Update Thingy

TMS check-in/update Thingy

Still going strong with TMS. I have 16 sessions left.
For the most part, it’s great. But yeah, going 5 days a week is beginning to wear on me. I can only handle so much happy, mindfulness training. Which, I’m sure says something about me. But I’m nothing if not contrary. So yes, the information I’m learning, the techniques are good. But yeah, after day 3…I’m snarky as fuck, and I have to do my best to keep that…tolerable. ::chuckles::

Still adore my TMS tech. She’s just super ADHD fabulous. No, seriously, she has ADHD and ALL OF THE ENERGY. So I can be a bit of a vampire and siphon off some of that energy for myself.

So yes. Still going strong. Most of the time, the treatment itself isn’t even painful any more. Just annoying. But even then, I can tune it out most of the time.

August Trip
The August trip we’ll be taking to Tennessee is looming on the horizon. I’m seriously looking forward to the trip, even if it isn’t something I would ever go to on my own. It’s a guitar thing that my husband is positively giddy about going.

Me? I’m planning to hit a zoo. Maybe some other sights. I’m hoping to meet up with Kimberly at least one of the days I’ll be up there. Another long-time journaling friend that I have never met in person. But I’m hoping to, this trip through Tennessee.

Avatar: The Way of Water
Finally got to watch this, and I adore it. It’s just an overall beautiful movie. I know, it has its faults. But man, it tugs at my heart strings....and my SOUL strings. Movies like that always leave me....ungrounded. What I wouldn’t give to have that kind of connection with animals. The only thing that would be better? Is if I was a shapeshifter.

Eh movies like that always leave me feeling a bit lost. They have me longing for something....more.

100 Days of Art
Yep, still going strong. Completed Day #96. I can’t believe I’ve stuck it with this entire time. And I can’t believe it’s almost over. I plan to extend it, and go for another 100 days. I also joined a FB group for local Urban Sketchers. I’m wanting to branch out and try this type of art out as well. I’m really enjoying the fuck out of this.

I’ve also been reading An Illustrated Journey: Inspiration from the Private Art Journals of Traveling Artists, Illustrators, and Designers, by Danny Gregory. And I just absolutely adore it. And it’s seriously inspiring. I want to have my own sketch travel journals.

Speaking of Art
Continuing the art thought train, but being its own separate train....I stumbled across a “Painting for Beginners” channel on YouTube. Completely by accident. But, the painting it offers is PERFECT for the art classes I lead at my Library Branch. So I pretty much have all of 2024 art classes mapped out. And there are still a TON more painting tutorials on the channel to keep me going for a LONG time.

So I’ll be trying those out for the rest of the year, to see what supplies and whatnot I need to put these art classes together. But man, just coming across that channel has lifted a MASSIVE weight off of my shoulders.

I get so burnout and stressed out, trying to come up with art classes that I can actually teach. But now, it’s just a matter of scrolling through the YouTube channel and picking out ones to practice. I am SO over joyed.

And of COURSE, this is giving me THE PERFECT excuse to pick up a sketchbook with thicker paper. Just so I can test these various painting tutorials out. ::grins happily::

Catch-up is the Name of the Game

Catch-up is the name of the game here. Ready? Set? Ok, let’s go!

TMS
This is going really well. On my last weekly check in (Tuesday), my scores on my depression symptoms and my anxiety symptoms put me in the non-depressive episode category. Like, I’m back in “normal” people’s range (at least when it comes to depression symptoms). ::laughs::

And I would be lying if I didn’t say I had some minor trepidation at that realization. TMS may actually significantly decrease my depression symptoms. And I panicked a bit, thinking “Who will I be, without my depression?” Meaning, I’ve had depression almost as long as I can remember. And it’s always held such a large place in my mind and my life. And without it….would I no longer be considered “neurodivergent”? As this has become a very defining term for me.

I sat with that a bit. And I realized, even if I don’t have depression…I am still not what most people would consider “normal”. I’ll still be my super quirky self….just without the WEIGHT of depression smothering me down. TMS might just allow me to fully embody my quirky self. So ya’ll better start prepping yourselves now. Because I plan to let my neurodivergence take center stage from here on out! ::laughs::

Delaware, Mother-in-Law, Brother-in-Law, oh my!
So MIL had a health crisis. This led to a WHORL-WIND trip up to Delaware. We flew out on June 30th. I flew back July 3rd. I had JUST started TMS, and it’s one of those treatments, that once you start….you REALLY need to miss as FEW treatments as possible. It’s been documented, that if you start and get about halfway through, and then try to pick it back up again…it doesn’t work. So it was imperative that I continue my treatments with as little disruption as possible.

So we fly up there. And yeah, talk about DELAYS. Actually, you know….let’s not. That wasn’t enjoyable at all. But yeah, she was in the ICU when we got there, but we got to go in and see her. Which, we really think boosted her morale. She was moved back to the surgery/cardiac floor the VERY NEXT DAY. And, the whole reason we went up there, because it didn’t look too good for her. And then she does this 180 and was doing so well that she was moved out of ICU. Even her nurses were beyond shocked.

David did text his brother, to let him know what was going on. Que up me meeting my BIL and niece for the first time ever. David and BIL were able to have a good conversation, in person, that I think cleared the air for both of them. I just hope for the best and leave that up to David how that’s going to go.

David flew back home on the 14th. His mom is currently doing very well and was at home and doing well there before he flew back. It was such a HUGE strain on David and it’s taken him a few days to get back to his normal self.

Temp Manager….VERY temp
So we got an Interim Manager on July 13th. And today was apparently his last day with us (not sure if it’s also his last day for the City as well). He was pleasant enough. I enjoyed the fact that he was NOT a chatty Kathy but that he also was very proactive on getting things fixed that needed fixing.

100 Days of Art
Still going VERY strong on this. Currently at Day 87. I’m super impressed with myself for sticking with this and branching out to try out new things. And that, even when I don’t like how a particular drawing is coming out, I tell myself “That just means I need to practice this style/subject MORE” instead of the “Oh, I suck at art”. It’s been a very NICE shift in thinking.