a few things on my mind

firstly I really want to tell you about Etching

but I never seem to be able to free up a long enough moment (what with going to and from the house and seeing the children and doing the chores) to explain it in the detail that I'd like to share, so I'll just be brief

I've learnt three basic etching techniques so far: hard ground, soft ground, aquatint

I've learnt how to prepare a plate, etch and then how to ink up and print (which involves using a press - a very different kind of press to that which I used in bookbinding)

as in any kind of art, it's all very well learning, understanding and being able to practice the techniques but it is the quality of one's image and the ability to transfer that to the medium which at the end of the day will govern how delightful (or not) one's finished piece is

let's just say it's all a bit of a work in progress right now

ho hum


secondly I am way overdue with sorrow's PIF* project

(*passing it forward) so I've decided that my contribution will be to offer one of my (what at the moment are only) test prints to the first three people who request one

you'll have to let me know your address, if I don't have it already that it, and you may choose either birds or boats! your part is then to continue the PIF project by offering something to three people (via your blog) who then have to do the same

clear? hope so! if not, I'll explain again


thirdly my brain is buzzing tonight

and I need to quieten down a little before I might be able to sleep

this morning I met the fourth consultant psychiatrist in as many months, an NHS doctor who was interested and interesting but told me that the NHS can offer no support to someone suffering from depression apart from discharging me back into the care of a GP (who I've seen once, having registered at a new practise when I came out of the head clinic) and gave me a leaflet to take home and read and the URLs of two websites (one of which is Australian) which I can refer to for advice

quite what I'd do if I wasn't still covered by XCH's health insurance policy I don't know, and my heart goes out to people in a similar position to me who have no private health care

the doctor I saw today told me how overstretched her department was, how she had no facility for chronic conditions only acute ones (bipolar depression, schizophrenia and the like) - her discharging me back to the care of a GP was in no way a reflection of the fact I can take advantage of private care and I would have received the same leaflet and website references even if I didn't have the option of private care, and nothing else

apparently the NHS now advocates that people suffering from depression need to take charge of their own recovery and ultimately manage it themselves, altho one is free to visit the GP as often as one needs and in an emergency or crisis one can always phone The Samaritans, SaneLine or the Care in the Community Team (if, like me, you are lucky enough to have their number)

I wasn't totally reassured by this, I have to say - altho I do understand the benefits of being responsible for one's own mental health

if I'd been told this a month or six weeks ago I think my reaction might have been very different; as it is I've had a run of ten reasonable days now (despite my constant state of sheer and utter exhaustion, and feeling unable to manage to keep the slightly more adventurous plan that was arranged for the weekend and so cancelling it) and do feel ever so slightly better. . .

the other thing the doctor told me to do was to throw away the pills I've stashed for "emergencies", so I'm not tempted in a moment of crisis; she likened it to someone who was on a diet removing all tempting food from the kitchen

next time I'm in a moment of crisis I have to remember to phone one of the numbers I have, and in the meantime I have to read the leaflet and look up the websites

I may be reporting back on this, or - if you're lucky - I'll work out how to use the camera phone computer cabley thingy and upload the photos I took this morning of a man abseiling down the building

18 comments:

Rimshot said...

Requesting!

I, Like The View said...

hey! we crossed over! I love it when that happens (I was telling you all about conkers)

you're first on the list then

(-:

boats or birds? (I'd go for boats, if I was you. . .)

(you did get the bit about having to now offer (or at some stage soon) something on your blog to the first three comers? that's the F bit of PIF!)

Rimshot said...

of course I did!

AAAAND...I've put up a new poll...with music.

Rimshot said...

oh, dealer's choice on boats or birds. Whatever you don't want to send to someone else is fine.

Rimshot said...

"quieten " ???

Rimshot said...

aaaaaannnndddd...of course you DO know that you can always call moi in an emergency or not.

Mel said...

Pick ME!! Pick ME!!!!!

k.....Please, pick me?

:-)

Little boat! Little boat!!!

Ya knew that'd happen, didn't ya?

Oh wait....Yaknow...anything sketched by you is a work of art I'd treasure.

Yup.
k.....
Ohhhhhh....now I get to pay it forward, too?!

:-)
k......this is great fun!!!!

Mel said...

Oh....

<-- IS a work of progress

(but you already know this....)

Sorrow said...

I am wondering, how depressed a doc must be , to have to hand out a leaflet and say "goodluck" to someone..
that would suck..
but then if my Da's right,
docs aren't human..
:P
I wish i could jump up and down for a sketch...but I am not aloud, rules and all that..rot
grumble
have to teach this weekend..
I shall try and stay to the main with technique..
and see how many glazed eyes i get..
lol

Anonymous G said...

birds or boats. i'd be honored with either!!!
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
only, i don't think i could PIF from my blog because, well, it's rather small.

but i could find aNOTHER way to PIF, couldn't i?

or maybe you've already gotten 3?
anyhoo...
Happy Wednesday!
practically Thursday!
Happy October!

Do you know that it was somewhere near 100 degrees today? (that's HOT, in case you wondered) We're having a bit of a hot flash, er..i mean heat wave.

Doesn't feel fallish at ALL.

But I can wait.


(i don't think a person suffering from depression should be entirely in charge of their medical and mental health. perhaps a person who previously suffered and is now recovering should be more independent, but not expected to be in charge of their own recovery. i find the idea frightening and it makes me angry hearing that was what you were offered at your visit.)

i was just thinking outloud. i hope you didn't actually read all that.

goodnight
xo

I, Like The View said...

g (I was astounded too, but then she did make clear I should go back to the GP. . .) I really like hot, but there is something about the days we're having here when it seems like an Indian Summer still - bright clear warm but with a spring like freshness

I'm sure you'll work out a way to PIF (a link to your photos would be good enough in my book, especially if you then let someone copy one to their hard drive. . .)

dear sorrow, I still have a little something for you tucked away that I'll get around to posting (snail mail posting, not blog posting) one day (one day soon I hope, but I am having trouble with time at the moment)

and I was kinda shocked that a British physician offers an Australian site to a patient, but then I haven't checked out the site yet - perhaps it's a good thing that medicine is going global. . .

mel we all are works in progress, how anyone could live day to day and think there aren't opportunities to learn and develop and progress I have no clue

and yes, I have some little boats in mind for you! (and mig, cos even tho she's not here she's getting what you get!!)

shot I do now, thank you; you'll get something as special to me as something for someone else, sir; "quieten" because there was a lot of noise in my head, chatter and disent (not voices! oh no, I don't hear voices - if I did I suspect the consultant might have given me more than a leaflet!)

Mel said...

So no more 'emergency' meds, right?

Yaknow....I'm all about people being responsible for their own recovery--with guidance and support. There's a time when people need to do that.
However.... k....guess it is where it is and we get to work with it.

That is a WE, yaknow....

Mel said...

Oh--and I was gonna claim one for Mig.......I was worried it was 'disallowed'...

Yeah, right....LOL Me wanting to follow rules?!

*laughing*

I, Like The View said...

now I just I need to work out what to do when I have a panic or anxiety attack, cos the "emergency" meds went in the bin. . .

. . .do you think eating my way thru a packet of liquorice comfits will help?

katherine. said...

I need to get a more regular reading schedule!!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

Whew! That was a whole lotta back-reading!
Delighted to know you're continuing with etching (I wish!) and if I'd been here I'd have been in the draw.
Also delighted that you are still feeling bright enough to keep up the commentary on your progress.
Now...still have unpacking to sort...

I, Like The View said...

dinahmow the etching is so brilliant I want to go do it everyday. . . *sigh*

I'll send you something anyway, when I have something that's good enough to send!

as for bright enough, I seem to have a run of good days and then a really really bad one - but the professionals tell me that is "recovery"

quite how recovered I am I don't know, but doing this is my lifeline

XXX

Anonymous said...

Oh you darlings!!!! I was just thinking sadly I'm too late to ask for little boats!

I agree so much with g, if you're not recovered from depression, it's time to lean a little and feel supported. Self care comes later - though I think you are caring for yourself more?
Well (((((((((( I ))))))))) anyway and love
xxx