My Chaotic Realm

As I look back now on 2024, using the post from an art group I am in as well as my blog posts here,  I can see that 2023 was the year of "NOT according to plan" and 2024 was spent "Regrouping". The recent art group post asked 5 things:  1) What were our plans for 2024, 2) What did we want to do artistically, 3) What did we learn about ourselves in 2023, 4) What was our art focus for 2024? and 5) What was our word for 2024? My plan for 2024 was to protect my peace, which might mean finding a different job.    And I did that, and I am glad, even though it meant taking a severe pay cut. I was approved for an ACA health plan and SNAP so both of those things are helping bridge the income gap. Artistically speaking, in 2024 I planned to continue de-stashing so probably just making greeting cards and journaling.   I did journal most every day (I do so to remain sane) and I made greeting cards. Still behind on the de-stash but not as overwhelmed as I was. Did I learn...

     And boy, have I ever leaped! So, it has been quite some time since I last posted to this blog. That, in and of itself, says a lot about how these last 32 weeks have been. As many of you know, DaVita and I parted ways in early April of last year. Then there was my health crisis the end of May.       I was not in a hurry to seek employment as we had our annual 32-day long "Big Trip" planned for July 15-August 15th. Since it did not happen, I went to work for a different dialysis company (Fresenius, DaVita's competitor) the end of July, and spent the rest of last year working in a clinic that was chronically understaffed. We did get away in October to see the annular solar eclipse in Texas at my childhood home, but that was it.      After a few months in that fast-paced clinical job, it became evident to me that I had returned to work too early after the 4 simultaneous arterial dissections. I either overestimated the speed with which I...