[[0058]] Day 45 of Self-Isolation

Day 45 (I'm still not sure the end is in sight yet, yes the peak has gone but... I just don't know anymore)

Good afternoon everyone and welcome to the self-iso diaries of a Queenie who is actually feeling somewhat sane, praise be to Jeebus. Anyway, we are on day 45 now and half way through week 7 of being at home and honestly, I think I have adjusted okay... like I know I could be feeling worse and I am not, and for that, I am grateful!

It was the last day on my Harry Potter advent isolation calendar! And it was a good day as well, just look at the lovely bandanna I got! I'm not sure what to do with it, but I may find somewhere cool in the office to hang it as I love the design!

It is honestly such a lovely print and I think it is definitely one of my favourite items from the calendar. I love the socks and deathly hallows necklace and key chain too and the cute stationary items will have a lovely home in my Harry Potter pencil cases (plus finally, a decent sized pencil sharpener, wooo!). The socks are cute as well, really like those. And of course, I am a sucker for silicon wristbands so we all know I absolutely love them. 

But yeah, that is everything I got with the calendar! Honestly, one of my best buys. I have noticed that the one for this year is up for pre-order on Merchoid and I am very tempted to get it for Christmas this year. I've said it before, that my diabetes would be better off with a geeky and no chocolate calendar for Christmas and would also help to curve the mid-morning highs I get over Xmas as well, but we shall see!

As you may be aware, I bought the calendar to help give me a boost in the morning and give me something to look forward to each time I wake up to another day at home. And you know what, bar some tiny mishaps like running out of rizla for example, my mental health has actually been pretty okay. Like, I know for fact that it could have been really up-and-down, but it's been somewhat stable which is such a relief as it reflects in my blood sugars as well. So, all-in-all, I think the calendar was a success. If you can afford to do something like this while stuck at home, do try it, it's honestly worth it. Starting your day with something to be excited about is a great way to deal with the bad things going on at the moment, it has helped me a ton!

But alas, I still don't know how long I am going to be at home... and the calendar has run out? What do I do?

Well, I mentioned in my last blog post that I was going to buy another calendar and after scouting the internet on pay day, I found the one... last years Marvel 80th Anniversary Pop Vinyl calendar! It actually arrived yesterday which I was shocked about as it was sent second class signed for and I think was posted on the 29th... but yeah, it came yesterday and not on the 4th and damn, its a hench boy! 

Eeeeeee look at it!!! I am so excited to open my first door on it tomorrow! I think door 17 is Doctor Strange but I can't remember. Either way, there are some awesome mini pop figures in here and having a new one each morning for another 24 days is going to be so much fun! I might look in to getting one of those like storage shelf cabinet thingies for them, like what gran's put thimbles in, and like hang it up... but we shall see! 

Again, I do like the look of these calendars for Christmas but they are pricey, so I may just wait till sales to find them if I can. I know there was a Fortnite one and a Harry Potter Yule Ball one, which I might get the latter if I can find it cheap anywhere as it is quite cute in itself... but that is for another 24 days time! I have a new one to play with now and I am so so so fucking excited, you have no idea! I am actually already so happy to wake up tomorrow and all the other days, it's just awesome!!!

But yeah, I am open to any other mental health ideas! And happy to share some of mine as well! The advent calendar is one thing... but drawing is also helping me a lot as well and I have been doing it nearly every single day. So I do advise it, if you can! 

I'm also appreciating music a lot more now I have the time to as well. A lot of my fave bands have uploaded stuff to youtube or are livestreaming old lives over on youtube, which is awesome! I have watched most of MUCC's every Wednesday but I have also watched a coupld of Gackt lives and Buck Tick are showing stuff on Saturday as well! Diru did a live without an audience a few weeks ago as well. All of them have been awesome and it is so cool that they are doing this! The video for MUCC's new album is out too and I am honestly so excited to get the album when it's released, hopefully (fingers crossed). I do hope GazettE do something as well, or Hyde/Vamps but I am happy with what is available, it is so awesome! 

Other things that are helping me at the moment include Animal Crossing, seriously, it's so cute and just, I can't think of anyone who doesn't like it or play it daily. I know it keeps me chill as part of my morning routine. Which brings me on to another point... routine!!! OH man, this is so important, and I obviously miss work because it gives me routine, however, I have made my own new routine that I seem to be sticking to quite well. And I am trying to add more normal things into the routine, such as shower/bath and so on. The recent thing I have added to my routine is an hour or so work out using Just Dance Unlimited which is now an important part of my day as I figured I needed to do some kind of exercise now most of the house is sorted out. I haven't hugely gained weight since I have been at home but I have wanted to loose some for a while, so next to eating a but more healthier and now my daily exercise, I hope it contributes in some way! The other half has also ordered some scales for me too, so I can see how much I weigh once a week, see if what I am doing is helping me!

If I think of ought else, I'll be sure to post about it!

But, alas, I must go and do more art! Hoping me and the other half can live stream some more once all the graphics are complete and I am so damn excited! A streamer we know, Simply Corey, has asked for a chibi piece of her too... so fingers crossed I can finally do art commissions! 

Don't the graphics look fab on our Twitter? Haha I have loved making them and making everything match at long last! Definitely feel a lot more professional about the whole streaming thing which is awesome and I do hope that we can stream a lot of Fortnite for you this weekend!!! Watch this space, tune in to Mixer and follow it, Queen and McBooty!

Anyway, I have art to finish so... stay safe, stay home, be kind to one another and all that jazz!

Over and out, mes amigos.

[[0057]] Day 42 of Self Isolation

At least I think it is day 42? It has been a while and I would like to say I have been busy... well, as busy as I can be given circumstances I guess haha! The days are drifting into weeks and months and now I think I have definitely hit the limp week feeling between Christmas and New Years!

Day 42 (It is nearly the end of week 6!) 

Afternoon friendos and apologies for disappearing again alas, now that most of the tidying is done, there isn't really much to update. Like, nothing is changing or any different, the same old really is the same old each day and just yeah, bar wanting to kill my neighbours on a daily basis because they are so damn loud, I am doing alright. 

I have in all fairness, got a lot of things to distract me at the moment which is a good thing, not always, but for how the world is at the moment, distractions, I feel, are okay.

Like my advent calendar for example. It's on day 21 at the moment so it is nearly over but fear not, I selected my new one yesterday and the 80th Anniversary Marvel Pop Vinyl calendar is coming at the end of the week so that, I am super stoked about (I watched an unboxing video and saw Dr Strange in it which insta sold it to me straight away!).

The doors with the current one have been a pleasure to wake up to though, just check out the goodies over there haha! Another cute stamp for when I hope I can eventually write letters and send cards, a Ravenclaw pin (which I believe will be commandeered by my other half), another patch I'll probably stick on my office wall and my favourite, the two vinyl wristbands, of which the black one I am going to wear the heck out of because I love anything Marauder's Map!!!

Speaking of goodies, my parcel from NeoTokyo arrived yesterday as well, my second Jrock LP! And my, it is actually beautiful! (And yes, we have a vinyl player...)

LOOK AT IT!! The album is fab on it's own but as an LP, it's stunning. I am actually in love. I think I am going to move the vinyl player into my office for a bit the next couple of days so I can listen to some good old vinyl magic whilst the other half is at work! It also looks bloody fantastic next to my Dir en Grey LP as well... and I do hope Ganshin keep producing these LPs for awesome Jrock stuff cos omg, I am such a sucker for things like this.

I may not be seeing MUCC this year, maybe next year, but at least this and there little TV youtube spot partially makes up for it! (Roll on tomorrow for week 6 with Yukke cos damn am excited for that new album). 

I actually bought myself something to help me exercise as well. I have been thinking about this for while because I struggle to get motivated to exercise, but I do game everyday. I also used to love games like Just Dance and stuff and I know I can work up a sweat playing them, so I figured I'd get the new one for Switch and it came today, just in time for week 7 of lockdown and 7 is a good number for me. It's a positive change that I do hope will help me out... plus I used to dance a lot when I was younger anyway and I was much fitter back then. SO here we go! I hope it works. Gonna exercise slow in the beginning cos don't want to overdo my poor heart and its hypertension but hoping to ease into a good hour work out five days a week which I hope is enough for me to get a little bit healthier, what with the healthier meals that I have been eating of late too. After all, I am getting old now so... kinda need to put some extra effort in! Plus, saw a couple of Kpop songs on here too, like 2NE1 and others, and I can get a free month membership to unlimited which I may abuse for songs I like haha!!! So who knows, maybe in the next five weeks, I might start looking a bit more like I want to! Or at least feeling a bit healthier in myself.

I have ordered a couple of other things... well, the NHS Skindred tees because... well... it just had to be done. I ordered a massive one so I can wear it like a dress with my future Benji Webb coat and shades. I cannot wait till October to see them here on my home turf again! Love Skindred so damn much. I'm looking into finding a cool fluffy black coat as well as the spikey shades which I have found on ebay and now that MCR is postponed till next year, gives me a lil more freedom to get a few more bits I wouldn't normally be able to get.

I have decided, since talking to the other half, that I am going to try and reach out to our neighbours next door to our neighbours as they have been having problems too with well, the bad neighbours. We've both contacted the landlord and it has done nothing, so we suspect dodgy letting. Can we get the police out on that? Either way, the lady who is also having problems also suffers with mental health stuff so I can completely relate to her at this moment in time as I don't like living every damn day next door to rude arseholes. So, watch this space for the updates on that. I am not sure how I can help but I will try because I know I am definitely suffering with their bull crap.

I guess, I am going to go back to the drawing grind now, which is why I am writing this post in the afternoon and another reason why I am not posting as much. Got a big project under way for streaming channel stuff, so be sure to check out my art page for updates as and when they happen, Aluria Arts. 

You can check out this blog post for links to other digital work I have done too Pokemon Art Work Here! MY skills are increasing each and everyday so fingers crossed commissions can be opened up digitally soon to help pay off the laptop and buy new art things... so as per usual, watch this space!

Anyway, time to art!

Over and out, mes amigos.