Okay, I have nearly posted this entry like four different times, then held back for some reason, then needed to update it again, and it's finally turned into this mulch pile of an entry that I keep turning over every couple of days. IT NEEDS TO BE POSTED.

So. Doing somewhat better. Blood pressure is still a little high but nearly normal, after an initial week of self-imposed semi-bed-rest. (I gave up on trying to answer the comments on the previous entry, but thanks for your good thoughts, guys.) The day after that med check that I mentioned, when hypertension came up as a possible cause of my constant headaches, I stayed in bed and the headaches vanished. I've only them on the few rainy days since (which is normal for me). It took a while, and I'm still having to keep a pretty sharp eye on it, but I don't think I'm going to have to go on medication for it. Honestly, I spent the whole week until the GP visit being really anxious, but rationally anxious, like, how bad off am I, exactly? So, scared and a little sad, even.

And now, I think I've gone into a manic upswing, which means that I'm calm and rational, sure, but I can't focus. I'm having a really hard time maintaining a coherent train of thought; my thoughts actively wander, if that makes any sense. Like, to the point where it's difficult to read, the way it's difficult to get through a really dry text at 11 pm when you're supposed to have read it for class the next day, you know? It's like a mental dizziness, not a physical one. I had good ideas on Saturday, then was super productive on Sunday, and then it just all fell apart on Monday. (I had such a good idea for the book on Sunday, almost something of a game-changer, that I'm concerned it's just the mania talking and I'm going to do all this work on it and then sit here next Monday and wonder what the hell I was thinking.) I know, too, that I'm more liable to be cranky or lose my temper when I'm manic, and... that's not good for my blood pressure. Like, maybe I just need to not talk to people, any of them, at all, until this passes. But I digress. Mostly I'm managing it with, like, lavender and lemongrass-based BPAL blends, chamomile tea, and a glass of wine at night. The combination of my actual antidepressants was so difficult--painful, even--to get to a comfortable balance that, if adding on simple things like tea and aromatherapy are enough to settle me down for the week or two I need it--well, screwing with that is not something I would do lightly.

Here. Have a corgi being vacuumed.

Podcasts and TV shows I did (and, uh, did not) catch up on: ( Read more... )

Quick public service announcements: "As a lawyer, I think Facebook is the worst company in the world": The secret link to delete your account; Facebook Isn’t Private, and 7 Other Things You Should Know; Vox is closing down.

From brandied_plum: "The theatre I usher at (which does live stage shows as well as movies and is 95 years old) is up for a $25,000 grant from the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and I'm appealing to the people of the internets to help us win, and I know we'd reach a lot more people with your help."

Linkspam:

Bessemer native and "Beetlejuice" actor Glenn Shadix dies following a fall in his condo. 


Let's have something cheerful: ( The origin of fangirling )

So let's talk about the last few days: ( Everything broke, Mom needs a new knee, and also, I saw a movie )

Huh. It's been a while.

Well, there was a week, and I had it. Very stressful, for reasons I can't get into. Meanwhile, my new glasses finally came in yesterday, so things are a bit wonky. I have nearsightedness and astigmatism, so basically the near distance looks a lot clearer and closer now, which messes with my depth perception. I mean, for example: the floor. I've managed not to fall over yet, but it makes me a bit dizzy, and I'm squinting a little to compensate while my eyes get used to the new lenses. Headaches are involved.

I've been having fun at Tumblr, but you can post a whole bunch of stuff but put it in a queue that parcels things out every hour, half hour, whatever, so as not to spam everyone. So it's actually been auto-posting for me all weekend. (A lot of times I'll pick an arbitrary theme for the day, based on what I've got in my drafts. Yesterday was a sort of general gothic and/or stripes theme; today is spring flowers and/or woods. St. Patrick's Day was green, which involved many things relating to absinthe. Other days are just whatever.)

Have slowed down on the Formspring questions for a while. Will probably get to those as soon as I need to procrastinate again.

Trying to read for research, but the newness of the glasses is making that a bit hard. I should be able to watch movies again, though, without squinting at the TV across the room. To that end:

Team Jasper: A team for the rest of us. “He almost eats Bella, which is a huge plus."

I ended up at Walmart yesterday, so ( NOOOOO THEY GOT MY MOM )