PoppySeed the Pomeranian, despite being a wonderful, cuddly, delightful little ball of fluff did not work out for his trial.
Unfortunately, I had over-estimated my ability to cope with a younger dog - he's about a year old, plus a jealous Oreo.
So, I'm upset in two ways - one because PoppySeed was a love and I really, really wish we could have kept him. And two, because I've just had a fairly harsh reminder of where my limits are and that they are closer than I thought.
This follows on the heels of a mini-breakdown the last week of November when I had to call off from work and spend a few days in bed because I was physically and mentally exhausted to the point of collapse and slight mental health crisis.
It used to be that I could work around my crashes. I knew they were inevitable, but through the last years of college and through most of grad school I could push past the collapse point so long as I could crash at the end of a few days or a week. I didn't even really realize then that that isn't exactly normal.
I no longer get to work around or stave off the crash or flare or whatever the hell you call it when it feels like I have the flu, can barely move (except for involuntary movements), need to sleep or stay lying down, and burst into tears with a side of ramped up anxiety and suicidal ideation. It just hits. If I'm lucky I notice the warning signs and am able to do self-care. If not, I feel worse for longer.
I am at least grateful that I can take steps to mitigate the crash if I can just rest for a week (sometimes more). And I'm even more grateful that most of the people around me have come to understand and accept that and don't seem to think it makes me lazy or worthless.
Anyway, I'll miss the adorable little fluffy monster, PoppySeed. I know he'll find a happy forever-home. For now, it will just be Oreo and me around the house during the day.
Showing posts with label sad. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sad. Show all posts
12.10.2010
11.01.2009
One couple’s experience coping with the insidious thief, Alzheimer’s disease, may help others - The Dispatch - Columbus, Starkville & The Golden Trian
Joe Seger was one of my mentors as a student and has remained a wonderful friend. I knew that his wife had early-onset Alzheimer's, but a mutual friend passed on this article about them in their local paper.
9.29.2009
Banned Book Week
I thought I'd pick up a meme from blogger Samurai Knitter - pick from a list of banned books and discuss in honor of Banned Book Week.
I've always thought banning books had exactly the opposite effect the pearl-clutching ninnies had in mind - what is more likely to get a kid to read a novel than finding out that Mrs. Smith from down the street thinks it's smut? Lord knows I read Lolita on my own in high school precisely because it was supposedly so "bad."
It seems a lot of the books on the list had complaints registered primarily because people were missing the point. In particular, complaints about the use of racial epithets. Because, as we all know, reading such a word will immediately and permanently damage the reader either by causing them lasting emotional damage or by turning them into a bigot. And if we pretend that people never used such terms in the past and don't use them now it will totally make everything okay.
It seems like To Kill a Mockingbird gets the most flack. I have to assume that most of the people complaining have not actually read the novel and thus have no idea what the context of usage is. Otherwise, I think I need to pause and weep for humanity.
The complaint about 1984 has to be my personal favorite though:
For more information about Banned Books Week (or more reading that will allow you to both mock people and feel deeply uncertain about your fellow man) see the ALA site here.
I've always thought banning books had exactly the opposite effect the pearl-clutching ninnies had in mind - what is more likely to get a kid to read a novel than finding out that Mrs. Smith from down the street thinks it's smut? Lord knows I read Lolita on my own in high school precisely because it was supposedly so "bad."
It seems a lot of the books on the list had complaints registered primarily because people were missing the point. In particular, complaints about the use of racial epithets. Because, as we all know, reading such a word will immediately and permanently damage the reader either by causing them lasting emotional damage or by turning them into a bigot. And if we pretend that people never used such terms in the past and don't use them now it will totally make everything okay.
It seems like To Kill a Mockingbird gets the most flack. I have to assume that most of the people complaining have not actually read the novel and thus have no idea what the context of usage is. Otherwise, I think I need to pause and weep for humanity.
The complaint about 1984 has to be my personal favorite though:
Challenged in the Jackson County, FL (1981) because Orwell's novel is "pro-communist and contained explicit sexual matter." Source: 2007 Banned Books Resource Guide by Robert P. Doyle.Do you hear that whistling sound? That would be the point flying just over the top of your very pointed head.
For more information about Banned Books Week (or more reading that will allow you to both mock people and feel deeply uncertain about your fellow man) see the ALA site here.
7.18.2009
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