Mini Fire Starter

Imbolc is a celebration of fire, so making a fire starter just makes sense. Even though it’s February and camping probably isn’t a good idea, unless you live in Hawaii or somewhere near the equator–or are in the Southern Hemisphere, I suppose. Anyway. 

Fire!

I collected some lint, cat fur, hair, etc from around my apartment. I have two cats and two humans with long hair. Fur and hair are everywhere. I had these cute little mini terracotta pots I got from Michaels, and, I naturally have a lot of “dead” candles around my apartment, plus I do make candles, so I have an abundance of wax.

There are instructions all over the web for making fire starters, so it’s not like this video and post are new and novel. In all honesty, It’s 9:46am on the day this post is supposed to go live at 10:00am. Not because I’ve been procrastinating, but rather, I need to really start scheduling some self-care.

That will likely be the video and post for Thursday next week. I don’t keep it a secret that I have Lupus, among other autoimmune issues. I take my medication, as prescribed, and I normally feel pretty good and quite often forget I have issues. However, a lot has happened between November and now. Let me make a non-inclusive list:

November 2020
*Successfully defended dissertation proposal
*Debuted my first (pre-recorded) burlesque act
*Submitted proposal for IRB review (November 12)
*Launched a webstore (that I haven’t been able to focus on because…see the rest of this list)
*Severe back spasm that lasted 2 weeks, causing vomiting from pain
*Found out Dad was sick at Thanksgiving (wasn’t able to talk to him)

December 2020
*Massive intestinal pain (not gas), causing vomiting from pain
*Cleared up just in time to get a notice Dad was in the hospital with Covid
*Back spasm returned and lasted another 10 days
*Became jaundiced randomly
*Dad died (December 21st, for me because it was 10:30pm, PST; December 22 for everyone in the family)
*ER visit December 23 for jaundice (doctors kept insisting severe liver damage; I was severely dehydrated from the previous 5-ish weeks of not eating/drinking
*Covid, probably (couldn’t get tested because everywhere was booked)
*Dad’s funeral (December 31)

January 2021
*IRB stalled application for review (we guess)
*Fever & Fatigue for 6 days straight
*New burlesque act, performed live (virtually, January 20)
*New act development for February 13

February 2021
*Choreographing and filming new act
*Dealing with Dad’s death in a visceral way (through the act)
*Marketing and pushing the show (which you can still get tickets for a replay link here; just say Lavinia Vale referred you when asked if you were referred by a performer)
*Starting up a new application for IRB approval

So, as you can see, there’s been a lot. Self-care is necessary and something we really should talk about.

Until next week, blessed be.