What's up, RL edition

[bironic]

Friends

alpheratz/maralenenok visited for a four-day weekend, departing last night. With the exception of cinco's wedding weekend, we hadn't spent significant time together in five and a half years, so this was really nice. We did many things, which is extra impressive considering how draggy we have felt of late. Two museums, a chocolate factory tour, a walk, a city-wide garage-band festival, a fan brunch, a book sale, a movie-theater movie, a little cooking and baking, much TV, and vid watching and discussion. A night staying up too late to talk, which is what you hope for when you haven't seen a friend in a long time.

Bonus: Our prolonged cold and rainy spring meant only one day of death by pollen.

I don't go online much when I'm hanging out with friends unless it's a communal laptop date, but now she is home, and we watched this week's Game of Thrones, so it's safe to come on the internet again.

Hold the U-Haul

I don't have to move after all! Landlady decided not to sell this year. Now to decide whether to apartment-hunt anyway, with the hope of making those previously mentioned living improvements. The lack of pressure could go either way: making the hunt more pleasurable and giving me more power in negotiations, since I don't have to say yes to anything… or draining the motivation to change circumstances.

TMI

Things you can't tell your teacher at the gym, or, like, most people: that while it's hard to gauge progress from week to week because the exercises keep changing, you definitely noticed how much your strength has increased when your kink buddy visited last month, ha.

Health

Having stopped therapy after two years of not getting traction on some deeply bothersome issues with regard to food and body and blood test results, and having had disappointing experiences right before that with both a nutritionist and an endocrinologist, today I took a metaphorical fortifying breath and saw a new nutritionist at our university's health center. And she seems… actually good? Maybe? She shared some facts I hadn't known before, didn't shy away from the fear-of-mortality stuff or the everything's-tangled-together stuff, demonstrated a good mix of listening and talking, and to complement our handful of insurance-approved sessions, said she would recommend a few therapists who specialize in these areas and wouldn't suck. This makes up for how she asks, "Does that bring you joy?" when discussing any specific food/meal or activity. (It's the phrasing, not the sentiment, that edges on wince-y.)

Will we communicate well? Will her recommendations work? Is this a case of trying the same thing over and over and expecting different results—placing myself in the hands of medical professionals hoping they can take care of me, only to be let down—or not letting a series of setbacks push me to give up? Only time will tell.

Comments

[minoanmiss]

Aside of having obviously read Marie Kondo's book, hooray for the nutritionist! And also for not having to move! And for the TMI, bee!

[bironic]

:D

I wondered about Marie Kondo too, since the nutritionist doesn't say "spark" specifically. Could she have arrived at this phrasing because "Does that make you happy" is some kind of loaded question? Maybe I will ask her at a future appointment.

(sorry for a million edits)

[deelaundry]

Congratulations on not having to move!

[bironic]

\o/

[marginaliana]

Yay, not having to move! That is awesome.

Fingers crossed for the nutritionist.

[bironic]

Thanks! And yes, yay. Unless I decide to do it anyway. Still, by choice is better than the alternative, right?

[serenadestrong]

Moving without HAVING to move is definitely better than the alternative, so yay for at least delaying that terribleness!

Glad you're enjoying your gym gains ;)

[bironic]

Thank you, gym friend!

[thedeadparrot]

Hooray for not having to move! I hope the health things get better as well.

[bironic]

Thank youuuu.

p.s. You have a kindred spirit in LW #3 I think: https://www.askamanager.org/2019/05/my-office-is-obsessed-with-my-professional-athlete-fiance-i-dont-have-career-goals-and-more.html

[alpheratz]

I'm glad you at least don't have to apartment-hunt to a deadline! The motivation thing is a downside, though.

Also glad to hear about the nutritionist. I really hope she continues to be helpful.

*eyebrow waggle at the kink buddy bit*

[alpheratz]

Oh, I forgot to say: I am totally impressed by both of us for going out and doing things and being fairly cheerful? I personally feel really rejuvenated after this weekend!

[bironic]

Same! It felt like a mini vacation, even though we never left the cities I see every day.

[scribe]

Whew, glad the moving is now optional and not a crisis! And fingers crossed that the nutritionist bears out her promise. :-)

[bironic]

Thanks! And, heh, now I'm charmed by the idea of "nutritionist bears" even though that is not what you wrote.

[scribe]

Heeee, that would be delightful, though!

[grammarwoman]

Huzzah for moving crisis avoidance! Good luck on the other fronts; may you and therapy be a better fit this time around.

[bironic]

Thank you, friend!

[seascribble]

Yay for a slightly longer term home, yay for strong kinking, fingers crossed for nutritionist success.

[bironic]

Three cheers all around. :)

[toft]

Yay strength! Yay not having to move! Yay hopefully good nutritionist!