No Strings Attached

Posted By Kathleen David on October 11, 2021

I feel no need to talk about it today.

I did get more than half of what I need to do.

I have a couple more hours to have it completely done.

I had a project fall into my lap. I am trying to coordinate how I am getting the objects I need to repair.

I am up for a job I would like.  Please think good thoughts for me.

Even with all that, I plan on holding onto my job at Michaels. I was recognized for all the hard work I do there.  That feels good.

I feel like I am approaching the crossroads on a number of things.

I hope I pick the right path.

I am grateful for opportunities.

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Posted By Kathleen David on October 10, 2021

This year’s theme is “Mental Health in an Unequal World”

COVID gave researchers a plethora of data to mull over. 

I find it interesting is that they came to the conclusion that I have known for years.

There is an inequality in mental health care based on socio-economic status. 

The people who are struggling the most are those who already face some serious challenges- people with long term health conditions, or facing discrimination, or parenting on their own.

I would add to the those facing discrimination are facing it on more than one front.

Certain groups and cultures still look down on those who seek out help for their mental health.

When the survival of your family is on your shoulders without any form of support system, that can be devastating. Everything can be a crises. You try to push on but it can feel like you are Sisyphus pushing the rock up the hill only to have it roll back down and you have to start all over again.

I am lucky to be in the white women demographic that mental health can be spoken about and it is almost like we are expected to be at some point in our lives.

When I was at Yale, a fellow student was until psychiatric care. He didn’t want anyone to know because in his culture a man seeking out mental health help was considered weakness. If you were then you were crazy and should be shut away. Women did not fare any better. We knew that each of us were getting help but at his request, I never told anyone. It was his business.

The COVID shutdown brought into sharp contrast how bad our mental health system is.

The number of people who have slipped through the cracks is staggering.

I will give credit to both New York State and New York City for creating crises help-lines along with general mental heath help.

Getting those in crises to use those lines is a little tricker.

Right now there are a number of PSAs that I love showing what not to say or what is not useful. Some of these I have heard more than once to ‘help’ me.

“You just need a more positive attitude.”

“A smile uses more muscles than a frown.” Sorry I have want my sister in law called resting B**** face. I look harsh and that I am frowning all the time. It is just how my face is shaped.  Telling me to cheer up is annoying because I was in a good mood until I hear those sorts of phrases.

I have to say wearing a mask has helped that since they have to listen to my vocal tones rather than what my mouth looks like.

“Have you tried not being depressed?”

“You should take up a hobby. It will make you feel better.”

“You should take up X sport. It is very relaxing.”

“Have you tried exercise?” Yes, that has helped me more than I can tell however it is not a total panacea for my mental health.

“I bet a massage will help you get rid of all that stress.” No, it won’t. I am a ball of stress.  It is how I keep myself together.

“You need to get over yourself.” Believe me I would if I could.

“Medication is for wimps.” No, I think those who take medication are very strong.  They recognize that they need help so they can function in life. Also, medication is not forever.  You may need it right now, but that does not mean you are always going to be taking it. 

My medication has taken me from being in a pit of despair with putting on a brave face in public, to a functioning adult within society. It is a perfect solution. Not in the least but it does allow me to not feel like I am crouching in a corner trying to figure out if it was a fight or flight situation.

Cultural taboos about mental health can be very damaging.

Those who seek help are thought less of if they are allowed to seek help at all.

Sometimes you do need help and there is no shame in that.

We, meaning all the people in the world, have gone through one of the toughest time in our entire lives. For some that battle has not ended. I think it is in the back of our heads whispering into our ears all the time. 

Watching the news isn’t helping. It seems that every time we seem to turn the corner, we get slapped in the face and take two steps back.

That is mentally very tiring.

I have stepped off the Internet more than once. I can tell when I am getting wound up to the detriment of my mental health which effects my physical health very badly.

I wish those who really need help can get it and that the stigma of getting help can go away.

Our mental health is tied into our physical health. 

You would take a medicine to get rid of an infection or other physical ailments without blinking. We need to get to that point with medication for mental health.

Check in on your friends and family that might be struggling at this point.  Let them know that you believe in them. If you can, offer to help. 

A night off for a single parent is a big thing.

A sympathetic non-judgmental ear is a godsend. Especially when all you want to do is vent rather than get a list of solutions to your problems. Letting off that steam can feel so good.

Let’s help those who don’t have the resources to find help.

Let’s break the stigma that many have about getting mental health help.

I am grateful for all those who have helped me get the help I need.

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Posted By Kathleen David on October 9, 2021

So go on by and tell him I told you to say ‘Hi’.

I will not be attending due to work. We are cranking up for the rest of the Holidays this year.

I did get about half of my list done. Onto the other half today. I want to get as much done before I go to work today.

I am not going to push it. I am babying my right knee right now due to how much it didn’t support me yesterday.

One of those ‘if I could go back in time and tell myself one thing’ I would tell myself to be careful with your knees. Don’t step accidently off the back of a stage and crack your right knee on the stage. It will come back and bite you on the rump later in life.

The young think they are invincible ,but the bill comes due.

There were things I could do as a youngster that I can no longer do and I accept that.

I do get frustrated at times that I can’t. Not going to lie about that.

I hope that all the people at NYCC are having fun.

I am grateful for anything that makes my knee work properly.

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Posted By Kathleen David on October 8, 2021

I have been on a social media platform since I joined AOL back in 1989.  That would be thirty-two years or more than half my life. 

That’s a lot of years to build up a footprint. 

I have mostly been a blogger all those years.

About fifteen years ago, I joined Tumblr.

I joined Facebook about twelve years ago along with Twitter and Instagram to push both Crazy Eight Press and my own website https://www.nostringsattachedpuppets.com which was not built until about two years ago. It took me ten years to create my website. I am a little embarrassed by that.

There are social media platforms I have tried and discarded. They were not a right fit or I was not comfortable with them. Some still exist and others have vanished from the World Wide Web.

I have been honest about myself and my life out here. There are things I don’t talk about by choice or because we have signed an NDA.

I have talked about my mental health very frankly and plan to continue to do so. Years ago, I was warned that I would be un-hirable if I persisted on talking about my bouts with depression and anxiety and my suicide attempts, I would never be hired in the publishing industry again. We will see if they were right.

I felt it more important to let others know that they are not alone. Others do feel how they feel. I fought my way to where I am now.   It took a lot of work, but I am better than I have been in years. COVID almost knocked me down. I got help and got up again. Something I didn’t do years ago.

I know I have helped people because they have told me so to my face and on-line. I feel that if I can prevent one suicide, worth it. If I can get one person to seek help for their mental issues. It has been worth it. If what I say here gives anyone hope, then I have done well.

I also talk about my family and our adventures along with puppetry and my creative mind and other things I find interesting.

I am not my mental health, however my mental health is part of me.

I have read various articles about Facebook and its other platforms and what we don’t know about what the algorithm is doing to us as a society and to our children.

Social Media is influencing all of us.

We can choose how much and be on the lookout for where it is invading where we don’t want it.

I like that my iPhone asks if I want an app to follow me. I think we should all have that choice.

Remember that what you do on the Internet becomes you.

You build your house there you can let people sit on your porch or shoo them off.

It is your space. Don’t let others including the platforms dictate how you be you.

Remember to take what you see with a grain of salt.

Everyone who declares that they know THE SECRET to living a fabulous life still have their off days. They just don’t share those things that would be negative because that would be ‘off-brand’, a phrase I truly despise. Bad days happen. 

What you see on screen is not reality but only what others care to share with you.

I honestly think that, overall, the Social Media is not a bad thing. How we use it, what we believe from it and how we let it affect us is much more important.

I am grateful for the positive things that have come out of Social Media platforms.

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Posted By Kathleen David on October 5, 2021

DragonCon is a place where there are certain constants.

Robots for example. You learn where to go to see the bots play. The two main places are the lobby of the Hyatt and in Marriott in front of the puppetry track rooms.

The work that goes into these robots is amazing. The creativity is off the charts.

First time I crossed the Hyatt lobby heading for the bridge to the Marriott, I saw these two bots rolling around. 

(For the VI: I am in the middle wearing a black t-shirt with the eye of Agamotto on it with black pants and shoes and a white mask. On my right is a droid with an orange color head with blue “eyes” and a white body with black accents.   On my left is a droid with an R2-D2 body and a head with red flaps on top pointing up. The head is white and looks like it has three eyes.)

Here is another classic robot K-9 from Doctor Who. Constantine got a little bit of a ride on him.

(For the VI: Constantine the puppet is wearing a cream colored trenchcoat, a white shirt, and a red tie. He is on a K-9 which is a grey dog shaped robot with antenna for ears and a red plate for the eyes. I am the same except I changed to my Grogu mask.)

Then there is the freeform robot parades that just pop up.

(for the VI: In the background is the same orange headed droid as the first picture. To the left of it is BB-8 in a little wagon. In front of them is a black ‘mouse’ droid as we call it. In the very front is a DUM-series pit droid on a four wheel buggy.)

It is not all Star Wars bots. Occasionally you run into Pixar’s Wall-E in all his glory. This one could turn into a cube and the driver could also interact with the children in real time which was amazing. Constantine and Wall-E had a conversation as Wall-E tried to figure out what a puppet was. Very amusing.

(For the VI: This is Pixar’s Wall-E. He is a yellow robot with big eyes that look like binoculars that extend from his body.)

That’s the robot portion of this show.

Next time costumes I liked.

I am grateful for the creativity of the robot engineers at DragonCon.

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