The past two weeks in 10 points.

[moonvoice]

1. Went to the U-Ram Choe exhibit. It was incredible. Literally one of the most magical things I've been to in a long time. I actually got weepy, at one point. Beautiful art and engineering should come together way more often, I hope to see more kinetic sculpture exhibitions in the future.

2. Due to a cancellation, I got a placement at the genetic testing centre, who have been following our family for a little while. They need to use me to isolate and pinpoint the exact gene which causes the autosomal dominant condition Familial Paraganglioma Syndrome, so that they can screen the rest of my family members and determine who has it, and who does not. Because I've had the tumour (Carotid Body Paraganglioma) which suggests the syndrome, I'll be the foundational whatever. At the same time, I'm being tested for Ankylosing Spondylitis. That's Wednesday.

3. My Sherlock fic is coming along nicely, posted up chapter 5 the other day. I haven't been posting on the not-poignants on LJ or DW, so if you're remotely interested in my fanfiction, I'm at notpoignant. Also working on Winter Syndicate. I've picked up a big commission job (someone has asked for 8 totems), so I've been plugging away at that too. Unfortunately, as they are all gifts spread out over the course of months, I likely won't be able to post them until possibly next year.

4. Saw Jack Charles vs. The Crown at the theatre - eye-opening and amazing. We couldn't attend our writer's festival events unfortunately though, because of health reasons and Moet needing to see the vet (he's fine).

5. Health-wise, my back is not fantastic still, and I'll be seeing a remedial and deep-tissue massage therapist about it on Tuesday. Here's hoping my touch phobia doesn't mess with the benefits of that. Otherwise, I'm doing well. Exercising a lot more (except the past two days, since I get edema when I exercise, and I don't want my tattoo swelling much more than it already has), eating well. The most recent run of blood tests came back and indicated that aside from autoimmune issues and inflammation, my overall health is fantastic.

6. Hopefully meeting with the Ace Perth Group on Monday. Scary! Have made a few new friends already though. This is all to the good.

7. Am hoping to write some more stuff exploring my own birdness over the next few weeks, and have just been thinking about topics to explore. Spiritually, things are happening, but as just about everything I'm doing right now mostly involves deeply personal matters relating to attachment issues and so on, I'm not really writing about it.

8. Been very tired the past few days, and sunk into depression last night, which has lingered this morning. I was sort of expecting this. I haven't really had a chance to take it easy over the past few weeks due to vet visits and dentist visits and impending genetic tests and so on. And I'm just very burnt out on seeing people as a result. Post-Thursday-Evening, I plan on sleeping. Forever.

9. I've launched some oracle card readings over at Etsy. Not really promoting it too much at the moment, mostly because of art and health stuff, but also because this really is - by contrast - a hobby when compared to my artwork. But still, for anyone interested, it's there. :)

10. I ordered a knitted octopus from kath_ballantyne the other day, in cream and blue, and he is lovely. I've named him Lestrade, and he sits on my study desk and watches me work and mostly shouts things like 'not my division!' whenever I turn to him for help. :D I love being able to order things from the crafty people around me (crafty as in you know...crafting three dimensional objects, not crafty as in cunning); part of my personal values as an artist is that I section some art profits aside to pay into supporting other artists whose work I love and adore, since I believe art/craft is respected more when artists respect their own community more, and commission each other where possible. It's not always possible, and it certainly wasn't possible at all when I first started out; but when it is I end up with a squishy cephalopod Lestrade on my desk, and that's wonderful.

Comments

[nicanthiel]

I bought a reading :) No rush, obviously.

[moonvoice]

Thank you! I should be able to get it out to you within the next few working days (though Monday is a public holiday here).

[spider_fox]

Picture of Lestrade please? XD When I get the time I'm going to do some amigurumi with my leftover yarns that somehow multiply on my desk D:

They should pay you for those genetic studies.

[moonvoice]

Picture will be a photo of the day at some point! *g*

They're not paying me, but on the upside, they ARE free.

[goddess_incarnate]

Yes, I agree with Spider-Fox - they should definitely pay for the genetic testing you're doing AND pics of a knitted octopus sound divine!! :D

For exercise - do you mostly just do the walking and playing football with Glen? Or is there something else you do as well?

[moonvoice]

Yeah, mostly just frenetic walking and playing kick to kick / football with Glen. I miss swimming though.

[feralkiss]

Did you lower your prices a bit for the oracle card readings? 'o' It sounded more "expensive" [to my somewhat weak finances] in my memory, but I may be able to afford one after all at the moment if it does not make you uncomfortable?

[moonvoice]

I was always kind of aiming for about $4 per card, so they haven't gone up since I was thinking about it, or down. I'm kind of happy with where they're at. :D And I'd be happy to do a reading for you! :D

[feralkiss]

I'll try to get in touch about this soon-ish. I need to get a couple of things done first.

Hmm...

[ysabetwordsmith]

I couldn't get the link for the Sherlock fic to work, and would like to read it. Also, illustrations of it would be awesome.

Re: Hmm...

[moonvoice]

Ah, my bad! Entered it wrong. Here's the link:

http://www.fanfiction.net/~notpoignant

It's 'The Mind Palace Minotaur,' features asexual Sherlock, too. :)

Re: Hmm...

[ysabetwordsmith]

Thank you! I look forward to seeing that. Ace!Sherlock is extra nifty.

In case you haven't seen it yet and might be interested, I have a new poetic series featuring all different flavors of love. There are two ace characters. Solvig first appears in "Welcome to Hart's Farm" and Rowen is the main focus of "Rosehips and Honey." They're all listed on the Serial Poetry page under Hart's Farm.
http://penultimateproductions.weebly.com/serial-poetry.html

Re: Hmm...

[moonvoice]

Thank you so much for the link! Also, you may hate my writing, but Ace!Sherlock is indeed extra nifty. *g*

Wow!

[ysabetwordsmith]

Well, so. Extreme heat and pressure turn ordinary carbon into diamonds. I knew this was so with your art; it shines in every line. I suspected that it might be true of your writing, and now I know.

By all means, continue doing fanfic for fun and practice. Yet I hope with all my heart that you will also write original fiction and put it on the market. Your skill is far above average and you go places that most people either cannot or will not approach. I would like to be able to point people towards pieces of your writing that they can buy. I know that sometimes it's hard for you to see yourself objectively and understand the value of what you do. This is me, with my professional editorial experience, giving you an outside opinion: your writing is powerful and compelling. More of it would be most welcome.

Also, I wrote a mini-review of "The Mind Palace Minotaur" as far as it's gotten:
http://ysabetwordsmith.dreamwidth.org/2308144.html

Re: Wow!

[moonvoice]

Thank you for the review!

In all honesty, I love to write. Love it. I have an orig-fic novel that I'm editing (Australian literature) and a science fiction one I've been worldbuilding for that I'm now writing. I don't know if anything will ever come of it, but I do hope it does one day. Ideally, I'd like to be able to have the writing support the art, or vice versa, but to make both of them work for me so that I can one day get off Disability and support myself. :)

[ariestess]

When I have the funds, I am TOTALLY buying one of the readings...

[moonvoice]

Woohoo! :D

[silere]

Sounds like you have been super busy! I am soooo wanting to buy an oracle reading, but it has to wait til i find out if we can finance our house purchase this week. Hopefully there will still be one available, or you'll do them again sometime.

Best of luck with all the medical-type stuff, and with the massage.

Also, Lestrade is adoooorrable.

[moonvoice]

I should be able to keep them up on the site, but if I ever don't relist in time, just send me a message yeah? And we'll work something out. :)

The massage was counter-productive, unfortunately, though I expected it. I was just so tense, and I've bruised terribly (I'm covered in burst blood vessels), but, but, I'll go again and hopefully it will go better next time. :)

[jeshyr]

I just wanted you to know that I'm reading the Sherlock fic and it is SUPERB and astoundingly wonderful and is really moving me.

I'm not up to the end of what you've posted yet, I think I'm in chapter 3, but I just wanted to find this and tell you how much I'm loving it. Thank you.

[moonvoice]

Oh, wow, thank you so much for letting me know. I've never been so nervous posting up a fanfic before; the Sherlock fandom has so many wonderful people in it, and it's so much fun to be a part of. I hope you continue to enjoy it (as much as anyone enjoys an angsty fic) as it progresses. :)

[cherrydaiquiri]

I really like the spreads you have up, particularly the five and seven-card ones. They really resonate with me. I think I may purchase one on my next pay, if you're comfortable with that. :) I finally have pay again to say things like that!

Very glad to read you're in overall good health. :) I hope you can get in some real relaxation soon.

I love your approach re: recycling some of your profits into supporting the art community. I also love the pieces you choose. Lestrade is lovely.

[moonvoice]

I actually developed spreads for every number (1 -> 12), but these are my favourites for sure. :D And of course I'd be okay with you getting one!

I love your approach re: recycling some of your profits into supporting the art community.

Ironically, it developed after encountering an artist a long time ago who believed, in no uncertain terms, that there 'wasn't enough to go around' for artists and would sabotage other people's careers as a result. I didn't want to be an artist who always thought I had to thieve other people's profits from them, because I was sure if I didn't, there wouldn't be enough for me too.

I ended up developing the philosophy that if we help others to appreciate art, there will always be a multiplying fund of money available to support artists - since the biggest problem really with the arts is that a lot of people don't value it anymore, it's not as important in Capitalist society, and as it's a luxury good, it's the first thing to go on people's budgets when times get tough. So if we - imho - project a supportive, if not outright loving - attitude towards what we do, and what those around us do, then it will be a welcoming environment for clients to enter into.

Also, I just know a lot of really crafty people who have been slogging in away in their businesses just as I have; it's an honour to have their work in my home.

[avia]

*swan peeks in*

I just wanted to ask, have you heard of the Birds of a Feather site, that feralkiss, me, and burningbright are running?

http://birdsofafeather.feralscribes.org/

If you're writing essays about your personal birdness, they would probably be very welcome there!

*hides again*

[moonvoice]

Hello! Yes, I am a member. *g* :) I haven't posted anything yet, but I'm hoping to very soon. It's been so long since I've written about my experiences of birdness in a way for other people to read. Some time is being spent looking for decent references on the Australian Raven, but as always - there's never a great deal that is Corvus coronoides specific.

Also, hi! :)

[avia]

Hihi~! I followed you recently, and now I don't actually remember why owo; (I have a broken memory, don't mind it, it's not anything personal owo;) I think it was probably because of the birdness thing. I'm always happy to meet more birds on Dreamwidth.

And yay, another corvid! Corvids seem to be nice beings, from the ones I have met (both in corvid bodies and not).

I look forward to reading what you have to write!

[moonvoice]

Corvids seem to be nice beings, from the ones I have met

The ones that I've met have been nice too! I don't know if I am, but here's hoping I don't stand out too much. *blush*

Also, huzzah swans! I have a couple of spiritual connections with swan wights, including a Russian swan maiden. <3

[avia]

Oh, so nice! ♥ I identify very much with swan maidens (I'm a swan therian, but sometimes I also have swan maiden type feelings, and I'm not sure which one is more true, or if they both are...), and I would love to have more of a connection with the other swan maidens and swan spirits who are in this world. Though, I have not been very good at it ;w;