I finally felt somewhat relaxed today.

I finally felt somewhat relaxed today.  I slept SO MUCH last night... and this morning.  Was super late getting to work, but it was worth it just to feel ok for once.  I also went to trivia tonight.  I got a thing right, which is unusual.  It was "What's the traditional 5 year wedding anniversary gift?"  You can ask Laurel and Emily - I seem to have negative wedding knowledge, but I got that one.  Must have been a lucky guess.  😂

Now the guys are watching a movie.  I'm home making Ghirardelli Dark Chocolate brownies.  I really would have eaten a brownie at Mellow Mushroom (btw - they remodeled and it looks great) but our server was super slow and honestly I bought my brownie mix and ice cream for less money than one of their brownie sundaes.  Not that I NEED to eat a whole batch of brownies and ice cream, but at least now I have the option to!  SPRING BREAK!  😂

Anyway.  I'm off to do whatever I feel like because I have the house to myself.  😃  Too bad my nails are still cute.  But maybe the left hand could use some work...  🙂  Goodnight, friends!  ❤

I guess I was in the mood for something silly and fun...

I guess I was in the mood for something silly and fun.  And also big because my nails are long enough to accommodate these big old kitty stamps (but just barely, as you can see from my ring finger).

I wanted a background that wasn't too crazy since I wanted the kitties to pop, so I went with pale blue stamping over gray.  I used a few different cat-themed plates for that.  There are various paw print patterns, etc, and the middle finger says things like "Meow" and "Hiss."  LOL

All I really knew when I got started is that I was wearing these damn cats one way or the other.  LOL  I had no plans for collars and bow-ties, but it just wasn't done until I added those touches.  How's that for spring?  They look quite dressed up for some reason!  Maybe they have a date!  😃

PSA Time:  Everyone make sure to spay and neuter your Ms. and Mr. Kitties because too many animals are killed in shelters.  It's a totally preventable problem, so don't be part of it.  There is no excuse.  Help is out there!

I feel really "off" today and agitated.

I feel really "off" today and agitated.  Not really what I was expecting to feel like on spring break.  😕

I am off to go do things.  Like maybe put everything back in my closet because it seems to be dry.  And other stuff that will distract me and keep me busy while simultaneously accomplishing something.

Anyone else having feelings today?

Best advice:

Best advice because baby buns don't usually make it without real mama helping out.  🙁  Even experienced rehabbers have trouble with these.

"If you see fur flying out when you mow, it does not mean you killed anything. Mother rabbits will line and cover the nest with fur to keep her little ones warm and comfy. If you find a nest of baby rabbits, leave them alone. Plant a flag next to it so you don't mow over it. They will be gone within a month."

This day isn't horrible yet.

This day isn't horrible yet.  I do not feel well and I had trouble sleeping because I was nauseated.  Also, all of my bones hurt.  But it's not horrible.  Yay?

So far I've taken care of the ani-pals and done some housework - with the help of Shadow.  I also painted my toenails - which I NEVER do because no one sees them and they are hard to reach and who cares?  I guess I just felt like doing it, though.

I used red which is usually really pigmented and since I have some super teensy toenails, that was a mess.  I used a tiny nail art brush to paint them and still had to use acetone to clean up my mess.  BUT, since red is so pigmented my toes are just stained pink right now.  😂  And since the three middle toenails are so impossibly tiny, it just looks like bloody cuts across my toes.  Not exactly the look I was going for, but I'm not gonna bother taking it off.  That requires effort and  I just really don't care.  😛  I'm sure I will get a good laugh out of it every time I see them, anyway.  😃

Well, I guess my favorite person is still asleep because I haven't heard from him yet.  I think I'm gonna hang with Shadow, start more laundry, and maybe try my Trig graphs.  If I could get those graphs done it would be a relief.  I enjoy graphing, but either these are hard or I was having a brain fart the other day when I tried them.

I hope you all are having a relaxing Saturday.  I'm so thankful that I have nothing pressing to do today.  I feel like I can't remember the last time that happened!

The lace and butterfly nails are coming off tonight.

The lace and butterfly nails are coming off tonight. The polish is starting to lift where I chipped the thumb earlier this week. If I don't remove it I'll start peeling my nails, which is terrible for them. Other than that they still look great - much to my surprise. As rough as I am on my hands with all of the cleaning and everything else I do, they usually only last 4-ish days. I did the lace / butterflies on Thursday last week, so that's a record. I really don't mind when my polish starts coming off because I enjoy painting them as much as looking at them, so it's no surprise that I was starting to get impatient with these. LOL

Anyway. I have no clue at the moment what I will do next. Gonna play with my plates and see what I come up with. I might be too tired to really do my nails tonight, but maybe I can at least settle on what I'll do at some point this weekend. We'll see.

I'm sick. 🙁

I'm sick.  🙁

I went to bed nice and early last night.  It started to rain.  I fell right to sleep thinking "Yes, spring break!  I'm gonna feel nice in the morning; I'm getting plenty of rest!"  Life called bullshit on that.

I woke up with a horrendous headache.  It was so bad that I didn't even get out of bed.  I yelled for Shadow until he brought me some water and Excedrin migraine.  A few hours later I woke up again and sadly made myself go to work.  Now I'm finally home.

My body hurts.  I can't get warm.  I'm nauseated.  And I have this weird half-way headache.  I'm on the couch and I'm not moving.

Yay, spring break.  😕

I made a 94 on my History test...

I made a 94 on my History test so apparently I'm not a complete failure all the time.  It is still possible on some level for me to make a good grade.  Yay, I guess?

It's officially spring break for me.  I still have to work, but no classes or tutoring for a week - although I do have some Trig graphs and homework to do.  But not today!  😃  Woohoo!

I'm off to bathe some lizards.  Later, friends!  ❤

Walked the shell kids.

Walked the shell kids. Tort Baby was about as into it as ever (as evidenced by him keeping his head in his shell). 😂😂😂 Nom ate everything - if you can imagine that. 😛 I'm so glad that winter is over. Now these two are awake and busy! 😃

Look. If I can make it through my History test on Thursday

Look.  If I can make it through my History test on Thursday - that will be it for me.  I will have officially made it to SPRING BREAK.  😳

That is not as super awesome as it sounds because I will still have to work - I just won't have the added stress of school on top of it.  But that's ok.  I'll take what I can get.

I am really disappointed in how I'm doing this semester.  I made a 74 on that Biology test.  Still waiting on the Trig grade.  The only class I feel good about is History.  I am really trying my hardest, but I'm just not doing as well as I'd like.  It sucks and I don't know what to do besides hang in there and keep on keeping on.  🙁

I am trying to cut myself some slack because so much has gone wrong this semester in my real life that it's just kind of blowing my mind.  I think the pipe busting kind of murdered my last nerve.  I'm in this weird place where when something bad isn't happening I'm not relaxed - I'm just hoping more bad things don't happen.  That's not a great way to live.  I'm sure I'll snap out of it eventually, but DANG.

I've never had this happen before just out of the blue, but my upper back and shoulders hurt.  I bet it's just from tension.  It all feels really tight and weird.

Anyway.  Guess what!  I'm off to study.  Bet you didn't see that one coming.  😂

❤

Today was ok...

Today was ok even though I've been fighting off the crud all weekend.  I could feel the congestion and post-nasal drip starting on Friday before I even left work.  Blegh.  I don't normally take decongestants, but I did this weekend because I didn't have the energy to suffer through it this time.  I needed to rest and the meds made me sleep and it was fine.  I might even take another one tonight because I need to sleep rather than stay up all night blowing my nose.

I finally went to Munford this weekend.  I saw Dad's new place and they are working on getting settled in.  There is some work to be done on the mobile home, but he's handy and can do it.  He doesn't seem to mind one bit because he'll be able to do things the way he wants them done.  He's no longer on a main road, but on the back side of the property so he's happy about that.  Overall he seemed happy with the direction in which things are heading.  I helped him clean a little today and I'll go back next weekend and see what else we can help with.

Me and Shadow also stopped by the place that burned down and it was basically completely demolished.  It was hard to look at.  It's a place where I spent summers as a kid with my aunt and brother and sometimes my cousin.  It's really sad to think that it's gone now, but there's no changing it.  On the bright side we saw Big Girl (dad's surviving dog) and Rumpy (the cat that made it).  Both were looking well so that's nice.  They'll be moving over to the new place this week when Dad and Lisa start staying there.

Other than that I still haven't gotten any grades for the two hard tests I took.  I have Biology class in the morning so maybe I'll see how I did on that one, at least.  My Trig teacher also teaches high school and she's on spring break with them this week so we might not get our grades on the tests until after GSCC Spring Break ends the next week (the week starting after the week that starts tomorrow).  Feels like a long time to wait, but I'm trying not to be anxious about it.

Anyway.  I hope the weekend has been good to you.  I've wanted several times to paint my nails, but these butterfly lacey ones are hanging in there and I just have no good reason to remove them yet.  I bet after I scrub Teyla's floor tomorrow and do some other things around the house that they will be ready to come off.  😂  I guess I can entertain myself by figuring out what I'd like to do next.  😃

Goodnight, friends.  Maybe this week will take it easy on all of us.  🙂

Me and the kid...

Me and the kid are watching Bob Ross paint on Hulu. Everyone needs to watch Episode 2 of Season 23 (Forest Edge). He goes from politely shit-talking a bad driver to nursing a baby raccoon - all while creating a beautiful forest painting. ❤❤❤

I felt like I deserved it, so I treated myself last night. I painted my nails!

I felt like I deserved it, so I treated myself last night.  I painted my nails!  Woohoo!  😃

I didn't go with the whole "butterfly on each finger" thing.  I just can't.  It feels so wrong to try to match my nails.  And when I inevitably fail it will look dumb, too, because they won't be perfect, so... there's that.  LOL

I wish this lighting would have captured the beauty of my base coat, Demure Vixen by Essie.  I know it's not the best match to my skin, but I love the pink / lavender undertone.

I also meant for one of my butterflies to turn out blue (the one on the thumb), but the way I layered the colors, it didn't work out that way.  Oh well.  At least it is somewhat different than the green and purple on the ring finger.

Anyway.  I did it.  And I like it.  But I wish I could take it off already and paint something else now.  LOL  I'm terrible.

Today sucked.

Today sucked.  I fought a migraine all day.  Didn't go to work.  Mostly didn't get anything productive done until about an hour and a half ago.  🙁  And that's really terrible because there is A LOT to do.  I'm finally doing laundry - which is something because everything that got wet will mildew / mold if I don't hurry the hell up.  🙁

I do not feel well.  My head and my brain aren't good.  I think that I have hit a point of "stressed out" from which I'm not having an easy return.  I feel really weird inside my head.  Like, almost kind of head-spinny all the time.  And even when I'm exhausted sleep doesn't come easily and I feel really shitty when I do finally wake up.

I don't know what I need to do to get back to a "normal" kind of feeling, but I wish I did.  Maybe it's just a time thing.  But I haven't really felt ok since Monday.  I've had episodes of my chest being tight... kind of almost suffocate-y at times.  I'm not really used to that.  But between that and my head I'm having a hard time focusing and thinking and doing things.  🙁

I'm glad it's Wednesday.  I'll see my dad this weekend.  He's moving into his new place so that should be awesome.  I will also be seeing a friend and taking her some nail art supplies so I think that will be fun also.  As long as I can survive until then.  😂😂😂😭😭😭

Me, in dragon form. 😂😂😂

Me, in dragon form.  😂😂😂

My Baby Man! 😃

My Baby Man!  😃  Shadow, back when he was small enough for me to carry him around.  😍

Pardon the line through the middle of the photo (if you can see it).  I couldn't get a scan without it, though the original photo doesn't have it.  I'm not up for a lot of shooping tonight.  😕  The fact that I had to scan this in should tell you all that I'm old and tired.  😂

Ok, well, today was better than yesterday.

Ok, well, today was better than yesterday.  I did miss class this morning, but we have water in the house now and I did manage to work for an hour or two.  Biology class for tomorrow is canceled so I'll make up some work hours tomorrow, I guess.

My bedroom (which seems to be the lowest room in the house) is where most of the water flowed to.  I didn't realize until this morning that both of my carpeted closets got wet so I immediately started moving stuff out of there when I found out.  Looks like a minimal amount of stuff was damaged, thank goodness.  However, my bedroom is in such disarray that it took me forever to get myself out of the house.  I needed dry shoes, which were buried under the stuff I removed from the closets.  It felt like the difficultly of every minute task was multiplied by a thousand today.  Blegh.

I've got a ton of laundry to do - partially clean things that got wet, part dirty things that I was going to do anyway, and part was clothing that was donated to my dad that was in a box in my bedroom.  My porch also looks terrible because it's full of stuff I moved out of the house so we could get the water up, so...  I need to go through that and see what survived and what didn't.  But that's going to have to wait until this weekend because I am freaking exhausted.  😳

Anyway.  I don't think Shadow had a bad birthday, thank goodness.  We took him to eat at Waffle House (that's what he chose!), and my mom came to see him and brought him a dessert he likes.  There was not much celebrating today because we all felt like crap.  I didn't get nearly enough sleep because I was up cleaning and despite making Shadow go to bed he didn't sleep well because of all the noise we were making with the wet / dry vac.  Shaun didn't sleep at all - he just stayed up a few more hours and then went to work.  So we haven't been a very lively crew, but maybe by this weekend we can relax and do something fun.  I hope!

Well, I'm about to check on all the animals and call it a night.  I don't think I could stay awake for much longer even if I tried.  Goodnight, friends!

Me to Shadow this morning...

Me to Shadow this morning after he woke up to get ready for school (both of us sleepy and groggy in the hallway):

"You can't shower and you have to pee outside.  Happy Birthday."

So the Man-Cub is 16 today.  We have no water, but we have a plumber on the way.  I missed class and I'm late for work.  Shadow's home, as well, because me and Shaun were up all night vacuuming and cleaning so I know he didn't sleep well.  Not to mention that I'm pretty sure it's torture to send a 16 year old anywhere without a shower.  😂

Shadow has hung in there with me through 16 years of me never quite having my shit together as much as I'd like.  And he's ALWAYS been a good sport about it.  I knew I was a lucky mom before he was even born.  When he got here he was the happiest, cutest, goofiest baby, and he's still happy, cute, and goofy - just not so little anymore.  He's 100% been the best surprise of my life and from pregnancy through watching him grow up - definitely the most interesting thing to ever happen to me.  Life as a young single mom with a kid hasn't always been easy, but every minute has been WORTH IT.

Thanks for being awesome, kid.  I love you all the way.  ❤

1:30 in the morning and...

So... 1:30 in the morning and with both me and Shaun trying our hardest we're just now to the point where most of the water is up.

Since the water is turned off Shaun's on his 3rd trip to Wal-Mart for the day to get a few jugs of water for hand-washing and tooth-brushing and such. 

Does anyone have a good plumber to recommend?

So tired. So much water left to clean up. 😳 Just wow.

So tired. So much water left to clean up. 😳 Just wow. 

On the bright side my floors are gonna be super clean, I guess.

I just got home.

I just got home. No Biology grade. Trig probably won't be posted for 2 weeks. And my house is full of water because a pipe burst. 

Anxiety. 😳🙁

Ok, well, it's 5:30 and no Biology test grade yet. 🙁

Ok, well, it's 5:30 and no Biology test grade yet.  🙁  I'm sitting here having anxiety like I can't even tell you... And no - I wasn't able to stop myself from checking Blackboard constantly.  🙁  I did manage to go over Trig enough that I also feel ok-ish on that, but we'll see.

I am giving myself a headache with all this stressing out I'm doing.  I think it's time to take some Excedrin and get ready for class.  😕

Later, friends.

For better or worse...

Ok.  For better or worse the Biology test is behind me.  It is done.  I feel like I don't even want to say this because the last time I said this, I failed... but:  I feel ok about that test, so...  ¯\(°_o)/¯

Now I'm back home.  The animals are fed and the house is quiet.  Well - aside from Storm occasionally trying to flip a Kuranda dog bed.  😂😂😂  I'm in a good head space to practice Trig (as long as I can keep myself from obsessively checking Blackboard for my grade), so off I go.

Later, peeps.  ❤

Oh my gosh.

Oh my gosh.  Shadow just came in my room while I was studying for the Trig test that's coming up tomorrow and saw this Unit Circle and chart up on my screen. He asked me what kind of Math I was doing.  I was like, "This is Trig."  He goes "I just need to give you a hug for that."

He's so good.  It's nice to feel appreciated because my whole damn life hurts this semester.  It has been grueling and so hard.  This - paired with Biology - is killer.  I am also in History, as well as still working at SCM and tutoring math for GSCC.

If I can just survive tomorrow (Biology AND Trig test, all in one day), I will be ok.  😳

I just need to say that my Trig homework is getting so complicated...

I just need to say that my Trig homework is getting so complicated that I really deserve some cake or something for doing it.  Like, legit, someone bring me dessert.

I was almost frustrated to tears on Monday because my teacher just wasn't explaining things clearly and I had no clue what was going on when I left class.

But right now - just now - I found the tangent of the sine inverse of 3/5.  My book helped me figure it out and I did it and I want a reward.  The answer is 3/4 if anyone cares.

If this is how Trig goes, I'mma gain 300 pounds when I get to Calculus in the Fall.  Just giving y'all a heads-up for when you see me rolling around like a ball everywhere I go.  Don't be alarmed.  Oh my gosh.  😳

They both have pig noses on them?

They both have pig noses on them?  The pigs do?  You don't say.  😂😂😂

Laurel, Emily, Janet - this would be a perfect day.  😃

Today didn't start out well.

Today didn't start out well.  But I feel ok at the moment so I'm about to hit the books.

I usually have no trouble sleeping, but for the last few days - I can't.  I'm exhausted, but I can't.  Around 3 this morning - after hours of waiting in my bed, drowsily and miserably - to fall sleep, I took some Sleepy Ibuprofen out of desperation.  Just one.  And then I slept until around noon.  Needless to say I didn't get a lot of hours at work which sucks, but I had to get home so I can study.

If it seems like I'm gonna have that kind of trouble again I will take some Sleepy Ibuprofen much earlier in the night because it helped.  It helped me sleep and it helped my bones.  I think I'm having problems sleeping due to stress, but it really messes me up to not sleep so that's a vicious awful cycle that needs to end - like now.  I guess I'm thankful that I have a solution even though I hate relying on meds like that.

Anyway.  Off to study while my brain is awake.  I hope y'all are having more fun than I am on this Friday night.  ❤

Woke up. Cleaned litter boxes. Ate (not from the litter boxes, you weirdos). Got a headache.

Woke up.  Cleaned litter boxes.  Ate (not from the litter boxes, you weirdos).  Got a headache.

Did no studying this evening whatsoever.  🙁  And now I am tired and my brain doesn't feel happy so I'm going to bed again.

This is the typical struggle of a weekday evening for me.  By the time I go to class, then go to work, then get off work and get home, and take care of anything I need to around here, I'm really too exhausted to think about homework or studying.  Some days I can make it work, but some I just can't.  Even though I need the hours I'm probably working a short day tomorrow.  I have to keep my priorities in order.  School is #1.

I know I still have time to think about it, but I have no idea what I will do when I transfer to JSU.  If I get the scholarship it's wasteful to not go full time because it pays for two spring and two fall semesters, but I really don't think I can work and go full time and maintain my grades.  I am told that I can still get my Pell Grant which would help ease the financial burden, but it's not enough to carry me all year.  I have some big decisions that I need to start thinking seriously about at some point this year.  Suggestions are welcome.

If it helps I have to work 20 hours a week to be eligible for food stamps so that's what I'm doing now, but it still feels like too much.  I wonder if TANF is an option.  I know this stupid state doesn't like it when you aim too high so the fact that I would be working towards a Bachelor's degree at that point might disqualify me, but the degree I'm working on now is basically a transfer degree so it's not like I can run out and get a fancy, high-paying job with it... I just don't know.

Anyway.  Goodnight.  Again.

Nobody told me...

Nobody told me the dandelions disappear at night. 🙁

OMG, look who's awake, too!

OMG, look who's awake, too! My little Tort Sexy. My night is ok now. We're gonna go get a dandelion to eat. 🙂

Now I'm awake-ish and thirsty.

Now I'm awake-ish and thirsty. I guess I took a nap, but I thought I would sleep more. Blegh. I need tissue so I have to get up. Just found another Shaun chocolate. It's raining?

I didn't sleep worth a crap last night and I tried.

Ok.  I didn't sleep worth a crap last night and I tried.  Blegh.  I wanted to study, but I'm tired and my brain just isn't.  It can't.

I am honestly about to get in my bed.  Maybe I'll wake up in the middle of the night and clean litter boxes and study.  Who knows, but nothing is about to happen right now.  😕

I can think of a few people...

I can think of a few people who would wear the crap out of this collection.  Personally, I'm drooling over the top left plate and the middle one, OMG.    Also digging the semicolon.  I wish I had money that I didn't need for other things right now.  🙁  One day...

Well, I have a Trig study guide mostly made for myself and I even checked my social media.  Now I'm calling it a night.  I'll get my 8 hours in and hopefully be fresh and ready for Thursday when I wake up.  I would say "Woo, the end of the week is near!" but that would just mean I'm closer to test day.  I don't mind taking it slow this week.

'Night, friends!  ❤

Okay, I did Biology for hours...

Okay, I did Biology for hours then started on Trig. Then Shaun brought dinner over so I took a break and ate with the guys and watched an episode of TV. And I also did this. I wanted to test out a new plate that I got in the mail. 

This legit took about 5 minutes to do. The plate works well even though I used a crappy polish that wasn't meant for stamping. The plate was also super cheap - it came from Ali Express and took forever to get here, but it was worth the wait. I really wanted some swirly floral-ish images and this hits the spot. 😃 I bet this will look stunning with some color. Maybe even over nude nails again. Or not. Who knows?  😂 

Anyway. I'm off to get to a comfortable place in Trig then I'm calling it night. If I'm not exhausted I'll check my notifications before bed. It drives me crazy to leave things unanswered. 

Later, friends. ❤

I have 30-something unseen notifications...

I have 30-something unseen notifications and while I love y'all - I cannot check them right now.  🙁  I will probably not be around much until after Monday if I know what's good for me.  As we all know, social media is a huge time-suck and I have not only a Trig test on Monday, but another Biology test, as well.  I feel slightly overwhelmed at the moment, but the best way to get rid of that feeling is to accomplish something.

So on that note, I'm off.  If you need me - LEGIT need me - for something send a message.  But I absolutely cannot let myself get sucked into conversations on posts, or, worse yet, mindlessly scrolling through here "just because."  I've really got to get my ass in gear and keep it that way or I'm going to disappoint myself - and that's the worst.

I love you and I miss you.  Everyone have a good rest of the week and WISH ME SOME LUCK AND BRAINPOWER!  ❤

Busy busy day today.

Busy busy day today.  Just wow.  I'm exhausted, but I'm about to have to get ready for class!

I took Storm to have his ears checked.  I tried to swab them myself, but he was NOT having it.  😂  The vet had to muzzle him and someone had to hold onto him and he growled the whole time.  Bad boy!  😂😂😂  He was otherwise super sweet and good, though.  He politely greeted everyone who entered the vet's office and was well-behaved.  He still has a little bit of yeast in his ears, but we have meds and we'll get him worked out tomorrow.  Shaun is still at work today and I'm about to leave... and there is no way for me to flush and medicate that boy's ears by myself.

Other than that I did talk to my biology teacher briefly today.  She said that she thinks I'll make a B in her class, if not an A.  😳  I was shocked, but we do have some points left to get and so I'm going to give it my all.  I've got a high B in Trig and an A in History so I'm otherwise doing ok.  Phew!

I also saw my adviser today and I really had no idea, but it's entirely possible that I'll be ready to graduate at the end of this year.  😳  Whattt?!  We have summer planned and a good idea of what I need to take in the fall.  If GSCC offers Calculus II in the Spring next year then I'll stay there for that and my last elective.  And if they don't - well, I'll throw my last elective onto fall and call it done.  Since I haven't taken many computer classes yet, I'll graduate with an Associates of Science with a concentration in Mathematics.  Geez, that sounds fancy!  😲😂

Anyway, one last thing before I go:  Dad was supposed to be getting his mobile home moved today.  I haven't talked to him yet, but I'll text him soon.  I hope he did and that it went smoothly.  Maybe I'll get to see him this weekend in his new place.  Super thank you to everyone who has helped us during all of this.  It's really the worst and I wouldn't wish it on anyone.  ❤

Another late-night Sunday post...

Another late-night Sunday post that probably no one is going to see, but it's ok.  I'm doing it anyway.  😃

I don't know if anyone has noticed, but this weekend I got some stuff done.  I did homework, studied, made nail decals and actually put them on my nails... I even finished a necklace for Emily and started a new one for a friend of Shadow.  Did a load of dishes and cleaned the kitchen, got together the recycling with the help of the kid, and even put away my laundry.

That might sound like just normal life stuff that most people do all the time, but for me it felt amazing.  I hadn't realized how little I was able to accomplish before until I was able to do things again.   I can't say with 100% certainty that it was due to my arthritis meds, but I really believe that's what it was.  In its list of known side effects were fatigue and brain fog - not to mention nausea and migraines... the last two on the list being the reason I quit taking it a few weeks ago.

On the bright side I feel more energetic and able to think, but the downside is that my skin is starting to break out and the joint ache is settling back in.  It's not terrible yet, but if it gets as bad as it did when I decided that I needed to see a doctor I'll need assistance getting up stairs, at the very least.  School has elevators, and at work I have Shaun, so I guess I'm covered.  But it really sucks living with pain like that.  It wears you down.  😕

Since I am uninsured this year probably the only medication available to me will be the one I just quit, both because it has a low risk of major side effects and because it's the least expensive.  Thankfully, I have some left if I need to go back on it and I honestly imagine that is how I'll get through this year - on and off methotrexate.  That is not my favorite way to do things, but I don't have a lot of choices right now.

Anyway.  Just my thoughts on things right now.  If any of you have any OTC ways that you deal with arthritis pain, let me know.  Mine is caused by inflammation (my body attacking my skin and joints), so NSAIDs are my go-to.  I don't feel great about taking an ass-ton of Ibuprofen, but I've been told that I could take up to 800mg at a time if need be.  Maybe I will start there and see how it goes.

Well, ❤ to all my friends and goodnight.  Tomorrow is a busy day.

Just a test decal I started.

Just a test decal I started. I saw the idea of a butterfly over lace on a YouTube video. The person was using a different method, but I think I can make it work in decal form. All of the previous decals I made only required stamping once, but doing it this way will require stamping twice.

Biggest mistake? Not using holo pink and purple on the butterfly because holo makes everything better. 😃 The polishes I used on the butterfly were actually too sheer, but that's the purpose of a test. I'll know better when I actually start making these for real. I think it will look nice over a nude pink.

You can see a glimpse of my new mat and ever-messy work space. Also, check out the rainbows on my thumb, even in indoor lighting. Woo! 😃

I've been working on Trig homework today.

I've been working on Trig homework today.  At first I was like "OH NO!!!," but now I'm like, "I'm ok.  It's ok.  I think I get it."

We are graphing Trig functions.  SOMEHOW, I went from hating graphs to loving graphs in Ms. Wheelers class over the past two semesters.  I am so grateful for that.  And now the graphs are getting more interesting!  Curvy lines, woohoo!  😃

I feel like I started off really shaky in Trig, but the longer I go the better I feel about it.  I'm sure that my teacher is saying things, but a lot of it I don't feel like I get AT ALL until I get in there and start doing it.  That's a very scary way to get through a class, but I'm making it.

I went over my newest set of Biology notes yesterday and I plan to do it again before the weekend is up, too.  Now that things are levelizing in my life back to some sort of normal I need to super focus and get back on top of things.  No more failed Biology tests and no more B grades in a math class.  😉

Ok, so this is definitely not my most fabulous photo.

Ok, so this is definitely not my most fabulous photo.  I know that you aren't really supposed to take pics in full sunlight - BUT THE RAINBOWS.  😳

I am not even about to admit how late I stayed up doing my nails, but I was having a lot of fun.  I finally ended up getting the nail art mat I wanted, so I was dying to play with it.  The holo swirls are actually more stamping decals, but instead of being made on a stamper they were made WITH a stamper, ON the mat.  Which for me - since I don't have quite a thousandy stampers yet - meant that I could make enough decals for all of my fingers at one time.  And I did.

So why only 3 on this hand?  Well, the time was getting ridiculous and since it was my first go at making them, not all of them turned out perfect and that's just not gonna cut it.  LOL  On my best days I have perfectionist, OCD, tendencies, but in times of stress it gets worse.  MUCH worse.  I have a ton of homework this weekend, so I couldn't be using some ugly, janky decals on my right hand.  LOL

So my left hand is fully adorned in decals, but mostly because I was making sure I I was doing a great job at getting them put down without messing them up.  These were a little thicker because you had to start with two coats of clear, unlike the ones made on the stamper where you start with the stamp only.  I used some of the less-great ones on that hand (because it's the test hand!  LOL), but it's ok.  Lefty is allowed to be janky, for some reason.  I can't explain it.

Anyway.  I used 8 different holo polishes to fill in the swirls and I love how in the sunlight the holo-ness sometimes makes them blend, like you can't tell where one color starts and the next stops.  Might be a thing that only happens in person, but dang - I'm really happy with these.

So the stars?  Yeah, I can't even fathom the idea of having all matching nails. I can't.  I just can't.  I mean, with all of the choices of things you can do it almost seems wrong to make them all the same.

Finally got around to putting on my other stamping decal.

Finally got around to putting on my other stamping decal.  This isn't the one you saw before - it's actually rather crooked on the ring finger of my left hand.  😛  I put it on my left hand because I had to clear it to soften it back up since it had been sitting for so many days.  That actually worked for this, even though it didn't for the glitter decal.  Maybe that's the difference.  Anyway.  Since I cleared it rather than top-coated it (topcoat makes it tougher), I accidentally smudged the kitten, so I banished it to my left hand, which often looks like crap and weirdness in comparison to the right.  LOL

Anyway.  Crap-tastic, rainy, cloudy day - not great for wearing a beautiful holo polish that makes rainbows in the sunlight, but I didn't check the weather before doing my nails the other day. Oh well.  It's still pretty and though I normally hate wearing white polish, this was ok.  It's probably coming off soon, though.  LOL  There is only so much I can take.

I am super embarrassed to admit this...

I am super embarrassed to admit this, but I failed my Biology test.  She posted grades on Monday, but I thought "That can't be right."  She handed out the test today and it had a big old 58 right on there.  We didn't get the test  - only our answers so I still feel like I can't believe it.

I actually felt ok about that test and I hadn't planned to beat myself up if I'd made a C given how the past 2 - 3 weeks of my life have gone.  But an F?  Seriously?  I'm having so many emotions.  Fury is one of them.  I can't even fathom how or why that happened.  Like - I literally can't wrap my brain around it.  I feel like I need to see the test and my answers at the same time.  I emailed her to ask if we could meet.  I just need to see this beyond a shadow of a doubt for myself.

Everyone else is like "That's not bad for her class."  Um, I don't give a shit if it's hard.  That is like, literally unbelievably bad for me.  😳