roina_arwen

So what shows are you watching/streaming and/or looking forward to the new season of? I’m waiting for “Elsbeth” to come back in October, as well as “The Rookie,” “Outlander” (in November, sigh) and of course “Survivor.”

For streaming, I’m looking forward to the next season of “Emily in Paris,” and “School Spirits.” I’m currently watching an Italian show (dubbed into English) called “The Law According to Lidia Poet” and just finished “The Cook of Castamar” and “The Empress,” all of which are on Netflix. Yes, I do like period dramas, why do you ask?

Any recommendations? We have more platforms but I mostly watch Netflix and Hulu.

Also, the week 5 poll for LJ Idol is open until Monday at 9pm ET. There are many great entries to read and vote for, and I could use a little extra love - I really NEED to make it through this week, and the bottom two are headed to the Home Game, so if you haven’t yet voted, please do! Thank you! https://therealljidol.dreamwidth.org/1152560.html

Just checked on my Flash Fiction Round two assignment, which I have 48 hours to write and submit.

Maximum length is 1000 words.

My Genre is HORROR
My Location is “A club meeting”
My Object is “a welcome mat.”

I mean, it could be a Horror writer’s club with a welcome mat by the door, and perhaps someone is going “10 Little Indians” on them, but sheesh…

Ideas are welcome!

Being a Type 1 diabetic has its ups and downs, quite literally.

For nearly thirty years now, ever since being diagnosed when I was twenty-five, I’ve had to deal with various types and delivery systems for insulin - from actual syringes and glass bottles, to the easier to use (and less breakable) insulin pens with smaller, screw-on needle tips.

Recently, I made another change: from using a blood glucose monitor which required a lancet and test strips for finger stick testing multiple times a day, to using a Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM). The CGM has a small sensor, slightly larger than a quarter, that attaches to the back of my upper arm and lasts ten to fourteen days.

Instead of finger sticks, I now use an app on my cell phone. All I do is hold the top of the phone near the sensor, and the reading automatically appears onscreen. Even better, the application shows me one of four arrow icons, letting me know if my blood sugar is currently going up or down slowly (angled arrow) or quickly (straight up or down arrow).

I do feel a little self-conscious when I have to scan my wobbly underarms, but I’m getting used to it.

On the one hand, I really enjoy not having to constantly poke my fingers. On the other, the CGM app is sort of like a stereotypical Jewish grandmother, aka Bubbe.

Blood sugar too low (55 or less)?

BEEP BEEP!

An alert flashes across my phone’s Lock Screen: Critical! LOW GLUCOSE ALARM! Dismiss alarm and check glucose.

“Bubeleh,” I can hear her saying to me with a vaguely Brooklyn-esque accent, “I don’t mean to kvetch, but maybe you should eat something already?”

Blood sugar too high (270 or more)?

BEEP BEEP!

Same thing, except of course the alert will say HIGH GLUCOSE ALARM.

“Oy gevalt,” she says in my head, “what is this mishegas (craziness)? You’d better take some insulin, bubeleh.”

I sigh, and eat or drink something if my glucose is low, or administer insulin if it’s too high. I’ve taken to keeping a banana on my bedside table, since low blood sugar most often happens in the pre-dawn hours.

Why a banana? They are easy to eat, healthier than chocolate or jelly beans, and unlike cookies, I don’t have to worry about getting crumbs in the bed.

Diabetes is a balancing act, but I’ve gotten used to doing the best I can with what I’ve got.

Me and Bubbe, we’ve got this.

So I just signed up for the NYC Midnight Microfiction Challenge, which kicks off this Friday (April 22nd).

I’m weirdly excited about doing this - you only get 24 hours to write and submit your entry, and each round you will be assigned a Genre, an Action, and a Word, and your entry must use all three to qualify. The first round, everyone is divided up into groups of 80 writers, and the top 15 of each group will go through to round two. All stories will receive feedback from the judges, and remain the property of the entrant.

It’s a $27 entry fee, but $2 of that is donated to one of five or six charities. There are cash prizes for the top 10 winners.

Possible assigned Genres are: Action and/or Adventure; Comedy; Drama; Fairy Tale and/or Fantasy; Ghost Story; Historical Fiction; Horror; Romance; Romantic Comedy; Sci-Fi; Suspense and/or Thriller; and Open Genre.

If you want to sign up or just want more info, you can find it here:
https://www.nycmidnight.com/100