I've been taking sabbatical by going into my Introvert Cave. I desperately need it every now and then, because sometimes I feel like my cup is overflowing with too many thoughts, ideas, information that it just refuses to take anymore and before I reach the burnout point, I need to take a step back and just be. I believe that there's only so much a brain can take at a given point in time, there's only so much one can give at a period of time before the brain and the heart need to take some time off.
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The Introvert Cave is one of my fave dwelling places. I can read things I'm interested in reading, but I can also stay away from things that I don't want to read (like visiting FB where inadvertently I'll be reading random thoughts and info about other people's lives randomly). Enough is enough. Self-care is important as well. I also listen to a lot of music during this time, as well as instrumental music.
During my Introvert Cave period, I always feel lighter. It's like taking a short break in nature without having to interact with other people too much. I think the benefit of staying in the Introvert Cave every now and then is like an excellent full-body massage - the difference is that the benefit is felt by the mind and soul instead of the body. But hey, if it's good for the mind and soul, wouldn't it also benefit the body? :-D
Yeah, yeah, I know I'm rambling here. I didn't exactly prepare this post, so I was just typing whatever came to my mind. :-D Ahem. Anyway, I saw this quote a while ago in FB.
I was wondering why I couldn't choose number 1 AND 3. I know that it only works if the thing that you let define you makes you feel that you have a cause to work for. It wouldn't work if the thing that you let define you makes you feel like a victim, but I think it can work if the thing that you let define you makes you feel like a survivor and then you let it strengthen you.
Case in point: in the beginning, I felt like a victim of infertility and I was so angry in so many ways, but these days I feel like a survivor that enjoys sharing infertility links to many people in order to spread awareness. I think many people have survived this way through bad things: to find a cause or something that they feel can be of use to other people after they've experienced a tragedy.
What do you think, readers?
1. Watching a woman riding a bike on a rainy day with one hand holding an umbrella. :-))) Quite a sight!
2. Reading this inspirational story online (thanks to Michelle Frost for putting the link in Facebook!): Armless Painter's Amazing Story of Hope.
3. Wearing the tossut that MIL made me HE HE HE HE...
4. Cooler weather 'coz it means I won't sweat too much during my training at the hotel. :-)))
5. Sleeping for 12 hours on Sunday.
6. Hubby waking me up after that LONG sleep and we ended up cuddling and kissing in bed first HO HO HO HO HO...Felt just like honeymooners! :-D
7. Surviving these past two incredibly tiring and rather stressful workdays.
8. Rowan trees' leaves are changing colours as well as other trees, but my fave is still those rowan trees 'coz they may have three colours at once. Pretty, pretty, pretty!
9. A sense of accomplishment 'coz I've finished what I've been wanting to do for the past few months: writing a real life story on a certain theme in Finnish and submitting it to one Finnish magazine. They always try to find real life stories each edition (not a long one, max. 1,000 words) and this time I finally found a good story to write that suits the theme of the month and the diligence and courage to do it (even though I know my Finnish is still very VERY simple). :-)))
(side note: If the story is published - usually there are 2-3 stories published per edition, I can get some money!!! *fingers crossed* But even if it's not published, I'll consider it an exercise in writing Finnish he he...)
10. Singing or humming while doing my training at the hotel. :-))))
11. Making dessert for the lunch at MIL's house last Saturday. I just sliced apples, kiwis, bananas, and one mango and put them into a HUGE bowl and poured orange juice. Very fruity! :-D
Hi, people!
I've survived the week, though some days I got more tired than other days (my feet always get so sore every day 'coz I move around and stand so much). From today until the next 7 weeks, I'm going solo in cleaning the hotel rooms for 8 hours a day 5 days a week UNLESS there are many guests coming and then I'd get help from someone else. Well, at least I had told them that I WOULD NOT and COULD NOT endure any overtime work 'coz this type of work is so physical and they confirmed that I wouldn't be asked to do overtime. Well, that's a relief!!! :-))))
Wonder how much weight I can lose after this training is done HE HE HE HE HE...
Anyway, here's some update on my infertility test:
The doctor called me yesterday and told me about the blood test results. She spoke SO fast in Finnish so that I really had to concentrate hard, but at least I understood the gist. She said that all the results were fine EXCEPT for one hormone called "prolactin". She found that my prolactin level was high, so she ordered me to do another blood test just to test my prolactin level on a different day of the month.
Because the first blood test was done on my 2nd calendar day (the first calendar day is the first day of menstruation), she wanted me to come in the middle of my cycle. I counted and today would be somewhere in the middle of my cycle, though it's pretty hard to determine, since my cycle period varies from 31-43 days (the median range is around 35-37 days). So yesterday afternoon before I left home, I told my boss that I had to go to the lab today.
So I did...and they took two vials of blood from me this time. I didn't have to fast, but I had to be awake at least for 4 hours for one of the tests. So we'll see what the results are like. I asked the doctor what that high prolactin level meant. She said that IF the second blood test showed that my prolactin level was still high, she'd want me to go to a hormone therapy centre or something like that (not sure where it is in this village, though). Ugh...
I also browsed online to find out more things about this and I just try to prepare for the worst, hope for the best. :-))))
OK, now time to blog-hop a bit. I'll continue blog-hopping later he he...Shinta, THANKS in advance for the award!!!!
P.S. Forgot to upload a pic of cucumbers in my MIL's greenhouse. :-))))
