So this is the mockup of the book cover. What do you think?
Check out more about the book by going to
www.cdsthebook.com and following the Instagram @cdsthebook
So this is the mockup of the book cover. What do you think?
Check out more about the book by going to
www.cdsthebook.com and following the Instagram @cdsthebook
So, It's been almost a month since I finished my manuscript and now, I am just waiting for the editing to get done and then it's off to the illustrator and then finally once i get it back from the illustrator I'll do the finial edits and then time to get it published. I am pushing to have all of this done by October 15th so that I can have it printed by November 1st and then have the book launch party around the 5th or the 10th.
I am so nervous about how the book will be received, and if people will even like it or if they will think that its hyped-up crap. But I also know that is just my decades of self-doubt in my head.
So besides working on my book, I have been working on the building up the website for it too. Each time I think "ok it's done" I have another idea that I want to incorporate into it. Like the other day I created an FAQ section, which I think will give people more understanding about who I am and what the book is about. I post a lot about the book already on my YouTube Channel Hello Cupcake It's Me, and on my #podcast Hello Cupcake It's Me a Podcast, and on my Personal , Hello Cupcake It's Me , and Carpe Diem Scroto #instagram account's
This coming Tuesday 2-27-2024 I'm meeting with a PR company Live Free Productions to see what we can do to get the book more exposure and even get some crowdfunding going for it. It seems that every turn I have a hidden fee or something that is requiring money that I just don't have. So, to have some capital to work with to cover that would be amazing.
So thats whats going on in life right now. How about you?
Well i finally finished my manuscript! I am so freaking happy. Today I have been setting up an online PDF with electronic signature so that I can get it signed off and start sending it and a review copy to reviewers. I now have to get it edited, and formatted.
I’m really going to push to have it published by October 2024 instead of March 2025.
If you would like to check out the website for the book its https://www.cdsthebook.com
I woke up this morning and this flowed out of me, I feel that it is something that we all need to think about and apply to our lives.
If there was just one thing that you were able to find out about your future what would it be? And how would knowing that one thing change who you are today? And why would knowing it change you you are today?
Why are you not being the best 'YOU' you can be, and why would news from your future self change that? No ones future is set in stone. We use the past to determine the future, but what if you come from a broken and troubled past? Are those the building blocks you wish to use to shape your future? Or are we so flawed that we find peace in chaos and know not what we do and continue to repeat the actions of our past?
Through mediation and thought we can find those links to the past and the direction we sail now. YOU and only you can inspire the happiness you seek. By placing positive energies into the world, you will bring forth the happiness you seek. Step outside your box and learn to do without return.
When you help others you are opening positive flows of energy to take you down a new path. Whit so much evil and negative energy in the world why add to it by being evil and negative yourself? A flower doesn't because its full of evil intent, it blooms because it absorbs the light and love of the universe.
And because of it we become happy when we see its beauty and take time to smell its perfume, and take it as a symbol of love when given to someone else.
If you were to die today, what would your legacy be? What would you be remembered for by those you leave behind? You by no means need to be worshiped as an idol when you pass. But would you be missed because of your loving nature, or remembered for those times of your greatest evil?
Take a few moments today to reflect on your life and what you want it to be in 6 months from now and 1 year from that and 5 years from that and so on... What are your actions today doing to you and those around you? What webs are you spinning when you lie, and did you need to lie?
How do you want to live, how do you want to be remembered. What good is hard work without true payoff?
Man, I have hit the ground running this year with completing 5 courses so far, and getting the certification to become a Digital Navigator, and now this latest class when finished will give me a diploma in mental health.
As for the book, at the time of writing this, I only have about 47 more pages to write. I am trying to keep a good working balance between writing, schooling, and my day-to-day responsibilities. However, I do feel as if things are a bit unbalanced as it seems like I am placing more effort into the schooling aspect rather than the writing aspect. However, I did just put 4hrs work of work into my schooling and have yet to do any writing other than this post and in my notes for said class.
I have reached out to several of my friends who maintain professional titles and asked if they would be willing to provide reviews for my manuscript and so far, everyone has agreed. So, this should give some accreditation and validation outside of the personal title that I myself have.
I don't really know what is driving this focus I have right now. Be it ADHD Hyper fixation and chasing endorphins or some type of mania, all i do know is that I am happy that it is allowing me to be pseudo productive. Now if I could only apply this to other aspects of my life that would be amazing!
And when I am not writing, or studying, or watching television, I have been reading. I am currently rereading Anne Rice's Servant to the Bones. A book I've read before, and love. I am a huge Anne Rice fan. She is one of the only authors that I have ever read for fun, that was not assigned to me as schoolwork, or for some other educational reason.
I have also been working on my various websites here and there, updating the information on them and adding and subtracting features. I still have a lot of work to do on the book website, but I like the direction it is taking and also the Instagram account for it is starting to come together nicely. And I really wanted to be able to do something bigger and better with my podcast, however, it seems to be a continuation of what I have been doing for the last year, and really need to figure out how to jazz it up some to get and retain new listeners. Maybe adding a video aspect to it, or recording a video as I create the podcast, as that seems to be the newest trend in podcasting is "videocasting" too.
I also need to dedicate more time to the blog. I am doing my best to remember that it even exists as horrible as it sounds. If for no other reason than to put down in words (digital as it may be) and get things off my chest in a more grammatical way, vs sitting in front of a microphone or a camera and talking about what's on my mind. Plus writing the blog helps me to keep up with my keyboarding skills and keeps my WPM up. I used to type much faster, but I think I am averaging about 40-55WPM so I guess that is satisfactory for my daily use.
Anyways I hope you my dear reader, take a chance to view the other content that I have put together and that you'll consider joining and subscribing to the variouse platforms.
Bipolar syndrome is a serious disorder that can often occur with other mental disorders such as anxiety or schizophrenia. It often requires medical treatment. Bipolar syndrome can be so severe that a person cannot work. In that instance, Social Security Disability (SSD) may be needed.
Receiving SSD is not a guarantee, but it is a possibility that can be considered. Many attorneys are qualified to assist you with this process. Most disability attorneys will not charge a fee unless you win benefits. There are things that you should be prepared to do during the application process.
Mental disorders such as bipolar syndrome must be medically documented. In other words, it must be diagnosed by a doctor or a mental health professional. There must be records kept by the professional that indicates the diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis. According to the standards set by the government, the condition must be expected to seriously limit your life experience for at least the next 12 months. Social Security uses a book called the Blue Book to measure whether or not you will qualify for benefits.
Getting a statement about your condition from your mental health provider or your doctor can be very helpful. This statement could talk about how much work you missed during the last year because of your bipolar syndrome. It could discuss the side effects you experience on a regular basis because of medication. This letter will be beneficial to the application process.
Be prepared for your initial application for benefits to be denied. Do not let this discourage you. The majority of people that apply for SSD are denied the first time. This is why it is important to work with an experienced disability attorney. An experienced attorney can take care of a lot of the paperwork for you and deal directly with Social Security on your behalf. Having an attorney working on your behalf will take stress off of you; you will be able to focus on your treatment.
Waiting isn’t easy. The initial process can take up to six months to receive a decision. If you are denied, you can appeal. The appeals process can be lengthy. Be prepared to gather documentation, to see doctors, and to attend a hearing.
During the application process (and of course after the decision), follow your doctor’s instructions. Take your medication. If you do not, Social Security can decide that you are non-compliant and deny your claim. If you cannot afford your medication or therapy, please let someone know.
There are other criteria that must be met. Things that will be looked at include age and work credits. If enough work credits aren’t available, you may be eligible to apply for SSI. SSI is a needs based program with its own set of standards of eligibility. Standards for SSI include the worth of personal assets and monthly income.
Bipolar syndrome is a lifelong condition, but it is treatable. If you are unable to work, consider applying for disability to help provide for yourself and your family. Doing this one act could reduce feelings of worthlessness and anxiety while you are unable to financially contribute.
Robin is a blogger for The McMinn Law Firm, a business and personal injury law firm in Austin, Texas. She has seen loved ones suffer severely from crippling mental disorders and knows how much help can mean.
The winds of change never blow gently, but rather often come at gale force.
I have so many things piling up on my plate right now that i have no real idea as how to effectively address them. My brain is stuck in teenager mode right now where the very basic concepts of things are alluding me.
I consider myself rather spry in most aspects of life, finance, technology, and the like. However, I feel like a child stood before a board filled with the most advanced mathematical formulations, and told to solve it, and I just learned my ABC's yesterday. This metaphor is the best that I can come up with right now.
The probable changes that are up coming is that I have given more thought that usual to the idea of moving into a rent controlled apartment. If my new prescription drug plan that medicare is wanting me to change over to is going to be $86 on most months, this is going to be the only way that I am able to pay for things and still live indoors. This coupled with the fact that my rent is going to increase by $50 starting January 1 makes the cost of living such that I am in the negative before the next month begins.
I also am still having car troubles and have yet to hear anything about it or the price tag outside of what I have already paid on it. A sum that really placed me in a head lock and bent me over, considering that Christmas is just a few days away.
All that I do know is that I am going to have to prepare to make some drastic changes. Im going to have to cut the fat from my already emaciated lifestyle. At the moment of typing this, I honestly have no idea where these changes are going to come from, let alone how they are going to affect my life going forward. I probably wont have a good grasp of what to expect until June or July, when I have had several months of having to scrape by.
The only solution that I can see right now at this moment is getting out from under the $750 monthly rent that I pay. I understand that it is a drop in the bucket in contrast to the surrounding areas and the nation. But when 98% of your income is going to just placing a roof over your head, and now the probability of having 1.5% going to monthly medications, that leaves very little wiggle room for anything else.
So I am leaving my worries, fears, questions, and quibbles to the universe and or whatever god or goddess or higher power may exist that finds my "problems" significant in the over all grand vastness of the universe, or that the very least my egocentric ideology that something like the universe or a deity would even see me on their radar.
So I know it has been forever since I've updated this. But if you have been following along with the Podcast or the YouTube channel then you will know that I have been writing a book. And along with doing that, I have been having some ups and downs with my health, and a ton of stress here and there.
I start with my biological egg carton. So she's been homeless, and then she was living with a lady, her son, his girlfriend, and another woman. That all was a toxic soup of wiggers and ghetto dealings. So she was living in transitional housing after having left that situation. But her health has really taken a turn for the worse, and regardless of what you believe, I blame the COVID Vaccine.
She was never one for poor health, and certainly never one for being in the hospital for anything. Since getting her shots she has been in and out of the hospital for a total of 14 times. She's now moved out of the transitional housing and into an apartment. I honestly don't expect her to be there that long. I've already warned her that her next stop is going to be a nursing home and to be a full ward of the state at that point. She's still using meth, and is already doing everything that she did prior to becoming homeless the first time. I've talked with her social worker and told him in not so many words, that she needed to be in a care facility if this didn't work out.
I've had some excitement with my car. I decided that I wanted to take out my neighbors mailboxes. In doing so, I cracked my windshield, and left a huge gash all the way down my car. That cost me over $80 to fix. And now my check engine light has come on sporting the error code P0026 which can be anything from a valve sensor, to low oil. Thankfully I think it was just low oil, because my car has a small oil leak and I have to get it topped up every week to week and a half, and well I hadn't had that done when the light started coming on. I don't like to bother the service station that I go to if they are busy, even though it is part of my service for having my oil changed there. So I'm supposed to call the car dealership and have them diagnose my error code and give me an estimate on how much it will be to fix it. Which being only a few days before the holidays start, and I having no money for the repairs let alone that holidays I have no freaking clue what I'm to do.
My mental health has been fairly stable over the last few weeks with the threat of depression sneaking in, but only being a mild form of disappointment and being sad. Which is a nice change from the crippling depression that I normally face.
I'm still going to the YMCA Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Though they've had some staffing issues, and have been closed a few days here and there. But its becoming more of a habit and a way to socialize rather than the exercise it once was, if I'm to be honest. I still push myself to try and get the workout that I need. And I do feel better going there. Not only for the socialization aspect of it, but because its helping me to get a bit stronger. I am going to try and get aback out on the trails and do my walking again this coming year. Even if that means just starting over from ground zero and building myself back up to the walk. I may have to start using CBD products again just to power through the pain and discomfort. But with degenerative disc disease being the latest prognosis, it explains why my lower back is always in pain.
And as I mentioned before, I am in the process of writing a book. It is a daily inspirational quotation book with writing prompts and journaling areas. The book is for self help from the point of view of someone who has depression and mental health issues. As of the time of this post I have 158 entries left to write, and then I can begin formatting it and then work on getting reviews, and then getting it published. I don't have any grand ideas or expectation's that its going to fly off the shelves and that I'm going to become a literary genius over this work. It's more of a work of love at this point. That even if it can help just one person, it would make it worth it. Though when I do get it published, I already have another book in the making that I could then focus my time on.
So when I'm not busy working on the book, the podcast, or the YouTube channel, I have been doing crafting. I've been making handmade journals, and traditional style witches brooms, and doing other assorted crafts. I'm trying to get at least one thing in my house done a day, and need to have someone come over to take a look at a few things that are above my paygrade, and handyman abilities.
But in all it has been a very short, but long year thus far. And with all the ups and downs found within the dynamic's of life, here we are in a nut shell.
I hope that you take a look at the YouTube every now and then and check out the Podcast too. And look for my book coming out. Im giving my self a publish date of March 2025. Ill be updating all the socials about it, and of course here too.