sunset – Natalie J. Case

So, Star Wars Celebration. We leave after midnight on Wednesday to drive down to LA. To say that my anxiety is off the charts is an understatement.

The last few days in Rockaway Beach, and the few days off between that and leaving have been helpful, but as we get closer, my anxiety climbs.

One of my coping mechanisms is to make sure that I can control all the things that can be controlled. This means many different things: lots of lists for making sure I don’t forget anything, planning routes (even though google maps is my copilot), knowing as much info as possible, etc.

It also means ensuring that I have the things on hand I need to cope: Xanax (hopefully, getting a new prescription since I moved has been work), having my camera with enough battery/memory cards for the time I’ll be there, etc. I plan on requesting ADA support so I can have access to the quiet rooms if needed, and to cut down on the number of people I need to stand in line with for things.

I will also have my brother and his oldest (adult) child with me, who both have never been to anything like this before, so I’ll have caring duties to attend, which always lets me get outside my own head.

Don’t get me wrong, I am SO excited for this, despite the fact that I have never attempted so huge a convention before. It’s just that running right along that excitement is absolute terror. I have probably thought about every possible thing that could go wrong…and invented a hundred more.

So here, let me share some pics from my time at the ocean last week.

Rockaway Beach, Oregon

Anyway, I’ll have a full report for you when I get back, Readers. Stay safe and sane and kind.

As I’ve been job hunting these last few weeks, I’ve made a point to look into companies that are doing the kind of work that benefits humanity. Being a tech writer with the ability to explore many different kinds of tech is a wonderful way to learn about new and innovative ways that people are trying to help, from climate change to using drones to deliver life saving medical supplies in times of need.

Sure, it is more likely I’ll end up at a more mundane sort of company that deals with data of some kind or advertising/product tech or the like because that is where my experience is, but exploring other options has been interesting.

Particularly in the world we occupy today. The news is filled with sad and angry situations, fueling the feelings of hopelessness and loneliness in many people. It can be hard to see that there are people out there working for the greater good of all.

I’ve always believed that to change the world we must change ourselves and how we interact with the world, and I still do, however sometimes we need something bigger than what we can do on our own. We need innovations that help us become better, not on an individual level, but as a society.

There is a lot of scary stuff happening in the world, but don’t let it bog you down in despair. Find the good and support it if you can. Be the good if you can’t find it.

The picture is from my recent trip to Austin. It reminds me of the beauty that exists, even in the heart of a bustling city, in a place bogged down by disease. Find that beauty today and hold on to it.

Tag: sunset

prepping for a convention when you’re agoraphobic

be the good