Diving Into Books

As I've mentioned in previous blogs, I had a goal of reading all of the books in my possession, and I also downloaded a ton of classic books from Project Gutenberg. In addition to that, I have the Hoopla and Overdrive/Libby apps so I can borrow ebooks and audiobooks from libraries. Thankfully, I have access to my local library as well as my family's library in Louisiana, so what I can't find at one, I can usually find at the other. It has worked out great, and I have read 30 books in 8 weeks.

I'm going to be talking about some of them here, or at the very least, list the ones I've read.

But before I go any further, here's my Goodreads account. If you happen to be on there, feel free to friend me to follow my progress.

What I've read since November:

The Shack

I recommend reading the author's interview/commentary after reading or listening to the book. It helps to explain some things. I thought it was ok, although I dozed through part of it. I am sure it made a great movie.

A Christmas Carol

I read it on Christmas Eve.

The Magician's Nephew

Who knew there was a prequel that described the creation of Narnia and the wardrobe? Apparently everyone but me. It was good.

The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe

I love this story and it feels different now that I know the back story. I'll read the rest of the series soon. (I did watch the movies already).

For One More Day

Plenty of crying, just like the last Mitch Albom book I read.

Turtles All The Way Down

Absolutely fantastic book that I recommend to everyone. Everyone. Read it.

Sherlock Holmes: A Baker Street Dozen

Doyle was racist/prejudiced to a disgusting degree. That aside, I've always liked Sherlock and Watson. Hound of the Baskervilles is still my favorite after all of these years.

Marjorie's Three Gifts

The Secret Lives of Introverts

Much validation found here.

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow

Nature

Idealistic nonsense. He writes pretty sometimes, but there's little substance.

Doctor Who and the Creature From The Pit

Heart and Brain

Heart and Brain: Gut Instincts

Heart and Brain is my favorite comic.

Eat, Pray, Love

I could say so many things about this book, but I won't ramble on. I think it's good that she finally became honest with herself about who she was, and made an effort to do something about it. I don't know whether or not she actually changed in the long run, but her journey was interesting enough to carry me through to the end. I appreciated her honesty in spite of not relating to her needs. I think she was lucky to have been given the opportunity to travel the world and write about it.

Murder On The Orient Express

Boring and racist. I stopped listening an hour in.

Emotional Intelligence

"In a 1985 study, blah blah blah..." over and over. Zzzzz. Disappointing.

Assaulted Caramel

Rated G and a fun read. I'll look for the rest of her books.

A Bear Called Paddington

I finally know who Paddington is.

The Simple Guide to a Minimalist Life

Minimalism: Essential Essays

I'm studying minimalism, as per my 2018 goal.

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

Sad and memorable.

Creative Journal Writing

You'd think I would have loved this, but I felt that much of it didn't apply to me. Maybe I'll use some of the writing prompts someday, but otherwise, it wasn't terribly useful.

Astrophysics for People In a Hurry

Meh, this wasn't as good as I had hoped it would be. He's kind of condescending. I felt the same way about Douglas Adams, so maybe it's an atheist thing. I think it's entirely possible to be atheistic without being an ass about it, but some people clearly didn't get the memo.

The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up

This lady is overboard, but she has used her obsession to her advantage. Overall, I think her efforts are very successful.

How We Eat With Our Eyes and Think With Our Stomachs

This was a long audiobook and somewhat forgettable, although I will probably buy small red plates someday to test one of their theories.

Anne of Green Gables

I know very few people who don't love Anne by the end of the book. I am no exception. I thought she was a bit ridiculous in the beginning. By the end, I was crying and looking for the TV show.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

The grammar is seriously lacking in the first book, but this stuff is legendary. I loved the movies, even the ones that made me mad. I'm now on book 4. I'm reading the ebooks as well as listening to the audiobooks (which are very well done). HP fan 4 life.

In Progress:

Anam Cara

Fed, White, and Blue

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

The Golden Compass

P.S. - I don't get paid for anything I share here, ever.

January is the Monday of Months.

https://twitter.com/NWSMobile/status/948169013376487425

The wind chill in my town this morning was 9. NINE! On a Gulf Coast bayou!

Scoff all you want, Northerners, but this area is classified as humid subtropical.

We are not designed nor equipped for temps below 32 F, much less single digits.

Gotta love Sweet Brown. LOL

I'm ok, but this unusually hard freeze needs to buzz off as soon as possible.

Muscular Dystrophy doesn't do cold. My body thinks it's dying a horrible death.

New Year's Eve, 2017 Resolutions Review, and Other Thoughts

My 2017 Goals:

1. Learn to play the tin whistle

This is the one thing I failed miserably at. I've already explained why in another post.

2. Read all books and comics in my possession

ALMOST! I read all comics and most of my books. What I have left:

In progress:

Anam Cara by John O'Donohue

Fed, White, and Blue by Simon Majumdar

On the shelf:

Song of the White Swan by Aleta Boudreaux

Triorion: Awakening by L.J. Hachmeister

I read a ton in 2017. I'm proud of that, because although I'm an advanced reader, there are several factors (poor eyesight, migraine disorder with auras, and brain fog/ADD) that prevent me from enjoying it much. I'll talk about books (and audiobooks!) in further detail later.

3. Continue to declutter

While I admit anxiety and depression drove me to dive into some of these tasks, I feel that I've turned my art supply/storage room around. It wasn't awful, but I had stuff that needed dealing with, and I'm glad I finally tackled it. I gave a lot of things to the local homeless shelter thrift store, a little to relatives, and organized the rest.

4. Renovate Mac, backup files, and prepare for new system

Done! My fantastic friend Joanna gave me her old laptop and tablet because she wasn't using them. I love both and use them daily. What a gift! Bessie the MacBook, now the ripe old age of 8, has been downgraded to a storage facility. The Mac was an awesome system and well worth the discounted price I paid for it back when I was a teacher and student.

5. Organize and knock out art charity projects in progress 

Once again, I completed a piece for Twitter Art Exhibit and sent it to England. This coming month, I'll complete a new project for TAE and send it to Canberra, Australia. I always love being a part of this.

I had two other pieces and attempted to raise funds for a cancer charity in a more private manner, but no one was interested.

6. Tighten social media and continue to reduce public presence

This is the first thing I addressed on the list. I experimented with a name change, locked down some accounts, deleted others, and renovated one or two. I wiped out friend lists and started over. I installed an app called FB Purity, and shut down my news feed. Most of the process went better than I thought it would, although I eventually returned to my real name on Facebook. I'm still public in a couple of places (like here, obviously), but I am now in friends-only mode elsewhere. Even those folks can't see everything, but it's not an issue. I'm content overall with my decisions.

7. Take a watercolor painting class

I researched this for a long time, and finally chose Art Tutor, an art instruction company based in Liverpool, U.K. They have free tutorials, as well as very (I mean VERY!) affordable courses that cost little more than a lunch date. The content is thorough, and once you own it, it is download-able for offline use and yours forever. And let's face it - their fabulous "across the pond" accents make me smile. :-)

8. Figure out MawMaw’s seafood gumbo

I am so happy that I finally accomplished this. Gumbo is important in my Creole-Cajun family, and I miss my MawMaw and her awesome food. (Side note: I also nailed her roast beef and gravy.)

~

While I completed most of my goals, this year was pretty rocky. I lost three loved ones, battled systemic disease to little avail, and existed in a constant state of anxiety, pain, and exhaustion. The sadness has been overwhelming at times. 2017 was supposed to be a year of "allowance", a word I chose and wanted to embrace. However, it was more a time of analysis, devastation, and aggravation. As always, I hope the upcoming year will be better. In spite of the cesspool of current events. In spite of my pain and many ailments. In spite of myself.

If it wasn't obvious, I'm a list fiend. I'm forever seeking something to look forward to, as well as something to keep me productive.

Thus, my 2018 goals are as follows:

1. Stick to the diet most ideal for my systemic disease.
2. Read more and write more, with frequent updates.
3. Study minimalism and document my ongoing effort.
4. Sort all paperwork for storing or shredding.
5. Spend less idle time on the cray-cray interwebs.
6. Either utilize art supplies, or get rid of them (yikes).
7. Find effective methods for managing stress episodes.

As always, I'll spend some time explaining each goal in detail at a later date. May 2018 be a safer, healthier, happier year for us all.

3:30 A.M. Brain Dump

I must have been dreaming, because I awoke just now thinking that I needed to talk to my mom about a charity run by a friend. I knew they would get along very well because they held the same views, and I hoped Mom would support the charity (an orphanage for special needs children).

When I was fully aware, I remembered Mom is gone and I "unfriended" the friend on social media earlier this year. I still receive email updates from the charity regularly, so I guess that triggered the dream or whatever this confusion would be called.

I think about the fact that my parents are dead and wonder when I got so old, but the reality is that they'd still be here if they hadn't been such difficult people. Even my stepfather acknowledges that, and he worshiped my mother. I'll never get them, and I strive to be nothing like them, but I will always miss what could have been.

Just a 3:30AM brain dump for the sake of sanity. Nothing to see here.

Today Is The Day For... #1 (Carpe Diem Journal)

Today is the day for preparing for Christmas.

It doesn't feel like Christmas. Two loved ones have died within seven days of each other. I missed my student/friend Mark's funeral because my car isn't running well. It hurts, because I know he would have been at my funeral had it been me to die first. He was too young, and I'm sorry for his family.
Zollie, my brother's father in law, was the sweetest man you'd ever meet. He told me only a few weeks ago that he had "adopted" me as one of his girls. I told him I was honored. Now he's gone. The funeral is the 27th. I don't think Christmas will ever be the same. It certainly won't for his real daughters.
My stepfather has the flu, but is thankfully recovering. I panic when I think about losing him someday. Sometimes my anxiety and depression barge in when I think about it. I'm trying to tell myself to stop grieving over people who are still alive. I'm grateful he's here. I don't see him much anymore, but I'm glad he's doing ok and living his life as he wishes.
It's 3 A.M. so I guess I will try to nap before cooking for tomorrow's Christmas dinner. I don't feel like celebrating, but those who have gone from this Earth would want me to.

Family Loss

My sister-in-law's dad, the sweetest man you'd ever meet, told me on Thanksgiving that he had adopted me as one of his girls.

Last night, he collapsed and died.

Zollie will be missed terribly, and I was honored to be his "adopted" daughter.

Another Friend Lost

From a class in 2010

At my art show (I don't remember the year)

I am heartbroken to learn that a student and friend has unexpectedly passed away. He was the first person on the doorstep of my classroom on day one, and was loyal to my last day and beyond. He was the most friendly and content man, and it was because of him that I was able to instantly put aside my social anxiety to teach the joy of painting. His presence and his smile were a comfort to me and undoubtedly everyone who knew him. He loved his family and his church, served his country, and was a volunteer in storm relief and Heaven knows how many other charitable efforts. He has left an impact on this world, make no mistake of that. I will be forever grateful for his warmth and support through the last decade of his life on this Earth, and he is already missed.

Diet Complications

Low Oxalate http://www.upmc.com/patients-visitors/education/nutrition/Pages/low-oxalate-diet.aspx

Low Fiber https://medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000200.htm

High Protein http://www.todaysdietitian.com/pdf/webinars/ProteinContentofFoods.pdf

Fat https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/10-super-healthy-high-fat-foods#section2

Low Carb https://ketosizeme.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Printable-List-of-the-Carbs-In-Foods.pdf

Low Sodium https://healthfinder.gov/HealthTopics/Category/health-conditions-and-diseases/heart-health/low-sodium-foods-shopping-list

In studying the different diets I'm supposed to be on to control my systemic diseases, several of which are contradictory, it looks like I'm going to be limited to lean low-sodium meat, lemons, avocados, and the very few low-oxalate, low-fiber vegetables in existence. I may have to compromise concerning a few things. For example, cauliflower is low oxalate, but has fiber (fiber is wrecking my digestive tract...I'll post a medical blog later), so I will have to reduce my portion to a cup or less per day. I can't even eat spinach or fruit because they are foods high in oxalate, and fruit has the added issue of fructose. Back when I made those sports drinks with red/green powder (I even posted a recipe), I started having kidney stones again, and had to cease the red/green powder and juice immediately. It is something I've confirmed...the stones are definitely made of oxalate. That has thrown a huge wrench in my already-challenging meal plans. The one thing I've found that is approved in every diet I listed is avocados. It would be in my best interest to adopt them as my new BFF.

I don't want to eat the same few things every day, so I'll have to see how creative I can get with the list I'm compiling. Food shouldn't be this complicated, but I'm going to do the best I can.

Good Advice

A few pics from the last five weeks

This is Shady Acres Village located in Seminary, MS.
I always pass it on the way to clinic (and back).
Sometimes, I stop and buy a snack. It's a cute place.

I was depressed and tired of the condition of my storage room,
so I finally dove into the mess and organized it.

I got rid of most of the cardboard boxes, threw out some things,
and sorted some things to eventually give away.

I removed these tables from my living room and put them in the
storage room. It's looking a little bit like an art studio, which is nostalgic.
(I am "overhoused" and will be moved to a smaller apartment someday.)

GREATEST. TEA. EVER.

I have been really down and out with pain, muscle weakness,
and depression, but I wore my Henchwoman outfit and played
board games on Halloween. It was exhausting, but I had a good time.
(It's from Batman '66...The Penguin's Henchmen/Henchwomen)

Crimson Invasion launched on Pokemon TCG.

My pulls were pitiful, but I did end up with two Alolan Golem GX
so it could have been worse. I've become far too invested in this thing.

I almost hated cutting into this beautiful little Italian onion.
So pretty. I can't even remember what I did with it, to be honest.

My neighbors are nice and occasionally give me duck spring rolls.
They are very tasty. I like having Asian neighbors. Zero drama.

November will be consumed with NaNoWriMo, as usual, but I am also hoping to attend a couple of cheap events in the area that I've never been to. If I do, I'll share pics. My head is screaming, and my arms and legs are really tired and crampy, so I'm unsure about any plans. I mostly need to sleep.

NaNo is going great thanks to Google Docs' voice typing feature. I hope to reach 50K by Thanksgiving.

Talk to you soon.

Autumn is finally here.

It has been a little while since I've blogged. Sorry. I felt that it needed a break after all of the hurricane drama. My October in a few paragraphs:

I went to Muscular Dystrophy clinic in Jackson after staying overnight in an Airbnb. The neighborhood was one I was familiar with, and the house was lovely. The experience was less than perfect, however, and left me uncomfortable with the whole Airbnb idea as a whole. I had credits on a gift card to pay for the room, and still had credits left, so I decided to use the rest of the credits to book a room in my area and be done with it. Since I had decided to participate in a Pokemon league tournament, I booked a room about 15 minutes down the road. It was absolutely gorgeous, the house and hosts were perfect, but I still couldn't sleep so I pretty much just lay there and wished I was home in my own bed. When I have to return to Jackson next year, I'll assess how I'm feeling and make a decision on where to stay at that point. For now, I'm glad I don't have to think about it for 6 months.

MD clinic was mostly uneventful. I did meet with the geneticist for the first time, who agreed to order testing through a free program strictly for Periodic Paralysis patients. By the time I got home, I learned that something went wrong with the form, so it wasn't done. I haven't felt like pursuing it any further, but I will hopefully eventually resolve it and get tested for three specific gene mutations. The trip was as exhausting as ever, and I was very depressed and anxious to be in so much pain and so tired while traveling. I told the doctor how I was feeling, and she said it was understandable, but it wasn't discussed beyond that. It happened to be the day after the Las Vegas shooting nightmare as well, so she didn't think much of the fact that I said I wasn't coping lately. I don't expect a resolution anymore. It's just the way things are.

The Pokemon tournament lasted far too long, and I was very tired and in a lot of pain. I managed to get through it, but half way through, I wanted to leave. I gave everyone a good laugh, including myself, for misunderstanding my status at one point. I thought I was being disqualified and told to leave, but apparently the word "Bye" beside my name means the exact opposite in the card tournament world. It was the only "win" I had, as I had no opponent that round. I ended up dead last. I don't actually care, and seem to be more comfortable when I'm not winning. I have social anxiety and I'm not a competitive person, so tournaments aren't really for me. But since I had cards in my possession, I convinced myself to try it at least once. I've decided to only free-play from now on (meaning not structured or sanctioned), when my health permits. I appreciate a friend for sending me a deck, and my brother for sending me more cards. I have a much larger, nicer collection than I was expecting to ever have. I don't love collecting, so I will most likely keep the before mentioned deck and cards that were gifted to me, and get rid of the rest either by giving them away or trading them. My nieces are Pokemon fanatics, and Jo will be old enough to join a league in 6 months, so I look forward to starting her collection.

I finally started stocking my refrigerator and freezer again on the 16th.

I received a free shipment from Home Chef, thanks to earned credits. It was spectacular, and I'll post pictures soon.

I was sorry to hear that Delilah (radio host) lost her son to suicide. If you've been here long enough, you know I'm no longer a fan, but I really hate to hear of her family's tremendous loss.

I spent the 17th remembering my brother Max, as I always do. He would have been 22 this year.

I said #MeToo and #LoveForSophia.

I joined the 2018 Twitter Art Exhibit, and I will be producing a piece to send to Australia this time. I will share more information soon. The call for artists came at a time when I was in desperate need of something to look forward to, so I'm grateful for the opportunity.

I had a bit of a scare with a bill of mine being drafted out of the wrong bank account over the weekend, resulting in a returned check. I have one account, and have used the account to pay this bill for years without fail. After emails and phone calls with the bank and insurance company, I confirmed that they had sent it to the wrong bank altogether, where it was understandably found and returned four days later. The situation was corrected and all is well again. I'm relieved it wasn't worse, but I was zonked for the rest of the day. HKPP and stress are not friends.

Fall weather is finally here, as of yesterday. I'm already wearing my fuzzy plaid pajamas.

This ended up being much longer than I planned. Sorry for the lack of photos. I'll share a few in the next couple of posts.

Well, it's my turn to get hit...

Both photos credited to NOAA National Hurricane Center

I was hoping we were done with Hurricane Season this year. Nope. I'm probably getting a direct hit from this one, but the good news is that it is not expected to be nearly as destructive as previous storms. Still, we are under a hurricane warning and storm surge warning. I don't have the funds to evacuate, nor the vehicle with mine currently without power steering, but I've made all of the preparations I can make to be as safe as I can at my apartment.

If Nate continues at the speed it is currently traveling, it'll make landfall here tomorrow evening.

Talk to you soon!

Puerto Rico, The Caribbean, Nepal, Mexico, and Oregon...how to help.

Click here for a few ways to help Puerto Rico.

Edit 9/28: Here's another great list for PR and the islands.

A few more organizations involved in assisting people through various disasters:

http://www.portlight.org/

https://adra.org/emergency-adra-responding-to-multiple-major-disasters/

https://www.samaritanspurse.org/our-ministry/about-us/

https://hispanicfederation.org/donate

https://www.convoyofhope.org/

United States Postal Service is back up and running in the territories. If you want to send something directly to someone who lives in and is assisting St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands:

Drew Alston
9715 Estate Thomas PMB #115
St.Thomas, VI 00802

He can be followed here.

I've confirmed that this is a legit funding page for the Oregon wildfire:
https://www.gofundme.com/PNWOWgivesbackOR

And here is a GoFundMe for Puerto Rico:
https://www.gofundme.com/dontforgetpuertorico

Please note that I am not personally affiliated with any organization I've listed here, but I believe they are doing something to help those in need during these hard times.

Thanks for reading.

Thank God It's Not Me

Every time I run into relationship drama on Facebook, I say to myself, "Thank God it's not me."

Every time I see a photo of a happy family in white buttoned shirts and blue jeans on the beach, smiling or striking a pose, do you know what I say to myself?

"Thank God it's not me."

This is not a front. It is who I am.

The world will just have to learn to accept that.

Let's Help Florida and the Virgin Islands

Irma is gone, but there is much to be done. While some areas were lucky, others were definitely not. There is plenty of wind and water damage. Many people lost homes, businesses, and vehicles, and sadly I've learned that there have been some lives lost as well.

Here are some places who could greatly use donations:

SOS Children's Village received damage, affecting 70 children in foster care. Their site is here.

St. John Rescue covers the island of St. John and surrounding areas. You can donate directly on their site or their GoFundMe page. 

Operation BBQ Relief is serving meals. See their efforts here.

Next Level Church in Ft. Myers is accepting donations for community relief efforts.

The Salvation Army

I don't support the Red Cross for personal reasons. Do what you like.

Thanks for thinking about those affected by natural disasters. It looks like we have another one, Maria, headed this way. I'll keep you posted.

Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow

Such a silly overused pun, but I couldn't resist.

12 inch donation, a new record! :)

Health Assessment 8/24/17

I took a digital health assessment today, and almost burst into tears over the results. In my defense, it doesn't take much right now as I just said goodbye to one of my dearest friends. I miss her, and loss has a way of reminding us of our own fragile mortality, doesn't it?

Today is the first time I've documented my BMI in an unacceptable range, and I am currently at my highest weight. It says I am about 9 years older than I am, but it doesn't know how poor my health is so I imagine I'm physically quite a bit older.

Certain types of Muscular Dystrophy can cause significant weight gain (whereas other types result in being underweight), and the high protein/fat diet I'm on because of MD is not helpful in this regard. At any rate, something must change. I'm headed down a road that will destroy me if I don't turn around. I have to find a happy medium, or at least a medium, even if it's not the "happiest" one. Here's the plan so far:

• I put a battery back into my bathroom scale so I can use it again.
• I'll buy a food scale when I get paid so I can monitor portions.
• I will reassess my grocery list and menu asap.
• I've installed multiple apps to help me keep track of my numbers.
• I need to continue to look for distractions so I'm not cooking or eating out of boredom.
• I absolutely must get over my desire to try to cook everything and feed others (Let me love you! Eat this feast I have prepared! Literally me. I have to stop even though it pains me to do so.)
• Somehow, some way, by magic and determination, I really gotta give up caffeine.
• To be honest, I should go paleo, but I am currently kicking and screaming every step of the way.
• My body falls apart into HKPP mode every time I attempt to exercise. Even PT is a problem. This has always been the case, even in young adulthood. There is no solution for it, and I have no choice but to acknowledge that fact.

Life is sad and frustrating lately, but I know I can't let myself be consumed and I strive to "pull myself together", as I often put it, and carry on. It's hard, but I'm trying. Always.

I'll share a new assessment at the end of the year to see if things have changed.

I have lost a wonderful friend

She died in her sleep. No cause known at this time.

I had talked to her mere hours beforehand.

It seems so impossible. I am sad, angry, shocked.

She was a funny, empathetic, loving and kind person.

The loss is immense for everyone who knew her.

Funeral tomorrow. Please spare a thought for her children.

August So Far

The neighbors gave me some of their beautiful hot (and I mean HOT) peppers.

I haven't decided what to do with them yet, but I'll be using gloves!

I dropped my first #MobRox!

Someone offered to make a safety pin decal for my car, but didn't follow through (she's plenty busy I'm sure), so I bought a shirt. It represents solidarity with those who have been victimized. Safety is a human right, and I will speak against abuse and oppression until the day I die.

I'm struggling with severe pain, photo sensitivity, and social anxiety, but I went to the local game store to play Pokemon in person. I have been doing this off and on for a few months. I don't get to go very often, due to my sucky condition, and I pay the consequences each time as symptoms inevitably arise from sitting up for a few hours in a stuffy room under florescent lighting. Sometimes, I don't handle it well, at least in my opinion. I don't know how noticeable my physical meltdowns are to anyone else. As long as I don't annoy anyone or overstay, I think I'll survive every so often. The folks there have been nice, and a few customers even helped me break into my car when I stupidly locked myself out the other day. I'm an idiot. Anyway, it's a decent geek hangout.

P.S. - I'm terrible at the game in person. Just terrible.

I'm more successful online. Most recently, I had a 10 game winning streak, lost game 11, then returned a couple of days later and won 15 times in a row. Go me? Sylveon GX, if you care.

I booked my room for MDA clinic in 6 weeks. I used Airbnb last time with great results. Hopefully, this time will work out just as well. They even have a pool (which I won't use, so I don't know why I just mentioned it). It's a nice house in a safe neighborhood 10 minutes from the hospital. The joys of being an outpatient, out-of-state patient, I guess.

I am continuing free, non-credit courses through Harvard. If you're new here, I am too ill to attend actual college, even online. I confirmed that by almost dying while in community college 7 years ago. At any rate, these work-at-your-own-pace non-credit courses are a challenge, but I love learning. Biochemistry was a big NOPE, and I dropped it, but I'm currently in Cell Biology and doing well. More than well, I guess, since I started it on the 8th and I'm 3/4 of the way finished already. I'll wrap up the course material on the 10th (that's today), and start studying for the final.

As usual, forgive the wonky blog formatting. It's stupid. Or perhaps I am. Everything wrong with this blog is probably user error, to be honest. Talk to you soon.

I'd like for my patronus to be a wise owl or a beautiful zebra, but let's face it, it's probably a fat panda with Narcolepsy.

If you're one of the few people on Earth who does not know Harry Potter, and don't want spoilers, exit the page now.

You probably think this is absolutely nuts, but I introduced myself to Harry Potter in July.

Yep, it was my first time.

Ever.

Crazy, right?

I've never read the books, and I'm not sure I'll get through them with my vision impairment and adult ADD, but I'll give it a shot someday. The movies, though...the movies. I was so so so impressed by everything: the acting, the storyline, the special effects, it was all fantastic. I honestly think I like it more than Lord of the Rings/The Hobbit, and that's big. Really big.

Harry has a lot of empathy, and there's nothing better in my opinion. I hated how mistreated he was; what a burden to be "the boy who lived". I wanted to give him a hug. Great character, and Daniel Radcliffe did an excellent job. Of course Emma Watson is superb as both a human being and in the role of Hermione. I loved her. Harry and Hermione are serious friendship goals, people. To have that level of platonic intimacy - yes please!

I have to say I am shocked that I managed to avoid the massive spoiler concerning Severus Snape for 20 years. It took me by surprise, and I wept and wept. Then I watched it a second time and wept again. If you are unaware, Alan Rickman has been a beloved favorite of mine since Junior High School. It's a shame that I had not seen his role in Harry Potter until now, but I'm glad I finally did. Needless to say, it only reinforced my affection. Nobody portrays a hardened man painfully in love like Alan Rickman. Damn, he's good. And he is so missed.

It was also a joy to see Maggie Smith and so many other British actors that I am familiar with from film and television. There's a running joke that the UK has the same 12 actors in everything, ha. That's a slight exaggeration, but I get it. It's fun to me, though, to see the same folks pop up again and again. It feels like we get to know them after awhile, doesn't it?

I wanted to explain why I was unfamiliar with the stories, but I don't want to turn this post into a downer, so I've decided not to get into that. I'm glad I've enlightened myself and now I finally understand years of my friends' and siblings' Harry Potter references. Yay!

I plan to marathon it again soon.

Ancestry DNA

I was excited to be given the opportunity to send my DNA to Ancestry for heritage analysis. The process was easy, and they didn't keep me waiting very long. I'm happy to share the results:

I am 99% European and 1% Native American! Here's how it breaks down:

64% Europe West

Primarily located in: Belgium, France, Germany, Netherlands, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Liechtenstein

Also found in: England, Denmark, Italy, Slovenia, Czech Republic

I already knew this would be the biggest percentage, since I am primarily French and my maternal grandmother's mother was German.

15% Irish

YAAAAAAAY! I knew I was Irish because my paternal great grandmother was full-blooded Irish, but I didn't know it would show up as 15%. Awesome!

8% Iberian Peninsula

Primarily located in: Spain, Portugal

Also found in: France, Morocco, Algeria, Italy

Important to note that although IP is primarily Spain and Portugal, it also includes Southwest France, and that is exactly where one of my French ancestors is from. I will be genuinely surprised if I ever find an ancestor from Spain.

6% Great Britain

This is strictly England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland (however, I don't think NI is a part of this percentage, since Ireland is its own category).

I was expecting a higher percentage, but I don't doubt their findings now that I know I'm 15% Irish!

1% Americas (I am specifically Mississippi Choctaw)

This includes all of the Americas, and refers to Native/Indigenous ancestry. I agree with this percentage because my full-blooded Mississippi Choctaw Great Grandmother is from 7 generations ago. I'm just happy they recognized it at all!

Additional information:

As you can see in the first photo I shared, I am related to the first settlers of the Louisiana and Mississippi coasts. This information is spot on. Important note: The Alabama coast is included in this category, as you can see on the map.

It also tells me that I am possibly related to first settlers in North Carolina, which is accurate because that is exactly where my confirmed ancestor Alexander Elliott Clark was born. If only anyone knew who his parents were, I could close the gap in my family tree!

It also tells me I am possibly related to first settlers in the deep south region, which includes much of the Southeast. This of course is accurate also, not just because of the Gulf Coast settlers, but my German ancestor George Heinrich Seibel migrating to east central Mississippi. The family grist mill where my grandmother grew up, Sciple's Water Mill and Opry, still exists today.

I have absolutely nothing to contest, and that makes me happy.

If interested, my genealogy blog is in the beginning stages and can be found here.

2017 Goal: MawMaw's Gumbo

If you've been following long enough, you know one of my goals for the year was to nail my late MawMaw's seafood gumbo. I decided today would be the day. You should see my kitchen right now...total carnage...but the gumbo is darn close to MawMaw's, and may very well be spot on tomorrow after the flavors mesh a little more. I'm happy to finally cross this off of my bucket list.

I miss you MawMaw, and I hope my attempt made you smile.

Mario Marathon 2017

My pals in Indiana have currently raised over $40K for Child's Play Charity this year.
Check out the shenanigans and donate to the kids at MarioMarathon.com!

I'm a Burrito

I'm too tired to live, so I've decided to be a burrito this week. I don't have much of a choice. My spoons, as they say, are few. The weather is a big factor, but life in general is just plain exhausting these days. There's plenty that I wish I could do, but it'll have to wait. I have Internal Medicine on Monday. I'll give a health update after test results and such. Back to my blankie until then.

Getting Too Old

39, and I'm already there.

TBN Rape Scandal

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/07/us/trinity-broadcasting-verdict.html

I believe Carra 100%. Some of the Crouch's devoted followers, who were my peers/mentors as a teen, tried to blame and shame me when two people committed sexual battery against me. They demanded that I never speak of it again, and they have covered it up to this day. I'll never forgive them.

Both the TBN (Crouch) and CBN (Robertson) empires are disgustingly scandalous. Due to the fact that I used to be involved in charismatic ministries, I'm aware of more behind the scenes garbage than the average viewer. I have no intention of giving details, at least not here on the blog, but I will say this: in a perfect world, all of these creeps would be held partially responsible for the abuse of countless women and children, and crumble into poverty.

Rainy Day Ramble

It has been raining for days. I'm always sleepy.

I'm at level 29 on Pokemon TCGO. Thirty (30) is the finish line where Challenges are concerned, so I'm very close. I've also started playing TGC in person at a game shop in the city about once a month. It takes a lot out of me physically to sit up that long, so I can't be there often. It also gets extremely busy and overwhelming, which is draining. But the people are cool, and it has been a mostly good experience so far. I'm being cautious, and if I ever get to the point where I'm feeling more stress than not, I'll stop going.

This is one of those weeks where I'm forcing myself to eat. I said I wasn't going to do that, but I can't fast for very long without serious symptoms, so I have to find some sort of happy medium. I bought a lot of protein drinks, and I've made a couple of decent meals, but I'm not feeling it. Any of it.

Not feeling social media lately, either. Twitter has been a riot with the "covfefe" thing, but it's back to being an angry cesspool again, so I've deactivated for now. Make no mistake, I'm definitely on team angry, but I'll spare you the details. Facebook is a different monster altogether. I use Social Fixer to filter out a lot of crap. If I didn't, I'd lose my mind over the politics and general stupidity. There are also people who act like their goal is to misunderstand everything I say. They don't detect humor or sarcasm, or they think I meant something I didn't mean, or whatever. Not many people get it wrong, but the few that do make me want to throw up my hands and walk away. I have no patience for this anymore. I guess it's a part of being sick, or tired, or in pain, or simply getting old.

Things have calmed down at the apartment complex for the most part, so that's a plus. I don't really understand what's going on across the hall anymore, but I've decided I don't care. Sometimes, not caring is for the best.

Miss Crankypants, over and out.