Thankful... Friday

[mdlbear]

So, a day late again. And much more than a dollar short, for that matter. But anyway. I'm grateful for:

• The fact that my cat, Ticia, appears to be healthy. A little overweight -- what I was afraid might be fluid in her abdomen turns out to be fat. Finding this out was expensive, but it was well worth it: Curio had had that same symptom, and...
• Ticia. I am glad to be one of her favored worshippers. (Though, for a goddess, she's pretty easygoing. Unlike Desti, who plays the role to the hilt.)
• Compassion. I am learning about self-compassion, which is apparently a thing, and supposedly works better than self-esteem. This remains to be seen. I'm not very good at it. Oh. Right.
• Electronic sphygmomanometers. My doctor has me watching my blood pressure carefully after taking me off my diuretic because it appeared to have been affecting my kidney function. Some instability earlier in the week, but it seems to have settled down now.
• Along those lines, not having postural hypotension nearly as often.

Comments

[alatefeline]

I'm glad that you have had some good health news for Ticia and for yourself.

I think that practicing self-compassion is important. But it is a practice, something that one does and becomes by doing, like being a reader or a musician or a cat-carer. Part of being mindful of one's whole self is acknowledging, honoring, and disentangling negative thoughts such as, "I'm having a hard time seeing myself as X right now; I feel myself wanting to say bad things about myself and X; I know this, I know it's okay to feel my feelings, and I choose to also say, 'I have accomplished Y,' because this is true and it helps me feel better." For those of us with major situational stressors and/or mental differences and/or mental illnesses, it's all right to let it be okay that sometimes one won't feel awesome! And then, it becomes all right to still try to practice kindness to oneself even when those bad feelings are there. And the small act of kindness to oneself in a bad moment, like the small kindnesses between people, can make a big difference. I have trouble being kind to myself sometimes; I have more trouble balancing being kind to myself and pursuing my other goals. But I like the effects when I do take good care of myself and of the people around me.

I'm so happy that Ticia deigns to favor you with her presence. Does she like ear skritches? You can pass some ear skritches along from me, if that's agreeable to all parties.

[mdlbear]

Ticia loves ear skritches. And, more than any other cat I've met, tummy rubs.

Yeah; its clearly something I need more practice with, but I'm getting there. Slowly.

[alatefeline]

*happy flailing, in small motions so as not to unduly alarm cat*

Oh fuzzy. Oh fuzzy fuzzy kitty. Oh fuzzy kitty belly belly fuzzy rubs.

*whisper-squeee*

... I am so utterly, irrationally charmed by this information. Thank you. :) You made me smile.

[mdlbear]

Yay!

Yeah. Cats. Ticia is such a good kitty.

Next time you find yourself in Seattle you'll have to come over and meet her. (And Desti and Cricket, of course.)

[alatefeline]

Okay! Sounds good!

...The next time I am in Seattle will actually almost be the first time I am in Seattle. I think. Maybe with my parents when I was a kid? Oh, I must have been, because I remember visiting people who I know live in Seattle, but I don't remember anything except their house and a bit of their street. That's disconcerting. I want to go to Seattle and explore!