🌟 A Most Unreliable Narrator Issue #173 Possibly drunken revelry
Or a lonely spaceship
Dear Internet,
While my time in GR was a fucking blast, I am over peopled. We were on the go from the moment I stepped into Steph’s car at noon on Friday until her husband dropped me off at the airport at 2 p.m. Sunday. I didn’t see everyone I wanted to see but it would have to suffice.
Saturday was one long day from the time I met up with Beth, Matt, and their family at 10:30 a.m. for brunch where we started drinking until Steph and I left about 9 p.m. that night from our second brewery of the day. My poor liver.
I enjoyed Sunday very much with Karen and Steph at Wolfgang’s, a local dive breakfast joint, and later at a nearby coffee shop where we discussed everything under the sun. Sometimes you just need to be around your people.
The flights to and fro were fine. It is an hour and change from here to Detroit and 27 minutes from Detroit to GR. Flight home was GRR > Atlanta > home with similar times. I spent most of my time hanging out at the Delta lounges than I did in the sky.
On a good day, the drive from here to GR is about seven hours while the flight, all told, was about five. I had the milage to burn so I said fuck it and flew. A non-scale victory is I fit in main cabin airline seats and can buckle myself in without strain. That’s always lovely.
I tried to be engaging this week but I found it to be difficult, so I canceled some video dates and extracurricular meetings until next week. When I told Mr Lisa what I was doing, he expressed concern I was turning into him, you know, a hermit. You used to thrive on being around other people, he said. I know, I replied, but then I was unmedicated and fed off their energy. I never took care of myself. Now that I’m stable, I am hyper aware of what I can and cannot do.
And I cannot hang out like the days of yore.
I feel like I let people down when I cancel or reschedule but it’s all about self-preservation. An over stimulated Lisa is not a good look on anyone. Plus, it can be triggering as I struggle to cope with big feelings.
And there were a lot of them this weekend.
I really did struggle at the beginning of the week. I was off my routine, did not move, and did not hydrate as I should. I’m trying to not overwhelm myself but it’s hard.
I created a schedule for myself during the week so I am not too overwhelmed but then new things pop up that need to be done at some point or another and I just want to throw my hands in the air and say fuck it. Case in point: I’ve got the first two chapters down for a story (or book, who’s to say) and I’m juggling characters and plot points in my head. I need to get them out on paper so the story can flow and I have a piece of software for that very need. The catch is, I bought the software six or seven months ago and never used it, so I don’t recall how it works. (Impulsive spending remains high, you see.) I’ve got a tab open to learn it so I can plot out the fucking story.
I’ve also been doubling down on learning about generative AI and how it applies to my industry. I’m taking free webinars as they come up on using ChatGPT and other like apps for work. I know in the last Lisa Writes Stuff, I touched on using AI briefly but shit my dudes, I wrote that a few weeks ago and so much has happened since!
I’m officially overwhelmed.
Phew. Didn’t like writing that but it is the truth.
Today’s goal is to reprioritize my workload so I’m not freaking out.
#
When I’m not freaking out, my secret projects are coming along nicely! I discussed what I’ve done with my therapist and he was impressed how much I’ve completed. I’ve already gotten spam from a company who insisted I need to pay them $295 for some “support book” and if I didn’t, the government would rain down fines and jail time. I’m sorry but it’s hard to take your parading as a government contractor when you don’t spell out the name of your company, your letter is vague as to what I’m to pay for, and your contact address is a Gmail account.
There is still a lot to do which ironically, I should be doing now but instead I’m writing an issue.
Such is life.
I’m not a fan of teasing those not in the know about the project but when I’ve gone hard as hell, the project failed. I’m conscious of this so I’m being very deliberate and very slow. Soon, all will be revealed.
Wonderful Thing
Lafferty is a podcaster and sci-fi author who I was recently introduced to and enjoy. Their books are described as sci-fi for people who don’t read sci-fi and that is not far from the truth.
I’m really into their Midsolar Murders series of which book two, Chaos Terminal, just came out. The series is based around Mallory Viridian, a private detective who doesn’t want to be a private detective, when it is disclosed that murders happen all around her and she’s the only one can solve the cases. Mallory escaped to Eternity from Earth when the book’s world version of the CIA keeps trying to pin Earth based murders on her even though she continually solves them.
The series begins with Mallory, as one of the few humans aboard Eternity, a sentient spaceship, is wrapped up in a murder case when a murderer is on the loose aboard an incoming ship.
Hrm, that seems clunky.
I’m currently giving no fucks to fix it.
Of course there are aliens, and I mean, c’mon, a sentient spaceship, which was not a turn off for me. I don’t venture into sci-fi on the reg, if you know what I mean, but I cannot turn down a murder mystery.
I’m venturing into Lafferty’s other books. I’ve got Six Wakes checked out which is a standalone murder mystery and I’m excited. Thankfully local library systems have Laffertys back catalog so I’m in for the long haul.
Tentacle-y yours,
lisa x