Contraction and Expansion

[lb_lee]

Soooo, a couple years back, I didn't have a nervous breakdown so much as I had a nervous crack, which I realized could rapidly roll downhill into a full-on breakdown unless I took drastic sanity-saving action. So I did. The important actions, as far as this blog is concerned, is: I locked up my (to then, overwhelmingly public) fiction writing, stopped taking writing polls and requests, and cut a lot of people from my Dreamwidth access list.

It made my blog (and my work) a lot less interesting, but at the time, that's what I needed: deadly global plague was all the excitement I could (barely) handle. And indeed, it worked! I started climbing out of the COVID hole, and now I feel like I'm in a place where I can start expanding again. (Also, Patreon keeps pulling unwanted rabbits out its hat, so I find myself motivated to find ways to reward people for moving to my LiberaPay instead.)

Right now, I'm working on getting together a prose roster for y'all to start voting on, unlocking my writing like I used to, and planning my way forward. Stay tuned for that! I plan to reinstitute polls and requests again.

Also, if you want to be on my basic access filter (or were on filters and got removed), please feel free to request to be re-added. (Exception: if I've blocked you. If you're blocked, you can't comment, so you'll know.) My access filters are basically me out of "work persona," discussing system life and so on. It's generally not for writing, artwork, or multi history/resources; if that's what you're here for, you do NOT want to be on any of my filters. Basically, my public blog is work and utterly inoffensive stuff; my access filters are personal.

It's good to be coming back after a long haul. And I'm relieved I managed to avoid a total collapse.

Comments

[someonefromthewater]

I'm glad it worked! Access would be awesome iff. you're comfortable with it.

[lb_lee]

Access granted! You should be able to see this post now.

It's good to see you again.

[sinistmer]

I'm glad you're feeling better...looking forward to seeing more of your writing again!

[lb_lee]

I have really missed doing fiction!

[the_broken_tower]

Good work on noticing the crack and taking measures to prevent it from becoming a bigger issue!

I'm glad that you're able to start resuming some of the things you'd had to put on pause. :)

- Crysta (she/her)

[lb_lee]

I kinda hate that I had to sabotage my own business (among other things) to do it, but it's good that we avoided a hospital-level crash. Turns out that little book we made with the "Warning Signs of Impending Doom" page was well worth the making!

[the_broken_tower]

It sucks, though still definitely better in the long run! (And for sanity!)

Is that in the zine for a self/other's help guide to emotional emergencies? (I am struggling to remember the name of it, sorry)

- Adam S (he/him)

[lb_lee]

Nah, this one's actually just a little blank book now full of coping skills and such that we called LB's Guide to Life. We intend to make another essay about that stuff but kept getting tangled up. It goes way more in-depth than the pocket zine, since it's bigger.

[wispfox]

Moved to your liberapay. :)

[lb_lee]

Thank you! Right now, we're doing rough planning that sketchbook pages/art dumps and the writing will go public again. Can't do that for the postcards or comics pages filters, but well, it's a start.

[starfallhaven]

Awesome! We'll check out liberapay. I'm glad you guys are feeling up to it again ^^

[lb_lee]

Liberapay has been the world's most boring paysite in the ~5 years we've been on it. And that's wonderful.

[pantha]

<3

[wolffyluna]

Congratulations on catching the nervous break before it happened and preventing it!

[lb_lee]

Slowly but surely, we learn our limits!

[dreamshaper]

I’m happy you’re feeling better! We loved reading your prose fiction, so while we’re happy you were able to do what you needed to do to be comfortable and safe, we’re also excited to see more of your fiction again! Your writing has a sense of “realness” to it that we really enjoy.

Also, if you are comfortable with adding us, we would love to be on the basic access filter and read more about your experiences in daily life as a system!

-Leo

[lb_lee]

Thank you, guys! Access granted! You should now be able to view this post: https://lb-lee.dreamwidth.org/1300519.html

[erinptah]

Would appreciate an add to the basic access filter!

I'm glad you did what you needed to manage your health. I like the internet better with you on it, so the more you can make that a long-term thing, the better.

[lb_lee]

Aw, thanks, Erin. Access granted! You should now be able to view this post: https://lb-lee.dreamwidth.org/1300519.html

[silvercat17]

I'm glad you took care of yourself! It's a lot easier to rebuild when you aren't starting from the bottom of a hole.

[lb_lee]

No kidding. X_x It's been sloggy even from the midlevel! But way better than an all-out crisis.

Rogan

[minoanmiss]

Well done.

[inthywings]

Glad things are better now. Your writing really is amazing to us, and I'm looking forward to seeing more of it! May I get access again?

[lb_lee]

You may! Thanks for your patience. Access granted! You should now be able to view this post: https://lb-lee.dreamwidth.org/1300519.html

[thelibrarysystem]

Could we have access to your Guide to Uncloseting?

[lb_lee]

I mean... if you really want it, here it is, but I really think the Dragonheart Collective made a better guide with Should I Tell My Friends/Doctors/Parents About Being Plural?