8-3-18

10 Common MYTHS About Bipolar Disorder

1.) It’s all in my head.
   --I’m not looking for an excuse to explain my erratic behavior and racing thoughts on. This isn’t even something I wanted. I was told I have it and tried to deny it and prove them wrong only to be proven wrong myself and proving them right anyways...

2.) Bipolar disorder is another name for people with “mood swings”  --I wish it was that easy... but no, it’s not even close. The mood swings are more severe, longer lasting, and they impact my ability to continually care for basic needs such as holding a job or showering daily.

3.) People with BiPolar disorder are all creative geniuses.  --Not..true.. some of us are. some of us aren’t. My manic episodes start off as me thinking I’m going to do this big amazing thing and then starting it only to get about halfway through it and lose focus or drive and then I’m so tired I can’t even think of anything but that I want to finish what I started but I’m so tired that I can’t and so I don’t... I don’t NOT do it because I won’t want to.. I don’t because I physically can’t talk my arms into moving, or I can’t get my legs to go to the spot or get in the shower and then I have to tell myself how horrible I am because I can’t even do this simple basic necessity...

4.) People with BiPolar switch back and forth from mania to depression all the time, or are ill all of the time.   --Nope. In fact, my manic episodes can last for up to a week and go away with no warning... or I can go weeks or even months appearing and BEING fully functioning without a symptom and then all of a sudden.... bam... I’m so down that I can’t figure out what day of the week it is. 

5.) People with BiPolar feel great and happy when they’re manic.  --For some people, the mania is a feel good thing. It can FEEL like a happy UP time.. because you’re manic. But this is not a one size fits all diagnosis for a one size fits all disease. This is something that is different for each person. It’s easy to feel euphoric during a manic cycle for some, but for others it can be chaotic and mixed. I have been manic AND depressed at the same time. I have to get up and do something but I’m so depressed that I don’t see why I’m alive so I have to find things to fill the void. So I become hyper sexual or take unnecessary risks and purchase things I can’t and shouldn’t buy or afford because all I can see is the right now and the here and now are all I can focus on. But then when I come down, it’s like the depression or mood stayed the same, but the energy and drive went away so I’m down down down all over again but worse than a normal day. Some peoples’ mania can be explosive anger or abusive outbursts. Others can be one panic attack into another and another into another and you become so paranoid that the people across the street walking their dog must be watching you because they stopped for more than a second and what kind of person does that(going a million miles a second through your head) or insomnia for days on end... it’s not pretty or fun.

6.) Recovery isn’t possible.   --This is not true.. With the correct treatment plan and help and sometimes, yes,.. even medication regimen.. BiPolar is manageable and can be lived with in a healthy way. You can have months and months where you’re symptom free not because you aren’t BiPolar... but because your treatment and mind over matter are stronger than your diagnosis and you are handling it in a healthy way. Comprehensive care is key. This means counseling, therapy, medication, diet and lifestyle changes and even sometimes, a change in who you hang out with. Some people aren’t good for your mental health and need to be cut free. If they aren’y helping your healthy changes, then they need to be let go. Getting enough sunlight, getting regular exercise, eating better, taking our meds daily and even though this may seem easy for those without BiPolar, it’s hard for us who have it. Some days I’m great. diet...check, take my meds...check, went for my walk...check, made sure I got sleep...check, kept record of my foods and didn’t skip breakfast...check. But others, this is impossible to where I’ll get 4 days in and realize I haven’t slept and don’t remember the last time I ate was and if I took my meds last night. Recovery is possible, but it is an every..single..day..hard..mindful..lifetime exercise. 

7.) Manic Depression is different from BiPolar Disorder  --Wrong.. It’s the exact same thing but with a new name because they learned more things about BiPolar and decided that simply calling it Manic Depression wasn’t enough. There are many types of BiPolar disorder and Manic Depression is just a blanket term used before the psychologists truly understood BiPolar or knew there were different types... 

8.) Once BiPolar is under control, we don’t need to take medications anymore.  --This, as outlined in number 6 above, is wrong as well.. BiPolar episodes can last for days, weeks, months, or even years in some. So to say that we are better now and don’t need meds is wrong. The reason we are better is because of our meds and if we stop taking them, the bad stuff comes rushing back and most times at a lightning speed never before witnessed and we become worse and worse each time. Many people believe they only need to take their meds on bad days and this is not true. In order to have continuous good days we need to continually take our meds to balance out our brain’s neurons and keep everything level. It would be amazing if we never had to take our meds again once we were better.. but the truth is, it’ll never be better.. it’s just how managed your BiPolar is with medication(s). Rising cost of meds, the medication roulette our doctors put us through trying to find the right medication or mixture of medications it’s going to take to regulate our moods and the chemicals in our brains. The constantly changing side effects and regulating to new meds if your body adapts to the medication.. it’s tiring,. it really is... but if we were to stop taking the meds once we thought we were better... we would relapse and like any other disease, would have to reap some pretty horrible consequences. 

9.) Children can’t have BiPolar OR You can’t be diagnosed until you’re 18 years old.  --While it’s hard to tell the difference between BiPolar symptoms and age appropriate mood swings as well as hard to diagnose, but children as young as 6 yrs old have been diagnosed. You just have to look harder and examine a lot more in depth because an improper diagnosis can cause harm if you improperly medicate an adolescent for BiPolar, but it IS possible and is DOES happen. 

and finally... 

10.) There’s a test for BiPolar.  --No, there’s not... there are symptoms displayed and when a professional is vigilant in seeing the symptoms for what they are, they can all be put together to show BiPolar and it MUST be diagnosed by a professional.

Being BiPolar is not a fun thing to walk around telling people that you are or laughing off and joking around about.... It is a real, sometimes painful thing that a lot of people suffer from daily. 

8-2-18

Someone asked me something today that got me thinking... She asked "How are you so fat if you're eating healthy and exercising?"I answered back with a simple thing about how I wasn't always eating healthy and I wasn't taught portion sizes properly and that I'm just now getting into it and I have a long road ahead of me.
She accepted this answer and walked away. but then I got to thinking...
I can and should be doing more for myself. Sure I'm changing my foods and exercising more, but I'm not doing as much as I could be doing for myself or my kids.
I could go out running in the mornings. I could be doing jumping jacks in the living room or using my PiYo discs I OWN or my TaeBo disc I own! but no, I do the bare minimum and then complain when I yoyo my weight around.
Well, I've decided that the only way to become a runner,, is to RUN! and the only way to lose weight is to move faster so it can't catch up with me.
So I'm going to be making a lot of life changes here soon and if you don't like them, fuck you. Some of these changes are for me, some are for my kids, some are just because I fucking feel like it. But all of them will make me a better person in one way or another.xx

8-20-15_2

Breathe......

I can breathe......

My kids can't help it.....

They don't understand....

Breathe.....good.....

They don't do it on purpose...

They are trying their best...

Breathe...

My version of counting to 10:

1. When he/she is calm he/she will listen. 

2. I am the adult and as such must remain calm or they never will. 

3. Just because they're loud and crying doesn't mean you're wrong. 

4. Just because they're quiet and still doesn't mean you're right. 

5. I love my kids. 

6. They love me. 

They're doing their best. 

***deep breath***

7. Ignore the meltdown, he/she can't control themselves. 

8. They're screaming out of frustration not pain. Don't let his/her hands go, she/he will hurt themselves. 

9. They are doing the best they know how. 

10. You're a good mom, you're doing the best you can. 

This doesn't always work. And I try as hard as I can... But some days, I just want to let them do what they want and say screw it. I'll clean the house later. >_< 

But today is not that day.

7-3-15

Week 2: Assignment 3 

Assignment 3: Two-Point Perspective Imaginary Street Scene

This assignment will familiarize you with creating an outdoor scene in two-point perspective with rectangular and triangular prisms. You will also learn how to use horizontal and vertical convergence to create depth in your scene.

By Friday, July 3, 2015, complete the drawing project and post it to this Discussion Area.

Using your pencils, paper, ruler, and your imagination, draw an outdoor street scene in two-point perspective that contains the following elements:

• A building or house with a pitched roof
• A fence, telephone poles, a row of trees, or some other vertical row of objects that uses accurate vertical convergence.
• A road, sidewalk, or some other horizontal element that uses accurate horizontal convergence.

Tips for the drawing process:

1. Create an area measuring about 9x12 inches on your 18x24-inch pad of paper so you have a margin surrounding the drawing area. This will allow you to place your vanishing points outside the edges of the drawing in the margins to create a good composition that effectively uses space.
2. Consider the placement of elements within the drawing to create a well-balanced composition, utilizing foreground, mid-ground, and background.
3. Be sure to correctly overlap the elements in the composition, keeping in mind the placement of their bases/footprints on the ground plane.
4. Even though this drawing needs to be a scene from your imagination, remember that you can use photographs as a reference to add details such as architectural elements or complex objects to your imagined scene.
5. Leave your guidelines lightly sketched in, and then switch to a softer (4B, 6B) pencil to darken the finished shapes to help them stand out against the guidelines. Do not press down hard with your pencil.

My Work:

6-2-15

Week 2: Assignment 2

Assignment 2: Basic Shapes in Two-Point Perspective

This assignment will familiarize you with the methods of two-point perspective. You will also learn how to reference the perspective grid to overlap shapes correctly in space and understand how vanishing point placement can influence a two-point perspective drawing.

By Wednesday, July 1, 2015, complete the drawing exercise and post it to this Discussion Area.

1. Using your drawing pencils, paper, and ruler, first lightly draw a horizon line and label it HL. Then draw two vanishing points on either side of the horizon line and label them VP. Use the two vanishing points to fill the page with cubes, rectangular prisms, and triangular prisms in two-point perspective.
2. Draw at least three examples of each basic shape: cubes, rectangular prisms, and triangular prisms. This will result in a minimum of nine shapes.
3. Draw at least two triangular prisms as "pitched roofs" with equal sides on top of rectangular prisms. (Use ”perspective center X” to mark the middle of the side to place the top point of the triangle using the method described in the lecture and reading.)
4. Overlap at least two shapes on the ground plane, keeping in mind the placement of their bases/footprints.
5. Leave approximately half of your shapes transparent (see-through) and make the other half opaque (solid) by erasing away the hidden edges. Please do not shade the shapes to make them appear solid.
6. Draw some shapes above the horizon line, some below the horizon line, and some crossing over the horizon line.
7. Leave your guidelines lightly sketched in, and then switch to a softer (4B, 6B) pencil to darken the finished shapes to help them stand out against the guidelines. Do not press down hard with your pencil.

My Work:

Bridgette Bandell

Maria Ogedengbe

FNDA120 P02

1 July 2015

Assignment 2: Basic Shapes in Two-Point Perspective


For this composition, I decided to place the Horizon Line a bit low so that I had more space to work with on the top area. I placed my Vanishing Points as far away from each other as I could so that the scene was as believable as possible. I found it a lot easier to draw Two-Point Perspective than it was to draw One-Point Perspective. I made sure to check and make sure the Convergence was as precise as possible. I scanned my composition in so that you could clearly see the guidelines I used in completing my assignment. I did struggle with eyeballing the far angle on the pitched roof that is overlapping the Horizon Line due to the shape being so narrow, but all in all, I feel like I grasped this concept quite well.

6-30-15_2

Week 1:  Assignment 2 Discussion

Assignment 2: One-Point Perspective In Action

Original Work:

Instructor Feedback:

You're catching on !

Some of this is really quite good, but there are other areas you can correct - see: http://screencast.com/t/LubDTbp81t

Your presentation looks pretty good, notice the file size we need is 72ppi and about 600 px W x 800 px H.

Revised Work: 

6-30-15

Week 1: Assignment 3 Translating Interiors into Perspective

This assignment will familiarize you with methods used to translate a plan view and elevation view into a one-point perspective view. Observing simple objects and furniture in your own environment, you will be able to visually compare their proportions and illustrate them in your drawing. You will also learn the methods of creating a one-point perspective room interior complete with these simple interior objects.

By Friday, June 26, 2015, complete the following drawing assignment and post it to this Discussion Area.

Download and print out the plan view, elevation view, and perspective view grid templates provided below. Choose at least 4 objects found in your own home and compare the heights and widths of these objects using the sighting method discussed in this week’s lectures. Using your pencils and a ruler, translate these objects and observed measurements to your plan view and elevation view templates, creating an interior space. Be sure to keep objects consistently placed in each view of the space. Include the following:
At least 4 objects in the layout of the room, observed from your own home. Place these objects within both grid layouts. Avoid too much detail on the objects, keep the shapes basic.
One window or one door referenced in both grid layouts.

Using the completed plan view and elevation view grid templates as a guide, translate the objects of your interior to a one-point perspective view using your pencils and a ruler.

Click here to access/download the template

Develop the space slightly to make it feel more three-dimensional. Submit to the Discussion Area.

Revisions

Submitting a revised assignment based on feedback from your instructor is strongly encouraged. This will help ensure that your assignment is completed correctly and allow you to develop your work to its fullest potential. Revisions provide an opportunity to improve your grade and are due by the end of the week. Instructor feedback on revisions will be included in the Gradebook.

Examples

Below are examples of this assignment. Copying these examples will result in a loss of points; be original in your efforts.

MY WORK::

2-11-15

Observational Drawing

Week 3: Assignment 1 Practice Exam

Assignment 1: Exam

Grading Summary

These are the automatically computed results of your exam. Grades for essay questions, and comments from your instructor, are in the "Details" section below. Date and Time Started: 2/5/2015 8:38:38 PM Time Spent: 02 min , 02 secs Points Received: 30 / 30  (100%) Question Type: # Of Questions: # Correct: True/False     6         6     Multiple Choice     4         4

Grade Details - All Questions

Question 1. Question : Contrast between light and dark establishes edges or boundaries between forms, how dark or light an object is compared to the object or space next to it. Student Answer:  True  (Colors can be translated to dark or light value, absorbing and reflecting different amounts of light. Dark colors will absorb more light so value changes won’t be as apparent as on light or white objects, which will reflect more light.)  False Points Received: 3 of 3 Comments: Question 2. Question : Which of these is the softest grade of graphite pencil? Student Answer:  4B (Reflected light is the light bouncing off of another surface onto the shadowed side of an object. This usually appears as a thin line of faint or subtle light near the base of an object just above the cast shadow.)  2H  2B  B Points Received: 3 of 3 Comments: Question 3. Question : When a single light source is present, shadows will fall to the same sides of objects in a set-up. Student Answer:  True  (When there is one light source on a set-up, the cast shadows will be on the same sides of the objects opposite the light source and the highlights. This is important for consistency and realism in shading.)  False Points Received: 3 of 3 Comments: Question 4. Question : Compressed charcoal and vine charcoal will give the same types of dark values. Student Answer:  True  False  (Vine charcoal is the softest and most versatile form of charcoal. It is easy to apply, blend, and erase; however, it can be difficult to achieve dark, even, black tones and it does not adhere to the paper as well as compressed charcoal. Compressed charcoal is sold in sticks and blocks. It is very dark and does not erase easily.) Points Received: 3 of 3 Comments: Question 5. Question : To begin developing shading in a drawing once the basic shapes, composition, and proportions are established, block in the darkest values across the scene first. Student Answer:  True  (To begin developing a drawing, start with a gesture sketch, then block in your objects as geometric shapes using sighting, take a moment to step back and assess the perspective and proportions, and then systematically establish the darkest shadow areas first to describe a consistent light source. Everything opposite the light should be a darker value, everything closest to the light is a highlight, and everything in between these two extremes is a transitional tone.)  False Points Received: 3 of 3 Comments: Question 6. Question : Edges or boundaries of objects and spaces are defined by the contrast of values, light against dark, rather than outlines. Student Answer:  True  (Contrast between light and dark establishes edges or boundaries between forms, how dark or light an object is compared to the object or space next to it. Location in course lectures: Logical Flow of Light & Shadow, interactive tutorial with eggs.)  False Points Received: 3 of 3 Comments: Question 7. Question : What is reflected light? Student Answer:  The lightest part of an object  The effect of light on an object caused by light bouncing off a surface plane (Reflected light is the light bouncing off of another surface onto the shadowed side of an object. This usually appears as a thin line of faint or subtle light near the base of an object just above the cast shadow.)  Light values around an object  Light passing through a transparent surface Points Received: 3 of 3 Comments: Question 8. Question : Which condition is important to consider for realistic shading in a drawing? Student Answer:  Light direction  Surface texture and color  The directions, proportions and relative values of shadows  All of the above (Study the direction of the light source on the scene, and how this determines the directions, sizes and relative values of shadows and cast shadows. The surface texture and color of an object will also affect the amount of contrast. Colors will absorb light while light or white surfaces will have more intense highlights.) Points Received: 3 of 3 Comments: Question 9. Question : The values between the lightest and darkest values in a scene are called what? Student Answer:  Middle values  Highlights  Shadows  Transitional tones (Transitional tones refer to the way a value becomes darker or lighter across a form or space. These are most apparent on rounded forms, where the change from dark to light is often smooth and more gradual than on angular geometric forms, where the change can be more distinct between surface planes.) Points Received: 3 of 3 Comments: Question 10. Question : An effective way to see values and value relationships in a scene is to squint at the subject. Student Answer:  True  (Squinting helps to see the essential shapes and positions of the main areas of light and dark in a set-up or scene.)  False Points Received: 3 of 3 Comments:

2-8-15_2

Observational Drawing

Week 3: Assignment 2 Discussion

By Wednesday, February 4, 2015, complete the following exercise:

Create a value scale of 10 to 12 values using the HB, 2B, 4B, and 6B drawing pencils. Then, on the same piece of paper, draw a sphere with a cast shadow using as many values from the value scale as you can.

• Begin by lightly sketching in the geometric shape of the sphere and of the cast shadow using an HB or 2B pencil.
• Then, block in the darkest tone or the core of the attached shadow first and render it black using a 4B or 6B pencil, working to soften and eliminate the initial sketch lines of your geometric shape.
• Next, gradate the tone out toward the lighter areas using a smooth gradual transition, or halftone, from the core, or darkest area, of the shadows to the extreme highlight, or the area closest to the light.
• Add a light value to the background around your sphere to allow the contour edge of your highlight area to be defined from the background. Leave the white of the paper to show through for only the most extreme highlight areas; the rest of the composition should have tone.
• Try using a chamois cloth, Q-Tip, or eraser to pull tone out from the darkest areas to create a smooth, gradual blend from dark to light.
• Define the reflected light, or light that bounces off the surface plane and reflects back onto the edge of the sphere where the form and the cast shadow meet.
• Focus on allowing the values to bend and slightly curve to define the rounded form of the sphere.
• Fill in the cast shadow with a gradual blend from dark to light. The darkest part should be closest to the bottom of the sphere. Consider the tonal variations in a cast shadow, and feather the edges to indicate translucency, as opposed to a solid-opaque object.

Written Discussion
Write a one- to two-paragraph response that addresses the following discussion questions:

1. Why it is important to use the entire range of values when shading?
2. What are some key considerations when approaching shading on a realistic rendering?
3. In your opinion, what is the hardest or most confusing part of shading?

My Work:

I believe it is important to use all of the values when you’re shading so that you can add depth to your design as well as set a relative “space” between the subject and its surrounding. Some of the key considerations when I was approaching this assignment that I had to keep were to remember that the shadow isn’t another dimension, but an addition to the existing plane. I had to remember that even though the shadow is 2-dimensional, the way it falls on the table and across the ball were different and they couldn’t be drawn exactly the same because it was different depending on where it was and how close to the subject it happened to fall. In my opinion, the hardest part of this assignment was remembering to not press the same amount of pressure on the pencil when I wanted a different value and to use the pencils in different ways, holding it different depending on the type and thickness of line I wanted. I think that I did alright considering all the trouble I was having trying to get the shading values correct.

Instructor Feedback: 

Hi Bridgette,

Thank you for posting your sphere! I've recorded a VoiceThread video ( under the introductory prompt on this page) for you.
https://voicethread.com/share/6520581/
The top video is the lecture. The bottom video contains your feedback. You are Tenth on this recording. Please feel free to post questions or comments if needed. Thank you,

Pat

2-2-15

OMG, he's asleep!! 



Bryan hasn't slept in over 3 days for longer than an hour without waking up with the worst tooth pain he says he's ever experienced. He's tried amoxicillan, which worked but only for a few hours at a time, and only if he used the kids pink kind, not the grown up pill form. He tried clove oil and it didn't touch it, peppermint oil, that worked for one night, but only when it was one tooth. Now it's three... We have tried everything I have for pain, motrin, acetaminophen, naproxen(his script), and nothing was helping. Orajel made it worse, his coworker told him to try menthol cough drops, and they didn't do much he said... and then... after looking online and researching and more looking and nearly 4 days.... I found something that smells like spiced jellybeans from my grandma's house. The stuff is called Eugenol... and apparently it tastes like shit (Says Bryan) and the application hurt him some.... but after 5 minutes his pain went from 13(on a scale of 1-10) to 6, and then after 5 more minutes, the pain had died down to where he said it was just a 2(scale of 1-10) and he laid down and fell asleep!! ^_^ 

I'm awake and doing homework so I can't go to bed, but I feel so much better now that I know that my research has paid off and he's feeling better enough to sleep.... he'd been up for 40 hours straight and needed sleep badly. Luckily hes got today and tomorrow off too, and we are supposed to be going to David's Bridal to look at wedding dresses today sometime ^_^ . So hopefully the eugenol helps him through all of that and more! Making him an appointment with a sliding scale dentist tomorrow and hopefully having those teeth removed soon. I can't bear to see him in so much pain. I'm just glad I was able to help. Even if it doesn't help for an extended period of time, a little at a time is better than nothing but waking up hearing him puking his guts our from the pain he's in and having to drink cold water every 30 seconds to try keeping it numb-ish. 

4-20-12

Well, 

Broken, bruised, torn, and alone... Here I am... 

I decided to come back to Ohio, and ended up realizing that I may have waited too long to wake up to reality. I may have lost my only chances of having my family back. 

Rob already told me he is going to choose Tracy.

He said he won't take the kids away.. so there's that silver lining! 

I just pray that she treats him the way he deserves to be treated. Robert is an amazing man and a great father and deserves an equally amazing woman. He should be happy. So, all in all... I hope they are happy together. 

I will miss him and always love him... and a part of me will always be IN LOVE with him... 

But I will accept him being happy in any way he needs. 

I'm going to go for a walk and think... 

Love, 

Birdie Lou'