Trying to keep my footing.

Photo copyright Aji, 2019; all rights reserved.

Another bird buzzed the feeders and startled her. She looks like I feel, trying to keep my footing. I get buzzed on the daily by the bills (that kind of buzz, not the fun kind), and just when I think they've stabilized, something else shows up.

It's not easy. Today was supposed to be the intake visit for Wings's potential knee replacement. Of course, IHS screwed up the referral entirely (they'd already screwed it up once, and we got that corrected; we didn't know they'd failed to do the whole other half of what's required), so he's scrambling to get the rest of it done, and today's early-AM appointment wound up being a complete waste of both stress and time. Again. Letter to follow, because enough is way more than enough.

I met my deadline yesterday (and another one, besides). I also kickstarted the editing process on my novel. None of that pays the bills, though, and they're piling up. I have no idea how much of Wings's knee-replacement surgery we're going to have to pay, whenever the procedure actually comes off. Between us, we have five medical appointments next week. At least four of them will be cash on the barrelhead, maybe number five, too. And then there are my upcoming labs, scrip, equipment . . . it's endless, and so are the costs.

I have to get a lot more work done around here today, plus figure out a way, somehow, to bring in more sales. Which means that I have to get on it, so the rest is cut-and-paste, because I'm too wiped out to write anything more now, much less anything new. It all still holds; on most of those fronts, nothing ever changes, no matter how much I keep going. The parts that are newish all involve his latest work, so please take a look at the links, share them, and if you're in the market, buy. 

I never quit, even though on days like today I really feel like it; nothing blunts the pain, and the fatigue creates such a fog that I can barely think. I have a deadline looming on a submission, too, but all my mental energy is sapped by trying to come up with creative ways to cover everything. More big medical expenses for us both this week (4 figures' worth), with more coming up next week and the following one, too. I spend every day trying to suppress the sense of panic that comes with all of this, blocking it out just enough to try to get one more thing done, and one more thing, and one more thing. I'm losing the battle.

And as predicted, between now and the end of the month, my task list is ballooning by the day, so this means expect to see me only if and when you see me, because it's going to take everything I have just to get through even the most crucial items on my various to-do lists. Above all else, I have to bring in a lot more scratch — a LOT more — to cover everything, so you know what comes next.

Sales here; testimonials here; wishlist (such as it is still — I did add some candles of the nontoxic variety to deal with the lingering mildew odor in the utility room while it's drying out from the plumbing disaster; these are the kind that are not supposed to impair my breathing, the kind we can't get locally) here. And speaking of testimonials, new ones are posted at long last; if you haven't submitted yours, please do, because this helps us make sales (and we keep you as anonymous as you want to be; you can see the kinds of options people choose in the various entries). We need more folks to send them in, too. Wings dropped his new bead pieces (two necklaces; four pairs of earrings) a few days ago; you can find the summary post here. Please share their individual links, and be on the lookout for the other new works, especially the belt, which dropped yesterday, and it is absolutely incredible. He also has two new cuffs (which, if all goes well, will drop later today or tonight, so please be on the lookout), two new necklaces, and a pair of earrings in the works. [Edit: Also, his new beads are waiting at the P.O. box here, as noted above, so he will no doubt have more in the new series of necklaces and earrings soon, four of the latter of which dropped the other day, here; these are from a U.K. lapidarist, and they are a phenomenal selection, so please share them, as well.] And while I spend every spare moment chasing those sales, there aren't many spare moments for me these days, especially with my ongoing breathing issues and whatever else is going on that they haven't identified yet. So please, help us get the word out. I've got to bring in more sales somehow.



All content, including photos and text, are copyright Aji, 2019; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.