4.20.2009
crochet flowers for napkin rings
I love these delicate crocheted flower napkin rings available on etsy. Practical and pretty! There are other lovely options available in her shop.
The latest health news
I didn't have a chance to go through my RSS feeds today, so I haven't got around to posting any cool stuff yet because I had a neurology appointment today.
The good news is that they're finally taking me seriously after about a year of visits every few months.
The bad news is that I appear (to them) to be getting a bit worse. A friend asked if *I* thought I was getting worse, which put things a bit in perspective - I don't think I've gotten that much worse since about December. We did discover new muscle weakness today though, and I've been particularly twitchy the past week.
Anyway, I gave a bunch of blood for testing today and I have neurophysiological tests and another MRI scheduled for the end of next week. They're now looking at possible genetic disorders and taking a closer look at my cerebellum.
Surprisingly (or maybe not), I'm not really freaking out that much. As I've noted here before, I've pretty much accepted that I'm disabled and likely to be so permanently. And I've been prepared for the possibility of gradual decline (please let it be REALLY gradual). The only thing I've been really impatient/worried/frustrated about was figuring out what the problem is. I'm hoping that we're getting closer to an answer now. So, everybody keep your fingers crossed!
4.19.2009
tn_Llama (5)
Yay, llama/alpaca (sort of like sheep-goat for archaeologists)! The expression is perfect. The more I get into crochet and knitting, the more I like the animals who provide us with fiber for yarn. We've toyed with the idea of having a mini-farm/hobby farm once we get out of the big city and with the idea of having an alpaca. Maybe this truly "mini" one would be a good start...
Amigurumi Raving Rabbid
The crafter really captured the manic quality of the raving Rabbids! I had a blast (with much swearing thrown in) playing one of the Rabbid games on Wii, so of course this is something I like.
Segi
Again, we find an example of the "Shoveling Ferret will like" natural law at work:
- crazy hair
- crochet
- cute
- animal
- accessory
- sweet face
He's absolutely adorable!
- crazy hair
- crochet
- cute
- animal
- accessory
- sweet face
He's absolutely adorable!
Puppy on Flickr - Photo Sharing!
Another lovely piece by squiddles. This time she's made a sweet terrier puppy along with lovely accessories. Hurray for doggies!
akiko
Here is another lovely amigurumi from Planeta Amigurumi. Her ability to pose and use simple shapes to great effect is so breathtaking to me.
4.18.2009
Hair Club for Fey, my latest WIP
Not to worry, the hair transplant will be completed soon, but for now, he looks like a rather batty monk...
So, my dad admired Lorcan when he saw the photos and hinted that he might like one himself. I started on another leprechaun when we were out visiting last month, but couldn't quite get him finished. Last time I talked to my mom, she mentioned that Dad had sort of mournfully asked where his leprechaun was. :) So, I've got to get this new one finished in time for Dad's birthday next week. He has black hair, as Dad has a distinct bias against redheads (long story involving an ex-wife...) and he's a bit smaller, hopefully enabling him to either be a good-luck charm dad can fit in a pocket or that he can hang in his truck.
I still haven't been able to decide on a name - suggestions are welcome. I am planning on making a more cowboy-style hat for him, as Dad is the most authentic cowboy I know (or at least was when he was younger, but I don't think that's something you exactly lose).
Attack of the giant Shi-Tzu!
We went out for a walk at a local park today and my husband got this great photo while I was having a rest. I think this is an excellent illustration of how big Oreo *thinks* he is. And you can sort of see my new haircut and short fringe, which is also sort of cool.
4.17.2009
The perfect (-ly adorable) crime
I love these anthropomorphized tools for ridding oneself of annoyances!
Calorie-free Pi on Flickr - Photo Sharing!
For all my mathematically inclined friends, I present this nifty pi crocheted by MrsHappyHousewife. I like the photo too!
4.16.2009
Gila Monster amigurumi
I'm loving this crocheted Gila monster by squiddles on Flickr. Yay poisonous desert creatures! Remember kids, don't play with the real ones Check out some of squiddles other work - it's great, especially her itty-bitty turtles.
Tree Spirit
This cute guy appeals to many of my likes: fantastic creatures, cute things, and crazy hair, especially crazy blue-green hair (anyone who knew me my Freshman year in college can definitely attest to the blue-green hair part). I love the additions of fuzziness as well as the earthy colors for this inquisitive Tree Sprite.
Go check out Angry Angel's flickr stream too - there are some other fabulous creations to be admired!
Go check out Angry Angel's flickr stream too - there are some other fabulous creations to be admired!
Compute Cute Overload
Ridiculously adorably plushie/softie robot with arms to hug you. Not crush you! Hug you! I'm pretty sure he won't steal medicine from old people either.
Sorry, Sam Waterston...
Sorry, Sam Waterston...
I will keep you safe and sound...
This mother and child amigurumi piece makes me feel cuddled and warm just looking at it. Very sweet and I think it would be a great gift for Mother's Day or for a new Mom (or even a not so new Mom). The pattern is available on etsy. I have already grabbed one myself - I was looking for something fun to make my Mom and I think this will be great!
4.15.2009
Amigurumi Martini Olive Octopus
May all your drunken hallucinations be so cute! Available as a kit in Demonsterative's etsy store!
Quite possibly the most awesome skirt you will see this year
Missile Command Skirt - tutorial and pattern featured on Evil Mad Scientist Laboratories. I imagine this basic notion could be adapted to any number of other games, depending on your creativity level and/or level of geekitude.
I do occasionally make something (Crochet Hook Handles Pre-Bake)
So, after stumbling onto a video showing how to make your own crochet hook handles I absolutely had to take my 40% off coupon down to the local Michaels and grab me a Sculpey color pack and some cheap aluminum Boye hooks. I love this idea, not just for the fun, easy DIY aspect, but also in hopes that these larger handles will help with my hand problems. (I recently scored a Clover Soft Touch and have enjoyed it, but DIY is even better.)
I spent a good part of this evening having loads of fun playing with the polymer clay, stuffing the hooks into it, and writing on the new handle bases (so I'll know what size the hook is). I basically taped some aluminum foil to my lap desk to give myself a reasonably flat, non-sticky, non-transfer surface to work with. Oreo was fascinated until he decided I was not doing anything truly food related. I'm waiting for the oven to heat as we speak so I can bake these bad boys. I'm looking forward to trying them out in the next day or two. I think I might have overworked my hands playing with the clay, but it was fun and therefore worth it.
I spent a good part of this evening having loads of fun playing with the polymer clay, stuffing the hooks into it, and writing on the new handle bases (so I'll know what size the hook is). I basically taped some aluminum foil to my lap desk to give myself a reasonably flat, non-sticky, non-transfer surface to work with. Oreo was fascinated until he decided I was not doing anything truly food related. I'm waiting for the oven to heat as we speak so I can bake these bad boys. I'm looking forward to trying them out in the next day or two. I think I might have overworked my hands playing with the clay, but it was fun and therefore worth it.
DIY Dress Form
I found this via Craft today and am super excited - dress forms are pricey and while having one would be very handy for me, I haven't wanted to invest in one while I'm still not certain how devoted I am to the whole sewing thing. However, this is cheap and I suspect it will be hilarious for my husband and me to do.
How-to Make a Body Form
The materials list is essentially:
- a friend (you can't do this alone)
- a garbage bag
- scissors
- water activated packing/paper tape
- masking tape
- a sponge
- water
- a pole (they used an old Xmas tree trunk and tree stand and the video includes a link to other options)
- fabric scraps or expandable foam for stuffing
- several hours
My teenage air-guitar fantasies come true
The Beatles Rock BandI realize this is old news, but I don't care. All I care about is how to acquire the $250 I need to get it. Anyone want to donate to the "Get a Cripple an Awesome Wii Game Fund?" I promise to take video of me playing and post it here!
Seriously - I dreamed about a game like this long, long ago when I listened to the Beatles 24/7. And thus I am ridiculously excited about this now, even more so because George Martin's son, Giles, is involved in the production. How cool is that?
Right, off to air guitar with my cane...
4.14.2009
Dear Hubby's Latest Work
My husband has been getting back into Warhammer 40K lately. I will confess to finding the game itself horrifically boring to watch and not my thing for actual play, but I LOOOOVE the figurines (or dudes, as I tend to call them). He's been working carefully to get his army all spiffied up and ready to go and I've been observing with interest. I want to paint at least one guy to see if I like it, but haven't gotten around to actually doing it yet. Here's someshots he took of his dudes:
Beyond Your Borders – Experiencing the World | The Art of Manliness
Beyond Your Borders – Experiencing the World | The Art of Manliness
My husband shared this excellent article from The Art of Manliness with me. Traveling and really make personal connections with people, as opposed to doing the sterile, perfectly planned, rather isolated typical tour package can be daunting on a number of levels - financial, health, time, personal comfort, language barriers - but it is certainly worth it if you can at all manage it. You will learn to appreciate your fellow humans immensely and, hopefully, be a wonderful unofficial representative of your own country.
Starting small is always possible - try Bed and Breakfasts, camping, or backpacking in your own country or one that shares your native language first and build your way up.
Crochet Wall-e
I literally said "oooooooooohhhhhhhh!!!!!!" when this popped up in my feed. Wall-E plus crochet! See the links for more info!
DIY Star Trek Communicator
Trekker masynmachien and daughter created an excellent Instructable for those who would like to make their own TOS communicator complete with chirping noise. Check it out!
Star Trek communicator from a discarded mouse - More DIY How To Projects
Star Trek communicator from a discarded mouse - More DIY How To Projects
crocheted helicopter
It's a helicopter - what more can I say? Well, I guess I could make helicopter noises, but those don't work so well in print....
Check the link - the maker has a very lucky nephew!
Check the link - the maker has a very lucky nephew!
Bunny Bowling with thelongthread
Etsy :: The Storque :: How-To :: How-Tuesday: Bunny Bowling with thelongthread
There's a great how-to on making your very own bunny bowling set available from the Storque. Check it out!
Craftzine.com blog : DIY Fashion: Reinventing Hosiery
Craftzine.com blog : DIY Fashion: Reinventing Hosiery
A great post from Craft about hosiery, including a wonderful tutorial for adding a bow to your short socks. I am a huge fan of socks and tights, especially knee socks (must work on acquisition of knitting skills!) worn to be shown off, so this makes me happy.
A great pair
I really like these two - I suspect because they sort of put me in mind of a dear friend and I if we were transported back in time. I'm the one on the left with the supercilious expression :)
Needle felted flower fairy sitting under her flower, made in wet
Needle felting results in such lovely works, and this is no exception - I really like the simple fantasy setting here.
The Birthday Girl Wears Feathers
Another fave from Applehill Dolls. I have a fondness for feathers, though I'm not quite brave enough to make and wear a fascinator or hat (yet) and the outfit is great!
4.13.2009
Mmmm, pain relief (aka NSB from theferriswheels review)
So, I promised a review of this wonder product once it arrived.
Sally from theferriswheels was wonderful to work with - if she was weirded out by my gushing in happiness over finding this thing, she hid it very well. :) She was wonderful about communication and let me know as soon as she got it in the mail. It arrived on Saturday, but I didn't get around to picking it up until Sunday. That's super fast!
No mess of packaging to waste or have to dispose of - very good! Very nice directions included!
So, I popped it in the microwave and...ahhhhhhhh! Yay! It fits as far up my neck as I want it to, drapes my shoulders nicely, and hits the tense parts very well too! It doesn't stay heated quite as long as I would like, but I suspect that's more to do with our craptastic tiny microwave than with the actual pack. (Also, if you're like me and never clean your microwave, put it on a plate or something when you heat it - you don't want popcorn-butter residue on your happy.) I love that it stays in place really well too - I can get up and putter around a bit without having to untangle myself from cords or make sure things are unplugged AND I still get my warm relief while I do it.
Overall, I'm very pleased, as I hope you can tell from the photo (I'm also rocking some great camo jammies my Nana bought me last Xmas and having a particularly achy/icky day, so I probably look a bit more sickly than usual). I will definitely be recommending these to friends and family!
Sally from theferriswheels was wonderful to work with - if she was weirded out by my gushing in happiness over finding this thing, she hid it very well. :) She was wonderful about communication and let me know as soon as she got it in the mail. It arrived on Saturday, but I didn't get around to picking it up until Sunday. That's super fast!
No mess of packaging to waste or have to dispose of - very good! Very nice directions included!
So, I popped it in the microwave and...ahhhhhhhh! Yay! It fits as far up my neck as I want it to, drapes my shoulders nicely, and hits the tense parts very well too! It doesn't stay heated quite as long as I would like, but I suspect that's more to do with our craptastic tiny microwave than with the actual pack. (Also, if you're like me and never clean your microwave, put it on a plate or something when you heat it - you don't want popcorn-butter residue on your happy.) I love that it stays in place really well too - I can get up and putter around a bit without having to untangle myself from cords or make sure things are unplugged AND I still get my warm relief while I do it.
Overall, I'm very pleased, as I hope you can tell from the photo (I'm also rocking some great camo jammies my Nana bought me last Xmas and having a particularly achy/icky day, so I probably look a bit more sickly than usual). I will definitely be recommending these to friends and family!
(I also love that there's yarn, an amigurumi book, and the upper part of my old-fashioned electric heating pad visible in the photo...)
Toby the Elf - OOAK, polymer clay
Maybe I'm just a sucker for striped socks,but I really like this little elf with the sweet expression, fabulous hat, and excellent socks.
Demystifying Double Crochet for Beginners | Crochet Me
Demystifying Double Crochet for Beginners | Crochet Me
Kim Werker has posted a great, nicely illustrated guide to double crochet for beginners. There is a tendency not to realize where the first stitch is supposed to go at the beginning of a new row with this stitch and making a mistake can lead to a piece that gets narrower and narrower. I speak from experience - I still haven't finished the shawl in question... I figured out the problem on my own eventually, but here's hoping other people can be saved the trouble of frogging most of a project.
Anyway, check it out!
Yeti Trio
I love these - the fun fabric for tummies and faces, the slightly scary eyes, the punk-rock fur - all around awesomeness!
Brooding with Dove and Crow
As people may have noticed, I have a thing for art dolls. I have never made one myself, but I'm hoping one day my skills will be up for at least giving it a go.
Anyway, here is another that caught my eye recently. I love that she's not quite so distant and untouchable as some of the dolls I've posted lately (though obviously not a good candidate for playing - thus the "art" part of "art doll'). I love the hair and dress. The facial expression is fun too.
Anyway, here is another that caught my eye recently. I love that she's not quite so distant and untouchable as some of the dolls I've posted lately (though obviously not a good candidate for playing - thus the "art" part of "art doll'). I love the hair and dress. The facial expression is fun too.
4.12.2009
Cinderella by Marina Bychkova
I've featured Marina Bychkova's amazing dolls here before and new work has just been uploaded to Flickr. Her dolls are just breathtaking to me and Cinderella is no different - the distant, slightly frightened facial expression is very arresting and, as usual, the rest of the doll is exquisite.
Embroidery Pattern for Doll Face
Jacque has generously posted this fabulously fun pattern for free on Flickr (that was a lot of alliteration, there...) I don't embroider myself (or others), rather I don't do embroidery aside from a few details on my amigurumi, primarily because I don't think I can manage the small needles long-term without major hand pain and cramps, but that doesn't keep me from admiring other amazing work.
If you use the pattern, be sure to credit Jacque and share a photo of it so we can all see your creation!
If you use the pattern, be sure to credit Jacque and share a photo of it so we can all see your creation!
Peeps!
Every year I mean to do my own Peep diorama and every year I forget...
Note that the equation in the upper left-hand corner was famously incorrect in the original photo. It has been reproduced in its incorrect form, but the marshmallow Fermi was obviously embarrassed enough to hide part of the equation with his ear
Somehow, it fails to capture the smoke fogged air (absent since the Chicago smoking-ban, I hear, but I haven't been in since well before then), the stupidly loud jukebox, or the general pseudo-dive ambience, but it's a nice tribute all the same.
And, my personal favorite:
December 2, 1942, 3:36 PM: Enrico Fermi, Arthur Compton, and other Manhattan Project scientists watch from the balcony of a squash court under the west stands of Stagg Field as George Weil withdraws the control rods on Chicago Pile 1 and starts the first controlled nuclear chain reaction. The 'liquid-control squad' – no chickens, they – stand poised above the pile, ready to flood it with a cadmium-salt solution if all other safeguards fail.
Timmy the 2 x 4
The very idea, the expression on his face...what's not to love about this hilarious plush?
Especially funny for those who remember the old Ren and Stimpy. Spin-off product for Log?
Especially funny for those who remember the old Ren and Stimpy. Spin-off product for Log?
Yet another Planeta Amigurumi piece
She's also very simple shapes, and the hair peeping out from the veil/shawl is so lovely, as is the gentle shading of her cheeks.
Simple Shapes = Amazing Results
Planeta Amigurumi has posted some fabulous creations on Flickr. I especially like her use of fairly simple shapes to create very striking and lovely effects. No need to be overly elaborate when the work itself is done so well and the designs are so striking. Not to say that I don't like some of the elaborately detailed amigurumi I've seen with accessories, etc., but these are striking in their relative simplicity. I'm enjoying them both from an "oooh, amigurumi, cute!" perspective and an "oooh, artistic and minimalist" perspective.
Pon de Lion
He's very cute! I like the relatively simple shapes crocheted and attached for the muzzle and mane effect. And the flower-like look to his mane gives him a special sort of charm, I think.
4.11.2009
BeBe Babies and Friends
I find these tiny sleeping babies incredibly adorable - the sweetly blushing faces and the adorable little blankies and hats are what do it, I think.
More dolls are featured in the Flickr stream for BeBe and Friends and available for sale on Etsy.
More dolls are featured in the Flickr stream for BeBe and Friends and available for sale on Etsy.
Geektastic Easter Eggs
Geek Crafts: Geektastic Easter Eggs
Geek Crafts is featuring some fun Easter Eggs collected on the blog Super Punch last year. These look like fun inspiration for our egg dyeing plans this evening.
4.10.2009
Customizable Shoes
CraftyStylish has posted this cool way to update plain canvas shoes using decoupage and scraps of fun fabric . I love the idea of decorating my own shoes and considering how inexpensive plain canvas shoes can be, this looks like a blast
Crochet-altered blouse on Flickr - Photo Sharing!
Crochet-altered blouse on Flickr - Photo Sharing!: "
"
"pennylrichardsca posted the above mod to a thrift-store find on Flickr and I love it. The blouse has some really cool patterns and I like the neckline. Apparently the fit didn't quite work so she cleverly cut down the center front and added some rows of crochet - I think it's a nice touch and blends well with the rest of the blouse. Plus it's a wonderful way to give an old garment new life.
I still need to get around to trying crocheted additions to sweater cuffs - my arms are abnormally long and I have a problem with unintentional 3/4 sleeves, sometimes because I went ahead and bought things, sometime because I didn't follow washing instructions (budgets and coin-op laundry will do that). I figure I might be able to salvage a few things that have gotten to the point of silliness this way.
4.09.2009
Reality, "Negativity", and Acceptance
Being or becoming disabled requires a lot of adjustments. Some of these are obvious – changes in lifestyle, in jobs, in relationships, in daily activities. It requires a pretty major mental adjustment, too, one that often isn't obvious, or at least wasn't for me. My illness has been gradual in some ways – increasing fatigue and weakness over the span of years – and quite rapid in others – the onset of movement disorders, major increases in fatigue, etc. At first, I went into this with the idea that my doctors would figure out what the problem was, fix it, or at least figure out a way for me to compensate, and I would go on my merry way. Over the past year, it became pretty clear that that isn't going to happen. Realizing that not only is it extraordinarily unlikely that I'm going to wake up one day and be fine, but that my whole life now needed to change was, to put it mildly, intense. Accepting it was even harder.
Part of the issue is that I think we are taught to approach all sickness as something to be defeated or gotten over. This isn't necessarily a bad thing – there seems to evidence that mindset plays an enormous role in recovery from thing like cancer. A lot of us, and I definitely was (and to an extent, still am) one of these people, are also taught to “walk it off” or “push past it” and to hide or deny our symptoms. Again, this isn't necessarily a bad thing – fear of embarrassment, concern over keeping a job, avoiding making others uncomfortable, etc., are all good reasons to try to hide symptoms or deny that there is a problem. Unfortunately, it can also be very counterproductive.
I finally accepted that I am disabled, am likely to be so for the rest of my life, and that there is a chance my condition may decline a few months ago. I found it enormously liberating. Instead of feeling like my entire life was on hold until I was “well,” of being afraid to undertake new projects, of not knowing what I was going to do next, I could finally start looking ahead. I now plan based on how I feel now, not how I felt a year ago or 5 years ago, or how I wish I felt. That means that I have to set the bar quite a bit lower, but it also means that I have realistic goals and that I'm not constantly frustrated and depressed because I can't do x, y, or z. I've also come to see the silver-lining in getting sick – I've come to appreciate my family and friends, most especially my husband, even more, I'm under far less stress than I was as a graduate student, I'm less likely to feel guilty for spending time on things that I enjoy (I'm still working on this one), I'm more in touch with my creativity. In short, I'm much happier. I'd like to still be able to walk several miles without even breaking a sweat, or work full-out on a research paper for hours on end without getting utterly lost, but I realize that I can't and I've stopped feeling guilty and bad about it. Instead, I try for a few blocks a day and a few easy paragraphs on the blog. I won't go so far as to say the trade was worth it, but it could be much, much worse. The majority of my various doctors and specialists agree that my new mindset is much healthier and better for me and realistic.
The downside to this can be in relationships with other people. Most of my family and friends also agree that accepting my disability and working forward from it as good things and they've been wonderful about helping me cope. Unfortunately, there are a few people who don't see it that way. Like I discussed a little bit above, I think many people view illness or disability as something to be overcome and/or denied. So, for these people, I think that my acceptance looks like defeat or negativity. Some people have been very direct about saying this and I prefer that, because it's easier to have a discussion and explain how I think acceptance is very different from negativity or defeat. With other people, it can be much harder as it tends to be clear only from their actions or implied in their words that they feel it's negativity. I suspect being unfamiliar with the details of my situation probably contributes as well – on a good day I look like a relatively attractive, healthy young woman who happens to have a cane. Pain doesn't advertise, I've learned to compensate for or hide my tremors unless I'm having a particularly bad day, and my balance problems are also fairly hard for others to notice. My fairly direct manner may also contribute - if I'm having a bad day, I say so. If my hands are shaking badly, I say so. How is anyone going to know that I need help going down those stairs or opening that bottle if I don't say so? And I tend to crack jokes about it too. The "negativity reaction" is something that still bothers me, however, even though I know I probably shouldn't let it. I'm tempted at times to snap at people "I'm not freakin' negative, you jackass, I'm a realist, and that's different. Stagger a mile in my shoes!" Obviously that would be counterproductive. Instead I fume a bit and then go find something distracting.
I'm sure I'm not the only one with this problem, but I wanted to put it out there for others to see, those with and without disabilities. Obviously, not everyone approaches their health in the same way and what has worked for me may not work for other people, but I think keeping these things in mind can be helpful in basic, everyday interactions for everyone. I hope anyone with any thoughts will feel free to post here if they'd like.
Part of the issue is that I think we are taught to approach all sickness as something to be defeated or gotten over. This isn't necessarily a bad thing – there seems to evidence that mindset plays an enormous role in recovery from thing like cancer. A lot of us, and I definitely was (and to an extent, still am) one of these people, are also taught to “walk it off” or “push past it” and to hide or deny our symptoms. Again, this isn't necessarily a bad thing – fear of embarrassment, concern over keeping a job, avoiding making others uncomfortable, etc., are all good reasons to try to hide symptoms or deny that there is a problem. Unfortunately, it can also be very counterproductive.
I finally accepted that I am disabled, am likely to be so for the rest of my life, and that there is a chance my condition may decline a few months ago. I found it enormously liberating. Instead of feeling like my entire life was on hold until I was “well,” of being afraid to undertake new projects, of not knowing what I was going to do next, I could finally start looking ahead. I now plan based on how I feel now, not how I felt a year ago or 5 years ago, or how I wish I felt. That means that I have to set the bar quite a bit lower, but it also means that I have realistic goals and that I'm not constantly frustrated and depressed because I can't do x, y, or z. I've also come to see the silver-lining in getting sick – I've come to appreciate my family and friends, most especially my husband, even more, I'm under far less stress than I was as a graduate student, I'm less likely to feel guilty for spending time on things that I enjoy (I'm still working on this one), I'm more in touch with my creativity. In short, I'm much happier. I'd like to still be able to walk several miles without even breaking a sweat, or work full-out on a research paper for hours on end without getting utterly lost, but I realize that I can't and I've stopped feeling guilty and bad about it. Instead, I try for a few blocks a day and a few easy paragraphs on the blog. I won't go so far as to say the trade was worth it, but it could be much, much worse. The majority of my various doctors and specialists agree that my new mindset is much healthier and better for me and realistic.
The downside to this can be in relationships with other people. Most of my family and friends also agree that accepting my disability and working forward from it as good things and they've been wonderful about helping me cope. Unfortunately, there are a few people who don't see it that way. Like I discussed a little bit above, I think many people view illness or disability as something to be overcome and/or denied. So, for these people, I think that my acceptance looks like defeat or negativity. Some people have been very direct about saying this and I prefer that, because it's easier to have a discussion and explain how I think acceptance is very different from negativity or defeat. With other people, it can be much harder as it tends to be clear only from their actions or implied in their words that they feel it's negativity. I suspect being unfamiliar with the details of my situation probably contributes as well – on a good day I look like a relatively attractive, healthy young woman who happens to have a cane. Pain doesn't advertise, I've learned to compensate for or hide my tremors unless I'm having a particularly bad day, and my balance problems are also fairly hard for others to notice. My fairly direct manner may also contribute - if I'm having a bad day, I say so. If my hands are shaking badly, I say so. How is anyone going to know that I need help going down those stairs or opening that bottle if I don't say so? And I tend to crack jokes about it too. The "negativity reaction" is something that still bothers me, however, even though I know I probably shouldn't let it. I'm tempted at times to snap at people "I'm not freakin' negative, you jackass, I'm a realist, and that's different. Stagger a mile in my shoes!" Obviously that would be counterproductive. Instead I fume a bit and then go find something distracting.
I'm sure I'm not the only one with this problem, but I wanted to put it out there for others to see, those with and without disabilities. Obviously, not everyone approaches their health in the same way and what has worked for me may not work for other people, but I think keeping these things in mind can be helpful in basic, everyday interactions for everyone. I hope anyone with any thoughts will feel free to post here if they'd like.
Amazing Orangutan Amigurumi
June Gilbank of PlanetJune has completed this amazing baby orangutan - he's poseable, which makes him even more fabulous.
I'm in awe of the skill and thought that went into this. I think he's the perfect mix of life-like and adorable and the fact that he means so much to his creator is even more wonderful.
I'm in awe of the skill and thought that went into this. I think he's the perfect mix of life-like and adorable and the fact that he means so much to his creator is even more wonderful.
4.08.2009
Pain relief?
Etsy :: neck shoulder back (NSB) - hot cold therapy pack - rice and flax heating pad - comfy cozy - black and white
I ordered this today after having seen The Ferris Wheels featured in the Etsy blog. I can't wait for it to arrive. They also make hand/wrist wraps and eye pads (though I think I'd like them better if they had a headband and even BETTER if they had eye holes, though I realize the latter wish is probably pretty impractical. It would be awesome though, think of it:
The capelet neck-shoulder-back wrap, plus two sets of handwraps, plus eyepad with eyeholes, plus cane with flames painted on it...or maybe flowers to match the heat/cold wrap fabric...
I would be the most gimp-tastic superhero EVAR!!!!! And now I feel I must stage that photo at some point.
Anyway, I promise a review after it arrives. If I like it, I'll probably give the hand wraps a try.
I already anticipate enjoying:
- Full coverage of neck, shoulders, and upper back (heating pads just don't form to those areas well)
- No cords
- Option for heat or cold, which will probably make me even happier come summer...
Stupid Hands
Today is being an especially bad day for my hands. My joints are aching pretty badly and I'm getting random shooting pains. The last 2 fingers on my right hands are twitching randomly (typing is way exciting). And both hands are faintly numb/tingly - the best comparison I can come up with is how your hands might feel after driving an older diesel vehicle for an extended time. My husband says motorcycle handlebars will do the same thing sometimes. This is annoying as crap, but not really a big deal.
One of the issues I frequently have these days is figuring out whether I should not do something when I'm in pain. Ordinarily I take pain as a message from my body saying "Hey, stupid, that's bad, quit it." or "Hey, stupid, you've done that too much, take a break." Now, though, it seems that my brain randomly decides that something hurts like I did way too many lunges, pulled a moderately heavy person to safety over a cliff, dangled from a tall building using only my hands, participated in a hula-hooping marathon, or tried to crash a door open using only my head, even when my activity for the day has consisted of getting out of bed, brushing my teeth, coaxing Oreo out of bed, and eating some yogurt. So, I now have to question whether this is really a stop/break situation or a brain-being-a-punk situation. I tend toward the stop/break more frequently because even if undertaking or continuing a certain activity probably isn't causing damage, it does still HURT. Unfortunately, that also means that I don't do a lot of things I'd like to do. I'm slowly learning when to push and when not to, but it's very much trial-and-error.
Anyway, I think I'm going to try (operative word being try) to keep typing to a minimum today to see if that helps (and because I'm sick of fixing typos because my fingers won't go where I want them to). So, I'll probably be light on content again today. I'm debating whether to pick up some crocheting. I'm sorely tempted to just relax on the couch and read.
Beatles catalog to be remastered, repackaged on CD; are digital files next?
Beatles catalog to be remastered, repackaged on CD; are digital files next?
Cool news. I find the music-snob sniping in the comments more amusing though. :)
Yay! Craft Fail!
My contribution to the fun new blog, CraftFail, has gone live. I suspect as time goes on, I will be a regular contributor. :)
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