Catching Up
Aug. 5th, 2017 11:09 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
teddy_radiatorI apologise that all I've done lately is lurk, duck in, do a drive-by comment, then dive below again. For those of you I've ignored, I assure you, it wasn't intentional. It's been a strange summer, good and not-quite-as-good.
Of course, the big news is the novel is now available in both E-book and Printed versions. It took six tries to get the cover approved. I don't understand why they tell you the bleed is .125", then say that the writing has to be .5" inside the bleed five tries later. Fortunately, the cover designer, Rusty, is the most patient person on the planet and bent over backwards to meet their specs, even though the specs seemed to change from day to day, depending on who I spoke to on the phone. I would love for you to give it a try - the e-book version is only $3.99!
I got to spend a couple of days with the amazing and wonderful![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
hechicera, and another fellow writing friend, Andrea. We spent a happy day eating mango/ginger smoothies, homemade yeast rolls (yes, I suspended the no-gluten rule for the day), fresh peaches and blackberries, and reading one another's stories out loud. She is, I'm very happy to say, working on Wake again, and if you are not familiar with this gem, please go and start it - she is finishing it!
She sent us home with fresh picked corn and eggs from her hens. The shells were the most beautiful colours of brown and light blue, and they made a very tasty omelet this morning for our breakfast.
The gluten-free, sugar-free, alcohol-free, salt-free eating continues (with a slight change while at Hech's. I don't want to be rude when I'm presented with the most delicious food), and I'm starting to see results in the looseness of my clothes. I said from the off this wasn't about losing weight, although that's nice, but about feeling better about what I eat. One of the things I noticed was I walked up the stairs at Hech's, and when I got to the top, I wasn't sucking wind and having to pause to let my legs catch up. She actually said I looked and sounded so much better than I was at Thanksgiving. It's nice that others see the difference.
Another local author and I are planning on doing a joint book signing at a local bookstore. We think the angle of two local authors together might be a nice draw. This particular bookstore is great about supporting local authors, so fingers crossed we can get in there and it will be a success. Besides, I'm painfully insecure about this sort of thing. It will be a lot easier for me (and according to my fellow author, Wofford, for him as well) to do this as a duo.
Everything is hunky dory, in fact, except for one thing. Somewhere, in the last six weeks or so, I woke up with what feels like a trapped nerve, resulting in pains and tingling and numb spots in my leg. I don't think it's DVT, or I'd probably be dead by now, and it doesn't hurt at all if I'm up and moving around, only sitting. Needless to say, after two days sitting in a car for over 5 hours at a time, it's feeling a bit achy today. I suppose a good chiropractor could tell me if it's a trapped nerve or a disc problem, but who's got the time and money for that, nowadays? Until I'm screaming in agony, I'll just have to bitch and worry about it.
Other than that, I feel pretty good. I'm not waking up feeling dreadful, like I had been before we started eating properly, and my stamina seems to have doubled.
Yesterday, we were eating breakfast in the hotel (which Hech most generously offered), and this handsome, dark-haired, dark-eyed guy about 45 or so came up to clear our table. "I love your hair," he said. "The blue is fantastic."
As I was about to return with something almost-flirtatious (TheHubs™ was with me, so I couldn't go full-on cougar), he added, "My mother would just love that."
Thanks, sonny. And don't forget to add my 3S Tonic to my orange juice. Oh, well, you can't win 'em all.
Of course, the big news is the novel is now available in both E-book and Printed versions. It took six tries to get the cover approved. I don't understand why they tell you the bleed is .125", then say that the writing has to be .5" inside the bleed five tries later. Fortunately, the cover designer, Rusty, is the most patient person on the planet and bent over backwards to meet their specs, even though the specs seemed to change from day to day, depending on who I spoke to on the phone. I would love for you to give it a try - the e-book version is only $3.99!
I got to spend a couple of days with the amazing and wonderful
hechicera, and another fellow writing friend, Andrea. We spent a happy day eating mango/ginger smoothies, homemade yeast rolls (yes, I suspended the no-gluten rule for the day), fresh peaches and blackberries, and reading one another's stories out loud. She is, I'm very happy to say, working on Wake again, and if you are not familiar with this gem, please go and start it - she is finishing it!She sent us home with fresh picked corn and eggs from her hens. The shells were the most beautiful colours of brown and light blue, and they made a very tasty omelet this morning for our breakfast.
The gluten-free, sugar-free, alcohol-free, salt-free eating continues (with a slight change while at Hech's. I don't want to be rude when I'm presented with the most delicious food), and I'm starting to see results in the looseness of my clothes. I said from the off this wasn't about losing weight, although that's nice, but about feeling better about what I eat. One of the things I noticed was I walked up the stairs at Hech's, and when I got to the top, I wasn't sucking wind and having to pause to let my legs catch up. She actually said I looked and sounded so much better than I was at Thanksgiving. It's nice that others see the difference.
Another local author and I are planning on doing a joint book signing at a local bookstore. We think the angle of two local authors together might be a nice draw. This particular bookstore is great about supporting local authors, so fingers crossed we can get in there and it will be a success. Besides, I'm painfully insecure about this sort of thing. It will be a lot easier for me (and according to my fellow author, Wofford, for him as well) to do this as a duo.
Everything is hunky dory, in fact, except for one thing. Somewhere, in the last six weeks or so, I woke up with what feels like a trapped nerve, resulting in pains and tingling and numb spots in my leg. I don't think it's DVT, or I'd probably be dead by now, and it doesn't hurt at all if I'm up and moving around, only sitting. Needless to say, after two days sitting in a car for over 5 hours at a time, it's feeling a bit achy today. I suppose a good chiropractor could tell me if it's a trapped nerve or a disc problem, but who's got the time and money for that, nowadays? Until I'm screaming in agony, I'll just have to bitch and worry about it.
Other than that, I feel pretty good. I'm not waking up feeling dreadful, like I had been before we started eating properly, and my stamina seems to have doubled.
Yesterday, we were eating breakfast in the hotel (which Hech most generously offered), and this handsome, dark-haired, dark-eyed guy about 45 or so came up to clear our table. "I love your hair," he said. "The blue is fantastic."
As I was about to return with something almost-flirtatious (TheHubs™ was with me, so I couldn't go full-on cougar), he added, "My mother would just love that."
Thanks, sonny. And don't forget to add my 3S Tonic to my orange juice. Oh, well, you can't win 'em all.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2017-08-05 05:24 pm (UTC)It's wonderful to see you, and read how well you're feeling -- despite the possible nerve pain. I'm always happiest when I'm gluten free, which I was reminded of this morning after a little indulgence last night. Sons brought home double-stuff oreos for an MMORPG fest with their friends, and they shared. There are a few things which I find almost impossible to resist and these are on that short list. I'll bounce back by tomorrow, which I find one of the benefits of eating gluten free (aside from the 55# weight shed which has been life changing).
Please don't worry about your book signing. I'm thrilled you're having one, and I know you'll win over everyone you talk to. You're natural gracious charm is undeniable, Teddy, and I wish you all the best of success in this newest venture of yours.
no subject
Date: 2017-08-05 07:03 pm (UTC)Hurrah for 55 lbs gone! That's amazing. Life changing is the perfect phrase! Well done. That's inspirational. I've been really happy that I've lost a lot of craving for sugar. I have a lot of psychological craving, in which I THINK I need sugar, but the actual physical craving isn't there, and it's made a huge difference - even up to the point of improving my eyesight!
You're right - the GF is a challenge, but we've been really fortunate to be able to find Gluten Free stuff fairly cheap, and as long as we watch the sugar and sodium on the labels, we're doing fine.
Thank you for your warm wishes. I cannot tell you how much I appreciate your vote of confidence. If my friends feel this way about me, it truly makes my heart soar. ♥
no subject
Date: 2017-08-05 06:40 pm (UTC)Good to see you.
no subject
Date: 2017-08-05 07:30 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2017-08-05 09:05 pm (UTC)I'm absolutely with you on limiting the sugar and toxins from your food, and I'm amazed at how much better I feel without that stuff. If you want a MARVELOUS book on how to age well, I'm loving Katy Bowman's Dynamic Aging. It's lots of small adjustments and exercises to strengthen the body in every decade of life so that we'll be stronger through all the years we're on the planet.
Hopefully the nerve pain will resolve itself?
no subject
Date: 2017-08-05 09:20 pm (UTC)I'm glad you're starting to feel better
no subject
Date: 2017-08-05 10:05 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2017-08-06 02:00 am (UTC)Glad to hear things are going mostly well. Your posts always have a lighter tone after visiting your friend, so I can tell the visits do you well. Good job on sticking to your new way of eating. I know it can't be easy, so I'm impressed that you're doing well with it. I apologize, because the guy commenting on your hair really cracked me up. I know its not funny per se, but it would totally happen to me, and I found it amusing. Your book has been sitting on my kindle for an entire week now. My schedule is so packed that I can't bring myself to start it because I don't want to read it with lots of stops and starts and interruptions. Hopefully soon. I'm super excited to read it.
no subject
Date: 2017-08-06 02:27 am (UTC)Works for me.
I hope you like the story. It's actually the first part of a double story, which I'm working on now. The final book will be tying up the first two, so it's actually one big book broken into two parts.
no subject
Date: 2017-08-06 03:00 am (UTC)Your BOOK, Teddy! Your book is ALIVE! Is there a way to purchase a copy through your local book store, in order to get an autographed copy?? Or will you have copies to sell??
Back to your health- I do something that may help you or not. I think of terms of undereating (sticking to set amount of calories) and overeating (taking in more calories than I am able to burn, thus storing fat)....When I overeat, I have knees and feet that hurt/acid reflux/tight clothing/health issues like high-blood pressure, etc.... When I undereat, I am burning stored fat, I am working towards a healthier version of myself, I am giving my body the energy it needs to operate, but not over feeding. So I never think in terms of dieting, as that word has a lifetime of negative associations with it. I diet, I hate life, I lose weight, I go back to old habits, yo-yo, etc.!!! So no more diets for me. It's undereating. I just started this and already feel better, like I'm back in control. It's always a mind game for me, and so far, this is absolutely working for me.
I'm rambling! All of this is to say GO TEDDY GO!!!! ❤️
no subject
Date: 2017-08-06 03:04 am (UTC)Yes, I stopped thinking about this in terms of weight loss. It's about eating in a way that doesn't make me feel bad. It's about the things that don't harm me, more than calories or scales or portions, although I do try and keep up with that as well.
Thank you, sweetie - you are the soul of encouragement and support, and I love you to bits!
no subject
Date: 2017-08-08 09:07 am (UTC)