A Few Things

Ok, first, I realised in the shower this morning that I never actually got around to saying "April Fools" after my joke post on April 1st. So, on the off chance that someone believed it and is still worried... Yeah, I was joking. No worries!

Second, I got my second draft of my thesis back yesterday. I think Prof. Ulreich liked it a lot more than the first draft, and he told me I should be proud of the work I've done, which made me all giddy-happy. He said to sit on it for a little while and then go back with a clear mind and smooth things out and clarify points and so on. I am -so- -excited- to be told to not think about my thesis for a bit.

Third, I actually did update the in-continuity Valmai stories last night. OMG! FINALLY! You can read "Justice" here, if you missed my last post for some reason.

Fourth, I am at work. Work is not terrible, but it does not precisely engage the brain. I usually spend most of my time when filing plotting out storylines and points of dialogue and so on, and it's always a bit frustrating, because I can't sit down immediately when I think of something and start writing. The best I can do is to make cryptic little notes to myself on my sticky note pad.

Usually, I eventually break down and ask my beloved flist for distraction. Today, I am doing that with a twist - instead of giving me links, give me a story. Doesn't matter how long, or what about. It can be a true story, a made-up story. It can be about you, or a character you've created, or someone else's characters (including mine, if the urge takes you that way). All I want is to not be the only one telling snippets of story, today.

Stress

Long-time readers (and those of you who know me in real life) may know that earlier this year, I started getting rashes on my lips. They're itchy and painful in a rather intense way, and make it difficult to smile or talk normally or eat or any number of other activities. They usually last about three days, and so each time I would get the rash, I'd consider seeing a doctor and then it would go away before I got around to it.

I finally did consult a doctor about it, and she was able to tell me... nothing. Well, that's not true. She did say "it's definitely not herpes," which was certainly reassuring. The best she could offer for a possible cause was a choice between a topical allergy and... stress.

I stopped using flavored and scented chapsticks entirely, and I still got the rashes. Every time I did, I had a huge paper due, or had been having a bout of insomnia, etc. Stress was the obvious culprit.

So I was kind of thrilled not to have anything more than a brief one-day tingling in my lips throughout the first two drafts of the thesis. I had expected to have near-constant painful flare-ups, I guess, but it just never happened. I kind of thought that maybe I was cured.

Late last night, my lips began to itch. This morning, they were swollen and rough, pebbled with the rash.

I climbed into Jameson's lap, just now, for a little cuddle. I was feeling stressed out, I told him. When he asked why, I said I wasn't sure. I'm not supposed to do anything with the thesis right now. I don't have any more tests this week. I haven't got any term papers due until the 18th. There is -nothing- I'm supposed to be doing tonight. If I want to stay up kinda late and work on the next Valmai Hammerhand story, I can.

"So," he said, after a moment, "you're stressed that you might have fun?"

Damn. I've gotten so used to feeling like I'm not working as hard as I should be... I think I am, a little bit.