Hi everyone! I thought I’d give you an update about what’s going on around here!
I’m cancelling the Zoom workshop this weekend as I’m still suffering from serious muscle spasms in my head, and I’ve been so exhausted and in so much pain, I just can’t get the materials ready to make it work. (I will re-schedule it for another time soon, and should have the schedule for the workshops and chats ready early next week.)
Right now, I’m having dental work done, which sets off the spasms in my head, so it feels like a giant is trying to crush my cheekbone when the anaesthetic wears off. (Yeah, it’s far less fun than it sounds!) I have a few more appointments before this work’ll be over, but with each one, things will get better, which is extremely good news!
When I say I’m not feeling up for something or can’t do a chat and such, it’s almost always thanks to these muscle spasms I’ve had for most of my adult life. I’ve had every test you can imagine – twice – and have seen many many specialists, and no one is really sure exactly what this is and why it’s happening. I get Botoxed from the shoulders up for a headache I’ve had since 2009, and epidural-led from the waist down. I have a team of medical people with whom I work closely, and I have a load of different things I do to make life better, like an exercise plan, massage, and physical therapy.
Most of the time the spasms are no big deal, and I work around them, but other times – like right now or in 2018 when I was housebound for most of the year because I couldn’t sit or stand for more than a few minutes without agonizing pain – they make it hard to do basic things, like write or think. This too shall pass…
I’ve said it before – I burn the candle at both ends, then I cut it in half so I can burn those ends too – and it’s a constant in my life that I can’t figure out a good work-life balance. It’s hard when my work is my passion, my favourite craft, and my vocation. I love formulating, researching ingredients, creating products, and sharing it all with you through writing posts or teaching workshops! I really do live and breathe formulating – I love lying on the couch and reading about chemistry, new ingredients, or new processes; watching videos; and generally learning more about this craft and science we all love. It doesn’t feel like work – it feels like pursuing something fascinating, all of which brings me great joy.
I know I overcommit myself to things all the time – a simple post that should have taken an hour becomes a series as I fall down a rabbit hole – but I love doing deep dives into a topic or losing myself in the workshop as I formulate something new.
I love teaching, but it’s a lot of work. I put in at least 10 hours for each Zoom workshop, which I’ve added on top of my regular schedule of writing and formulating. I have to figure out how to incorporate those hours into my normal work routine because I can’t figure out how to not take all that time to present them.
What does this mean for the blog? Probably nothing, other than the cancellation of this week’s Zoom workshop, and a coupon for this month in lieu of a new e-zine.
I have some great helpers who are doing things like adding links to posts and other materials as well as updating the formula directory and other sections so I can concentrate more on writing. They’ve helped me create an inventory of the workshop and documented all the ingredients and formulas I’ve shared in all the e-zines. I’m getting better at delegating and asking for help.
Raymond has been working night and day on the website after the catastrophe that has been the “upgrade”.
I’ve committed that I will take a bit more time to rest when I’m in pain, remember to do all the things that get me to a better place, like my exercises or taking medication on time, and I won’t feel bad about needing some down time.
Thank you all for being so lovely and kind and supportive. I am so fortunate to have such amazing readers!
Quick summary if you jumped to the end: I haven’t been feeling well thanks to muscle spasms and pain. I’m cancelling this weekend’s Zoom workshop and will reschedule it. There’s a coupon instead of an e-zine this month for $10 subscribers. Thanks for joining me on the blog.