I went to speak to my doctor this morning, who came to the conclusion that I had two options until my neuro appointment in the middle of December. He said that he thinks my migrane is worse than normal because of my ‘constant’ headache.
One - anti epelectic/antidepression meds (I didn’t tell him what the other docs had said) - and I refused. Sodium valporate was the last meds I’d been placed on before I started having migranes - and my history with antidepressants.
So - his other idea was to try me on beta blockers.
Up until this morning, I’d never heard of beta blockers - not properly anyway - and so, I was surprised when he told me that they were used for treating heart problems - and for blocking pain, because it reduces some reaction that creates adrenaline.
So we got home, I picked up my meds, and waited till we’d gone out with T & L for a halloween project at the local ranger station. An hour later and my headache is gone!
There is a catch - of sorts - to this. The side of my head is numb - so it’s probably a nerve problem. Possibly. Perhaps. I’m going to have to see how it goes over the next few days. So far, though it’s looking promising, if a bit concerning that I’m having to use tablets that are quite so hardcore, against the backdrop of other tablets I already take for my migranes. (Zomigtiptain, a sedative, and cyclazine)
Archive > October 2008
Doc update, Nano update, no headache!
Last minute nano checklist
Have I set up my book in Liquid story binder? (check!)
Have I set up every type of file and sorted it into a set of views based on my writing moods (check!)
Do I have a playlist (check check)
Do I have at least one plot (seven! - and no, that doesn’t mean I’m doing seven! - though…that’s only, technically - 350k - or 5k a day or so)
Am I needing to allow for anything? (mom is down for a week, but I can sneak a lot of the writing passed her as work for Uni, cause I’m doubling up this year)
Do I have something set up for a treat for around the middle of the month? (check - mom and I are going to the spa for some fun)
Am I ready for tonight, midnight? (if I can stay awake, CHECK!)
And this year’s nano is…..
I thought I’d post the summary for this year’s Nano, though, it sounds very lame.
Something has shifted the world towards unfeeling. Numbness has crept into everyone, and at the same time, a study - created by a politician more interested in funding his psych company - suggested that everyone in the world needed to feel ‘a certain amount’ of emotions. Emotors were introduced, and mandatory testing soon followed. This is the story of two people - a man that can trick the system (a ‘dealer of emotio-cards) and those that choose to remain unfeeling and ‘deal’ the cards for different reasons) - interspersed with short stories about those that no longer ‘feel’ the way the government wants them to - or humans should.
my daft cat
(quick note for my faithful readers - the quickest way to get a meaningful update out of me instead of ‘just twitter’ is to ask nicely, not threaten never to talk to me again ;))
Kushie, who we adopted in June, is doing amazingly well. Since she started getting out last month, she’s shown some signs of anxiety (won’t go anywhere where she can’t see me till she gets caught up in the sheer joy of being outside) but has, at the same time, explored every nook and cranny of the garden. Problem being she’s also exploring the whole of the house in the same exuberant manner. Today, she was climbing the curtains and digging in the washing pile…
Galleries added
Just a quickie - I’ve added some galleries to my site - I’ll pick out some images later and add some narrations and explain some of them - but the black monolith models + the silvery skeletons (necrons) are my other half’s - the woman in the tank is mine 
Domestically challenged
I hate cleaning. I mean - I really dislike it. The house is never as clean as I’d like - and I always feel like I’m about six steps behind the place I should be for cleaning. I mean, we moved over two years ago, and I’m still sorting through half packed boxes and getting rid of stuff.
John Barrowman talk at the Litfest
I went to see John Barrowman and his sister, the irrepressible writer Carole E Barrowman, at the literary festival this weekend. I really enjoyed the talk they gave, and I even managed to bring up the National Novel Writer’s Month (which I’ve passed on the information for) when there was an open Q&A session.
They were both really funny - some of the stories they told were just brilliant, and I get the distinct impression that though it was ’scripted’ that they derailed it slightly. John talked more than his sister (and got up and danced whilst telling one of the stories) but I have to say, I was really impressed with thier relationship. And I’m looking forward to reading the book - when I get through these dammed assignments.
the 10,000 hour rule - does it hold any weight?
There’s a suggestion circulating, that’s been repeated in several formats, but that summarises down to 10,000 hours of writing before we become ‘expert’.
So, at 24 hours a day, it takes just over a year and three months to master parenthood after our first child (discounting instinct and natural ability). I would say most parents agree with that idea - I know I still have my doubts about the ‘newer’ parts of parenting, and my kids are 9 and 7. At eight hours a day, every day, it would take almost three and a half years to become an expert writer. Longer if we’re not writing for the eight hours a day.
{writing} Sick, tired, writing!
My other half came back with presents from London last week - and an illness, that he also gave to me. So today has been spent mostly sleeping, toying with presentation ideas (got three to give in the next seven weeks), reading, sleeping some more, and writing.
The three day set up…/finding me elsewhere
So, the blog at spirit-tome is almost set up. I’m trying to decide whether I want my wordcount counter brought over, along with all of the project plugin.
More importantly though, I’m now almost through with design fun ’stuff’. I’ve got one last site to set up, which is Booksbykai, but I’m saving that till I’ve done some writing.
New and shineh…..!
I’ve been working on and off these past few days on themes for everyone. I don’t mind publishing MY OWN without testing (and when I say ‘my own’ I mean a design I’ve found and tested) but the other three I’m devving at the moment are now off for rigorous testing.
Anyway - http://spirit-tome.com (and http://ardentwriter.com and http://semiskimmedcola.com and http://languagedump.com to name just three all redirect to there at present too). The great thing about it is it’s everything I do - in convenient places. All that would make it better is being able to pull in stuff to each of the categories and have running feeds from the sites relating to those categories. Guess what my next big coding project is?
{writing} - Correspondence procrastination
First up - in the last four days, I’ve spent almost nine hours in my email. Compare that to FOUR in writing, and that sucks. I want to start spending more time on my writing projects (which don’t include blogging, for the moment) - but I’m trying to work out how to do that without losing my mind.
Most of the writing I’ve had to do over this week has been complaint letters. One for my head injury - which was an email that hasn’t been acknowledged, so I’m sending them it - and ANOTHER letter to the CSA by recorded delivery. In the case of the latter, despite the letter starting out saying ‘I’m writing to complain’, they rejected the complaint.
{misc} - where my planning got me
I’ve spent the last few days thinking about what I’m doing with my life in the next few years.
I’m about to hit my big ‘planning for my five year project’ stage. Last five years was all about websites and servers - which I’ve managed in spades. I wanted to be more successful than I am for some things, but I’ve done a lot of things that I’m proud of too.
{writing} - 50 novels!
I just finished inputting my novels into Liquid Story Binder.
The count, as of this morning, including the three new ones, is 52 novels.
7 Glass block (and following) 4 for Harper, 5 for Roth (Darkness - 16).
4 for Souls Road, 5 for Black Monday, 3 misc (Black Monday - 12)
