Apparently, when medication is right, you might not even feel it. I was legitimately afraid while psychiatrist was switching me to quetiapine, tossing black humour quips with my brother over the side effects list, that this is how I'll die -- after a long stoke-induced coma that'll happen when trying to reconcile in my chemically stunted brain evaporated libido with priapism... but it's been almost two months of them working like magic and leaving no side-effects beyond dull-ish short-lasting headaches at odd times. My manic episode was nonexistent, excess energy looking more like the (almost certainly misdiagnosed/misinterpreted) ADD I had since early teens if anything. Lower mood was hitting hard at first, but now it's just that instead of something where it made everything some raw-willpower effort aided by motivational tricks to get the brain and body going, often separately and on different gears. It's like I can stand beside my thoughts, qualify and analyze them enough so that therapy begins to help rather than cause more doubts. Many of you here deserve thanks, but I'm gonna single out goobster for filling in so many, most unstated or yet unknown, gaps so early on. 'Simply' knowing the direction of future questioning is good 70% of learning. And, hey, as a curative bonus, I stuck with Latin and Greek. Δίκα δὲ τοῖς μὲν παθοῦσιν μαθεῖν ἐπιρρέπει became somewhat of a mantra, because if you allow some customary wiggle room in translating poetry: "[justly,] to learn your lesson, you must suffer first." Thank you, to all who reached out. I had some more things and thoughts to add about the last drive to Ukraine, but it's not even clear to me where to start on that one.
Aw! Thank you, and I am so glad you are feeling more balanced now! The important thing to remember is that you are in balance because the meds are working; not because you are better. So many people (in America, at least) think, 'Hey! The meds worked! I am happy again. Now I can stop taking them....' and then spin back into the darkness. As my wife says, "it's OK to use over-the-counter supplements when your brain doesn't make the right chemicals in the right quantities." Also, I'm here for any more Ukrainian road trip diaries you want to post ... they fascinate me!
Range heater element patch held up through a few breakfasts until a hot spot burned through. Replacement burner expected today. DIY success: fashioning a replacement air return vent cover. Ugly replacements seemed expensive, presentable ones were over $100. Key search term was “decorative metal sheet.” https://designertrapped.com/diy-vent-cover-its-pretty-and-easy/
In good news: Have a wedding coming up which should be fun Going to a music festival for the first time ever! Really looking forwards to this still somehow If you havent yet seen Everything Everywhere All At Once you must its so soo good. Best movie I've ever seen in a theatre, easily. It's still in theatres till tomorrow so hurry!!!!
Not much to contribute this week, so here's a poem. The Ice Cream Man, written by Michael Longley. You would rhyme off the flavours. That was before They murdered the ice-cream man on the Lisburn Road And you bought carnations to lay outside his shop. I named for you all the wild flowers of the Burren I had seen in one day: thyme, valerian, loosestrife, Meadowsweet, tway blade, crowfoot, ling, angelica, Herb robert, marjoram, cow parsley, sundew, vetch, Mountain avens, wood sage, ragged robin, stitchwort, Yarrow, lady’s bedstraw, bindweed, bog pimpernel.Rum and raisin, vanilla, butter-scotch, walnut, peach: