[Note: This article was originally published on Medium, but I've begun migrating all of my content to this blog.] When I developed Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (also called Myalgic Encephalomyelitis, or collectively ME/CFS) over eight years ago, I assumed it would be a brief detour in my life, and I’d soon be back to saving the world with… Continue reading How to Fight Climate Change When You’re Tired All the Time
Winter is a good time for me to stew in my own ideas, after the holidays are over and the cold weather really sets in. Well, sort of. This year it's been a mish-mash of cold and warm, with not much snow and lots of ice and rain. But still, the ideas were bubbling. I'm… Continue reading Join Me in a Challenge: The Climate Artivism Cycle
It's taken me a long time to realize that, when you add things to your life, you usually have to subtract some things, too. Unless what you've added is more time or help, and then you might be subtracting money. The holiday season fools me each year, especially now that it includes Thanksgiving, Chanukah, three… Continue reading December: Taking Time to Celebrate and Be Sick
I went for a walk with my son today. We do this almost every day. It's a gorgeous day, sunny and unseasonably warm. The leaves are changing and falling. Some of the trees—enough to be quite noticeable—aren't changing their usual fiery colors. The maples in our yard have gone yellow with brown spots. They say… Continue reading Spotty brown leaves and making meaning in a changing climate
Our seasons aren't quite what they used to be, here in New England. June of 2021 was the wettest on record in my region, and quite cool. We had a couple of stretches of days in the 90s in May. I'm never sure when summer ends and fall begins, now. With weather consistently in the… Continue reading 2021: year of the mushroom
If you'd rather skip my write-up and go straight for the good stuff, scroll down. We mostly just want to see the pictures, right? Also, I'm still not certain about the past tense of the word "knit" and at this point, I'm too afraid to ask. As I mentioned in my last blog post several… Continue reading One year of knitting: my pandemic panacea
When I first started knitting and crocheting, and for many years afterward, quick projects were delicious to me. I enjoyed the feeling of satisfaction and relief when I completed a project. I like finishing things. I don't like putting them down, or waiting, or being patient. And I most certainly do not like boredom. But… Continue reading How I learned to love slow knitting
Throughout the pandemic, I've been doing little art and craft projects here and there, usually while my son is napping. It's relaxing, gives me something productive and fun to focus on, and prevents me from doing too many physically strenuous things that make my CFS worse. I've always been a dabbler in drawing and painting.… Continue reading My library fan art
I am sometimes asked what having Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS or ME/CFS) is like. It's a question I appreciate, because the illness sounds like what the name says it is: "chronic fatigue." It's actually a complex illness affecting the immune system and neurological system that has many, many symptoms. If all you have is "chronic… Continue reading Here’s what my CFS feels like
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