My hubby is in Albany, GA right now....How in the heck do you handle that humidity!? He wants to haul a$$ back here to MT!!! Guess we are heading to TX this winter, will be soooo nice when it is 0degrees here!

I had to cut my hair after my car wreck, try prenatal vitamins and jello. It worked for me it is butt length again. (Was between my shoulder blades.)

Fascinating! Is there a particular instrument you fancy?

Where I am isn't too, too horrible but there are days where I feel soaking wet just standing outside to have a quick smoke. But, that's why we have dehumidifiers in the house. That really helps. Though, being native I notice it a lot less than someone who is just visiting or recently relocated. Hell, the humidity isn't even the worst part of South Georgia (where your hubby is), it's all those damn paper mills. THEY STINK SO BADLY!

What do you mean by 'jello', am I eating it or wearing it?

edit - there's a tl;dr below so you can skip all this

I play flute/piccolo and piano. I didn't start music lessons until I was 8 and took theory (which included piano) and surprised everyone. I look back as an adult and am really shocked, but as a kid, it wasn't anything special, I did what I liked. That's when I taught myself flute when I asked for one. I wanted to learn a new instrument at least each year! My parents wouldn't let me take any more lessons because they wanted me to focus on school. Oh, was I steamed when my parents said it was too expensive and I had to stick with flute and piano; I had plans! They gave me a piccolo for Christmas as a peace offering, lol! But never caved in, much to my chagrin.

So, we had to decide when I was 9 whether I was going to pursue music exclusively, or as an extracurricular activity. There are a lot more talented people out there and the pressure to be the very best was not something they wanted for me - the odds are not good - then you end up struggling to make a living. Since I was excelling in school, they decided I had a much better chance of success pursuing academics. I still can't watch these little kids performing on you tube, it makes me sad. No matter what anyone says, the pressure is enormous and as they age, they loose their 'edge' (meaning the uniqueness of youth), unless they are the one in a million star. So many child prodigies burn out and find their lives were controlled by others for so long, they were like little robots. Luckily, music wasn't my only talent, so I had choices. (God that sounds pretentious, sorry!)

I am relieved (but still wistful) that things worked out as they did, but I am a more rounded individual. I see a friend from back then who wasn't as gifted, but worked really hard and she is still struggling, teaching music lessons to kids who don't want to be there and playing in a second rate orchestra. You can be the most industrious person ever and you still cannot beat the person born with the talent who works half as hard as you -- you just can't compete, let alone if they do work as hard as you. And I don't know why she never learned it, but it's sad that at 45 she is still struggling so hard.

So, I stayed in lessons, did the youth orchestra thing, did the solo performances, but all after school. I am grateful to my parents for all the time and money spent on lessons! And now that I have the migraine thing, I cannot even pick up the flute most days because blowing & noise is not the best thing for your head. At least I haven't lost my music skills as much as I lost my French, lol! But not speaking French was on purpose after having a horrid time in France that scarred me forever, lol! (Bastards were so mean, makes you realize how nice Americans are about trying to understand non-native speakers!)

Holy Moses, I just wrote a novel, sorry!

tl:dr My parents decided to not have me pursue music exclusively.

He said something about the smog factor...now I know why--uggh!! He is really not liking the humidity, the first day on the job he about passed out from it. I laughed even though it is not funny. We complain about our dry heat and the thunder storms that come through and our fire season--VERY bad right now!! But I think it is easier for us to deal with than the dampness.

He had to go to Ocala(?) Florida and work on an open store at night for a display truss and REALLY about died there due to the heat. Also...big, huge snakes on the road!!! I would have had that diesel back in MT within 24 hours if I would have gone--sooo scared of snakes!!

Jello--both?(lol!!) Actually eat it. I also eat 2 tbs gelatin to 2 tbs water in a cup of juice daily (gelatin from a natural food store) for my RA and my hair is growing like a weed-and strong!! I am not sure how it works, but on my hair and fingernails(which grow like crazy anyways!) it seems to put them into hyper growth. The prenatals also help with the vitamins that make it stronger and shiny. Keeps the breakage down and adds many inches!!

It's because gelatin contains Collagen, and Collagen is used for strengthening bones, joints, nails and hair.

I have hair down to my mid butt and I am gonna get it cut soon. I don't like it that long, it's a pain, but I leave my hair long because I like to wear it pulled back into a ponytail, bun, something. And having more length gives me a nice amount to work with so it looks full and pretty. It's interesting to find others with it that long.

Stormy, how long can you get it now?

Did you also know the weight of long hair does contribute to migraine pain? If I have my hair pulled back at a certain point on my head it is a guaranteed migraine within 3 hours. This has been prior to and since the accident. I have to be careful how I ponytail or bun my hair to avoid irritation. When I cut it after the wreck, before even leaving ICU, it reduced my headaches massively. BUT, I love my hair!! It will do anything I want it to do and is one of my favorite features.

That makes sense! I do know that any gelatin other than the one at the natural food store does almost nothing for my rheumatoid arthritis in my joints, though. They still make my hair and nails pretty impressive.

No wonder your reviews are well written!

Aw, thanks! I admit, working on them does get rid of my writer's block somehow. I couldn't write a thing for my novel for months, and suddenly since joining Eden and starting to work on reviews my passion for my novel has come back to me.

This thread has turned out to be so interesting! Why did you move around so much (I realize you were a kid)? Of course Rossie already said it about the reviews, but I would like to know more about your novels. What genre(s) do you write? I am glad you're enjoying being single! It's nice not to have to worry about anything but what you want to do.

And finally, I am so sorry to hear about the sinus situation! Do you have any allergies? I didn't have nearly the problem you have, but my chronic sinus infections were due to allergies that triggered inflammation which in turn trapped stuff in there and pressure cooked it. Once I got that addressed, I never had another infection. I imagine the almost no smell/taste makes eating difficult, huh?

We moved a lot because of the collapse of the Soviet Union. contrary to Western belief, the time after the collapse was quite horrible. Our life savings, which were a lot under Soviet standards, suddenly couldn't buy a loaf of bread or a bus ticket and salaries and bank accounts were frozen. Everyone was hungry. We tried making it work in Ukraine, Belarus, and Poland when I was very young but after a while we got fed up that a professor and a dean couldn't provide food for a family of four and fled to Canada, since its embassy in Kiev was right down the street and we couldn't afford to get to the British, American, or Australian ones (because my father was an extraordinary researcher we had been accepted into all four countries under "exceptional abilities" status but had to show up in person). It then took some time and a couple of moves for my parents to find the perfect jobs, which we unexpectably found where we live now. /end long sob story


My manuscript is in the fantasy genre. To be put in one sentence, it is The parallel and intertwining sequence of events following the death of a king and chronicling through both the collapse of social structures and institutions held dear beyond the realm and the revival of ancient curses and feuds that threaten their entire existence, as told by five characters from entirely different regions and positions of life.


Sadly its not. Its just bacteria that likes it there. Now my.main hope is for my immune system to wake up and smell the infection. I'm otherwise healthy though.I can handle a lot of wasabi and horseradish because of it. I love those tastes now.

WOW, you have such an interesting life story! And I remember seeing on the news all the empty food shelves and hungry people after the change. I don't remember any stories other than the hardships and crime organizations taking advantage. You are really lucky you all got out alive and I don't think that's an exaggeration. That must have been so stressful for your poor parents! I'm so happy you all ended up okay!

I am so interested in your novel! I have no doubt you are going to be a big hit, I feel it! Oh, I'm going to expect some autographed first editions *ahem* just saying Just your brief description reminds me of a Game of Thrones type (not saying they are similar) epic saga that could go on for many books - which is just what I love, a series! I want to have a book per character, you know? I like seeing the characters again in future books, seeing how they are doing, etc. I figure if they are interesting enough to grab my me the first time, they are still going to interest me afterwards and I want updates! Keep me posted on how it goes, please!

Oh, you poor thing, what a pain! I really hope this thing get routed out eventually. What a long struggle. Is it something you acquired, an exogenous bacteria, or some opportunistic endogenous bacteria? I really hope you get your full sense of smell back and can finally put this behind you. You know, it's a miracle any of us are healthy when you think of all the things that can go wrong!

Haha. Whenever people ask what its like I say Game of Thrones, though its entirely different. That would be the closest comparison, but my characters tend to not be related and are further apart at the start. I'm planning four books for the series, but the first is kind of just setting the stage. I hope it would be a hit but I doubt it haha. We'll see. And of course you'll get a copy. : ) I might even have to hire you as an editor. The characters change a lot throughout the books; what drives me up a wall are characters that never change no matter what (I'm looking at you, Harry Potter). Only one will consciously attempt to never change, but at the very end of the series she will flip entirely. I'm so excited about my books; trust me, if I start talking about them I don't shut up haha.


I'm still waiting on the most recent work on the type of bacteria. Previous testing has shown that it was very mutated and could be one of two types so I had to go to a specialist. I don't mind it though; of all the things I could have chronically it's not too bad now that the headaches ar mostly gone. So many people in my life have cancer so I'm just thankful its not that. plus, the world is full of bad smells so I don't always mind not being able to smell.

You have a great attitude about all that and it speaks well about you as a person! Keeping things in perspective is not easy when you are sick, I admire you for that!

Oh, I so know what you mean about immutable characters! I would love if you told me privately all about your books. I wouldn't ask and say I'm interested and excited about it if I really wasn't. I would be happy to proof read! I know it takes several different people to go over all the different drafts and it can be difficult to find people with the patience to do it. I've never done it before, but would be happy to try anytime you want. Don't hesitate to ask!

Wait...they FORCED you not to be shy? 0.0
I don't even want to imagine how many panic attacks that probably brought on.
There's nothing wrong with being shy, both my mother and I are. =3

Also...gas masks aren't all bad, I've got a GP-5 one in black that I bought purely because I love the way it looks. Granted, I need to buy filters for it before it'll be of any use in an emergency, but buying just the mask was the fulfillment of a 5 year long dream for me. x'D

I have really do have a filter head set (not a military gas mask, but strong), but I use it anytime I can't smell stuff, like when I lived with my parents and there was wall paper, or painting done. It removed all the smell for me, thank God. And I sealed off my room with tarps over the door and had my amazing air filter machine. I am crazy chemically sensitive/allergic, so that mask has been a life saver. Even now, in my new house, if I have a window open (have to get fresh air, even though it's not the best idea for me) and someone outside starts a grill, or wood fire, I have to get the mask on and run to shut the window. Without thee mask, I would then be sick for at least 2-3 days, just from a whiff of smoke.

Yeah, the forced thing was NOT pleasant. For a lot I was "allowed" or in their eyes, "indulged" in it. But manners and knowing exactly what is expected in social situations actually does help calm you down. I was forced to go up shake a person's hand, have the appropriate dialog, meet their gaze, not mumble...some of it very good, but most unnecessary and overly dominating and controlling. I hated performing, I have terrible stage fright, but was forced to do it. In some ways, that and the speech/public speaking lessons we had to take in school were good. You have to do things you don't want to do in life, but I DON'T think consistently breaking a child's will is the best way to go about it! I still have stage fright, but no one else would know it! I think coaxing and positive reinforcement would have been even more successful with me. I was a very sensitive child and it wasn't my being willful that was the issue, it was a natural, deep, self-consciousness that I don't think either of my parents could relate to. I would have been happy just playing music for myself, not performing, but part of lessons is recitals...the more you confront and overcome a crippling fear, the better, if it helps your life. I just don't think that was necessary to my success as an adult.

I have huge issues with children being forced into a mold unnecessarily. And what that teacher did was not her right -- she was flat out wrong. Save us from people convinced they know better! I think being ambidextrous is such a wonderful gift, why on earth would it matter what damn hand your wrote with as long as you could write? Don't get me started on bully teachers - that's what I consider that teacher of yours to have been, a bully! Good for you getting your skill back!

I love all those creatures, too! I remember a thread about fears and naturally, some people couldn't even write the word spider without freaking out, lol. I rescue and sometimes help feed spiders. I cannot watch a creature suffer and if I can do something about it, I do! Skunks are adorable! Ouch on the rabies shots, but as you know, it wasn't the skunks fault. I love animals because they always have an excellent reason for their actions and with a little insight, it's easy to understand them. People are the only ones who are mean just because they can be!

Sounds like you have found a niche to fill with the male dog clothes! The only ones I see have that biker, tough guy look, such ad studded leather vests and collars. What if your guy is more a dandy, a lover, not a fighter? lol!

Sorry, I have apparently taken over the thread, lol! Not my intent, so feel free to jump in and wrest control from me!

Three words: tiny suit jackets. ;3
Our little guy is a clotheshorse, but sometimes people think we're joking.
He loves and needs his tiny sweater collection. Winter isn't easy on his little body. Poor pup gets cold so easily. = <
I wish my mom would check his Doggyspace account more though...he needs himself a lady. xD

Spiders...they are one of the few things that truly terrify me but I'm trying to get rid of that particular fear because I feel so bad if one is inside scaring the living daylights out of my mom and I have to squish it.
There was this one really interesting looking spider living in the shovel pile we have by the deck that I used to help feed actually, I don't know whatever happened to it though.

"tiny suit jackets" LMAO, too cute! We had a small, not tiny, but small poodle we found and had for years. She needed sweaters in the winter, so yes, the clothes can be very necessary sometimes. I think he needs a lady too! And if he looks especially dapper...who knows whose eye he may catch

Hey, for the spiders, get a glass and a stiff piece of paper, cardboard, or postcard, etc. Slap the glass over the spider, then wiggle the paper under until you have it captured, then release it outside! Look at you, afraid of them and yet you fed one, I think you're great!