State of the Ferret

[gement]

So... It's been a while. I'm still reading every day. I've been teaching myself to draw fractals (especially the Levy C curve, yum), and vellum graph paper REALLY HELPS, wow. I need some hex paper to really dig into the Sierpinski Triangle/Koch Curve family.

I signed up for two prison pen pals. More on that in next post.

I have a job interview on Friday with a major player in personalized online advertising, which kind of makes me cringe, but I did some digging and they look non-terrible. They have very transparent "this is what we've collected on you and here's an opt out button" material for the public, which is awesome. No particular complaints from privacy watchdogs. And holy snakes, the pay and commute would be a DREAM and it's dead center of my expertise.

I'm getting my hairs cut today in prep for interview.

I'm managing to meditate every day for four months now. (That is a pretty huge deal.)

I'm still writing the last chapter of Act II of Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Magic, and I've posted two chapters in public for people to actually see now! I'm posting every two weeks to keep a solid buffer and allow interest and audience to grow over time, if that is a thing. We will see if that is a thing. It also lets me realize things like "there should be more playing card motif throughout Act II, I'd better add that before I release chapters."

I read most of King Lear on Friday morning as research for said fic, and then learned things about poetic forms to decide which one to use, and then independent of that decision defined the keys for an R&G sestina, which are in order:
-- Two / Heads / Play / Questions / Dead / Name
leading eventually to the final triplet:
-- Two / Play / Dead

The common theme to most of the things I've been doing is that they feel useful but don't forward goals like control over my house or job or money. They're hobby-useful, not survival-useful. It's an ongoing problem for me. (Haircut and meditation are exceptions. Applying for jobs feels like walking through fire.)

I feel like my *happiness* setpoint is actually all right. But my functionality setpoint remains near 1.5, these days flickering up to 3 now and then (on a scale of 10). It's frustrating.

But, happiness setpoint is higher, and that's the one that research says is almost impossible to shift, so that part's good.

Comments

[sistawendy.livejournal.com]

But, happiness setpoint is higher, and that's the one that research says is almost impossible to shift, so that part's good.

I'm not sure I buy that. I shifted mine in a big, big way. Granted, I did it in a way that isn't open to most people, but that doesn't mean other people don't have their own big changes they can make.

I find job hunting pretty stressful, too. Anyone who likes it needs to be caught and locked up with the other dangerous wack jobs.

[gement.livejournal.com]

There are some big changes that can help. Research didn't address "getting out of abusive situations" and other known major depression triggers.

Employment status, social status, and income above a certain life security level, though, all the "if I got a partner/cool job/purpose in life, I'd be happier" sorts of things have been studied to some extent, as have medical interventions. Treatment of active depression (especially meds+talk, exercise, and meditation) can help *some*.

In general, people get more secure, get more cope and effectiveness and resiliency, but tend to report their moment to moment mood as pretty consistent over major life changes that would seem likely to help. So I'm grateful my moment-to-moment satisfaction is at least middling, if prone to highs and lows.

[eeyorerin]

It's nice to see you around again! *waves*