2024. Week VII

Hello Internet,

Last week, my belly hurt.

No, really, that is about all I can say about the previous week. Noodle and I both have had some indigestion for the last few weeks, and this last week it reached temult for me.  I threw up.  A lot.  Some of it at work, and then I had to go home.  I am out of sick days and personal days at work, so these were the first of my unpaid days, and I was feeling very lousy about it.

I have a master's degree in teaching.  All my life, I have always felt like I was far behind and trying to catch up.  I think that is part of why Zelos, a character who is most closely based off of me as a person, is the way that he is.  When I got my driver's license at twenty-seven, my first thought was, "About time."  The same goes for when I got my bachelor's degree.  It didn't feel like a victory.  It felt somehow like affirmation of my failure.

When I got my master's degree--a degree that I had no reason to get other than I wanted to pursue it--I didn't have excuses before.  I was speaking with a woman on the phone and trying to finalize paperwork (the degree came with certification in my subject of choice: ELA), and I told her how I had dropped out.  She congratulated me and seemed genuinely touched by my journey, from high school drop out to a certified master (that is the official title of master's degree holders, you know).  I found myself preparing to undersell the achievement like I always did, but I didn't have anything.  I didn't need it; there were no excuses.  I did a thing, and I should be proud of it.

This week feels a bit like that.  I went to urgent care, where I threw up more.  They gave me medicine, and a nurse gave me a note for two days rest.  I was insistent I could return after one, and I felt so guilty calling in the second day after the medication wore off.  Then, as I was sleeping and holding my stomach and trying but failing to eat, it hit me: I am sick.  I don't need to be at work when I am sick, fever or not.  I need rest.

I have not missed many days this year because of me.  I think three in total.  My family is in need.  Ratatoskr needed mental and emotional support after a year where his sister had cancer.  Monkey has cancer, and Kangaroo is the youngest and vulnerable and small.  I have three small children who need help, and I have been taking time to help them.  This is not laziness; it is me doing my job and my duty to them.

As a result of that thinking, I am rearranging things.  I am always rearranging things, but I am trying to be more patient with myself and less assumptive about others.  The truth is this: it does not matter what other people think of me.  I am doing both my best and doing right by my family.  The other day, Ratatoskr was being very sour, and I confronted him.  He talked it out with me, and afterward, he thanked me for confronting him and asking about his sour mood, and he gave me a hug.

I am doing my best, and I am doing right by my family, and that has to be enough.

Thanks for reading.

RWS

P.S.

-Short Rest-

-Schedule-

1. Persona 3: Reload

2. Final Fantasy III

3. DnD5e

4. Final Fantasy VII REMAKE: Intergrade

5. Fortnite

6. Final Fantasy XVI

7. Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep Final Mix HD Remix

-Books-

0. Tower: Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat by Samin Nosrat

1. SJ/One Piece 1098

-One-Punch Man Punch 196

-DC Comics: New 52 Green Arrow: The Midas Touch

-My Hero Academia 157

-Boom! Studios: Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers 4—4

-Boruto: The Next Generation 47

-Marvel Comics: Ultimates Ultimate Daredevil & Elektra 4

-JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders 26 100%

-One Piece 1106+

-One-Punch Man 196+

-DC Comics: New 52 Flash: Move Forward 1—8

-My Hero Academia Vol. 18, 158—167 

-Boom! Studios: Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers Vol. 2, 5—8

-Boruto: Next Generation Vol.13, 48—51

-Marvel Comics: Ultimate Elektra 1—5

-JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders Vol. 3, 27—40 

2. Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat by Samin Nosrat

3. Discworld: The Color of Magic

-Games-

i. Backlog/Final Fantasy III 35hrs (Guide pg.77)

ii. PS+/Final Fantasy VII REMAKE: Intergrade 100% (02/05/2024)

iii. Backlog II/Final Fantasy XVI 35/58hrs 60%

iv. Replay/Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep Final Mix HD Remix

v. Persona 3: Reload 8/93hrs 9%

vi. Samurai Warriors 5 41hrs 0%

-Shows-

0. Towers: Ms. Marvel 100% (01/20/2024)

1. Critical Role Campaign 3 Part I, Ep. 8: "The Woodworker's Quandry"—11 (Level Up to 5) 64% (8—11)

2. Dimension 20: A Crown of Candy, Ep. 16: "For Candia, part 1"—19 79% (15—19)

3. Dragonball Ep. 59—153 38%

4. Voltron: Legendary Defender Season 701—713 0%

5. Batman: The Animated Series Ep. 132–165 48%

6. Gargoyles 113 100% (01/29/2024)

7. Young Justice 112—126 42%

8. Marvel's She-Hulk 1—9 0%