tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7610432061316789142024-03-12T20:47:16.021-07:00How I See ThingsHow I See Things (dot) Comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08050131633707153936noreply@blogger.comBlogger116125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-761043206131678914.post-67639539402102083852023-07-11T20:14:00.006-07:002023-07-11T20:14:57.138-07:00SoundCloud<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaGNcDy569BAkR2StXvQQFtiWvyOmET_mzxkkI6MPP6yA8L0wZQUboLHhM6C24WwufPWVM0sSUm4PshV1SmWlH_VoWDskFMB5sljEuWApJbnzZIOIr3h8I9jCABqkmktiw6nZgTdVLKP0IbU9s33u2dBs3TYQCOeNS-Qxj-mNyvMI4WE-ZB3MiZnedx7oL/s1024/IMG_0701.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaGNcDy569BAkR2StXvQQFtiWvyOmET_mzxkkI6MPP6yA8L0wZQUboLHhM6C24WwufPWVM0sSUm4PshV1SmWlH_VoWDskFMB5sljEuWApJbnzZIOIr3h8I9jCABqkmktiw6nZgTdVLKP0IbU9s33u2dBs3TYQCOeNS-Qxj-mNyvMI4WE-ZB3MiZnedx7oL/s320/IMG_0701.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>I’m uploading my music to SoundCloud! I would love if you would follow me there. </p><p>You can hear my music at this link: </p><p><a href="https://on.soundcloud.com/oSr85QW4A9vN1y2a8">https://on.soundcloud.com/oSr85QW4A9vN1y2a8</a></p><p><br /></p><p>#TheTalentedJodi #TheTravelingViolinist </p>Jodi Rosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00835391471708527629noreply@blogger.com0Kansas, USA39.011902 -98.484246510.701668163821154 -133.64049649999998 67.322135836178845 -63.3279965tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-761043206131678914.post-72332795349544805112023-07-11T12:59:00.002-07:002023-07-11T12:59:44.395-07:00Washington State<p> This is the video I made for Washington State - </p><p>I played “Beautiful Dreamer” for Washington State along the highway near Quincy. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxTDErUs28OnFaK8qyJ362VSejRh3aAN9REnMsXGxodTHxMdWv7suHJX52SYK3qngKaEgpMhIn_Kq3kA2rV9Q' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><p>I didn’t get great footage of my dogs (who love to “steal the show”). And this was the best I could do, to put together. </p><p>I figured out how to do “picture in picture,” which is pretty cool! Maybe I can feature my dogs better in future videos now! YIPPEE!!</p><p>I hope you enjoy the video. </p><p>Find me on other Social Media platforms (Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, Twitter, and Threads @jodiarts) by searching for: #TheTravelingViolinist </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Jodi Rosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00835391471708527629noreply@blogger.com0Quincy, WA 98848, USA47.2342997 -119.852550423.328017148438217 -155.00880039999998 71.140582251561781 -84.696300400000013tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-761043206131678914.post-16650704133695933252023-07-07T13:10:00.003-07:002023-07-07T13:10:58.034-07:00New Project - Violin!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioaOZaPdhkehKp1-ZLR1nfVwE6Pjoq_0mR_2K00Y3YebxlDa4T3IIM1YzvVvgciTMWIbpnjxd6nJuIjqHXeCrYwyICue5uGkTkbAXa4q_ykQ5_KH6gNDTEgq7e44rRNxhkBdI-7y0sAQRve4WBi3cWpVnUIxU1CAOWDvBujHNR8QU1zJfIVh39pTjJxDo/s1227/IMG_8963.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1227" data-original-width="857" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioaOZaPdhkehKp1-ZLR1nfVwE6Pjoq_0mR_2K00Y3YebxlDa4T3IIM1YzvVvgciTMWIbpnjxd6nJuIjqHXeCrYwyICue5uGkTkbAXa4q_ykQ5_KH6gNDTEgq7e44rRNxhkBdI-7y0sAQRve4WBi3cWpVnUIxU1CAOWDvBujHNR8QU1zJfIVh39pTjJxDo/s320/IMG_8963.jpeg" width="224" /></a></div><p>When I was in Kindergarten, I saw a boy play violin on “Sesame Street.” I was enchanted. I remember standing there, in front of the TV, staring at it and listening. “I want to do that,” I thought to myself. </p><p>Years later, in 4th grade, my parents paid to rend a violin for me and I started playing in public school. Coincidentally, the man who lived 2 doors down from us on our street was a violin teacher. I started private lessons with him & went every Saturday until we moved when I was in 11th grade. </p><p>I loved it!</p><p>Fast forward, and I was 30 years old, with 2 boys and no time to myself. I stopped playing. </p><p>Some time in my late 40s, I had developed depression and anxiety so badly that I was no longer myself. </p><p>I decided to try doing things I used to enjoy - like playing violin. </p><p>It was a journey to start playing again. For one thing, I had completely forgotten it existed, so I had to start remembering that it exists. One of the things that I did to get myself back in gear to play was get my violin fixed up at Potter’s Violin Shop in Maryland. </p><p>I met a luthier named Chris who showed me his tattoo (at my request). He had an f-hole of a particular violin he had worked on, tattooed on his arm. I was already considering getting an f-hole tattoo on my arm, but when he told me the story of his own tattoo, it made me want to get <i>my</i> <i>own</i> violin f-holes tattooed on my arm. </p><p>I found a lady tattooist in Harrisonburg, Virginia “Artistically Inklined” who traced my violin f-holes and then put them on my right arm. I love my tattoo!!</p><p>I thought that would remind me to practice. It didn’t 😅</p><p>I have since moved across the country and my day is my own. I started writing down music that I want to learn, and found places to buy the music or subscribe to download the music - see the image to see which music apps I use the most. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdhyKZPEIRguL3z2jy86Sve8yhgEhH0680DWapJFrwhmJo3oM9eFcHxOMVDD3cSP2EyUrM_12r84c7AprDMsV5rPIFyR1H59Sa9E4S9w46aGj4J2kcGtx7nxbr1c8S-PasIkRqhywndjZp33yGZj0Hxl-X9zXFeUoCzl6acS35nN7exswj_kkTWhKnkIs/s2252/IMG_0856.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1314" data-original-width="2252" height="187" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdhyKZPEIRguL3z2jy86Sve8yhgEhH0680DWapJFrwhmJo3oM9eFcHxOMVDD3cSP2EyUrM_12r84c7AprDMsV5rPIFyR1H59Sa9E4S9w46aGj4J2kcGtx7nxbr1c8S-PasIkRqhywndjZp33yGZj0Hxl-X9zXFeUoCzl6acS35nN7exswj_kkTWhKnkIs/s320/IMG_0856.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p>My happiness level is going up, and I have started playing violin now! It’s so fantastic to be able to play music that I like, see what I struggle with so I can get better at it, and just have fun with the whole thing. </p><p>I also signed up for violin lessons and am loving my teacher - he is so much better than I am and I can see the wealth of information that I can learn from him! I’m super excited!</p><p>I am super grateful to be re-united with my violin and playing again. It made me so sad when I owned it and remembered loving to play, but couldn’t get motivated to play it anymore. </p><p>Thank you for reading about my journey along the way. </p>How I See Things (dot) Comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08050131633707153936noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-761043206131678914.post-76645892325938936992023-03-27T06:00:00.002-07:002023-03-27T06:00:00.162-07:00My Sparky Dog<p>Taking a break in the blog to share my dog updates!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAWDm6I99OXmcC4kFLmtSASMiOWgyUKjac5O9RVEUr7tsFM55f3rPNQIn6S6INaIL6Ta7RkJG9q2DGLB1-BTvy-EY1oPCLCxno9ZEzCv2eJiHrlbvuhr6wpDjc-uT76dKJwwmk0MM42DIpTl0Am1nkVDT7EvlyjXJE8OOuTIX4lXA_vgS3pJr-E0NF/s512/8080D6E3-9846-4967-BD20-37A0006F248D.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="384" data-original-width="512" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAWDm6I99OXmcC4kFLmtSASMiOWgyUKjac5O9RVEUr7tsFM55f3rPNQIn6S6INaIL6Ta7RkJG9q2DGLB1-BTvy-EY1oPCLCxno9ZEzCv2eJiHrlbvuhr6wpDjc-uT76dKJwwmk0MM42DIpTl0Am1nkVDT7EvlyjXJE8OOuTIX4lXA_vgS3pJr-E0NF/s320/8080D6E3-9846-4967-BD20-37A0006F248D.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><p>My older Cavalier King Charles Spaniel / (Chihuahua mix?) dog, Sparky, has many health issues. He is now on 2 heart medicines, is on prescription kidney diet food, has hock-joint wobbly issues, has very few teeth to speak of, and a collapsing esophagus that makes him cough. </p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkt8U7szQde2l_ZGcql9wOCWm5z57Ra5i2nQghTdzGXrjm_c_tocEgxI_RlW5HXELgnFImLmcRbiASDUJPKNdbx8ZMrSL9X9xxCV9hxTEsiX59kCZ5M6eJYJA3OlgNI00WoU_oNghQ---8i8o3_zeLiiD36THl3wgOEx99CaNWB_XVF5rPTalORg6r/s2048/EC05C176-3EC2-4A65-B175-CCB0C7BE4A02.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1539" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkt8U7szQde2l_ZGcql9wOCWm5z57Ra5i2nQghTdzGXrjm_c_tocEgxI_RlW5HXELgnFImLmcRbiASDUJPKNdbx8ZMrSL9X9xxCV9hxTEsiX59kCZ5M6eJYJA3OlgNI00WoU_oNghQ---8i8o3_zeLiiD36THl3wgOEx99CaNWB_XVF5rPTalORg6r/s320/EC05C176-3EC2-4A65-B175-CCB0C7BE4A02.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><p>I am just trying to make Sparky’s last days / months / years as comfortable for him as possible. When I got him in December, 2021, I didn’t think he would last more than 2-3 months. It’s now been about 15 months and he began to thrive in about December, 2022 and January, 2023. </p><p>His fur coat was very poor when I first got him, but it’s grown to a beautiful full coat of fur now. He has the lovely feathers that are a feature of Cavalier King Charles Spaniels and just a luxurious coat of fur. Also, he has been loving his cuddle time - wanting to be on my lap for the first time since I’ve had him. He loves to have more and more snuggles these days. It’s wonderful to see him feel happy and safe and appreciated!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkV_AuhqG4-CEcCLP0pcL4CLM3E3Pk8NwoqlGACzqQRqjaI14ciwYj2rbQBenr3aNglFdK-qTAYylfjwE5HWFrUJNwpoIAq-CF9RSwBKFlB1CJPxg8eiJS1ROZye0qTFi0DdcvOQ_5TCCRc7HwZWKqRWWOpfs1CbrMQlDyshwwFyUFEgxsBhhjbdKe/s2732/EDA5D654-3257-414C-AF4A-B828E8D7B27B.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2732" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkV_AuhqG4-CEcCLP0pcL4CLM3E3Pk8NwoqlGACzqQRqjaI14ciwYj2rbQBenr3aNglFdK-qTAYylfjwE5HWFrUJNwpoIAq-CF9RSwBKFlB1CJPxg8eiJS1ROZye0qTFi0DdcvOQ_5TCCRc7HwZWKqRWWOpfs1CbrMQlDyshwwFyUFEgxsBhhjbdKe/s320/EDA5D654-3257-414C-AF4A-B828E8D7B27B.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>In late January, he has started to become tricky to feed and give medicines to, again. I started to give him his medicines in cream cheese instead of pill pockets, and he liked that just fine, plus it was cheaper on my wallet. (He has become an expensive dog - with the prescription medicines, prescription food, and vet visits for heart issues recently.) </p><p>Well, in February, he stopped eating the medicine in the cream cheese. And now he won’t eat his prescription wet food, either. He just wants to have my Cocker Spaniel’s food - Iams. </p><p>I have learned that prescription food for kidney issues has extra things in it like more water, and vegetables and fillers, to help the kidney have an easier time regulating the water in the system. </p><p>So I have been giving him the Iams food, and adding in things like tiny chopped carrots and blueberries cut in half. I have also given him the fat from the dog food and some water too. It is helping him to keep eating instead of refusing it. He was even refusing treats! But he is better again, now. </p><p>I did have to switch from the cream cheese to the pill pockets again, because he started to refuse his medicine in the cream cheese. Now he has stopped eating the medicines in the pill pockets, so I am currently “hiding” them in the wet food. I have to watch him while he eats, and make sure he eats the 2 medicines, and doesn’t spit them out. It’s working for now. </p><p>Someone suggested putting the medicines in a piece of rolled up bread, and put whipped cream on top. If I need to do that, I will for sure do that. </p><p>My next post, I’ll tell you about my black American Cocker Spaniel, Jasper. </p><p><br /></p>How I See Things (dot) Comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08050131633707153936noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-761043206131678914.post-36139863846231338332023-03-13T06:00:00.001-07:002023-03-13T06:00:00.186-07:00Wichita Optometrist Part 2<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3pYYjvN8DgpIS-JTfgo4ES0RkESiSWsTkxQm06tXVCR_g1W6YG1-_pOebR4FSJJnuh9ydXZyomgkWqEku3ktyvkWigjcE7hTNIh-BqrPs3kWfH1ebKuVO0NR4Z7d57ZvgWz9EaDoWb5LnXXJQu8waoppm9J1oDkBjYyhplCAsAB7UwHQUKUqXPGrd/s1104/E6CEBC05-C4AD-49C3-9695-CA1F64A49FBA.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1104" data-original-width="828" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3pYYjvN8DgpIS-JTfgo4ES0RkESiSWsTkxQm06tXVCR_g1W6YG1-_pOebR4FSJJnuh9ydXZyomgkWqEku3ktyvkWigjcE7hTNIh-BqrPs3kWfH1ebKuVO0NR4Z7d57ZvgWz9EaDoWb5LnXXJQu8waoppm9J1oDkBjYyhplCAsAB7UwHQUKUqXPGrd/s320/E6CEBC05-C4AD-49C3-9695-CA1F64A49FBA.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The author of the blog sits behind the wheels of optometry used for diagnosing glasses prescriptions </div><br /><p>Having had such a weird experience with my new optometrist (“Mr. How Do You Like Living in Heaven”), I was resolved not to go back next year, and find a new optometrist. </p><p>I was also weirded out that even though he is thought to be a premier guy of vision therapy, he never said I would benefit from it. He didn’t do 90% of the tests that Dr Tod Davis did to me (which were exhausting, honestly, but they found my extensive problems!)</p><p>This guy didn’t even show me the standard book test of a raised butterfly when wearing 3D glasses. “Is the butterfly flat on the page, or above it?” I’ve seen that test since I was in Kindergarten, and even Dr. Davis and other doctors have shown me that test throughout the years!</p><p>I asked him if he ever went on the I❤️VT site. (I heart vision therapy.) and he’d never heard of it. That was bewildering to me, too. </p><p>I told him about my blog here, and he said he would check it out. I wonder if he will learn a great deal about vision therapy, more than he knew before, thanks to my site here? That would be interesting. </p><p>So, I had resolved that with the whole, “How do you like living in heaven?,” the lack of referral to vision therapy, the lack of testing beyond “which one is better, A or B?” And the not knowing about the I❤️VT site (that I have blogged about before, my story was in a talk given by Dr. Tod Davis on that site for Memorial Day one year, a few years ago, I resolved not to go back to this optometrist.</p><p>One thing he did say that also stuck in my head, in a good way this time, I suppose was: “I’m surprised you don’t wear your glasses very often.” I had thought it was important not to wear them often, since glasses are often over-prescribed and make our eyes weaker and weaker. It’s a real issue. So I feel I have protected my eyes from getting worse and worse, by not wearing them very often. My prescription really hasn’t changed that much since high school in the late 1980s. </p><p>I asked him why it was odd to him that I didn’t wear them much. He said, “because you’re not getting the benefit of the prisms in your lenses.” That hadn’t occurred to me.</p><p>Before he would give me my prescription, he tested me about the prisms. He asked me to look at a chart with letters on the wall without the prisms, and then put the prism on my glasses and asked me to tell him if anything was different. </p><p>Without the prisms, my eyes circled around the letters, until they could interpret what it was on the wall and what I wanted to focus on. With the prisms, my eyes went directly to the middle of the chart without circling around it.</p><p>He then said that the prisms DO help me. And I felt like maybe I was encouraged to wear them more. I made a mental note to process this and see if I wanted to change my behavior around wearing eye glasses. </p><p>About 2 weeks after my appointment, my new eyeglasses arrived. I went in to try them on and get them fitted. They are nice! I opted for the least expensive option they offered me, which was still fairly pricey (another not to Dr. Davis whose practice offers less costly eyeglasses, because they know vision therapy is a priority and already expensive enough.) I was reminded later that I could have just taken my prescription and gone to a cheaper place to buy the eyeglasses, like online. But I haven’t figured out how to order the eyeglasses with my prism prescription, so I don’t actually feel like I have the option to order from something like 1800Contacts.com or zenni.com or WarbyParker.com etc. </p><p>Anyway, I put on the new glasses and they were a better prescription for me than my previous pair! I was flabbergasted! I took them off and tried on my previous pair, and the difference was quite noticeable. </p><p>My new glasses feel better for my eyes, and I am wearing them a lot more!</p><p>I can read with them on, as opposed to constantly having to take them off to read. And I am enjoying looking around my world more, now, with the new eye glasses. </p><p>So maybe despite the fact that this optometrist is a bit odd and Christian-centered in a medical world (so weird & off-putting), maybe I will continue to go to him, because he knows how to prescribe eyeglasses that work for my eyes better than my previous prescription (which was nearly 3 years old at that point.) </p>How I See Things (dot) Comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08050131633707153936noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-761043206131678914.post-47554523841996421982023-02-22T15:13:00.004-08:002023-02-22T15:13:44.653-08:00Wichita Optometry<p> I have started going to a new optometrist in Wichita, KS (because that’s where I live now). </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkcGZn1xWExpNluyMfBlLGWlmydzT2l9-p1L4laGQwTPtrR10Q3aVyFJNz9K9Z5_s-F-ysTwEp-al2iY6WIz8JMXyIVfMhkgK-sKLcNsGYDbBlGLqeECfd6Q63ciu6HTnkpwgPNsaVamQqlBirTJDDf0-IKkWAcgJFE78R1V51xO8rHO1eEHB5B3nM/s2000/A72F5973-F4FA-4541-818F-8E8E2AA70577.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A train cuts the photo in half, dried grassy plain in the foreground, bluebird sky with white puffy clouds in the background." border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="2000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkcGZn1xWExpNluyMfBlLGWlmydzT2l9-p1L4laGQwTPtrR10Q3aVyFJNz9K9Z5_s-F-ysTwEp-al2iY6WIz8JMXyIVfMhkgK-sKLcNsGYDbBlGLqeECfd6Q63ciu6HTnkpwgPNsaVamQqlBirTJDDf0-IKkWAcgJFE78R1V51xO8rHO1eEHB5B3nM/w320-h240/A72F5973-F4FA-4541-818F-8E8E2AA70577.jpeg" title="Kansas" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>I miss Dr. Tod Davis. He has such a fun and delightful demeanor, cracking jokes, loving his job, loving his patients, and sometimes making quips in spontaneous German. </p><p>I showed up at the new practice in Wichita in December during the Christmas season. I wasn’t surprised by the Christmas tree in the lobby. It was nice to see a video of the practice, with the doctors talking about their specialities. </p><p>Having said that, I was quite overwhelmed by all the noise in the lobby. </p><p>The front desk person was of course checking people in, having them fill out paperwork, wait to be seated, making short business phone calls to remind patients of their upcoming appointments, having brief comments with doctors who came out of their offices periodically…. Normal things for a front desk person to be doing. No problem. </p><p>The TV to my left was on, as I said, with the short videos about vision issues and the various doctors of the practice talking about their specialty. Every now and then, there was a screen with the company motivation shown - it talked about being Christian and how their faith has motivated them to be a vision practice. I don’t really understand the correlation, and it was jarring to see this. </p><p>My vision issues couldn’t read the whole thing quickly enough before it went off the screen. I don’t know how long the loop was, but I didn’t want to sit there and stare for like 15-20-30-40 minutes until it came back on and then wait to have it loop around again. I did see it a couple of times, but my ADHD time blindness has no concept of how long I sat there or how long the video loop was. It was jarring, and I wasn’t motivated to read it and I didn’t get out my camera to snap a photo, either. </p><p>Also, in the same lobby, were religious carols (Silent Night, Holy Night, What Child is This? Etc.) being piped into the room on the other side of me. And, to my far right was the place where patients try on various kinds of glasses until they find one they like, then the person helping them writes the order. </p><p>At one point, a vision therapist came out with a patient of theirs, and the patient stood there, covering one eye at a time and looking at a picture hanging on the window. She just stood there, over and over, covering one eye and then uncovering it. Over and over and over. Right next to me. It was bizarre vision therapy that I have never seen, and her vision therapist never spoke to her, just stood there, as the woman did this cover / uncover / cover / uncover and look at the picture hanging on the window. Erm, okay.</p><p>It was a LOT going on for such a small space to sit in. </p><p>After a while, I was called back to meet my new optometrist. He looked at my chart and said, “how do you like heaven?” I am not sure how I replied. He asked me again a while later, because he knew I had moved from Virginia to Kansas. “How do you like living in heaven?” </p><p>At the time, I wasn’t particularly liking Kansas. I was really struggling with depression, anxiety, loneliness, isolation, and a boring gray landscape with no color. Still, the eye doctor persisted, “How do you like living in heaven?” </p><p>About 4 times of this, it finally dawned on me that he meant Kansas in general. </p><p>I asked him, “when you say ‘Heaven,’ do you mean ‘Kansas?’” And he basically said “yes,” without even looking up from his work figuring out my chart and my eyeglasses. </p><p>I told him that I was struggling to like it. I tried to make it sound nice, though - “I just moved from Shenandoah, Virginia, and this is a big change.” I didn’t really feel like telling him how isolated and depressed I was, and how I never left my house for the most part, because of my severe anxiety. </p><p>I asked around to other Kansas people later, “is Kansas typically referred to as ‘Heaven?’” No one had heard that before, and everyone thought it was weird that this doctor asked me this not once (which is weird), but at least 4 times. Bizarre.</p><p>I felt bewildered by a lot of the experience there. Also, some of it was helpful.</p><p>I told this doctor (as I have told so many eye doctors over the years), that my eyes hurt a lot of the time. I have constant, chronic eye pain. </p><p>At some point, he asked me to hold my eyes open while he peered at them with a bright light. I could hardly comply. I had to blink. </p><p>The doctor then announced to me that I probably have dry eye. He said this is what causes the pain. I asked him how he knew. He said because I had said that my eyes hurt all the time, and that when I was asked not to blink, it was hard for me and I had to blink. </p><p>So he referred me to another doctor in the practice who specializes in Dry Eye. </p><p>I will post about that visit in a future blog post. </p>How I See Things (dot) Comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08050131633707153936noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-761043206131678914.post-89548846315117693332022-12-28T14:37:00.002-08:002022-12-28T14:37:21.040-08:00Kindle Vella: Fairy Tech<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://smile.amazon.com/kindle-vella/story/B0BKVQRKWW" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="1546" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjExQ6tG45LzLWuX2DVDrMlkW4jXWQC1jzkl-5hgx9hMEGNLxti8eD3rkRRXpPLCk4JFMKN3DfRP7E4wbBH7tYh_S61v0sa4lvbG9M4YSwgY3vJid433xWF2YFqhtEWtvWr5UO1gdtUKVl5tryrEQgehAkp6gI8cbQTDn51ylBtISCrVPm_sb_tqrSC/s320/5D5C054E-7E16-419D-AFCB-0F20D95E92AF.jpeg" width="247" /></a></div><br /><p>I discovered that I have a love of fairies in about 1999. I dreamt up a whole story about 2 fairies in particular, Sprout and Violet, and wrote about 7 chapters of a book about them, “Fairy Tech.” </p><p>Around that same time, I got married, became a mom and got severely overwhelmed with life for the next 20 years. </p><p>I have no idea where those 7 chapters have gone. I wish I knew. They were pretty darn good. My great-aunt (who is no longer with us) said, “it’s very imaginative.” I decided to take that as a compliment. </p><p>Well, I have since divorced and become an empty-nester. I checked in with myself about this story, and decided to try to write it. I haven’t seen this story written by anyone else, so I still believe it is a unique story. </p><p>Because it’s partly about technology, I have had to modify the story a bit to make it more current. Technology has changed a lot since the year 2000! </p><p>As is common with writers, though, we believe in a story, we start writing it, we get partly in, review our work and think, “this is terrible!” Well, I have gone through the “this is terrible!” Stage with this story now, and am hoping to get back writing on it very soon. </p><p>The current first 2 chapters, such as they are, are available on Kindle Vella here: </p><p><a href="https://smile.amazon.com/kindle-vella/story/B0BKVQRKWW" target="_blank">https://smile.amazon.com/kindle-vella/story/B0BKVQRKWW</a></p><p>Kindle Vella is a whole new way for authors to share stories. The first 3 chapters on Kindle Vella are free for the reader to read. </p><p>I have decided that the first 5 chapters of my book, “Fairy Tech” will be available for folks who subscribe to my SubStack newsletter! </p><p>You can sign up for my newsletter here:<a href="Https://JodiCrump.Substack.com" target="_blank"> https://jodicrump.substack.com/</a></p><p><br /></p>How I See Things (dot) Comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08050131633707153936noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-761043206131678914.post-16843729742133753652022-10-03T06:00:00.004-07:002022-10-03T06:00:00.158-07:00I wrote another book ! <br /><br /><div>I wrote it during the month of September. I published it on Amazon and Amazon Kindle last week, in time for October / Halloween season. I just hired a narrator to read it for Audible.com and iTunes! Very exciting!</div><div><br /></div><div>My book is called: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BGB4YK4F/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i1" target="_blank">Simple Book of Shadows: Basic Secular Witchcraft for Witches</a></div><div><br /></div><div>I designed the cover, wrote the blurbs and wrote the book. I also took all the photos inside the book. If you have any witchy friends, or people in your life who love to talk about the moon and Mercury retrogrades or crystals or even people in your life who blow out candles on their birthday, will you please tell them about my book? Better yet, buy them a copy for a surprise Halloween gift! I would sincerely appreciate it. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGlRROP6n5xM9TrxJV_F7F78T3gBurwJpBMOnJdjZexbAit7yrEJlp9pFUYOL6VhBF6F-7c6hBV0ejJK1QjVOmWnkiQSrHmDqvUAmAHd8nTluWjYpCEp4QmuJ5mkGvtjEE6snBCh5cQmm1v-hvGdOmKaBwoZ2gUA3IHrK7Po-MA0fe0U4MynM/s2547/378AFF1D-1A9B-4712-B81A-73CB8E07F044.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A photo of Jodi’s new book. A white and light gray mottled cover with the words “Simple Book of Shadows” written in nice lettering that’s easy to read. There is a rainbow mosaic digital art triquetra on the cover, surrounded by a circle." border="0" data-original-height="2547" data-original-width="1825" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGlRROP6n5xM9TrxJV_F7F78T3gBurwJpBMOnJdjZexbAit7yrEJlp9pFUYOL6VhBF6F-7c6hBV0ejJK1QjVOmWnkiQSrHmDqvUAmAHd8nTluWjYpCEp4QmuJ5mkGvtjEE6snBCh5cQmm1v-hvGdOmKaBwoZ2gUA3IHrK7Po-MA0fe0U4MynM/w229-h320/378AFF1D-1A9B-4712-B81A-73CB8E07F044.jpeg" title="Simple Book of Shadows" width="229" /></a></div><br /><div><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BGB4YK4F/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i1" target="_blank">You can purchase my book on Amazon dot com, or read it on Amazon’s Kindle. </a></div><div><br /></div><div>You can see <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Jodi-Rose-Crump/e/B07H1MMVFN/ref=dp_byline_cont_pop_ebooks_1" target="_blank">my Author page on Amazon dot com here</a>: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Jodi-Rose-Crump/e/B07H1MMVFN/ref=dp_byline_cont_pop_ebooks_1">https://www.amazon.com/Jodi-Rose-Crump/e/B07H1MMVFN/ref=dp_byline_cont_pop_ebooks_1</a></div><div><br /></div><div>If you read and like my book, send me a note on <a href="Http://www.facebook.com/jodisart " target="_blank">Facebook</a> or <a href="Http://www.Instagram.com/jodiarts" target="_blank">Instagram</a> or if you have my email, send me an email … Thank you for reading my book! I can’t wait to hear from you! </div>How I See Things (dot) Comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08050131633707153936noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-761043206131678914.post-2148330627337743292022-09-25T13:25:00.003-07:002022-09-25T13:25:28.164-07:00Mere Creativity: And Also Some Circus SkillsDid you know I am an author? My published book is called “<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Mere-Creativity-also-circus-skills-ebook/dp/B07H18YSCB/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1RMOP1SBMNJUR&keywords=Mere+creativity&qid=1664136184&sprefix=mere+creatitivey%2Caps%2C100&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Mere Creativity: And also some circus skills</a>.” <div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCwf5kqg1SULtQJqYDyDADkiHh4NhG6VsGhK6DwqqRRzy_BVBRJBpz_J8CNK7jkxRt7AhrUwQOKhRuGChAMUHm5ef8imxMLgqLd9-N4qJaBgopUsURzvMzZ0HTk6s90gQvPVvW5Vqh-UjFrHyxSWSYY4F_RyNEnpvgHep_ct6tWXqo1IuAico/s1643/C5F50462-0973-48F6-AE27-C1C7F24C0E2C.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1643" data-original-width="1120" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCwf5kqg1SULtQJqYDyDADkiHh4NhG6VsGhK6DwqqRRzy_BVBRJBpz_J8CNK7jkxRt7AhrUwQOKhRuGChAMUHm5ef8imxMLgqLd9-N4qJaBgopUsURzvMzZ0HTk6s90gQvPVvW5Vqh-UjFrHyxSWSYY4F_RyNEnpvgHep_ct6tWXqo1IuAico/s320/C5F50462-0973-48F6-AE27-C1C7F24C0E2C.jpeg" width="218" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div>You can get a copy on Amazon and on Amazon Kindle, or even read for free on Kindle Library. </div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Mere-Creativity-also-circus-skills-ebook/dp/B07H18YSCB/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1RMOP1SBMNJUR&keywords=Mere+creativity&qid=1664136184&sprefix=mere+creatitivey%2Caps%2C100&sr=8-1">You can purchase the book here</a>. </div><div><br /></div><div>If you go to that site and click on the cover of my book, the first few pages of the book will show up & you can read those, free!</div>How I See Things (dot) Comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08050131633707153936noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-761043206131678914.post-59616432588062690882022-09-25T13:01:00.003-07:002022-11-16T16:27:04.328-08:00Please sign up for my new email list. <p><span style="color: #800180; font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">I have a new book coming out, and I am planning to write a lot more books on many different topics. Sign up to learn about my newest books, when they come out! I promise not to pester you every single day. </span></p>
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I am so grateful for professionals who make a safe place for the people they are working with. </p><p>The weighted blanket draped over my shoulders would help weigh me down so that I couldn’t dissociate. She would also strap 1 lb weights on my ankles, also to weigh me down. </p><p>My memory says she was working on my propreoception - helping me know where I am in space. I wasn’t floating up by the ceiling, I wasn’t existing somewhere in the past. She was helping me realize I was right there - seated in a chair at the Vision Therapy office. </p><p>I am so grateful to Dr. Tod Davis for diagnosing my eyes correctly. I had gone to eye doctors for about 40 years by the time I found him. I had told numerous eye doctors, “my eyes don’t work together.” They just dismissed it. And gave me eye glasses the same way every other eye doctor does. </p><p>Dr. Davis tested me to see if I could see in 3D, and determined that I couldn’t. He also diagnosed me with lack of convergence, double-vision and many other things. He pointed out that reading is difficult for me. I didn’t know that - because I had, for 40 years, done tricks to make reading a bit easier for me - covering up words, closing 1 eye, squinting with my other eye… </p><p>Now I know - I have trouble reading. </p><p>Anyway, 3 years ago is when I started this vision therapy journey and I am so grateful to have come quite a ways with my own vision. </p><p>I spent money sending my son to vision therapy. He wasn’t really ever able to articulate what he did in vision therapy to me. He has trouble articulating day-to-day things. I had hoped to blog more about his journey, but I wasn’t able to learn from him what they worked on very much. </p><p>His journey is now over with them. Being younger, they were able to find a lot more success with molding his brain to learn new ways to use his eyes than they were able to with me. </p><p>I had been hoping, once he was done going, that I would be able to resume going for me. I can’t afford it. </p><p>I have stopped practicing the at-home things like the bead on a string that helps me look at something close to my eyes (like a bead) and work on the muscle that crosses our eyes. It’s a great eye muscle exercise. </p><p>I feel like my ADHD gets in the way of me doing *anything* every single day. Story of my life - I am not consistent. Thank you, ADHD. </p><p>I am also grateful to my ADHD, by the way, because it enables me to have moments when I can hyper-focus and do things like write a whole book in a relatively short period of time. </p><p>Speaking of which, I am writing a whole new book. It’s on a topic that a lot of people may not feel comfortable reading, but if they actually sit down and read my book, they will walk away realizing it’s not actually the uncomfortable topic they have been taught it was, their whole life. </p><p>Thank you for reading my blog. </p><p>By the way, I have never asked my blog readers to buy stuff from me. I did start this blog hoping I could monetize it at some point. I have done everything I can to monetize this blog, and it won’t. I write and write and get discouraged, and write more later. </p><p>The way you can help me is by Leaving a Comment. </p><p>Seriously. Leaving a Comment on my blog posts would seriously help me towards my goal of monetizing my blog. </p><p>I approached an eyeglasses maker about them paying me if I would write about their eyeglasses and they basically told me “no.” If, however, I had comments on this blog, showing I actually have readers who engage with my blog, that would help me in the future when I approach other companies about paying me to blog. </p><p>Thank you for considering this & leaving a comment. </p>How I See Things (dot) Comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08050131633707153936noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-761043206131678914.post-28236553283343919422022-08-22T05:00:00.001-07:002022-09-17T12:09:57.229-07:00Life is Overwhelming at Times<p>Well, sometimes life throws us big curve balls. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_m6F5NdxBIbTOMp8vsuTb_2EyS-mWeV03q2Kr4VH25kJZh2di61hvLm2e67orQ6whtE16iJrGd4habFvrsmrKw1ruleFBJFfN1itotmB4wD5o5AybA4AFY-mKMaFpfjzLQ29G3Ni8ofMcCY85r2vZz4ER9Msw2Z_YFrZZXq4m2sSaORQW4KSCZcN9/s398/0CA3AC51-FE1E-4013-A25E-9AE4BD40730F.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="398" data-original-width="398" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_m6F5NdxBIbTOMp8vsuTb_2EyS-mWeV03q2Kr4VH25kJZh2di61hvLm2e67orQ6whtE16iJrGd4habFvrsmrKw1ruleFBJFfN1itotmB4wD5o5AybA4AFY-mKMaFpfjzLQ29G3Ni8ofMcCY85r2vZz4ER9Msw2Z_YFrZZXq4m2sSaORQW4KSCZcN9/s320/0CA3AC51-FE1E-4013-A25E-9AE4BD40730F.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A cartoon image of Jodi lying down underneath a gasoline gauge. <br />The gauge reads “E” in the red zone, symbolizing “empty.” </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p>I have once again been going through big things. </p><p>My son has expressed an interest in learning to drive. So I was all ready to give him a driving lesson in the beginning of July. And I took a mis-step while we were walking to my car, and I ended up with a sprained ankle (and a face-plant full of dirt). </p><p>It is now closing on the end of August, and I am still dealing with this sprained ankle. Who knew these things could take so long to heal? </p><p>In addition to that, I probably did a face-plant into some sort of shrubbery that I was allergic to. Because a few days later, I ended up at the doctor again with something on my arm that had been there a few days at that point. </p><p>The doctor diagnosed me with Shingles. Ack - I only just turned 50! I hadn’t yet had the moment to get a Shingles vaccine. I am only barely 50. And they sent me away with 2 medicines - one to take with water and a meal, and another to apply topically. They told me, “do NOT use any heavy cream, like Vaseline, with the Shingles.” </p><p>Well, it turns out I was allergic to the topical cream. It gave me a chemical burn on my arm. I am such a stranger to medicines, that I didn’t know what I was experiencing was abnormal. I used the cream twice, then just couldn’t do it again. And it burned my arm so badly, my skin all peeled off. It peeled off layers of color of my beautiful tattoo, too. I didn’t want to photograph my arm to show friends, either, because it looked horrifying. </p><p>After a week of this, I finally did send a photo to a close friend of mine. They showed their co-worker who said what I had been thinking - “it looks like a chemical burn.” </p><p>Meanwhile, I had to babysit my arm around the clock. My arm. Babysit my arm. It’s a bizarre thing when someone has to babysit their own body part. It was draining and burning and hurting and the only relief I could find was when I ran it under cold water. This went on for about 2-3 weeks in July and early August.</p><p>I finally went back to the doctor and showed them my arm. The nurse who admitted me said, “that doesn’t look at all like what it looked like when you first came in.” That opened my eyes that what I was dealing with had been completely different (and much smaller) than what I was dealing with now. </p><p>The doctor had no idea what it was, but he told me I now had a bacterial infection in addition to “whatever it was,” and he told me to follow up at the emergency room the next day. </p><p>So I went to the emergency room the next day. They confirmed the bacterial infection, confirmed that the new medicine I was put on was a good one to clear up the bacterial infection, and they told me I needed to follow up with a dermatologist (a skin doctor). </p><p>I tried several “local” dermatologists (all “local” ones are an hour away!), and either they couldn’t see me at all, or they could see me as early as January. No joke. </p><p>Thankfully, where I used to live, I have a dermatologist. That’s 2 hours away, but I called her just the same. Her receptionist made a slot for me the next day. Thank goodness!</p><p>She also confirmed the bacterial infection, said the medicine I was on for that was fine. And she gave me 2 topical medications to mix with Vaseline (!) to apply to the chemical burn.</p><p>My pharmacy closed before I could drive back the 2 hours home, to pick up the new medicines. But I decided to just put the Vaseline on without the other medicine added to it. Hoping that would help. </p><p>Oh wow - did it sure help!! It softened the chemical burn, torn up skin so much, that the next day, when I showered, most of the bad skin just fell off in the shower! It was such a relief to have a lot of that stuff off of my arm. It had been pulling and stretching and tearing at me. It was so painful a</p><p>I got the medicine for my arm and mixed it with the Vaseline, and it’s been about 2 weeks now, and my arm is staring to return to its normal color, sans “tan from the sun gained over the years.” It’s like new baby skin forming. </p><p>In addition to all of that, my landlord was raising my rent, so I had to figure out what to do next. I have decided that for the moment, I will have my stuff in storage while I stay with friends and figure out where I will be living now. I am grateful to say I have a few wonderful friends who are going to let me stay with them for now, while I figure things out. It’s been quite the experience to pack my belongings in to boxes and label them, while only being able to use one arm. </p><p>And, I have 2 other very big things going on that I don’t post about on public forums, and those things have their own paperwork and issues cropping up here and there. It’s a LOT to deal with, and I have been overwhelmed beyond what I have ever felt like overwhelm was. </p><p>At some point, does life calm down? I sure hope so. I have books I want to write and paintings I want to paint. And my dogs would love to have fun things to do, too, I am sure. </p>How I See Things (dot) Comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08050131633707153936noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-761043206131678914.post-85739254933200814132022-08-18T14:28:00.004-07:002022-08-18T14:28:57.836-07:00Clouds<p> Last night, I was walking my dogs, and I saw a gorgeous sunset. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrQJTAcUcURaN1oqbRj684gLSBujMWCKKOIhnUTDMYv3r141dIhpM4QCKRV0QtiEiZ-VmCCbPi5AKtDihdsCCm4UmWT12Ng_04HTESbUq0-40Ryg7nuw1Jh_2Is_HGLJwGnSfs5LJUDt0c3bgTrj5R2P3118Pp5Jc42rcKNLTCXVD95oFh62i34l6I/s2100/AD2C56FF-1FF4-470B-8C62-79546E9C61F2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2100" data-original-width="1574" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrQJTAcUcURaN1oqbRj684gLSBujMWCKKOIhnUTDMYv3r141dIhpM4QCKRV0QtiEiZ-VmCCbPi5AKtDihdsCCm4UmWT12Ng_04HTESbUq0-40Ryg7nuw1Jh_2Is_HGLJwGnSfs5LJUDt0c3bgTrj5R2P3118Pp5Jc42rcKNLTCXVD95oFh62i34l6I/s320/AD2C56FF-1FF4-470B-8C62-79546E9C61F2.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">It went from far off in the distance (orange lit small, closely spaced clouds) to over my head, where it was white puffy clouds, still close together.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I followed the orange clouds from the distance to see them all the way up and over my head. They were so beautiful, I had to stand and enjoy all of them. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Looking overhead, I saw these clouds: </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeYzzcJtwgSOvK_fBW8XlwVjS6SyRksORWajxmQTzgUkmXhYtXf1JiJUFJpRdjVCmNsDx_zoALS5XVRR1oKhpjODgrVKEb8Fcd6Jfb0MrMmJ9Hxvlm8ZZ6Lsfh9JhZoEkPwR9OrTLlbKshif7KoAiDE5NIoqrkD6UWH67XtOjk0kAy8wO0Dl3Ha8cJ/s4032/54A33BF0-5571-4402-9C47-1A238BC842BB.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeYzzcJtwgSOvK_fBW8XlwVjS6SyRksORWajxmQTzgUkmXhYtXf1JiJUFJpRdjVCmNsDx_zoALS5XVRR1oKhpjODgrVKEb8Fcd6Jfb0MrMmJ9Hxvlm8ZZ6Lsfh9JhZoEkPwR9OrTLlbKshif7KoAiDE5NIoqrkD6UWH67XtOjk0kAy8wO0Dl3Ha8cJ/s320/54A33BF0-5571-4402-9C47-1A238BC842BB.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The image is a light cyan blue sky with white puffy clouds. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I stood there, looking overhead at these clouds, and it was amazing - they were in 3D to me. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I have never seen clouds as “near me.” They have always looked like a postcard image to me - 2 dimensional. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">These clouds? They looked about twice as far away as the telephone pole’s top that I was standing next to.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I wished I had a person right there, next to me, who could have validated that the clouds were close and that I was in fact, seeing them in 3D. No one was around me, and I didn’t want to look away and figure out how to find someone (a stranger) to look up and validate my weird eye issues. It would have been super weird to have to explain all my eye issues or even some of them, to get them to then validate what I was looking at. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Anyway, It was an amazing sight for me. And I stood there, hoping my brain was making new connections : we can see clouds and perceive how far away they are!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This sighting and 3D view for me helped me understand something about my vision: it’s possible I can see 3D when something is very large. I saw the tree in 3D when driving (see a previous post about this), when it was in front of a mountain. And now I saw the clouds in 3D - it was like they were coming towards me, away from the blue of the sky behind them - like things come towards me in a 3D movie with those special glasses on. (That’s the only way I had ever seen 3D before - when I was wearing special glasses that make things forcibly pop towards you. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Now I am wondering if I should go to more 3D movies. I am thinking I should! I feel like I remember seeing Nemo and Dory in 3D, maybe it was at a ride at either Walt Disney World or Disneyland. That’s probably where I saw 3D Nemo - at a ride at a Disney park. What 3D movies do you think are worth it?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I sometimes wonder if folks who can see in 3D read my posts and close 1 eye to look ahead of them and not see in 3D, and wonder what it’s like not to have something in their life every day, that comes so naturally to them. Let me know. I look forward to your comments. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Please forgive the odd formatting of this post. I just don’t have the energy to fix it right now. </div><br /><p></p>How I See Things (dot) Comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08050131633707153936noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-761043206131678914.post-30436020443120834202022-07-18T05:00:00.006-07:002022-07-18T05:00:00.162-07:00Polarity<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzKc4a8zhPJ4iUZVfeLiSptC8pl9x1ado1a6C-AuwHyRwRuAcLG0RZ7wftqQcDukQTOPVp8i5l2rEseq-rN56DRi2uQkdcj5SGGzQ7F_rmgsInFwzTrNMVNUb4EnBeXGU4GdRICM7h9upDaFFqv88f-OzR1TQWjY0RWeOVr_5FZEesdW-Sy_XnGfnr/s1474/DA33414C-1CAD-4D79-A21F-740EFCC5A490.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="584" data-original-width="1474" height="127" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzKc4a8zhPJ4iUZVfeLiSptC8pl9x1ado1a6C-AuwHyRwRuAcLG0RZ7wftqQcDukQTOPVp8i5l2rEseq-rN56DRi2uQkdcj5SGGzQ7F_rmgsInFwzTrNMVNUb4EnBeXGU4GdRICM7h9upDaFFqv88f-OzR1TQWjY0RWeOVr_5FZEesdW-Sy_XnGfnr/s320/DA33414C-1CAD-4D79-A21F-740EFCC5A490.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">I have been observing the world for, well, my entire life. And by “world,” I mostly mean: The United States. I have spent the majority of my life here in the USA, though I have spent some minimal time in other countries. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">One of the things I have noticed become more prominent is since the beginning of Facebook. And, even then, only in the last few years in particular. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">I have noticed trolls - you know, those people on Facebook who love to pick arguments no matter what the topic is. At first, it seemed like trolls were just angry, mean people who got their jollies off of saying negative things to hurting people online, on forums, on Facebook. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">I remember seeing an article in The Christian Science Monitor quite a few years ago called, “The United States of Anger.” I went looking for it on their website, www.CSMonitor.com, but I can’t find it. There are over 70,000 “relevant” searches on the topic, but they are all from 2022. The article I am thinking about probably predated Nancy Pelosi’s first stint as a Speaker for the House. Whenever that was. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The title caught my eye. It rang true for me, internally, and at the time I was the kind of person who prayed about everything. So I prayed about it. Trying to exude peace and love and kindness on the world, to help allay anger, smother the anger so it would turn into kindness towards one another.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">I have noticed the United States is in a Civil War. It’s been going on quite a while. I can’t remember if I felt that was true before I saw the article, or after I saw the article. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">I feel like the war in the United States is extremely polar: Democrats vs. Republicans. It’s driving me bonkers, how close-minded folks are. So many people think everything is either Red OR Green. No other shade. (I would say “black vs. white,” but this is too commonly used, so I looked at the color wheel tattoo on my arm and chose 2 other, opposite colors.” </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">I read this article this past week - and it scares me: </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/magazine/2022/03/08/they-are-preparing-war-an-expert-civil-wars-discusses-where-political-extremists-are-taking-this-country/">https://www.washingtonpost.com/magazine/2022/03/08/they-are-preparing-war-an-expert-civil-wars-discusses-where-political-extremists-are-taking-this-country/</a> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">I thought we were already in a Civil War. I was wrong. We’re still heading to one. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">I want to close this blog post with a quote from the late, honorable Senator Elijah Cummings, that I found on <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2019/10/17/elijah-cummings-defining-career-moments/4006995002/" target="_blank">a USA Today page</a>: </span></p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 152, 254, 0.4); caret-color: rgb(48, 48, 48); color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">"I've often said on the floor of the Maryland House of Delegates that our world would be a much better world, and a much better place, if we would only concentrate on the things we have in common, instead of concentrating on our differences," Cummings said. "It's easy to find differences, very easy. We need to take more time to find common ground." </p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 152, 254, 0.4); caret-color: rgb(48, 48, 48); color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">He paraphrased a Benjamin Mays poem, which he said he told himself as many as 20 times a day.</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 152, 254, 0.4); caret-color: rgb(48, 48, 48); color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">"I only have a minute, 60 seconds in it," he said. "Forced upon me, I did not choose it, but I know that I must use it, give account if I abuse it, suffer if I lose it. Only a tiny little minute.</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 152, 254, 0.4); caret-color: rgb(48, 48, 48); color: #303030; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 14px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">"But eternity is in it." </p>How I See Things (dot) Comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08050131633707153936noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-761043206131678914.post-72388398973260370192022-07-14T11:10:00.008-07:002022-07-14T11:41:47.920-07:00Dissociation<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5vkbn1QipqjWBD2W7IE8dM7Jl8-O6DE_3TDwHDf3BfNiWExqDhH9mE4huhugiuW67mlgN0eQTLVbAiioxvf1KQBt3aCi5liV4zV17tJKQrucB1AWxUaeyJjrdFKunZqMQnGVKgFAO4U5PmPToI5tVjerllEAaqktCnjpQ7uzygZHoO0zgWjAzoAyG/s1087/8C5FF759-FA40-4B7A-BA37-2DD00C29DB05.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="691" data-original-width="1087" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5vkbn1QipqjWBD2W7IE8dM7Jl8-O6DE_3TDwHDf3BfNiWExqDhH9mE4huhugiuW67mlgN0eQTLVbAiioxvf1KQBt3aCi5liV4zV17tJKQrucB1AWxUaeyJjrdFKunZqMQnGVKgFAO4U5PmPToI5tVjerllEAaqktCnjpQ7uzygZHoO0zgWjAzoAyG/s320/8C5FF759-FA40-4B7A-BA37-2DD00C29DB05.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A portion of an acrylic painting I did. Light turquoise, medium dusty blue, silver interact in an almost ethereal way.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;">Insurance doesn’t pay for vision therapy. And I couldn’t afford to go to vision therapy while also sending my son to visit on therapy. So, I stopped going to vision therapy when it was time to send my son. He is younger and I felt vision therapy could help him so much more than it’s been able to help my mid-life-self. I was right. it was the right thing to do. </p><p style="text-align: left;"> Since stopping vision therapy, I am realizing I have started to go backwards. </p><p style="text-align: left;">My eyes fatigue a lot. They are in pain a lot now. And I am finally admitting this to myself. </p><p style="text-align: left;">Also, I am starting to dissociate again. Dissociating for me is when I float above my body. My mind is somewhere else entirely. I can be doing things and looking like I am interacting normally with whatever’s in front of me. It could be doing the dishes or driving my car on an extremely familiar route. </p><p style="text-align: left;">I am just starting to admit this to myself - that I am starting to dissociate again. Time to get out the ankle weights, and do more difficult tasks that require focus, to keep me grounded. </p>How I See Things (dot) Comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08050131633707153936noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-761043206131678914.post-74586514395849068362022-06-27T05:00:00.001-07:002022-06-27T05:00:00.143-07:00My son’s vision<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAAaNB3hkokeBQVgJ-tKeBUp0HEYsLAW07CghdZyHfWWc07_K3_WA_mdqqhJuUmlKzke9yCWJXcF1MVNoPSBVn2O2Gv2Yg-NG_PrvOIUGBykzPjHLOJHxe_gMwkJQfLD9y9RQ3-9DOwsvnj0oxuPdjJCAHhrkAK_FOcnfnxh2unMuhJZXp59kpPQak/s3088/D8932B5A-CD57-403D-B57B-1AD24494E4FA.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2316" data-original-width="3088" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAAaNB3hkokeBQVgJ-tKeBUp0HEYsLAW07CghdZyHfWWc07_K3_WA_mdqqhJuUmlKzke9yCWJXcF1MVNoPSBVn2O2Gv2Yg-NG_PrvOIUGBykzPjHLOJHxe_gMwkJQfLD9y9RQ3-9DOwsvnj0oxuPdjJCAHhrkAK_FOcnfnxh2unMuhJZXp59kpPQak/s320/D8932B5A-CD57-403D-B57B-1AD24494E4FA.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br />It’s official - after about a year with vision therapy for my son, he no longer needs vision therapy!<p></p><p>He went to vision therapy for about 18 months or so. </p><p>According to the vision therapist, Dr. Tod Davis, my son no longer needs vision therapy!!</p><p>He can see in 3D and he is doing great! Oh my gosh!</p><p>Dr. Davis said that my son should be evaluated again in a year. </p><p>I am hopeful that his vision will stay fantastic. </p><p>Wow - the miracles of modern day vision therapy. </p><p>I am so grateful to Dr. Tod Davis of Virginia Vision Therapy. </p>How I See Things (dot) Comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08050131633707153936noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-761043206131678914.post-68338995703276453092022-06-21T12:08:00.000-07:002022-09-17T12:08:37.003-07:00Happy Solstice!<div style="text-align: left;"><img src="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=12yYmH2rFT0taGwUAGVDFX_zfTNx3FCDt" alt="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=12yYmH2rFT0taGwUAGVDFX_zfTNx3FCDt" style="max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; height: auto; width: auto;"><br></div><div style="text-align: left;">In the Northern Hemisphere, today marks the summer solstice. In the Southern Hemisphere, today marks the winter solstice. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br></div><div style="text-align: left;">Wherever you are, Happy Solstice Day! </div>How I See Things (dot) Comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08050131633707153936noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-761043206131678914.post-57036148448159783132022-06-13T05:00:00.037-07:002022-06-13T05:00:00.164-07:00Seeing the Beauty<p>A friend has enjoyed seeing photos I take wherever I go. I take a LOT of photos. </p><p>My friend remarked that for someone who has vision issues, I definitely notice beautiful things & she is grateful I share them so other people can see them, too. </p><p>So I thought: what if I share some photos on my blog here? </p><p>So, perhaps you will enjoy this gallery of beautiful things I have photographed. </p><p>Enjoy. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht6PlcRunKwVHWRr9hbx9RcldAN1nOW4q9NBAW2OEJ0JpscHlNL4wcj_qvZIYEDv6OVPdunxX8vxe70HFaOZiOKa9Wpj9RG4_8PjGLtqewKJwiPtR0I2YidBP8bIjgSQb6xxoPUaw2TGfdJkJo76mYCL-5E9j5jHLyO67frFNcu3juWIx8jJEmwAWD/s4032/23A03CFD-4ACC-4E32-BC21-6403E388F77F.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht6PlcRunKwVHWRr9hbx9RcldAN1nOW4q9NBAW2OEJ0JpscHlNL4wcj_qvZIYEDv6OVPdunxX8vxe70HFaOZiOKa9Wpj9RG4_8PjGLtqewKJwiPtR0I2YidBP8bIjgSQb6xxoPUaw2TGfdJkJo76mYCL-5E9j5jHLyO67frFNcu3juWIx8jJEmwAWD/s320/23A03CFD-4ACC-4E32-BC21-6403E388F77F.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">A gorgeous sunset, and the human elements of electrical power. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUT80q_NRxKOl_MK8gojvTBR6pXT7zh2SwDaCK-O9QfcPVsCmaRVu_SQQcWNQLaZTcm7LVcDUsRGWNr82baYOLussdYjOmgBgi350FpDrBIQy0-1SHojNKws1TYchrhDA6DdcNSIGWlk8XAF3LPykjGmhnajJ0UwHK9PW1mhdRJkzs1mQ1yU7Cnyjq/s960/B2ABC74B-CB0F-4896-975D-FB8CC5A03CA1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUT80q_NRxKOl_MK8gojvTBR6pXT7zh2SwDaCK-O9QfcPVsCmaRVu_SQQcWNQLaZTcm7LVcDUsRGWNr82baYOLussdYjOmgBgi350FpDrBIQy0-1SHojNKws1TYchrhDA6DdcNSIGWlk8XAF3LPykjGmhnajJ0UwHK9PW1mhdRJkzs1mQ1yU7Cnyjq/s320/B2ABC74B-CB0F-4896-975D-FB8CC5A03CA1.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">My 2 dogs, running with a friend of theirs - Jasper is the black American Cocker Spaniel in the front. Sparky is the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel (with perhaps a mix of Chihuahua in him, because his ears are short … they are sticking up in this photo because he is running!) … and their friend in the back, chasing Sparky. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I love how Jasper poses for the camera. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilAyOV1lbZmtfR8lxAQiy7Mh7-pvMsujZ3nsWTiMg_kjiTu_jT-kUVzN6-SKrnflHP1wR5jx9UMuXxiOmXlXBMCgmLdEzdklrZFEp0Wx-H4oLd7G9_1FV4A3om_xXrEp2dafBtCIOwbJOpL4MxijKrs_PKwIxwxTdgIV4D90aqlpdkgvoncodQNr9V/s4032/BE0770BE-6012-4F03-A3D6-7DF86F0B3F06.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilAyOV1lbZmtfR8lxAQiy7Mh7-pvMsujZ3nsWTiMg_kjiTu_jT-kUVzN6-SKrnflHP1wR5jx9UMuXxiOmXlXBMCgmLdEzdklrZFEp0Wx-H4oLd7G9_1FV4A3om_xXrEp2dafBtCIOwbJOpL4MxijKrs_PKwIxwxTdgIV4D90aqlpdkgvoncodQNr9V/s320/BE0770BE-6012-4F03-A3D6-7DF86F0B3F06.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Sparky taking a doze on a friend’s ottoman. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghM_qurMjs67uOOEjqzP4XvxxviDKp4iEbnd6lKPGXrypFJZmlJHJML7lV72EK9H283J5_SWM_vPzKZVgkcUlc2TSRsWEQN06-VxFK2NplAarHmd_t_6bW56BDfVrI814WLwRXLU3Urs07vE8SKdaGSSIQLFmfumW3GGWuxYX0TSyPwNGoatfB79Eo/s4032/C791AEF3-2F54-45D7-94FD-5300E63031AF.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghM_qurMjs67uOOEjqzP4XvxxviDKp4iEbnd6lKPGXrypFJZmlJHJML7lV72EK9H283J5_SWM_vPzKZVgkcUlc2TSRsWEQN06-VxFK2NplAarHmd_t_6bW56BDfVrI814WLwRXLU3Urs07vE8SKdaGSSIQLFmfumW3GGWuxYX0TSyPwNGoatfB79Eo/s320/C791AEF3-2F54-45D7-94FD-5300E63031AF.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Jasper’s cute butt while he looks out the window. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD1qzaA0YNUKsBMC37rJeBk9JsqtsW8rEx8SmKIEh0UdmPdiKjULZKJWJCt_E37xX0zhW48wIdWZUJGjTz5ty2pcR6Bx8tt_Z4SV_TyRJXRDtMhP50cBqQuPYBxz9eLZZDKPTG1bfUdcDs8NDoSTakenESPkV6yGrndM0pUZ84aGcbc8qR5ou5SxvU/s4032/CACE7EA8-E8C7-4483-8074-4E61E5620670.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD1qzaA0YNUKsBMC37rJeBk9JsqtsW8rEx8SmKIEh0UdmPdiKjULZKJWJCt_E37xX0zhW48wIdWZUJGjTz5ty2pcR6Bx8tt_Z4SV_TyRJXRDtMhP50cBqQuPYBxz9eLZZDKPTG1bfUdcDs8NDoSTakenESPkV6yGrndM0pUZ84aGcbc8qR5ou5SxvU/s320/CACE7EA8-E8C7-4483-8074-4E61E5620670.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Another gorgeous sunset. The Shenandoah Mountains near where I live. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK4FnKnQ3BYpngpCgvxaRexfkltq1_7iPkvOpcXpT88rKvtgJJrxVd-EQQPm5f5LSMcuAuAVJ3WgsCozVjfa0FiMeBAWgSsYIku37CZC3AU0-gTSpennu-S3HwdeMnFFozj7IqDerOB09c4TYUiEmz3jCBmcp9-g9gEUKKKsZFkA38I9QsNHD4e7bH/s4032/EE60C8D6-0258-4516-A232-85569898F954.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK4FnKnQ3BYpngpCgvxaRexfkltq1_7iPkvOpcXpT88rKvtgJJrxVd-EQQPm5f5LSMcuAuAVJ3WgsCozVjfa0FiMeBAWgSsYIku37CZC3AU0-gTSpennu-S3HwdeMnFFozj7IqDerOB09c4TYUiEmz3jCBmcp9-g9gEUKKKsZFkA38I9QsNHD4e7bH/s320/EE60C8D6-0258-4516-A232-85569898F954.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Sparky and Jasper romping - ears up!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOImAkIBXMwbfDNR_qfa9HtibaCAPGWJ80hwMjMR1Bocs7iIMIAuyAubBG4Za6q39RZGQ_W_OlESJNY-QbEfk8dNvPFeIftGQZtvkPRVzlEplD7fZbDOke2RdFoQ-jDC3FpVsxFRa0wr0Q9M4KbQGKjTihzA54k85I-ug5CAVNdGx2CCXRNoqADJ4H/s2552/F0ABBEB5-E7D1-4DA6-BC0B-77731C5D621D.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1296" data-original-width="2552" height="163" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOImAkIBXMwbfDNR_qfa9HtibaCAPGWJ80hwMjMR1Bocs7iIMIAuyAubBG4Za6q39RZGQ_W_OlESJNY-QbEfk8dNvPFeIftGQZtvkPRVzlEplD7fZbDOke2RdFoQ-jDC3FpVsxFRa0wr0Q9M4KbQGKjTihzA54k85I-ug5CAVNdGx2CCXRNoqADJ4H/s320/F0ABBEB5-E7D1-4DA6-BC0B-77731C5D621D.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">A fire sunset with the snow in the foreground. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNQoUtIypV3lh8xP2IclOVLIX2AmQN2awcHWOQ9VoKxIRZSOsYGkzMS5Gs1d6DGnMhn-8zD4ayEQqeEZ_-wsDOALlz83cUJ2sM6mE9DnKaZmnbLzrtqn0MGbMwMsMKNB8X7YJODBPzttb4hYdzPVXgQfvNm3oM2iMV9M0JHdbQyMY3vyd40ATvUuFg/s4032/3F9CCD72-7A94-4A1C-A5BB-76B9EA6D54E2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNQoUtIypV3lh8xP2IclOVLIX2AmQN2awcHWOQ9VoKxIRZSOsYGkzMS5Gs1d6DGnMhn-8zD4ayEQqeEZ_-wsDOALlz83cUJ2sM6mE9DnKaZmnbLzrtqn0MGbMwMsMKNB8X7YJODBPzttb4hYdzPVXgQfvNm3oM2iMV9M0JHdbQyMY3vyd40ATvUuFg/s320/3F9CCD72-7A94-4A1C-A5BB-76B9EA6D54E2.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div>Baby pinecones forming. I actually tasted one, too. It tasted like pine. Definitely interesting. <div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtmwXJ3rosojcc-mPjKoj-qbSfD4eFN_EIIqe6SidnClWiqQGDsaX4b4NoRF9xJveH9bRR57OPEA-HuuP5x-5nt_cTUhNMpedbj-hVdNek-AEKBzxGcPjxV0SCrRU-Jlc6ofFd4yZAozyU7-e4eJT0A9Mx6fBASZqf8AvQzPuk5PtgZwJcIAFyjmky/s4032/4A6D09BE-1AE9-4DD9-863C-70AD2A656EFA.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtmwXJ3rosojcc-mPjKoj-qbSfD4eFN_EIIqe6SidnClWiqQGDsaX4b4NoRF9xJveH9bRR57OPEA-HuuP5x-5nt_cTUhNMpedbj-hVdNek-AEKBzxGcPjxV0SCrRU-Jlc6ofFd4yZAozyU7-e4eJT0A9Mx6fBASZqf8AvQzPuk5PtgZwJcIAFyjmky/s320/4A6D09BE-1AE9-4DD9-863C-70AD2A656EFA.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Lilly pads in a pond. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3-wZtj0ls2XNUmcVu13QelO0nzWLsL3cPcyrFmB_AS77A9PL4RQ10s_rMvMGQN83sfcmBfLzQLqAKbXd4wZwg5-sj-qSNck3zTjLJCgKAc2VZZMEyElufkvlXXUTRG0QugwoREyI2sAN5d16OfZIMHNhO2r-962Sq7gqz2GZAbJPk2DRNh1Zm6nfZ/s4032/5FB682FC-A818-4FDA-A2B8-FB82A6AEC575.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3-wZtj0ls2XNUmcVu13QelO0nzWLsL3cPcyrFmB_AS77A9PL4RQ10s_rMvMGQN83sfcmBfLzQLqAKbXd4wZwg5-sj-qSNck3zTjLJCgKAc2VZZMEyElufkvlXXUTRG0QugwoREyI2sAN5d16OfZIMHNhO2r-962Sq7gqz2GZAbJPk2DRNh1Zm6nfZ/s320/5FB682FC-A818-4FDA-A2B8-FB82A6AEC575.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Interesting formations on a tree. Not sure what they are, but I like them. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhEpPlReVBdXKV0AJOtkBRcchKUaRRHQIFlureouCza_iF4PO-NkwTKkVabckGkHMbplRhTLVemxlPSPntmfh6LCPKOt4Zls7QeTiKqIaH8v0NLpHygiUqKd3_CLxMbzj64G1cjIVal8GuAekFmizH5EZ9X1e06Wpu7RY45G-UoBk5YWIVBiDnLSSk/s4032/8A418A7B-5D52-4C08-A960-C56E6D3689E2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhEpPlReVBdXKV0AJOtkBRcchKUaRRHQIFlureouCza_iF4PO-NkwTKkVabckGkHMbplRhTLVemxlPSPntmfh6LCPKOt4Zls7QeTiKqIaH8v0NLpHygiUqKd3_CLxMbzj64G1cjIVal8GuAekFmizH5EZ9X1e06Wpu7RY45G-UoBk5YWIVBiDnLSSk/s320/8A418A7B-5D52-4C08-A960-C56E6D3689E2.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Boats on a lake, fog in the background. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje_4zJIOYvmkaaSJgN4UekuUd6mTBgmiRfNQIKvwj2bQgrea5CD-xTzNsQALXNIQAoUyXiWNB5j-uiLmEnQ7lviJRYQey466C6KTMbL1u_sKwKyomDjqLl0ChrLi4CeVZBiiO-1eBAkA2HC6z2E7_tBH4nMz-sC_8mDWqFh7xF-_9hJlwhExTPX266/s4032/23EB9E36-D2C0-4D8B-8D87-31DD9B5C5F96.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje_4zJIOYvmkaaSJgN4UekuUd6mTBgmiRfNQIKvwj2bQgrea5CD-xTzNsQALXNIQAoUyXiWNB5j-uiLmEnQ7lviJRYQey466C6KTMbL1u_sKwKyomDjqLl0ChrLi4CeVZBiiO-1eBAkA2HC6z2E7_tBH4nMz-sC_8mDWqFh7xF-_9hJlwhExTPX266/s320/23EB9E36-D2C0-4D8B-8D87-31DD9B5C5F96.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Purple Irises. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRwjEioiMr6OxCMc4FEieIJ0yZNHJTqHy8EEOf4YeuNjDWFmS-XbcAw6jrm7f9IcVB0yru4oSqYjhtNFslpM7LOajb7h9TN9JYfRa5aTjPqu2H73GahSkwjVKF-TRRklCJSSmRA0s-fVwdJSg1Jk0b-Ygmy3W-wDOW_1rj8HuQvb2GHy3Sh_IzHTqL/s4032/30F832D1-3C2A-4922-A29E-7324078FAD87.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRwjEioiMr6OxCMc4FEieIJ0yZNHJTqHy8EEOf4YeuNjDWFmS-XbcAw6jrm7f9IcVB0yru4oSqYjhtNFslpM7LOajb7h9TN9JYfRa5aTjPqu2H73GahSkwjVKF-TRRklCJSSmRA0s-fVwdJSg1Jk0b-Ygmy3W-wDOW_1rj8HuQvb2GHy3Sh_IzHTqL/s320/30F832D1-3C2A-4922-A29E-7324078FAD87.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Forest in front of a lake. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikPAsaligdEFR1Z0ecg4olLYiHm0H6OnITLPfvscmgb1m6iYKra46NTDsi_b1ZN3VOSnx2e7X2sSPS0_9AxJfwxYBMyFNSTWDYSskYuVra54UYwebB4hVRZCIm8jmfQakBPVe9wT4FYjYaIQACjj2-nrMXjUkbfgdHghh64kzi7N7Wl1ta075nvDBI/s3088/C55A98B3-796D-4DD5-9D1A-A0319EB9A85F.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikPAsaligdEFR1Z0ecg4olLYiHm0H6OnITLPfvscmgb1m6iYKra46NTDsi_b1ZN3VOSnx2e7X2sSPS0_9AxJfwxYBMyFNSTWDYSskYuVra54UYwebB4hVRZCIm8jmfQakBPVe9wT4FYjYaIQACjj2-nrMXjUkbfgdHghh64kzi7N7Wl1ta075nvDBI/s320/C55A98B3-796D-4DD5-9D1A-A0319EB9A85F.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Jasper looking at the camera. His nose. This one may not be a beautiful shot, but it’s fun. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoUMwypNlKsdptHBqjBaGdCyZoIkLbcDpFTMbJ40k1hest2sadrdv7vYxhms9Teq-OEyQK93bXaaA-HqowYlDADEeAmm0wIxaSxyCzcdtvkDmnuA41Dks-HSHVcNXly4NC7F8F6FibbJbZm1whlyXKGn4CKX1wjgQ_KaBZF2VL2WQlJYikxE497AP_/s4032/E1C0FA72-8EEA-4586-AA53-96F15D81CAEC.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoUMwypNlKsdptHBqjBaGdCyZoIkLbcDpFTMbJ40k1hest2sadrdv7vYxhms9Teq-OEyQK93bXaaA-HqowYlDADEeAmm0wIxaSxyCzcdtvkDmnuA41Dks-HSHVcNXly4NC7F8F6FibbJbZm1whlyXKGn4CKX1wjgQ_KaBZF2VL2WQlJYikxE497AP_/s320/E1C0FA72-8EEA-4586-AA53-96F15D81CAEC.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">A chipmunk!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjar7m9xqq5VymjfSptgP1BSgEf0z2ThY_B9MNsnQDj7Q6HhR0XNY52bGXAXwZihKTmaUhtkbnXRC_r303dR0e9vavpgq16qsaBHq2wBkVuGFxw98JsH0D0OzXkUI9-wazpzz9ctyPPeQq_dB-o9TKlVlvBWyo8Xw2yWtRz9B2Xk5Jz-6JOsEWIjC6N/s4032/E0267D36-3DB2-434E-81F5-B443B36E3754.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjar7m9xqq5VymjfSptgP1BSgEf0z2ThY_B9MNsnQDj7Q6HhR0XNY52bGXAXwZihKTmaUhtkbnXRC_r303dR0e9vavpgq16qsaBHq2wBkVuGFxw98JsH0D0OzXkUI9-wazpzz9ctyPPeQq_dB-o9TKlVlvBWyo8Xw2yWtRz9B2Xk5Jz-6JOsEWIjC6N/s320/E0267D36-3DB2-434E-81F5-B443B36E3754.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">First sunset over the Atlantic Ocean. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgChO1MTx3TWj7TmEDQC0zIA89vMylt6T_RZ8H5O9arSa6CategYwtAhvzRqpMfBMr44GBLrgza1C0iRmylUT8xNhAVPXFZZjI40DKeJGb0JIO_U5oYl03HTmHqGP_eq7EADBUSXKgUmkxxrW_J6oVrr7T9ETUEwbNtHipDA-TjXzbZeH_ZIp6Wif4m/s4032/F3111D86-C005-4071-AA98-A2D4D65809F8.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgChO1MTx3TWj7TmEDQC0zIA89vMylt6T_RZ8H5O9arSa6CategYwtAhvzRqpMfBMr44GBLrgza1C0iRmylUT8xNhAVPXFZZjI40DKeJGb0JIO_U5oYl03HTmHqGP_eq7EADBUSXKgUmkxxrW_J6oVrr7T9ETUEwbNtHipDA-TjXzbZeH_ZIp6Wif4m/s320/F3111D86-C005-4071-AA98-A2D4D65809F8.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">A local caterpillar in Shenandoah. These are harmless to people. But they make gigantic nests in the trees and kill off tree branches. Then they turn into small white moths. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I hope you enjoyed this post! Maybe I should do more of these. This is literally, “How I See Things.” Photos of things I see. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p><br /></p></div>How I See Things (dot) Comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08050131633707153936noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-761043206131678914.post-67460593782246117472022-05-30T05:00:00.003-07:002022-05-30T05:00:00.166-07:003D Moment<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-W4Aa3IQaBqfbsqEOp6_NIEnwC3B1bCWizKAKiZTZPVQOfDhc65JdrZKTrEH_UYfRgpCPb-v1YXV_lxTVJIHlm6LgE4nrxcE5aAy2j2y9YBzQ4XNwl2PpsVBrpMuSPxBaiCdweJcOw7Ou_z9xm5mFvkc7FCCgf6AGJaU_tiJs9KKE049uZ0_Zjkdv/s4032/34C8FE8C-0A9A-4384-9191-CDFFED46A4BF.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-W4Aa3IQaBqfbsqEOp6_NIEnwC3B1bCWizKAKiZTZPVQOfDhc65JdrZKTrEH_UYfRgpCPb-v1YXV_lxTVJIHlm6LgE4nrxcE5aAy2j2y9YBzQ4XNwl2PpsVBrpMuSPxBaiCdweJcOw7Ou_z9xm5mFvkc7FCCgf6AGJaU_tiJs9KKE049uZ0_Zjkdv/s320/34C8FE8C-0A9A-4384-9191-CDFFED46A4BF.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>I live in a mountainous region (the Shenandoah Mountains, part of the Appalacean Mountain range in central Virginia.). <div><br /></div><div>I was driving on a road, and the sun was in my eyes. I must have mentioned before on this blog somewhere how sensitive my eyes are to light. I probaby mentioned it in one of my Dissociation posts. My eye doctor, Dr. Magic AKA Dr. Tod Davis of Virginia Vision Therapy liks the two. He says they are commonly linked -- dissociaiton and sensitivity to light. </div><div><br /></div><div>I already had on my prescription sunglasses. I added on <a href="https://rainbowoptx.com/collections/all-collection/products/clip-on-orange">orange clip-ons</a> from Rainbow OPTX. </div><div><br /></div><div>I put them on, and felt my eyes open up. I wasn't being bombarded from the sun so strongly, and felt my eyes rest. </div><div><br /></div><div>Soon after, I was driving towards a perfect round tree on the right side of the road, and beyond the tree, I could see the mountains in the distance. </div><div><br /></div><div>Now, normally, it looks like a postcard to me. It's all flat. I know the mountain is beyond the tree becasue 1) that's how it is, there is road going from in front of me, next to the tree, and getting smaller and smaller, eventually looks like it's running into the mountain. 2) the tree is covering part of the mountain. The mountain isn't hiding the tree. </div><div><br /></div><div>When my eyes were able to rest, and it was a clear, sunny day, I had a brief moment, driving towards that tree, where I saw the tree in 3D - popping closer to me than the mountains. </div><div><br /></div><div>I love the brief moments when I get to see something in 3D! The only time I consistently see in 3D is when I am in a 3D theater, wearing those special glasses. </div><div><br /></div><div>The rest of my drive and for drives in the future, I was trying to find a tree and mountains way off in the distance, so I could see the tree standing out , towards me, the way it did that one time. But, I only saw it the one time. </div><div><br /></div><div>I look forward to the time (and I have hope that this will happen some day) when my brain makes some adjustments and connections and can see in 3D consistently. </div><div><br /></div><div>Oh, the things the majority of folks out there take for granted. To me, seeing in 3D is magical. I'd love to see that magic a whole lot more in my life. </div>How I See Things (dot) Comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08050131633707153936noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-761043206131678914.post-24053192528767777422022-05-26T18:46:00.000-07:002022-05-26T18:46:28.897-07:00Johnny DeppWho is watching the trial? I have watched a huge chunk of it. I don’t have great Internet at home and I don’t have cable TV. So I am watching what I can, when I can. <div><br></div><div>I saw a portion this week that was Johnny Depp talking about his left eye. He said most people’s eyes are spherical in shape. Depp said his left eye was not spherical but rather oblong. Because of this, he said his brain never learned to use his left eye. He said he is legally blind in his left eye. </div><div><br></div><div style="text-align: left;"><img src="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1Pnl8jc9kAbIA0_VLeArOENSDRF3kGujv" alt="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1Pnl8jc9kAbIA0_VLeArOENSDRF3kGujv" style="max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; height: auto; width: auto;"><br></div><div style="text-align: left;">[Photo, courtesy of <font color="#000000" face="sans-serif" size="3" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.3); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><a href="https://www.vanityfair.com/style/2022/04/johnny-depp-amber-heard-victim-of-domestic-violence-cross-examination-testimony" title="Vanity Fair" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.3); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Vanity Fair</a>. </font>Shows Johnny Fox on the witness stand in the Fairfax County Circuit Court in Fairfax, Virginia. Johnny is wearing pink rimmed glasses with blue lenses that match the knot of his blue tie.]</div><div><br></div><div>I see him put on his light blue glasses. I know I have always closed my right eye so I don’t see double when I am reading. But when I type, I tend to shut my left eye. </div><div><br></div><div>I guess I was expecting to see Depp shut his left eye when reading the computer monitor, but he doesn’t. I guess he just doesn’t see out of it. <span style="font-size: 12pt; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; display: inline !important;">It’s fascinating to me how many different eye issues people have. We all do our own quirks with these vision and eye issues. I have trouble seeing out of my left eye, and I do the </span><a href="http://www.howiseethings.com/search/label/Flickering" style="font-size: 12pt; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;">flickering eyesight</a>, <span style="font-size: 12pt; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; display: inline !important;">which overwhelms me with information and forces my brain to block out large portions of what I am taking in both visually and auditory.</span></div><div><br></div><div>He is an extraordinary actor. I have been a fan of his Mad Hatter character and his character in 21 Jump Street, and of course his Captain Jack Sparrow character for years. I wasn’t aware of all the other movies he was in, though. I have seen him in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. He did a great job, but I wasn’t a fan of that version of the movie. I also wasn’t a fan of the Sweeney Todd, Demon of Seville movie. </div><div><br></div><div>It’s an interesting thing, when your eyes don’t work like “everyone else’s.” It makes you look at the world differently, laugh at different kinds of humor, find creativity everywhere you look. </div><div><br></div><div>Regarding the trial, and I am treading carefully here, I have learned that too many people are abusers, and too many people have been victims of abuse. I believe any gender can be abused, and I believe any gender can be the abuser. </div><div><br></div><div>It breaks my heart to see a victim tell the truth, even if it means bringing out their own skeletons from their own closet, and to see the abuser sit there on the stand, lying and believing they are getting away with something. </div><div><br></div><div>May true justice prevail. </div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div>How I See Things (dot) Comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08050131633707153936noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-761043206131678914.post-10733412929167996272022-02-28T13:16:00.000-08:002022-02-28T13:16:04.192-08:00Wiggle Our Toes<p><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19.08px;">One of my vision issues is that I don’t like to read. Now, I thought I did like to read. But it turns out it makes my eyes hurt, and I skip over words. I try to get the gist of what I am reading without reading all of it. And if I go back and read every word, I am likely to tangle up the letters and mis-read it anyway. The whole thing is a chore and a nightmare for me. </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgLvRH96OVOpYp8y_CcElyn6KcARHGoXRW50Fk8k3FZIOJRzVtoXbQhjzErxfcv4X8H5vQLILAa8g8P5QCaZ3VLkPwr8P8wv4pdjP4hz7kFptOCeSTSG-s3QeR-rAp9v74QDE4r_9G0dF7rEfI9OFYsjI92B5718E8C-4mhCRvRaXNm1gtIv2m8sn2b=s398" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="398" data-original-width="398" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgLvRH96OVOpYp8y_CcElyn6KcARHGoXRW50Fk8k3FZIOJRzVtoXbQhjzErxfcv4X8H5vQLILAa8g8P5QCaZ3VLkPwr8P8wv4pdjP4hz7kFptOCeSTSG-s3QeR-rAp9v74QDE4r_9G0dF7rEfI9OFYsjI92B5718E8C-4mhCRvRaXNm1gtIv2m8sn2b=s320" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><p><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19.08px;">I have learned that I love listening to books on Audible. I mean, I love books. I love stories. I love learning things. And Audible works for me so well. I can be washing the dishes, keeping my hands busy, and read a book. I have listened to books while I take a road trip from the east coast to the mid-west.</span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19.08px;"> </span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19.08px;">Recently, I have been listening to a book on Audible.com called “A Radical Guide for Women with ADHD,” by Sari Solden MS and Michelle Frank, PsyD. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 24.7px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19.08px;"></span><br /></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19.08px;">Yes, I have ADHD too, because of course I do. I didn’t have enough initials of things I have with C-PTSD, PTSD, Afib and SVT. Sigh. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 24.7px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19.08px;"></span><br /></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19.08px;">Today, she brought up Proprioception. My ears perked up. My mind was wandering during part of the book, because it does this. Thank you, ADHD. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 24.7px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19.08px;"></span><br /></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19.08px;">The authors talked about how people with ADHD are distant from their body, not paying attention to things. Constantly distracted. And how bringing them back to a sense of their body by working on proprioception can bring them awareness and help them focus. Be here now. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 24.7px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19.08px;"></span><br /></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19.08px;">The author gave us an exercise that started with wiggling our toes. I was driving my car. A friend of mine taught me to use my cruise control on long drives. And I had it going. And I was able to wiggle my toes as I listened to the author and as I drove through the Shenandoah Mountains. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 24.7px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19.08px;"></span><br /></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19.08px;">She said we should bring awareness to our toes. Feel ourselves down there, in our toes. I am not there yet, feeling like I exist down there in my toes. But it was sure worth a try. I definitely feel like I am in my head, my brain, all the time. I excessively think and overthink everything. I can’t shut it off. It’s constantly going and going and switching topics and losing focus and hyper focusing. It’s exhausting. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 24.7px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19.08px;"></span><br /></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19.08px;">But I wiggled my toes. She said to move up to our body and move our ankles. I was wiggling my toes and moving my ankles. And my ankles got tired. As a former ballerina, I was sad to realize how tired my ankles got from minimal movement. I have some work to do. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 24.7px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19.08px;"></span><br /></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19.08px;">She had the reader move on up their body to their knees, thighs, hips and shoulders and neck …. And I was still just trying to wiggle my toes and feel an awareness of myself down there. </span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19.08px;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19.08px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh5biHiGDU4Kml76ttCmlqQYyUz7X8OF4rrnA0l25j2y1MrqlTTSb_Hi1cehhf_hg1yX5cCCuvFzqO420Hl_8aFrcdmf13FAUWyyPGKl4Y3XHYFuMAXlPmcbCev4IhS2DCcv-25IsXPrUlp5RboMPSH4w486-q9gjAhGTBEGUHMVzu6kcvFjRhjdBIU=s398" imageanchor="1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: none; font-family: -webkit-standard; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="398" data-original-width="398" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh5biHiGDU4Kml76ttCmlqQYyUz7X8OF4rrnA0l25j2y1MrqlTTSb_Hi1cehhf_hg1yX5cCCuvFzqO420Hl_8aFrcdmf13FAUWyyPGKl4Y3XHYFuMAXlPmcbCev4IhS2DCcv-25IsXPrUlp5RboMPSH4w486-q9gjAhGTBEGUHMVzu6kcvFjRhjdBIU=s320" width="320" /></a></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 24.7px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19.08px;"></span><br /></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19.08px;">I like the idea that I can practice proprioception in this new way, and I wanted to share it. I will never be a circus acrobat. But hopefully as I approach my 50s, I will get more fit and more aware of my body than I have been. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 24.7px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19.08px;"></span><br /></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19.08px;">My son tells me that if we used to be athletic, our body remembers how to do it, so it comes back easily. I am hoping this is true for me. I’ll let you know how it goes. </span></p>How I See Things (dot) Comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08050131633707153936noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-761043206131678914.post-640944689769265952022-02-21T05:00:00.000-08:002022-02-25T17:45:53.142-08:00Proprioception and Alegria <p> <span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19.08px;">So, let’s talk a little about proprioception, shall we?</span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19.08px;"> </span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19.08px;">I learned about this word in vision therapy. It’s a word I am still figuring out. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 24.7px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19.08px;"></span><br /></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19.08px;">It means “perception or awareness of position or movement of the body.” </span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19.08px;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhk-SsatvzoC26g5fciz2v2MATDrWfnbcOrrZdQrweWFG_hLlRGVNtO0I8T-P8qisuo5x3t7FQyVNtg8twwcxZxUZxnUHMgq12s6V6rUMXqh9txtzm5Aw96DUQ-OLKWBrPG9Dq6Y2uEV-ZQY786ua9yw_wJLHP0X-4dqpFEFTrQfFwLfVrXdJxHK0v0=s398" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="398" data-original-width="398" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhk-SsatvzoC26g5fciz2v2MATDrWfnbcOrrZdQrweWFG_hLlRGVNtO0I8T-P8qisuo5x3t7FQyVNtg8twwcxZxUZxnUHMgq12s6V6rUMXqh9txtzm5Aw96DUQ-OLKWBrPG9Dq6Y2uEV-ZQY786ua9yw_wJLHP0X-4dqpFEFTrQfFwLfVrXdJxHK0v0=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A cartoon Jodi is wearing a black and red plaid shirt, dark blue pants, black hockey skates. She has on blue hockey gloves and is holding a hockey stick in the “check” position (the end of the stick is raised above her shoulder). </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19.08px;">Gosh, I have so many different things I want to share about this. Either this will need to be 3 blog posts, or I can figure out how to make it interesting as one and not too long. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 24.7px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19.08px;"></span><br /></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19.08px;">I am suddenly reminded of Cirque du Soleil’s “Alegria” show. It’s a beautiful show, full of storybook characters and bird characters that walk around, dance, jump and do amazing acrobatics. It has a beautiful princess character in a white dress who sings the most beautiful songs with her extraordinary alto voice. There is a character opposite her - who wears all black and sings the harmonies. Their performances are so extraordinary that they can both do both characters. In fact, they alternate. The black-dressed character doesn’t sing as much as the white-dressed character. So they alternate nights, to give their throats a rest from doing the whole show, every night. I just find that fascinating. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 24.7px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19.08px;"></span><br /></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19.08px;">I watched a show of them, behind the scenes. I can’t remember what it’s called now. But the casting director is talking to the whole cast. She has an issue with their performance. That’s the thing about Cirque du Soliel - from what I have experienced of it (and at last count, I had seen 20 of their shows, and some of them I have seen so many times I can’t even count how many times), I love the way that everyone there strives to improve their performance for every single show. The creative director is constantly watching every show to make sure it is as spectacular or even more so than every previous show. It’s amazing.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 24.7px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19.08px;"></span><br /></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19.08px;">In the tv show I watched about Alegria, I remember the casting director looking at the strong man of the show and saying to him, “Andre, in the first act, your arms are….” And he burst out, “the biggest!” </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 24.7px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19.08px;"></span><br /></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19.08px;">It wasn’t what she was aiming for, but it brought a good laugh. She was trying to make sure everyone on the stage during the first act held their arms in a certain wing-like formation. She wanted everyone to be in this position the entire time they were performing a certain section of the opening act. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 24.7px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19.08px;"></span><br /></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19.08px;">Another part of the show, I think a narration of the scene I have just described, talked about how aware every single performer was in their body. Their entire being was wrapped up in every motion their body was making. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 24.7px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19.08px;"></span><br /></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19.08px;">They were centered in their body. It got me thinking. I have been thinking about this for probably 15 years or more now, and it still gets me - how aware every single circus performer is and has to be, about where their body is. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 24.7px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19.08px;"></span><br /></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19.08px;">Some circus acts are incredibly dangerous. Dangerous beyond belief. One missed beat could mean the difference between life and death. I have seen Cirque du Soleil shows and other circus shows and clowns doing incredible, breath-taking things that I would need a book to describe them. Things that no ordinary person like me could dream of doing. Acrobatics, flips, diving, silk dancing, kinetic movement beyond description. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 24.7px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19.08px;"></span><br /></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19.08px;">While I’m at it, I am just going to say - go see the resident show in Las Vegas called “KA.” It’s a Cirque du Soleil production that has things there are impossible to do. I sat there and watched and said out loud, “that’s impossible.” And yet, the performers did everything flawlessly. Like a seamless ballet. It takes my breath away just to think about scenes in that show. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 24.7px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19.08px;"></span><br /></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19.08px;">The whole idea of a stage performer being completely aware of their body. Wow. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 24.7px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19.08px;"></span><br /></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19.08px;">I grew up as a fourth generation Christian Scientist. Christian Science, for anyone who doesn’t know, doesn’t believe that the material body exists. They don’t. If you can see, hear, feel, taste or smell it, it’s not real. Anything that is real is something that is eternal - like kindness, compassion, creativity, gentleness. These qualities can’t be destroyed. But a table or even a human body can be destroyed. This is what makes them “unreal” - they can be destroyed, thus, they are unreal as far as Christian Science is concerned. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 24.7px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19.08px;"></span><br /></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19.08px;">I didn’t take biology in school. I didn’t take family life classes or whatever it’s called these days. I didn’t take the classes about drugs or alcohol or anatomy. I was exempted from all of those classes. There is so much about the human body that I didn’t learn in school. I was a faithful, fervent-believing Christian Scientist. I was determined to be the best Christian Scientist ever. I was determined to heal the way Christ Jesus did. (This is what Christian Scientists believe - that they can heal the way Jesus did. And part of doing the healing work is believing that the real qualities of God can never be destroyed.)</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 24.7px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19.08px;"></span><br /></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19.08px;">Growing up in Christian Science, I turned my whole back on my material body. I didn’t eat right and I didn’t exercise. Let me tell you what it’s done to me now, at the age of 49. I am no longer fit. I am no longer the athlete I used to be. I used to run track, dance ballet, snow ski, canoe, rock climb, go caving. I could do just about any sport I wanted to do. I took about 5 golf lessons and did really well with that too. I played on the roller hockey intermural team in college, too. What a rough sport. It was men and women on the team. Mostly men. And they didn’t care who they were running into. It hurt like crazy and I loved every moment of it. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 24.7px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19.08px;"></span><br /></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19.08px;">I have been out of Christian Science now about 7-8 years. I have been working very hard to realize my human body is real. It’s been quite the learning curve. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 24.7px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19.08px;"></span><br /></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19.08px;">One of the things I had to come to terms with was the fact that I have heart problems. I have supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) and atrial-Fibbrilation. One of these things means that the left and right side of my heart don’t talk well to each other. They forget it’s a dance between 2 sides and sometimes just pump on one side of my heart. This can be a lethal thing for the person who experiences it. I am lucky to be alive, frankly. I am so grateful to still be here. I feel like I have so much to share with the world and I am just getting started. The other heart problem is that my heart can beat too fast. It beats way too fast and makes me feel dizzy, like I want to pass out. I have had heart surgery and thankfully, where I am now is that even if my heart feels weird and crazy, it’s not going to kill me. Also, I take a daily heart medicine now that also keeps it more in check. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 24.7px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19.08px;"></span><br /></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19.08px;">I haven’t exercised in something like 20 years. Probably more like 30-35 years. I exercised in Physical Education class in school, all the way through college. And I also did ballet and track, like I said. I was active and enjoyed being athletic. I was fit and gave all the glory to God. It wasn’t my body doing these things, it was me expressing my Maker, God. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 24.7px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19.08px;"></span><br /></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19.08px;">Life took some twists and turns and I ended up on the couch. For 20 years. Marrying, having babies, giving up all the things I used to love, and putting my children and marriage first, ahead of any human or material needs I would have wanted. I thought it was the right thing to do. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 24.7px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19.08px;"></span><br /></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19.08px;">And now I am 49, coming up quickly on 50. I will turn 50 this year. And I am in the worst shape of my life. It’s so hard to go from couch-sitting to heart problems to staying in bed due to anxiety, heart problems and a fear of leaving the house due to my own vision issues (yes, I have blogged about how my vision issues are related to me being afraid to leave the house - click on the link in the sidebar for Dissociation - and read how it’s all related). </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 24.7px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19.08px;"></span><br /></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19.08px;">I want to be fit. I want to be able to snow ski again. I live in the Shenandoah Mountains now. I live 8 miles from a ski resort. I live next to the Shenandoah River, too. I used to love canoeing. I want to be able to do that too. I love being on the water. I love being on the snow. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 24.7px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19.08px;"></span><br /></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19.08px;">Proprioception. Awareness of where your body is, and how it’s moving in space. I want more of that. Proprioception. I did snow angels on the carpet (okay, they are actually called carpet angels) when I started vision therapy. I sat in a spinning swing or a rolling office chair and spun in place very slowly. I learned how to reach out and touch objects in space. All of these different activities were attempting to teach me to connect with my body - give my brain new patterns and wiring. Literally rewiring my brain.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 24.7px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19.08px;"></span><br /></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19.08px;">I did so much work learning where my body is in space, learning about proprioception in vision therapy. And I feel like I have only just begun to say what I wanted to say when I started this blog post. But it feels long enough now. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 24.7px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19.08px;"></span><br /></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19.08px;">So more about this topic will come along in a future post. Thank you for reading my blog. I appreciate having you here. </span></p>How I See Things (dot) Comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08050131633707153936noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-761043206131678914.post-86394102517298591432022-01-26T20:13:00.003-08:002022-02-23T15:12:46.473-08:00Seeing Double<div style="text-align: left;"><img alt="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1k1HyXlOWKbGFf-BdG_IEmDtPQZ1EWuxP" height="223" src="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1k1HyXlOWKbGFf-BdG_IEmDtPQZ1EWuxP" style="height: auto; max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; width: auto;" width="547" /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEihG62sea4awPseIIVmCDHqiS-tFoUCFDIoZ4Xrxl1AfCRP_aeBe3ylbYgBdsJzNpBatH2Z3cWdAoeWBpZRtbHRZdZBw-TXWr9R9QhGXtTC2821btj8vE_0btre97fu9N4YMx2z3Y_jpqwrhRCybjscyyjQuVzZvKn9iATNr9jxi-dlm-4FfsUJq2Gc=s1800" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1350" data-original-width="1800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEihG62sea4awPseIIVmCDHqiS-tFoUCFDIoZ4Xrxl1AfCRP_aeBe3ylbYgBdsJzNpBatH2Z3cWdAoeWBpZRtbHRZdZBw-TXWr9R9QhGXtTC2821btj8vE_0btre97fu9N4YMx2z3Y_jpqwrhRCybjscyyjQuVzZvKn9iATNr9jxi-dlm-4FfsUJq2Gc=s320" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div>My son’s and my vision therapists have a card in their office that has some vision issues on it. </div><div><br /></div><div>This is quite similar to how I see out of only my left eye. I have discerned that I see double out of my left eye only. It’s a thing. My vision therapist says it’s not a thing unless your cornea has been split in two. But - it’s truly how I see things. I haven’t spent time with my right eye to see how it sees. </div><div><br /></div><div>It takes effort and endurance to be able to look at something for a long time to see how I see it, and then to be able to figure it out in words. </div><div><br /></div><div>Anyway, I wish I could take photos of what I actually see. I can’t. But this shows what I see, in a way others can interpret.</div><div><br /></div><div>My double vision is so similar to this - here’s how mine is different. (My right eye has a whole host of other issues, so this is really about my left eye.) </div><div><br /></div><div>I see the main, dark part. The text (shown here also, as the dark text.) Then I see below it and wider than it, the blurred words too. It’s slightly below and wider than the text of what I see. </div><div><br /></div><div>It’s exhausting and confusing and tiring and makes me need to take naps. I walk around all day, seeing this way. </div><div><br /></div><div>This is just ONE of my many many many vision issues. I have wanted to figure out how to create this graphic and couldn’t quite get to the place where I could create this using tools I already have. I am so glad the vision therapy office created this. It helps me share, and helps others learn that “not everyone sees the way I see.” </div><div><br /></div><div>Thought I would share. </div>How I See Things (dot) Comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08050131633707153936noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-761043206131678914.post-45776529989671239602022-01-09T23:05:00.002-08:002022-01-26T20:29:43.141-08:00New YearHappy New Year!<div><br /></div><div>I hope everyone had a wonderful December season. </div><div><br /></div><div>I took much needed time off from my blog here. I grieved the loss of my Bella. And I have rescued 2 dogs who needed to be rescued and need to be loved. </div><div><br /></div><div>I rescued Jasper from San Antonio, Tx, thanks to God’s Dogs Rescue. He is a black American Cocker Spaniel. He is only 2 years old and if I count his breeder, I realized that from his perspective, I am his 7th owner. He is only 2 years old and has spent most of his life in a shelter. It’s so sad! He is a love bug and he is so happy to live with me now! He does not want to go anywhere else. He is home. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgUI2xMw0vnxYFIH0wRzVHRzBUPosJ3UCS2r1iGkMz-aQKkN02zM5byRb-4Yfl709sOX1ODRYlZwkLEMharsNmVMqX4kywPPX8QBQXuJE1x4JVE6LjJt62cZ7UMmvyD28OuPXsJQw8iBXzyW8MdRs7cfGO-lUl7T1s7S-CYh3i_cgVdziqZU1TEo_KF=s3896" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2922" data-original-width="3896" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgUI2xMw0vnxYFIH0wRzVHRzBUPosJ3UCS2r1iGkMz-aQKkN02zM5byRb-4Yfl709sOX1ODRYlZwkLEMharsNmVMqX4kywPPX8QBQXuJE1x4JVE6LjJt62cZ7UMmvyD28OuPXsJQw8iBXzyW8MdRs7cfGO-lUl7T1s7S-CYh3i_cgVdziqZU1TEo_KF=s320" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgZf3rNbNWWoch4yoNQLntlOQKiIUFdVAjASHQ3ryNfYNjjL87_3RswiitqCyBPHhpXvP3szDbWI_Ona2rAB4Ks_aiC0nS214CJNHozikPbB65-MfiCZkTRCSbNTbJJTShi_bpXVBbQmS6YngF4OPY22RegZ9MJqK1Ql0r0KvyjBajWIdUYmlAWcuhx=s3472" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2102" data-original-width="3472" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgZf3rNbNWWoch4yoNQLntlOQKiIUFdVAjASHQ3ryNfYNjjL87_3RswiitqCyBPHhpXvP3szDbWI_Ona2rAB4Ks_aiC0nS214CJNHozikPbB65-MfiCZkTRCSbNTbJJTShi_bpXVBbQmS6YngF4OPY22RegZ9MJqK1Ql0r0KvyjBajWIdUYmlAWcuhx=s320" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><img alt="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1lBVvsNMJCv-pDUtqBlF8tr4eLVdJnZFV" src="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1lBVvsNMJCv-pDUtqBlF8tr4eLVdJnZFV" style="height: auto; max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; width: auto;" /><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">And I rescued a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. He was found walking the streets in Northern Virginia. The shelter he was taken to tried to give the owner time to come get him. But no one did. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The shelter got him very good medical care and the vet said he is probably about 10 years old. He has a heart problem (typical of the breed) and kidney issues. He has to eat special kidney diet food. He also has hock joint issues. My vet said those are a nuisance but not life-threatening. He also has horrible teeth and a collapsing esophagus. The collapsing esophagus is also not life-threatening, but it makes him “cough.” Loudly at times. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">But he is a sweetheart and I am so happy to have his Cavalier self brightening up my days. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">This is Sparky. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiyF6-FcHcqHSDre1LJVqH_98TElOdcY32yZ-a98ayJVQqsJPyxqoOwlxLxE7KeQ05R0A9m5D8ktQ_6EnrRAXIryV0tQnrLZA2YJCTYghgHBpR7bjMJc0db0-vjxU2LPQu6L7KmifjmhevYS2iq1cuagzQXJ6dLQmcuxRSBg2gYLurafsFLx-P6HNkU=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiyF6-FcHcqHSDre1LJVqH_98TElOdcY32yZ-a98ayJVQqsJPyxqoOwlxLxE7KeQ05R0A9m5D8ktQ_6EnrRAXIryV0tQnrLZA2YJCTYghgHBpR7bjMJc0db0-vjxU2LPQu6L7KmifjmhevYS2iq1cuagzQXJ6dLQmcuxRSBg2gYLurafsFLx-P6HNkU=s320" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEipSjeQHWJ-FIhVukKJDdQ5ibdJ6ptHWVuSNorLrMi5jzsCO9pC9UrXz4fopHoGgNNUklSOqRxsxVhnvMeOV1Ivby7LsQuvu0AEIxB3ZgWRpGFfwXfHe39iP3jV4zU2S4_tARfRxR5xEqwRhbvYcork_td26wYLFEpHWshtXdwiI0-9Kzyzp5PRlnUA=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEipSjeQHWJ-FIhVukKJDdQ5ibdJ6ptHWVuSNorLrMi5jzsCO9pC9UrXz4fopHoGgNNUklSOqRxsxVhnvMeOV1Ivby7LsQuvu0AEIxB3ZgWRpGFfwXfHe39iP3jV4zU2S4_tARfRxR5xEqwRhbvYcork_td26wYLFEpHWshtXdwiI0-9Kzyzp5PRlnUA=s320" width="320" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><img alt="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1ZR06gbi4Z9ZiPAOLht84dmWR6zdjXvGL" src="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1ZR06gbi4Z9ZiPAOLht84dmWR6zdjXvGL" style="height: auto; max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; width: auto;" /><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><img alt="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1f1ux6aTHjYFUV8b3ilginkPpF8x-x_-h" src="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1f1ux6aTHjYFUV8b3ilginkPpF8x-x_-h" style="height: auto; max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; width: auto;" /><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">They have become buddies. I am so glad to have both of them in my life and my boys love them so much, too. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I hope you’re having a wonderful start to your new year!</div>How I See Things (dot) Comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08050131633707153936noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-761043206131678914.post-7930046837256678372021-09-20T05:00:00.009-07:002021-09-20T05:00:00.188-07:00The Sunshine of My Life<p> In December, 2017, I was blessed to become the mommy of the sweetest being of all time. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WhEaFKmAfo8/YUfP5D6Dw4I/AAAAAAAAAQw/lK9GE6XXOpYcDvHxbV9l-oO3-uYONKBsgCLcBGAsYHQ/s960/07A9ED64-79EF-4363-9FC1-F012D358569A.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WhEaFKmAfo8/YUfP5D6Dw4I/AAAAAAAAAQw/lK9GE6XXOpYcDvHxbV9l-oO3-uYONKBsgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/07A9ED64-79EF-4363-9FC1-F012D358569A.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br />She was only 8 weeks old. We named her <b><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>Lady Bella Luna</i></span></b>. She was a beautiful Cavalier King Charles Spaniel with the sweetest, kindest disposition of all time. <br /><p>She was beautiful beyond all belief. And she loved to meet everyone, go everywhere, look at and explore everything. I took her to my therapist’s office and my therapist said Bella explored everything more with her eyes than with her nose. </p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><p style="text-align: left;">Bella’s favorite things were: </p></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><p style="text-align: left;">Sitting in my lap to snuggle or nap</p></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><p style="text-align: left;">Sitting in my younger son’s lap to snuggle or nap</p></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><p style="text-align: left;">Eating her dried chicken treat at the end of the day</p></blockquote></blockquote><p>Every time I left the house, whether it was to get the mail at the end of the driveway, or go to a doctor’s appointment, Bella would wait by a window and watch for me. When I got home, she would go from being a long puppy to a squish puppy. She squished her body into the tiniest, chubbiest it would go and waggle her whole body to greet me with such exuberance. </p><p>I got a doctor’s note depicting her as my emotional support animal due to my Complex PTSD diagnosis. She went with me to therapy appointments, shopping (though not for groceries), medical appointments, to the Town Hall, and even to be at outdoor seating in restaurants. We went to the beach together and recently we went canoeing together with her wearing her brand new life vest that fit her perfectly. She loved every minute of every adventure we went on. </p><p>She accompanied me on the plane many times to the middle of the country where I have friends and family. She was a good traveler. Road trips or plane trips, she was just happy to be with me, wherever we were going. </p><p>She came into my life when I was feeling very down and completely unloved. I needed someone to be happy when I came home from work, and Bella was the charm that did it. She was always so happy to see me come home. Bella made me feel completely loved. When I was sad, depressed, frustrated, she would just sit and look at me and wait for me to put her in my lap to pet her. </p><p>I loved the way she rolled over to let me pet her tummy. Sometimes it felt so good to her, she would start to roll over on her side a little from a dreamy happy place. Then she would perk up and roll back onto her back and just jut out her little paws and legs a bit farther to say, “this is my tummy! This is what you should be petting!” </p><p>I loved her all the time and with every fiber of my being. So did my son. I used to say, “I am her person, and he is her other person.” We had so many cute nicknames for her and we just loved on her every opportunity we could. And we had a lot of opportunities - I homeschooled him so we were both home basically all the time, every day. </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Y4ojRqTQMLk/YUfP5F0ZXPI/AAAAAAAAAQ0/Xe0Uvx4BMjoaBcihBm2xeZrFF481gOTkgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/80C50CCF-E855-4DE3-AADA-D79A85BB2A52.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Y4ojRqTQMLk/YUfP5F0ZXPI/AAAAAAAAAQ0/Xe0Uvx4BMjoaBcihBm2xeZrFF481gOTkgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/80C50CCF-E855-4DE3-AADA-D79A85BB2A52.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><p></p><p><br /></p><p>I moved in April to a home with a yard. I didn’t have much of a yard in the previous home, but I have a lovely yard here, up in the Shenandoah Mountains. Bella spent countless hours outside in our yard. We had a groundhog and rabbits and deer here. So many birds, mice, bugs, cicadas, frogs, lightning bugs. They all visit regularly and Bella would chase what she could. It was so much fun to see her chase a rabbit (who got away) last week. </p><p>In April, I was able to move out of a very bad situation that I have not talked about (and will not be talking about) on this blog. I finally was able to get a place of my own. It’s a wonderful home up in the mountains and I am finding my inner soul, my inner Jodi again. Bella was my one constant. My boys are here every other week, but Bella was with me these 5 months. It was just Bella and Jodi. She was here for me, loving on me and doing small things all day long to make me smile and feel loved and loving. She loved me unconditionally. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-B-WQnNe045E/YUfPFdoI_dI/AAAAAAAAAQo/6gKtvAeChFcMjHGsVzBiw2iO_tVe95lcQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/0131038C-B679-4931-B1CB-5C3F0DFDE797.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-B-WQnNe045E/YUfPFdoI_dI/AAAAAAAAAQo/6gKtvAeChFcMjHGsVzBiw2iO_tVe95lcQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/0131038C-B679-4931-B1CB-5C3F0DFDE797.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><p><br /></p>I am grief-stricken to say that over the weekend, Bella developed a serious infection. I took her to the emergency vet and she was already dealing with pancreatitis. Her tiny little body couldn’t handle both things. And she died there, at the vet. <p></p><p>She would have been 4 next month. </p><p></p><p>Her tiny little body couldn’t contain her enormous heart, energy, love, excitement and exuberance for life. She had too much joy and love for life and for us and her little body couldn’t handle it all. </p><p>To say I am broken hearted is the biggest understatement of all time. I feel as if a part of my core identity has been ripped from me. My son and I are holding onto each other, comforting each other as we both spontaneously burst into tears. “She should BE here.” “It’s not fair.” “She was so cute!” </p><p>We have taken to writing in a nice journal, everything we can think of about Bella. We have written pages and pages. </p><p style="text-align: left;">My whole world has toppled over. My home feels so empty without the little ray of sunshine running around doing her daily antics and being silly and cute and fun and loving. She watched me all day long, no matter what I was doing. She just wanted to love me all day and I wanted to just pet and love her all day too.</p><p style="text-align: center;"> </p><p style="text-align: center;"> <a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9yphgScjr6U/YUfRUhxWKhI/AAAAAAAAARA/JiwdjDu6Z1ArYL_pILUL1jCUh7iulZlKACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/9E1B5541-D2D1-498D-99A2-C7EE8083DCDD.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9yphgScjr6U/YUfRUhxWKhI/AAAAAAAAARA/JiwdjDu6Z1ArYL_pILUL1jCUh7iulZlKACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/9E1B5541-D2D1-498D-99A2-C7EE8083DCDD.jpeg" width="240" /></a></p><p>She is gone. My sweet Bella Baby is gone. I miss her terribly. My heart is rend in pieces. I don’t know that I can take anymore loss, ever again. This one hurts like I can’t even begin to think to describe. She was way too young. </p><p>Thank you for reading and I hope your life is going very well and you are finding places of peace and happiness in your life. I hope to find some peace and happiness at some point again in the future, too. I will have to do it completely alone this time. I mistakenly thought I was alone during the recent dark patch in my life, but I was wrong. I had Bella by my side the whole time. I don’t anymore. Now I have things like laundry and dishes and dust bunnies. Bella’s toys and Bella’s fur.</p><p>I have gone through more than my fair share of things in this life, so with that in mind, I know I will get through this too. I hope you will forgive me if the blog takes an even slower pace from here on out for a bit of time until I get my feet under me again. </p><p><br /></p>How I See Things (dot) Comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08050131633707153936noreply@blogger.com4