good morning everyone

it's about 7:05 a.m. here, coffee time and i am just getting ready for work, i work at home due to an illness, and i write for a living (which is what i love) what do all of you do ? or want/wish to be doing ?

i'm currently trying to finish a book about my life, its written in prose, making it (hopefully) a little unique in its style. we'll see, i suppose. this is my first book, but i've been writing since i can remember.

i'd also like to dance, or teach dance at one point, (perhaps when i'm over my illness), or yoga

i'd also like to do what so many of you do, which is to rescue cats/dogs, and one day, hopefully have the funds to open a life shelter (or, thats what i call them, a no-kill animal shelter). i think i was talking about this earlier with hissy.

so, what are your days like ? and good morning

But my charges have 4 feet not 2. I love to write, am working on a children's book in rhyme and a series of short stories teaching older kids to respect and love animals. I also do scrimshaw- which is scratching a design on ivory (in my case mycarta- fake ivory) and inking in the design. I seem to be specializing in people's pets. My husband and I also make custom knives- he makes beautiful kitchen sets- and recently, we have begun to make pocket knives. I worked in advertising 10 years before I married him, and though sometimes I go nuts staying home, I really don't want to enter that high-stress profession ever again!

am working on a children's book in rhyme and a series of short stories teaching older kids to respect and love animals.

i think thats highly important, it seems to me, that so many children disrespect and abuse animals, i dont think they comprehend that its wrong and it hurts the animals, physically, and pyshcologicaly - you'll notice such a huge difference in kitten/cats behaviour if they are mistreated by children/adults (obviously) but, its heartbreaking to see, especially when the parents dont say anything, i dont get that

and though sometimes I go nuts staying home, I really don't want to enter that high-stress profession ever again!

i havent been out in the work force much in my time, so far, and i'd like to keep it that way as it's just not my thing either. i'd much rather be at home with my computer, and cats, and roomate, then out at a job i cant stand. i get out a lot anyway, when i'm up to it. although, i have my days where i need to drive away from my house for a few hours, just to get away !!! listen to music in my car, and drive.

I would LOVE to stay home everyday, but I know I wouldn't get any work done. I am actually home right now because they were installing new windows in my office and the solvent smell was making me dizzy and giving me a headache. Now I have to try and work and not be tempted by the boxes of girl scout cookies in the cupboard. I actually really like my job, just not getting up in the morning. I work for an environmental consulting firm (a chemical engineer). My fiance and I made a "deal" when we got engaged. Either he stays home with the kids (that we don't have yet) or we both have jobs where we can work at home at least 2 days a week. Right now, we both could do that if necessary, but kids are not in our future any time soon (we are only 24). How do you motivate yourself to get up everyday and get your stuff done? (I have a feeling that you will say that your cats get you up to feed them, just like my little does.) But, how do you stay productive all day?

I work from home and I really like it. Last August I left the military after seven years of service - and I'm not sorry about it! I left to try my luck in the internet which sounded like a gold mine at the time. Well, I haven't seen any gold yet , but I'm having great fun with this site. Getting up and getting to work is not much of a problem because I really enjoy what I do.

I'm 9 weeks pregnant now and I'm so glad to be at home. It lets me take a whenever I feel like it. At this stage of the pregnancy I feel like it all the time

How do you motivate yourself to get up everyday and get your stuff done?

pnut getting up and motivating myself to do things can be extremely difficult some days, i've struggled with depression all my life, and i've been ill with something called fibromyalgia which is basically, chronic pain/chronic fatigue syndrome. or at least they think thats whats happening with me, since i was thirteen. some days i just do what i can, sleep more then usual, or whatnot, but most days i try to force myself to go outside, and be more active, see friends more often. over these past few months i've been writing a lot, which has kept me pretty much in my head and i have been neglecting to get out and be more sociable and just breath fresh air... but at the same time, i think, writing has been only doing me good, and the sacrifices that have come with it, are inevitable, though trying at times... i.e. not seeing friends/family as much.

But, how do you stay productive all day?

productiveness is very subjective in my mind, sometimes doing the laundry or going for a walk is productive enough.

when i need to be motivated, and need to lift my spirit, music always works, writing, and, of course, my cats always help. they are incredibly loving. my depression has improved so much this past year, and the quality of my life along with it. i'm a morning person, i like to be up really early like, 5 a.m. early, but at the same time i hate waking up from sleep, i'm an incredibly deep sleeper but the days when i'm up early, before the world, it feels (despite time zones) is always a good start to my day.

stands out in the pasture. If I am not out there and feeding the horses by at least 6:30 a.m. My mustang will stand underneath these huge (homemade) windchimes- about 6' in length. We hung them in one of the pine trees. He runs underneath them and they go "BONG!BONG!BONG!" LOL Kind of like church bells. That is my alarm clock- who needs a rooster- though there are several of those around here as well.

When I first hurt myself, all I wanted to do was lay around all day as it killed my head to even move. (I slipped and fell over backward in the horse pasture, knocking myself out) But now with new doctors and new medication, the headaches are gone and life is easier......

Sorry to hear about your illness Katie. You have mentioned it a couple of times but I didn't know if it would be alright to ask about it. As far as I know it can be quite devastating. I know this British guy that has it and he has practically lost both his job and his marriage because he was too inactive. He is feeling better now. Is there any chance of recovery? Do they know what's causing this? I think I heard something about a virus once, but I'm not sure.

Hissy, your horses sound wonderful - it must be great living with so many animals around you. I hope your head injury will be completely healed soon!

Anne

it has been devastating for me, since i learned to walk i was dancing, always, and when this hit, dancing became out of the question, like so many other things. the pain hits me mostly in my lower back, knees, and neck. the fatigue is horrible, low-energy all the time, but this desire to do so many things. it's incredibly frustrating. my physiothereapist said there is no cure as of yet, and they are still learning so much about fibromyalgia, - it can go into remission, and it can go into remission for long periods of time. i'm doing what i can to help it go into remission, but, so far, its remained the same. as far as i know they dont know whats its caused by, yet . it would be out of the question for me to pursue a job, like a regular job. i'm limited to so much, right now. it's hard as well, in the fact that so many people in my life have trouble understanding it, and what i go through with it... i try to be as normal as i can be, but, a lot of the time i simply cant be. i cant do the same things as everyone else in my life.

luckily the people i love most in life are incredibly supportive, and empathtic. my roomate gives me as many massages as it takes to get me through the day, and my best-friend Cameron is always researching it, and driving me to my physio-therapy sessions, buying me new massager type gadgets it is only my parents that dont try to understand, simply because they have never heard of it before, i imagine.

thanks for your concern.

my, arent we all quiet today ?

this thread can be used as randomly as you like: i.e. talk about anything you're thinking about..

i'd like to get to know you guys a bit better.

HeHe, Boy I am way behind today. I had to take my hubby to the hospitol for a kidney biopsy (NOT FUN). I think I am going to finish this one and check on dinner. I am praying for some me time tonight to catch up on posts.
I guess you could say I just don't know what I want to do. I never have. I do something for ahwile and then move to something else. My interests are just about everything!! I dont think theres anything I dislike doing except for fishing. Currently I am working at an Army vets office being the receptionist. My hubby is in the military. However, I havnt traveled much. I was born and raised in CA and thats where we met 10 years ago. We just now transferred to CT 1.5 years ago. We only had the one child and she was enough. We are pretty content with all the cats and one little girl. I would love to stay home and work if I could find something I like to do. I could stay on the computer all day as long as I kept busy. I am one of those people who has to be doing something at all times!!
Well, I suppose that sums it up for now. I am sure I will think of something else later..I am pretty sure I am more complicated than that!
I would address everyone else, but before I forget, Blue.. I know what you are going through. I have a very dear friend with the fibromyalgia. I really hope they find something to help the pain.
I will be back later..

Hi Everyone!

My name is Donna and I am also a writer at a newspaper. I write mostly obituaries on prominent people in Connecticut and sometimes human interest stories. Writing, cats and animal rescue are my true passions. 8 cats currently own me. 2 are fosters and the rest are mine. I work nights (which I enjoy because my mornings are free). I do wish I could work from home but that is not possible. I would love to get a job at a veterinary hospital but the pay is not enough to live on.

Hope everyone is well and look forward to chatting with you.

Hi! Blue....I know what you are going through...to a certain extent....I have never been diagnosed with anything...(I live in a small town) but I think I have some of those same symptoms....I don;t have the pain as much as the constant fatigue....I can sleep all day if I don't force myself to get up. And I too deal with depression...It is hard sometimes...so hard. But I work a full time job...have been there almost 12 years, and I try to keep my head above water, so to speak....having my animals to love me gives me much comfort.

Wow! I'm suprised at how many here are writers. In 1975 (geez, just writing that makes me feel old) I saw Spielbergs Jaws and was hooked on movies ever since. I presently work in video/film and am still trying to write 'the' perfect script for which I can make a film. As the years race by I get frightened by the prospect that I am getting older and still struggling. But, I do earn my living as a freelance writer/producer/director doing mostly corp. video work and still hanging onto the dream and doing my own projects when I can. I too have a disabling disease called Degenerative Muscular Spacticity which, luckily, only affects my legs. 7 years ago I could run (Of course, 7 years ago I was having sex daily too, but, well thats gone too. LOL), now I have to use a cane to get around and eventually it will be a wheelchair. But, it only slows me down and doesn't stop me. I'll be 35 June 17 and that freaks me out a bit because I still feel like a kid as I am still "struggling", per se, while other times I feel like 100. I love life and notice that I am FAR more open minded now than when I was younger and tend to have more wild times with friends as apposed to when I was a teen and in my 20's. I am and always will be a hopeless romantic and am a firm believer that chilvary is not dead. Well, I guess thats enough for now. I may add more later.

I know what you mean about being freaked out by turning 35....I turned 35 last October...and it scared me way worse than 30 did, I don't know why,,,I guess just that I'm geting so close to 40 now. I'm sorry to hear about your disability....my best friend has MS....she is 35 also, and developed it when she was 30....she uses a walker, but some days she can't walk at all....I guess I should feel lucky that all I suffer from is depression, and it's not all the time. I feel guilty for feeling bad about my life when I think how she must feel. I'm so glad to have met you.

Sorry to hear about your MS Chuck. I hope it doesn't get any worse. Debby, are you taking anything for the depression? I'm a firm believer in Prozac! Nothing like it to beat the blues

How is your husband Sandie?

This is a great thread. I was thinking maybe we should have a daily thread just to say hi and see how's everyone doing? Debby knows what I mean, as there is such a thread at FrappyDoo (another forum we're both members of). It's a thread that is titled "our daily thread for Friday, March 2" and begins and ends at the same day. The next day we start another one called "our daily thread for Saturday, March 3" and so on. Everyone can start the daily thread (I can always be first as I wake up ages before you do :tounge2:...

I will be 45 this year and you can paper two rooms with my rejection slips I have received from publishers. But I take heart, Stephen King, Ann Rice, Mary Higgins Clark, all were not discovered until way after their 45th birthdays so maybe my time is coming??? LOL

Hissy,

No you're not the oldest...I turned 48 on February 13th. Age is a state of mind and I don't feel 48. I have had alot of problems in my life (including depression for which I am on medication for) but seem to bounce back everytime. I am a true believer in things happening for a reason. The other day I was on my way to work and marveled in the fact that as little money as I make as a writer for a newspaper, I still seem to survive. And, I think I have finally found my nitch in animal rescue. s are everything to me and anything I can do to help them makes me feel like a million bucks!

Debby, I also believe in "better living through chemistry"! Pharmaceuticals are our friends and I would be a basketcase if it weren't for the little blue pill and brown pill I take every morning. It's my lifeline. God I live these little signs!

Donna - Doesn't it suck to have your b-day close to 's Day? I am the day after and have never gotten a Valentine's gift (except a toaster from my parents when I was in college)!

Hi! Blue....I know what you are going through...to a certain extent....I have never been diagnosed with anything...(I live in a small town) but I think I have some of those same symptoms....I don;t have the pain as much as the constant fatigue....I can sleep all day if I don't force myself to get up. And I too deal with depression...It is hard sometimes...so hard. But I work a full time job...have been there almost 12 years, and I try to keep my head above water, so to speak....having my animals to love me gives me much comfort. - originally posted by Debby -



Debby, have you researched Fibromyalgia online to see how many symptoms you might have ? its hard to diagnose, but, its important to get help, like physiotherapy & massage therapy. also, as we all know, excessive sleeping (or none thereof) are big signs of depression, so, if you arent experiencing much pain, and mostly fatigue, perhaps its from your depression ? hopefully you will find out what you can about Fibromyalgia and try to find a doctor you can talk to about it.

i too find having my cats in my life has been a big saving grace, some days i wonder how i'd make it through the day without them, or how different my life would be.

lol, then of course there are those days when i can make it through the day without them just fine ! like when they tear up the toilet paper, or knock everything off my desk, or fall asleep in my laundry basket on top of newly washed whites ! hehe... those are just mild happenings too

if you ever want to talk about it, i'm here.

have a wonderful day & weekend.