me

And now I pay…

~ DMWCarol ~ Leave a comment

This is what I hate about having fibromyalgia.  The day after.

I feel so useless.

My legs feel like they have heavy weights strapped to them.  They ache and moving them requires so much extra effort.  There is no way to sit comfortably but the pain involved in adjusting position is overwhelming.

Laying down would be a good option for my legs, but doing that makes my neck and shoulders feel even worse.  Sitting up they are just a dull throb that I can almost ignore unless I try to do something strenuous – like lifting a cup of tea or turning the page of a book.

My hands are already shaking just from this little bit of typing.  I definitely won’t be able to do any crafts or handwriting today.  My right hand is worst, it feels swollen, every little movement hurts as it stretches the already throbbing tissue.  I suspect that’s my price for getting all the stock made over the last few days.

At least today’s headache isn’t as bad as having a migraine, it’s more at the annoying level than the crippling level.  My eyes feel heavy and it’s hard to concentrate, but that could just as easily be because the pain stopped me getting a decent night’s sleep as an actual fibro symptom.

I am lucky enough to have my wonderful Gary to look after me so I won’t have to try and keep doing more than I can manage. He’ll do the cooking and bring me drinks and food.  He’ll do any other fetching and carrying that’s needed.  All I have to do is try and find the most comfortable position to rest in – but right now that feels like an almost unmanageable challenge.

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Voting

~ DMWCarol ~ Leave a comment

I’ve just been and voted.  It only took a few minutes, the polling station is within walking distance.  It doesn’t seem like such a big deal really, but that just shows how fortunate we are.  There are places where people face violence for exercising the same right I have just, so casually enjoyed.  I live in what is considered an ultra safe area so the chances of our current MP being replaced are slim to none, but even so I can be sure that my vote will be counted and that only the votes of those who made that minimal effort to turn up and make their mark or arranged a postal vote in advance will be counted alongside mine.

I don’t like the current government and I like some of the parties standing against them even less.  To be honest there isn’t a single party I am 100% in favour of, but even if my choice of government won’t win this seat at least I can vote against the ones I really dislike.  It’s good to know that even if they win outright they will know that there are people like me who object, perhaps it will be enough to sway their minds on some of the policies.

I have no idea what the outcome is going to be, but I think it was worth taking part.

And the crafts?

~ DMWCarol ~ 2 Comments

I like making things.  I’m lucky enough that I can usually manage to make whatever I set my mind to reasonably adequately.  I can visualise things in 3d which helps and am reasonably good about attention to detail.  I used to be better, but I have a dodgy right hand these days so my fine motor control isn’t what it used to be and I can’t keep working for hours on end.  I get by though.

I knit, usually chainmail but with wool too on occasion.  I made my hubby a Dr Who scarf which he is very proud of.  That was my biggest project so far, it took an absolute age to make but mostly because I left it for weeks and weeks between doing any.  I mostly make chainmail jewelry rather than armour for reasons of hand.  I make normal beady type jewelry too, that’s quick and easy so great for when the pain levels are high but the itch to make something won’t go away.

I sometimes make costumes and props for games and random ‘stuff and things’ for friends or particular occasions. The last thing I made was a cross stitch sampler for a friends wedding, current project is a pair of knitted dolls for another friend.

I have an etsy shop and a folksy shop but haven’t yet gotten around to populating them.  To be honest I am absolutely dreadful at selling stuff.  Giving it away is much easier and I like seeing people wearing things I have made.  I wish I was better at the selling bit, I think the stuff I make is good enough to sell I just don’t have those skills.

I’ve just signed up for a crafts course that is supposed to include advice on how to make and sell so here’s hoping it makes a difference.

My to do list craftwise is currently dominated by ‘learn to crochet’ it looks a lot more portable than knitting and seems to be faster which can only be a good thing.

So where are we starting from – the writer

~ DMWCarol ~ Leave a comment

I’m a writer.  It’s just something I do.  I’ve had quite a few pieces of erotica published over the years but most of what I’ve written has never been read by anyone but me, or has been posted online somewhere, pretty much ignored, and long since forgotten.  I’d almost stopped doing it except for personal use, I just wasn’t finding the time between working and my roleplaying obsession.

This year I’m trying to do things a bit differently.  I’ve started looking at calls for submission and writing stories to fit.  I’ve sent things to publishers rather than just posting them online.  As a result my story Brisingamen has been accepted by Torquere Press for their Mythologically Torqued anthology and I have just spent today editing it to send back for final review.

I’ve also signed up with Great Content – a website that pays you to write content for other people’s websites and have written a few short pieces for them.  It’s not much but it is being paid to be a writer on a day to day basis which feels kinda good (but not as good as the actual having a story in a book thing obviously).

I’d really like to get some game related writing published that’s top of my wish list, and maybe some fantasy type stories, but the most important thing is to actually write.  I want to be not just a writer but a successful writer with something to show for it.

Hello world!

~ DMWCarol ~ Leave a comment

So people keep telling me I should try blogging.  I’m not entirely sure what I’ll write about – probably my various dabblings with crafts and recipes and writing and whatnot. I’m not promising to be interesting or different.

I’m hoping having a blog will inspire me to actually be more creative and give me a way to connect with other people who have similar interests to my own.

If you happen to drop by, please do leave me a comment, it would be nice to know who reads and what you think.