reservoir basically exploded, which is something that has never happened. So baby and I had to go take her new supplies. She was definitely having one of those days where she would have been better off staying at home in bed. (Jan 24)

(I got distracted and didn't finish my post. Date change! Saturday January 28.)

3. Today is my mom's birthday. We're having her favorite home meal and I baked her favorite cake, and we're watching the Harry Potter movies, mainly because my recent added kid hasn't seen them. There were several movie choices that would have worked.

4. Last night, Duke (my favorite of my dogs) had been in my bed all day because he hasn't been feeling well. He's getting old. Somehow he managed to get sprayed by a skunk through the open window. What the actual fuck.

5. I've been depressed, and it's taking a toll. Talked to my dr on Friday. We had tried a couple months ago increasing the dosage on my antidepressant (Effexor) but that didn't seem to help, so now I'm going to taper off the effexor and start on wellbutrin. I was on wellbutrin previously (probably close to ten years ago now) and don't remember any serious issues with it, just that it had lost its efficacy after a while. So now the adjustment period, plus hoping it doesn't mess too much with my migraine preventatives.

6. Got some super cute stickers from The Stray Shop yesterday at the Cat Show.

7. Am currently reading You are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life by Jen Sincero and am really enjoying it. I'm also starting out the year with some YA books, to give myself a cushion on my 2024 reading challenge, lol.

8. I'm finally starting to take down some of mom's stuff and do my own rearranging and stuff to make the house more "mine." It's been 18 months.

9. My faith is still strong, but I'm struggling - and have been struggling for about six months or so now - with my denomination, the church as an institution, and my place in all of it. My star word for the year is "mercy" and I keep getting the reminder that "the church has left the building." I stepped down from the position of church board clerk and gave up the responsibility for the children and youth. It's a lot.

10. My (grown) kids have been taking turns making dinner, and more often than not most days lately they all end up in the kitchen together during dinner prep time, which I love.

Fandom Related:

1. I am really glad fandomsecrets is still a thing that's alive and kicking.

2. There is an author on A03 that is relatively prolific in one of the fandoms/pairings I'm currently reading who is guilty of completely misusing and/or overusing italics in their fic. Like, there is an italicized word or phrase in nearly every sentence. Their work would be good but I can't get past that to actually enjoy reading it. *sigh*

3. Yes, I know I am not in a place to offer that type of criticism. At least that author is putting things out there, which is always admirable. I haven't posted anything in years, I think, even though I have plenty of partially written stuff floating around. I'm just not sharing it, because of whatever reasons. Mainly because it doesn't feel like any of it is finished enough to post on AO3 and posting on dreamwidth doesn't have an audience and I still don't actually get tumblr.

4. I've always been picky about fic. Like, kudos for everyone who writes and feels confident enough to post and whatever, but I know I'm picky. It makes it difficult sometimes, lol.

Real Life Related:

1. Hopefully we're down to the end of the rain. Shifting climates, etc etc. We weathered Hurricane Florence well - in the past couple of weeks, we've taken on water three times, but never more than 3 inches or so. There is a major thunderstorm forecast for this afternoon and another night of rain, but I think that should be the end of the rain for a while. Which would be fantastic, because I'm currently without a bedroom again. And our house is a disaster because everything from my bedroom is once again shoved whereever we can find a place upstairs, and I'm not usually the most organized or whatever but the clutter and mess stress me out.

2. Friend!Amy bought a house, since she accepted a new position at work and that means they have to stay in Virginia Beach for another three years even though Cliff gets out of the Navy (for real this time) next June. I'm trying to find a weekend to squeeze in a visit before wrestling season starts but idk if I'll be able to manage it.

3. Apparently my name is getting thrown around the district for our denomination. Since I officially accepted the Youth Group Leader position again (only for senior highs; I talked my Aunt Lori into taking my junior highs, because even though we've combined them in the past, we've got enough youth now to separate them), I've been approached about several different other committees or planning groups. Luckily, I learned the power of no after I started dealing with migraines, so even though my first instinct is to say yes to everything because I like to be helpful and it's all important, I've only agreed to a few of them. But expect more Church of the Brethren related content here, especially in the next few months.

4. I feel like a Bad Parent for skipping Back to School Night this week. Both boys were are at work, Ronnie only has two classes this year, and I just couldn't bring myself to go. I'm on the high school PTSA so I'm getting called to help with sending in stuff, and I'm running the facebook page for the wrestling team, and I'm actively involved as a Choral Department parent, but it still feels wrong. I meant to email the teachers, especially Davey's, but I haven't yet. I need to get on that. (I'm also signed up as a PTA volunteer for Illy's class, which is more involved, and I'm chaperoning Luna's preschool field trip to the pumpkin patch next week.)