A new Year, and new ideas
Posted 3 months agoAs I am acknowledged by California as disabled, but because of my work history (and lack thereof as least in the timeframe they want) I don't qualify for government aid.
So, I am working on ways I can make money from home. A good friend who I often bounce ideas off has suggested using my ceramic skills and make small but likeable figurings ..... I'm liking the idea but I need to research the best way to do that from my home (While I'd LOVE a small kiln, don't have the funds for that)
My crochet is still a slow moving project.... while I love amigurumi but I'm slow and I don't know many I need to make before I can sell any. Something to work on, I suppose.
My friend was also interested in astrological signs in my style.... I should finish coloring my Chinese Animal Zodiac pieces. The were designed for my 3" button machine and I don't see many BUTTON sales these days with art so maybe its time to bring those back.
Ideas are many, inertia is to be overcome.
So, I am working on ways I can make money from home. A good friend who I often bounce ideas off has suggested using my ceramic skills and make small but likeable figurings ..... I'm liking the idea but I need to research the best way to do that from my home (While I'd LOVE a small kiln, don't have the funds for that)
My crochet is still a slow moving project.... while I love amigurumi but I'm slow and I don't know many I need to make before I can sell any. Something to work on, I suppose.
My friend was also interested in astrological signs in my style.... I should finish coloring my Chinese Animal Zodiac pieces. The were designed for my 3" button machine and I don't see many BUTTON sales these days with art so maybe its time to bring those back.
Ideas are many, inertia is to be overcome.
Ahh, Spring! Achoo!
Posted a year agoI don't have spring induced allergies, but a nasty sinus bug has gotten into this house. Every time I sneeze my body is wracked with pain. I don't seem to have it as bad as Orrin and Coug'r had it, but it still sucks. My voice is down in the basement (badger mom gruffy) and my back is still hurting from my garden mistake (tryed to lift something that was heavier than I though) and mostly my head is stuffed with goo, but I will persevere!
Getting Better!
Posted a year agoI realized that most of my archives are not available (VLC, etc) and my brother Wolf has challenged me to get more art done so... I will try to place old art up here with the tag (from the vault) and new stuff (NEW!) as I get myself organized. Of course this will include this Halloween's stuff. ;3
A New Year with Covid [i]still[/i] around
Posted 2 years agoAlas, my local FurCon WAS going to happen in real life, but then Covid Omicron started spreading like wildfire to they had to cancel the con, FEH. They will have a virtual con (again) , which means no Con Store for me again. I miss people I'd be seeing at cons, I miss my Mom Mel, as I feel stir-crazy. . . . I've just processed the last Pumpkin until next season, and I canned what I process so I can use them anytime. . . . .and I love making bakery treats with them, in all kinds of ways (gluten free, dairy free, vegan, paleo) . . . . but I miss baking FOR people. SIGH
Yay. spring!
Posted 3 years agoIt's that time of year where I go crazy in the garden. This year I'm also doing a program called CHIP (Complete Health Improvement Program) which will jumpstart my wellness push. I want to be lean and mean for the next time I can go to a con!
A new Year!
Posted 3 years ago2020 was a rough year. I'm hoping to get my health back and start drawing again. I have many projects waiting for me, some painting projects, some sewing projects, some culinary projects.
Doing Something Useful
Posted 4 years agoOK, I decided to do something useful in this crazy landscape. Make masks. Not some cheezy piece of cloth, but a proper full fitting, filler inside, snug to the face, and COLOFUL mask. One you wont mind to wear the rest of the year (as I figure it will take that long!) To start this project I have three pattern of cloth, and I'd like to buy more patterns but my card is expired and I'm still waiting for the replacement. (sigh)
On the other hand, I have 5 tubs of yarn and I can crochet a mask with a pocket (for a filter) so I can make two styles!
On the other hand, I have 5 tubs of yarn and I can crochet a mask with a pocket (for a filter) so I can make two styles!
Ready for TFF?
Posted 4 years agoI am! Not like I am a dealer but I am bringing my slimed down drawing kit to get back into drawing again!
Ken and I will be hanging with Wolf ... likely in a good sitting area as we usually do.
Ken and I will be hanging with Wolf ... likely in a good sitting area as we usually do.
Pride San José
Posted 4 years agoToday was Pride day in San José, and the Party Pup and I went early and stayed late, walking 3+ miles and standing in the shade when we could in the 90+ weather, to watch the parade.
I am still improving... I got my license restored and I am going to physical therapy so Whee!
I am still improving... I got my license restored and I am going to physical therapy so Whee!
One Year ...
Posted 5 years ago...Since I had my strokes. My typing had improved, as well as my speech. I am working on getting my drivers' license as well as returning to school. Meanwhile, getting my drawing skills back *my right hand was affected* and I'm playing in my garden, preparing for my Baking Season (yay!), and organizing the boxes from the move (short: had to move out of a big house into a smaller house)
Past time for an update!
Posted 6 years agoFirst the bad news: I had several strokes in 2017. The First one had no residual effects, but the second event was much worse... resulting facial palsy on my right side, speech and cognitive function impaired, temporary blindness in my right eye, my right (thumb and index finger) and arm went numb. I still have issues With my right arm. I Also Had some Falling problems Which did not seem to be related To the strokes But happened around The time I was recovering. But mostly I have issues with My communication Ability -- I can read and Understand language fine but have a hard time getting thoughts out of my head in any medium.
Now the good news: I Have been in physical, occupational and cognitive therapies. I'm working on Writing And Typing -- But It is Better When I use Text to Type on my MacBook (the initial caps is from that program interpreting my Accent On words)
Coming back from a stroke is hard But I should get a full recovery. It will take months, I know. I am much improved from the initial hospitalization But there is still a long way for me to go. I have not Drawn Sense The First stroke, But I have been Getting my Hand Used to a pencil again recently. My index finger and thumb are still numb at the tips but I have better control of them now.
.... and On top of that bombshell, We have to move The owner Of our house wants to move back So we have to go. This means I have been spending All of my -- time When I'm not in therapy -- to DeCruft this house. IIeeee!
Now the good news: I Have been in physical, occupational and cognitive therapies. I'm working on Writing And Typing -- But It is Better When I use Text to Type on my MacBook (the initial caps is from that program interpreting my Accent On words)
Coming back from a stroke is hard But I should get a full recovery. It will take months, I know. I am much improved from the initial hospitalization But there is still a long way for me to go. I have not Drawn Sense The First stroke, But I have been Getting my Hand Used to a pencil again recently. My index finger and thumb are still numb at the tips but I have better control of them now.
.... and On top of that bombshell, We have to move The owner Of our house wants to move back So we have to go. This means I have been spending All of my -- time When I'm not in therapy -- to DeCruft this house. IIeeee!
No stream tonight... Computer issues
Posted 6 years agoI am in the process of backing up my data before I "Nuke & Pave" my desktop machine, so there won't be a stream tonight. Bear with me, I hope to get everything back up and online this week.
Monday Night KhromatTV!
Posted 7 years agoSchoolwork got me up too late yesterday, so it's KhromatTV today. Come hang out with me! khromat.tv.macrophile.com
Khromat TV is up and running ... on Monday!
Posted 7 years agoStarting a little late, but KhromatTV is up and running!
khromat.tv.macrophile.com
Come and hang with me!
khromat.tv.macrophile.com
Come and hang with me!
Stream being moved to Monday @ 6pm
Posted 7 years agoI'm at a friend's house and won't be home in time to stream, so I am planning to stream on Monday @ 6pm PDT. See you then!
Late stream due to heat....
Posted 7 years agoSan Jose peaked at 102 degrees F today, so I'm streaming an hour late ... like in NOW. Come visit me!
khromat.tv.macrophile.com
khromat.tv.macrophile.com
WE'RE LIVE!
Posted 7 years agoYes, after a hardware-induced hiatus, Khromat TV is back online! I wanted to make sure everything was working before announcing the live streaming... so come over and chat with me while I draw!
khromat.tv.macrophile.com
khromat.tv.macrophile.com
Delays, delays... but good news!
Posted 7 years agoKhromat TV has been offline due to Real Life and then my boom-stand died. Midterms are this week; I've gotten my ceramics in the big CCACA show up in Davis and now currently at the Student Art Show at De Anza College.
Meanwhile, I have ordered new equipment for my Live Stream station.
I've got doctors' appointments to figure out what the heck happened to me in February, and I need to get my ADHD under control -- I think its time to change my meds.
This weekend by big brother Wolf Kidd is hanging out with us loons in Silicon Valley for his birthday, having a relaxed low-key birthday, then I'm back to schoolwork and such. I'll post here when I get KhromatTV back up and running.
Meanwhile, I have ordered new equipment for my Live Stream station.
I've got doctors' appointments to figure out what the heck happened to me in February, and I need to get my ADHD under control -- I think its time to change my meds.
This weekend by big brother Wolf Kidd is hanging out with us loons in Silicon Valley for his birthday, having a relaxed low-key birthday, then I'm back to schoolwork and such. I'll post here when I get KhromatTV back up and running.
Late, short stream...
Posted 7 years agoI'm doing a short segment of KhromatTV tonight as I have stupid-early doctors' appointments.
khromat.tv.macrophile.com -- come hang out!
khromat.tv.macrophile.com -- come hang out!
KhromatTV is live!
Posted 7 years agoCome on over and chat with the artist! khromat.tv.macrophile.com !
Gah, timeshift!
Posted 7 years agoOkay, I'll be starting up Khromat TV in a few minutes, I'm seriously off on my time-sense -- it was bad before the stroke, and DST hasn't helped it!
khromat.tv.macrophile.com
khromat.tv.macrophile.com
A Debriefing (long)
Posted 7 years agoOkay, the story so far:
Went to school for my early morning class, left campus to go to my appointment with my primary doctor (yearly wellness check and a few other things). My doctor was running 30 minutes late. I sat in the waiting area and as I was filling out the intake form, I noticed my writing was odd... getting smaller and my hand wasn't gripping the pen like normal. "Well, this isn't right" I said out loud, and heard an odd slur in my words. *Am I having a stroke?* I thought (really!), just as the nurse called my name. We got me to an exam room, and when my doctor arrived I told her "Something is wrong." She must've heard the weirdness in my speech, as she did a few quick response tests (grab her fingers, touch my nose, etc) then told the nurse to get ahold of a paramedic, stat. We didn't have to wait long, but just before they arrived I felt my ring and pinky fingers of my right hand go numb all the way to the elbow. It was like I banged my funnybone, only I hadn't moved anything. My doctor was calm but concerned and kept me talking until the paramedics game, bundled me up in a stretcher and got me into the vehicle. I watched as they put in a big IV needle (a 16) and experienced a short trip to the hospital (the doctors' office was just across the street!) and into the ER.
Triage pegged my symptoms as a 1, I went in for an immediate CT Scan and an MRI. THe MRI indicated I had a stroke, the CT Scan showed "irregularities" and narrowing of blood vessels in the left hemisphere. They planned a more thorough angiogram for the next day. They would not let me have food until after the angiogram, so I was on an IV drip. I alerted people as I thought of them (Ken, Mama Mel, etc) and waited for the test so I could eat. The next day brought a parade of therapists to assess my capabilities. Outside some pauses in my talking and a slight slur, my speech was fine. My right hand still felt partially numb, but I could walk with little problem -- in fact the therapist walked me around and got me a robe to wear on our path. Getting back to my room, I napped for a bit. Ken came in and immediately had work pester him. I noticed that my robe had gotten stained -- the IV in my left arm was leaking a bit after the nurse flushed it. I figured she'd just get some gauze and tuck it in. Instead she tried to make a new IV entrance, in my hand. I was on the phone with Mel when I felt the beginnings of my vasovagal response (I'm hyper sensitive to pain in the skin and will sometimes make me pass out from the pain). As is my habit, I said "Oh no, I'm going... I'm going...." and then I was gone.
I came to into a room full of people! And then I vomited. Apparently, when I pass out, my heart stops. I say this because I have never fainted with a heart monitor on before, which is why there were so many people in my room -- my heart stopped for 24 seconds. They were in the process of getting my comatose body down to ICU when I woke. I tried to say "vasovagal response" but it wasn't coming out, so instead I pointed to my left hand and said "Pain!" The on duty cardiologist asked "Pain response?" and I nodded. They checked my blood pressure again and saw that it had come back. If it hadn't, the angiogram would've been canceled until the next day. A few more checks to verify no further heart issues, then it was rolling me down to the basement for the angiogram. The doctor was running late, so I asked for more blankets and snoozed while waiting.
I warned the techs about my sensitivity to anesthesia, and when they finally got the call he was 15 minutes out, they prepped me for the test. They had to shave my groin as they were going to poke a port into my carotid artery, then feed the tube up to my brain before injecting contrast -- only the initial insertion into my leg hurt, and they had numbed the area so it wasn't that bad. My head was taped down and several times they told me to hold my breath so they could take clear pictures -- I had my eyes closed and saw whenever they clicked the shutter, a storm of little lightnings flashed across my eyes. It was neat. (I am asking them for copies of those!) The images show that I definite had a stroke: an M1 stenosis of the left anterior carotid artery.
Now that I had the test, I could eat! There were no dietary restrictions, but they tested my blood sugar before every meal to see if I needed insulin (I only needed it once, and a tiny dose at that) and pretty much confirmed that I was not diabetic, but pre-diabetic. The next day brought a new "scare" -- they started giving me hypertension meds and the first one was Hydralazine in my IV. Within 30 minutes, I started feeling a headache, and I felt like I was a water balloon -- I could feel and see my pulse, and my heart was racing. I started tearing up for no discernible reason. I called the nurse, they took my blood pressure and it had spiked to 205/110! Panting, I recognized the name of the drug from the last time I was in a hospital, and I seem to remember them spending several days trying to get my pressure down without success. Before, I thought it was just because my gallbladder was going south -- now I realized it was the drug. I mention this, and they tried a different drug -- after they gave me morphine and some oral drugs to get my anxiety and headache calmed down -- and that one (VasoTec) worked as advertised. I stayed a couple more days in the hospital to be monitored as they slowly got me back on *my* battery of drugs and ensure no further incidents occurred.
Exactly one week from the aborted doctor visit, I was again at my primary doctor's office. She went over the reports with me, and she was greatly concerned that one of the reports indicated that there was evidence of *multiple strokes*, age indeterminate. I'm way too young to have multiple strokes, let along silent strokes, so now I'm waiting for specialists' referrals and see if anyone can figure this out before I have another one.
Yes, there are necessary changes in my life to deal with this new reality, but I got off lightly this time. Time is the most important factor when dealing with strokes -- I could not have been luckier about where I had my stroke and the time between first symptoms and care at the ER. I do not have a stent in my head -- we are treating this with medicine until new tests indicate otherwise.
Went to school for my early morning class, left campus to go to my appointment with my primary doctor (yearly wellness check and a few other things). My doctor was running 30 minutes late. I sat in the waiting area and as I was filling out the intake form, I noticed my writing was odd... getting smaller and my hand wasn't gripping the pen like normal. "Well, this isn't right" I said out loud, and heard an odd slur in my words. *Am I having a stroke?* I thought (really!), just as the nurse called my name. We got me to an exam room, and when my doctor arrived I told her "Something is wrong." She must've heard the weirdness in my speech, as she did a few quick response tests (grab her fingers, touch my nose, etc) then told the nurse to get ahold of a paramedic, stat. We didn't have to wait long, but just before they arrived I felt my ring and pinky fingers of my right hand go numb all the way to the elbow. It was like I banged my funnybone, only I hadn't moved anything. My doctor was calm but concerned and kept me talking until the paramedics game, bundled me up in a stretcher and got me into the vehicle. I watched as they put in a big IV needle (a 16) and experienced a short trip to the hospital (the doctors' office was just across the street!) and into the ER.
Triage pegged my symptoms as a 1, I went in for an immediate CT Scan and an MRI. THe MRI indicated I had a stroke, the CT Scan showed "irregularities" and narrowing of blood vessels in the left hemisphere. They planned a more thorough angiogram for the next day. They would not let me have food until after the angiogram, so I was on an IV drip. I alerted people as I thought of them (Ken, Mama Mel, etc) and waited for the test so I could eat. The next day brought a parade of therapists to assess my capabilities. Outside some pauses in my talking and a slight slur, my speech was fine. My right hand still felt partially numb, but I could walk with little problem -- in fact the therapist walked me around and got me a robe to wear on our path. Getting back to my room, I napped for a bit. Ken came in and immediately had work pester him. I noticed that my robe had gotten stained -- the IV in my left arm was leaking a bit after the nurse flushed it. I figured she'd just get some gauze and tuck it in. Instead she tried to make a new IV entrance, in my hand. I was on the phone with Mel when I felt the beginnings of my vasovagal response (I'm hyper sensitive to pain in the skin and will sometimes make me pass out from the pain). As is my habit, I said "Oh no, I'm going... I'm going...." and then I was gone.
I came to into a room full of people! And then I vomited. Apparently, when I pass out, my heart stops. I say this because I have never fainted with a heart monitor on before, which is why there were so many people in my room -- my heart stopped for 24 seconds. They were in the process of getting my comatose body down to ICU when I woke. I tried to say "vasovagal response" but it wasn't coming out, so instead I pointed to my left hand and said "Pain!" The on duty cardiologist asked "Pain response?" and I nodded. They checked my blood pressure again and saw that it had come back. If it hadn't, the angiogram would've been canceled until the next day. A few more checks to verify no further heart issues, then it was rolling me down to the basement for the angiogram. The doctor was running late, so I asked for more blankets and snoozed while waiting.
I warned the techs about my sensitivity to anesthesia, and when they finally got the call he was 15 minutes out, they prepped me for the test. They had to shave my groin as they were going to poke a port into my carotid artery, then feed the tube up to my brain before injecting contrast -- only the initial insertion into my leg hurt, and they had numbed the area so it wasn't that bad. My head was taped down and several times they told me to hold my breath so they could take clear pictures -- I had my eyes closed and saw whenever they clicked the shutter, a storm of little lightnings flashed across my eyes. It was neat. (I am asking them for copies of those!) The images show that I definite had a stroke: an M1 stenosis of the left anterior carotid artery.
Now that I had the test, I could eat! There were no dietary restrictions, but they tested my blood sugar before every meal to see if I needed insulin (I only needed it once, and a tiny dose at that) and pretty much confirmed that I was not diabetic, but pre-diabetic. The next day brought a new "scare" -- they started giving me hypertension meds and the first one was Hydralazine in my IV. Within 30 minutes, I started feeling a headache, and I felt like I was a water balloon -- I could feel and see my pulse, and my heart was racing. I started tearing up for no discernible reason. I called the nurse, they took my blood pressure and it had spiked to 205/110! Panting, I recognized the name of the drug from the last time I was in a hospital, and I seem to remember them spending several days trying to get my pressure down without success. Before, I thought it was just because my gallbladder was going south -- now I realized it was the drug. I mention this, and they tried a different drug -- after they gave me morphine and some oral drugs to get my anxiety and headache calmed down -- and that one (VasoTec) worked as advertised. I stayed a couple more days in the hospital to be monitored as they slowly got me back on *my* battery of drugs and ensure no further incidents occurred.
Exactly one week from the aborted doctor visit, I was again at my primary doctor's office. She went over the reports with me, and she was greatly concerned that one of the reports indicated that there was evidence of *multiple strokes*, age indeterminate. I'm way too young to have multiple strokes, let along silent strokes, so now I'm waiting for specialists' referrals and see if anyone can figure this out before I have another one.
Yes, there are necessary changes in my life to deal with this new reality, but I got off lightly this time. Time is the most important factor when dealing with strokes -- I could not have been luckier about where I had my stroke and the time between first symptoms and care at the ER. I do not have a stent in my head -- we are treating this with medicine until new tests indicate otherwise.
I overdid myself...
Posted 7 years agoI have spent most of today chiseling a 30+ pound piece of alabaster. This is my project for my Sculpture class, and it gave me a chance to test out the repair Cory Partypup did on a hose I brought home from school (pneumatic hose with a manual stop-cock inline whose O-ring got destroyed. The pneumatic hammer used for stone carving has no regulator of its own, so you need the stop-cock) This air hammer also has no way to secure the chisel, so you need both hands to manipulate it -- one to hold the hammer and one to guide the chisel where you want it to go. If you don't know what an air hammer is, think a miniaturized jackhammer -- the stone carver version looks like a pared-down, jacked-up Dremel tool (no on-switch or speed control, and the 'motor' is the pneumatic system) but it still packs a lot of vibration power, making it hard to hold for any period of time. I bought anti-vibration gloves knowing this was a problem (along with needing to wear a dust-mask, ear plugs and goggles for this work). The fixed hose works fine now... but even 2 hours to carving has worn me out -- my wrists are numb, my body humming, and I was slurring my words.
The bottom line of this is that I don't think I can draw tonight. It's taken me 20 minutes just to type this, whee! What I will do, however, is take pictures of my project(s) and place them in a new folder (school? projects? not sure which to call it) so folks can see what I've been doing. Oh, and if my hands let me, I'll scan my sketchbook so the stuff I was drawing on my stream can be seen. Oh, yea, and tomorrow is my wedding anniversary -- 15 years marriage, 35 years friendship. :D
The bottom line of this is that I don't think I can draw tonight. It's taken me 20 minutes just to type this, whee! What I will do, however, is take pictures of my project(s) and place them in a new folder (school? projects? not sure which to call it) so folks can see what I've been doing. Oh, and if my hands let me, I'll scan my sketchbook so the stuff I was drawing on my stream can be seen. Oh, yea, and tomorrow is my wedding anniversary -- 15 years marriage, 35 years friendship. :D
Sick kitty -- No Stream today
Posted 7 years agoFighting off a cold, so it's better I don't try and talk... will see you next week.
It's streaming time!
Posted 7 years agoGonna start up Khromat TV at 6pm PDT... khromat.tv.macrophile.com is the place. See ya there!