In a way, the qigong feels more like exercise and the Tai Chi feels more like dance, but what works best for me is to think of both of them as meditation, if that makes sense.

That makes a lot of sense. In fact, I should remind myself of that frequently, I think it would improve my mental state.

I just...I missed a payment on the one credit card I dont' think I've ever missed a payment on and they decreased my credit limit. Which means I can't use it like a crutch I have been but it freaked me out at first becuase I thought there were unauthorized purchases.

And I realized I am in a financial mess and I need to get it fixed as best as possible. I need a job but I also need to stop getting sick , getting IC flares and anxiety attacks. I mean life would be fine then.

On the other hand I really like the new therapist, he's taking time to get to know me - I had a take home "test" (not realy a test an evaulation thingy) and it's not like - hey in 3 weeks we're going to start something specific. He's recommending a trauma support group that combines a workbook, mindfullness, skills, and talk therapy. It meets on Saturdays which is odd but also convenient.

Did not mean to post about my health stuff again. Feel like that is all I talk about.

askye, can you call the company? If this is the first time, most places, even totally heartless ones like credit card companies, are pretty good about waiving penalties. You've got ample proof of health issues (plus the dislocation of having recently moved), and a good history with them, and they may be willing to either waive any late fees, reduce your limit by a smaller amount, or do something else to ease things a little. I've had to make those calls myself, and in general the people I talked with (except at BofA, who are well and truly black-hat-mustache-twirling-One-Ring EVIL) were much nicer than I expected.

I'll try calling tomorrow. Im worried I may have put my new bank info in wrong.

I have a UTI. I forgot to say or they didn't record I'm allergic to macrodatin she told me the generic name which I didn't recognize but the pharmacy picked up on. But I'll have to wait until tomorrow because it's not called in yet and I'm hungry and tired and so over this day. I know better than to try and do therapy and a Dr's appointments on the same day but I didn't have much of a choice.

Adventures in parenting - the "Where do babies come from?" edition. Ryan had started asking about this. Buggered if I know the appropriate age for this discussion. I found out when I was a little older than he is, by going to the library and looking it up. I figure following his lead was my best option. He already had some notion, largely through watching (prepare to be surprised) nature programs with his daddy. He understood that a father and mother share DNA to make a baby. (He voiced this understanding to me once: "Daddy, how long was I growing in Mummy's tummy after you shared your mixture?") But he's in all of second grade now, and he wants details, dammit.

Of course, first I explained just how important this aspect of life is by drawing lessons from nature, namely the extremes animals will go to in order to procreate. So he now knows that this is a part of life that it's important to share with someone you love, because male gladiator frogs are willing to fight to the death with retractable switchblades for the right to breed.

He now knows the basics of sex (his response: "eww"), which we discussed with the help of the Knowledge Encyclopedia. [link] This is an excellent book that we often read together at bedtime (interspersed with the 39-Storey Treehouse). I think it went well, although I'm concerned he may have formed the impression that men develop retractable bony spikes in their wrists during mating season. (I also warned him not to discuss it with his classmates just yet, as their parents may yet be Jack Nicholson in A Few Good Men about it.)

The harder part of the discussion was on the next page, which covered the other end of the human story - in a column on life expectancy. There was a world map showing how it differs between countries (which led into a discussion about AIDS and life expectancy in sub-Saharan Africa). And there was a pie chart showing causes of death around the world. One item caught his eye. "Daddy, what's 'Deliberate self-injury'?" So now my boy knows about suicide. It came up again last night, in all places, on a freakin' David Attenborough episode. It discussed Paul Kammerer, an Austrian zoologist who conducted experiments with amphibians. One of his findings was found to have been faked, and with his reputation ruined, he shot himself. That night, Ryan was asking me what he should do if he had nightmares about it.

In the last month, we've had discussions about Australia's policy on refugees, the US elections and Black Lives Matter. Somewhere around the start of this year I stopped just raising a child and started raising a future adult.

Oh man, that's so weird but sad but awesome, billytea. Kid is getting so big!

Somewhere around the start of this year I stopped just raising a child and started raising a future adult.

Looks like you're good at it, too.

Buffista parents are amazing and I appreciate them. They're making some awesome kids.

100% what Zen said.

Totally agree. I can't imagine a better guide for a bright, inquisitive child than you, billytea--you haven't grown out of being bright and inquisitive yourself, yet. May you never do.