The Blogging Platypus

Sometimes, life seems like one thing after another. I realize that that is precisely what life is: one second, one hour, one day, one year, one decade...after another, but when the events that are hurled at you seem insurmountable, what else is there to do but say fuck it? Well, this year has felt like I am getting the karma intended for someone who stole my identity, only to conduct nefarious deeds. Over the past two years, I know that good and happy events have happened in our lives, but the challenges we have faced have been, well, quite challenging. We moved into a place that used to be a meth lab that wasn’t remediated correctly (or at all) and was already inhabited by invisible forces,  I was denied SSDI for my disabilities,  I have been unable to work on a regular basis,  Repeated visits to doctors out of state,  A few visits to the emergency room,  One of our cars had a mystery issue that ultimately resolved (after the new battery didn’t do m...

Illustration by Veronica Grech/For The Times) The relief that washes over you when you sink into a warm tub can be even more therapeutic! From beauty stores to big box superstores, there seems to be a plethora of bath accessories, including bath salts. No, not the kind that will make you want to eat the face off of your favorite person, but rather the kind that can help to relieve stress and feel your pain begin to become more manageable. There are just about as many bath products out there as there are cute doggos, and that’s a lot! Some of the things I look for in a bath soak is that it is cruelty-free, smells good, and doesn’t cost an arm and a leg. But if it did cost an arm and a leg, that would be fewer body parts that require a soaking! I jest, but it’s true. Sometimes I am limited by the products from which I get to select, as I can be a little picky at times. I know what I like. One of my favorite fragrances is the combination of spearmint and lemongrass. Everything in ...

Disclaimer: I live in a state where recreational and medical cannabis is legal. I have lived with the symptoms of several chronic pain conditions for a number of years. From fibromyalgia and scoliosis, to neuropathy and connective tissue disorders, my body is in pain daily. The only thing that seems to change about my pain are the locations and intensities. Unfortunately, very little can be done in regards to effective pain relief. I have tried a variety of pharmaceutical prescription medications, often experiencing significant side-effects, which preclude me from even reaching the therapeutic dose. I often get gastro side-effects, but also have experienced a total mental numbness, lack of appetite, and swelling of my hands. I recently started a new medication for my ice pick headaches, which I hope will help to alleviate those annoying and painful sensations. Before it is suggested, I have completely changed my life after getting sick. I switched to my current diet of gluten free...