Quiz: How Shy Are You?

Agree with most of this one. I'm definitely more of an introvert.

You Are 56% Shy

Although you live a pretty normal life, you tend to be a fairly shy person. Many situations make you feel uncomfortable, and you sometimes find your shyness hindering your life. You can survive daily life just fine, but you don't go out of your way to be social. Watch out. You may end up missing out on some advantages that extroverted people have.

How Shy Are You?

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Can't Believe It's Been a Year Since...

It was a year ago this month that I began the following: the new job and my idea to write my memoir of depression and going on Prozac.  Almost seems hard to believe it's been that long. Time sure does fly. 

On February 1 of last year, I began a creative writing class, which unfortunately fizzled out this year because of a lack of participation as last year came to an end. I'm still working, though. And last November, the mentor who taught the cooking and art classes left, so other mentors and clients have been filling in. I've led the cooking class three times so far, and and looking for recipes to try for this coming month. I'm also trying to get an idea for art class. Namely,  I'm trying to get some ideas for assemblage art. Most of the clients aren't aware of this, so I'm trying to get as much information as possible to see who is interested. I've also expressed the idea of doing dioramas. Either idea would involve found objects. Had anyone ever done either such art projects? If you have, how did it go?

It's also been more than a year since I read Prozac Nation and was inspired to write my own story. For a while I was discouraged, however, as I felt my story was too similar, but people I know convinced me everyone has a different story to tell, even on the same topic. It was in February last year that I began making notes for my memoir, and am still going. I only have 28K-something words as of now, does that seem to short?  I'm not sure how much longer I can make it or when I should even begin to let a publisher see it. I'm not too sure about taking the self-publishing route. It doesn't seem likely that I will.

I've been itching to re-read Prozac Nation, so I ordered a used copy from Amazon. I don't often re-read books, though as child I did read some books more than once.  Some of my challenges for this year include categories such as "book you've read before," and a "favorite from your childhood," so that will require some re-reading.   I've also been wanting to read more by Elizabeth Wurtzel,  so I bought a used copy of this book of hers.  It was her second book to be published.  

My illness recovery process has kept me from writing as much I'd been wanting to, but I'm gradually getting back into the mode.

And almost a year ago, the psychiatrist I'd been seeing since 2015 said he was leaving the county behavioral health department as he was only there temporarily. But he returned in June last year and has been communicating through telepsychiatry since last October.

Let's see what this year brings to the process of writing.

Early to Sleep

That's how I've been this last week. As I said in my last post, recovering from recent illness has made me excessively tired and wanting to go to bed early. I've been listening to my body, climbing into bed with a book, then maybe watching a little TV with the sleep timer on, though I've avoided the TV on most nights. I may try some journaling or creative writing one night.

Early sleeping has aided in my healing process greatly. I had a little trouble getting out of bed this morning (one of my work days), but I made it. Sometimes I want to sleep for 12 hours, but I guess that's not bad on days I don't have to rise early.

Also, it's been raining in my neck to the woods, so the dreary weather has made me tired as well, and has made it hard to get out. Along with excessive fatigue, I have been feeling cabin fever.

Others have assured me that early sleep is good when one is sick. It is true. I've been feeling the benefits.

Always Listen to Your Body

This is a lesson I became even more aware of this past week or so while recovering from illness. I've gotten more tired as a result of all this and have been feeling a need to get to bed earlier and on some days to sleep later than usual. I have been slowly getting better the last few days and have found that more rest helps.   It's been a rough beginning of the year, but it's getting better. 

From MeMD:

“Listen to your body” is advice that nearly everyone has heard at one point or another, but it’s a sentiment that is easier said than done. For many people, perceptions on health and nutrition come from outside sources—nutritional fads, generic medical advice, or even tips from eccentric celebrities. Instead, we should be focusing on what our bodies need, and that can be a difficult task if you don’t know how to listen to the signals that your body is giving you. To help you tune in and gain a better understanding of what’s best for your unique needs, take a look at the situations below in which you should always listen to what your body is trying to say.

When You’re Worn Too Thin Suffering from fatigue is not uncommon, nor is attempting to push through the fatigue with an added dose of caffeine and willpower. Unfortunately, favoring constant productivity over proper rest and relaxation can cause both immediate and long-term problems. In the short-term, you might find yourself overwhelmed with anxiety, feeling irritable or ready to snap at any given moment. Over time, this stress can take a heavy toll on all aspects of your health; plus, it is more likely that you will experience an accident or major health problem that could put all of your responsibilities on hold. While it may not always be easy to let go of a few of the chores on your to-do list, you should always know when to simply take a step back and enjoy some quiet time to yourself.

When You’re in Pain Much like fatigue, pain is often ignored by those who are suffering. Whether you are coping with chronic or recurring pain, excessive soreness during your workout, or the aftermath of an injury that has not had time to heal, you should not let pain take over your life. This is especially true during exercise. Often, the “no pain, no gain” mentality is taken way out of context, so weekend warriors and professional athletes alike push too hard and end up with acute injuries or long-term damage to their bodies.

When You Feel Sluggish Let’s say you get plenty of sleep every night, but you are still feeling tired or constantly worn down. In this situation, your body might be telling you that you need to focus on your primary source of energy: Your diet. Nutrition can be a minefield of misinformation, but there is no mistaking the signs that you aren’t eating right—sluggishness, frequent illnesses, unexpected weight gain or loss, or frequent junk food cravings. To pinpoint better eating habits for your body, first focus on eating only when you really need to. Eat exclusively when you are hungry, and take your time so that you stop when you are full, not stuffed. From here, you might pay more attention to how you feel after you eat. When you aren’t satisfied or replenished by a meal, think about what was in it that could be taking a toll on your physical wellness.

When You’re Right It can take some time to develop healthy habits by listening to the signals your body is providing you, but there are times when you might simply know that you are right. Those gut feeling moments when you sense you are in danger, you’re making a big life decision, or you’re in a high-pressure situation are often best handled by your instincts, so you should definitely listen to what your body is telling you now more than ever. 

I tend to feel tired so often that I will need a nap. I have trouble getting exercise, though. Not much of a walker and not the outdoor type, but just don't think I can afford the gym (don't like to stay home all the time).  I need to work on this more :)

Again, I have found that more sleep has helped me feel better as I recover from the illness that started my year.  Whenever you feel tired, get some rest. It will make you feel better.

2017 Book to Movie Reading Challenge

The Book to Movie challenge I did the last few years was ended early last year because of a lack of participation.  Another blog decided to create a new challenge for this format.  I will try for Level 1B. Click link to sign up and see more details.

According to my internet searching, it seems that there are over 30 books being made into movies this year. That seemed like a fairly accurate amount, but I'm sure there could be more. For this challenge, I'm going to go with that number. However, challenge participants are welcome to present any new ones they find for consideration.


Here is what I am reading:

1. Lady Susan--Jane Austen
2. Black Beauty--Anna Sewell
3. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks--Rebecca Skloot
4. Slaughterhouse Five--Kurt Vonnegut
5. Wonder--R.J. Palacio
6. Lost Horizon--James Hilton
7. The Chocolate War--Robert Cormier
8. Wives and Daughters--Elizabeth Gaskell
9. The Light Between Oceans--M.L. Stedman
10. The Hound of the Baskervilles--Arthur Conan Doyle
11. Orphan Train--Christina Baker Kline
12. The Diving Bell and the Butterfly--Jean-Dominique Bauby
13. Everything, Everything--Nicola Yoon
14. Crime and Punishment--Fyodor Dostoevsky
15. The Princess Diaries--Meg Cabot
16. Princess in the Spotlight--Meg Cabot
17. Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life--James Patterson
18. The Glass Castle--Jeannette Walls
19. The Rum Diary--Hunter S. Thompson
20. Ballet Shoes--Noel Streatfeild
21. Little House in the Big Woods--Laura Ingalls Wilder
22. Serena--Ron Rash
23. Little House on the Prairie--Laura Ingalls Wilder
24. All the Bright Places--Jennifer Niven
25. Victoria and Albert--Richard Hough
26. The Fall of the House of Usher and Four Other Tales--Edgar Allan Poe
27. The Spiderwick Chronicles 1-5--Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black
28. The Importance of Being Earnest--Oscar Wilde
29. The Shack--William Paul Young
30. The Turn of the Screw--Henry James
31. The Girl With All the Gifts--M.R. Carey
32. North and South--Elizabeth Gaskell
33. The Scarlet Letter--Nathaniel Hawthorne
34. Nicholas Nickelby--Charles Dickens
35. Where'd You Go, Bernadette--Maria Semple

Challenge completed on December 19

The Older I Get...

...the more something like a birthday becomes meaningless. To me, mine (which was yesterday) was just another reminder  that I'm just getting older. Having been sick, as well as going through foul weather where I live didn't put me in much of a celebratory mode. But I got plenty well wishes on Facebook yesterday. And when I let the others at the center I attend and work at know yesterday, they sang "Happy Birthday" to me. Still I wish I could have had an "extra-special day" somehow.

Thequotepedia.com | Birthday | Forward this Picture

Yes, I have heard this phrase before.  And as I came home from my psychiatrist appointment today I wondered, "Better at what?" I still have feelings of inferiority, thinking others have had things better than I have. Yesterday, I began to feel that writing a memoir wasn't a good idea if you're not famous, even though I've been working on it nearly a year now.  Just more depression setting in.

I'm feeling OK now, I guess I can say.

How do birthdays come to you as you get older?

2017 Horror Reading Challenge

I was pretty sure I was done signing up for challenges until I learned the Horror Challenge is on again by a new host blog. Right now, I'll shoot for the first level, but will see if I can go over. Sign up here.

First of all are the Challenge Badges, which you will win by completing the highest number of books for that level. I will list them below and they will be e-mailed to you at the conclusion of the challenge.

CHALLENGE LEVELS:

Neophyte of Coolthulhu’s Temple:  Read and review 1-7 horror books to receive the Neophyte badge

Initiate of Coolthulhu’s Temple:     Read and review 8-15 horror books to receive the Initiate badge

Oracle of Coolthulhu’s Temple:       Read and review 20-25 horror books to receive the Oracle  badge

MYSTERY BADGE     Read and review 50+ horror books in the 2017 Horror Reading Challenge to receive a special Coolthulhu-approved badge demonstrating your tentacle-awesomeness.

Here is what I am reading:

1. Beast--Donna Jo Napoli
2. Catch Me--Lisa Gardner
3. A Sudden Silence--Eve Bunting
4. Soulless--Gail Carrier
5. Ash--Malinda Lo
6. Fuzzy Mud--Louis Sachar
7. When She Woke--Hillary Jordan
8. The Woman in Cabin 10--Ruth Ware
9. Luckiest Girl Alive--Jessica Knoll
10. Wicked Lovely--Melissa Marr
11. Daughter of Smoke and Bone--Laini Taylor
12. The Trouble With Magic--Madelyn Alt
13. Lady Audley's Secret--Mary Elizabeth Braddon
14. The Fall of the House of Usher and Four Other Tales--Edgar Allan Poe
15. The Spiderwick Chronicles 1-5--Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black
16. Beyond the Spiderwick Chronicles: The Nixie's Song--Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black
17. The Shack--William Paul Young
18. Ghosts--Raina Telgemeier
19. The Moonstone--Wilkie Collins
20. The Turn of the Screw--Henry James
21. Bloodlines--Richelle Mead
22. The Girl With All the Gifts--M.R. Carey
23. Nightlight: A Parody--Harvard Lampoon
24. Zombies Calling--Faith Erin Hicks
25. Witch Buster--Jung-man Cho
26. My Big Fat Zombie Goldfish--Mo O'Hara
27. My Big Fat Zombie Goldfish: The SeaQuel--Mo O'Hara
28. My Big Fat Zombie Goldfish: Fins of Fury--Mo O'Hara
29. My Big Fat Zombie Goldfish: Any Fin is Possible--Mo O'Hara
30. Blood Red, Snow White--Marcus Sedgwick

Challenge completed on October 27

Gradually Getting Back Into the Mode

Having been sick for the first days of the new year has kept me from getting into my writing and blogging, but now I'm getting better. Still coughing as of now, but gradually getting back into the mode.

I haven't gotten too far behind on my reading, though I haven't been able to finish my current  book as soon as I'd hoped (hoping by tomorrow). It's my second one for this year. As far as signing up for challenges goes, I think I may be done doing so now. There is still no word on the Nonfiction, Translation and Southern Challenges.  I enjoyed these ones, but if they don't get offered, then that's just fine with me. I keep seeing checklist challenges, but I really don't need anymore of those, as the categories just get repetitive. I'm already in several other challenges, so I think that will be enough.

Once I start feeling even better, I hope to get some info for the project idea I have been proposing for our art class and I want to find a recipe for on of our cooking days this month.

And I just got picked by the 2106 Full House Challenge to get a $30 Amazon gift card by e-mail. I guess this will be my birthday present:-)

Quiz: How Did Your Year Rate?

Yes, this is a bit accurate.  Getting  new computer, a new job and beginning writing my memoir--now those are what went well for me.

You Had an Average Year

While you had some setbacks, your year also brought some good things. All in all, things mostly evened out. That's just how life works. Focus on what went well for you - and what you can improve. A new year is a perfect reason to give yourself a fresh start!

How Did Your Year Rate?

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How I Began the New Year

I've not been yet posting because I had to start the new year off sick :( It seems to be going around  where I live. I had to reschedule my psychiatrist appointment originally for tomorrow for next Thursday.  It's been years since I've been sick like this and as always, being sick is no fun.  I'm hoping I'll be over it by next week.


How has everyone else's new year been so far? Is anyone else getting sick in their neck of the woods? If so, I hope you get better soon.

Once I get better, I will get back to blogging and trying to write.  Over Christmas vacation, I bought the story cubes mentioned in this post at Walgreen's.  Meanwhile, I've just finished my first book of the year and have just begun reading another. Maybe I'll try writing in my notebook in bed.  I have the feeling I won't make it to work on Friday.