No Strings Attached

Posted By Kathleen David on October 12, 2020

It is a grey day today. The rain is going from a light drizzle to a heavy downpour to just rain.

A good day to be indoors for the day.

Caroline does not have school today because of Columbus Day. This gives her another day to work on both school and projects she wants to do. She is in the middle of assembling her portfolio to submit to various colleges. She did get all her college essays done.

I am feeling okay right now. I feel more even than I have in a while. 

I think part of it is my new job. It is nice to have somewhere else to go and something else to do. My fellow employees are very nice and there is a good and positive atmosphere. I feel comfortable there and useful as well. So far, it is a good fit. They are happy with me and I am with them.

I think stepping back from the Internet helped as well. I know what is going on because I watch the news and various late night comedy shows. I am going to continue to do this until I feel like I can face the Internet again.

I have been productive this past week as well which helps my mental health as I am not beating myself up for not being productive.

It is amazing how little changes can help so much.

I am grateful for feeling more like me this week.

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Posted By Kathleen David on October 11, 2020

Since it is October, I have pulled out my Nightmare Before Christmas coffee mugs to drink coffee from. 

Speaking of Nightmare before Christmas, our friend James Monroe Iglehart is production a benefit concert on Halloween night of Nightmare before Christmas. I am so looking forward to this because James is Oogie.

You can find more information on this concert  at

Nightmare Concert

I have been plotting what we are doing for decorations this year. I have two ideas that I think I am going to mash up. I do plan on making some of new decorations for this year.

Caroline and I have some errands to run today which we should do earlier in the day since we have what is left of Delta passing over the Island later this afternoon/evening. 

We want to get the lights out today to begin the transformation of our yard. 

I need to find a few things we need to start since I moved everything around this summer.

Caroline has Monday off since it is Columbus day.

Today is National Coming Out day which is an annual LGBT awareness day observed on October 11, to support lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people to “coming out of the closet”.

On the plus side, it is getting easier to tell people who you really are. The stigma of not being straight is practically gone in many places. And that should not matter at all. What you are and what you identify as should be accepted without question. Never feel guilty for who you are. Never let others make you feel guilty. You are you and you are beautiful. 

There are some people who deal with family that insist they are not what they have declared themselves to be. Trans folks deal with this a lot when their family does not care to call them by their name but by the name that they no longer use or dead name as they call it.

Let people be themselves and feel comfortable in their skins. It doesn’t hurt anyone to respect others’ identities. 

I know who I am. I want others to be able to have the same feeling.

I am grateful that I am accepted as who I am.

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Posted By Kathleen David on October 10, 2020

When I was a child, my parents bought a copy of “Happiness is a Warm Puppy” by Charles Schultz. I read it often and thought about the various things he wrote.

One of my favorites was “Happiness is sixteen crayons”. I understood that one from the get go. Eight crayons would allow you to draw but only to a point. Sixteen gave you a whole new pallet to work with and opened the possibilities further.

This morning I woke up with Phoebe draped across me purring. It was very comforting and made me happy that my cat trusts me enough to take that perch. Thus, happiness is a warm kitten.

Yesterday while I was at work, Caroline cleaned up the kitchen and loaded the dishwasher on her own initiative. Happiness is a clean kitchen.

Each day Caroline and I take a walk just to get out of the house and clear our heads. Sometimes we talk very little and other times we have long rambling conversations. Happiness is a long walk.

I did an art exchange with a bunch of friends. I did a paper puppet that I hope would make people smile and I received amazing art in many forms. Happiness is new art.

I completed my first week on my new job. I learned a lot and did a lot. Time just flies by as we work as quickly as we can to get stock out on the shelves to sell. I received compliments from my immediate boss and the manager for picking up what I needed to do so fast. Happiness is a good job.

Today I am teaching sewing. I am enjoying imparting my years of learning to another person who wants to learn. I am learning how to teach what has become second nature to me. Happiness is passing on knowledge.

Peter has always been supportive of what I wanted to do creatively. He has encouraged me to take risks and try new things that I might not have if he wasn’t in my life. He sees my potential and wants me to rise to it. Happiness is knowing my husband believes in me.

I am grateful for all that makes me happy.

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Posted By Kathleen David on October 9, 2020

This year’s theme is let’s invest in mental health services and support.

Considering all that has happened this year, we all need some mental health help.

We are going to have an entire generation, if not several, with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Sort of like it was after the great depression started easing. 

We have been in a crouch with our flight or flight going on in our head for so long that when this sorts itself out, the fall out is going to be big.

We need to put in a support system now for all those people who are going to need help down the line.

The problem is that our current investment in mental health care seems more of an after thought.

We need to take care of people both body and soul.

We are finding out more and more that there is a mind/body connection and one’s mind can harm one’s body literally.

Stress has been linked to or can exacerbate various medical conditions, such as asthma, fatigue, back pain, arrhythmias, difficulty breathing, headaches, hypertension, irritable bowel syndrome, ulcers, suppression of the immune system, and fluctuations in blood glucose levels in diabetic patients and weight gain.

When one is poor and stressed, there is not much available until the problem goes too far.

So let’s figure this out before we have a massive mental health crises that cannot be dealt with.

I am grateful for my mental health care.

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Posted By Kathleen David on October 7, 2020

Yesterday was a bit of a loss as I had to get up at 2 AM and didn’t really recover from that.

Today I got up at 4 AM and that works much better for me. Of course, I went to bed at 9 PM the night before and got seven pretty solid hours of sleep. I think that may become the new norm for me. 

I am done with work for the day and have the rest of the day for the other things I need or want to do.

I might take a nap later as we have bowling.

Caroline has online school until 2 pm today. The next two days is distance learning. Those days are more flexible for her as she learns at her own pace.

We are adjusting to my working again which is a bit adjustment for all of us.

I am having fun and am meeting some very crafty people.

It is interesting having to use parts of my brain I haven’t used in a while. My inner stage manager is having a field day.

Tomorrow I unpack Christmas lights all morning. Wahoo. That will be my next two days as we start turn the story from Halloween to Christmas.

I grateful for the adjustment I am making.

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