vivien | It's been awhile (Reply)

Mostly because I have been depressed, panicked, defiant, planning escape, ignoring the news, frozen in fear, crying, seizing joy, and so forth. I'm not getting into the current events because everything sucks. I'm trying to focus on right here, right now, and living without as much extra stress and fear as I can, but some days are harder than others.

But I've done things!

I earned my TEFL (teaching English as a foreign language) certification.
With that coursework, I renewed my elementary teaching license, since it had lapsed in 2011.
I kept my job somehow (our federal contract was okay).
I researched so much about visas for anywhere. Albania! It was good enough for Tom Riddle, could it be good enough for me? There's a beach and cities, and Americans automatically get a one year tourist visa.
Went on a spiritual birding weekend (Zen and the Art of Birding) in a beautiful place.
Started doing some mixed media collage.
Read a whole lot of books.
Watched a whole lot of media.
Bought a whole lot of physical media to have all for myself no matter what happens to streaming services (or my ability to pay for them).
Healed from a stupid injury to both my wrists/tendons.
Started a new medical program for pelvic floor therapy that seems to be helpful already.
Become a lot more active at church (the Unitarian kind, not the Jesus kind) - I may be teaching Sunday school in the fall. I really like focusing on my community.

So really, a lot of really good things in the midst of horrible things. God damn, I wish things weren't so horrible.