Month In Review(s) - February 2024

 

February for yours truly wasn't too bad.

...It wasn't great either, tbh. But it's still one of the better months I've had lately, so I'll take it!

Month In Review(s) - December 2023 + January 2024

 

And 2023 is OUT OF HERE!!!!

And thank whoever's listening for that.

Because, in case you weren't aware, my 2023 effing sucked.

Nerd Church - I Seem To Be Watching More True Crime...

Warning: This post references true crime and murder, and discusses mental health problems - especially Anxiety.

Disclaimer time: I am not any type of psychological, medical, or scientific expert. I'm a chick with a blog, nothing more, nothing less.

Wild-child that I am, of an evening I like to get myself a snack, and a glass of diet coke, and watch TV for a while.

Lately that's meant, more often than not, true crime.

Because there's nothing more calming than some grisly murder before bed.

Nerd Church - Putting Self-Care At The Top Of My To-Do List

I've had to remind myself so many times, over the years, that it's best to take things one step at a time.

...That I only have two hands.

...That I actually get more done when I relax.

And yet... it's still so hard to do.

Month(s) in Review(s) - October + November 2023

 

Yes, this post covers two months.

No, I have not done that before.

But I was already pretty busy/lacking in time in October, and then November...

Well, my criteria for a 'good month' in the hellstorm of 2023 is one where no-one I care about (human or animal,) dies, almost dies, or has a life-changing diagnosis.

Nerd Church - The Writer Diaries: The Words Need To Be Out There, Somewhere

Warning: brief references to Depression and Anxiety

A lot of the time, when I write, it's not so much a choice as an exorcism.

(Metaphorically, ofc 😅 )

Don't get me wrong - I love writing.

But sometimes it's the case that, if I don't do it, these words are gonna rattle around my head and drive me to distraction.

Not necessarily in a bad way. It's just... they gotta come out, y'know?

The 9 Year Blog Anniversary Post!

 

Yes, I've been at this, right here on Dora Reads -

(or it's previous name of 'Diary of a Reading Addict' aka DORA - and I do not miss typing the full thing out all the time 😅) 

- for a full NINE FREAKING YEARS!

Nerd Church - The World In A Spin

 

I recently took up spinning my own yarn from wool - because apparently I wasn't doing enough weird old-timey crafts for my brain's liking.

So, yeah, in addition to my previous heritage (i.e. ye olde timey,) crafts - knitting, weaving, embroidery, and cross-stitch - I now also spin wool fibre into yarn.

...Honestly sometimes my brain just, entirely out-of-the-blue, is like, 'we should learn how to abseil while painting stained glass windows!'* and I'm just like, 'yeah, sure, why not?'

(I do some non-heritage crafts too. Because I am like this, apparently. 😅)

*Don't panic, it hasn't actually suggested doing that. Yet.

Anyhow, it got me to thinking - we don't know enough about how stuff gets made, about where stuff comes from.

We in the modern world - especially in the West and the global North - have become so far removed from the means and methods of production that we can't even fathom it any more.

(Can you tell I was raised by South Wales Valleys (i.e. Socialist,) working-class hippies? Yeah? Great. 😅)

Month In Review(s) - September 2023

September.

(Yes, I know we're halfway through October - I have a lot of metaphorical plates spinning, and sometimes I drop one 😅 )

Iesu Effing Grist, September.

Well, it wasn't the worst month of this year - by a long shot. But it, uh... it crammed a whole lot of stuff in there.

...I am very, very, tired.

Nerd Church - My Spotify Playlist Is Calling Me Out

...Algorithms are rude, actually.

Month In Review(s) - August 2023

 

Warning: brief mentions of mental health problems

August.

...August actually wasn't that bad.

Which is freaking awesome as far as I'm concerned!

(In case you don't know: my 2023 has sucked.)

I mean, my mental health hasn't been brilliant - but so much better than in July - and I had a migraine which is really not fun.

But honestly given what this year has been like, and that my migraines are linked to changes in stress levels, it's really not surprising.

Month In Review(s) - July 2023

Warning: this post briefly discusses Depression

July. Ugh.

Well... let's look at the positives.

Once again, nobody in my life - either human or animal - died, almost died, or had a life-changing diagnosis.

Which is a low bar for a win, but that's the bar that I have - so it's a win.

Nerd Church - The Nebulousness Of Self-Care (Or 'What Do I Need?!')

Warning: Vague discussions of mental health issues

Disclaimer Time: I am not any sort of psychological, medical, or healthcare professional. I am a chick with an internet connection: nothing more, nothing less.

Does anyone else find it hard to figure out what sort of self-care they need?

Because it's not all bubble baths and scented candles 

- in fact I have to be careful with bubble baths in case my skin allergies freak out, and I don't like lighting candles anywhere near the cats because that's just an accident waiting to happen...

And apart from all that, the consumerist, one-size-fits-all, version of self-care does not, in fact, fit all.

Month In Review(s) - June 2023

June was too damned hot.

I hate the heat - I'm not built for it.

Ugh. It sucks.

Also, the mountain fires are apparently releasing heavy metals, like lead, from the vegetation, due to Wales' past status as lightly smouldering industrial wasteland.

It's potentially getting into the water supply. Fun times.

...On the plus side, maybe the English won't want our water now. (No, I'm not explaining that one - Google 'Wales water exports,' and once you've done that, Google 'Tryweryn'.)

Month In Review(s) - May 2023

May was hard. May was very hard.

But that's actually an improvement as far as 2023 goes, for me.

No-one in my life - including both pets and humans - died, nearly died, or had a life-changing diagnosis, so it's all good.

And, unlike last year, I did not catch Covid, so we're calling it a win.

(I need the win, OK? I'm so tired.)

Month In Review(s) - April 2023

Have I mentioned that 2023 hates me?

Because 2023 hates me.

I'm having the worst year. And that's saying something.

Nerd Church - Basic Levels of Niceness

(Warning: this blogpost discusses low self-worth and mental health problems. It also briefly discusses toxic/abusive friendships.)

"Oh My God! You remembered!" 

She's holding the chocolate orange, still partly covered by reindeer wrapping paper, like it's the most beautiful thing she's ever seen.

"Yeah?" - of course I did, she and our friend spent a good half an hour a month or so back discussing how sad it was that no-one ever gets them chocolate oranges, how much they love chocolate oranges, and that they hadn't had chocolate oranges in forever. 

So, when I was buying their Christmas presents, I bought a couple of chocolate oranges. No brainer; no biggy.

"You're so sweet!"

...Am I?

Nerd Church - It's Bannau Brycheiniog, Deal With It

In the spirit of friendship with our English neighbours, before we start I would like to wish you all a Happy St. George's Day! (Which is today - 23rd April)

You wouldn't think that a Welsh location having a Welsh place name would be controversial, but here we are...

Wales is full of mountains.

Like, there's so many mountains that most of the time we don't even notice they're mountains, let alone know what they're called. Most of them contain the scars of human industry and/or habitation.

But there are a few mountain ranges - a few national parks, in fact - that aren't untouched by humans, or even untouched by industry, but have kept enough of their own character, and enough tether to the natural world, to be classified as 'wild.'

Like Y Bannau Brycheiniog.

Month In Review(s) - March 2023

 

March 2023 was like the rest of 2023 so far - it effing sucked.

This year is really going down as one of my least favourites atm, and I've got some bad years on record, y'know? *sighs*

Anyhow, a good neighbour - a neighbour who'd been my neighbour since I was a toddler - passed away suddenly.

They were always there, y'know? They came to my brother's wedding and everything.

So that, on top of everything else I've been dealing with this year, was pretty damned horrible.

Nerd Church - The Little Things Are There To Enjoy...

 

It's good to remind ourselves - as often as is necessary - that the little things are there to enjoy.

...By 'ourselves' I obviously mean me - we need to remind me. 😅

Warning/Disclaimer Time: 

I very briefly discuss mental health problems in this blogpost.

I also give opinions on what can contribute to people's mood, so: I'm not any sort of scientific/medical/psychological professional - I'm a chick with personal experience of mental health issues and an internet connection. OK? OK.

The little things contribute so much to our lives.

Our beautiful, messed-up, everyday lives are made up of the bracelet you wore this morning, what you had for breakfast, whether you tripped over the doorstep on your way out, what song is playing on the radio... etc. etc.