Passionately Herding Cats
The closet thing I have to a personal passion would have to be my pursuit of my hobby du jour. I tend to be a little bit manic about whatever it is that's caught my interest at a given time. It makes for a little bit of a wild ride for the girlfriend as I flit from one activity to another, and also makes for a full basement stuffed to the rafters with things I no longer need (I mean probably...).
There are a few note-able examples of this trend, but none more telling than what brings me to this point in my life over all. I had spent a few years working in H&T (hospitality and tourism) and a friend of mine introduced me to the screen-printing industry. I thought it would be fun to make funny t shirts. Then I thought it would be fun to sell them too. Soon I was learning all about this and many other print processes. Within a few months we'd talked through a couple of ways to make some money in the industry, and it was only last year, after 13 years in business, that I decided it was time for a change. Sadly the funny t-shirt business itself never took off, however the experience set me on a career path I had never considered.
Along the way I've also picked up several other hobbies that I tend to jump in and out of. Among my favorites are cooking (I make a killer Thai peanut sauce, great pho, and am comfortable jumping into the kitchen when it's time to chop vegetables). I always love to read (sci fi classics are my favorite, but I have to admit I was also excited when I found out Ready Player One was going to be a movie...Ready Player Two...yeah we'll see about that one). And when the weather cooperates frisbee golf is always a good time. It's a nice out door activity that isn't too intense and has a sliding scale as far as difficulty goes making it easy for novices and experts alike to enjoy the course together. That said there is a problem.
Although Maybe a Bit Slowly...
It turns out in addition to learning about the many topics in the DMT major, I am also learning to live with Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA). Statistically I am far too young for the disease...and also the wrong sex. Something like 80 of people suffering from RA are women over the age of 60 so to call me an outlier is a bit of an understatement! Another fun fact about RA is that it turns out to be an auto-immune disease. At present this means there is no cure, only symptom mitigation, so RA and I are likely in it for the long haul. But what does that mean?
Well sadly it makes it difficult to type sometimes, walk sometimes, and I never really know what I am going to feel like when I wake up in the morning. Fun! That said I am on medication to help with the pain and stiffness and to protect my enflamed joints. It helps. Listening to the doctor's advice and staying on a regular medication cycle will hopefully bring me physically back to something like 90% of my previous abilities (yay)! Until then there's the other side of thing as it's not all physical.
The medication helps prevent further damage to my joints, but not atrophy to the rest of me. There is a mental battle to be fought as well. Inactivity, while more comfortable, is also more harmful to me in the long term. Pushing through the discomfort and trying to live normally is critical. Being able to complete my education online is a godsend given how difficult walking to class would be for me right now. Living in a large city with doctors, specialists, and pharmacy options nearby is also an amazing benefit to where and how I find myself. Also, I know I don't have to do this alone. I have the help and support of an amazing girlfriend and family to lean on. Sometimes the most difficult mental battle is just not allowing my own pride to get in the way of asking for help. It's kind of a brave new world at my house, and I'm afraid that for the time being it's going to be her job when the pickle jar needs opening!
Oh the Places We'll Go!
- Bamf National Park - Canada
- Alaskan Cruise - I'm watching you whales!
- England - (Same as above, but different)
- Bali - (tropical paradise on stilts)
- Iceland