An Old Friend
Posted by Cyn | Filed under NaBloPoMo
Plinky asked, “Which of your friends have you know for the longest amount of time?”
2009-05-23: Morning Sky Greenery (rest) IMG_9780
I’m just going to count people I’m regularly in touch with offline who are not close kin, or things would be very complex, as there are lots of old friends and relatives on my Facebook friends list.
I’ve technically known Tate since high school, but we didn’t get to know each other very well until this past year. So I suppose James, who I met via Sam back in 1998, wins the prize for being around the longest, poor guy.
My Top 5 Strengths
Posted by Cyn | Filed under NaBloPoMo
Plinky said, “List your top five strengths.”
1) When I give my word or my heart, I don’t change my mind. I’m loyal to a fault.
2) I can learn just about anything I care to learn. Intelligence is useful.
3) I don’t lie or misrepresent myself. I’m the same person online and offline. I practice radical honesty.
4) I inherited creativity from both of my grandmothers. I’m great with colors and am a talented stitcher.
5) I’m a survivor. I’ve experienced some terribly painful things starting in childhood and haven’t allowed them to ruin my life.
Jump
Posted by Cyn | Filed under NaBloPoMo
This month’s NaBloPoMo theme is “Jump.” All the prompts have been centered around that theme, but I haven’t yet used them. I’m going to play catch-up here.
What is the first thing that pops into your mind when you hear the word jump?
The first thing that comes to mind when I hear the word “jump” is a family lore that said I could not manage to jump as a child. I tried and tried, but I just couldn’t get off the ground without something to jump off of (I was fearless then, though). 1 Maybe that’s one reason I’m just not terribly excited about this month’s theme.
What is something you recently jumped into?
I jumped back into playing the ukulele, after some contemplation.
How do you feel about starting new projects? and How do you feel about new people jumping into your life? and Do you need to look before you leap?
I’m not fearless at this stage in my life. I definitely look before I leap, especially regarding bringing new people into my life. I don’t jump into projects, either, although I would probably be more likely to do that if I had more money available. I’m hoping to return to work soon and improve that situation, at least.
What is something you’d like to jump into if you had more time/money?
As I mentioned in a recent post, I would try weaving. I might even try spinning.
1 My maternal grandfather, Daddy Boots, said that my legs were so short the family should sue the city for building the sidewalks too close to my rear end.
Meeting Someone Famous
Posted by Cyn | Filed under NaBloPoMo
Plinky asked, “Who’s the most famous person you’ve ever met?
Oprah, definitely. I was on her show about ten years ago to talk about internet safety and our family’s experience with cyberstalking.
Tired
Posted by Cyn | Filed under NaBloPoMo
I’m so tired of all the depressing stories in my Facebook news feed. Every day there’s more news about all the ground lost in women’s rights (especially reproductive rights) in this country, or something like the terrible results of the Wisconsin efforts to recall Governor Walker, or some child gone missing, or people shot dead while doing something innocuous like attending a funeral (that happened in Dekalb County, here in the metro Atlanta area, yesterday).
So I deliberately try to find positive things to counteract all that negative stuff. I’m always on the lookout for them, and would love any suggestions y’all have for such.
- Positive Press, home of the Positive Quote of the Day list, Positive News list, and other resources.
- The Daily Good is an entire web site full of good news, with a mailing list you can subscribe to in order to get a daily dose delivered up to your mailbox. Of course they’re on Facebook, too.
- Open Your Mind is a Facebook community full of good stuff.
Energy Boost
Posted by Cyn | Filed under NaBloPoMo
Plinky asked, “What energizes you?”
Transparent Roleplaying Dice
I struggle with major depression (actually, treatment resistant depression), so it’s difficult to find much that energizes me. However, really great conversation with just a few people does it quite well. The same goes for story games, or a really good tabletop roleplaying session that focuses on characters and plot rather than hack and slash.
Being around too many people drains me of energy, and I need alone time to recuperate. A nice soak in the bath with nobody else around, time with a good book, or time to enjoy some quiet music are all pleasures I use to help recover from being drained.
I’m definitely an introvert, as evidenced by what energizes me and what drains me. I used to be able to fake extroversion for short periods of time, but I’m not entirely sure that I could do that right now.
Recent Reading
Posted by Cyn | Filed under NaBloPoMo, Reading
I’ve fallen out of the practice of writing book reviews, for some reason. There are two little widgets there to the side of the blog that always show the covers of the books I’m currently reading and some of those that I’ve recently read, though.
Yes, I do keep that many books going at once, because I keep one ebook in progress each on my Nook, phone and iPad in addition to an audiobook and a dead-tree book or two. I really hate being without reading material, so that way I know I’ve always got something good at hand. The book on the Nook is pretty much always fiction, while the others are usually non-fiction.
The most noteworthy of my recent finishes is Reamde, by Neal Stephenson (one of my favorite authors). No, I didn’t misspell the title, but the spelling is an important plot point. Those who enjoyed Cryptonomicon are especially likely to enjoy this one. I recommend it to everybody, though, including those who think they don’t like science fiction.
I’m continuing to slog my way through George R.R. Martin’s Song of Ice and Fire, recently finishing A Storm of Swords and immediately picking up A Feast for Crows. Reading the books while watching A Game of Thrones has been interesting, as it brings the changes into sharp focus.
The book I’ve been reading on my phone for quite a few months (I seldom have reason to read on that) is Michael Shermer’s The Believing Brain: From Ghosts and Gods to Politics and Conspiracies—How We Construct Beliefs and Reinforce Them as Truths. It is interesting material but written in an excessively dry manner, and I’m starting to think that perhaps I should have chosen to listen to it as an audiobook.
My iPad reading is relatively new, Happier: Learn the Secrets to Daily Joy and Lasting Fulfillment by Tal Ben-Shahar. While Ben-Shahar isn’t as well-known in popular circles as some other authors, his work is integral to positive psychology and the study of happiness as a phenomenon.
I find it peaceful to listen to audiobooks while stitching. My current audiobook is Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking by Susan Cain. I’m finding it so rich that I keep having to go back and listen to bits over again, or pause the recording to reflect. I strongly recommend this one to absolutely any introvert or anyone who deals with introverts (that means everybody). I may well write an entire post about the subjects it brings up later.
My main print book is Polyamory in the 21st Century: Love and Intimacy with Multiple Partners by Deborah Anapol. I owe thanks to Uncle Ron for loaning me his copy of this one, but I really need to get my own copy. More thoughts on this later, as well.
My second print book, which I intend to review for Fibrant Living, is The Fibromyalgia Dental Handbook: A Practical Guide to maintaining Peak Dental Health by Flora Parsa Stay.
With all the darkness and the huge size of the Martin books, I’m starting to crave some light reading, so I’m seriously considering putting Feast on hold for something fluffy. I don’t think there’s anything incredibly fluffy in the Nook, but I’m sure I’ll find something before too long, even if I have to stoop to a light beach romance or the like. There’s only so much death, doom, and despair one woman can stand!
What are you reading? What do you suggest I read?
Broken Bones
Posted by Cyn | Filed under NaBloPoMo
Plinky asked, “Have you ever broken a bone?”
Not a full break, but I’ve had a hairline fracture in my left elbow and right forearm. I remember tripping and falling down steps at someone’s wedding and cracking the elbow, but I no longer recall how I hurt the forearm.
Defining Love
Posted by Cyn | Filed under NaBloPoMo, Relationships
Plinky asked, “If you eventually break up with someone, was it ever true love?”
What sort of silly question is that? If a person dies, was he truly alive?
Yes, relationships based on true love sometimes end. That doesn’t mean that they are failures, any more than lives that end are failures. The “happily ever after” thing is for fairy tales, and the idea of “one true love” should stay there as well.
It’s clear that most people are only paying lip service to monogamy now by practicing serial monogamy, so I don’t see why these outdated ideas hang on to cause misery for so many.
I have been in many relationships. I have loved each of those people. I don’t consider any of those relationships failures, nor do I doubt that I loved those people simply because we are no longer together and don’t feel the same way about each other now. I feel some affection, at the very least, towards most of them, and more for some of them. That doesn’t bother me at all, as a polyamorous person. It doesn’t set up any sort of conflict. I’m not going to act on those feelings, because there were valid reasons for the end of each relationship — but where there was deep love, there’s always something left.
Recent Finishes
Posted by Cyn | Filed under NaBloPoMo, Needlework
I’ve been stitching away lately, and while I can’t talk about my most recent project yet, I did add my most recent two finishes to my long-neglected Finished Works page today. The first piece is a for-no-reason one, the second a baby gift which was also my first cooperative project (and a big success).
I’m currently working on a Mother’s Day gift (why yes, I’m late getting it finished), the hymn “ ‘Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus.”
What are you working on?