Friday, May 31, 2019
Thursday, May 30, 2019
I ordered some plants.
I ordered some plants. You can tell which ones they are because they are GIANT. I wasn't expecting that. 😂 They are taking up so much room, but they sure are beautiful.
Also pictured is a teeny tiny baby. She's pretty, as well. 😍
Right now we believe...
Right now we believe that Booka Bear has a UTI. He's on antibiotics. I hope my little man feels better soon!
Booka Bear is peeing blood...
Booka Bear is peeing blood and having a hard time emptying his bladder. Missing class today because my boy is going to the vet. I hope he's ok. 😭
Wednesday, May 29, 2019
Tuesday, May 28, 2019
I don't know if it's the Lexapro...
I don't know if it's the Lexapro (I've been on it for ~6 weeks) or that I realized how close I am to finishing school, but I'm feeling pretty good lately. Mentally / emotionally, anyway. My body hurts right now, but that'll work itself out I think. 🙂
I just woke up out of a nice sleep...
I just woke up out of a nice sleep to something crawling on my arm. It was a TICK! My bed is 6 feet off the ground. Seriously?! 😳
Monday, May 27, 2019
Sunday, May 26, 2019
School thoughts:
School thoughts:
Yesterday I finished a 200-math-problem semester-long online homework assignment. It had been hanging over my head and I was afraid of how much time it would take up, so I just sat down for some days in a row and did nothing but that. I know I could have done the same over the course of the semester with like 15 minutes a day or something, but it's hugely satisfying (and a big weight off my shoulders) to just be able to cross it off my list completely.
The Combinatorics quiz on Thursday ended up being take-home. So I need to complete that today as well as study for my exam in that class that's on Tuesday.
In Ethics I've done all of my quizzes and 4/10 of my journal articles. I still have the 3 case studies to do, the final exam, and the paper and presentation. I'm going to try to do 3 more journal articles today and 3 more tomorrow. Then I will do the final exam and start on the case studies. I'm saving the paper and presentation for last.
There is so much to do and keep up with in this short little semester (I only have 3 weeks of it left, btw), but I think I'm managing ok. I definitely felt overwhelmed when it first started, but it got a little better. 🙂
Also, I had a thought yesterday - it made me pretty excited. Next semester is my last full-time semester. The one after that (which is my last) will be part time. That made me SUPER HAPPY. I'm tired, y'all, but I can see the light at the end of the tunnel!
I had to bring in two tables to make space...
I had to bring in two tables to make space for the two large cacti I inherited from Shaun's family. This is my bedroom right now and I ain't even mad. 🤷🏻♂️😍
Saturday, May 25, 2019
Me.
Me. I was just telling Shaun the other day that I missed the sound of my roaches swarming their food when I fed them at night. I would fall asleep listening to them. 🧡
Friday, May 24, 2019
With two elderly dogs...
With two elderly dogs on steroids and one cat who has autoimmune paw pad problems (which makes him avoid using a box if he can) puppy pads are a necessity here. This is Bastian kitty's attempt to cover his pad use - he scraped up the pad to "bury" it and threw a roll of paper towels down to help. I appreciate the attempt at cleaning. A+ for effort. 100% good boy. It's so innocent. I love them all so much. ❤
Thursday, May 23, 2019
Nature has been interesting today.
Nature has been interesting today. Not pictured: There was a dead vole on my porch this morning. Shaun thinks an outside cat left it for us.
First picture, a little lizard was dashing around while I walked the dogs. Can you see him?
Second photo, this beautiful millipede was out and about. He's amazing. He reminded me of my African Giant Black millipedes from back in the day. 😍
I need motivation.
I need motivation. I napped when I got home from class. Woke up for dinner. Have done nothing. Quiz tomorrow. All I want to do is sleep. Why am I like this? 🙁
Wednesday, May 22, 2019
Getting ready for...
Tuesday, May 21, 2019
I made a 7/10 on my Combinatorics quiz.
I made a 7/10 on my Combinatorics quiz. Better than I thought. I guess I need to learn how to count! 😂😂😂
Oh my gosh! She's already open!
Oh my gosh! She's already open! Here are some of my blooms from today. 😍
Monday, May 20, 2019
Sunday, May 19, 2019
More plant pics!
More plant pics!
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| Piggy tail blooms! 😍😄 |
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| This one has opened a little more today. |
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| I love the pretty pink on this little gnarly beauty. |
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| Dunce Cap making babies. 😍 |
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| Something is happening on my purple-spine girl. Exciting! |
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| Yellow bloom is opening! 😍 |
An example problem from my book:
An example problem from my book:
A manufacturing plant produces ovens. At the last stage, an inspector marks the ovens A (acceptable) or U (unacceptable). How many different sequences of 15 letters A and U are possible in which the third U appears as the twelfth letter in the sequence?
Y'all like that? 😂😂😂
Saturday, May 18, 2019
I just can't not be overwhelmed.
I just can't not be overwhelmed. I'm taking 2 classes (had to because otherwise Pell Grant wouldn't pay).
Combinatorics is hard and there is A LOT of homework - about 20 problems for each section and we go through about a section per day. That's not counting the 25 topics we have to work through on Alcumus (online homework).
THEN in my Ethics class there's a ton to do. I did 5 quizzes today. There's a final exam, 3 case studies, 10 journal articles, a 4-page report, and a PowerPoint to do.
Both classes started last week and end in 3 weeks. THREE. I'm taking a quick break and then getting back to it. If I kind of disappear for the next few weeks - this is why. Wish me luck. And motivation.
Friday, May 17, 2019
Everyone is crying.
Everyone is crying. Thank you for emotional dampening, Lexapro. I'm good. ✌🏻
https://www.facebook.com/events/2069951913028106
I just peed...
I just peed in a bathroom with men and nothing bad happened.
Unrelated, my husbang purrs when it's loud.
Look at my plants. 😍
Look at my plants. 😍
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| Bunch of pretty weirdos. 😍 |
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| My rat tail is sprouting a teensy new tail. It's pink! |
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| Buds! |
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| My Echeveria Minima is sharing the love (yellow blooms) with the whole table. |
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| Large blooms. There were 4, but animals happened. 🙁 Still beautiful, though! |
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| I love the delicate plant in the middle. She's so beautiful to me! |
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| My Sunset Aloe blushing red. |
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| The pretty pink / red flowers are death blooms of one of my cobwebby sempervivums. So sad that she's dying, but she goes out with a bang! |
Thursday, May 16, 2019
I had a thought as I was laying an egg last night...
I had a thought as I was laying an egg last night...
I have a ParaGard (copper IUD). Dr. Daniels refused to place it for me and Medicaid wouldn't pay for one. No. This was a gift from Obama during that brief time I was deemed worthy of having health insurance while poor. I also had to find a doctor who would insert it. Big shock here: The only doctor I could find who would do it was a female gynecologist named Dr. Tessen. She believed I knew what I wanted and what was best for me and gave me the ParaGard I had sought for so many years. When she told me she would do it I cried in her office. I may have even hugged her.
Dr. Daniels wouldn't let me have it because he believed it kept you from being pregnant by abortion. He refused me a form of birth control based on his religious beliefs - which is no shock here in Alabama.
But so like, should I turn myself in for all of the babies I've possibly unknowingly "aborted" over the last 4 years? In all that time, surely there's been at least one. Should all women with a ParaGard get jail time?
(I know that's not how ParaGard works. I'm just commenting on the current "women are just incubators" situation.)
Wednesday, May 15, 2019
Oh my GOSH.
Oh my GOSH. I spent a total of 7 hours today watering / insecticiding my plants. I worked for 3 hours, went to class, and then came home and worked for 4 more hours. 😳 My back is letting me know that my bedroom floor just won't suffice as a potting table. I was up and down over and over the whole time I was working. But at least that's done.
I hate to admit that I'm disappointed I didn't see any mealybugs while I was working. I groomed all of the plants when I medicated them. I didn't inspect them closely, but I was keeping my eyes open. It makes me wonder if all that work was for nothing... 😕
Tuesday, May 14, 2019
I survived my first Combinatorics class.
I survived my first Combinatorics class. It reminds me a lot of Probability & Statistics so far. Gotta go do homework now. 😂
I was having anxiety...
I was having anxiety about going to class and thought I'd make myself feel better. FAIL.
Today is the last first day of summer classes for me.
Today is the last first day of summer classes for me. I'll be done with college by this time next year! 😁
Monday, May 13, 2019
Rose being a goof earlier today.
Rose being a goof earlier today. Every time we try to play with her she's ready for a nap. I think she and Cubba keep each other worn out. 😂 Plus, all that growing must be tiring. 🙂
The Cactus Massacre of 2019 is finally over.
The Cactus Massacre of 2019 is finally over. I spent ALL DAY trying to liberate this poor plant from an unfathomably small metal pot. While I loved her shape when I first brought her home, I quickly realized it was due to a desperate attempt to grow despite her constriction.
In the first photo at the top left corner (that pile of brown) is what I cut off, and it was all of the roots the whole plant had. 😳 They were straggly roots that had been planted in MUD, and I would guess that 97% of the plant wasn't even attached to them. I honestly don't know how it was living.
In the pan in the photo are the tiny pieces I'm not going to plant. They will be gifted to people who love baby succulents this week. The green pieces lying near the rocks are what I cut off the brown. I'm going to let them dry, stick them in rooting hormone, and then plant them. Their bases were so twisted and crazy that I was having a hard time trying to pot them. I definitely don't want the plant to start rotting, so making a weird cactus stack and then covering it with dirt seemed like a bad idea.
The 17 pots near my pink closet doors are what I managed to pot without trimming. They weren't attached to anything and have no roots. They are blowing my mind, but hopefully they'll continue to live. I may need to trim them so they can be straight instead of leaning, but that's a task for another day. I would like to get a rectangular pot and put them all nicely in it, but I have a feeling that will have to wait until next month when I'm out of school again.
The second photo is the metal pot inside the basket on a pie pan that was her home. I'm still in shock that she is alive. Plants are amazing.
Sadly I knocked off all of the blooms and peppers from this plant, but maybe she'll be happy and make some more soon. 🙂
Sunday, May 12, 2019
Today didn't go as planned.
Today didn't go as planned. Maybe my plants get watered and debugged tomorrow. Shaun went to his mom's grave and then we visited his dad. Shaun's dad gave me these plants. They used to be his mom's. One is a Christmas Cactus and I'm not sure about the other. But they are huge and healthy, and I will take good care of them.
About to water my plants.
About to water my plants. They're also getting a pesticide because I've seen some mealybugs. I'm off for a few hours. 😳
Saturday, May 11, 2019
Shaun's baby Bastian...
Shaun's baby Bastian fell asleep while giving me kitty kisses. I moved my hand and he stayed put. 😂😂😂🤣🤣🤣
I've had a busy weekend, but it was so much fun.
I've had a busy weekend, but it was so much fun. Me and Kira stayed the night with Emily on Thursday. Kira met Eva and the rest of the family - including all of the geckos, puppers Ramona and Tilly, and kitty Mushi. We both got to meet and hold Ashley's 10 week old baby Nick and he was so precious. He reminded me so much of Shadow when he was that age. Emily's sister Lindsay looked like a beautiful fairy princess in her wedding gown. The whole everything was beautiful and it was hard for me not to cry. Laurel came and did makeup and didn't stay long enough 😛, but it was good to see her face.
Today I saw my friend Deb. I also met her friend Carol. I did their nails and we chatted for hours and it was so nice. I needed that. I wish I had more time to see friends but school just drains my life force. But hopefully it won't be that long between visits again. I really hope that I brightened up Deb's birthday. I definitely brightened up her nails. 😁
I'm about to shower and paint my nails. Woo! Tomorrow I'm staying home and watering my plants. I start back to school on Tuesday so I need to be getting ready for that. Summer classes only last about a month, but they are 4 days per week and long hours. That's ok, though - it's my last summer in school! I can do this! 😁
I have looked into this before...
I have looked into this before (like 5 years ago when I started college) and then kind of forgot the details - only keeping in my mind that I would be getting a "money job" upon graduation...
I just gave my heart a panic by doing the math again. If I make the average starting Computer Science salary next year when I graduate I'll be making in one week what it took me a month to make before. HO.LY.COW. We are going to be ok. One more year and we will be ok. Twelve months and the pressure will ease up.
Y'all, I feel freaking RENEWED right now.
I really hope nothing happens to me before I get my family straight.
(Is anyone else amused by how fast I flipped from "I'm cool" to "I hope I don't die."? Ah, anxiety.)
Thursday, May 9, 2019
This is Kira's boy, Cubba, and...
This is Kira's boy, Cubba, and Cubba's puppy, Rose. While I'm not a fan of having outdoor-only dogs, Cubba was too much for the kids to handle. He grew up big and strong and with a play drive that wore all of us out, which ended up with him being destructive when left to his own devices. After trying for the better part of a year with no success to find him a new home or a rescue to take him in (he's black with a sort of blocky head, but all I see is a handsome and smart boy) I decided to move him in with me and Shaun. Unfortunately, my two remaining dogs are ancient and cannot handle having Cubba in the house.
We have a nice fenced area for him, but I knew he wouldn't stay in the fence alone. I came across a puppy in need of a home (she was found dumped somewhere) and got her for Cubba. She is only 6 weeks old, but it's going ok. On the first meeting she was pretty sickly with worms and screamed bloody murder when Cubba approached her, but by the 3rd play date she'd seen the vet and was feeling much better. She's beginning to play bow to him and isn't scared to run up and bite him in the face. 😂😂😂 Thankfully, he seems thrilled!
I've definitely gotta get them more toys and will need to revamp their shelter before it gets cold, but for now they have a dog house and cots under a tent in an already shady area so they'll be ok for the warmer / hotter months. They are on flea / tick / heartworm medicine so they are safe in that regard. There is a bench for us to sit on and spend time with them and I will make sure to do that. The kids have promised to visit them, as well.
I know this is far from ideal, but it's honestly the best I can do right now. If everyone can hang in there until I graduate and get a money job next year things will ease up for all of us. Just 12 more months!
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| This is a screencap of a video of Rose. She is just so pretty! |
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| Cubba getting loved up by me. |
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| Rose tuckered out from playing. She's napping under the bench. |
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| Happy Cub. 😊 |
Wednesday, May 8, 2019
Tuesday, May 7, 2019
I pretty much never comment on gender reveal posts...
I pretty much never comment on gender reveal posts because it feels pointless, but I 100% agree with all of what this says.
Copied from Jamie Lee's Facebook post in case the post becomes unavailable:
"When I cringe at "gender reveals" it's not because I'm not excited that you're going to be a parent.
When I pop in and type "You can't tell gender from an ultrasound!" It's not because I'm trying to rain on your parade.
When I say "They aren't girl or boy parts until your kid tells you they are!" It's not because I'm trying to call you out.
When I say "Stop teaching your kid that girls have a vulva and boys have a penis!" It's not to confuse you and make you roll your eyes.
When I say "You know your infant doesn't care about the color of literally anything around it, right?" It's not because I'm trying to crush your joy.
When I say "Everything is gender neutral!" It's not to be a pain your ass.
When I say "There's more than just boy or girl." It's not to point out that I'm more aware than you.
When I say "Boys can play with dolls & girls like getting messy too!" It's not necessarily because I think you don't know that on some level.
I say it because kids need better from us. I cringe when I hear things like:
"I'm raising my boy like a boy and my girl like a girl."
"I need a blue bumbo because I'm having a boy and this pink one won't work!"
"When my kid tells me they want to play something else or be something else, I'll let them. But until then, I'm doing it my way."
It scares me in a way you can't fathom. It gives me so much anxiety that I can't even put it into words.
If you are reactive instead of proactive, how is your kid supposed to know it's okay to go against the grain? How are they supposed to know they have options?
When you say "I was so happy to have a son!" Or "I always dreamed of having a daughter!" How will they feel comfortable telling you that you don't have one?
That's a lot of responsibility and pressure to put on a small kid. Too much.
I got lucky that I'd heard of trans kids before my daughter told me she was a girl. I knew not to tell her she was wrong. She knows herself better than I do. Both of em do.
But this isn't about my kids. It's not even wholly about binary trans kids. It's also about the 1 in 1,500 intersex kids. It's also about every kid who doesn't live up to their gender role expectations and feels more comfortable doing something else. It's hugely about non-binary trans kids who don't fit in either box and feel like they have to pick one, but are miserable with either choice.
It's about women who get bullied out of STEM fields and get their sexuality assumed because of things like their attire and hairstyle.
It's about men who are accused of being "whipped" when they're loving husbands and attentive fathers. Or of being "a pussy" when they show any emotion.
It starts with a "gender reveal" and ends in 58% of kids like mine attempting suicide before they're old enough to vote.
I don't sound like a broken record because it's fun and I want to be a Debbie Downer who ruins your excitement and joy. It's because I see at least one post every week from a parent who's in the ER with their kid who attempted to take their own life, or who is posting to say that no matter how hard they tried, the world was too much and they're burying their child.
It's because we are not just responsible for our own kids. We're responsible for the general climate that other people's kids grow up in too. If you teach your son that only girls paint their nails and a male classmate shows up with theirs painted, you really think that's not gonna confuse your kid? You really think they're not going to say something and potentially hurt another kid? I'm here to tell you that's not the case. If you tell your daughter that she can't cut her hair short because "that's for boys and lesbians." You don't think that's sending her a message that's gonna have a ripple effect? Get real.
We have to do better. We have to proactively teach them that whoever they are and whoever anyone else is, is okay. That whether they're a boy or girl is up to them, not their genitals. We have to stop saying BS like "Boys will be boys!" And "Little girls are made of sugar and spice and everything nice!" "You're a boy because you have a penis." "You're a girl because you have a vagina." It's not true. The evidence is out there. Kids get it. They don't need long explanations, they just need different ones than the ones they're getting.
We owe it to them to do better. No child should be afraid to be who they are. No child should feel like death is more appealing. No child should be making fun of another kid because they don't fit the mold. No kid should be afraid. The binary isn't real and people shouldn't be color coded."
Monday, May 6, 2019
Today has been busy.
Today has been busy. Me, my mom, and Dinorah worked on a fence to keep Kira's dog Cubba in. He is so bad! (Not really; he's a great dog but dislikes being confined and is smart enough to find a way out). He was going over the top of the fence but we made it taller, so then he chewed the wire at the bottom of the gate and got his head through. What's so funny is that if he gets out he just comes to the door - he doesn't run off or anything (unless there is a dog who wants to play). I got him a puppy because he REALLY loves to play, but she's not quite big enough to play with him yet. I'm hoping that having her will curb his need to bust out and seek a playmate. I have no idea, though - it could blow up in my face and we could have double the trouble, but I hope not.
In other super interesting Blu news I put a hard gel overlay on my nails this evening. I've never been a fan of gel polish for two reasons: 1) You have to apply it just so for it to stay put and 2) When school isn't zapping my life force I like to do my nails weekly at least so wearing gel polish that last 2-3 weeks didn't make sense to me. I'm still not into wearing gel polish, but this overlay is clear and is meant to keep my natural nails from breaking. I can grow a presentable set of claws on my own, but I always break the same 3 nails and it's so annoying. I'm hoping this will help. If the added strength isn't enough for the 3 nails I keep breaking I'll sprinkle acrylic powder on the gel next time. I read that "acrygel" nails are a thing you can do.
Even though today has been manual labor and nail stuff I'm not usually into it's been super nice doing / thinking about anything other than school. I've enjoyed it. 🙂
Friday, May 3, 2019
This sweet old man...
This sweet old man is the most popular dude in the house. The tortoise loves him, my sweet Midna who recently passed away loved him, and Harley loves him. He can't get any peace. It's late and he just wants to sleep, but he's been getting some pretty aggressive kitty loving for the last 10 minutes. 😂😂😂
(Don't worry, y'all, everyone is ok. Boo just barked and scared Harley away so he could sleep. I also apologize for the noise. We're watching the old 70's Dune. It's weird.)
Thursday, May 2, 2019
I finally figured out...
I finally figured out what to put in the adorable Groot planter that Emily surprised me with. These are a couple of baby spider plants that the piercing shop let me have when Kira wanted her nose pierced a few weeks ago. They don't look great because all I really know is succulents, but I'm going to try to keep them alive. I like how they look like lopsided pigtails because that is how I wear my hair (when I have any, that is. 😂)
Wednesday, May 1, 2019
Does anyone know of a way...
Does anyone know of a way to get financial help filling prescriptions? Kira aged off of Medicaid and one of her medications (Trulance - it took FOREVER to find one that will help her and this one actually does) is $264 out of pocket. There is no way we can afford that. I'm on the healtcaredotgov site now trying to find insurance options for her, but we've got to get something figured out and I will take all of the help I can get.
If we can hang in there until this time next year I will be graduating and getting a money job with benefits. Until then... we're just doing the best we can. Thanks in advance, friends. ❤
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