The ENT was not able to help. Their standard tests weren't able to determine what the problem was, so I'm back at a square one. A tension headache that will NOT go away (we're coming up on three weeks now). Could be anxiety, could be something else.
The Cantina Staring Back At You From The Abyss
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That is exactly what she thinks.Careful though, puppy may think this is the new way of breakfast and may come to like it.
She's being absolutely intolerable about begging this morning.Nice! Congrats on the big sale!Yay! I was productive. I updated my website with things that have sold and some new stuff I've made.
I got a visit from a couple (potters) who ran a small gallery back where I used to live. They carried a bunch of my jewelry, but had to close down earlier this year. They made the trip up to visit a friend and drop off all my stuff. They came with a surprise! Evidently, after they'd closed, some regular customers came by, disappointed they had closed. They'd specifically come for my jewelry... so the potters brought out my stuff in their home, and the customers bought $3000 worth of my jewelry! Woohoo! A nice bonus
Hehe, same here.
I admire cosplayers, but the closest I'll ever get to it myself is also T-shirts, my elf ear cuffs and anything I knit or crochet that somehow makes a reference to my fandoms...the latter of which I haven't actually gotten around to doing yet. (I really want to knit that beret that looks like a shield of Rohan though...)Morning, Cantina. My dad had his 2 week follow-up appointment with the orthopedic surgeon yesterday and there was good news. His shoulder is healing and the doctor was impressed with his range of movement. The only way surgery would be recommended at this point would be if my dad should heal up but still be in major pain, at which point it would be a shoulder replacement, but it will be quite some time before we know if that might be necessary. Sooo, physical therapy has been prescribed for a later date, which is really good because my dad could use physical therapy in more ways than one with as overweight and sedentary as he is. In other good news, this whole incident seems to have FINALLY convinced him that he should not be leaning on that stupid crutch all the time because it had become both a literal and figurative crutch and was a large part of the reason he not only fell but was unable to catch himself. Hallelujah! Blessing in disguise. (Seriously, though)
In writing news, I made progress on my Sleeping Beauty research yesterday and need to continue that today, so better get to it.
And they didn't even consider a nonstandard test, because you're still in pain and pain isn't good so maybe there's something for them to investigate as a, y'know, doctor? Gah - hate it when they shrug and send you out the door with nothing but a bill. If it were me, next step would likely be the eye doctor if you haven't been in a while. Otherwise, sometimes you gotta be the squeaky wheel. (I've also had dying fluorescent lights cause some headache issues over time, but I Am Not A Doctor and don't even play one on TV.)
Wednesday morning, and slept cruddy last night, if with bizarre, often frustrating dreams. Stupid subconscious... trolling me on a work night... So work won't be fun. Fingers crossed I come home to a functioning kitchen sink and a sibling who isn't having a meltdown. (Apparently, when we were cleaning the attic and the carport to deal with the rodent issues, we were also supposed to drop everything to help her tidy her room, and the fact that we didn't means we're terrible people who hate her. I wish I were joking...)
I am not a doctor and this is not medical advice. however, when I was having constant low-to-midgrade headaches (for several years) it was eventually discovered that it was a nerve/bone spur issue in my neck. Signs that your issue may be nerve related: if heat or an anti-inflammatory (so Aspirin or naproxen rather than Tylenol) provides limited relief, or if basic gentle neck stretches seem to help (or aggravate) the headache. Also, if the headache seems to start at the base of the skull and travel forward. (If it seems to be starting in your forehead it may be, as suggested by Brightdreamer, eye-strain related.)
Obviously, this is just me making suggestions based on my personal history. It took me 3+ years to get a proper diagnosis (and one misdiagnosis of migraine syndrome with some meds that fucked me up) but I've been able to make significant improvements since then. But headaches, especially having them constantly suck. So *HUGS*. I hope you find some relief soon.
greendragon
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Another non-medical option is mold or mildew where you live/work. It can play hell with your sinuses, your head, your breathing, etc.
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I too get neck-based tension headaches. Things to be aware of: your sleeping arrangements (are your head and neck in comfortable alignment or is your head at a noticeable angle? Try different pillows/arrangements and stacks of pillows), your sitting posture (at the computer, do you have a tendency to lean into the screen?). Doc told me I have weak trapezius muscles (the big triangle of muscle that wraps from your spine to your neck and shoulder blades, plays a big part of holding your neck and back straight) and should do exercises to strengthen it.
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Getting a lot done and feeling really good (especially considering the season!). Really grateful to my mom for the herbal program she's put together. Health is wonderful!
Still cranking away on the my outline, but I feel like it's just getting looser all the time (and Nov is less than 2 weeks!
). My conflict keeps growing and getting away from me. More and more unsolvable and less personal. I feel like I have to take some smaller generalization of it and make it pertain to my character and also, somewhat, somehow solvable.
I do think rereading last year's nano draft was good for me, in the end. Realizing it wasn't total crap before going into this again is encouraging.
Happy day everyone! The sun's out
(though there are still snow flurries on and off. 
)
Still cranking away on the my outline, but I feel like it's just getting looser all the time (and Nov is less than 2 weeks!
). My conflict keeps growing and getting away from me. More and more unsolvable and less personal. I feel like I have to take some smaller generalization of it and make it pertain to my character and also, somewhat, somehow solvable. I do think rereading last year's nano draft was good for me, in the end. Realizing it wasn't total crap before going into this again is encouraging.
Happy day everyone! The sun's out
(though there are still snow flurries on and off. )
Wednesday afternoon, and the kitchen sink issue resulted in a new faucet. (The plumber claims that many of the faucets sold in hardware stores are crud these days; given how the gasket thing apparently vaporized almost overnight, I'm not sure I disagree.) Just as glad I wasn't here to hear about it...
Work was long. Used to be they'd let us stop about five minutes to the end, so we have time to scan stuff out and put stuff away. The new assistant manager likes to work us straight to the top of the hour.
And I gotta get dinner started soonish. Some manner of steak, probably. (I'd be lying if I said I really cared... head's trying to be achy.)
Work was long. Used to be they'd let us stop about five minutes to the end, so we have time to scan stuff out and put stuff away. The new assistant manager likes to work us straight to the top of the hour.
And I gotta get dinner started soonish. Some manner of steak, probably. (I'd be lying if I said I really cared... head's trying to be achy.)
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The ENT wants me to do another, really specific test. I'm just annoyed because so far no one's done anything to actually give me relief and all these issues are starting to get in the way of work.
Another problem is that I have serious anxiety, so it could just be my anxiety flaring up in weird ways (which anxiety does). But it's always hard to tell, and then anxiety always convinces you it's something serious and it ends up being a feedback loop. It doesn't help that things seem to be getting "worse" but that could just be my mind playing tricks on me. My current theory is that it's due to how I was sitting at work, which sort of messed with my neck muscles. My shoulder's been hurting lately, too.
Of course, that doesn't explain the pressure in the ear/ringing in the ear. Which is where the ENT didn't find anything wrong.
So I hope everyone's week is going better.
Another problem is that I have serious anxiety, so it could just be my anxiety flaring up in weird ways (which anxiety does). But it's always hard to tell, and then anxiety always convinces you it's something serious and it ends up being a feedback loop. It doesn't help that things seem to be getting "worse" but that could just be my mind playing tricks on me. My current theory is that it's due to how I was sitting at work, which sort of messed with my neck muscles. My shoulder's been hurting lately, too.
Of course, that doesn't explain the pressure in the ear/ringing in the ear. Which is where the ENT didn't find anything wrong.
So I hope everyone's week is going better.
joeyc - IMHO, if the headaches are getting in the way of normal life, it seems worth pursuing at least through one more test.
Thursday morning, and keeping a wary eye on my gut; the intestines kicked me out of the blue last night just before dinner, hard, and while they seem to have gotten over their snitfit, I only have at most half an hour to call out of work if I'm gonna call out. Knock on plywood, so far so good...
Nothing much else to report, save I'm getting better at my nightly spitballing routine. Still need to hit a craft store for ornament supplies, though I also need to sketch out more specifics before things get to the Apoxie stage. Trying to decide how elaborate I can get (or want to get), given my lack of skills.
Off I wander. Steady on, intestinal tract...
Thursday morning, and keeping a wary eye on my gut; the intestines kicked me out of the blue last night just before dinner, hard, and while they seem to have gotten over their snitfit, I only have at most half an hour to call out of work if I'm gonna call out. Knock on plywood, so far so good...
Nothing much else to report, save I'm getting better at my nightly spitballing routine. Still need to hit a craft store for ornament supplies, though I also need to sketch out more specifics before things get to the Apoxie stage. Trying to decide how elaborate I can get (or want to get), given my lack of skills.
Off I wander. Steady on, intestinal tract...
Still no diagnosis for me, either. At least not officially. We know what it's not, and I'm pretty sure I know what it is, but my quality of life is crap right now. 6+ weeks of headaches, dizziness, vision issues, nausea, mental issues.
My eye doctor is my strongest advocate right now of all people, which is crazy. She's supposed to have a dedicated phone call with my primary care today to drive some near term action because waiting until February to see neurology is insane.
My eye doctor is my strongest advocate right now of all people, which is crazy. She's supposed to have a dedicated phone call with my primary care today to drive some near term action because waiting until February to see neurology is insane.
Yeesh, that's not fun... at least you have someone fighting on your side, though. I know from family and personal experience how important that is. Fingers crossed for you!
Thursday afternoon, and work was interrupted by a major breakdown (never seen the flash-and-boom from the crane before), so tomorrow will Not Be Fun as we deal with the backlog. Right now, the exterminators are here checking on attic traps and putting down bait boxes. (Haven't heard much attic activity since they cleaned out the old insulation.) And I have a review to write of a cruddy eBook, the one that blindsided me with fundamentalism and seemed to consider that an excuse to ignore basic science and logic, even internal logic. Gah...
Away I drift.
Also, my idea factory is broken. I need to do something for NaNo because I'm still doing YWP with the jr high kids and I have to at least pretend I'm writing something, and I have zero ideas. Despite having the oddest dreams right now, the creative slate is the cleanest it's ever been.
*Starts moving smibbles around in dusty corners*
*Starts moving smibbles around in dusty corners*
Lots and lots of 
for those with medical issues.
Morning, Cantina. I finished the research I needed for my Sleeping Beauty retelling yesterday. Now I get to start outlining, or at least, adding to the little bit of outline I already have. At this rate, I might actually be ready to start writing soon! Atm, I'm flip-flopping a little between if I want to start working on that outline now or work on continuing improvements to my Etsy shop. Both need to be done before November... Maybe I'll alternate. Write a few outline points, edit an Etsy listing, write more outline points, edit another listing. Yeah, that sounds good.
for those with medical issues.Morning, Cantina. I finished the research I needed for my Sleeping Beauty retelling yesterday. Now I get to start outlining, or at least, adding to the little bit of outline I already have. At this rate, I might actually be ready to start writing soon! Atm, I'm flip-flopping a little between if I want to start working on that outline now or work on continuing improvements to my Etsy shop. Both need to be done before November... Maybe I'll alternate. Write a few outline points, edit an Etsy listing, write more outline points, edit another listing. Yeah, that sounds good.
WHEW!! That Pan-Galactic Gargle Blaster really set me back a few months.
*looks around*
Ocean views...and smibble sammies! Nice!
The important thing is that I'm awake now and ohmygawditsalreadyNaNoseasonthatmeanssissyphusisuponusaswell!
*flails around helplessly for a few minutes*
Sorry had to get that out of my system.
What's up Cantina...er, I mean seaside sandwich singsong shoppe?
*looks around*
Ocean views...and smibble sammies! Nice!
The important thing is that I'm awake now and ohmygawditsalreadyNaNoseasonthatmeanssissyphusisuponusaswell!
*flails around helplessly for a few minutes*
Sorry had to get that out of my system.
What's up Cantina...er, I mean seaside sandwich singsong shoppe?
solidarity to everyone with health issues kicking their butts right now. we can get through this! we're stronger than we think
to everyone with health issues kicking their butts right now. we can get through this! we're stronger than we think
You could write about the "idea thief", and the blocked writer who has to hunt them down before their deadline. (Dream/portal fantasy, mind vampire goth, sci-fi brain hackers or alternate reality versions of oneself... take your pick.)
Friday afternoon, and apparently one of my room lights burned out. Again. I'm really not sold on these "long lasting" LED bulbs... I don't leave the thing on that much, do I?
Work existed. No more flashes or booms, at least.
Shopped after work, and finishing off my Safeway deli lunch. Even got myself a cheap cookie because it's been that kind of week.
Dad scared us all over the last 24 hours with some sort of gut bug; last time he had vomiting Issues, he wound up in the hospital over Xmas with a gut obstruction. Fortunately, whatever it was seems to be going away on its own, though he still sounds a little rough. Still, we're a wee bit jumpy about symptoms. (He doesn't have a lot of gut to lose anymore...)
Away I wander.
-
Wow, quiet weekend... Maybe they're lost in the fog. (It's foggy here, incidentally. Either that, or we forgot to pay our scenery bill and the mountains were repossessed.)
Sunday, nearly noon, and so far not much to report. Still maintaining my nightly spitballing practice (minimal though it is, as I try to regain the habit), managed to get my bills paid, same ol' same ol'. Now I'm waiting to hear if I'm expected to drive anywhere today, or if the trip has been postponed until tomorrow. (We still have a snerkload of metal to recycle that the junk people didn't have room for, but the places that take metal are closed on Sundays.) Also want to get some more details on my ornaments nailed down before I start applying Apoxie, though I did get my base/core material at Michael's the other day, so I'll hopefully have the ornament works up and running by next weekend at the latest; fingers crossed I can keep this year's efforts from getting away from me again.
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Happy Sunday folks! It's actually sunny too, so that's awesome.
Been making slow progress, but it's a good combo of steady and lazy, like a Sunday oughta produce.
I've found myself in an interesting beta situation recently... I didn't realize when I signed up for the read that it would be an open group (4-5 people, as best I can tell) all reading and commentating on the same google doc. I resisted making too many changes at first, for fear of influencing the read for the others. I was just sending big edit letters after every installment privately to the author. I could tell I was overwhelming her (and likely others were too in private--her story needs work and that's a lot of feedback to get hit with all at once). She was asking for more specifics and help, so this week I decided to go ahead and edit one chap in the file itself (up to this point, she only had people pointing out little typos). I tried to stick to the developmental work I think the story needs; where she could interject stakes, make motives more personal, pointing out wandering side plots that are slowing the story, etc. To my surprise, my comments started getting replied too by the other readers (her friends, I'm guessing??) coming to the author's defense. Saying they personally liked that part, and they don't like my suggestion, etc. Meanwhile, the author has been radio silent/gone. I prefaced all my comments as merely suggestions and tried to be nice, but I'm thinking these friends have never seen a proper crit before (one admitted she isn't a writer). Waiting to hear from the author, but ready to bow out of this one. Don't need to feel like the bad guy raining on everybody's reading experience. Moral of the story: I don't think group betas are a good idea.
Been making slow progress, but it's a good combo of steady and lazy, like a Sunday oughta produce.
I've found myself in an interesting beta situation recently... I didn't realize when I signed up for the read that it would be an open group (4-5 people, as best I can tell) all reading and commentating on the same google doc. I resisted making too many changes at first, for fear of influencing the read for the others. I was just sending big edit letters after every installment privately to the author. I could tell I was overwhelming her (and likely others were too in private--her story needs work and that's a lot of feedback to get hit with all at once). She was asking for more specifics and help, so this week I decided to go ahead and edit one chap in the file itself (up to this point, she only had people pointing out little typos). I tried to stick to the developmental work I think the story needs; where she could interject stakes, make motives more personal, pointing out wandering side plots that are slowing the story, etc. To my surprise, my comments started getting replied too by the other readers (her friends, I'm guessing??) coming to the author's defense. Saying they personally liked that part, and they don't like my suggestion, etc. Meanwhile, the author has been radio silent/gone. I prefaced all my comments as merely suggestions and tried to be nice, but I'm thinking these friends have never seen a proper crit before (one admitted she isn't a writer). Waiting to hear from the author, but ready to bow out of this one. Don't need to feel like the bad guy raining on everybody's reading experience. Moral of the story: I don't think group betas are a good idea.
Evening, Cantina! I hope everyone's having a nice weekend. I am trying still desperately to finish those Etsy shop improvements before 1) I go insane, and 2) preferably the end of this week. No writing will get done until that's finished because the Etsy shop is the thing that could bring in money sooner rather than later. I just wish working on SEO stuff wasn't so tedious. Then again, I am the one who put nearly 100 listings in my shop, thereby making it such a long job...
In better news, I did make two back-to-back jewelry sales today, so that was a nice bit of encouragement. One of them was also my 20th sale! Yaaaaay, milestones! Dare I hope to get to 25 or more before December? That would be really cool, which is part of the reason I'm kicking my own butt so hard to do these shop improvements, in the hopes it will help.
In better news, I did make two back-to-back jewelry sales today, so that was a nice bit of encouragement. One of them was also my 20th sale! Yaaaaay, milestones! Dare I hope to get to 25 or more before December? That would be really cool, which is part of the reason I'm kicking my own butt so hard to do these shop improvements, in the hopes it will help.
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@Mary Group betas are a good thing, but only if everyone involved knows what they're doing. It sounds a lot like the writer's friends there didn't and are just exacerbating the situation.
So I've finished putting the raw words down for Rod of Years for class and will be going back and editing over the week. Now, this story's probably gonna end up among my novel ideas after class is done with from how much I had to summarize to make the 30 pages maximum, so after graduation it'll be working on doing that while looking for a job to pay those student loans.
So I've finished putting the raw words down for Rod of Years for class and will be going back and editing over the week. Now, this story's probably gonna end up among my novel ideas after class is done with from how much I had to summarize to make the 30 pages maximum, so after graduation it'll be working on doing that while looking for a job to pay those student loans.
Thanks, everyone. I'm doing better. Maybe. Still the same problems, but they're "better". Because I have anxiety, it's always hard to tell if medical issues are the result of anything serious, or the anxiety acting up. But when the anxiety acts up in new ways, it makes you think you have a serious problem which increases the anxiety and causes a feedback loop.
And then I went a pulled a muscle in my back/neck.
And then I went a pulled a muscle in my back/neck.
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Really? I've honestly never heard of them. I can see where more people might benefit from the learning experience, but there's probably also disputes that make the poor author's head spin. Also, what about hindering the reading experience for others? I don't want to taint their view of the story by pointing out all the flaws. I honestly feel like the bad guy in this read.
Ouch, no fun! I have something like that going on right now too. Trying to limit my screen time, which has amounted to more free hand outlining. Yesterday, I tried Rachel Stephen's 1 page plot embryo and guys, it was so fun! Pic for proof.
More hand outlining today (though my to-be-researched list keeps growing) and outdoor work while the sun is shining.
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Group betas
I usually don't like group betas unless
1- the group is authors who have been around the block a few times
2- a variety of skill levels (writing or review or editing)
3- people who are NOT friends of the author
4- rules are established before hand
Experienced authors who have had their works edited, revised, and published by legit publications gain a lot of experience on what works and what doesn't. They can point out the things like you did and be right on story structure, grammar issues, and such things most of the time. They also know how to express opinions in a way that leads the authors to seeing although a portion is well written, it might also have to be cut.
A variety of skill levels gives an author a chance to see a range of comments from different perspectives. A newer author might only see typos. A beta who has editing experience will see other things. Not to say you shouldn't use regular readers, but at least a few should have publishing experience when you do a group beta.
I do use a group of friends for betas. HOWEVER, they are all established, well-read, and critical readers. They may be my friends, but they also are not afraid to hurt my feelings by pointing out that I've wandered from the plot or have turned my character inside out. If your group is all hand-holding and encouraging, you aren't going to grow as a writer.
Rules are essential in a group beta. Sometimes it's more of a guideline such as "I need you to focus on the characters, do they seem realistic?" or "I'm horrible with POV, watch for that." This gives the group some key elements to look for and a good place to start with some criticism. Some people just don't think they can criticize a work without being mean. Critique isn't mean. It's a way to improve.
I usually don't like group betas unless
1- the group is authors who have been around the block a few times
2- a variety of skill levels (writing or review or editing)
3- people who are NOT friends of the author
4- rules are established before hand
Experienced authors who have had their works edited, revised, and published by legit publications gain a lot of experience on what works and what doesn't. They can point out the things like you did and be right on story structure, grammar issues, and such things most of the time. They also know how to express opinions in a way that leads the authors to seeing although a portion is well written, it might also have to be cut.
A variety of skill levels gives an author a chance to see a range of comments from different perspectives. A newer author might only see typos. A beta who has editing experience will see other things. Not to say you shouldn't use regular readers, but at least a few should have publishing experience when you do a group beta.
I do use a group of friends for betas. HOWEVER, they are all established, well-read, and critical readers. They may be my friends, but they also are not afraid to hurt my feelings by pointing out that I've wandered from the plot or have turned my character inside out. If your group is all hand-holding and encouraging, you aren't going to grow as a writer.
Rules are essential in a group beta. Sometimes it's more of a guideline such as "I need you to focus on the characters, do they seem realistic?" or "I'm horrible with POV, watch for that." This gives the group some key elements to look for and a good place to start with some criticism. Some people just don't think they can criticize a work without being mean. Critique isn't mean. It's a way to improve.