Dream catchers and dental stuff

Have spent the evening wrapping dream catcher hoops and listening to Christmas music. Fueled by beef jerky and crisp, cool water. I was determined to have something more substantial to eat than milk and peanut butter, since my two bad teeth weren't agreeing with *anything* for a few days. Will probably regret it later. Waiting to hear back from my dentist about getting a prescription for antibiotic and Vicoprofen, since prescription strength Aleve is starting to become ineffective for the nerve pain ( which is probably amplified because of my Dys / Fibro, I feel pain different than normal people ). She is in process of transferring to a new clinic, which is under construction. So even if I could afford the root canals, I'd have to wait till end of December or beginning of January. Not sure I can wait that long. We'll see.

A short video with holiday spirit

Something truly heartwarming. This sort of thing is what the spirit of the season is all about, no matter what spiritual path you follow.

Art Update

Sharing a few artistic shots of some finished wearable art.


Animal pendants and mini pet portraits that I make on commission. I can make them with just about any animal you can imagine! All I need is a nice picture showing special markings if you want one of your own animal. Otherwise tell me what animal you'd like. Cats, dogs, birds, wildlife, and more.

Vintage Orange Branch Coral And Blue Pearls.

Lapis Lazuli and Howlite.

 

Everything here is listed on Etsy:

http://www.etsy.com/shop/LeopardWolf


Lots more to make, lots more to post.

Art And Craft Uploads

Spent the last few days making things, taking and processing pictures, and prepping for store listings. Have new things uploaded on Etsy. Many more to come. May share favorites later.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/LeopardWolf

Shop With Artists, Crafters, Small Business Owners

Just a reminder to everyone to please considering shopping with an artist or small local business if you're doing holiday shopping this year. You can make a big difference and get some amazing, unique gifts, as opposed to supporting the big box stores. There's so much incredible talent out there!

Please respond to this message with a link (or several links) to your favorite small/independent business, artist, craftsperson, or artisan to buy holiday gifts from. Someone who needs the business more than big box stores. Someone who makes better products than big box stores. Someone who offers something cool, unique, or handmade that you'll never see at big box stores. Most of all, someone who deserves all of that Black Friday / Cyber Monday / holiday shopping attention. Ready? GO.

Share and pass along!

Black Friday Weekend Promo

Save 10% on your entire purchase from my Etsy shop, Black Friday through Cyber Monday. May extend this or another offer afterwards for further Christmas shopping!

http://www.etsy.com/shop/LeopardWolf

Weekend Sales

Working on making things, taking pictures of them, and posting them online for Black Friday and weekend sales. Fingers crossed!

Thankful

Thankful for so much. Spent a wonderful day cooking and laughing with Mike and the animals. Dinner was delicious. Hope everyone else had a wonderful day.

Art bits

Digging through craft supplies. Leather, fur and fabric things. Bone and tagua too. Now where did I put that sinew and hemp cord?

No Dog Seminar For Me

Just gave up my slot for an upcoming dog training seminar I *really* wanted to go to. Finding out my unemployment ends next week, totally killed any chance I had of affording it. Feel like shit over it because a spot was held for me last minute.

Gift Giving Ideas

I make a lot of different things that would make wonderful gifts, all of them unique and one of a kind. Please consider buying from and supporting a local artist this year for your holiday purchases.


Etsy Shop ( Some finished items for sale; I have a ton more where this came from not listed here ):

http://www.etsy.com/shop/LeopardWolf



Art Gallery ( Examples of different things I can make):

http://leopardwolf.deviantart.com


Share with others, spread the word.


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Why?

I confirmed that my unemployment benefits end next week. After that I will have no source of income to buffer being without a job. I can't even try reapplying until after the 5th of Jan 2013. In a *very* bad place right now. I have been job searching since before January 2012 when I knew I was facing getting laid off from the job I was working.

I still haven't been able to pay off Wasabi's vet bill, or afford certain medical stuff I need, or pay off pre-existing bills from such so I can go back to even see my doctors. I don't have health insurance ( tried applying for local state aid and they denied me and now fighting with them over that ), so I can't afford any out of pocket expenses to see these doctors ( upwards of $300 for a consult visit at Mayo ).

I have a hefty medical bill wracked up from all the procedures they had to do on me, and they basically want a certain portion of it paid before they'll see me again, which includes being able to get refills on my prescriptions. I am on a beta-blocker and an SSRI for my Dysautonomia and Fibromyalgia. These types of medications you *can not* just stop taking cold turkey.

I also desperately need to go back to my dentist to have some work done on damaged teeth, which are now starting to get infected like what happened last year when I had to have work done. She started to work on these others to try and help me so I would not be in pain and could hopefully last till I got a new job, but I didn't have enough money to finish it.  Now I don't have insurance/coverage, and same situation as above, I owe them some money that my previous insurance did not cover, and I cannot go back to see them until I pay that off.

I know stuff is hard for everyone. But really, is $5 plus shipping ( normal cheapest price I have for some items ) that much to ask for a little piece of original art, knowing you are helping support a local artist so she has a place to live, food in her mouth, and can afford her medicine and related bills?

Reflective Medical Venting

Chronic illness is difficult enough to live with, without constantly being reminded of how much you fail and will probably never live a totally normal life ever again, no matter how hard you try. Medicine doesn't make it all magically better or make it totally go away. Having multiple 'invisible' conditions makes it worse. This is just generalized grief being expressed that has been building for months and months, that I can no longer contain by smiling and pretending to be okay. Sometimes I am not okay, and there is nothing wrong with that.

Enough Already

Further agitation today: The property management is *STILL* trying to force us to pay for the bed bug treatment ( neighbor's fault not ours and supposedly settled months ago), now calling it 'damages', and charging us late fees because of the balance resulting from us not paying what they want. Our rent has been on time, every time, since this new company took over.

I seriously need a legal adviser familiar with rental/housing law to hash out a polite "cease and desist or else" letter.

Unemployment / Disability Debate

With my unemployment ending very soon ( unless there is something I qualify for extension wise I am not aware of ) and not being certain of landing any positions I have applied for, I mentioned to Mike my thoughts on applying for disability. It would take time for such a case to probably even be approved, but if I am not going to receive any more financial buffer aside from the stray commission or Etsy sale I might get here or there ( not enough to live off of currently ), it would be nice to have that as a worst case last resort.

But it turned into an argument of how it would ruin any future chance I have of getting a job.

Would it be better to have NO money coming in except for a handful of commissions once my unemployment ends?  Or wouldn't it be better to actually have $300 or more coming in and still have the ability and option to work part time if I can find something, and even also have the option to go back full time in the future provided I get a stable job offering such?

I hate to admit it, but I am *not* normal in the same sense other employable people are. I have to be realistic, that I am not going to be able to do certain jobs, whether I like it or not. It has *nothing* to do with being lazy, trying to take the easy way out, or making up shit about my health issues. Just because you don't understand it or have never heard of it, doesn't mean it is all in my head and being made up. It is real, and something I have to be reminded of and live with every day.

Just because you enroll for disability aid, doesn't mean you are damned to be dependent on it forever, and I don't want to be. But I do want even some small source of money to try and actually help rather than not be able to help financially at all, while I am still in between jobs and having such a difficult time finding anything.

I don't know what to do anymore. Nothing I do or try seems to be good enough or help.

What else can I do?

Dogs, and science

Sharing some dog love, dog geekery, and some science.

Wallace is a local pit bull sports dog celebrity ( has his own book ), who was recently diagnosed with cancer. His owners are making sure he lives the rest of his life to the fullest. :)



Dogs teaching chemistry!

Security Camera Video Captures Good Too

Share the good. There's plenty of it that goes unnoticed.

Kittehs!

What could be better than livestreaming kittens?

http://new.livestream.com/FosterKittenCam/TheSpiceKittens

Dysautonomia sucks

Damn you, Dysautonomia. Passed out. Felt nauseated and wobbly/tremblely all day, headache and sinus eye stabby pains and knee and hip complaints but ignored it and pushed myself to get stuff done around the house. Was sitting with legs crossed going through paperwork for shredding. Legs felt like they were falling asleep so got up to grab another bag across the room. Wobbly legs like jello, tingling pins and needles sensation then flush/warm, got dizzy and vision blur and ringing in ears/all other sound faded. World spun, tunnel vision, ended up back on ground. Came to looking at underside of my craft/work table with clingy worried animals hovering around me. Sigh.

Painful, not hip

My Sacroiliac joint is very angry and not liking me moving around trying to do anything, housework or otherwise. ::Stabs it repeatedly::

Overwhelming blah

Not in a good place mentally. Trying to get too much done, worried about too much, reminded constantly how much my broken body limits things I am able to do, or totally ruins my chances for doing things I want to, no matter how hard I'd try. Ready to sell all my art supplies and just stop bothering. I don't even know why I am running myself crazy trying to make stuff to sell for holidays. It won't sell, like it never does. But I am in panic mode because my unemployment ends sooner than I thought and I only have one job lead that probably isn't going to pan out.

Maybe I could apply for disability, but I don't know the first thing about how to save these days you need a lawyer for it, and I need to see my doctors to do paperwork for that sort of thing. I can't see my doctors because I owe them all money, and we won't mention that this also applies to not being able to get refills on my prescriptions for the same reasons. The refills I had remaining expired in October. I didn't have enough money to get them all filled in time. One of my prescriptions costs $135 by itself, for roughly 30 pills. I don't have insurance to cover visits anyway. I tried to apply for local social service aid, but they denied me because they "didn't get the info they requested by the deadline" despite me having the original form and fax data to prove I sent it in time. So now I am having to fight with them over that. Endless viscous cycle. I can't keep doing this. I just don't have it in me anymore.

Oh, weather

Ugh, Minnesota. It was 70F and beautiful yesterday. 29F and winter-ish today. Such drastic change broke my body. I need a new one.

Service Dog Stories

Having my own service dog, and being among the community of people who benefit from such remarkable bonds, hearing stories like these always touches a deeper chord in me. Follow your dreams. Believe in yourself, and you can do anything.


A Girl's Best Friend:

http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=8598189



Another wonderful article on how working dogs help people, in this case our veterans. There needs to be more awareness about these sorts of things.

War vets find solace in four-legged friends:

http://www.cnn.com/2012/11/09/us/cnnheroes-ptsd-service-dogs/index.html?hpt=hp_c3

6 Ways to Take a Mental Vacation

Sometimes you need to get away, but you don't have the time or money. Don't despair: A mental vacation can help reduce your stress.

By Diana Rodriguez
Medically reviewed by Lindsey Marcellin, MD, MPH
Posted on:  http://www.everydayhealth.com/healthy-living/take-a-mental-vacation.aspx

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Small stressors can quickly add up to major stress and one big stressful event can send you reeling, with no idea of how to start addressing it. If you could just get away for a little stress relief, you know you would be okay. But too few of us have the time — or the money — to run off on an impromptu vacation.

Well, you don't have to spend a dime or go anywhere other than a quiet spot nearby to take a mental vacation.

Stress Relief: Take Off on a Mental Vacation

If you don’t find a way to reduce stress, your health will pay the price, both mentally and physically. It’s not necessary to get a lengthy massage or head to a beach to relax — you can unwind every day in simple ways and still get a major benefit.

"People who are under a lot of stress have physical problems related to constantly being under stress," says Sally R. Connolly, a social worker and therapist at the Couples Clinic of Louisville in Louisville, Ky. "And if you don’t find ways [to relieve it], even in small periods of time, you can have long-term consequences." It's crucial to add stress relief to your everyday routine, she says.

Connolly suggests learning techniques to reduce stress and trying to sneak in one or two each day. "Even if it's five minutes in the morning and five minutes at night, just find time to do that," she says.


Stress Relief: Six Quick Mental Trips

Visualizing a stress-free place and other relaxation techniques are quick and easy ways to help your whole body calm down and give you just the boost you need to get on with your day. Connolly suggests these six ways for you to slip away on a mental vacation to reduce stress:

1.  Read a book in bed. Connolly says this is a great escape and can leave you feeling refreshed, relaxed, and ready to face whatever is outside your bedroom door. Your bed is warm, cozy, comfortable, and a peaceful place for you. It feels luxurious, and getting lost in a good book is a perfect way to forget, then refocus, your own thoughts.

2.  Visualize relaxation. Steal a few quiet moments to close your eyes and think of an image that relaxes you — such as the warm sun on your skin and the sound of the ocean, a big country field sprinkled with flowers, or a trickling stream. Connolly suggests thinking back to a time when you felt peaceful and relaxed, and focus on releasing the tension from your toes to your head.

3.  Look at pictures from a happy time. Connolly recommends pulling out snapshots from a photo album of a family vacation or a fun dinner with friends. Reflect on your memories of that occasion, and what made it so enjoyable. Spend a few quiet moments reminiscing, and you'll find yourself more relaxed.

4.  Look out a window. Distract yourself by focusing on something other than what's stressing you. Grab a steaming cup of coffee or tea, close the door, and take a mental break. Do a little people watching, appreciate any birds within view, or enjoy some fluffy clouds rolling by. Allow yourself to daydream for a few minutes.

5.  Listen to a relaxation CD. Invest in a couple of these CDs for a short daily escape, says Connolly. You may like to hear chirping birds, rolling waves, or gentle rain — whatever your choice, closing your eyes and listening to these soothing sounds while doing some deep breathing can help you relax and de-stress.

6.  Take a walk. Exercise is a great way to relieve stress because it's a great escape for your mind. Head out for a quiet early morning walk or lace up your sneakers on your lunch break. Walking along a trail, waterfront, or other peaceful place when possible may offer even more relaxation.

Treat yourself to a 5-, 10-, or 20-minute mental vacation each day and train your body to relax and reduce stress — you'll be amazed at how much better you feel after taking just a few luxurious moments all to yourself.

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Dental woe

Tooth pain is among the worse. These two problem teeth have gotten worse and are getting painful like the other one I had surgery on last year around this time. I also need to have them finish this root canal because it only had a temp filling and that came out a while ago. But no money. And no insurance.

I am fighting off a sinus infection / Fibro flair, and with the change in weather I am sure all of it is not helping, probably putting pressure just the right way to cause the TMJ to spazz out. The pain radiates into my jaw and ear area / entire side of face. Just have to keep hoping pain meds will help me manage it for now.

Of art shows, holidays and deadlines

Just got confirmation of deadlines for upcoming shows and events and wargh-ing because I am going to need every single day I can spare to be at home working or in the studio working to have enough items made for the events and holiday sales. Things are going to be insane for the rest of the year.

Neat interactive spider thing

I thought this was too cool in general not to share. Also, might help those who are arachnophobic by interacting with it, with no risk to themselves.

http://www.onemotion.com/flash/spider

Small business and educational possibilities.

Had a meeting with Workforce people yesterday. Found out not only can they probably totally cover expenses for me to go back to take some college classes/programs for web design, multimedia and graphic stuff ( or similar fields ), but also that they may be able to help me with some starting costs for a small business if they approve a plan for me!  It wouldn't be much, but it would be just enough for most of the stuff I had in mind.  Lot of work to do, to figure all this out and make it happen.

Fellow skull collector and taxidermy enthusiast

I will undoubtedly have a collection like this, one day.

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Collector reveals staggering haul of 2,000 animal skulls he keeps in semi-detached home.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2222967/Animal-skull-collector-Alan-Dudley-showcased-2-000-skulls-new-book.html

Win7 version of Windows Movie Maker is fail

WTF new Win7 version of Windows Movie Maker? I have sat here fighting with it trying to splice slides for smooth transitions at the beginning *AND* end of a clip.

They totally ruined how to add in special effects for fade in and fade out and place it throughout the entire clip/frame like you could in the XP version, which allowed you to right-click and add any effect to each individual frame if you wanted.  Am I just missing the option for this? Or did they really dumb it down and remove all the good features?

I also don't like how it auto-jumps back to the beginning when you mouse over the effects for more than a second.

Video processing and arting

Processing the video from Can Do Canines graduation last week, and painting. Enjoying the autumn weather.

Nom nom punkin

Qpines are awesome.

When People Worry About Math, the Brain Feels the Pain

My brain knows this all too well. Does my Dyscalculia make it worse than a normal person with math anxiety?


http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/10/121031213711.htm#.UJMYkm3SQUA.mailto


"ScienceDaily (Oct. 31, 2012) — Mathematics anxiety can prompt a response in the brain similar to when a person experiences physical pain, according to new research at the University of Chicago."