The Weekly Friday Feast

[Mazarita]

Hi @Jacques. The gig is only half a day a week and is in one of their op shops so seems like a gentle way to ease myself back into structured activities in a public space. Thanks so much for your good wishes. 🙂

[Appleblossom]

@Mazarita

I saw a recipe using tapioca flour to make the creamy texture of the ice cream ... kind of generates a craving .. just thinking about it.   Congrats on vol job at lifeline ... they are supposed to give very good training.

Lovely to see you @Jacques 

I still find socialising stressful but I am learning to ride the waves of delight with finding good company and then all my abandonment and fear of rejection or me being too bolshie etc ...  as passing feelings ... I am thinking that as my base life needs are stable ... socialising is only about people and making friends and there does not need to be anything forced ... just mutual interest and pleasure ... that removes some of the pressure for me.

[Jacques]

@Mazarita, i am sure to the people you help in the op shop it will mean a lot, it will be such a nice feeling giving something back, and i am glad you are easing into it, it is so easy to get overwhelmed if you jump in with both feet.

please keep us updated how you go.

[Jacques]

@Appleblossom, i totally agree, i have found for myself i don't want to wast my time talking to people on a power trip or wanting to argue, i have done enough of that in my life, i just want to be around people i am comfortable with, you are all amazing, and i feel like you are all my family, it is nice to have  a connection to a group of people, i have never had that before 🙂

[CherryBomb]

@Appleblossom I've been meaning to say hi, how are you? I've missed you on here. Hope you had a nice holiday.

@Former-Member changing meds is anxiety provoking. There's a lot that can go on with your mind and body. Have you got supports set up? I know @Jacques asked about a doc. Have you got your home environment sorted? It might be helpful to make sure that things are calming at home for you. This might mean no guests, or having guests (depending on what you like!), no noises, or big changes etc. Will be thinking of you. Proud of all your hard work. 

[Appleblossom]

When I worked at an opshop ... I had been out of workshop and general circulation for a while ... our manager was delivered to work by police one morning as he was caught without his licence.  He was the only one getting paid and we were all vollies ... it did a great job of inverting the social order and showing me how crazy the world really is ... now I have lost my licence too ... but I didnt keep driving ... so far surviving quite well ... and not having to pay speeding fines or gym membership is good.

[Mazarita]

It was a funny job interview I had. I arrived and was taken out the back but the manager was in the 'ladies'. She came out and I was doing my best not to look at her as she walked out the door but somehow casually just appear when she seem to have recovered from her 'business', lol. Not many steps outside the 'loo', she checked over my reference. Then she asked whether mornings or afternoon would be better (not hard to answer that, afternoons of course, lol). Interview took all of 1 minute and I was out the door with my first job for over 7 years. Yeehaa! 😄

[Former-Member]

Wow that icecream sounds/looks amazing @Mazarita - thank you! (I only have decaf coffee though to avoid extra anxiety!) We make "nicecream" - frozen bananas with cacao (raw cocoa) blended ~ can add dates or maple syrup to sweeten, but usually bananas are sweet enough. Berries can be added also. Yummy! Did you get a volunteer job @Mazarita?

Hi @Appleblossom - missed you.

Yes, @Jacques, the medication has been discussed with psychiatrist yesterday - plus I rang her on her pager today also. I will see how I go with it. I'm increasing my benzodiazpine dose temporarily. I'm waiting till we get paid next, as we have run low on $$ ~ & that is stressful. Although, $$ are going to be harder to manage until I reach the Medicare levy again. My psychiatrist is $200 out of pocket!! Plus I have private health insurance, as I have been through the wars with the public mental health system. It will be okay (just reassuring myself!)

Namaste,

A

[Mazarita]

@Former-Member, I shouldn't drink coffee either but, like Jacques, it's one of my daily loves. Another thing to work towards this year is replacing at least some of my daily coffees with herbal tea. Liquorice tea is my favorite. Yes, I got a volunteer job at an op shop half a day a week starting next week. It's just around the corner from the herbal tea shop too so may even help with the coffee 'issue', lol. Your icecream sounds even better than what I posted here. Love maple syrup! 

[Mazarita]

Woops, that 'indifferent man smiley' was meant to be a 'cat happy', fingers slipped.