I’m having a quiet recovery day instead of a day at a barbecue with family. I hate that this latest bug is soooo difficult to get rid of.

Xfce is just amazing. I’ve used it for many years, starting with Xubuntu I think and it’s my go to Linux version. So minimal and functional.

I’m a pen to paper gal, but also keep a Daylio journal as a health tracker.

Vlogbrothers has been a favourite for many years. They do so much good! And do lots of silly stuff too, like making a series of videos with titles taken from smash mouth’s rockstar 😀

There is a thrift store in town with a carpet store attached, which is giant but 1/4th full. When we walked in the owner looked surprised we came to look at the thrift section. It was crap, and looked all untouched for a long long time

I could never carry an A5 around. I have both an a5 watercolour and sketchbook on my desk, but for on the go I use an A6 sketchbook if I want to sit longer for sketching as it’s a hardcover, but usually my notebook is my go-to.

And I’ve had a similar convo with myself about writing things down, but if I don’t, I get overwhelmed and forget. And yes, I do remember the important stuff I write down, but I think it’s a good thing, because it stays in the forefront of my mind until I check it off 😀

Yeah you can. But a notebook is just always there and doesn’t need a chord to charge.

All kidding aside: if you have ADD tendencies, your phone often distracts you before you can write down that thought or that idea. This is why I always have a notebook with me.

And, also, there’s science https://www.theguardian.com/science/2014/dec/16/cognitive-benefits-handwriting-decline-typing

Create a reading space, no tech allowed. Then every time you want to go read (could set alarms for that), you set everything aside, go to your space and read.

Making food, either baking or cooking. They focus you on the here and now and you eat well to boot.

A hobby that has helped me a lot is knitting. It’s simple to learn and it’s another truly mindful thing to do for you.

A notebook (with a good pen)

Most welcome! If you need any help, just ask. I make my own rollers a lot so I can help with any question.

Exactly! I do love my fruit juices etc but my teeth would be dead in a month or so. With teas you don’t have that problem 😀

Tea! Any tea.

Door half open so the cats can walk back and forth, but not so much that it’s too light in the morning.

Wow, I had no idea! I was diagnosed with headaches due to wrong posture and wrong lens prescription as a child and I never had it checked afterwards, even though the headaches remained. I just did the exercises my physical therapist prescribed and had my lenses checked every year.

I just accepted the headaches as something I sometimes get and didn’t think it was anything worse, also because my younger brother has migraines and he has vision-like symptoms, I don’t. Figured that meant I didn’t have migraines.

I have all those things you mention. And no, had no ideas they can be painless! How weird is that! I see a lot of reading in my future and a talk with my doctor.

Thank you so much for your comment, it might help me get the right diagnosis for my life long headaches.

I make them myself! I buy the best peppermint essential oil I can find and I have some aromatherapy rollers on Amazon.

Then I add 5 to 10 drops of the oil to the bottle, top it off with almond oil or something like that and then put on the roller top. Put on the lid, and shake it and then remove the top. Roll it on your hand and check the scent, opening it up if the roller needs more and then I roll it on my forehead and temples when needed.

And I might have migraines then because I can’t stand light when the headaches strike.

I don’t get migraines but just pretty bad headaches and what helps me is staying in a dark room, putting an ice pack on my forehead and using a peppermint essential oil roller on my forehead and temples and then a muscle balm on my neck because often my neck muscles stiffen and that tends to make the headaches worse.

I hope your migraine lessens soon!

My health. It’s made me lose so many connections, and lately it’s made me feel like I’m invisible. Not even those closest to me really know how to deal with me and me having to cancel things because my body says no.

My Brother HL 230 laser printer is so reliable. Had it for years and it never failed me.

Thank you so much!