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Series: AtoZ 2023 - The AtoZ of Me

I is for ink

I is for ink

Published by Kai on April 11, 2023
This entry is part 13 of 22 in the series AtoZ 2023 - The AtoZ of Me

Did you know I have a tattoo? I do. When I seperated from the father of my now adult children, my brother offered me a tattoo for my birthday/Christmas. I think he was expecting a little butterfly, or something that was on my shoulder or back, that would always be covered, but…well, my tattoo remains mostly covered, but it’s not exactly a discreet tattoo. I’ve got a biohazard tattoo on my spine. It’s got a meaning too. A lot of people joked to say that it’s a tramp stamp, but it honestly is something important to me. A biohazard symbol…

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J is for Joy

Published by Kai on April 12, 2023
This entry is part 14 of 22 in the series AtoZ 2023 - The AtoZ of Me

Today, I want to talk about cultivating joy. And I’m really sorry, because I know the language that gets used around this can be a bit ‘woo woo’ or touchy feely (and believe me, I know. But it’s an important topic, and if you can get passed the…well…difficult language that can make it seem like it’s inaccessible or… indulgent is another story entirely). Firstly, cultivating joy. Building happiness. Creating an environment for self-care that works for you. ALL OF THAT IS KEY. It’s critical in fact. So. Cultivating joy is important, however you do it. Whether it’s taking time out…

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K is for Kindle (Scribe)

K is for Kindle (Scribe)

Published by Kai on April 13, 2023
This entry is part 15 of 22 in the series AtoZ 2023 - The AtoZ of Me

(please note, this is a rare blog with affiliate links in. Please do remember that when or if you click through).I have a Kindle Scribe. I got it as soon as I’d heard it came out, because I’d been eyeing the Remarkable for years, and when the Kindle Scribe came out, I jumped at the chance.It was a birthday present from my family, though I’d ordered it beforehand, and was excited to get it, and when it arrived in December, I was over the moon. And I still am. My everyday companion I haven’t quite given up on my paper…

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L is for LudoSport #MondayBlogs #OneNameOneSky

L is for LudoSport #MondayBlogs #OneNameOneSky

Published by Kai on April 14, 2023
This entry is part 16 of 22 in the series AtoZ 2023 - The AtoZ of Me

Just under a year and a half ago, I took part in a discovery class which changed my life. And I don’t mean that with any hyperbole. I mean it literally. I have, as i’ve mentioned, CPTSD, anxiety and I’ll talk a little about psychosis later in the month. It’s also something I talk about in ‘Run Girl, Run’, which will be on my other blog later in the month. How I joined… (I’ve talked about LudoSport before a few times on my blog, so you may already know some of this) Lockdown was, I guess, sort of the normal…

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M is for music

M is for music

Published by Kai on April 15, 2023
This entry is part 17 of 22 in the series AtoZ 2023 - The AtoZ of Me

Today, I’m setting up my office (it’s our walk in wardrobe with the cutest Edwardian (style?) writing desk, covered in plants, pens and books, having managed to luck into a free day of writing. Normally, we’d be at another friend’s, playing Gloomhaven, but plans fell through, and my partner and I decided to use that time to do other stuff. He’s off having coffee with another dear friend, and, as I have a horrible ear infection, I was going to stay in bed and generally feel sorry for myself. And then I thought I could just get the room sorted…

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N is for Nature

N is for Nature

Published by Kai on April 17, 2023
This entry is part 18 of 22 in the series AtoZ 2023 - The AtoZ of Me

I guess, as I’ve spent the last month planning everything, that I didn’t realise how serendipitous this week would actually work out. Yesterday, I was lucky enough to spend a few hours just…soaking in the natural beauty in an arboretum called Batsford.Batsford Arboretum is one of those places that I’ve been, again and again, to relax. When I lived in Edinburgh, I wasn’t far from trees, water, nature (Colinton Dell), so when we moved, it was kinda hard for me, because though we still lived on the outskirts of towns, it wasn’t as easy to get to places as it…

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O for oracle (and tarot)

O for oracle (and tarot)

Published by Kai on April 18, 2023
This entry is part 19 of 22 in the series AtoZ 2023 - The AtoZ of Me

I’ve got a really cool collection of Oracle and Tarot cards. I use them when writing, when considering what to do next, and just for comfort. Today, I thought I’d share some of my favorite oracle and tarot decks, and why I love them so much.(I bought mine, mostly, from my friendly local gaming store, Etsy, or was gifted them – most of the links to purchases for these are either Etsy, or if I can’t find them there, Amazon, so some might be affiliate links). This is just a small set of my decks. How I use them… I…

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P is for Psychosis #realmentalhealth #mondayblogs #nomorestigma

P is for Psychosis #realmentalhealth #mondayblogs #nomorestigma

Published by Kai on April 20, 2023
This entry is part 20 of 22 in the series AtoZ 2023 - The AtoZ of Me

This is one of my harder blog posts to write, because though I talk – a lot – about the impact my mental health has on my day to day life, and has done for a while, I’m pretty sure that this is the bit no one really understands, causes the most…misunderstanding and I hope, because I wouldn’t wish it on anyone, they can’t relate to. If you didn’t know that psychosis was a feature of my mental health diagnosis, or didn’t understand if you’d heard it mentioned before now, please…don’t start changing your opinion of me. That’s the biggest reason those of us with serious mental health issues aren’t as open as society needs. Because we lose people.

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P is for Petrichor

P is for Petrichor

Published by Kai on April 20, 2023
This entry is part 21 of 22 in the series AtoZ 2023 - The AtoZ of Me

Again, because of the post I was struggling with, this is a late post today. Apologies. So, I’ve talked a little bit about LudoSport, and, when I get the chance, I’ll get a few photos of myself competing or training, but I wanted to tell you guys a little bit about my blade, Petrichor. In LudoSport, you get a hilt, and a carbon fiber blade, which lights up (hence lightsaber) to fight with. The carbon fiber blade itself is pretty sturdy, but does break (my Form 1 instructor and dear friend is our blade breaker in the Academy), but isn’t…

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Q is for quiet

Q is for quiet

Published by Kai on April 20, 2023
This entry is part 22 of 22 in the series AtoZ 2023 - The AtoZ of Me

I’ve been working more lately with either really low ‘focus’ music on in the background (right now, for example I’ve got Endel running in the background. The different modes of music, based on what I’m doing are really nice) or with a true crime show or podcast in the background. It’s been really good to start finding my flow and workspace during the day – what I want to do, what I don’t.I’m shifting into a more creative phase now, so coding isn’t as interesting to me, which means in about three weeks, I’ll be reading and taking lots of…

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