In nature, nothing is perfect and everything is perfect. Trees can be contorted, bent in weird ways, and they’re still beautiful.
Alice Walker
It’s been a while.
I know nobody reads this blog and that’s fine—I keep it for my own edification—but I have great hopes of being more consistent with it. And though I’ve never been consistent here, or with Tangling Tales, I keep trying. More importantly, I’m going to keep trying because I really want to succeed. And by succeed I mean post something here on a biweekly—as in every two weeks—basis and add a new story to Tangling Tales monthly…maybe on the full or new moon.
What’s keeping me from doing this? Well, in 2022 there was my never-fucking-ending menstruation that exhausted me so much physically and mentally that I felt like I was going insane and/or dying. That doesn’t include the exhaustion, fear, and annoyance that that came with going to the doctor every few weeks for test upon test upon test that ranged from merely extremely uncomfortable and emotionally scarring (the transvaginal ultrasound) to excruciatingly painful and emotionally scarring (the uterine biopsy1). After that there was the decision to get a hysterectomy which lead to surgical consultations, being diagnosed with hypertension, scheduling the surgery, going back to the doctors’ several times to make sure my new medication was dosed right so my bp was in a safe range for long enough to have the surgery. Then there was the surgery itself at the beginning of the year. And the recovery. In February, on my second or third day back to work, I slipped on ice and fell down my front stoop tearing the meniscus in my left knee—not badly, but it required 6 weeks of physical therapy to mostly recover. And lastly, I was offered a full time job2 at my library! Which is a good and excellent thing, but it’s also taken up a lot of my time and mental energy. It’s only now, six months later, that I’m finally finding some balance. Except—
Except, I need a new computer. My laptop is shot, which is to be expected because I bought it back in 2009 or 2010, I think, maybe 2011. It still kind of runs, but it can’t update anymore and it. is. so. slow. It cannot do all the things I need it to do and I am very broke and even with the new job right now I’m just kind of playing catch up. There’s so many things I’ve been putting off for years that I need to do or buy, like brakes for my car or a new bed, that even with the raise I still have no money.
But I’m mostly hale and healthy now and ready to put my life back in order. I have a lot3 to do, and I’m going to take it slow and be gentle with myself, but I’ve really got to get started, you know? Might as well start here. I’m going to try to post here at least once a month while I work on moving other things around in my life. And after I get things settled I’ll see what more I can do.
In the meantime, here’s a list of my plans and a broad timeline:
- At least 1 post like this monthly, starting now (obviously)
- Posting my Upcoming Titles!!4 newsletter that I make for work here as well, starting in September with October’s list
- Opening a shop somewhere to sell the dragon figurines I make, e.t.a. September or October
- Adding a portfolio page here to showcase said figurines
- Monthly episodes of Tangling Tales, starting December at the latest
- I’m going probably going to write more about library topics and books, soon
- I’m going to write more bluntly about my current overarching future plans, now and soon
There’s more, of course. There’s always more, but those are my mostly definitive plans—for this blog at least.
See you soon!
1. The uterine biopsy that was done without any kind of numbing and the only painkiller being the 3 Aleve my doctor told me to take beforehand which was not nearly enough painkiller for having whatever kind of tool they use for that shoved through my cervix so it could it could gouge out a chunk of the tumor that was growing in the wall of my uterus and making me bleed constantly. I spent the next two days curled in a ball on my bed desperately trying to forget the “discomfort” caused by that procedure and trying not to sob. That ruined that doctor for me. I will never see him again. Never. He is not going near my lady bits ever again.
2. My new job is the Adult & Teen Fiction Selector for my library! It’s freaking awesome!!
3. So much. So, so, so much to do. You have no idea. And most of it costs money, gods dammit.
4. Upcoming Titles!! is a list of Adult & Teen Fiction (and sometimes Graphic) titles that will be released the following month that I am personally excited about.
Knotting the Wind 