Wow. I just noticed that I haven’t blogged on my precious site for like eight months. I am super embarrassed by that! I love my blog. It’s like my baby. Like my baby that I stuck in a closet for eight months while dealing with other babies. Maybe this is part of the reason I am not a mother…
So, just so you don’t think I got all locked up in a tower somewhere, here is a long-ass snapshot on what has been happening in my little corner of the world. You might want to get a snack. This could get rambly and there will probably be links to other things involved. In fact, there definitely will!
Health
Back in October, I was working on trying to get my health under control. That is still going on. I have unfortunately had more set backs than successes. I have been in the hospital at least once a month (sometimes 2-3 times) since then, and that whole process is fucking exhausting. It is also not that fun to write about, and tends to get me a lot of, “Awwww…” responses, so I tend to just skip telling people about any of it. Having an invisible illness sucks major donkey balls. You don’t look sick, so people don’t take it seriously. And then there are those few people who are acutely aware of how awful things are for me, and they have been traumatized for life. All texts and phone calls begin with, “Are you home, or are you in the hospital?” I do apologize to all of those that I have scarred for life. I love you all for even still talking to me. What the fuck is my problem? Here’s the short list:
- Gastroparesis – this is a deadening of the vagus nerve in the stomach, which keeps the stomach from moving food through properly. Occasionally, it will shut down completely and the food only has one way out – Up. Gross, I know. Awesome news is there isn’t a cure. Just managing.
- Diabetus – Yes, that is a direct nod to Wilford Brimley and his adorable diabeetus commercials. I was predisposed to it from practically every branch in my family tree, so it was inevitable that it would bite me in the ass. PCOS made sure that I got it nice and young, just so I could feel like crap. Thanks, ovaries!!
- PCOS – If you aren’t familiar with this little gem, you are a lucky lady. Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome is a disorder that affects a lot more women than you realize. It causes Insulin Resistance (which causes weight gain, weirdo cycles, and the increased risk for Type 2 Diabetes), infertility, facial hair growth (that sexy lady-billygoat look), and a myriad of other things that make you want to strangle a puppy once a month. It’s also the number one reason that at 38 years old, I still don’t have kids. So stop asking me when I’m going to have a baaaaaby! Maybe never. And it makes me want to punch you.
- Depression & massive anxiety – This is a biggie. This is a huge reason why I stay at home most of the time, or will make plans, only to cancel them later. Don’t ask me WHY I am depressed. Or anxious. I don’t know. And even if I DID know, that doesn’t mean I could “deal with it” or “just not think about it.” It’s about brain chemistry, folks. It is not a weakness or inability to get your shit together, any more than having Diabetes or Cancer or anything else that is beyond your immediate control. You can manage it (some days better than others), but you won’t cure it. I have two degrees in Psychology. I know what to do. But doing it is something that is beyond my sphere of control.
The health thing will ALWAYS be an ongoing issue, but I am working to better manage my day-to-day symptoms to have a somewhat normal life. I have been taking some new supplements that my sister told me about for the past 30 days and have seen some really cool improvements. I will blog on that separately. I’m all about helping others who have been/are in my shoes. I’m not a douchebag salesperson. I will tell you what I did and then you can make up your own mind.
Work
(This picture has nothing to do with anything, but I love it anyway, so suck it!)
From December through April, I was working an awesome contract job as a copy editor for an online university. It was the perfect job for me because I got to work from home and pretty much set my own hours. I am hoping there will be more of this type of work in the future. Also around this time, I started working with two of my best friends to set up a new awesome company that will match companies with speakers and trainers for their events. I have been working on getting that website up and running (and I am SO not a web designer), along with getting all of the inner workings up and going. I LOVE aligning myself with other talent people to make awesome things happen. How could you not love that? We have all also totally been burned by douchebags in the past, so we have a strict no-asshole policy within our company. That makes things nice.
I have also started working on my Divorce Book again. It has been sitting around for the past five years, so with some prompting from a friend, I finally broke it out and started doing initial edits. Now, it is time to start re-writing. I don’t know if anyone will ever buy/publish it, but it is funny as shit, so I am going to give it my best shot. I’m currently calling it the Funniest Book Never Written. I would like to change that Never part.
In addition to this, I have also been working my photography business. I adore photography and being able to help people capture those memories brings me a great amount of joy and pride. Mostly, I have been working with Seniors, families, babies, and headshots. But Have Camera, Will Travel! So you can always checkout my work HERE. I also post most recent shots on my Facebook page.
PODCASTING!!!
This has seriously been my favorite thing that I have been doing for the past eight or nine months. A friend of mine approached me two years ago with this – “Hey! I have an awesome idea for us that will take a lot of time, hard work, and will make us absolutely NO money! Are you in?” Fuck yeah, I’m in! Those are all things I excel at! Her idea was to start podcasting. I have never really been much into listening to podcasts, so she told me that in the Geek/Nerd genre, it was basically a sausage fest. Not many chicks were doing it, and if they were, it was like a podcast with wings – something you don’t really want to listen to, OR super specific to one area of geekdom. So, we set out to create something new—something WE would actually enjoy listening to. And thus the Nerdy Bitches Podcast was born! It is awesome, if I do say so myself. We have been recording and posting episodes for several months and now even have a Book Club segment. Go check it out! We are available on iTunes, Android whatever, and also through the website itself. Give me some comments if you have actually been listening. We are always looking for new topics and shit. You can also follow us on Twitter (@nerdybitchespod), Instagram (@nerdybitches), and Pinterest (@nerdybitches).
Home and shit
Back in January, we finally made the move from the other fucking side of the world from all of our family (or my family, anyway) to about three miles away. It has been so great to be back in my neck of the woods and closer to my sister and niece. Back in September, we adopted a new member of our furry family when we got Daphne. She and Lucy are just like sisters – they fight, they snuggle, and they bring us incredible joy. Lucy is the older of the two, the smaller of the two, and absolutely the Head Bitch in Charge of the two. I’m good with that.
Isn’t she precious?? She’s a pain in my ass, but I wouldn’t have her any other way.
We also received amazing news this spring that my sister is going to have another baby!! I am so freaking excited that I can’t even stand it! Maddy is finally going to get that baby sister she has been begging for! So, our new little pumpkin will be arriving just in time for Halloween!
A few weeks ago, we also got the news that my brother and his wife are ALSO expecting!! OMG this Auntie can hardly contain herself!! They are going to be surprised with the gender of their baby, so I will have to wait. Competitive aunting is my sport of choice, so I am already in full spoilage-planning mode for both bambinos! Their baby will be showing up just in time for New Years! Can’t wait!! (Now I also have to get my shit together and really work on this fertility business. I am the oldest sibling, after all.)
That is kind of where things stand today. I am trying to get more established into a routine with all of my different areas so that I can keep my mind busy and maybe enjoy my life a little more than I have been. I would love to hear from you if you are still out there in reader-land. I promise that I will try hard not to abandon you again! If I ever go too long without writing, please feel free to e-mail me a kick in the ass at elizabeth@selfsavingprincess.com!
I am also working with a super talented friend to start making some t-shirts for both Self Saving Princess and Nerdy Bitches, so be on the look out for potential merchandise coming in the future!
XO,
Liz