No Strings Attached

Posted By Kathleen David on May 2, 2021

I have three blog entries that I have not posted because I didn’t finish them.

My follow through has not been good this week.

I am saving parts of them for use later.

I am feeling a little disconnected from a lot of things.

Part of it I think comes from various pieces of news that we got this week that is not making life any easier.

I am founding myself in that crouched position that I felt that I finally got out of.

I look forward to the day I can stand up straight and not have to worry about another blow to my soft underbelly.

Another sign of spring is the cats shedding their winter coats. And boy howdy are they shedding. I have taken the brush to those that will let me. Inky is having the hardest time of it because she has a very thick undercoat that gets matted really easily. I wish there was an un-tangler for cats.

After I finish this, I plan on making my list for the day.

I do have something to look forward to since my Art Salon is meeting today via Zoom and we have the weekly family meeting.

I am planning that into the day.

The cats are asleep as are the rest of the humans.

I am going to take this time to get a few things done before the house wakes up and the day starts.

I am grateful for time with friends.

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Posted By Kathleen David on April 30, 2021

I am a Union Member. I belong to the Actor’s Equity Association.

I believe in the good that unions can do.

I am not happy with all the union busting that I see going on along with policies that were specifically created to reduce the power of unions.

Unions are important. They have done so much for the common worker.

That break you get? Thank a Union. Overtime? Union. Forty-hour work week? Union. Safe practices within the workplace? Union. Insurance? Union. Pensions? Union.

Most of what is now normal policy in companies comes from unions working for their members.

And there is a concerted effort to keep this information out of the public eye.

Unions help create the middle class which is dying out as people are pushed into poverty by companies that could afford to pay their workers a living wage rather than rewarding corporate greed. 

There is one company that when you are hired, they give you information on how to get food stamps and other social safety net benefits rather than paying their workers thus draining a system that is to the breaking point.

And this is not limited to manufacturing and retail jobs but white collar as well.

Recently a company fighting off a union vote informed its workers that. They will have to pay 700 a year in union dues and shouldn’t they use that money for what they need.

What was not said is that a union would fight for a better wage so you would be earning your dues back plus more. And they would make sure that health and safety would be followed rather than being given lip service to.

Right to work is union busting in sheep’s clothing.

We are in the roaring 20s again. Let’s not end up with a repeat of the 30s.

I believe in unions and the power that we can wield if we work together.

Don’t let the ultra-rich tell you that you are not worth anything to them other than making them more money as you have less in your pocket.

You are worth something.

I am grateful for all unions have done for me.

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Posted By Kathleen David on April 26, 2021

I was reading an article about how people become depressed when they spend a lot of time on social media. There were a number of reasons given but one stood out for me which was feeling inadequate because everyone is doing better than them.

We have phrases that surround this like “keeping up with the Jones” or “Living Your Best Life” or YOLO (You Only Live Once).

There are articles screaming in the margins of our social media “Ten tricks to live your best life” or “How to be happy in 30 days” or “Overcome anxiety with these secrets”.

And it makes one feel like they are missing something in their life that everyone else seems to have figured out.

I have never understood ‘influencers’ or what they do that makes they so awesome. I like people to teach me something or make me think but don’t make me feel bad about myself.

Even with everything that may be screwed up in my brain, I am comfortable in my skin. Are there things I wouldn’t mind changing? Of course, but everyone has those feelings. But overall, I am fine as I am.

What I think people forget is that most of social media is composed of the best moments or directed to look that way.

No one talks about the bad times. The things that feel like a weight on our shoulders because that would be a ‘downer’ and ‘off brand”.

I remember when I first started writing seriously about my mental health about ten or eleven years ago. I got a couple of emails of concern from friends about putting that out on the Internet. They said the Internet is forever and if you want a job, then you shouldn’t give them a reason to not hire you.

That made me a bit angry, and I promised myself I would continue to write about mental health, the good, the bad, and the ugly and not sugar coat things.

Well…I do sugar coat somethings because of the other people involved but I am honest about my feelings and how I am doing.

And I know this has helped people because they have told me that I have helped them. Seeing someone else deal with mental health issues can be empowering because then one knows that are not alone in those sorts of feelings.

If I can keep someone from committing suicide, then everything I have written was worth it. If I can help someone seek help, worth it. If I can help one person see that what they are feeling is not the end of the world, worth it. If I can help one person feel better about themselves, worth it.

What people put out there on the Internet needs to be taken with a grain of salt. There are things that you don’t know. Life is complicated. Anyone who tells you otherwise is lying to you. 

Even the Beautiful People have bad days.

I am grateful for those who are really keeping it real rather than creating an illusion.

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Posted By Kathleen David on April 25, 2021

How pierceful grows the hazy yon!
How myrtle petaled thou!
For spring hath sprung the Cyclotron,
How high browse thou, brown cow?

The Hazy Yon by Walt Kelly 

I woke up to the sound of rain. It was very soothing.

I also woke up at 5 AM totally rested so I got up and started my day.

I like getting up early. It gives me time to work my way into my day and still get a lot done before the rest of the household wakes up.

Also, it keeps me on the right schedule for work.

I have been working with Mewlan to help her anxiety about people. I am working with her to get her to relax and accept pets wherever she is. I have no idea what happened to her when she was younger other than what they told us, but it has made her very paranoid about a lot of things. After three years, I have gotten to the point that I can put my hand out and if she wants pets, she comes to me.

I am really liking the Nevers. It is hitting on all cylinders for Caroline. Joss Whedon still has it. I loved the revel at the end of the first episode. I am on board for the rest of it. Yes, Whedon is currently problematic for bad behavior. I am separating the person from the work. 

Oscars are tonight. I think the only category we have seen all the films in is the animated feature.

Today is a day to get things done. I declare it so.

I am grateful for the pleasant sound of rain.

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Posted By Kathleen David on April 24, 2021

Yesterday was a bit of a wash. Got some stuff done but not as much as I had hoped.

Today is another day and there are other tasks that need to be done.

I am a little frustrated with myself, but I am not mentally beating myself up.

Caroline is busy working on a couple of projects for her cosplay. I am amazed how fast her various skills are growing.

I have a cunning plan for a project. However, my execution is not what it should be.

In less than a week I will be fully vaccinated. I am already making a list of what I want to do.

In less than two weeks, Caroline will join the ranks of the vaccinated and she has plans too.

My mind is a bit of a whirl this morning. I am picking thoughts and ideas at random and trying to make a pattern out of the chaos.

Phoebe is obsessed with a reflected piece of light on the ceiling.

I want to make a few puppets to sell at the next convention we go to along with a puppet for one or two of the actors that will be there. I think a couple of fairy god monsters might be in order.

That and make Bob from HR. More on that when I get it done.

I have some time. I just need to use it wisely.

Falcon and the Winter Soldier finished in grand style. Marvel is two for two this year. Next is Loki which I am very much looking forward to. Eventually we will get back to the movies in the theaters. But these shows are making up for the lack of films. I do know they finished filming Doctor Strange.

I am grateful for ideas and thoughts.

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