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I am moving my blog, Mimi to Tee and Bee, to a new blog which I feel better reflects my life. Please come see me and "Follow" me at Green Country Girl. Green Country is what this area of Oklahoma is called and I'm looking forward to sharing more about life out this way with my new blog.
If you would also like to follow me at my new Twitter, it's @greencntrygirl.
Thank you all so much...I think the blogging community is awesome.
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Guenevere Queen of the Summer Country by Rosalind Miles
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Guenevere Queen of the Summer Country is a book by Rosalind Miles.
I rarely know what I'm looking for when I visit the library. Generally, I head to the new releases section to see if anything catches my eye. Then, I begin to wander up and down the stacks of books waiting for something to catch my interest. My last trip, this is one of the books that got my attention in the book stacks.
And as much as I had really really really wanted to enjoy it, I hate it. I don't think I got past the first 10 chapters.
What I disliked the most, though, was the never ending reminders about pagan worship being connected to sexual encounters with a variety of people. Regardless of the historical accuracy, the writer seemed to want to indulge in this particular POV. Let's just say I wasn't interested in the gory details. Although I already know the ending of these stories, knowing what happened with Guenevere and Lancelot I mean, I was disappointed that her adultery seemed to be a foregone conclusion from the start.
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Guenevere Queen of the Summer Country is a book by Rosalind Miles.
I rarely know what I'm looking for when I visit the library. Generally, I head to the new releases section to see if anything catches my eye. Then, I begin to wander up and down the stacks of books waiting for something to catch my interest. My last trip, this is one of the books that got my attention in the book stacks.
And as much as I had really really really wanted to enjoy it, I hate it. I don't think I got past the first 10 chapters.
Plot: Seriously, your standard fare about the Arthur legends. The "difference" here was that it was told from Guenevere's perspective, but there is something in the back of my mind telling me that another author had already done this. Marion Bradley Zimmerman? I think?
Characters: Childish. All of them. I don't mind characters having a childlike quality, but I don't think there was a mature one in the bunch. Petty. Greedy. I get that you want your character to have layers and that people have their good points and their bad points. I didn't see any good points here. Reminded me of the movie Chicago where the only decent character in the movie was the one girl's husband.
Pacing: Slow. I was bored very quickly.
What I disliked the most, though, was the never ending reminders about pagan worship being connected to sexual encounters with a variety of people. Regardless of the historical accuracy, the writer seemed to want to indulge in this particular POV. Let's just say I wasn't interested in the gory details. Although I already know the ending of these stories, knowing what happened with Guenevere and Lancelot I mean, I was disappointed that her adultery seemed to be a foregone conclusion from the start.
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Sunday, August 7, 2011
What Have You Done For You Lately?
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Quite a bit more than usual actually!
Quite a bit more than usual actually!
- Been taking more walks in the sun to get the benefits of some awesome natural vitamin D. Took Ruger and Sunny to the lake with us this evening. They wore out quicker than we did, especially Sunny.
- Started taking Krill Oil.
- Back on the Melatonin. In about 6 weeks I'm going to cut my Ambien dosage in half and see if I can't get weened off it. I've been on it for over 4 years from when I started taking Lamictal as a mood stabilizer for the bipolar.
- Replacing foods with organic alternatives whenever possible. When not possible looking for the product without things like High Fructose Corn Syrup and Hydrogenated (pick your poison) Oil. Did you know organic butter tastes like waaayyyy better than the other stuff? I felt like just eating the stick. Also picked up some grass-fed ground beef when I was at Whole Foods on Saturday. But, from now on my Whole Foods visits will be as late in the evening as I can go. Saturday afternoon crowds completely overwhelmed me.
- Going to the library more to find some new reading material. I'm hoping to do some decent book reviews this coming week.
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Thursday Word Thoughts
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These are actually Word Thoughts from last Monday. :)
Last Monday morning at 1AM, I was journaling. Most of the time that wouldn't be a big deal except I needed to be up for a doctor's appointment at 8AM. For some reason when I know that I have to wake up early for an appointment I struggle to sleep. If I know I am waking up for something like a day trip to see the kids it's no biggie. But when it's an "I have to be there at such-and-such a time or there will be some sort of penalty" I hit a brick wall. I can't figure out the psychology of it, either.
Back to my journaling notes...I was pleased with myself for staying hydrated, going for a walk, spending time in the sun, and eating healthy. I mentioned that I had done some prioritizing about all the giveaways I enter, but I didn't write any specifics and now I don't remember what it was. I also was on Chapter 30 of Power of a Praying Woman...which I won't be reading anymore. I have read Stormie Omartians Power of a Praying (insert the rest of your particular title here) books for some years. I would read and pray chapter 1 on the 1st of the month and so on. Well, this time I took a hard look at some of what she had written and I realized that she was promoting an idea as scriptural when it wasn't. Really, it was more of a traditional way of thinking. Christians need to be careful that what they believe and what they practice and what they share with others is based on specific scripture.
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What the Word said to me on August 1, 2011:
As you can tell, apparently I was/am feeling a bit insignificant. It's not anything anyone has done...I think it's simply that it has been hot here for so long and the heat works against me and I do very little. The day before yesterday I was having difficulty catching my breath. The only time I've had an asthma attack was during the heat wave in the Chicago area in 1994 and I am not looking to repeat that incident. That wave lasted about 10 days...this in Oklahoma has gone on for over 2 months with no sign of letting up. I'm going to quit beating myself up over what I'm not doing and just move some of my plans to when it gets cooler. Take care of myself physically because it's certainly not worth doing things and ending up needing medical care.
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These are actually Word Thoughts from last Monday. :)
Last Monday morning at 1AM, I was journaling. Most of the time that wouldn't be a big deal except I needed to be up for a doctor's appointment at 8AM. For some reason when I know that I have to wake up early for an appointment I struggle to sleep. If I know I am waking up for something like a day trip to see the kids it's no biggie. But when it's an "I have to be there at such-and-such a time or there will be some sort of penalty" I hit a brick wall. I can't figure out the psychology of it, either.
Back to my journaling notes...I was pleased with myself for staying hydrated, going for a walk, spending time in the sun, and eating healthy. I mentioned that I had done some prioritizing about all the giveaways I enter, but I didn't write any specifics and now I don't remember what it was. I also was on Chapter 30 of Power of a Praying Woman...which I won't be reading anymore. I have read Stormie Omartians Power of a Praying (insert the rest of your particular title here) books for some years. I would read and pray chapter 1 on the 1st of the month and so on. Well, this time I took a hard look at some of what she had written and I realized that she was promoting an idea as scriptural when it wasn't. Really, it was more of a traditional way of thinking. Christians need to be careful that what they believe and what they practice and what they share with others is based on specific scripture.
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What the Word said to me on August 1, 2011:
- Jeremiah 29:11-13 - It's not too late. I'm not too old. I still have a future worth living even at my age. God still has plans for me. He sees a future for me. It is not the end of my making specific contributions to His plans.
- Psalms 92:13-15 - I am not irrelevant to God's plans. I am not relegated to the position of spectator. I am a part of HIs design with a job yet to do. I matter. Servants of God are never "put out to pasture." God always has an important role in His plan for anyone willing to do the work.
- Romans 8:38-39 - Nothing comes between me and the Love of God which is in the Anointed One Jesus my Lord. I need to guard against opening a gap between me and Jesus that would let junk come between us.
As you can tell, apparently I was/am feeling a bit insignificant. It's not anything anyone has done...I think it's simply that it has been hot here for so long and the heat works against me and I do very little. The day before yesterday I was having difficulty catching my breath. The only time I've had an asthma attack was during the heat wave in the Chicago area in 1994 and I am not looking to repeat that incident. That wave lasted about 10 days...this in Oklahoma has gone on for over 2 months with no sign of letting up. I'm going to quit beating myself up over what I'm not doing and just move some of my plans to when it gets cooler. Take care of myself physically because it's certainly not worth doing things and ending up needing medical care.
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Saturday, July 30, 2011
How Can a 4000% Increase in Bipolar Disorder Be Possible?
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Disclaimer: I did not write the title of this post. That title is from the article I share at the bottom.
I've been reading a lot of articles on this website about natural health options. Although I am bipolar, truly bipolar, I agree that it has become the disease du jour not only for children, but for adults, as well. At least one person I know acted like they had entered the cool kids' club after their diagnosis. Funny thing is that once their life circumstances changed and stabilized, they don't seem to have the same problem.
My treatment began with a visit to a professional because my life got scary-about-to-be-institutionalized out of control. I was ready to stick myself in a psych ward and tempted to never come out. Looking back, though, I can see that I had been coming to that point for about 4 years before I hit it. There were a lot of heavy, heavy stressors in my life that I wasn't dealing with in a positive manner. I am now more interested in paying attention to what I put in my body and how I treat my body. Never mind the drugs I have been on, the food I have chosen to eat is far from making good choices.
I ate ice cream yesterday to "finish it up" because we had decided not to purchase the type filled with "junk" anymore. As I was eating it, I was very aware that most of the ingredients weren't good for me. I didn't enjoy it as much as I used to. I really don't even want to go buy anymore. My late night snack last night was a spinach salad with fresh mushrooms and a salad dressing that didn't contain HFCS or a base of soy. It was good. Truly tasted good. I added Krill oil to my diet starting today, too.
My "test" to see if the Lamictal is causing the rash is on. We'll see how this goes...so far I am thinking there is a correlation.
On to the article:
Disclaimer: I did not write the title of this post. That title is from the article I share at the bottom.
I've been reading a lot of articles on this website about natural health options. Although I am bipolar, truly bipolar, I agree that it has become the disease du jour not only for children, but for adults, as well. At least one person I know acted like they had entered the cool kids' club after their diagnosis. Funny thing is that once their life circumstances changed and stabilized, they don't seem to have the same problem.
My treatment began with a visit to a professional because my life got scary-about-to-be-institutionalized out of control. I was ready to stick myself in a psych ward and tempted to never come out. Looking back, though, I can see that I had been coming to that point for about 4 years before I hit it. There were a lot of heavy, heavy stressors in my life that I wasn't dealing with in a positive manner. I am now more interested in paying attention to what I put in my body and how I treat my body. Never mind the drugs I have been on, the food I have chosen to eat is far from making good choices.
I ate ice cream yesterday to "finish it up" because we had decided not to purchase the type filled with "junk" anymore. As I was eating it, I was very aware that most of the ingredients weren't good for me. I didn't enjoy it as much as I used to. I really don't even want to go buy anymore. My late night snack last night was a spinach salad with fresh mushrooms and a salad dressing that didn't contain HFCS or a base of soy. It was good. Truly tasted good. I added Krill oil to my diet starting today, too.
My "test" to see if the Lamictal is causing the rash is on. We'll see how this goes...so far I am thinking there is a correlation.
On to the article:
How Can a 4000% Increase in Bipolar Disorder Be Possible?
Friday, July 29, 2011
Med Change In My Future?
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I have been very blessed for the past four years in that a single medication has kept my bipolar symptoms under control. I take Lamictal, or rather its generic form, Lamotrigine. When my psychiatrist first recommended Lamictal, it truly sounded like a good fit for me. It is weight neutral, very few side effects, and I would not have to have my blood levels checked on a regular basis like I would if I took lithium.
One of the rather nastier side-effects of Lamictal is stevens-johnson syndrome. If you do a search for it on the web, be aware that you may come across some really gross pictures. Anyway, the remotest possibility of a rash or other skin problems causes me to panic in my head. I have to battle the "what ifs" and get them under control. As you can probably guess, I have a rash. I do not believe it is stevens-johnson syndrome, but I am now thinking it is still an allergic reaction to the Lamictal.
At first, I thought it might be related to the dermatitis issues, then I thought it might be related to the new laundry detergent, and I also considered that it is simply this non-stop heat. Last night I saw the pattern for the flare-ups though and so now I'm thinking a med change is in my very near future. The pattern is that the itching is under control, for the most part, during the day. At night, it's so bad I can hardly sleep even with my sleeping medication. Well, at night I also take my Lamictal. I'm going to test my theory tonight and skip tonight's dose and then take the dose first thing in the morning. If it flares up during the day after that dose, I'll have some more "evidence."
I have a doctor's appointment on Monday. The challenges will be to find a medication that does not require checking blood levels AND is affordable since I cannot afford medical insurance, at this time. What may happen is that I end up on an anti-psychotic and an anti-depressant.
I had very bad experiences with the anti-depressants Zoloft and Cymbalta. Zoloft made me a sleeping zombie and Cymbalta had me thinking about suicide. Although, they do now believe that giving a bipolar patient an anti-depressant without another stabilizing medication actually worsens, really really worsens, the bipolar. It did for me. I went from happy mania to angry, hateful mania because of that. If I'm going to be manic, I'd much rather spend too much money than yell at my family all day.
As far as the anti-psychotic med classifications, it unnerves me to have to take something called an anti-psychotic. I do not think of myself as psychotic and have no desire to carry that label around.
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I have been very blessed for the past four years in that a single medication has kept my bipolar symptoms under control. I take Lamictal, or rather its generic form, Lamotrigine. When my psychiatrist first recommended Lamictal, it truly sounded like a good fit for me. It is weight neutral, very few side effects, and I would not have to have my blood levels checked on a regular basis like I would if I took lithium.
One of the rather nastier side-effects of Lamictal is stevens-johnson syndrome. If you do a search for it on the web, be aware that you may come across some really gross pictures. Anyway, the remotest possibility of a rash or other skin problems causes me to panic in my head. I have to battle the "what ifs" and get them under control. As you can probably guess, I have a rash. I do not believe it is stevens-johnson syndrome, but I am now thinking it is still an allergic reaction to the Lamictal.
At first, I thought it might be related to the dermatitis issues, then I thought it might be related to the new laundry detergent, and I also considered that it is simply this non-stop heat. Last night I saw the pattern for the flare-ups though and so now I'm thinking a med change is in my very near future. The pattern is that the itching is under control, for the most part, during the day. At night, it's so bad I can hardly sleep even with my sleeping medication. Well, at night I also take my Lamictal. I'm going to test my theory tonight and skip tonight's dose and then take the dose first thing in the morning. If it flares up during the day after that dose, I'll have some more "evidence."
I have a doctor's appointment on Monday. The challenges will be to find a medication that does not require checking blood levels AND is affordable since I cannot afford medical insurance, at this time. What may happen is that I end up on an anti-psychotic and an anti-depressant.
I had very bad experiences with the anti-depressants Zoloft and Cymbalta. Zoloft made me a sleeping zombie and Cymbalta had me thinking about suicide. Although, they do now believe that giving a bipolar patient an anti-depressant without another stabilizing medication actually worsens, really really worsens, the bipolar. It did for me. I went from happy mania to angry, hateful mania because of that. If I'm going to be manic, I'd much rather spend too much money than yell at my family all day.
As far as the anti-psychotic med classifications, it unnerves me to have to take something called an anti-psychotic. I do not think of myself as psychotic and have no desire to carry that label around.
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Thursday, July 28, 2011
All About Thursday 07.28.11
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Free stuff:
Healthy stuff:
Life stuff:
Review stuff:
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Free stuff:
- Nescafe Dolce sent the box of Cappucino Ice pods I had won through Twitter.
- Steri-Bottles came from my win on Akron Ohio Moms
- Aveeno Sample
- Disney Cars Instant Win Game code for the Amazon GC came in my email
- Beauty Blitz sent me a box of 3 nail polishes from Julep that I won in their July daily giveaway
Healthy stuff:
- changed to peanut butter without hydrogenated oil and threw the old stuff away
- purchased decent bread without high fructose corn syrup or other junk
- chose to get some almonds (with dark chocolate) as a snack instead of chips
- traded the salad dressing full of soybean oil for one without junk - the taste difference on this particular item was "WOW"
- got some laundry soap free of dyes, ink, and perfumes - I'm pretty sure the other bottle is what gave me hives
- exchanged plain Greek yogurt for the regular sugar-filled brand & bought honey to mix with it
Life stuff:
- painted my nails with that new polish today - hadn't done that in about 8 years
- remembered to call in a prescription refill
- saw the youngest child breeze in and breeze out long enough to grab clean clothes - the dogs were sad when he didn't pay much attention to them...particularly Ruger
- temperature here remains extraordinarily high
- Charlie fixed my leaky faucet - finally :)
- reading Towers of Midnight in preparation for the final book in the series coming out this fall - I may do one more re-read of the series after that and then I think I'll put them up for good.
Review stuff:
- (+) Erin Baker's cookies
- (+) Blue Diamond Dark Chocolate Almonds
- (+) Bear Naked Fruit & Nut Cookies
- (-) La Creme French Vanilla
- (+)Julep Nail Polish in Jaime
- (+)Dragonfly Sage & Clay Soap
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