Life Offline - Art Enabled

For reasons beyond my comprehension, my laptop has become virtually useless, though I can still work on my manuscript on it. For this, I am grateful. However, I cannot get online using that machine, because everything chokes and crashes. I am able to view "at" Twitter messages, as well as DMs, via my phone. I can send replies via text message - replying via the social media app inevitably causes a crash. So if you send me messages and there's a delay in getting back to you, or I'm slow to express thanks for a re-tweet, etc., please know that it's not bad manners that's delaying me - it's simply online access, or lack thereof. I do try to get back to everyone as soon as I can.

This is the first time in a very long time that I've lived offline. And, while living offline, I'm not doing much in the way of reading - in previous years when I didn't spend much time online, I would read two or even three books a day. These days, part of my focus and time is spent taking care of a household which includes my disabled and beloved partner, Leslie, and my disabled daughter, Jen. I love them both, and I'm so very glad my daughter is back in town for the holidays.

When I'm not doing dishes, cleaning the cat box, vacuuming, or what-have-you, I'm doing art. I have an entire binder full of "art therapy" and other pieces. I started using art to express what I wasn't necessarily able to put into words as I work through some intense issues and recovered memories that leave me gasping for breath. 

Some of the pieces are much too graphic to be shared - they would be horribly triggering for other survivors. But I'll be picking a few of the best (non-triggering) pieces and sharing them soon, probably via a FaceBook album. As I do the art, I'm gaining insight into my own identity(ies) and the most important aspects of my life.

I wish all of you an enjoyable holiday season - whether you celebrate Hannukah, Yule, Christmas, Kwanza or the ever-popular Festivus ("for the rest of us").

Blessings, Jo