Hey you guys. Long time no see.
So this is a personal journal entry and I hope that it explains some things.
As many of you know, I've had a whole bunch of trouble keeping on top of commissions in the past. Roughly the last three years. Well, I was recently diagnosed with anxiety, and it's changed my life a lot. I've had it for a good handful of years, but there was a certain influence in my life that knocked me down constantly, daily, for my struggles. Somebody who was meant to be supportive ending up being a huge negative on you and making things worse, turns out, is exceptionally unhealthy for you. Especially when that person is your sole source of comfort. It's... definitely mind-screwing. I had extensions all through my university course and its kind of the same with my commissions; I have some severe anxiety that makes it difficult for me to work. It's a little bit of a vicious cycle with my income. I receive £57 a week to live on from the government because I'm classed as unable to work, and that's for rent, food, utilities, etc. Needless to say it ism't enough, which is why I take commissions. The commissions I take really, truly keep me and my mother warm, and fed. But then something happens where I start to stumble, fall behind. Someone in the family gets angry, violent, drunk. I end up in bed for a few days just trying to pretend the world doesn't exist. By then we run out of bread and milk.
Now this isn't an excuse. But I can't keep hiding. Now that I've been diagnosed, I can work towards managing my lifestyle better. If people want me to pay them back (I don't think I actually have many left here, but still) it would need to be in installments since I really do only get £57 a week, but I also don't want people to wait longer than they're willing to.
On that note, somebody gifted me a premium membership. Thanks so much! Mine ran out today and I couldn't afford another, so whoever you are Anon, ilu <3
Next, Birthmark Extravaganza! Or as I like to call it, "wtf?!"
I recently posted a photo on imgur in order to post it on to redditgetsdrawn. I didn't realize 'publishing' it made it public.imgur.com/gallery/Iwm9H Let's just say, it went viral, I ended up doing an interview with a lovely lady for ABC News ( twitter.com/NicoleABCNews ) for this article: gma.yahoo.com/woman-shares-bir… . Then it was posted over at hellogiigles hellogiggles.com/woman-opening… and it was shared over at Zooey Deschanel's Facebook page!
I recently received an email for talks about collaborating with a wonderful anti-bullying charity in the UK, so I'm really excited to be able to spread awareness about birthmarks! I think a lot of people are simply ignorant to what they are, and people might be able to live a little more comfortably if more people understood. Many people cover their birthmarks, so they're sort of like... hidden from society. People won't learn if they're hidden, but people won't expose them for as long as people are ignorant. I want to help at least a little to change that.
I've had a couple of panic attacks in the past and I find it difficult to talk to strangers without stuttering (so conventions are a very stressful time, haha). I actually thought your birthmark was really cool, you're super pretty so I'm glad you've had such a positive response online and in the news ^_^ 