That sounds kinda scary!

Right?

These feel like 60 mgs of the regular stuff. An amount I have taken but more than I'd like. But given the weather here and my desire to actually breathe, the 12-hourness of it is okay.

The extended release Sudafed I get is 240 mg.

Of OTC meds that I have really high tolerances for (Advil and Benedryl mostly), I am a lightweight on Sudafed. It ramps my anxiety like whoa and gives me squirrel brain.

Having a weird stomach thing this morning. It's not so much a stomach ache, as it feel like I did 1,000 sit ups and crunches yesterday. Owie.

Extended-release Sudafed is a double-edged sword: breathing, yet severe jitters.

Sudafed would be a good name for a sword in a fantasy world.

I've gotten a fair amount done today. Amazing what you can do when you aren't idly surfing the Internet.

Stressing tensing yesterday, Sean?

Just got one of my trees restaked in the midst of this wind "advisory" and had to brush my teeth twice to get the grit out. I wasn't even the one doing the work. Hate wind.

Holy cow, you guys. I'm sorry so many of you are having such a rough time. Laura, I'm glad to hear that you have someone you trust to talk to, and that he was reassuring. Connie, I'm so sorry, and I echo what everyone else is saying: I hope you always feel free to say whatever you need to here, whatever you can't say anywhere else.

And Sean, man, I feel for you. That's such a shitty position to be in, between the roommate, the job search, and the brain weasels. I'm crossing my fingers that something good is just around the corner for you. You are smart, strong, dedicated, and really good at what you do, even if the jobs in your field aren't opening up for you right now.

One thing that occurs to me, and please disregard entirely if this isn't helpful: In the midst of feeling so down, when your brain weasels are being their most weaselly, would it help to try shifting your focus to someone or something else for a while? Maybe try to find a way to do something good or kind for someone else, if you can. Help a neighbor, volunteer somewhere, something like that. Something that would get you out of the house, give you some purpose, and remind you that you are a person of worth, that you belong here, that your presence in the world is a valuable thing. I know it's not always easy to remember that, but I hope you do. Because it's true.

So sorry, Connie.

Yikes, Laura.

Hang in there, Sean.

Toughies, all of them.

Warm thoughts and healing wishes of everybody!

I need some critiquing, please.

I'm working on creating a web show and, today, I ventured to the cosmetics counter to try and get a decent 'look.'

The resulting video is for testing purposes only...and contains a few terrible edits and a bizarre cameo from a certain someone you might recognize.

If you have 3 minutes or less, could you please answer the following questions about this video on youtube?

• Does the makeup work? If not, is it too pale, or are there other issues?
• is the cropping right? Should there be less white space at the top?
• should the frame be lower?
• how is the sound?
• are the earrings distracting?
• is the eye contact good?

I have to confess, I raised the frame above the chest because I'm huge right now and I really want people to focus more on my eyes and voice.

Eventually, I plan to have a professional intro and end bumper with theme music and all, but right now, I'm just testing the equipment.

I'd be SO grateful for any input. Rather than junk up the thread, my profile addy is good, if you'd rather respond there.

Many thanks!

Oh! And, any thoughts on the corresponding website would be appreciated as well.

It's all pretty new and higgeldy piggeldy, but I'm working on it!

All good thoughts for Laura, Connie and her hubby, and Sean. Thinking of you.

Connie and husband, I'm so sorry. Best of ~ma to get through this.

Laura, my God. How scary. I'm happy for the good news.

{{{Sean}}} I'm sorry.

Rage and swear and panic all you need to to get through it.

This. So much. Forgot how smart this place is.

God, Connie, I remember that so well from my mom.

And you can put my mother in that club as well. Conversations face-to-face or over the phone won't end unless I promise I'm OK and had a good day.