(Warning: this post briefly discusses Covid 19/Coronavirus and Lockdowns, and mental health problems)
April was a mixed month.
Not only did we have snow, hail, rain, and blazing warm sunshine on the same day, but the uncertain opening-up after Lockdown etc. still meant that things felt hecka odd.
We're in that odd position where we're (hopefully) beyond the worst of it, but it's also uber-important not to move too fast, y'know?
My mental health is still up-and-down, especially in the evenings.
My doctor's now told me to structure my evenings doing stuff I like, and if that doesn't work, I'ma have to try switching meds which... is far more complex an undertaking than I would like, if it can be avoided at all.
So, on the bright side (because despite the Depression, I'm weirdly optimistic,): I now have a doctor-ordered excuse to spend circa an hour every evening working on my novel, followed by doing crafty stuff, and reading later in the evening.
Oh, and I posted a book review in April!
So I'm still a book blogger after all 😅
I also made some literal pennies from Medium, (which I'm using to get some extra-mileage outta some of my old posts,) which was pretty damn cool thank you very much 😊
Speaking of blog monetisation, I'm still trawling my way through my blog archives, switching all the Amazon UK links to US links.
And because I'm still salty about this, you can read the full story of what went down between me and the UK Amazon Associates Programme here.
Most Popular Posts
1. Mini-Review! - The Girls by Emma Cline
2. Friday Fics Fix - A Sam and/or Bucky Rec List
3. Review! - Something Beautiful by Amanda Gernentz Hanson
4. Month in Review(s) - March 2021
5. Nerd Church - Covid 19: Years From Now, How Will We Explain?
6. Comics Wrap-Up - You Can't Wake Up, This Is Not A Dream
8. Nerd Church - The Stark Difference Between Disney Villains' Motivations: Men Vs Women
9. Friday Fics Fix - Keep Calm and Carry On
10. Nerd Church - How Bloggers Always Have Ideas... Sort Of
...I would like the record to show that you, dearest nerdlets, clearly have as esoteric an interest set as I do 😅
Non-Review Posts
Comics Wrap-Up
(Just assume that they all have some sort of The Falcon and The Winter Soldier (TFATWS) content.)
While I Clean This Slate With The Hands of Uncertainty - The Suicide Squad & more
Keep A Light On Those You Love - Loki, The Suicide Squad & more
Paint These Walls In Pitchfork Red - The Zemo Cut & more
So Tell Me Right Now, You Think You're Ready For It - The Umbrella Academy, Shang-Chi & more
I'm Taking Back the Life You Stole - TFATWS finale & more
Friday Fics Fix
A Sam and/or Bucky Rec List - Because I am TFATWS trash
Hargreeves Family Schmoop - The Umbrella Academy (TUA) fic with Diego, Allison, and family feels!
The Falcon, The Winter Soldier, and Healthy Coping Mechanisms - taking on mental health stigma and toxic masculinity via the magic of fanfiction!
The Ups and Downs - Klaus and Dave from TUA falling in love in a lift, rom-com styley.
Nerd Church
How Bloggers Always Have Ideas... Sort Of - A look at my harebrained ideas process
But There Are No Saints, There Are No Sinners: The Extremes of Opinion When Public Figures Die - I muse about the sanctification and demonisation of Prince Philip, and others, after their deaths
How I Use True Crime Media To Boost My Mental Health (Yes, Really) - Please read before you judge me 😅
Anticipatory Grief: Mourning Before Death - because sometimes we start grieving before we lose someone
Other Non-Review Posts
Month In Review(s) - March 2021
Review Posts
Young Adult
(with New Adult crossover appeal)
The Sigil by Shakeil Kanish and Larissa Mandeville
So that's April! How was yours?
Talk to me! 😊💬
It's always nice to do things you love in the evening time. My therapist tells me the same things. I hope these techniques work for you, Cee!
ReplyDelete*shrugs* we'll see! :)
DeleteI think it's great that your therapist suggested you do things you enjoy in the evening. I hope that works so you don't have to worry about changing meds. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteNicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction
Ha, I have a GP (not sure if you call them that in the US... like a local general doctor?) not a therapist - I'm not even on the waiting list for a therapist. Unless I go private (which means paying, which is expensive) I'm unlikely to ever see a therapist.
DeleteI mean, under the NHS, we technically have free mental health care as well as free physical health care, but the system's under so much strain that I know from family and friends' experiences that unless you're sectioned (...like being committed in the US, I think?) or you get therapy as a complement to something like cancer care, it's not gonna happen.
Still, I hope it works so I don't have to faff about with changing meds! <3
Ah, okay. Well, either way, I definitely hope it works for you! It's interesting to hear how other places handle these sorts of things. We tend to complain about healthcare here in the US, but I will say that at least we have access to things like mental heath care without it being completely outrageous (usually).
DeleteThanks :)
DeleteI will politely avoid going into how absolutely ridiculous the US health system in general is, and how glad I am that I have the NHS, flaws and all. ;)
This whole pandemic has been horrible for my writing. I've done nothing. Not even during NaNoWriMo during November did I get more than like 3000 words done. Oh well. We got our mask mandates kind of dropped this past week in most local places, but not all. I've been vaccinated so I'm not worried about myself, but I understand that I could still pass it to someone else since I could still get it but be asymptomatic. Oh well. It's a crazy world! I hope that May is going well for you and you are getting in the hours you need!
ReplyDeleteLisa Loves Literature
Thanks, I hope you're doing well and that you get the writing you want to get done, done! We still have masks in public places here, no entry to shops without them, etc. - as well as the restaurants etc. only opening back up yesterday. We're more than happy (on the whole, some people are... frustrating,) to keep taking things slow though!
DeleteI love the doctor ordered "me" time for the evenings. I do know that if I don't sit quietly and read before bed, my brain will not stop and let me sleep. I also make sure I drink herbal tea an hour before going to bed. I am still not ready to go back to pre-pandemic living as cases are still too high in our state. The governor is lifting the restrictions on masks and capacities too fast for me. I hope you are doing well in May!
ReplyDeleteBetter than going straight for messing around with my meds, anyway!
DeleteWe're moving slowly here in Wales, which apparently confuses our English neighbours.
Hope you're good <3
"Tales from the Umbrella Academy: You Look Like Death Volume 1" looks like an interesting graphic novel!
ReplyDeleteI love it! So much! XD <3
Delete