Thought-provoking

I think I've shared this before, but I saw it again, and it still is very interesting.

I like this

The Problem With Calling People Overweight, and why the descriptor 'fat' makes much more sense, from the Dances with Fat blog.

In case you didn't know

May is Mental Health Month. You can go to the national NAMI (the National Alliance on Mental Illness) organisation web page for information on mental illness and finding support, and sign the stigma-free pledge, if you'd like, or go to the the NIMH (yes, as in The Rats of NIMH, the National Institute of Mental Health) website for a wealth of information. Jared Padalecki's description of the stigma of mental illness from the second article mentioned in the last post pretty much sums it up. The statistics are one thing. Living with mental illness, or loving someone who is struggling with mental illness, is very hard. I know that from personal experience. NAMI Lexington's Family-to-Family class, which was free, really helped me understand mental illness better, to learn to communicate better, and to care for myself and my loved one. I hope to go through training soon to teach the class to others. It's a mixture of learning facts and sharing your own story in a supportive environment, and for many it's been a life line. Here's a video about the class:



If you are having suicidal thoughts, in the US there is: 1 (800) 273-8255 [National Suicide Prevention Lifeline], Hours: 24 hours, 7 days a week, Languages: English, Spanish, Website: www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org

If you or a loved one is in crisis, or otherwise you need guidance, call 1 (800) 950-6264 for the NAMI Helpline.

Good for them

'Supernatural' Actors Jensen and Jared Help Raise Awareness for Depression, Admit They Have Gone Down the "Dark Road"

With their charity campaign ‘Always Keep Fighting’, ‘Supernatural’ actor Jared Padalecki raked in the necessary funds for non-profit organization To Write Love on Her Arms to reach their goals in supporting individuals experiencing addiction, depression and suicidal tendencies.

In addition, the 32-year-old actor also drew attention to raising awareness for mental illness after the suicide of a close friend or family member.

With the aid of ‘Supernatural’ fans, who continue to support the series even if it is already headed towards its season 10 finale, the T-shirt campaign has already gained considerable success.

Now, Padalecki has joined forces with co-star Jensen Ackles and the duo has already come up with a joint fund to promote a number of causes and support people suffering from mental illness and mood disorders, among others.

Why Supernatural Star Jared Padalecki Is Speaking Out About Mental Illness

It's really hard to put into words. It's been amazing. Hopefully it's helping to destigmatize these issues, because it's all around us. It's ubiquitous, and people hide it. If somebody has cancer, they're not embarrassed to have cancer – they know it's not their fault. They know it's a struggle. But, for some reason, if someone says they're depressed, they assume that people are going to look at them like they have three heads. Hopefully, this is helping to start a conversation.

For me, the chicken story is the most haunting I've ever seen on a sitcom

and then there's this...



Guess I'm oddly sad, tonight. No real reason.

Two very amusing videos YKWIA showed me tonight

An oldie but a goodie from College Humor:



and of course it would be the Blue Screen of Death (BSOD).

And this is is true of me (okay, I was more the Atari era than Nintendo, but still....):

A little excited

Next Monday, May 11th, Charlaine Harris is doing a ticketed book signing at Joseph-Beth Booksellers in Lexington at 7 pm. I must admit, it would be nice to go. I've read the Aurora Teagarden, Sookie Stackhouse, and Harper Connelly series, as well as part of Midnight Crossroad, which is on my Kindle and is the pre-cursor to the one she's signing, Day Shift. Strange for a librarian, I suppose, but I've never actually been to a book signing. Of course, if I get the physical book of Day Shift signed, then I'll have to eventually get the first book in hardback, too. :) I have the Sookie Stackhouse books in book club hardbacks, most of the Aurora Teagarden books, which are about a librarian-turned-sleuth, in paperback (still working on that, through PaperbackSwap.com). The others I've read through the library or on my Kindle. We'll see. I'm not a great fan of crowds. If I go, I'll report back here.

Sorry I haven't blogged in a couple of days. Sunday I came home a little early because Brenda had a meeting so we cut the game a couple of hours short. I went straight to bed for a couple of hours and then called YKWIA at 9:30 (I set an alarm) so he'd be able to watch 'Salem'. But he recorded it so A and I could watch it later. Monday was a friend's '5th birthday' in a 12-step programme and we went to his celebration. It lasted till 9 or 9:30. I got home around 11 pm, and had to be up at 6 am, so I didn't get much sleep as it was and couldn't really bring myself to blog. But I'm glad I went, and I got to meet his co-worker/distant cousin, who came as well.

Today was one of my early days at work, so I was able to leave by 4 for an appointment with the allergist and my allergy shot. One more shot and I'll be ready to go up a step in the shots. I'm feeling much better than I was because I'm on a medicine called levocetirizine that is related to Zyrtec. It's been really helping with my allergies.

Tonight is 'iZombie', which I heard was picked up for next season, so yay! That's at 9. I think I'll take a little nap before heading over there to watch. Hope you are enjoying your week, so far!

YKWIA showed Brenda and me this video last week

and it's dead on.

Listening to:

It's amazing to me

how difficult it is for me to do anything remotely related to conflict, even if I'm making a complaint to someone in authority rather than confronting an (unknown) person directly. We've had a car parked blocking our stairs for three days now. It was there on Thursday when I was home all day and hasn't moved since then. Now another car is (legitimately) parked in front of it and there is no room for laundry carts, trash bags, etc. between the two cars. I had been meaning to call the office today anyway (I think notes are just passive-aggressive, and can lead to parking wars), but watching people slide between the two cars finally got me to call, and when it was busy, I finally got up, got a shower, and walked over there. I talked to the leasing agent, someone I've spoken with before, gave her the colour, make of the car, and the licence plate number, my apartment building, and I showed her a picture of the car blocking the stairs. But my voice shook as I said it. It annoyed me, yes, that they did it, but I wasn't actually angry. No, my voice was shaking because I was essentially tattling on someone, and there was fear underneath that. Pathetic, I know. It's just something I have to work on, though. Emotionally I try to appease those in authority and make sure I don't piss off any one else, and there are just times when that doesn't fly. I would make an excellent, loyal dog. But I'm a person, with my own opinions, and I need to start having some confidence in myself. Anyway, the agent said she'd take note of it and if it were still there Monday they'd tag it for removal. In the meantime, I may have to get creative to get my laundry to my friends' house tomorrow. Right now you can walk around the side and back of the car, because there isn't one behind it, at least. But I doubt that will be the cast tomorrow morning.

I had a very slow morning. I just couldn't get up, and I want to go back to bed now. I didn't get to bed till 1 am last night, and I only got about 6-7 hours the night before, I think, since I had to get up early on Friday, but this is a little odd for me. I don't feel sick, just a little run down. I feel like I've been going and going and now my batteries have run down, even though I've had rest over the week and even had a day off. I need to work on the house and the game notes--and I have time, as A isn't supposed to call until he gets back from getting his hair cut so we can go to the grocery around 3 pm or so. But I'm just not feeling it.